Looking for Advice on Our First Game - Hip Hop Ninja

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by astralucid, Apr 20, 2011.

  1. astralucid

    astralucid Member

    Jan 17, 2011
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    #1 astralucid, Apr 20, 2011
    Last edited: May 25, 2011
    Update:
    I've created a new thread for Hip Hop Ninja in upcoming games, please visit: Hip Hop Ninja. We also want to say thanks to all people here who give feedback and critique to make the game better :)

    Hi all, We've been working on our first iOS game for about a month, it's called 'Hip Hop Ninja'. After lurking around in this forum and saw so many successful developer here, I believe any advice from people here will help us to build a better game.

    Here's some screenshot of the game - Updated April 26th:
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    Gameplay video - Updated April 26th:


    Edit - Based on feedback here, we've changed some things especially some design on UI, thanks guys!

    Hip Hop Ninja basically is a whack a mole game, but more polished with better gameplay, dancing ninja, and comical story. Looking at our progress it might be a month or more before it's released, so we might change some direction in development to make our game more polished. If you've watch the gameplay video, please let me know what you think. Feedback and idea are very welcome :)

    Thanks in advance,

    Our development blog:
    Fast4Ward Studio
     
  2. DJMoya

    DJMoya Well-Known Member

    Mar 23, 2011
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    Arcade Attendant
    Albuquerque New Mexico
    I really dig the art style. The graphics look great. I couldnt really hear the audio that well. When the little hip hop guys pop up does it play the instrument they are standing infront of?
     
  3. astralucid

    astralucid Member

    Jan 17, 2011
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    Thanks! no, we haven't add any audio yet beside the sound effect when the target hit. We're still waiting someone build the music that fits the disco theme.

    No, not yet, but we might add that later.
     
  4. Sinecure Industries

    Sinecure Industries Well-Known Member

    Looks good to me, I'd say you have a fair chance at doing well.
     
  5. mr.Ugly

    mr.Ugly Well-Known Member

    Dec 1, 2009
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    Berlin, Germany
    this is a whack a mole like game?
     
  6. Acumen

    Acumen Well-Known Member

    Apr 15, 2011
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    Kindergarten teacher
    Germany
    I totally love the ingame graphics. So stylish :D
    Maybe I don't know too much about the backstory, but I find neither the title of the game, nor the main menu screen fitting to the ingame scene. I just don't see any connection to the hiphop side of things.
    Is it just cool hiphop kids popping up, that you have to destroy ?
    Maybe that's the premise, maybe I just don't get it ;)
    In any case, I totally hate the graffiti styled menu font. Can't read it too well, and the title sounds as if you are a hiphop ninja fighting for the survival of hiphop.

    Anyways, I love the games action screen, not really into the mainmenu and fonts :)
    Post more info and media :D
     
  7. jogo

    jogo Well-Known Member

    Mar 17, 2011
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    I would say to much time spent on (the really good looking) gfx and near no time on game design (that sadly can work sometimes (e.g. Tiny Wings)). I would try to add more elements to the game (or are there more unshown in the video).
     
  8. astralucid

    astralucid Member

    Jan 17, 2011
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    Yes, basically you need to touch the onscreen target to gain a score, but we give it some more gameplay elements to make it better.
     
  9. astralucid

    astralucid Member

    Jan 17, 2011
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    The hip hop guys is actually a target for shuriken training, and the ingame background is actually a dojo run by the ninja sensei who loves hip hop. Anyways, the story maybe absurd but we make it as funny as possible :)

    The title 'Hip Hop Ninja' chosen because it's sounds catchy, and enough to make people curious when they hear it.

    You're right about the low readability on main menu, I'll change it on next build. Thanks for your feedback and suggestion, we will definitely post more gameplay video soon when the music is done.
     
  10. astralucid

    astralucid Member

    Jan 17, 2011
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    The gameplay on the video is the first build, we've added some new gameplay elements to make it better. But it's still simple pick and play game, it's our first game and we're just learn cocos2d so we decide to make it as simple as possible.

    Thanks for your feedback, I really appreciated it :)
     
  11. stonery

    stonery Well-Known Member

    Apr 1, 2011
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    Editor
    Neverland
    wow, the animation is polished and the game story looks hilarious.
    It's a promising game, and I look forward to elaborate gameplay.
     
  12. Ovogame

    Ovogame Well-Known Member

    Sep 25, 2010
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    Game Developer
    Morestel, France
    The art is really cool, but you made some beginer's mistake on the UI.

    Do not stick buttons or text right touching the edge of the screen. This look amaterish. Instead, you must always have a border around the edge where you do not display UI. I will say at least 10 pixels.
    Also, your red text is completely illigible. There is a small trick to give a bit more visibility: draw it twice: first black then red (but offseted by 1 pixel). You did used white font for your Pause button. I think you should use white for all your text (more consitent, more visible).

    The game looks good : good luck.

    JC


    [​IMG]
     
  13. astralucid

    astralucid Member

    Jan 17, 2011
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    Wow, this kind of comments is what I was waiting for. Thanks a lot for your detailed feedback. You were right, looks like we need to redesign the UI. The trick to draw the font twice is cool, we'll try it on the next build.
     
  14. mr.Ugly

    mr.Ugly Well-Known Member

    Dec 1, 2009
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    Berlin, Germany

    assuming from the screenshot your using cocos2d.. you might want to look into this thread http://www.cocos2d-iphone.org/forum/topic/11745
    for nice stuff like text shadows
     
  15. NickFalk

    NickFalk Well-Known Member

    Cool stuff Ugly! I think preparing a bitmap-font with a drop-shadow with something like GlyphDesigner would be a lot easier if all you want is to make the text stand out a bit more...
     
  16. Beyondtool

    Beyondtool Active Member

    Sep 30, 2010
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    Games developer
    Gold Coast
    I'd also think carefully about the Ninja name, most people are going to find your app by typing ninja and there are 900 ninja apps on the store. Many users are looking for a ninjas fighting game and the fact that your game is more like hip hop wack a mole, might be enough for them to be frustrated the actual game isn't what they were expecting from the name. I'd be pushing it from the hip hop angle, maybe getting some licensed music or cross promoting with itunes music.

    Or change the game mechanic and make it more ninjary (is that a word?)

    I can tell you it is very hard making a dent in the ninja market our app Ninja Star Master has really struggled against the earlier Ninja apps that have massive momentum already.
     
  17. The game design in Tiny Wings is sublime, and it is obvious that a great deal of time went into refining it.

    They did so many things well.
     
  18. astralucid

    astralucid Member

    Jan 17, 2011
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    I know that so many ninja games on appstore, but I doubt if most people really type 'ninja' on itunes to find a games. We're not really aiming on 'ninja' or 'hip hop' market on itunes, what we make is a simple casual game with iconic and cute character so It can target a wider audience like kids or girls.

    We choose the title because it's simply sounds cool, the finished game itself won't be that ninjary though. (yeah it's a word!)

    I've just seen your apps on itunes, and it looks great for people who love ninja related games but I think it won't really appeal to casual games market who loves cute games like tiny wings or mega jump. If you don't mind to share, how's you app perform on itunes nowadays? It's my first app so I don't have any experience with real sales figure of ninja game.
     
  19. astralucid

    astralucid Member

    Jan 17, 2011
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    Yeah, Tiny wings mechanic is totally polished. I love it and It's more addictive than any casual games I've ever played. The achievement system likes play the game upside down is cool and keep me played the game again and again, thus less productivity :)
     
  20. Beyondtool

    Beyondtool Active Member

    Sep 30, 2010
    30
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    Games developer
    Gold Coast
    I wouldn't underestimate the link between an apps name and people's perception of the game, keywords aside. But in a flooded market keywords can be a great way to get your app noticed, I'm sure it accounts for at least some of our ongoing sales.

    Our sales have been better than average but that's not saying much. Without being noticed in the top 200 it's pretty hard to maintain momentum. I'm not quitting my day job, but then again our marketing approach for our game was pretty poor. I have quite a few other ideas for unique games that hopefully I can focus on later this year when we have got Ninja Star Master to where we want it to be. I think updating the app has also kept people interested and making sales, so it's the best thing we have done so far.

    Although we didnt go cute we have found our game appeals to a wide range of people, although I admit we were aiming for the arcade crowd. Cute is popular and sells well, but I make games for fun and I'm not really a "cute" type of person.

    I think it is important to have some faith and stick with your idea, take feedback onboard, but at the end of the day even established developers release rotten games. Good luck with the game and do enjoy the experience it is rewarding to see people playing a game you have created.

    I would be cautious releasing just another wack a mole game with pretty graphics. There are plenty out there already and its my perception that the market is more interested in new experiences these days, not another retread. Then again we all have to start somewhere right?
     

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