I would really like a separate control option as others here have voiced. Pretty much everyone that has posted something about the controls has been here at TA posting on games as such for a while and we all have enough experience to be basing the recommendation on some solid reasoning, whatever that may be. I think a back button should most definitely be added if not a full on-screen d-pad. Other developers have tried no-button control schemes and both of the ones that I know haven't been too well received. Pico Bandito was one of such that was initially released for $2.99 with the promise of additional levels (4 included in the beginning) but because of the weak impact from buyers, the project was now called off and is currently free. The Chop Chop platformers were really great, personally, but a ton of people didn't really like the attempt by Gamerizon to create a platforming series without any buttons. Anyhow, it's still your decision in the end. Just my two cents on the matter. And regardless, you have yourself my money as soon as this is out. Preferred controls or not, I can't resist something like this.
Mos Speedrun got some trash for not having the D-pad as the default originally since some people were too stupid to know that you could change it.
Exactly - the controls create a new twist on the gameplay and I am designing the levels around this. Level elements such as springs and moving platforms enable the player to move 'back' and these are used in places to create puzzle-like scenarios. 1-bit Ninja will not be universal as I have some big plans for an iPad specific version that go beyond simply upping the resolution. 1-bit Ninja will run on all models of iPhone/iTouch. I definitely appreciated the feedback however as many other people have recognized, the controls are a major element of the gameplay itself. No back-button does not equal on-rails, 1-bit Ninja is not 'Canabalt with the ability to stop running'; there are multiple different paths, secrets, platforms above platforms, springs etc. that change the players direction and of course enemies and power-ups. The levels are designed around this concept with puzzles and tricks that can be beat with a slow thought-out pace or a perfectly timed speed-run. Duke Floss put it nicely "what it seems to do to the gameplay is make it more have more consequence for the choices presented" - this is very true and once you've got an idea of a level's layout you can begin trying to perfect it for score and time (and of course then watch the replay of your best runs ) Out of constraints come new ideas and personally I'm enjoying this spin on platforming - I hope you will too later this month.
Nice post. Looking forward to this despite the 'back button' controversy! Wouldn't knock controls on other iOS platformers though. I'm a huge platform game fan and haven't had issues with any others
Wow this game looks great. There's nothing that could mess this up except a stubborn reliance on Shift contr.... Oh darn. Same advice I gave the dev behind Mos Speedrun: have an alternate control scheme in the release version. If you've researched proper platformers like League of Evil and Robot Wants Kitty you'll see that virtual buttons can work well (especially when the directional pad is restricted to Left/ Right). Mos Speedrun for example, has both "Shift" type controls and virtual buttons. You'd do better to play all these games and add virtual controls as an alternate control scheme upon the games release. Also, the player should be alerted to both control schemes in the opening tutorial; attempting to bury them in the menu will just garner you backlash like the Mos Speedrun devs did initially.
This game looks great.I wouldn't change a thing, especially the fact that it has no buttons which i think is a very nice touch "get it?"!Good Job!
Awesome nice! However, it reminds me about Mario Paper, I will be crazy about it but I yet see any link to the 3D view to the gameplay. But, still a instant buy for me. Looks sick so far!
This looks absolutely incredible! Can't wait to play it. The controls sound like a refreshing change too. Who knows, they may become the new iOS platformer standard!
having different control schemes should be easy to implement and would be more appealing for many potential buyers. funny but many devs defended their top control schemes but then add alternate ones in updates.
Agree with that. Just depends on sales, 'if' sales arent as good as he hopes then i'm sure we'll see standard d-pad controls Love the look of the game but if for example i jump and miss some coins its just frustrating i cant go back. To me thats what beta testers are for, i mean do you want this game to sell well or for you to release a game that you would want ? Its very well it being unique but 'if' it doesnt sell tons (I still think normal controls or a choice would help it much more) you might be discouraged from making another. The game looks to have sooo much potential, just i would personally love a d-pad so i would have my own Mario type game on my ipod. Again i can see why the programmer wants to do the controls his own way but 'if' its a simple case of adding a back, surely allow the user to set their controls to be forward/jump or back/forward/jump ?
So I just want to get something straight here. Say I accidentally run past an enemy or some coins and I want to go back and kill that enemy or grab those coins...you're saying that in your game I can't do that? Even if those things are a millimeter behind me? If so, then that's purely one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard of. I won't be buying this, unless I hear from review that it's an amazing game.
The gameplay look awesome (cant say the same about graphics, that its secondary), but please add some buttons likeLeague of Evil or Mos Speedrun. I like that 3D thingy that allows you to discover secrets
This game looks awesome! I had a very large post about suggestions for the game, but I couldn't get the wording right, and it made me sound like a know-it-all who buts into everything. Glad I decided to go with this, but I'll still give three of my suggestions: 1) level editor (it'd be a pain to make, but it'd be epic) 2) content updates (new levels, unlockables, etc.) 3) alternate control scheme (for everyone else, I could care less about them as long as the current one works as well as you say they do) Good luck with making your game a success!
Ha - I didn't expect the control scheme to stir up such passionate debate! It's not a personal knock to other iOS platformers out there, I own and enjoy many of them. However for me personally, the controls have never felt completely natural. That doesn't make them un-playable but for some people it does take away from the fun slightly. Having grown up on Mario era platformers I wanted to make a game where concern over accurately pressing an on-screen control or (in the case of Shift) combination of controls never factors into the experience. As I mentioned earlier in the thread; omitting the back button simply isn't possible for many games but since 1-bit Ninja is being built from the ground up for this control scheme - it is. Not the case with 1-bit Ninja. The levels are being designed with the controls in mind, adding a back button would break that design. If people unanimously hate the controls then an update isn't going to fix that as it's part of the game - I hope that won't be the case. Nope, the controls are part of the game - not an afterthought that can be jammed in if sales are down. Hopefully this theory won't get tested. If you miss an enemy/bits (coins)/etc. then no you won't be able to go back... unless there is a spring/moving platform that enables you to do so or said enemy walks back towards you! It's all about level design. If something is truly necessary for progression it will never be impossible to reach. Secondary items that can be missed are there as an incentive for the OCD gamer to go back and try for that perfect run - they won't inhibit the ability for average gamers to have fun. Thanks! 1) this is part of my big-iPad-version plans I mentioned earlier in the thread, it may come to the iPhone/iTouch version at some point in the future but no promises - as you noted, usability would be an issue on the smaller screen. 2) Yes and yes. There are several easter eggs hidden already, new levels in updates will definitely happen. 3) Nope, see above and previous posts.
