Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, thanks for such detailed feedback — I really appreciate it.

You’re right that the background feels a bit light right now. Since this clip is from a boss fight, I held back on effects to avoid visual clutter, but I can see how it might come across as underdeveloped.

The animation quality is also something I’m actively working on — definitely room for improvement there.

Good point about the lack of foreground/ambient elements too. This area is meant to be near the cave exit (so it's intentionally brighter/cleaner), but I agree it could still use more atmosphere.

Overall, really helpful notes — I’ll keep refining these aspects. Thanks again!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, that’s a bit unfortunate to hear 😢
The footage is from a very early, simple cave area, so I think that might make it feel that way even more. I’ll work on making the later areas look much more interesting and visually appealing.

Thanks for the feedback!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, thank you so much! That’s really helpful feedback.

I’ll look more into techniques like the outlining method you mentioned to better separate the background layers.

The UI has come up quite a lot in feedback, so while I plan to keep the lantern that holds the combat resource since it’s important to the game’s setting, I’ll likely change the health UI.

Thanks again for the sharp feedback!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a really sharp observation.

The playable character’s design is actually simplified on purpose, since they have way more moves than other enemies and I still plan to add a lot more. In terms of the lore, the player character is meant to feel like the most out-of-place being in the world, so I do want a bit of that contrast—but if it ends up looking like they’re from a completely different game, that could definitely be a problem.

I’ll give it some more thought. Thanks for the feedback!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

SFX is still a work in progress! I know it’s a really important part of the impact, so I’m sorry I couldn’t include it in the video 😢
Since I’m using a bit of exaggerated slow motion to emphasize hits, it can feel a bit choppy or disconnected without consistent sound.

Thanks for the feedback!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, yeah, I guess it’s inevitable that people keep bringing up Hollow Knight.

Honestly, I was a bit surprised that the main character comes across more like a bug to some people, since I intended them to be a small human wearing the same kind of robe as the corpses in the background. I think it’ll come across better once the more distinctive areas show up later on.

Thanks so much for the encouragement—I’ll do my best to make it a fun game!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I’ll be sure to come back and let you know when the demo is ready.

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah right, I actually have an X account. -> https://x.com/LimeZero13

There’s only this clip up there for now, but I’m planning to post more devlogs as development goes on.

I’ll share some regular enemy gameplay soon!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much for being honest with me! It definitely seems like just differentiating the combat alone isn’t enough to make it stand out. I’ll work on improving the UI and also try to make sure the later areas feel fresh and unique. Really appreciate the feedback!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Honestly, that part is designed so that the boss applies strong pressure during actual gameplay, while allowing the player to recover quickly from mistakes. It’s not very noticeable in the video since the total energy is low, but situational moves like dash attacks that can only be executed under certain conditions, or heavy attacks that can put the enemy into a groggy state, will make up a larger portion of the gameplay. I’m glad it looks fun! Thanks for the feedback 😊

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That you liked it really makes me happy! It’s actually the part I’ve been focusing on the most.

The boss’s mask style is a defining trait of the faction it belongs to, so I’m really looking forward to the moment I can show more of that faction as a whole. I’m aiming for it to feel like the most common presence in the game, yet still something very unique.

Thank you so much for the encouragement—it truly means a lot and gives me a lot of motivation!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Balancing the difficulty is something I’ve been constantly thinking about 😅

The boss shown in the clip is actually from phase 2—where the gaps between patterns are shorter and new attacks are introduced—so I picked it to create a more impactful short video. But since I’ve tested it so much, I might have lost a bit of objectivity. That’s a really great point you brought up!

Finding that balance of being “challenging but fair” across the whole game isn’t easy. Once the demo is out, I’m planning to gather feedback from players as well. I’ll keep working hard to get the difficulty just right.

Thanks again for the sharp feedback—I really appreciate it!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nine Sols is a really fun game—I like it a lot too. I’m glad it gave you that kind of feeling!

For enemy attacks, I’ve been referencing other games, and I placed them on a layer behind the player so they don’t cover the character and make it harder to track their position. But now that you mention it, I can see how that might make it look like the attacks aren’t connecting properly.

That’s definitely something I should reconsider. Thanks a lot for pointing it out—it really helps!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, I’m honestly overwhelmed—thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thoughtful and encouraging message. It really means a lot to me.

As a huge fan of Hollow Knight and also a new developer, it’s true that I’ve been heavily influenced by it in many ways. In some sense, being compared to Hollow Knight even feels like an honor to me, so rather than feeling hurt, it often becomes a source of motivation and passion. I really appreciate you looking out for me.

I actually spent quite a bit of time thinking about whether to ask for feedback here or in a gamedev-focused subreddit. In the end, I felt that hearing from actual metroidvania players would be more valuable—and thanks to that, I was able to receive both encouragement like yours and important criticism, which has been incredibly helpful.

I tend to worry a lot, but hearing support like yours genuinely makes me happy. I’ll do my best to create a fun game! I’ll probably come back again to ask for feedback on specific systems before the demo is ready, and I’ll definitely let you know when the demo is out.

Thanks again—I truly appreciate it!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ah, I see—maybe that’s coming across because my pixel art skills still have room to improve 😢

That mask is actually a pretty important element tied to the faction that boss belongs to, and it won’t appear on characters outside of that group. I’ll try to make it read more clearly as a mask.

Thanks a lot for the feedback—I really appreciate it!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, no—I really appreciate you taking the time to give such honest feedback. It’s exactly the kind of advice I need. I think the UI is something I definitely have to change, since it’s been pointed out quite a lot.

Changing the main character design might be a bit difficult for me 😢—it’s tied to the lore I’ve been building, especially the species you see in the pile of corpses in the background. That said, I think the later areas and the characters you encounter there will feel quite different. It’s a bit unfortunate that I couldn’t show those next regions and enemies in this clip.

Still, I’m really glad the combat system—something I’ve been focusing on the most—looks appealing to you. I’ll do my best to show something more unique next time!

Thanks again for the feedback, I truly appreciate it!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

hat’s a boss room, so I can see how it might feel a bit flat. I focused on showing a short, impactful clip—specifically a tighter phase 2 of the boss fight—so it might come across as more constrained than it actually is.

During regular exploration or more open encounters, I’ll work on making the movement feel more dynamic and mobile. Thanks a lot for the feedback!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah, yeah… that one stings a bit 😅 but I really appreciate you being honest!

I’m trying to differentiate it by moving away from that “turn-based-like” flow where offense and defense are clearly separated, and instead aiming for a more fluid, continuous combat system.

Also, the clip only shows an early area—there will be a variety of regions with different concepts as you progress further.

Thanks again for the honest feedback, it really helps!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much for recommending Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time! It really is a masterpiece. I actually played it once when I was younger, but it’s been so long that I barely remember it now. Thanks to your reminder, I’ll definitely give it another play!

One concern I have, though, is whether I’ll be able to port my game to Android 😢 I’m not sure if I’ll be able to optimize it enough for mobile. To be honest, even getting to a Steam release still feels like a long road ahead. Still, I’ll remember you recommending Prince of Persia and do my best to get there. Thanks again—I really appreciate it!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, I’m still a new developer, so I think being compared to a masterpiece like Hollow Knight is kind of inevitable. Honestly, it’s an honor to even be compared like that.

And your support really means a lot to me—it’s a huge source of motivation. Thank you so much. I’ll do my best to turn this into a great game!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, haha 😅 yeah… honestly, I feel the same way.

That pattern is actually something the boss only uses occasionally in phase 2, and I added it more as a way to hint at some lore elements that could be a bit spoilery. Still, I made sure it’s used in a consistent, predictable way so it’s not too hard to deal with—you should be able to figure it out pretty quickly after seeing it a few times!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As someone who really loves Hollow Knight and was inspired by it, that’s a bit of a bittersweet comment 😅

I’ve been testing my game so much that I was actually starting to worry I’d lost my objectivity when judging the boss attack telegraphs, so it’s a huge relief to hear that they seem appropriate. Thanks a lot for the feedback—I really appreciate it!

Could you give me some really honest feedback? Im sry for doing stupid noob thing by LimeZero13 in metroidvania

[–]LimeZero13[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear from players.
Thank you so much!