Daybringer's recent activity
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Comment on I'm an indie gamedev. Here is 5 tracks from my game Rashtal. in ~music
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Comment on Am I just experiencing some strong selection bias, or are games holding our hands way too much lately? in ~games
Daybringer LinkWhile I completely agree with the overuse of hand-holding in games today, it is unfortunately a necessary thing. As a 38 year old gamer (and currently a game designer for Blizzard), I know first...While I completely agree with the overuse of hand-holding in games today, it is unfortunately a necessary thing. As a 38 year old gamer (and currently a game designer for Blizzard), I know first hand how incredibly important it is to make customers understand your game quickly, while still injecting the depth and complexity that almost all gamers enjoy. I think there is a happy-medium to be found here (in OP's example, maybe allowing a toggle to turn off hints in the options), but a lot of developers choose the safe way.
I think the root cause for this change-over-time is that the newer generations of gamers are bombarded with options (trending towards free-to-play), which means they honestly don't need to invest anything into a game to play it and if it doesn't immediately make sense or hook them, they will move to the next. On top of that, with the rise of the internet, an answer to every question ever asked can be found. I often reminisce about being 7 years old and banging my head against Zelda for hours every day. Growing up with games that I had to solve myself led to a large sense of accomplishment and pride that I feel like younger gamers will mostly miss out on. Maybe that's okay - but even if it's not, I don't think there is any way to go back.
Pure feedback:
Life in the Treetops: Whimsical. The introduction of Arabic sounds is great and not over-used. Great rhythm - would work amazing as a puzzle solving track.
Song of the Forest: Comes out deep, the flute(?) seems too deep for the setting but works. When you go to harmony it sounds amazing. Sends a feeling of relaxation and calm.
Through the Sunken Glades: Titillating and mysterious opening. Pokes at you while staying calm with the chimes. Was thrown off a bit with the wind-woods but got used to it. Beautiful sound regardless.
The Canopy: Open and airy. Love the strings. A home feeling, especially while the bass is playing. (IMO) this should be how you open your story.
The Forest Floor: Mysterious and deceptive. Every move matters and I don't want to be caught. Beautiful combination of bass and highs.
Overall, give whoever your sound engineer a massive hug. This is really good.