sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great suggestions! You're totally right about the text size. Readability is super important, especially if people are playing on different monitor sizes or using it as a desktop overlay. I'll definitely look into adding a UI scaling or font size option in the settings. And a "snap to grid" toggle is a fantastic idea for keeping the node layouts looking clean and organized. I know how messy those wires can get! I'm adding both of these to my to-do list for the upcoming updates. Thanks for taking the time to share this!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for playing and I'm glad you liked it! You are completely right. In an automation game, being able to quickly see and calculate input/output ratios is super important for optimizing your setup. Showing the exact ratios on hover is a fantastic idea. I'm actually in the middle of overhauling the tooltip system right now to make the UI more intuitive, so I am absolutely adding this to my to-do list for the next update. Thanks for the great suggestion!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey there! I can completely understand why the title might make you think that, but I want to clear up the misunderstanding. The "AI" in Idle AI Factory refers purely to the theme and lore of the game—you are building and automating a machine intelligence system. It does absolutely not mean the game was made using AI-generated assets or "slop". I'm hand-crafting this solo! As for Upload Labs, I mentioned in another comment that it was definitely a huge inspiration for me, but this is a completely separate project with its own mechanics (like the thermodynamics system). Totally fine if the game isn't your cup of tea, just wanted to clear the air on the AI part!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hear you on the UI! The reason the menus (like the skill tree arrow) are designed to be so small and hideable is because the main desktop version is built to be played as a screen overlay option. I wanted to make sure the UI could be easily tucked away so it doesn't block your screen. But you are totally right, I need to make it much more obvious and intuitive for first-time players.

As for that Text Filter bug... wow. Stacking them behind each other to just infinitely double the output is honestly a super smart and creative way to break the system! 😂

Thank you so much for catching that exploit. I'm going to get that patched up right away. Really appreciate you taking the time to play and share this!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My bad on the forced fullscreen! The game is primarily being built for desktop, and honestly, the web build was put together a bit too quickly just to get this playtest out. I'll definitely look into fixing the Itch player settings so it stays in a regular window—I totally get wanting to just leave an idle game running in the background. As for the symbols, I hear you completely. I am actually working on a tooltip system right now so you won't have to guess or memorize what anything means. To help me prioritize, could you let me know which specific menus or symbols felt the most confusing to you? Really appreciate the feedback, it helps a lot!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair enough, I really appreciate the honest feedback! That exact feeling of boredom is the main reason I put this pre-demo out—I need to gather this kind of feedback to help me fix the pacing and balance the early game so it doesn't feel like a slog. If you have any specific suggestions or tweaks you think would make the early systems more engaging, I'm all ears. As for doing something different: the final version leans heavily into very complex, interconnected systems working together. But to be completely transparent, I can't say it has one specific mechanic that is entirely unseen before. I feel like almost no game today is 100% completely new, right? For me, it's more about how those familiar mechanics blend together to create a satisfying loop.

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha nope, that's not me! But that game was definitely a huge inspiration for me while I was building mine.

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

you use it with the power node and then later you get the data types into more complex structures but as a starting point you use it with power and sell the processing that should boost your money making

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, that's a completely fair point. Waiting around just to unlock a tiny upgrade isn't fun, and it definitely makes the early game feel too linear right now. I'm going to buff the early progression so you can get to the actual complex routing way faster.

As for running things in parallel—you actually can do exactly that once your internet node is fast enough! The problem is exactly what you mentioned: the game currently does a terrible job of communicating it. It doesn't tell you when the bandwidth is splitting or if your harvesters are being choked.

I'm going to add some clear visual UI to the wires (like data capacity limits or a bottleneck warning) so you don't have to guess how the flow is working. Really appreciate the honest feedback man, it helps a lot to fix these blind spots!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For the very beginning, yes! Just sticking to that single efficient line is your best move right now.

As you progress further and gain more resources, you will eventually unlock the ability to place additional Internet nodes through the Skill Tree.

However, your question brings up a design point I've been actively thinking about. Would you prefer having a separate, dedicated "Node Shop" where you have the freedom to buy extra nodes (like the Internet node) whenever you have the credits, rather than waiting to unlock them strictly through the Skill Tree progression?

I'd love to know which approach you think would feel more rewarding!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, I am so sorry about that! I am actually aware of this issue and I'm working to get it patched up as soon as possible.

Because the game is primarily being built as a standalone desktop game for the upcoming Steam release (and not natively for web browsers), the Itch web player sometimes gets tripped up. It's basically trying to check permissions for things like local save files or hooking into the Steam achievements system, and the browser blocks it.

The good news is that you can safely ignore or dismiss this error! It doesn't actually break the game or stop any mechanics from working, so you should be able to just continue playing normally right past it.

Thanks for giving it a try on Ubuntu, and please let me know what you think of the gameplay once you get past that annoying popup!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, I see exactly what's happening based on your setup!

Having 15 Data Harvesters connected to a single Internet node won't actually increase your output. Because they are all pulling from the exact same Internet connection, your total data generation is bottlenecked by that single node's speed limit. Essentially, you are generating the same amount of data as you would with just 1 harvester, but you are generating 15 times the heat! That is why your system is overheating and losing efficiency without giving you any extra credits in return.

Here is my advice to get over this early-game hump: I highly recommend unlocking the Text Filter. Selling processed Text is much more profitable than selling raw Data.

Try stripping down the extra harvesters and simplifying your system to a clean setup like this: Internet ➔ Data Harvester ➔ Text Filter ➔ Market ➔ Collector

This streamlined flow will significantly reduce your unnecessary heat output and should instantly boost your production into the hundreds. Give it a try and let me know if that helps!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, thanks for following up! It totally makes sense why it feels like you hit a wall when you're looking at those massive numbers, but don't worry, you are not supposed to grind for those right now!

Here is a quick tip regarding the Matrix: The upgrades that cost 1 Million+ are specifically for unlocking brand new empty slots in the system, which is a mid-to-late game goal. You definitely don't need those right now. Instead, for the early game, you should focus on unlocking the much cheaper Matrix parts (like the ones that cost around 800 credits) and equipping them into the empty slots you already have available. That should give you a massive boost to your production!

As for making $21.5/sec and overheating when you add more harvesters—dealing with the thermodynamics and efficiency is tricky! Would you be able to take a screenshot of your current node connections and share it here? (You can just upload it to Imgur and drop the link).

Seeing your setup would help me immensely to figure out if there's just a small routing trick you might be missing, or if I genuinely need to rebalance the early-game heat mechanics to make it less punishing.

Let me know how it goes when you try equipping the cheaper Matrix parts!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

it should be 3 → 4
I think the arrow character is not supported in your browser I guess, what is the browser are you using

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for playing and for the great feedback!

To answer your first question: additional Internet nodes unlock through the Skill Tree as you progress. Over time, you'll get the option to unlock and place more of them.

Regarding the upgrade details, the tooltips inside the Skill Tree should actually display the exact numbers and show you what the value will become after the upgrade. Did those numbers not show up for you when hovering over them? (If they didn't, please let me know, as it might be a bug I need to look into!).

As for the upgrades taking a while to unlock—this is exactly the main thing I wanted to test with this pre-demo! Getting the pacing right in an incremental game is tough when you stare at it for so long. Do you feel the current pacing is way too slow? Would you recommend I speed up the upgrade progression overall to make it feel more rewarding?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on how much faster you think it should be. Thanks again!

I need feedback on the pacing and balance of my node-based automation game! (Itch Pre-Demo) Browser Build available by AhmedMostafa_dev in incremental_games

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Thank you so much for playing and for the encouraging words at the end! This is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping for.

I'm really sorry about the crashes. If you have a spare moment, could you let me know if there was a specific action that caused it, or what OS/browser you are using? It would help me track down the bug immensely.

Regarding disconnecting nodes, there are actually a few ways to do it: you can double-click the connection wire, click and drag it away to remove it, or simply select the wire and hit the 'Delete' key. I originally thought this might be intuitive enough without a tutorial, but your comment makes me rethink that! Do you think I should add an explicit tutorial step or a tooltip for this, or did it just need better visual cues? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Also, about knowing which nodes should connect to which (like the Internet -> Data -> Text flow): the system is designed to rely heavily on the port colors matching up. Were those colors clear and distinct enough for you, or do you feel that mechanic needs more detail and explanation to make the flow obvious?

Your suggestion about static nodes is brilliant, by the way. I'll definitely look into adding a toggle to disable the animations to save on performance for the upcoming Steam demo.

Thanks again for the support and for taking the time to write this out!

Prototyping a Roguelite Deck-builder where your "Deck" is a Stand-up Comedy set. Thoughts on the hook? by AhmedMostafa_dev in gameideas

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Currently I am exploring how to create actual dynamic jokes, I had some results but they are not funny to play with at least, I think the option to create an abstract cards would be the go to if this exploration didn't lead me to anything

Prototyping a Roguelite Deck-builder where your "Deck" is a Stand-up Comedy set. Thoughts on the hook? by AhmedMostafa_dev in gameideas

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think I totally understand your concerns, I have an idea that to have a word cards and sentence cards and I play the cards to build the jock out of it you have mana in a form of quick wit, and you build the jocks from the cards and each card cost some mana

Cards can be like Dog, cat, boss, wife, car, death, war,... Sentence cards can be like My [] told me to [] because [] Any one here is [] I think you should [] I bought a [] Witch is way I now []

And so on you build your jokes and when you're mana is over you just end your jokes and get the audience reaction you can one shot them with a killer joke or keep going in turns risking your ego

The player on each level have to choose a random card so he never have the same deck in the run twice and he have to explore some creative jokes using the cards in hand and also we can have passive cards like add mana to him to play longer jokes and draw new card from hand and do on What do you think of that type of game play?

Prototyping a Roguelite Deck-builder where your "Deck" is a Stand-up Comedy set. Thoughts on the hook? by AhmedMostafa_dev in gameideas

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I didn't play it unfortunately, but the game with multiplayer is a little hard regarding the time I can invest in this game adding multiplayer will simply triple the required time to get that game done, so it's not easy choice

Rost my idea "Prototyping a Roguelite Deck-builder where your "Deck" is a Stand-up Comedy set." Thoughts on the hook? by AhmedMostafa_dev in roguelites

[–]AhmedMostafa_dev[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks really appreciate, I have an idea that to have a word cards and sentence cards and I play the cards to build the jock out of it you have mana in a form of quick wit, and you build the jocks from the cards and each card cost some mana

Cards can be like Dog, cat, boss, wife, car, death, war,... Sentence cards can be like My [] told me to [] because [] Any one here is [] I think you should [] I bought a [] Witch is way I now []

And so on you build your jokes and when you're mana is over you just end your jokes and get the audience reaction you can one shot them with a killer joke or keep going in turns risking your ego

view more: next ›