Vacant Sky Complete Edition: Act I+ Released!

[Sailerius]

On another note, I'm starting to think about touching up Act I after Act III's release and putting them together into a combo pack for new players. One of my concerns is that Act I's painful linearity combined with poor balance will put off new players from continuing with the series. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix it up to make it more engaging?

I'm not sure how in-depth you wanted to go, but speaking as someone who's never made it past the intro, I would suggest spicing it up a bit. Maybe I'm remembering it incorrectly, but the beginning sequence really seemed to drag on with the unskippable battles, followed by a really boring segment where you run around town doing errands. It's really vague on where to go, so it's basically just hopping from building to building trying to trigger something.

When I have more time I'm going to play it through anyway, because from the looks of it I'm letting a bad first impression keep me from playing a good game, but I thought I'd give you my perspective.

Really? Did you play the demo or the full Act I? I'm honestly surprised because to this day, most players have found the beginning to be very enjoyable. I guess I'll try to make it more clear to go, although you have a journal which tells you what you need to do and you can get a map of the town that labels the important buildings.

 

[mawk]

the problem isn't that it's aimless. the direction is a little ambiguous at times, but it's not bad. the issue is in your pacing.

the introductory dungeon and ensuing fetch-quests-in-a-sepia-town segment are so drawn-out and move at such a plodding pace that playing through them was a test of endurance. I didn't bring this up earlier because I'd figured you must have heard it already and be planning to address it, but if you need confirmation that the introduction feels really dull I'll toss my hat into the ring too.

an introduction needs to be short and sweet. showcase what your game has to offer in a manner that is swift and entertaining, and don't drag on about any one thing for too long. the intro dungeon had far too much pointless fighting and running back and forth, considering the stage has no real puzzles or special flavour and the mechanics at that point are quite simple. the intro quests offer half an hour of plodding around a draining sepia landscape and talking to specfic NPCs. the goal was to introduce the player to the system that handled quests and get them excited for more, but it left me actively dreading the whole thing if they were all going to be like those ones.

"compact" is the magic word here. sweep out the corners and draw the player in with something short and fun that introduces the game's major mechanics without rambling. it's up to you whether to address it, but I guarantee that more people than just m.o.e. and I were turned off by the intro.

 

[StrawberrySmiles]

I played this as well and I enjoyed the very beginning (where she's talking), and thought the rest was okay. When I got to the town as Auria, I got so lost even with a map and a journal. I guess I can say that I didn't really enjoy the fact that I was walking back and forth a lot. I had to go into town buy some things (even do a side quest with a chick that needed a number from her house), had to go back home, then had to leave again and go back to town, etc.

I wondered around for quite a while - maybe I have no sense of direction, but I guess I wasn't the only one. ^_^;;

If I hadn't gotten the white screen of the death, perhaps I would've tried to continue on - as the very beginning of the game intrigued me.

That's what I think. XD

 

[Sailerius]

the problem isn't that it's aimless. the direction is a little ambiguous at times, but it's not bad. the issue is in your pacing.

the introductory dungeon and ensuing fetch-quests-in-a-sepia-town segment are so drawn-out and move at such a plodding pace that playing through them was a test of endurance. I didn't bring this up earlier because I'd figured you must have heard it already and be planning to address it, but if you need confirmation that the introduction feels really dull I'll toss my hat into the ring too.

an introduction needs to be short and sweet. showcase what your game has to offer in a manner that is swift and entertaining, and don't drag on about any one thing for too long. the intro dungeon had far too much pointless fighting and running back and forth, considering the stage has no real puzzles or special flavour and the mechanics at that point are quite simple. the intro quests offer half an hour of plodding around a draining sepia landscape and talking to specfic NPCs. the goal was to introduce the player to the system that handled quests and get them excited for more, but it left me actively dreading the whole thing if they were all going to be like those ones.

"compact" is the magic word here. sweep out the corners and draw the player in with something short and fun that introduces the game's major mechanics without rambling. it's up to you whether to address it, but I guarantee that more people than just m.o.e. and I were turned off by the intro.

Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it. I'll definitely fix that in the Act I update, and I can't believe that more than a year has gone by without someone pointing this out. Do you think it would help if I made the East Naven sidequests optional?

I played this as well and I enjoyed the very beginning (where she's talking), and thought the rest was okay. When I got to the town as Auria, I got so lost even with a map and a journal. I guess I can say that I didn't really enjoy the fact that I was walking back and forth a lot. I had to go into town buy some things (even do a side quest with a chick that needed a number from her house), had to go back home, then had to leave again and go back to town, etc.

I wondered around for quite a while - maybe I have no sense of direction, but I guess I wasn't the only one. ^_^;;

If I hadn't gotten the white screen of the death, perhaps I would've tried to continue on - as the very beginning of the game intrigued me.

That's what I think. XD

What is the "white screen of death"?

 

[StrawberrySmiles]

Oh, that has nothing to do with your game, but it's just a blanks white screen where I can't do anything but hear the sounds coming from the computer. XD

Playing your game reminded me of things I'll have to fix in my own game.

Once my computer is ready, and the whole game is ready - I'll probably try again. I love female protagonists. ^_^

 

[Sailerius]

Oh, that has nothing to do with your game, but it's just a blanks white screen where I can't do anything but hear the sounds coming from the computer. XD

Playing your game reminded me of things I'll have to fix in my own game.

Once my computer is ready, and the whole game is ready - I'll probably try again. I love female protagonists. ^_^

Oh, whew. I thought for a moment that there was some killer bug that I was completely unaware of. I do hope you try the game again, as I promise it gets better. Act II is such an improvement over Act I that they can hardly be called the same game.

 

[Sailerius]

Hey everyone! Hoping to bring Act III out of beta ASAP. In the meantime, here's the new opening theme, titled "Memory of the Sun."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkA0NBPKIzs

 

[obsorber]

Hey Salerius. You probably might recall my name from RRR, I've tried your project before and I did really enjoy it. Especially the intro which is truly epic. The start of the game draws players in which many games lack...

By the way how did you get a youtube video up on the site? You've placed it in your thread and I'm just wandering how this is done so I can implement a video myself in the future on one of my threads?

 

[Xilef]

By the way how did you get a youtube video up on the site? You've placed it in your thread and I'm just wandering how this is done so I can implement a video myself in the future on one of my threads?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvLCYPxUJ2M[/youtube]

 

[jhonsadins]

Actually, it seems we finally have a reliable--and impressive one. He really makes the project come alive.

 

[obsorber]

Thanks, your a legend :biggrin:

 

[Sailerius]

Update - I'm looking for some testers for the remastered Act I. If anyone's interested, please post here or PM me.

 

[darkcieran]

sure i'll give it a whirl. liked what i was able to play of the earlier version.

 

[saile1230]

I'm up for testing a remastered version of the first Act. Maybe now I'll be able to get that treasure chest In East Naven.

 

[darkcieran]

review given. sent as PM

 

[Speedpaws]

I would love to be a tester. I'm so interested in seeing how the story continues. It has been a while since I played the other games, but I know I'll be reminded easily. =)

 

[Sailerius]

Here's my monthly "sorry Act III isn't out yet" post. Still waiting on a certain few art assets before it can come out. As a sort of consolation, here's the chapter list for Act III. Multiple titles reflect different paths that you can take.

17. Bonds
18. Delve Into Myself
19. More Than His Share / Devotion
20. My Own Fate / Reason Lost
21. Voices / Silence (II)
22. Justice / The Maw
Epilogue: Return / Relinquish / Remission

 

[Sailerius]

October 18th, Act III shall be released.

I don't care if I have to finish the last few graphics with finger paints, it will be done.

 

[gRaViJa]

Great news, i'm looking forward to playing the final part of this game. It was great so far
i don't understand why people are not posting more in threads like this :p

 

[danyo34]

I think it's because the thread hasn't really been updating, so there's not much new to post about. I do hope that the last graphics are not done with finger paints, however. I think they should be epic at the end of a game.