nigmashumma on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/nigmashumma/art/KernelBug-videogame-demo-updated-653639592nigmashumma

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KernelBug videogame demo (updated!)

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World-of-NoeL's avatar
This is a bad game, but certainly not irredeemable. I like puzzle-platformers but the level design here isn't good.

First up, a few quick things:
* The parallax background shouldn't scroll if the foreground is stationary. Having its movement tied to the player instead of the camera gives a really weird and wrong effect.
* PLEASE get rid of the "auto-jumping" when you hit the ground while holding up. It's natural for players to hold the jump key down for a "big jump" and several times I accidentally jumped straight into a spike after landing. Just add a "can jump" flag that doesn't reset until the player has released the jump key.

Regarding level design:
Level 1:
* The roof spike is an unnecessary and annoying beginner's trap. I didn't even notice it at first because it's the same colour/shape as the terrain.
* The space under the right platform (closest to the door) is dead space. You can't enter it from the left even though there appears to be a huge gap, the spike does nothing, and it's annoying as hell to get out of since the roof above the door makes it difficult to jump out of. This whole section is needlessly cramped and difficult to move around in.
* It's not immediately obvious that you need to push the key into the receptacle. My first instinct was to push the key into the door since the receptacle just appears to be part of the alien architecture. Add a blue gem (like what's on the key) or something to the receptacle - something to tell the player that this is a lock and key.
* Alternatively (or additionally), simplify the level so that the player "accidentally" discovers the lock/key mechanism. Have the lock directly under the key's platform so that it activates as soon as the key is pushed from the ledge, rather than requiring the player to double back and push it some more.

Level 2:
* As far as I can tell, this level is impossible to complete. After putting the second key in the receptacle you cannot progress as the platform is too high to jump to. You also cannot reset the stage as there's nothing that can kill you here.
* The position of the second key on the right side of the platform hints to the player that it should be approached from the left, but this is impossible since the platform is too high to reach from the ground. The only way to get it is to hold left as you fall and push the block off the left side. If you miss the platform then you need to reset the game, as there's no deadly obstacles here.
* There is also an inconsistency here. The right-facing spikes at the bottom left of the level kill you, but identical spikes at the left of the first level do not.

If you tweak some of the mechanics and learn some level design fundamentals (e.g. knowing what your design is conveying to the player, what it needs to convey, and what it SHOULDN'T convey) this could be a fun game.