Train Defense RELEASED

[LordGek]

Originally Posted by MaDPuPPeT

Update 1.1 has been submitted to AppStore. No idea at this time when it will come through, but here is a video of the new features.

YouTube: video

Looks awesome!

[HLW]

Originally Posted by MaDPuPPeT

I'll look into alternatives. I had good responses on the flashing text from my QA, but they are mostly into the super retro games.

Could it trigger seizures?, I mean. Not 'change it because it's ugly'.

[MaDPuPPeT]

Originally Posted by HLW

Could it trigger seizures?, I mean. Not 'change it because it's ugly'.

"Reports in newspapers and on television have heightened public awareness that playing video games can, in rare cases, trigger seizures, but there is no scientific evidence that video games can cause epilepsy." (epilepsy.com)

I think that also generally applies to more strobing or intensity flashes on a large area of the screen. I've got just hue cycling on a small area, so I think its unlikely to cause any issues.

I worked on Microsoft GameRoom for a while and we had to hack a lot of the old 1980s atari roms because of fear that the flashing might cause epilepsy, but that was always fullscreen red/black or white/black flashing.

[LordGek]

The game's blocky retro cell shaded graphics are growing on me! I'm also loving how there isn't just a diversity of enemies but that each of these enemies really seem to have specific roles/tasks. Like the Healing Flyers that come into fix damaged units or the cool little Tron like light cycles that seem to just be there to tempt you away from a good defensive position to chase them down for the weapon they're towing behind them.

[Snooptalian]

Downloading this now. Looks pretty good...

[HLW]

That quote from epilepsy.com is taking about video games in general, it is saying that just because something is a video game, does not mean it will cause seizures. If a particular flashing image causes seizures, it will cause seizures whether it is shown on a film, or on TV, or in a game. Here's more information: http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/photosensitive-epilepsy

Originally Posted by MaDPuPPeT

I think that also generally applies to more strobing or intensity flashes on a large area of the screen. I've got just hue cycling on a small area, so I think its unlikely to cause any issues.

Yes it's a small area so might not cause a problem. I only mentioned it because nowadays you almost never see any kind of flashing image like this, so it stood out a bit.

[LordGek]

Originally Posted by Snooptalian

Downloading this now. Looks pretty good...

Oh, you already answered your own question I see as, yes, there are a handful of achievements mixed between basic threshold stuff (first time you do this or have made it to level x in a mode) and then a few silly ones (make it to level x without ever doing y in a game).

If I had to admit any drawbacks it would be that there are a couple of dropped power-ups that might take a few play throughs before you are clear on what they do, and even more importantly, which object they are for (some only work for towers, for example).

I have mixed emotions when it comes to how the game handles the player's mortars. While on one hand it is neat that this is the only weapon the player is free to target (even if all of the mortars need to share the same target at any given moment), at times (like when things are really hectic) I'd love an option to let them choose their own targets like the rest of the game's weapons.

[MaDPuPPeT]

Originally Posted by LordGek

Oh, you already answered your own question I see as, yes, there are a handful of achievements mixed between basic threshold stuff (first time you do this or have made it to level x in a mode) and then a few silly ones (make it to level x without ever doing y in a game).

I've left some points aside for more achievements in future as I add more features or game modes. For now, you can probably get about 60% of them in a single game if you're very good... I'm banking that players won't be that good in their first attempts.

Originally Posted by LordGek

If I had to admit any drawbacks it would be that there are a couple of dropped power-ups that might take a few play throughs before you are clear on what they do, and even more importantly, which object they are for (some only work for towers, for example).

There are 3 specific drops - tower upgrades only affect towers. Carriage upgrades only affect carriages, and the 'ram' can only be put on the engine.
The rest of the drops are turrets that can go on anything.

Originally Posted by LordGek

I have mixed emotions when it comes to how the game handles the player's mortars. While on one hand it is neat that this is the only weapon the player is free to target (even if all of the mortars need to share the same target at any given moment), at times (like when things are really hectic) I'd love an option to let them choose their own targets like the rest of the game's weapons.

I'll have to mull on this one. There's a few pros and cons. There's a certain mechanic in there at the moment with a shared target that works well IMO - having to really choose where you want to attack first, but knowing that an additional mortar makes that bullseye get hit twice as much. Once you get 3 or more mortars, that bullseye becomes a fairly devastating weapon. I had to add Air Mortar enemies in V1.1 update to overcome how powerful it got during one of my playtests.

[MaDPuPPeT]

Release 1.3 is nearly ready.
It includes a new level, new enemies and some major graphical improvements.
Here is a sneak preview. More details to come...

[LordGek]

Originally Posted by MaDPuPPeT

Release 1.3 is nearly ready.
It includes a new level, new enemies and some major graphical improvements.
Here is a sneak preview. More details to come...

Imperial Walkers!?!

You Dog, they look awesome!