Thumbnail Request (then back to retirement)

Thanks! Alright, I may or may not have a ton to say, so let’s get started with this… I’ll split my commentary and criticism into multiple sections. I have screenshots of your game in this post, and I’m not sure if this is directly advertising, so if this is flagged you can look at the raw to see what I said (although there are no screenshots in the raw, sorry).


The Beginning:

When I first saw that your game was finished and that it was going to be “non-repetitive” (you’ll see this phrase more often as I go), I hadn’t really seen any of your platformer gameplay ever so the only thing I was really expecting was just something that took a bit of inspiration from AoMS and a decent game. I clicked on the link to your bio and I saw this:

My first bit of constructive criticism (not really criticism) is that you should probably make the image you saved as the thumbnail bigger so that it doesn’t have the weird white rectangles next to it. So, not knowing what to expect, I hosted the game (independently, of course), and the first thing I saw was this:

The pre-game lobby is pretty decent! Some things I’d like to say though are:

  • Please don’t slather your game’s name everywhere, the blocks with “Quest” on them are kind of annoying since we all know the game’s name
  • Double check your camera views to make sure that you can’t see beyond the grass block walls. I’m not sure if this was intentional, but you should just slightly move the camera view so you can only see up to the wall.

Chapter 1: Falling Platforms

So I started the game! This is what I see:


Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed. First of all, I’d like to point out that falling blocks don’t reappear until you respawn or fall and get knocked out. This was definitely intentional, but I feel like it makes the game a lot less fun when if you mess up, you’re going to be forced to die. Second, you’ll notice that the gameplay, although the introductory “screen” says otherwise, is repetitive. Why? Well, do you even see this?

Look - I know it’s hard to make good platformer gamepay, but I think many people here can agree that 6 of the same jumps that are equidistant is repetitive. It’s the same thing over and over again, 6 times. And, what happens when you get to the top? This!

Yep! Chapter’s over, it was literally just 6 jumps (all forward and all in the same direction). This chapter was really disappointing. And, let’s use AoMS’s chapter one, which is the game this one was inspired by!

Wow! They switch directions almost instantly! Then, we have this jump!

This jump is great for many reasons. It’s not just your standard “hmmm how far can I go” type of jump, it’s actually really short. But you have to time your jumps so that you can make it into a thin fence. My favorite part though is that off-screen you jump onto another platform, and then after that jump, you jump onto the top fence! What first looked like a simple barrier to prevent you from jumping too high was repurposed to act as more gameplay. That is what consumers of your maps like to see.

In your game, however, your jumps follow “y = x”. They literally just trace a linear graph and there’s no creative style like in AoMS. To make this constructive, how could we improve?

  • Go other directions! Make jumps harder!
  • Use more creative gameplay like platforms stacked on top of other platforms
  • Repurpose old gameplay into new gameplay, like the fences.
  • Don’t just spam one mechanic like falling blocks.
  • Use your mechanics more creatively - for example, what about a block that falls, but there’s a platform below it to catch you? What if staying on the path without going falling onto the platform mentioned previously was a trap?
  • Make your chapters longer than just six jumps.

It’s time for chapter 2!


Chapter 2: Fire

This chapter introduces the mechanic of fire. Touch it? Respawn. However, the chapter is executed in again, a very repetitive way. I’ll provide screenshots below:



This gameplay, got me… VERY HEATED (pun 100% intended). Why? You say this is non-repetitive gameplay but the jumps themselves are r-e-p-e-t-i-t-i-v-e. The fire gets higher the more you jump, but it’s still the same jump, equidistant from the others, in a straight line, over and over again. My least favorite part? Falling blocks literally do not appear once in this chapter. Also, it’s again a really short one.

Let’s look at AoMS’s second chapter:

You go up. That already makes this chapter more creative than yours. To be honest, just putting a few headhitters (platforms on-top of other platforms that you have to jump out and then in onto) would make your gameplay better. Remember the falling platform “trap” I described earlier? Do that! Make it so that you can either fall or keep going, and then put fire at the end of the “keep going” path. Creative!

Construction part:

  • Again, make jumps different distances.
  • Add some decoration on the platforms themselves.
  • Use falling blocks again - they have potential when combined with fire.
  • Again, go different directions than just to the right.
  • Use fire more creatively! Make a jump where you have to go through fire! Don’t just make the player jump over fire!

Also, there still is no indication (and there is none for the rest of the game) what kind of quest you’re going on. No popups, no text, nothing. Why would I go on a quest if I don’t even know what I’m supposed to do? How did I even get here? What even am I expecting to find at the end of the game?


Chapter 3: Speediness?

The chapter is called “Fast, fast, fast” except you don’t even increase your speed at all during the chapter so I have no idea what that means. Screenshots below:




About the second screenshot, when I saw it, I just about died inside. What the heck? First things first, you can just jump off the first platform in that “platform chain thing” and onto the topmost platform. That is what a headhitter is, if you still don’t know what I’m talking about when I say that. Second, you can just… walk along the repetitive platforms and into the drop.

For the third screenshot, more boring and repetitive platform gameplay occurs. Also, this is like, minimal decoration. What about some non-collidable trees, or rocks, or groundbreaking plants (to name a few)? Then, you jump onto some more platforms, go up this staircase thing, and falling platforms make a return! Woohoo! But unfortunately, you just jump on 5 of them and the chapter’s over. Boohoo :sob:! Actually, I’m pretty sure the platforms fall faster on this chapter, maybe causing the name to be “fast, fast, fast” but it makes no sense to name a chapter after a tiny bit of gameplay inside it.

What about AoMS? Let’s see!

Well, this time I’m actually twice as fast, so the name makes sense. Let’s see what AoMS has in store!

This part is subtle but nice. It utilizes the fact that you are twice as fast to make jumps that would normally be easy harder to time and more precise.

Nice, decoration! Also using the fact that you’re more fast to make some harder jumps, and adding lore with the “Talk?” button.

This is also a good difficulty increaser, because with double speed, you need to run a bit on a platform for it to actually go in effect, so just one tiny platform would make the jump harder. I’m not gonna review the entire AoMS, because that’s not we’re talking about, but taking inspiration from this game is not just using some of its ideas and chapter names, but also taking inspiration from the gameplay itself.

BY THE WAY, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY ADD IN INDICATOR FOR HOW MUCH ENERGY YOU GET AFTER YOU ANSWER A QUESTION, BECAUSE IT JUST SAYS “CORRECT” AFTER ANSWERING QUESTIONS CORRECTLY.

Construction time!

  • Make the player faster.
  • Falling platforms are re-introduced, why not fire? How about a combo?
  • Patch the skip where you can just headhitter and skip some walking gameplay.
  • CHANGE DIRECTIONS! PLEASE!
  • Adding on to making the player faster, how about adding some extra precise jumps?

Chapter 4 time! I’m getting less and less construction ideas that haven’t been said before.


Chapter 4: The Deep Darkness

This chapter is an improvement from the last few, but that doesn’t mean that it’s perfect! Let’s get our obligatory screenshots:





Let’s start with the design. In my opinion, the design is okay. There definitely could’ve been a few more prop additions, but it really isn’t that bad. In my opinion, the game’s design is its best element.

This chapter… frustrated me. For an exciting “cave adventure”, the gameplay remained bland, there were blind jumps (I will get to this later), and there were barely any real jumps and most of it was just falling.

The first section is just falling. Not very interesting. If we look at AoMS’s cave section, it is large, and has sooo much gameplay. This cave section was just… boring. It had nothing special besides the entire game getting darker…

Now, let’s talk about a problem. After you fall from the second section onto the third one, you might just fall into the lava, and the platform you fall on FALLS. This is a completely blind fall by the way, so that’s REALLY ANNOYING. Of course, you have some time to jump to the next platform, but that just annoys me so much. Good thing that after you pass this section with more repetitive gameplay (just 3 regular jumps), it doesn’t get darker, right?

It does. And you basically can’t see in the next section, but that doesn’t matter, because I know what happens anyways. You just do like some sort of rock dropper, and then that’s it.

Construction time!

  • Make the dropper easier to see, please (you don’t have to listen to this one)
  • Make the drop into the third section more fair
  • Make more gameplay besides just falling
  • You only descend in this chapter. Actually, surprisingly enough, this is the only chapter where your vertical distance really changes.
  • Why are you in a cave? There’s still no indication of what the “quest” is.
  • You descend in the chapter, but you could add some aspect of ascension too.
  • Add more cave decorations
  • Maybe a new mechanic soon?

Alright, chapter 5 time!


Chapter 5: Poisonous Citadel

This is the best chapter. That doesn’t say much, but the design is good, and there’s only one part that’s not good. Screenshot time!



Starting with the first screenshot, the gameplay here is actually… great! Well, it could definitely be improved, but I like the fact that you actually go upwards and left and right in this chapter. Overall, great job here! I know this chapter is inspired by Chapter 6 AoMS, and you did a pretty good job with the design too.

For the next part though… :face_vomiting: blargh. The copy and paste here made me die inside, once again. Please never do this, it’s just repetitive, boring, dry, and soooo annoying. I do like the two paths idea though, so you get credit for that.

This chapter was extremely short, and so this text chapter will also be short. Construction time!

  • Try and make more gameplay for each layer.
  • Utilize props here, I know lots of props that could fit here.
  • Why did you go from a cave to a citadel? I think lore could fit here.
  • Take away the copy and paste and remake it with elevated jumps, headhitters, and fitting in small gaps.

Chapter 6: From Citadel to a… Beach?

This chapter was kind of annoying. I’d probably rank it as chapter 3 level. Not as bad as chapter 1 or 2 though. Screenshot time!




Yeah, another short chapter, one that I can’t compare to AoMS either because it’s not. First concern - the laser endpoints are not showing. I know it’s a design choice, but they still are collidable, which can cause some really annoying deaths.

I noticed there’s an air system, which is a pretty nice touch to this chapter itself. The gameplay is different from all the other chapters, but that doesn’t mean its better. Most of it is still just jumping over lasers.

The design here is pretty nice, I suppose. I’d add fish emojis, more coral, and maybe some bubble emojis.

Construction time!

  • Show your laser endpoints!
  • Please add some more underwater design
  • I have officially wasted over an hour of my life critiquing this game, please just make it better somehow so I can finally rest
  • Please make your chapters longer :sob:

Ughhhh I’m going insane :rofl: :crazy_face: Chapter 7 time woohoo :partying_face: !


Chapter 7: Mushrooms

image

Hey look, a funny mushroom decoration!
Walks on it

image


:rage:

Dear Gimkit101,

How, the actual farmchain, is that POISONOUS?!

Sincerely,
Pimysz

Okay, so the mushrooms are not poisonous and if you try to tell me otherwise then I will eat your device. It’s not even purple or green. This is so shockingly appallingly unindicated that I don’t even know what to say. Just like, use text to say “These mushrooms look normal, but they aren’t, so DON’T TOUCH THEM!” No, the game wants you to die because it wants you to suffer for the rest of your LIFE. Is this really what the world has come to? Mushroom disguising? Let me speak to your manager :rage:!!!

(the second half of the above paragraph is a joke, just in case you’re low on sarcasm detection points)

So, mushrooms. They’re like fire, but smaller. In my opinion they should’ve been introduced with fire, but you do you.

This part puts a mushroom but on a smaller platform. That’s nice. I hope it’s not secretly poisonous. Oh no, it is!

Okay, so this isn’t actually a big deal. You just die once. But please, indicate them as poisonous better in some way. You don’t wanna baby the player, but you also don’t wanna be blatantly unfair.

Hey look, headhitters! I don’t know why these weren’t used previously, but the gameplay is getting better!

And some gameplay later, it’s time. The final chapter. We’ll see what’s in store after construction.

Construction time!

  • Indicate the mushrooms as poisonous
  • Make the chapter longer, please.
  • Since we have falling blocks and fire, how about use those?
  • Use more headhitters in the future, just like in this chapter.
  • Again, switch directions.
  • :construction: :hammer: :man_construction_worker: Bob the builder is here! Let’s interview him!

Pimysz: So, how is this game?
Bob the Builder: It could use some improvement.
Pimysz: Yeah. Is it fixable though?
Bob the Builder: Of course! I know you didn’t mean any offense Pimysz, and you’d be really sorry if Gimkit101 got really offended by this! This game is definitely fixable, and if you do fix it, it could be one of the best out there!
Pimysz: Holy cow :cow2:! You said what I was thinking! It’s almost like we were written by the same person!
Bob the Builder: Oh yeah! What the cows :cow2:? That’s cool. Anyways, I need to leave. My planet needs me.
Pimysz: Cya Bob, hopefully what you said is true…


Chapter 8: THE FINAL ONE FINALLY

I’ll try to make this as short as possible because I simply have written too much previously. Okay, so this chapter is about a mashup of all the previous gameplay.

The first section is… falling platforms! Except the falling platform disappeared so… then there’s a mushroom. Cool.

Ha. Funny cave section. Also, my game code starts with “314”. Coincidence? Also, the gameplay has reverted back to easy jumps in one direction. Why? I don’t know :sob:

A few more falling platforms later… FIRE! And also the citadel.

More falling platforms that regenerate, and then a mushroom. Yay!

This part I must complain about. What were you thinking? The difficulty of the platformer was like… easy, and now it spiked up with a super long jump you can barely even prepare for because there’s a mushroom! Please, nerf that.

Okay, the next part is a water section… some fire, and winpad, here I come (the following gif addresses the winpad):

Finally.

I have no constructive criticism here. Everything about this chapter has been illustrated in the previous ones. Oh my god. But, like, you have to have variety:


A Ranking of all Chapters (by goodness)

5
4
6
7
8
3
2
1


Overall Gameplay and Enjoyment:

The overall gameplay in this game just felt boring, repetitive, and… kind of meaningless. Now, is that kind of mean to say? Yes. But does it have to be said for this game to get better? Also yes. This game has sooo much potential. You could use falling platforms over fire to make a scary auto-spleef section. You could use a falling platform that falls near a gap so you can make like, a door system. The gameplay is in one direction and that also feels boring. AoMS has gameplay that switches directions very often! If the game did that, it would also get so much better! Did I enjoy this? Eh… not really. But that could definitely change. I have the constructive criticism up there as ideas for new mechanics that could make the game a lot more enjoyable and meaningfull. So, yeah. The gameplay also got better in the later chapters…

Overall Design:

The overall design was pretty nice! There could be more, but I liked the design of the Citadel and some of the other late-game stuff. Overall, I think the design has room for improvement, but that improvement is… optional. We should focus on the gameplay (although I’m not gonna collab because that would be inconvenient) first and then the design, and that’s basically it!

Overall Lore:

THERE IS NONE HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. But if you added snooker and cows :cow2:, I’m sure I might increase the ratings…
snooker

Conclusion:

I love cows :cow2:.

20 Likes

Did I just waste over 2 hours of my life writing something that contains 3000+ words and 20000+ characters (17000+ without spaces)? Maybe. Please read. Please don’t take offense. Bob the Builder is there and he’d like to tell you that I am never writing anything like this on these forums ever again, because it’s a huge waste of time for me and it’s probably advertising.

Edit: I added gifs in chapters 7 and 8. Look at them now.

Forum User: Ha, I didn’t.

(yes that one is in the real post too)

13 Likes

bro wth how does that have anything to do with gkc?

…you might want to edit that post. Swearing is against the community guidelines.

1 Like

dude, ok. Calm down. It was just offtopicness going on. It’s already been addressed. You didn’t need to bring it up again, it causes clutter. Besides, that was posted 3 days ago, so that issue had already passed. Also, Fluffy is right. Don’t swear. Thanks :D

Let’s get back on the topicing.

i ain’t readin
all that

6 Likes

Very cool. Very time consuming, but still. Very cool.

1 Like

OMG PIMYSZ THIS IS SUCH COOL POST
I READ EVERY SINGLE WORD (actually)
THANK YOU FOR BLESSING US WITH YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR COWS :cow2:

10 Likes

Get culted! :cow2::cow2::cow2::cow2::cow2::cow2::cow2::cow2::cow2::cow2::cow2::cow2:!
mysz getting great post on this one! real

edit: blackjack thanks for the art! yey it looks great! I might draw you something if I ever get bored.

Ok back on topic. Gimkit 101 you should close this, maybe move it to devices and mark solution.
We’ve already chosen a thumbnail.

2 Likes

Chunky is correct. Although, OP isn’t online to my knowledge.

this isn’t related, but Chunky, I got bored so I drew you something.
2024_07_05_11w_Kleki

5 Likes

It looks great, your really good at drawing

1 Like

RELA RELA
image
le pi cult oui oui

5 Likes

Now the river is flowing, great…
kinda want to try now lmao

3 Likes

nooo! not cult
image again!
no riot!

2 Likes

@mysz, thanks for all that feedback!!! It took me like 5 minutes to read, though. :sweat_smile:

Okay, after I release the game I’m currently working on (and underwater game like level 6), I’ll go back and fix the entire game thanks to your feedback!

2 Likes

BTW, @mysz, the :100: bricks are power ups. To activate them, just jump up and hit the bottom of them. The one in that level makes you 2.5 speed, which makes it harder to manuver.

1 Like

I think you need to tell the player that somehow. AoMS has directions as to what’s going on gameplay-wise.

2 Likes

woah

1 Like

:pray: Amen!
Cows :cow2:

2 Likes

i aint reading all that
oops realised someone else already said that
sorry @That_Fedora_Guy

3 Likes