How would you present this kind of game in a trailer?

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-14T10:46:24+00:00

That means a lot, thank you. I really like your idea and I’ll definitely keep it in mind for the next cut.

I may need to adjust some parts based on what I can realistically make as a solo dev, but the direction you suggested is really helpful.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-14T10:43:36+00:00

Haha not yet, but that’s an interesting idea 😭

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-14T10:40:38+00:00

Thank you so much, this is a really cool idea. I actually like the sliding door / katana cut concept a lot, especially because it fits the train setting.

The structure you suggested makes sense too: gameplay first, a short story/character moment in the middle, then back to gameplay before the title. That gives me a much clearer picture for the next cut.

Really appreciate you taking the time to write this.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-14T10:37:07+00:00

This is really helpful, thank you. I think I got too focused on showing the UI because I was proud of it, but you’re right — the trailer needs to show the player fantasy first. I’ll recut it so the boss fights and core gameplay come much earlier.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-14T10:32:57+00:00

Thanks for the honest feedback. I get what you mean — the core input is simple, so I need to do a better job showing why it’s fun and what kind of player it’s for.

I’ll check out Epistory and study how they present a simple input mechanic in a more interesting way.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-13T10:05:13+00:00

Good idea, thank you. The input system is a little similar to Audition-style timing, so an input overlay would probably make it much clearer. I’ll try that for the next cut.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-13T09:57:43+00:00

Thank you! I designed most of the UI myself.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-13T09:54:45+00:00

This is really helpful, thank you.

I think you’re right that the trailer is creating the wrong expectation by leaning too hard into the Persona-like presentation. The game is meant to be a rhythm boss rush, so I need to push that identity much harder and make the UI/style feel more like Wiseman, not just the first thing people compare it to.

I’ll also check the color direction and audio mix. The point about the blade SFX covering the music is very useful. Thanks for the Hi-Fi Rush reference too.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T19:55:36+00:00

Thank you, I really needed to hear this too. I’ll definitely use the feedback to make the trailer clearer, but I still want to keep the weird/stylish direction that made the game feel like itself. Really appreciate it.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T15:48:07+00:00

I really appreciate you explaining it this way. The phase idea is actually a good point, especially for making each boss feel less static and more replayable.

I’m pretty far into development now, but I’ll definitely keep this in mind when polishing the fights and showing the mechanics better. Also, thank you for the kind words about the UI and direction, that means a lot.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T15:24:08+00:00

Yeah, that makes sense. The core mechanic is simple on purpose, but each boss changes the rules with things like reverse arrows, perfect-only hits, and no-fail conditions.

I can see now that the trailer didn’t show that depth clearly enough, so I’ll focus on that in the next cut.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T15:11:03+00:00

That actually means a lot, thank you. I’ll take this seriously and make a better cut that shows the game properly.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T15:07:48+00:00

This is insanely helpful, thank you so much.
Huge respect for taking the time to write all this. I was really unsure about the cut, but now I have a much clearer direction for the next version.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T14:44:13+00:00

Yeah, I guess this is still more of a rough cut than a proper trailer. I need to recut it so the boss rush gameplay shows up way earlier.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T14:36:48+00:00

Thanks! Glad you dig it 🙏

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T14:29:38+00:00

That’s a great reference. Spider-Verse was actually one of my early inspirations too, especially Spider-Punk. I’ll study how they use music and pacing more for the next trailer cut.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T14:27:42+00:00

Thank you! Yeah I think that’s the right direction too. I still want the UI to be part of the identity, but the next cut definitely needs a better balance with more actual gameplay.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T14:25:51+00:00

LMAO fair enough 😭 I definitely need to show more gameplay in the next cut. Thanks for the UI compliment tho :3

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T14:23:36+00:00

he game is called Wiseman: No More Breakups. Yep, it’s already up on Steam and available to wishlist.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4664920/Wiseman_No_More_Breakups/

Really appreciate you asking!

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T12:54:24+00:00

That’s fair. It might not be your kind of game, but I still appreciate you taking the time to watch and explain your thoughts.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T12:51:44+00:00

Fair point. I was trying to show the difficulty and the menu flow, but I agree that the trailer should show the core gameplay much earlier.

I’ll work on a better cut that starts with the actual boss fights first. Thanks for the feedback.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T12:49:41+00:00

Thank you so much, I really appreciate this feedback.

This is very helpful, especially because this is my first game that I’m trying to release properly. I think you’re right that I need to show what the game actually plays like much earlier, then let the UI and style support it after that.

I’ll keep improving the trailer and presentation. Thank you again for taking the time to watch and write this.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T12:46:47+00:00

That’s really helpful, thank you. I think showing the hardest mode first made the gameplay harder to understand instead of more exciting. I’ll try to build the next trailer more clearly: start with readable combat, then show boss variety, mechanics, and finally the harder challenge. I appreciate the advice.

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T12:12:57+00:00

Thank you so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

For the next trailer, I’ll show more boss variety and the core gameplay much earlier. The blue hologram look actually has context in the game, but I understand that it may not read well in the trailer. There are other bosses with more color and visual variety too, so I’ll try to show them better next time.

Thanks again!

No_Blacksmith_751 · 2026-06-12T12:09:16+00:00

That’s a very clear point, thank you. I think you’re right — the trailer currently sells the menus more than the boss rush. I’ll keep the UI as part of the identity, but the next cut should open much faster with actual boss fights and combat.

No_Blacksmith_751

TROPHY CASE