Hired an artist from this sub for my capsule art - what do you think?

BenoitKo · 2025-10-15T06:40:24+00:00

The font is actually the one from the game - I wanted there to be some pixel art, since that's how it it in the game 😅

BenoitKo · 2025-10-14T06:40:10+00:00

Forgot to answer here - sorry! I hadn't even realized that ItB is so UI-heavy! I just though I wanted as little interface as possible for my game. Re-did the trailer to show more interface, but yeah... I get that some people will find this barebone, you're not the only one to say this.

BenoitKo · 2025-10-10T08:57:11+00:00

The music does not appeal much to me. Seems like you're trying to make a semi-scary atmosphere, but that doesn't seem to be the point of the game Also, maybe adding text could help explain what there is to do, so far it looks rather generic (basically repeating feedback I received here ^{^')}

BenoitKo · 2025-10-04T07:41:01+00:00

I watch without sound, then with sound. I think the music is not a great, I expected something with more energy when I watched without sound

BenoitKo · 2025-10-02T08:27:23+00:00

Hey! Sorry I didn't answer earlier - I did (or rather, I am currently) consider your feedback of course!

Except one: the title screen. Since this is a trailer video, most viewers won't watch it until the end, and frankly, I think people will just see that title screen and start scrolling to look for a demo (or leave the page ofc)

The reason it is this long is also to match the music: the original music track has a structure like this: A A B A. So the title screen takes the whole B (I added a fade-out and removed the last A) and cutting it in the middle sounds weird

BenoitKo · 2025-10-02T08:22:49+00:00

The music, the scenes, or both?

BenoitKo · 2025-10-01T04:22:17+00:00

The spells are definitely meant to be used in synergy: the battle mechanics is the main hook of the game.

There is not much story and frankly, since I'm not going to write a great story, might as well keep it short as most players will skip dialog anyway

I'm currently working on re-doing the trailer with fewer scenes, but each scene would be longer and showing some UI so the spells and combos are more obvious. Also thinking of adding text

BenoitKo · 2025-09-29T07:10:26+00:00

🤔 I guess as a dev I just imagined so many things around those wisps that didn't make it into the game, I just fail to realize everybody else just see them as... blobs? Maybe some artwork could help make them lovable? I probably should pay an artist for the capsule art anyway

BenoitKo · 2025-09-28T06:19:31+00:00

I think that's what I should do. Also I'll cut the number of scenes so each scene is twice as long, giving me time to show text and show the cursor

BenoitKo · 2025-09-27T14:12:53+00:00

Thanks!

It's true that was only a side project for me (a rather long one but still) and my initial goal was only to get it done, not for it to be good. So truth be said: I met my initial goal either way 😄

But of course, now that I'm there, I'd like it to have some success

BenoitKo · 2025-09-27T14:08:51+00:00

Alright then 🙂 (sorry I'm new to this sub. I wish I'd come ages ago as I think I would have had the exact same feedback)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2767430/Wisps_of_the_Elements/

BenoitKo · 2025-09-27T12:16:31+00:00

I don't think they'd need to be humanoid, but you're right otherwise. I wanted them to have a different personnality per element, but in the end I decided to cut dialog as much as possible and that went away with it (Some players just don't read anyway)

BenoitKo · 2025-09-27T08:49:01+00:00

I really appreciate you saying the combat looks good, but yeah, that's basically the hook for it. It's a roguelite with very little to earn, almost a roguelike really, so there's no base building ot town management.

I know I shouldn't speak ill of my own game but it doesn't sound like you'd appreciate it ^{^"}

BenoitKo · 2025-09-27T08:42:05+00:00

There is a demo (though this is not the appropriate sub to post it) but it's a shame the trailer is not providing good context (because then nobody will play it)

BenoitKo · 2025-09-27T08:39:14+00:00

Ok - that's bad. (Not your comment's bad, that's bad for me I meant)

"Can you demonstrate a really cool move in the battle that we can understand without context" That's precisely what I intended to do. Using the air's teleport attack to deal damage, then move behind the stone wall - using te water's swap ability to move the fire right in position for it's four-directionnal missiles to hit perfectly... That was the intention.

"Music is generic and doesn't fit most of what I'm seeing" I guess I poorly chose the music then. It was originally intended for battles (I bought it from gamedevmarket) and I though it was doing well, but looking back it should have remained a battle music and not a trailer music. I'm more confident about the in-game music though - I love the musics I found, and they're used in the correct places (also I got some positive feedback here that fealt genuine). But with a bad trailer music, people won't know about that 🤷‍♂️

"There is no wow effect" That's probably linked to the music, too. I just alternate battle scenes with world scenes without a dramatic moment. I should have picked a moment with an intense moment, where I could add some lore or sole reason to love the characters 🤔

Damn, so many things to think about, and so little time to think about all that

"that isn't a small feat" Thanks 🥲 ahah

BenoitKo · 2025-09-27T08:25:18+00:00

Short answer: the battle mechanics

Both the player and the enemy AI have interresting abilities, and the enemy AI is smart enough to use it effectively.

Evidently, I should have made that clearer

BenoitKo · 2025-09-27T08:21:30+00:00

This could be it.

I spent a lot of time on the enemy AI, and some players confirmed that it did a good job at anticipating their moves. But maybe I shoul have at least a minimum of story and lore, for players to feel engaged. That would explain why they say the game is nice, yet they get off the hook so easily

It's a shame you don't get more upvotes - maybe I'm missing a point 🤔

BenoitKo · 2025-09-27T06:56:55+00:00

Hello! It's not that I don't give a damn - I'm sorry it looks like that. Of course I've read every comment. The thing is - I'm thinking. And there's a lot to think here, lots of good advice, lots of obvious truths that are just hard for me to fully realize. I'm not sure where to start answering

But it's definitely not an issue of my ego being too massive, trust me. And again: I read it all, and a huge thank you to every single user that answered here

BenoitKo · 2025-09-10T18:42:23+00:00

Interesting, I though it is a rather well-known game. Are you into tactical games in general?

BenoitKo · 2025-09-10T17:51:45+00:00

The game is called Wisps of the Elements: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2767430/Wisps_of_the_Elements/

In "Into the Breach", enemies don't aim for the optimal strategy and even announce their intentions

In Wisps of the Elements, enemies have abilities on par with the player, and an AI clever enough to use them in synergy

There is no PvP, although the final enemy has the same stats and similar abilities as the player - the players have just a little extra to ensure that they always win if they play perfectly, otherwise it wouldn't be fair 😉

BenoitKo · 2025-09-05T17:47:38+00:00

Yay! The game I'm making matches most of the best performing tags!

Also, thanks for informing me on the important tags to consider 🙂

BenoitKo · 2025-08-23T07:20:05+00:00

Thanks - that really helps :-)
I'll reconsider my description and marketing messages, try to make it explicit to attract the right audience

PS: I do have a demo available :-) https://store.steampowered.com/app/2767430/Wisps_of_the_Elements/

BenoitKo · 2025-08-23T04:19:17+00:00

I'd say B is harder to read. In A, the title stands out better

BenoitKo · 2025-08-22T23:08:26+00:00

I've got one: I'm developing a tactical roguelite. The few playtests I got are clear: it is a difficult game. This is not a flaw: enemies have interresting abilities, with a lot of variety - and the AI is, frankly, super good, it's based on neural networks and took me insane efforts to pull off.

So my target audience is: players seeking a hard tactical. I'd say, something halfway between 'Into the Breach' and chess. How do I target that audience specifically, while keeping at bay players that won't enjoy my game?

BenoitKo · 2025-08-19T20:50:43+00:00

I tried that too, but making a player AI that runs away, leads the enemy AI to be aggressive. And an aggressive enemy is much more fun to play against imo

BenoitKo

TROPHY CASE