I could see that solving the problem and since it works with the workshop it would allow anyone (even companies) to add all kind of games.

This got me an idea, it would be fun to develop a "controls refresher" free utility and release it on Steam. Then users can add games via the workshop. You download the utility, load the correct mod for the game and just play with it in an empty scene with a dummy character to refresh the controls

There was this idea floating around the internet that games should have a "controls refresher" mode where you can just relearn them quickly, but I'm not sure any game ever adapted it

I understand why today tutorials are spread-out over hours of gameplay and it makes sense for new players invested in a new game, but becomes quite alienating when I go back to the game after a few months and I want just a quick refresher before jumping back to my save.

On one side I agree, on the other I think my game has very simple core mechanics and maybe I could explain everything in just 1 (linear, guided) level

But also I need to remember that what looks simple to me might not be to players, it was clear during playtesting. I’m too much immersed in the game

On the other hand, if the first impression to the game are extremely simple and basic levels it might give the wrong impression

I think it mostly boils down to the replayability then: would it be fun or a chore to replay each level up to 6 times?

Based on your experience what approach would you enjoy more to play? 1 or 2?

7/7

#gamedev #indiedev #godot #solodev #indiegames

These feels like a lot, but in the end could be just another badge on the level selector screen. For example you can get an assassin badge for the Assassin playtrhough and it becomes gold if you also completed it as Ghost Assassin, or something similar.

6/7

So these playstyles could be presented to the player in two different ways:

Approach 1: Normal | Assassin | Pacifist | Ghost

or

Approach 2: Normal | Ghost Normal | Assassin | Ghost Assassin | Pacifist | Ghost pacifist

5/7

I want to do this because I know it will trigger my completionist monkey brain so it will probably increase the replayability of the whole game for many players.

BUT! Thinking about it I realized that Ghost could apply to both Assassin and Pacifist.

4/7

The idea is that each level is going to have it's own "achievements", every time you complete it with a different playstyle you would unlock it.

Imagine small badges on the level selection screen to show your progress.

3/7

Here the differences:

- Normal, just complete the objective
- Assassin, complete the objective and kill all the guards
- Pacifist, complete the objective without killing any guard
- Ghost, complete the objective without getting spotted, any corpses getting spotted,any KO guards getting spotted

2/7

Yeah I use GitHub, no need to complicate things. The less time I spend on tooling the more time I have to work on the game. Also GitHub Actions are a good way to automate some things easily if needed

I have a playable build with these changes, I can send it if you want to try it, but don't plan to upload it on Itch yet.

This gives an option for people that enjoy a challenge to still have the challenge, but at the same time other folks can play at their own pace.

I think it's a win-win situation, besides maybe losing the ability to promote it as a "punishing game" which is appealing to some.

But more importantly, it would make the core experience less punishing. Right now the game is fun, but punishing. This means that while some people love it, some are alienated quickly by it.

With this change the game would remain punishing only when playing the "Assassin" style, which is an option

First of all would enable playing the game in three different playstyles: Ghost, Assassin, Pacifist.

By making these some kind of achievement you could replay the levels to unlock all three victory styles, a pattern I saw in many games and that triggers that "completionist" mindset.