Stargazer Developer Diary 12

28/1/10

This update outlines the possibilities I have come up with to revamp the gameplay. I haven't implemented either option yet, just mocked up some screenshots to see how they might play out.

Option 1: Visual Based

This option builds on the feedback that the hint is only visible for a short period, and thus the player relies purely on memory to progress. In my early prototyping I had the preview visible at all times and I found it trivialised the challenges a little. However the first challenges I made were quite simple and with some tweaking this could be a good mechanic.

In the screenshot above the player has just made a succesful move, and three potential moves are marked on the screen, only one of which is correct. The player can refer to the mini hint to determine which of them is the correct move. This approach lets the player make a simple visual based decision on which move is correct. While this may lead to challenges playing out the same way when repeated, it wouldn't be restrictive and players could still ignore the marked options if they wanted.

The colouring of the lines is only to make them distinct options, and ideally the colours would be randomly assigned so the colour of the line is not a factor in whether the move is correct or not. This is why I have avoided green and red for the line colours. I am also considering having the visual hint blink in and out slowly for a few seconds before becoming solid. This would make it a bit more difficult to work out the next move if you want to progress quickly.

Option 2: Puzzle Based

This option brings more of a puzzle focus to the selection of new points. The basic premise is the same as the first option, only instead of a visual clue the players are given a sequence to figure out. The example above is very simple, merely to demonstrate the idea. This option is a little more abstract, but gives the player a way to work out the next move without requiring the hint.

Other modifications

To complement the gameplay changes I think it is important to give instant feedback on wrong moves. So I will flag a line red as soon as the move is made if it is incorrect. This allows the player to undo the move and fix it immediately but there is still a loss of flow and penalty associated with the mistake.

I also want to trial removing the Undo button from challenge mode and assigning it to the right click. This will cause a bit of confusion with Free Mode, but if it works well I'll just shift things around in that mode to see what works best.

Moving Forward

I need to pick one of these options and implement it along with some of the proposed enhancements and see how it plays. Long term the iPhone route still seems like a good way to go when I have the mechanic nailed, especially with the announcement of the iPad (worst product name since the Wii) which would be the ideal platform for Stargazer I feel: Multitouch with a nice big screen.