Baby squad -ios game work in progress

CodeMonster

hello everyone presenting one of my upcomming games "baby squad" this game is an endless runner with a different style
you can choose from 4 different environments which all have different features; ice environment, Texas environment, swamp environment and a cartoon style environment.
[and once Christmas hits ill add a Christmas level for a limited time, and when Halloween hits, the same thing]

in this game there is many characters to choose from/save up and buy with in game coins
each character of course will have its own special feature example; different attack styles and different powerups.
I am still developing/working on this game and will hopefully have it released in early November.

please tell me what you think! cheers.

pic of menu: (the text has a really cool effect which obviously cant been seen in the picture)


shop (not 100% finished yet:


when you click play:


on one of the levels:


same level different pic:

FallingBoxStudios

I like it , but I think the animations could be better, it kinda looks like you just stuck together a couple google images. (even though the animations are clear its not from goggle, it just looks like it.) I don't mean to be rude, just some advice

CodeMonster

@RockitGames thanks I will have another look at the images and change some, as well as change some animations.

CodeMonster

[update]
yes most of the graphics will be changed, I now have my friend who is great at making graphics/art, he is now also working with me.

FallingBoxStudios

Awesome

CodeMonster

[update] my friend is good at making graphics but not graphics for this game, so unfortunately i will be staying with these graphics for this game and eventually update them in future updates, but the good news is my friend is great at making zelda type game graphics, (half realistic) so i guess that will go onto my next project instead.

Tiny_Ideas

Hi @CodeMonster

Here is my feedback based on looking at your screenshots, so I am unaware of your gameplay.

-- Keep your art all the same style--

From the start its clear to see that you have used quite a lot of free art provided by the community, that's great, but it doesn't create a game atmosphere.

First of, the sign that says shop, is just out of place, it doesn't blend into the background like its part of it. To fix maybe just add to it so it looks like it is coming out of the ground, put some rocks or dead grass around it.

The shop sign is a big part of the game, just guessing, but most likely more important than credits. This should be edited to make it stand out a lot more, it seems to blend in. While still on the sign, it has a different art style than everything else, has more detail or texture. Maybe change it so its more simple. Simple is not bad, but having a mixture between the two is not good.

Your game title, looks like a word art text, no offence if not. This is your title, make it catchy and stand out. That's all I can really say about it at this point of time.


----- screenshot 2-----

It has a different art style for the buttons once again, I would encourage to keep everything the same.
It also shows the currency using GameSalad display text behaviour. Look up ways to use custom text for currency, its surprising how much changing the font of currency can affect the game. Also black may not be the best colour to use as it makes it harder to read. You want to try and make the game experience as easy as possible.
Maybe make the background clouds move slowly as well.
The characters look cool.


----- screenshot 3 ----

Try keep the buttons in the same position, having the 'go back' button change location doesn't make it easier for the player. I would suggest keeping it in throw right corner like in previous screen shot.
Personally I don't like the fact that they layover the previous menu screen, if this what you would want to do I would dim the background with a shade of black, it looks very messy and unprofessional.
Otherwise make a new area for it alone and translate the camera to it either by moving to the left.
Again, use your own word art for the names instead of using display text.


----- screenshot 4 -----

Seems cool, although is there a score the player is trying to get, longest distance ect. Might want to include that if that is the case.
What confuses me currently is that you now have a red diamond instead of a blue one in your menu screens. I would keep them same colour unless its actually meant to have some effect.
Same with coins, are you collecting them? Should the player know how many they have collect?
The buttons look good being faded. Nice backgrounds.
Again try not to use display text behaviour.

------ screenshot 5 ------

Pretty much same as above,
Good to see the background clouds and mountain moves.



------overall-----

It doesn't look like the graphics are going to support retina devices. You may want to look into it.
It's good, your getting there, but you should really consider where you out things and how the player is going to respond ect.

Hopefully this is insightful for you.
Keep on developing

Jeromy

CodeMonster

@Jeromy thanks heaps for acknowledging my work and helping me out,
everything you have said I will defiantly follow.
I will fix my artwork so its all one style, and yes I have used some free art provided by gshelper only because im not to good at making graphics myself and am still learning.

The gems change colour constantly so thats why they look different colours on the screenshots,
the main title has like a really cool bouncy zoom effect that's constant, even though it is just text, for im struggling to make a good title.

also thanks for pointing out another part, i will take your advice and dim the background quite a fair bit for the world select.

but just one more thing, i do agree with you about the custom text, but i find it quite difficult for some reason, i have downloaded demos but they wernt for pc. so i guess ill keep searching. but then again thanks heaps for your help! i will make many changes and post photos.

CodeMonster

@Jeromy below is a picture of the fading out, I am still fixing up the sign and much more.


and picture of grass around sign, (still editing), and yes the grass is abit to detailed, im trying to fix that

KillerPenguinStudios

@CodeMonster I am going to agree with everyone who has been talking about the art. I am probably going to repeat what others have said and I apologize ahead of time for that but I feel if you hear it more than once then you know for certain it's not just one or two people feeling that way. The art is all over the place. I would just do a whole refresh of the art. Also, the text is all over the place as well. Stick with the same type of font throughout your game. The font should probably be the same on the buttons and the font which says coming soon just looks like stock font and that you didn't care. (Not saying you don't) Also, if possible, please use different buttons or at least change the colors. Everyone and their mother have used those buttons since guys on the forums have given the art out for free. If you get art from someone change it up a bit and make it your own. The sign looks all choppy and fuzzy edges. Also, the art in the 2nd & 4th selection box ( with the ice and I think it's suppose to be a house but not sure), please change the art so the art flows with the 1st & 3rd selection boxes. Also, i feel the the 3rd & 4th coming soon selection boxes should be on the bottom and read from left to right rather than being on the far right side and reading from top to bottom but thats just my thought so if you like how it is then don't change because of me. Make the title art different and more aesthetically pleasing. If your game is not aesthetically pleasing then no one is gonna care about the game play no matter how good it is.

I am going to share two links with you that will be helpful with art for GameSalad! The first link is for a youtube video by @Tshirtbooth about Optimizing your art for games made with GameSalad. This will help and give you the knowledge on how GameSalad is rendering/reading your graphics and how to make them look good!


This next link is a template to help you when creating your app icon.
http://appicontemplate.com

Hope that helps and look forward to seeing what take from everyone's feedback and what you come up with and what the final product will look like!

blue_elephant

Yes the art needs some work and the text. Why not try using this sign from openclipart because the current one doesn't match the other art

CodeMonster

thanks @KillerPenguinStudios for your feedback, i totally agree with you about everything, i will change all my graphics to make it all look the same, though for this game i prefer the ice world graphics, so ill be using those type of graphics, so i will change it all to fit that,
although with custom text font i am really struggling but ill get there,
and i am preferably new to gamesalad so everything is hard but i will manage as i am working on 3 projects at the moment,
and @blue_elephant thanks for the sign

CodeMonster

@KillerPenguinStudios @blue_elephant @Jeromy @RockitGames

below is a video of the gameplay of this game.
I have made a few edits so far, I have changed the title of the game "baby squad"
i have changed the credits screen, i am changing the sign, the buttons and the backgrounds to all be the same in the next few days.

but in the video there is one problem as you will see, i cant make the character walk on the platforms, he can only glide across, if i allow him to animate while hes on the platform, it will glitch like crazy. but i will eventually get this fixed tell me what you think at this point, cheers.

and also i am still trying to make custom font, its not working but oh well

also sorry for the not so good quality, i dont have the best screen recorder.


and an update of the title page, (note the title has a cool effect)
also note i am still editing the title page, so this is not its final touch.

FallingBoxStudios

Its an improvement but I have gotta say, I still don't like the logo, it should be much more fun and exciting, maybe a bit more like this

-Timo-

looks cool so far
maybe you can add something in the sky so you also can die when you're on the platforms?
something like a plane/bird or someting.
I also tried to make a logo. maybe you like it

I like the logo from @RockitGames more

FallingBoxStudios

@timolapre1998

maybe you can add something in the sky so you also can die when you're on the platforms?
something like a plane/bird or something.

great idea

blue_elephant

@codemonster looking good. Only thing I thought was the coins look random and all over the place. They should be more organized

CodeMonster

@timolapree1998 yeh I defiantly will be adding stuff in the sky, I will be adding enemies that you have to kill along the way, "the enemies will also display a health bar above them"
you will be able to shoot acorns (there is limited amount of them)
or you can fly kick.

and thanks @RockitGames for the logo

blue_elephant

Can I ask where you got the western backround? Just if there's other backrounds. I've always had a hard time making good backrounds so I'm looking for resources.
Thanks!

CodeMonster

@blue_elephant i will have a look for that art again, and when i find it ill be sure to pm you.

CodeMonster

so far i have added a new world, its a grassland world, i am currently working on a night time/haloween type world,


still to come:
1)enemies that you can flykick and throw acorns at.
2) an updated shop
3) fixes to the way the main actor runs on a platform
4) awesome powerups
5) wait and see

FallingBoxStudios

Glad to see you used my logo

-Timo-

looks cool so far

6) something in air so you can die?
7)put the actor more to the left so you can see better what is coming?

CodeMonster

@rockitGames yeh haha well thanks for the logo
@timolapre1998 yeh there will be stuff in the air so you can die, and thanks I will put the actor more to the left
*note* I am now working on this project again, its just that im working on 5 projects all at the same time :0 so it gets hard ;/ but i will now continue on this game.