I had 3 players test my game. One of them was my sister, one of them was my mother, and the last was a friend of mine who I sent the package to named Angel. I utilized the same play testers as before to see if I improved on my previous mistakes, as this is feedback I haven't always been able to receive. I reviewed this level with my previous feedback in mind, and attempted to create a map which taught the players the basic controls, enemies, and aspects of a theoretical game. I had the players test my game with a keyboard and mouse.
First, the players said my placement of the checkpoints was okay, and the text I included (as seen in the picture below) was very helpful in informing the player about checkpoints and other important level features. The players expressed that the general enemy location was good, and the ideas behind their placement were solid. They also expressed that the areas which I had enemy encounters were much better than previously, either being much better enclosed or having more enemies where needed.
What went wrong?
What went wrong?
The players expressed that the level could have been compressed even more in some areas, or required less walking and backtracking. While I originally thought I had solved this issue, I had only fixed the combat issue, not the boring walking sections. Finally, the players unanimously recommended that I add just a few more player interactables again, as I only really added a pressure plate for the acid pool and text boxes to tell the player about door switches. The players suggested possibly adding a puzzle to the yellow door room, as opposed to having the players guess what door the objective was behind. (as seen in the third picture)
How might you improve your level next time?
Next time, I plan to change my level to include less long walking sections. I plan to add a puzzle or two somewhere in the level, whether it be with switches or pressure plates or a combination of the two. I also plan to add some elements of elevation, such as stairs or a balcony.
Were the challenges presented appropriate to the skill level of the player?
Yes. The challenge level of the enemies was heightened because of the closer spaces, and in the more open spaces I added more enemies to keep the player focused. My players were able to use their combo attacks, and felt much more satisfied with the combat than previously. They did remark, however, that the environmental difficulty was not on par with the enemy difficulty. The environment was extremely easy to navigate to the point of becoming mindless.
Was the critical path obvious?
The critical path was very obvious this time around. I added text boxes to guide the player through, and my players had no issues this time around finding the critical path. However, Angel did remark that since the level had a linear pattern, the critical path was really the only path through the level.
How was the overall flow?
The overall flow was average. While the direction of the flow was good, the players felt that it was slow and dragged during the walking sections. The level was a great concept, but needed to be shorter. Because of walking sections, the players were pulled out of the experience, and were never really immersed in the level.
Were there circulation elements?
Yes. However, I feel like I must add more to the level. I added doors of different colors to catch the players' eye, but I should have added things like elevation and stairs.
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