Here's the YouTube version of it.
I had fun playing them all.
[embedded media]
Announcement - Results! Winners! ~Sleigh the Competition! 2023 Christmas Game Jam
● ARCHIVED · READ-ONLY
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@BobbyLily
SpoilerI will say that I was not able to get past the boozy eggnog girl because it froze on that cutscene image. So…maybe some of my notes are addressed past that scene?
Anyway. The overall aesthetic and tone is something I really vibe with. The assets all really work together. The artwork and music choices complement each other tremendously. I think it needed to go way harder on the “working on xmas” angle tho. Other than the character designs (which are all amazing) and the mention it’s Christmas…it was a bit lacking on the holiday theme.
We really could have veered more down the “mean xmas” path. I mean, this is a retail coffee shop…the manager gets to go home. Customers are coming in right before closing. This is a perfect set up for maximum “retail loss of self-awareness” from the clients. The customers should REALLY rub it in.
Gathering the ingredients to make the customer’s order fits the bill here. Great gameplay option for the overall presentation of the game. It did feel a little cumbersome at times, such as me feeling like I was clicking on the right thing but I guess (?) not clicking on it accurately enough. That sorta thing.
Something I’d love to see if you choose to expand this at all is some sort of repercussion to not making the coffees fast enough. Not only do I think this is an opportunity to build more into the “retail loss of self-awareness” story telling, but any time there is a memorization-based game but nearly unlimited time to either look at the cheat sheet or get it right…it’s not as rewarding to complete. So. Some element of urgency would enhance the game on many levels.
@Erif
SpoilerI think the main issue here was scope. Tons of characters. Tons of battle features. Tons of dialog. A jam being set in a main game can absolutely work if presented carefully, but right from the get-go (since I haven’t tried your game yet) I sorta felt like an outsider looking in? I felt like it would be difficult to get a full experience from the game in 20 minutes.
I was having technical issues with the game as soon as I was given control. The first big one I encountered was the bakery lady. I talked to her and someone screamed. I was expecting a music change and something visual to happen to set the next stage, but instead the audio stopped and everyone was acting normal.
I could not grasp any sense of where the scream came from so I talked to the bakery lady again to see if any dialog changes would occur to guide me, and she tried to sell me bread again. And then the lady screamed again. You can pretty much do this infinite times.
The animated faces are really neat! Actually really enjoyed that touch. It is pretty clear that most of the attention went into the battle system. I have played quite a few Tales games, so the battle system is definitely one I can get behind. Also, thank you for supporting the controller because I frequently need one. I do think this one was a little spam to win.
@TRIDIUM
SpoilerYour game was very cute. I loved the graphics and tiles you used, though I did think your maps were a bit large and/or empty for their function and purpose. I think most of them could have easily been smaller. Funny you. You actually did get favorable comments on your audio for me. I awarded you a distinction for choosing menu sounds that did not punch out my eardrums and I really enjoyed the light, chill modern xmas music you used.
I suppose a lot of people did not enjoy the ice mini game? Maybe it’s because I’m so tuned into audio but I actually liked it and loved that you made it sound based. I did not find it frustrating and actually liked the challenge of listening for the subtle changes in sound. The sledding mini game is what left me desiring more. It did feel a little “gimme” because I didn’t feel challenged at all. I feel like this either needed more obstacles, a speed up section, or both.
The story is really cute but I guess I’m team Mark because while Jane’s motivations were clear it just seemed odd that her urgency to find the dog became so absent at times. The depressed snowman made me actually laugh, so there truly was a lot of great one liners you could find in the game. I definitely love the opposites attract story here, but iunno. I felt bad for the dog. LOL.
@jssf1992
SpoilerI feel like this game’s writing and dialog can really get condensed. There is a ton of back and forth that can be said with far fewer words. This was very apparent in the intro and ending, but it really started weighing down on me with the annoying man in particular. I suppose it was part of his characterization and I apologize if it was meant to be humorous, but there were so many text boxes of same-y dialog that went on-and-on that it actually deeply demotivated me wanting to read the battle tutorial that immediately came after.
The battle system is definitely the draw of the game and has a pretty interesting premise. I do think it may have benefited it to explain and practice each of the stances in different battles. I was so overloaded that when it let me play the game I was very “wait, what was that thing?” Ultimately, I kind of just won pressing whatever, so I do think in addition to a better tutorial the player does need more reward/punishment for using the mechanics.
Aside from Santa being the boss and the motif of goodness in society, I was lacking a more cohesive xmas vibe, especially since it really did end up being a test for Carol’s skill. The mapping was pretty large and barren. Many of the face graphics didn’t match the sprites well. So, I think you have an interesting battle system to keep developing, but elements that need tweaking.
@ZombieKidzRule
SpoilerSo I know a lot of people have already noted it…but people really do not like scrolling text. Especially slow text. Especially text you cannot advance yourself. There were many instances of me being able to read the text on the screen several times before I ever saw the next message. Players have different tolerances for it, but the main thing is it’s the opposite of engagement. Starting a game with your hands in your lap can make it very difficult to maintain interest during the very first few minutes of the game.
I really did like the idea of actually roleplaying as the character that was given to me and considering how naughty and nice they really are, but based on some other comments, it looks like the quiz results didn't ultra matter?
I did actually really enjoy the atmosphere. I like dark and spooky xmas, like…not the cute spooky either. The music choices were really good but like a lot of entries I was distracted by the audio not looping correctly. I do think the visuals lacked cohesion. I understand the direction but I was left feeling like the photos did not match any of the other assets, nor particularly interested in looking at them.
I got the Rock, Paper, Scissors game and I won all three games in a row…so that made me curious how the game generates RNG seeds because it felt awfully convenient and lucky to me.
@Starmage
SpoilerThe game is very stylish. I thought the menus were very pretty and I always have to give the encouragement of “please keep doing this” every time I play a game that actually manages sound levels fairly well and picks menu sounds that do not absolutely pierce the entire sound design.
Given the game did invest so much into the visuals, I loved that there was clear indication with the lighting effect who was speaking, but a little disappointed there were no emotes. I figure this was, of course, a function of time and needing to switch some assets for the jam version of the game (well, and $$$). I do think that the portraits, while all very pretty, don’t always match one another’s aesthetic. I picked the cool-ass lion guy (because how can you not) and his art was rather different.
The gameplay I overall enjoyed (especially with the little icons to help dumb people like me) but I did feel like it went DEEP for a 20 minute jam game and there wasn’t a lot of time to practice and develop complexity. Replayability and tailored experience is definitely extremely smart in a short game, but I think getting that enriched experience with only a single, standard run is also very important for this design.
I feel like the opening was rather long and then I was sent to a gearing up segment. In a boss rush I do think a little more “go, go, go” can be your friend here so I’d see how we can condense some of the dialog. -
Thank you!
I'm glad you enjoyed the ice minigame, because it was a bit unpopular and I was worried it was a real stinker.
I'm also surprised/happy that people bonded with different characters. As a writer, that's a great feeling.
I've got a personal vendetta with dogs, so I think I subconsciously I forgot about him, lol. -
How could you not take the sheep@BobbyLily
SpoilerI will say that I was not able to get past the boozy eggnog girl because it froze on that cutscene image. So…maybe some of my notes are addressed past that scene?
Anyway. The overall aesthetic and tone is something I really vibe with. The assets all really work together. The artwork and music choices complement each other tremendously. I think it needed to go way harder on the “working on xmas” angle tho. Other than the character designs (which are all amazing) and the mention it’s Christmas…it was a bit lacking on the holiday theme.
We really could have veered more down the “mean xmas” path. I mean, this is a retail coffee shop…the manager gets to go home. Customers are coming in right before closing. This is a perfect set up for maximum “retail loss of self-awareness” from the clients. The customers should REALLY rub it in.
Gathering the ingredients to make the customer’s order fits the bill here. Great gameplay option for the overall presentation of the game. It did feel a little cumbersome at times, such as me feeling like I was clicking on the right thing but I guess (?) not clicking on it accurately enough. That sorta thing.
Something I’d love to see if you choose to expand this at all is some sort of repercussion to not making the coffees fast enough. Not only do I think this is an opportunity to build more into the “retail loss of self-awareness” story telling, but any time there is a memorization-based game but nearly unlimited time to either look at the cheat sheet or get it right…it’s not as rewarding to complete. So. Some element of urgency would enhance the game on many levels.
@Erif
SpoilerI think the main issue here was scope. Tons of characters. Tons of battle features. Tons of dialog. A jam being set in a main game can absolutely work if presented carefully, but right from the get-go (since I haven’t tried your game yet) I sorta felt like an outsider looking in? I felt like it would be difficult to get a full experience from the game in 20 minutes.
I was having technical issues with the game as soon as I was given control. The first big one I encountered was the bakery lady. I talked to her and someone screamed. I was expecting a music change and something visual to happen to set the next stage, but instead the audio stopped and everyone was acting normal.
I could not grasp any sense of where the scream came from so I talked to the bakery lady again to see if any dialog changes would occur to guide me, and she tried to sell me bread again. And then the lady screamed again. You can pretty much do this infinite times.
The animated faces are really neat! Actually really enjoyed that touch. It is pretty clear that most of the attention went into the battle system. I have played quite a few Tales games, so the battle system is definitely one I can get behind. Also, thank you for supporting the controller because I frequently need one. I do think this one was a little spam to win.
@TRIDIUM
SpoilerYour game was very cute. I loved the graphics and tiles you used, though I did think your maps were a bit large and/or empty for their function and purpose. I think most of them could have easily been smaller. Funny you. You actually did get favorable comments on your audio for me. I awarded you a distinction for choosing menu sounds that did not punch out my eardrums and I really enjoyed the light, chill modern xmas music you used.
I suppose a lot of people did not enjoy the ice mini game? Maybe it’s because I’m so tuned into audio but I actually liked it and loved that you made it sound based. I did not find it frustrating and actually liked the challenge of listening for the subtle changes in sound. The sledding mini game is what left me desiring more. It did feel a little “gimme” because I didn’t feel challenged at all. I feel like this either needed more obstacles, a speed up section, or both.
The story is really cute but I guess I’m team Mark because while Jane’s motivations were clear it just seemed odd that her urgency to find the dog became so absent at times. The depressed snowman made me actually laugh, so there truly was a lot of great one liners you could find in the game. I definitely love the opposites attract story here, but iunno. I felt bad for the dog. LOL.
@jssf1992
SpoilerI feel like this game’s writing and dialog can really get condensed. There is a ton of back and forth that can be said with far fewer words. This was very apparent in the intro and ending, but it really started weighing down on me with the annoying man in particular. I suppose it was part of his characterization and I apologize if it was meant to be humorous, but there were so many text boxes of same-y dialog that went on-and-on that it actually deeply demotivated me wanting to read the battle tutorial that immediately came after.
The battle system is definitely the draw of the game and has a pretty interesting premise. I do think it may have benefited it to explain and practice each of the stances in different battles. I was so overloaded that when it let me play the game I was very “wait, what was that thing?” Ultimately, I kind of just won pressing whatever, so I do think in addition to a better tutorial the player does need more reward/punishment for using the mechanics.
Aside from Santa being the boss and the motif of goodness in society, I was lacking a more cohesive xmas vibe, especially since it really did end up being a test for Carol’s skill. The mapping was pretty large and barren. Many of the face graphics didn’t match the sprites well. So, I think you have an interesting battle system to keep developing, but elements that need tweaking.
@ZombieKidzRule
SpoilerSo I know a lot of people have already noted it…but people really do not like scrolling text. Especially slow text. Especially text you cannot advance yourself. There were many instances of me being able to read the text on the screen several times before I ever saw the next message. Players have different tolerances for it, but the main thing is it’s the opposite of engagement. Starting a game with your hands in your lap can make it very difficult to maintain interest during the very first few minutes of the game.
I really did like the idea of actually roleplaying as the character that was given to me and considering how naughty and nice they really are, but based on some other comments, it looks like the quiz results didn't ultra matter?
I did actually really enjoy the atmosphere. I like dark and spooky xmas, like…not the cute spooky either. The music choices were really good but like a lot of entries I was distracted by the audio not looping correctly. I do think the visuals lacked cohesion. I understand the direction but I was left feeling like the photos did not match any of the other assets, nor particularly interested in looking at them.
I got the Rock, Paper, Scissors game and I won all three games in a row…so that made me curious how the game generates RNG seeds because it felt awfully convenient and lucky to me.
@Starmage
SpoilerThe game is very stylish. I thought the menus were very pretty and I always have to give the encouragement of “please keep doing this” every time I play a game that actually manages sound levels fairly well and picks menu sounds that do not absolutely pierce the entire sound design.
Given the game did invest so much into the visuals, I loved that there was clear indication with the lighting effect who was speaking, but a little disappointed there were no emotes. I figure this was, of course, a function of time and needing to switch some assets for the jam version of the game (well, and $$$). I do think that the portraits, while all very pretty, don’t always match one another’s aesthetic. I picked the cool-ass lion guy (because how can you not) and his art was rather different.
The gameplay I overall enjoyed (especially with the little icons to help dumb people like me) but I did feel like it went DEEP for a 20 minute jam game and there wasn’t a lot of time to practice and develop complexity. Replayability and tailored experience is definitely extremely smart in a short game, but I think getting that enriched experience with only a single, standard run is also very important for this design.
I feel like the opening was rather long and then I was sent to a gearing up segment. In a boss rush I do think a little more “go, go, go” can be your friend here so I’d see how we can condense some of the dialog.
@TRIDIUM I think I mentioned this in my stream, but the ice puzzle wasn't *bad*, especially once I figured out how it worked. I just wasn't expecting quite so puzzly a puzzle in what had up until that point been a cute little visual novel without much in the way of thinky stuff, so it was a slightly jarring transition. -
@Ms Littlefish Thanks for this feedback! It is very helpful! Music and sound are definitely something I need to pay more attention to. And the games are something that could definitely be improved with more time. I severely underestimated how long it would take me to Event several of those.
And the Rock, Paper, Scissors game would need better programming. I made Krampus' choice 100% random each time, without regard to past selections of either Krampus or the player.
I did that just to get the Eventing to work and then didn't have time to try to change it. Ideally, Krampus would take into consideration things like if the player has chosen the same thing frequently. Which is what a human player would do.
I sounds like you were just incredibly lucky, being that it is 100% random. So the flip side could be true. You could have been incredibly unlucky and lose 3 straight. I also saw a playthough, maybe Trihan's?, where there was like 3 or 4 ties in a row. Which can make the player seriously wonder if there are some shenanigans going on behind the scenes.
Thanks again for taking the time to provide feedback!
I learned so much from this experience and I am still learning through incorporating feedback.
And @TRIDIUM , I think I left feedback that I didn't mind your ice puzzle, but I had to play without sound. So I didn't have the sound clues. Instead, I just experimented with following my previous steps and managed to get across eventually. It took quite a few tries, but I managed. I definitely didn't mind that puzzle at all. -
@Starmage
Thank you so much Ms Littlefish! <3 :kaojoy: I'm happy you enjoyed the overall aesthetic with the sound and visuals <3 But yes indeed, it's true that the game's intro needs to present gameplay as soon as possible for a boss rush RPG, which, thankfully, I've incorporated for the full release soon. Many wonderful pips have given me feedback about the complications of the early battles as well, so this is a must-change indeed. Thanks so much once again! ^^
Cheers to all of us finally moving past this fun event and getting the cute badges! :kaopride:
@Trihan - Sheep is best boy, and I loved your sheep voice xD :D <3 -
Thank you @Ms Littlefish . It's true i went a bit beyond scope as this is my first jam. I do pride myself in giving the most accessibility possible but yeah, the story was lacking and bugs are infesting it like a goddamn plague. I'll try better next time!
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I listened to an interesting conversation about randomness in games at a convention panel with one of Bethesda's programmers.I sounds like you were just incredibly lucky, being that it is 100% random. So the flip side could be true. You could have been incredibly unlucky and lose 3 straight. I also saw a playthough, maybe Trihan's?, where there was like 3 or 4 ties in a row. Which can make the player seriously wonder if there are some shenanigans going on behind the scenes.
He talked about this dungeon in, I want to say Oblivion, that had an assortment of enemies at varying level ranges which spawned completely randomly.
He described how there was only, like, a 2% chance of this high level nasty monster spawning; but the downside of that was that when your game sells 9.5 million copies, that's almost 200,000 people who play the game and experience a game-breaking difficulty jump inside that dungeon.
And that's their only experience.
His takeaway was that it's often better to use weighted odds or constructed tables rather than sheer randomness.
Similarly, I've modified the hit roll in my MV game to use prepopulated results rather than actual random rolls. -
@BobbyLily
I will say that I was not able to get past the boozy eggnog girl because it froze on that cutscene image. So…maybe some of my notes are addressed past that scene?
Anyway. The overall aesthetic and tone is something I really vibe with. The assets all really work together. The artwork and music choices complement each other tremendously. I think it needed to go way harder on the “working on xmas” angle tho. Other than the character designs (which are all amazing) and the mention it’s Christmas…it was a bit lacking on the holiday theme.
We really could have veered more down the “mean xmas” path. I mean, this is a retail coffee shop…the manager gets to go home. Customers are coming in right before closing. This is a perfect set up for maximum “retail loss of self-awareness” from the clients. The customers should REALLY rub it in.
Gathering the ingredients to make the customer’s order fits the bill here. Great gameplay option for the overall presentation of the game. It did feel a little cumbersome at times, such as me feeling like I was clicking on the right thing but I guess (?) not clicking on it accurately enough. That sorta thing.
Something I’d love to see if you choose to expand this at all is some sort of repercussion to not making the coffees fast enough. Not only do I think this is an opportunity to build more into the “retail loss of self-awareness” story telling, but any time there is a memorization-based game but nearly unlimited time to either look at the cheat sheet or get it right…it’s not as rewarding to complete. So. Some element of urgency would enhance the game on many levels.
Thx!
I think the game gets a little more Christmassy by the end, but from what I’ve heard it’s still a little lacking.
I think I would have leaned into the “crappy retail experience” thing more if I wasn’t cramming stuff in at the last minute lol.
I would like to expand on and make some improvements to the game, but I’m still trying to get the OriOrion demo finished.
Very sorry about the game freezing up, I think I’ve heard of that before from Mr ZombieKidz, but I have no idea what caused it. If you have a clue, please tell me:kaoswt:. -
So...I'm not too certain what caused the bug. But, I do know that because I was taking notes in my excel sheet that I min/maxing the window a lot. I did have this happen in a few games actually when I was windowing in and out. @BobbyLily
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Noted:kaohi:So...I'm not too certain what caused the bug. But, I do know that because I was taking notes in my excel sheet that I min/maxing the window a lot. I did have this happen in a few games actually when I was windowing in and out. @BobbyLily
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If you stay have time Ms Littlefish, I would love to hear your thoughts.
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@slimmmeiske2
SpoilerThe visual style of the game was extremely good and a perfect representation of how to use and mold RPG Maker’s assets very well. I loved everything from the tile choices, font, to the gingerbread cursor. I’d say the window skin was a tad busy but the color and gold leafing was very cohesive to the visual theme, so toning it down would probably be a sweet spot.
The spirit of the game is maximum. Reid is such a sweet boy! I love the whole concept of him refusing to let granny’s tradition fall aside and take over the helm. I also really loved the “power of friendship” element as the party comes to assist with each growing demand on the stall and how it becomes progressively more decorated for Christmas. Very lovely visual storytelling with that.
The gameplay was perfectly scoped for a game jam. I was able to get a full experience in twenty or so minutes. I do think like some of the other food ordering games, this also lacked some urgency in getting the orders prepared. I think that would have added another layer of gameplay to really elevate it.
It also took me quite a while to notice there were any sound effects, so their default level is likely too low. I had originally noted that sound effects may have helped me understand when the game had accepted my inputs, but then I finally heard them. So, maybe bump them up a little and see if there’s also a way to get the little bubble to change or go away once the input has been accepted? -
Oh me too! Me too! :p I doubt there is much to say, but still... do me, do me! :p
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I'll do some more tomorrow! I, uh...actually should have gotten some work done today. XD
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Haha its okay.
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If it ain't too much trouble, may I request feedback?Happy New Year, everyone! ~You are now a decorated forum members!~
I'm still down to give feedback to anyone who wants it. I just had to do my "post holiday vegetation." You know...where you pretend to be a plant because you've been so busy? -
Sorry. Forgot I had a gauntlet of appointments yesterday.
@JohnDoeNews
SpoilerThe greeting card + community shout out is an adorable concept. Finding all the dialog is the main gameplay, so I did wish there was a bit more engagement to uncover it all. Mostly, you were kinda just clicking everything. I may have encountered an odd situation with the key? I didn’t notice any sound or dialog when I found it, but I was able to get outside when I was unable to earlier. So. I have no idea where I found the key.
The story did have some humorous elements but overall stayed on the sweeter side. So, while Silent Night was a perfect song choice for the main game, the title screen song did feel a little too high energy both in tempo and instrumentation for the tone it maintained.
The first thing I noticed visually is that the sprite is stretched vertically. I think this was done to make it appear taller (?) but it looks rather off, particularly seen with the rest of the tiles which are in the correct aspect. Beyond that, I thought the tiles were curated, pretty, and the maps were overall well sized and decorated.
@AphoticAmaranth
SpoilerI thought this was a cute little boss rush game. Visually there were a lot of nice details like seeing the items being dropped when the enemies were defeated. I love the menu snowflakes and custom artwork, like the sleepy cat. I thought you did a really great job with the assets in this game. I really only noticed some very minor visual bugs like some text overlapping in some of the menus.
There were a surprising amount of accessibility options in the menus, including some other fonts. I think this is a tremendous attention to detail for such a small game. I absolutely appreciated it.
The music selections were really good, but some of them didn’t loop correctly. I usually take better notes as to which songs, so ah, forgive me! So. This cat sound effect. Incredibly super cute. I loved it, until I heard it over-and-over many times back-to-back. I would keep the cat SFX, but curate its usage.
The story did not over complicate itself which is great in a boss rush. Something like a cat-Christmas is definitely the type of thing that goes over well with me. Lots of cute and funny little flavor text like “the bag is edible too.” There are some genuinely funny moments. I don’t know why, but when Jacqueline Frost pulled out the massive rifle I LOST IT.
I thought the battles and gameplay curve were overall pretty good. Not too difficult to understand, in theme, and the difficulty really did ramp up by the end of the game. Pretty satisfying to play in 20 minutes. -
Me too! First I had a dentist’s appointment early in the morning, then I had a to get two doctors appointments because I was sick, then I had a councilors meeting because of my $!$+€řSorry. Forgot I had a gauntlet of appointments yesterday.
Fun stuffs! (ツ) -
That’s off topic, but thank you for sharing.
Either way. I can probably do a few more of these feedbacks over the weekend if anyone is interested. But, it does look like the thread is starting to wind down now that we’re almost two weeks past the contest.