[Phaser] Mikros

[spencerTL]

Edit 28/8/14 **Quite significantly changed from the originally posted game.  See later post**

 

Inspired by E-Motion on the Amiga (and other platforms) but with different controls and features that appear as you progress through the 40 levels.  

 

Clear the microscope slide of bacteria by hitting like colours together.  Differing colours produce the third colour.  Other stuff just gets in your way.  Removing a bacteria halts the timer for 15 seconds.  Your antibody will move towars your touch/mouse click.   Works just as well on desktop and touch device.

 

http://www.startyourrockets.com/mikros/

 

 

Sound fx are from www.universalsoundfx.com which is really good value and well recommended (I have added modified the ones I used).

My favourite effect is the wobbling title page which I must acknowledge as being heavily based on one of the Phaser examples.  Now for trying to license the game!

[spencerTL]

This game failed getting FGL approval, in pretty much all respects, which I presume means it wouldn't succeed-why else would they not be prepared to offer it to sponsors which would pay them commission? I could rail against this but, realistically, I'm sure they know the market demands better than me so I think I'll drop this, admittedly fun, diversion from my normal work. It was fun but it took time and I gotta pay the bills and I have, at least, learned some more about using Phaser that I can use in my usual education resources. Disappointing though as I quite enjoyed making it.

[suntemple]

Hi Spencer. The game looks fun to me although the controls seemed somewhat awkward. I think it would do better had it more consistent & more expensive looking art (cant say anything about sounds now, sorry).

[BdR]

I've also made a E-motion remake for Windows years ago, so it's nice to see another remake. 

 

However, the player controls feel a little stiff, I think this is in part due to there's no enough visual feedback. Adding propulsion particles like smoke, and maybe add an arrow on the player to show it's current direction would easily fix this I think. And I would make the voice "successful etc." a little more chearful.

 

Gameplay-wise, recovering from an error like in level 3 is nearly impossible.   Once you've made two different colored bacteria collide they instantly spawn a new one. In the original game it spawned a pod which you could collect (i.e. recover from an error) or just let it go and then it would grow into a new ball after a few seconds.

[spencerTL]

First off, thank you to suntemple and BdR for your feedback.  I did learn a lot about phaser making this game and your suggestions made a huge difference in learning about game making too as they prompted me to think some more.

 

You both mentioned the controls.  These worked as I wanted as I wanted to create a feel of sluggishness reminiscent of cells drifting but as it turns out it wasn't conducive to a good game. I should have been prepared to move on from this and I didn't.  Your suggestions made me change this and now it is snappier and, i think improves the game a lot.  I also added the visual feedback which actually looks really nice.

 

Brd mentioned the game on which this is based allowed a recovery by giving a chance to delete new cells.  I didn't originally put this in as I wanted to change from the original.  Fact is that the original was a brilliantly tuned game and elements can't just be removed without a replacement mechanic.  Once I put this in the game felt much better again.  My game still has other elements that are introduced on later levels so it still, I hope, adds something new.

 

In terms of graphics I fully understand what suntemple says and I agree but I can't really deal with this at the moment as I'm not in a position to commision better graphics.

 

FGL also mentioned a lack of music and I have rectified this and have put in some extra instructions as they requested.

 

Lessons learned:

 

Be prepared to drop ideas for something that just works better!

 

Get feedback from people who will give constructive criticism, rather than people you know who with good intentions, but misguidedly, tell you what they think you want to hear.

 

I'm not sure if I'll be able to take a diversion from my normal work again like this, as I suspect this still won't be successful in making any money, but it has been an education.  

 

Further feedback appreciated:

http://www.startyourrockets.com/mikros/

[Orbital Game Studios]

Don't give up! The path to creating good games and creating hit titles is long and hard. You've already done a quick post-mortem on your development and you realized what to do next time around. You can always keep game dev as a hobby and if you come up with an idea you want to fully flesh out into a full game for release it will be a challenge and a labor of love to be sure.