tldr: Speed and speed controls need to be made more obvious
In watching some Let's Plays, it seems like folks sometimes get stuck on levels where you need to take things slowly and carefully. Take 3-10, where the goal is basically to solve the level in 11 moves, at which point the Buzzsaw's gonna wreck a Crate already sitting on a Panel, causing you to lose.
Now, it can be played like an "action" level, where reflexes and speed come into play. It's even possible to complete it on full speed. But that's not necessarily the intent. If you think an action/reflexes-based approach is your only option, your game experience is artificially limited. You don't know what tools are in your toolbox.
The thing is that you have control over the game's speed. Dynamically, within the game. You can speed it up. You can even hold a button to fast forward in case you're waiting for a bullet to destroy a pile of rubble or something so you can press forward.
You can also decrease the speed to the point that the game runs turn-by-turn. Or, turn-based or bullet time or whatever you'd like to call it. Bullets and buzzsaws will pause and wait for you to make a move. You can stop and think about every single move you make. You can even "pass" a turn and just wait a frame by pressing SPACE or button A. You can take those 11 moves one at a time if you want.
Speed up by pressing > or button RT, down by pressing < or LT.
The thing is that the only hints that you can do this are (a) that there's a little icon in the HUD showing your speed, and (b) the "How to Play" screen shows speed up/down controls. This needs to be fixed.
For one thing, the HUD is going to be more apparent in what speed you're at, and that there are actually multiple speeds. Make it larger, give it a speedometer of sorts to convey that speed can change.
For another thing... well, that's where you and I have some options:
- Overlay speed controls on 1-4, the first level in which some things (Ice Cube) move automatically depending on game speed. Maybe also a few other early levels, such as 2-1, where you first encounter Bullets. The only problem is that you can skip levels, but then again chances are that you won't skip 1-4 at first.
- Put a Bullet bouncing around in 1-1, out of the way, to demonstrate that some things move automatically. Possibly also with an overlay of movement controls.
- A dialog box along the lines of "hey you can control your speed". (Not my favorite option, because we'd rather show than tell.
I'm keen on option 1.
Any other thoughts? What have you seen that works? I'd love for us to make this game the best and most accessible it can be.
... also, I need to implement the ability to remap controls. That's coming.