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MudGolem

Feedback from an old returning player/Game developer

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Dear Dev-Team,

I´m a returning player (I played back then in early 2017) and I´m also a game developer myself. I started playing yesterday again and to my surprise, the game feels way too different from what I played originally back then. I would love to share my feedback with you guys which will be split into three-part in order to make it easy and clear. First "the good", then "the bad" and finally "the ugly". I hope you will find it constructive and helpful.

Let´s start with the good first:
- Better bomb/machines physics 
- Different machines sizes and the body blocking (still not perfect but I love it)
- No more annoying scenes/sequences like the one played on the match start or after each round.
- The new respawn system (add depth to the game I like it)
- The new UI/UX: you guys did a great job. Looks clean and fits the game theme.
- The addition of different effects and items: like the score effect, death effect, etc. it adds a lot of flavor to the game.
- The Battlepass: the Grind I know I know, some do like them and some do not. But I think it´s a good addition to the mix.

Now let´s dive to the bad:
- The pace of the game: way too fast and this is due to increasing damage/burst. I get the idea behind adding more Risk/Reward by increasing the lethality and adding longer cast times for some abilities in order to make skill shots harder to hit. But IMHO there is no more back and forth during team-fights and it feels like rushing the bomb carrier (zergs swarming) and bursting him instantly without giving a chance/time for a reaction or a counterplay. Especially when you´re trying to heal or CC someone. The game still a MOBA. I know it is more than that but still, the one-shot or burst mechanic should not be the norm for this game.
- the removal of the path indicator (the arrows drawn on the ground) toward the goal. It might be distracting but was really helpful especially in the Metal God Arena. Maybe add some permanent drawing/signs on the ground in the middle section to show the direction in order to guide the player toward the enemy goal?

And lastly the ugly:
- The removal of the upgrade shop/system: But WHY? Enough with the typical excuses like: "it might not be balanced or hard to balance" or even worst "It might confuse new players" etc. No one wants to hear those excuses. Removing the RPG elements from the game it´s like turning it into a one-dimensional game, boring and repetitive. Customization is the bread and butter of every MOBA game. Take it out and you take the MOBA identity with it.
- The removal of the awesome victory/end scene/sequence. Yes, I´m talking about the MVP machine drifting around the statue. It was a beautiful way to showcase your machine skin and giving credit to a good player. 
And the damn good End music theme. I  spent hours searching like a maniac on the internet for that particular song with no luck. I demand to have it back into the game (like please please :)  At least can we have a link to listen to that song again?

At last, I would say that the game still feels awesome and it's a pleasure to play. Your passion and dedication can be seen through the work you did put on it. Thank you for developing such a great game. keep up the good work and looking forward to playing more.

 

Cheers,

A Big fan

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48 minutes ago, MudGolem said:

Now let´s dive to the bad:

- the removal of the path indicator (the arrows drawn on the ground) toward the goal. It might be distracting but was really helpful especially in the Metal God Arena. Maybe add some permanent drawing/signs on the ground in the middle section to show the direction in order to guide the player toward the enemy goal

Did you check the GPS setting in the options? There is 2 modes and you can customize it, it will show where the bomb is and if you're carrying it, the way to goal.

And lastly the ugly:
- The removal of the upgrade shop/system: But WHY? Enough with the typical excuses like: "it might not be balanced or hard to balance" or even worst "It might confuse new players" etc. No one wants to hear those excuses. Removing the RPG elements from the game it´s like turning it into a one-dimensional game, boring and repetitive. Customization is the bread and butter of every MOBA game. Take it out and you take the MOBA identity with it.
- The removal of the awesome victory/end scene/sequence. Yes, I´m talking about the MVP machine drifting around the statue. It was a beautiful way to showcase your machine skin and giving credit to a good player. 
 

Agree on both points. But I do not agree on the repetitiveness part about upgrades (well or rather not having them anymore, you got it I guess). There is still so many little things to do, mechanic wise, with any pilot given, and then it expands to the composition of your team and even the enemy's team. But of course, not denying they don't have their place anymore, also I would love something back in that concern, but it could be a whole new way to implement it, many players came with ideas, I think I did as well.

I added my thoughts in bold to the points I left, welcome back, I didn't say it on the Discord, but I do it here now :D (I'm Dreem ?)

Yep, found my thread: https://www.heavymetalmachines.com/forum/en/index.php?/topic/64152-upgrades-ideas-and-weapon-choice/&tab=comments#comment-64769

Edited by death

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Oh Hi Dream ? Thank you for the warm welcoming amigo <3. Indeed I didn´t know about the GPS option (Silly me ?).

As for the point I mentioned about making the game repetitive and boring due to the removal of RPG elements, you need to think long-term. I know, we still have these little mechanics, interaction and such but this is not gonna hold for too long. Take Battlerite as an example, one of my favorite games and easily comparable to HMM (Moba, Fast-paced, Skilled Based etc.) Failed to retain its player base due to the lack of tournaments and customization. They implemented some pre-build Rites (abilities upgrades) that you can only choose at the beginning of a match but it didn't do the job. "Why?!" you may ask? Well because there´s no more "Mini-Chess" and experimenting with different builds anymore. For example, I want to choose A in order to counter your B or choose C in order to avoid your D (see what I did there XD ) and it should be in-game and not before. Like some kind of pre-build. A real-time customization option available between rounds in order to adapt to the current situation, counterplay, turn the table, you name it.

In addition to all the Upgrades ideas and weapon choice mentioned in your thread, I will suggest a shop/upgrade system identical/similar to the one used in "Awesomenauts" game (give it a look)

And last but not least, I hope that one of the game devs will explain or justify the removal of the awesome victory/end scene/sequence. The MVP machine drifting around the statue while playing the end game beautiful theme song.

Hey Devs, hook me up with a link for this song ? Please ? For the sake of our last encounter at Gamescom (2017) Indie MEGABOOTH ?

 

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Well of course, but many veterans like me have almost 3000 hours total on the game and still have fun with it, upgrades definitely could add even more spice, especially for more strategy and a way turn the tide of a match, just as you pictured with Battlerite. And yes, I played Awesomenauts for some time, that's actually how the upgrades were in HMM too before, choose a few between many for every weapon/skill along with general upgrades.

Anything could be created as an upgrade system, but still would need to test and see if it adds something or not, and possibly move onto another one.

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On 3/28/2020 at 1:29 AM, death said:

And yes, I played Awesomenauts for some time, that's actually how the upgrades were in HMM too before, choose a few between many for every weapon/skill along with general upgrades.

To be honest I thought it was a mix of random upgrades for each ability that you can choose from. Well, let´s wait and see then. As you mentioned "Anything could be created as an upgrade system" and I couldn't agree with you more.

Thank you again for the warm welcoming and keep in touch my friend ;) 

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I do think that the removal of the upgrade shop makes sense. An economy requires time to build up, but a game so fast paced has a chance of not being able to make use of it, or, worse yet, stalling the game far longer than necessary to get the good stuff. I can imagine an upgrade system where you get to upgrade one thing after each round, so you get an innate advantage over the rounds (and a difference to the rounds directly), which would make more sense, but it would be really costly for the dev team to make new machines afterwards (which is something that we're all twiddling thumbs for deep down). I do use a path indicator that is built in the settings. It's really useful.

As for the pace of the game, I believe that damage flying everywhere would be a lot easier to manage if the death timeout takes less seconds off; earlier before seasons 4 or 5, death was not always the best cc, but now it is, even for icebringer. I really wish that they keep the victory sequences; it's good motivation and eye candy for new players, plus having something fun to see as you play more games.

 

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