Junk Jack By Pixbits

[deadclown]

Originally Posted by rayvin400

I agree 100% with the above poster. The point of the game is to explore an dig and figure out what yOu can do! Not be told what to do and what you can do. Giving all the recpies at the beginning of the game would be ruining the idea of the game. You need to FIND the recipies!

The problem is that you need to know enough to start playing the game in way that starts to approximate the whole gaming experience.

That is: you need to start with a recipe book whose initial pages include how to make:

- torch
- plank
- pickaxe

Then, ideally, code it so that the recipes for ladder, hammer, sword, shovel, and workbench all drop within the first 20 minutes or so of play.

That way, you get newbs (like me) at least aware of what the core gameplay is going to be like.

[rayvin400]

Originally Posted by TimEggers

I need two things:

1) Some kind of tutorial of the craft system, its specific, so direction is needed. I'm NOT going to spend my time randomly filling in my 3x3 grid in hopes I'll actually make an item.

2) When I do stumble and craft an item, I want a log or record of how I did it. So at least I can see how to do it again.

!

1) dig around enough and you'll find recipies to build it again. Then you can make a book to put the tutorial pages you find in. You'll get that recipie too. This isnt a game, its more of a simulation builder. It's not linear.

[deadclown]

Btw, I just noticed that several of my last posts are negative/complaints. So, just wanted to balanced it out:

Junk Jack is a terrific sandbox game and I'm having an absolute ball playing it!* Great job on the artwork, sound, and overall tone and feel. Very well done!




* (in short, minimal-tap bursts )

[SirDarkened]

I just bought it and am a LITTLE disheartened. You guys make all these comments about others being fools for not knowing what to do but I mean come on...

I played MineCraft and Terraria for countless hours but in those games you can easily google things to figure out what to craft or the game itself tells you based upon the items you have.

In this game you start off with NO IDEA what you can/can't build, what tools are made by what things, I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA how to CRAFT anything. How do I place things in this game? How does the crafting work do I need a table? Is there a crafting thing in my inventory? I honestly am given no clues to any of this while in Minecraft you can obviously tell how to craft things.

You guys need to give people a break because the first 10 minutes of this game for me was HORRIBLE. I had NO IDEA how to do anything at all it just puts you right in the middle of the game with some kind of lame explanation about how you need to beware monsters.

[rayvin400]

Originally Posted by deadclown

The problem is that you need to know enough to start playing the game in way that starts to approximate the whole gaming experience.

That is: you need to start with a recipe book whose initial pages include how to make:

- torch
- plank
- pickaxe

Then, ideally, code it so that the recipes for ladder, hammer, sword, shovel, and workbench all drop within the first 20 minutes or so of play.

That way, you get newbs (like me) at least aware of what the core gameplay is going to be like.

I can accept this. Anymore and the point is ruined.

[C.Hannum]

Originally Posted by SirDarkened

I played MineCraft and Terraria for countless hours but in those games you can easily google things to figure out what to craft or the game itself tells you based upon the items you have.

You can easily look up every single recipe in JJ if that's what you want to do. There's an entire thread dedicated to it on the official forums. There's another "beginner's guide" that included the "necessary" ones. And it took me, without spoilers or guides, all of about 2.5 days of casual playing to unlock the entirety of the craft book, so I'm not seeing how this game is so "HORRIBLE". Sure, for the clueless newb, maybe spending 2.5 days of their game time getting to that point is too painful, but the spoilers are out there if you feel the need, there is no need for the game to hand it to you any faster than it already does.

Now, that's not to say the game got it perfect. It did miss out on explaining:

- What the little icons in the upper right mean on recipes (e.g. the forge is required icon). This oversight is the source of the majority of crafting frustration and venting I see.
- Better explanation of the what and why of the different tool types, heck, I'm still probably doing something "wrong"
- A better "Welcome to Junk Jack" message since the included one admittedly doesn't really help you. I figure that note should have had a link to launch a proper tutorial on the very basic basics.

I've never played Terraria or Minecraft, was just familiar with the concepts, and picked up on Junk Jack in pretty short order.

[TimEggers]

Originally Posted by deadclown

The problem is that you need to know enough to start playing the game in way that starts to approximate the whole gaming experience.

Exactly!

You guys are missing my points completely, Pixbits doesn't have to "give up" anything, I'm not asking for recipes or handouts.

What this game needs is the explanation of the detailed (but specific) craft system, tutorial on crafting an item and an example of a recipe. Tips on placing items and then a general explanation to a strategy of learning this new world.

You guys that have played Minecraft and other Sandbox games are forgetting that to some, like me, who never have, the things you already know are foreign to me. Without an introduction into the crafting mechanic and open exploration model gameplay this game just confuses and alienates the player.

I played for 7-hours and all I was able to figure out was a few recipes that although I had the ingredients, they wouldn't craft and secondly and then I made a torch completely on accident and placed it without being able (for the life of me) being able to figure out how to do it again.

A little guidance and direction can surely be offered without sacrificing the core gameplay you experienced Minecraft players seem to love.

I want Junk Jack to be successful as I'm sure you do, not helping people new to Sandbox games defeats that end. Frankly if the "Junk Jack Community" is going to take the "stop whining get a clue and google Minecraft" attiude to this then Pixbits is just going to loose customers and fans, myself included.*

*awaiting the tutorial update to re-try Junk Jack, luckily Pixbits recognizes the need to incorporate new-to-sandbox game players, thanks guys!

[Foozelz]

I had no clue how to play until I found out PixBits short tutorial on their forums.

[TimEggers]

Originally Posted by Foozelz

I had no clue how to play until I found out PixBits short tutorial on their forums.

My point exactly.

[devensega]

IMG_0623.PNG

Just a quick word from my perspective. I was initially a bit overwhelmed by this game like many of the recent posts.

But with a small amount of perseverance I was soon crafting away and am now about halfway finished on my mighty castle above. Just ease yourselves into the game and take your time and before you know it it all clicks.

Also turn on peaceful mode in options so that you have all the time in the world to explore risk free.