I made a multiplayer game, whoopdee

[BigJKO]

This isn't meant as a plug, since the game is free and not remotely finished, but I'd genuinely like to hear everyone's opinion so far.

I've started on my first multiplayer game. Since it's my first, it's not the most interesting of games. Oh, alright, it's not interesting at all. It's snake. But hear me out. I need feedback, because I am going to finish making this. Snake, or not, I don't want to back out of it now.

So, give me your best and worst. Do you experience a lot of lag, or none at all? Is the 360 movement a good/bad idea? Whatever you've got.

Ah, yes.. and to play it. Go here.

[Cigol]

So I played a couple of games and it's quite fun, the extra fidelity in control is a nice touch.

Saying that (and trying hard to make this a constructive post by nitpicking), I would make it clearer your version of snake is 'walled in' by graphically representing it with some sort of frame. It took me a couple of splats to realise - I'm afraid I don't read instructions! Anyway I prefer it without walls so it would actually be pretty neat if it were a toggable option.

Unless I'm mistaken the fruit doesn't time-out (?), in which case a two player game throws up an interesting exploit whereby one player circles endlessly around the fruit leaving the other player powerless. Might be worth looking into. Oh and I think it would be nice if it just zipped past that intermediary screen detailing scores after someone wins and got straight to the good stuff.

...and wishlist;

- increase the size of the playing area

- 32 player upper limit

- team deathmatch snake!

[toblix]

Fucking awesome!

[Cigol]

Indeed, I've gotten the illustrious 5 in a row achievement. 50% complete

[BigJKO]

So I played a couple of games and it's quite fun, the extra fidelity in control is a nice touch.

Saying that (and trying hard to make this a constructive post by nitpicking), I would make it clearer your version of snake is 'walled in' by graphically representing it with some sort of frame. It took me a couple of splats to realise - I'm afraid I don't read instructions! Anyway I prefer it without walls so it would actually be pretty neat if it were a toggable option.

Thanks Cigol, that's a great idea! I had thought about doing it at some point, but I figured I'd try to get the multiplayer side of things a bit more stable first. I'll definately add the option of it, soon.

I'll definately look into the circling around apples thing.

Thanks, toblix!

Oh, and.. it didn't lag too much, did it? A lot of people complained about that before, and I released an update yesterday that hopefully fixed that (or at least, made it a bit more bearable)

[Cigol]

I've experienced the odd bit of lag but it goes as soon as the next round begins. I also had someone explain that going round and round in a circle whilst everyone else crashes is a 'strategy' maybe you should be required to have eaten at least one apple before you can be considered for the scoreboard?

[BigJKO]

I'd like to solve this without requiring more instructions, so I think I'm just going to try, at least for now, to just make the starting length long enough so you can't circle.

I hate that "strategy" and really don't understand people who think playing like that is actually fun. It was kinda fun, though, that my game, mere minutes after being public already had an exploit, with a name. The day after I published it on nonoba.com, I went in to play with someone who said "When are you going to do something about 'spinners'" And I had no idea what he was talking about.

Oh, and about skipping the scoreboard and skipping to the good stuff. I'm thinking of making each game a few rounds (default at 10, configurable at the start of a server) and the winner of the most rounds gets a win, at which point the scoreboard is shown, and people chime in if they're ready for another 10 rounds. Makes the gameplay a bit more long-lasting, and the feeling of winning a bit sweeter. And at the same time faster, between rounds.

[castorp]

I've experienced the odd bit of lag but it goes as soon as the next round begins. I also had someone explain that going round and round in a circle whilst everyone else crashes is a 'strategy' maybe you should be required to have eaten at least one apple before you can be considered for the scoreboard?

I think, I was in that very session (not the 'spinner', the guest). I experienced the same kind of lag, but just one time mid-game (causing me to crash), but that could have been my connection/background-application/whatever as well. The idea to adjust the starting-length so that this annoying spinner-'strategy' becomes dysfunctional sounds good, as this was the only real problem I had with the game.

A bigger playing area would be nice, but you have to find the right balance between size and keeping it tense. All the area should still be visible all the time I think, making it impossible to get out of the sight of the other players (which would allow an altered spinning-tactic and would make it harder to force someone into a crash).

More obvious walls would be nice too.

Regardless of the things said above, I had great fun with the game. Thanks BigJKO.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Great idea! Lots of fun, too. It's slightly buggy, and I had no idea how to continue the game (apparently you press space?). Also, when I started it wasn't clear which one I was, but I soon adjusted. Good stuff!

[Cigol]

Post of the century, surely?

[Wrestlevania]

Post of the century, surely?

Agreed--pretty epic. Maybe we shouldn't ban these parasites outright..?

Regardless, sadly our raging, unchecked wall of fire is preventing me from sampling your snake's multiplayer delights in the office.