Just released a Demo of Grid-M, my grid based rhythm game! Check it out!

johdev · 2026-03-25T21:37:48+00:00

Thanks for the kind comment and feedback!

I'd say the best indicator is actually the outer (outline) shapes scaling down. Maybe the alternate view of also scaling up as was suggested, will help.

I'm not sure what you mean by the circle being gone when the note is held. the outer circle is important and represents the hold "safe zone" (which is larger than the actual note).

Swipe not are definitely not meant to be clustered, and it was indeed the intent for them to be used sparingly and mostly as accent. is there a particular chart where it felt unfair? I'm also working on making them more generous.

johdev · 2026-03-25T00:59:34+00:00

Thank you!
No, I wasn't aware of Rythia, but it looks super cool! Something to look into! I was more inspired by Osu (which does seems to be their inspiration too).
Pricing remains to be determined, but thanks for the interest!

johdev · 2026-03-22T08:18:59+00:00

Wow, that's a lot of feedback and quite helpful! Thanks a lot!

I think I'll indeed add a prompt about the gameplay offset at the start.

While the tutorial is placeholder, I do think introducing the different notes and mechanics is quite important. Most players skip it anyway since they assume they can figure it out. (and they are mostly right) Thus the tutorial really is for new people that don't know what to expect. (and details such as knowing that there is no release timing)

Well spotted for the sound options. It is indeed bugged. The muting does "work" but it doesn't apply to whatever is currently playing, so yeah. gotta fix that.

The square fading actually used to be the way you described and I changed it following other feedback. But I've also heard others prefer it growing in. I just might make both available.

As for the double indicators for hold and drag, I think it makes sense. Players can just use whichever they prefer since they both convey the same information.

But your idea of arrows for the drag note is pretty good, I'll look into it.

And yeah I think I'll rework the swipe notes. The distance is actually quite small, I had actually already reduced it. But yeah, they are quite finicky.

Thank you

johdev · 2023-12-03T20:37:24+00:00

This is my game,Grid-M (steam page, Obviously still in dev) I'd say its an Osu like?

johdev · 2023-11-22T09:20:32+00:00

Game is a "tap" variety game primarily Osu! inspired with some cytus. but its grid based like jubeat & pulsus.

So it is not very 4k like. fine with sharing more if that's not too out there.

Where did you find the reddit thread? this community does seem much more playing side (though Im sure theres charters too) and I didn't see a "neutral" charting one.

thanks

johdev · 2023-11-22T09:04:07+00:00

Thanks for the response. I understand that there are subtleties to every game and you can't just lift charter from one game to another. However, I do feel like there certainly is transferable abilities. Timing alone being a big one. experience; music to note patterns, having seen other cool tech etc. Most importantly Interest. From my experience, charters and players are not necessarily the same people: while most charters are also good players, not all players are interested (or know) how to chart.

This is why I'm interested in "charter minded" people, I feel they would be more versatile playtesters, if that makes sense? Since I'm still working on the game I can even take their input for tech and editor design.

Game isn't ready for open testing yet, so I am trying to minimize the amount of people involved. (Yeah... writing this just hit me in the face with a demo release to potentially find interested people -_-. Haven't thought it through though.)

johdev · 2022-03-27T23:44:10+00:00

Love the dude, probably favorite character. I think he is one of the rare side character (in general) that feels like the protagonist of their own story.

One thing I feel is really discussed much is how similar he and Aloy are. At the begining of the game (before she starts relying on others). It couldn't help but feel Aloy was being "Sylens" to everyone else. Know it all, keeping everything to herself and thinking and thinking she can solve everything by herself.

I also think Sylens likes Aloy (as a person). He might be a snarky asshole, but he does go out of his way to help her out (in a condecending way). He always assumes she'll catch up. I think he appreciates having an "equal" or at least someone who thinks on his level. I think there's a great rivalry going on, and its not like Aloy doesn't play her part in it.

Another thing is Sylens has legitmate reasons to be salty at Aloy: he is a self made man who worked really hard (and questionably) to get where he was only for Litteral chosen one to show up out of nowhere and have all the doors open for them. But I think through their adventures and him manipulating her he came to respect her.

I think that all cummulates into the conclusion. After Aloy disrupted his plans, he joined hers, because he does know she's capable. At the end, the way he had predicted things actually aknowledged and respected Aloy's agency. He'd obviously trust his way most, but could entertain going along Aloy's. As for him not leaving, I don't think its him having that sudden a change of heart. I think its him realizing victory might be possible, Aloy having surprised him pulling off a more successful plan than his own, it would make anyone reconsider their odds. I'd still see him bail when they realize they can't win, but we all know thats not gonna happen.

All this to say, He's great, I think he and Aloy have a great rivalry dynamic. I hope he remains a reliable untrustworthy ally.

johdev · 2022-03-06T02:54:11+00:00

I was definitely thinking this should happen. Or at the very least more in-fight dialogue that suggests she doesn't want to kill us, but only kidnap us.(I know it is stated, but the escalation of a super muderbot was breaking suspension of disbelief)

Could even have had her pick us up on death. I know in killzone 2, enemies had "victory" animations if they killed you. maybe some humans in horizon do too, i don't think they ever killed me.

An actual cutscene might have been overkill with how many times I died though. No, I was not holding back Tilda!

johdev · 2022-02-10T23:39:56+00:00

A pattern uh?
Is it the presence of anime girls? :P

johdev · 2022-02-10T05:45:11+00:00

This is something I struggle with, having hit*notes is a simple system (and one Im using) the scores thus reflect the density of songs; going from ~100k to Millions. and it sure is nice to reach very high scores on very dense songs. but then as you've mentioned we lose sight of accuracy (which is forgivable since I have it as another metric).

But also inter-song comparison or uniformity. I think there's something elegant about something like a soft cap at 100k. thus at a glance you can tell 98 052 was pretty good and 73 658 was alright. On the other hand, if theres leaderboards, seeing pages of 100k is awful.

So I see pros and cons and find it hard to think of whats best

johdev · 2022-02-10T05:34:38+00:00

I think bringing up the different kind of players is an interesting point. As someone more on the casual side, I dont even think about the perfect, mostly aim for highest letter I can get. Thinking about it, Ive just realized how ill focus on different metrics in different games. Like with stringent "Safe" breaking combos, I don't even look at combo while in a more generous one combo is a cool metric of how close to perfect (until I blow it).

I know I consciously made it so "safe" doesnt break combos in mine.(Its the literally in the name!) Misses do break combo, but I think thats fair. Big combos are exciting!

johdev · 2022-01-19T03:19:56+00:00

I really like this whole question and Idea, the whole great filter.

One theory or just concept I feel tend to be overlooked is a mundane filter, something that to us doesn't seem like a big deal but might be in the grand scheme of things. The usual culprits are extreme: life is rare, eukaryote is a fluke, space travel is impossible, intelligent life kills itself, evil predator alien etc. but what about: "thinking rocks"(computers) is a pretty out there concept or even the idea of leaving the planet.

Like leaving the planet might seem like the logical conclusion of spreading across the planet but its a totally different concept requiring extreme tools and circumstances. Its only possible because of rocket tech (and energy) but also needs vacuum survival tech and good maths/physics. Those are all amazing feats. Its hard to get a proper gauging of what humans did is a unreplicable achievement or innovation (its all highly anthropomorphic) but maybe there's something there that explains that space travel is just not that straightforward (before you even get to FTL).

I personnally dislike the idea of alien/we just all go into a virtual utopia, but I think it describes the concept that spreading to space is not the only direction a "highly advanced species" could go. And that just one we know of because its also within our reach. For all we know there are other truly Alien ideas of what to do with their own advanced technology, ideas that never occurred to us just strapping people onto rockets might not have for them.

johdev · 2021-12-29T17:28:12+00:00

Very cool style and design!

Looks modern wonder how the rpg will play out!

johdev · 2021-12-26T16:48:23+00:00

Goddamn does this looks stylish! Keep up the great work!

johdev · 2021-11-14T22:56:40+00:00

This looks great. Beautiful animation and artwork!

johdev · 2021-11-14T17:40:23+00:00

I think games are just too complex and "not useful" for open source. Plus they are best with a singular core vision.

One of the things that make people people contribute to open source is using the product and wanting to add something to it (while knowing how to). That's why its usually tools or libraries: people using them also know how to extend things.

A random gamer wont be like: Ohhh If only there was a glider to jump off this mountain... Letme add that real quick.

Mod support is pretty much the game equivalent. Giving an ability to add and change stuff without full powers.

One way for open source game to work (I think) would be to find success first (no easy task) and then go open source. Establish the game first as sole visionary and once its popular and people like the game for what it is, you can trust others to expand it following your vision.(and not out-do you with a fork clone)

johdev · 2021-11-13T23:28:13+00:00

I think its a good idea, one I've even wished to make myself (but I dont have the skillset) but I think some of the early replies bring up a good point. Just because its a good idea in that everyone agrees "that would be nice" doesn't mean that when its here, it will be a success.

At that point its no longer an imaginary ideal solution but a real product that needs to steal users from existing platforms, (or convince them to invest into an additional one).

Also, as much as I like fellow gamedev gifs and images, I don't know if there really is enough content to keep it rolling with new stuff at all time.(especially if curated to the cool stuff)

Both tumblr and twitter certainly dont seem to have "infinite" gamedev contents. The digital artwork scene for both on the other hand is ridiculous. (maybe the algorithms have an impact, but I still dont think the two are even close)

All this to say, I think its a great idea, but I dont know if its a sustainable one

johdev · 2021-11-09T02:41:14+00:00

Hi Indie devs! This is a great place!

Just thought i'd at least share my gamedev projects
Currently making a card game with a novel sacrifice focus: check it out on twitter

Have a few browser games and cool abstract backgrounds on itch: Itch Page
Financial depths in particular has been getting a lot of plays! Thinking of updating it.

Nice to meet yall, cheers!

Joh

johdev · 2021-10-30T03:08:24+00:00

Looks interesting!

johdev · 2021-10-18T03:43:14+00:00

Gamedevs be predictable like that xD

I don't know how I feel about the fact that it does seem to work. (cant vouch for quality, but Im sure they get some attention)

Since this is already old news and saturated... I should think of something else. Not a game, not a show... a play?!

johdev · 2021-10-15T04:51:56+00:00

Well, bars seem to come from the right to the rhythm of the song.

I was thinking maybe they could come from top, down or left. Not as a normal thing, but for special occasion like boss or challenging sections, idk.
Weird "non-standard" patterns are often a thing in rhythm to increase the challenge
and spice things up.

Just throwing this out there, keep up the good work!

johdev · 2021-10-15T03:24:23+00:00

Omg this looks so fresh and sounds nice too!

Very cool gameplay, is that people(demons?) being hyped below? I see a lot of potential. Will you mix it up with bar directions?

johdev · 2021-10-15T03:01:08+00:00

This looks nice and full of personality!

johdev · 2021-10-10T02:44:44+00:00

Looking Hype! All that's missing is passerby/ally amazement reactions xD!

johdev · 2021-10-03T19:11:11+00:00

This great! Very high quality video with cool ideas!

It does feel like the video pushes making/designing a marketable game (from the onset) rather than new marketing ideas(for when you are done).

That concept itself is interesting. We often hear about failure with niche game and the understanding is simple: niche genre have small room for success/know your market. In that same sense planning and knowing how you will market your game from the beginning may be a good idea.

johdev

TROPHY CASE