Ranked #311
405 Points
Consider this game as "Early access": it's playable, but far from finished and your feedback will be crucial to guide the rest of the development.Description:Westward is a collaborative browser-based MMORPG where the players have to build a nation. “The story of the creation and defense of communities, the mastery of the land, the development of an economy, and the formation of a nation.” (Quoted from Wikipedia about a certain epoch of US history). Starting from nothing, the players need to collaborate and organize themselves to improve their lot, continuously expanding westward in order to grow and conquering an hostile civilization in the process. This requires building complementary buildings, harvesting resources, setting up an economy, exploring the land, defending from invasions and securing new land through military conquest. In every single one of these endeavors, the players have the central roles.The geography, the location of resources, and the dangers posed by the wildlife and the enemy civilization set the stage while leaving the players in charge of deciding what goals to pursue and how to overcome the challenges they face.
The idea is cool and the underlying mechanics seem to have depth. In addition, the "vibe" is original is a nice change from usual medieval dwarves & elves stuff.
The main issue is the overall aesthetics of the website. It's not attractive enough yet. I would have 2 main suggestions:
* It would feel more dynamic as a single-page app, instead of a website with multiple pages.
* The pages are long and filled with a lot of content, tables, etc., which is prohibitive at first. This info should be available through buttons that allow to selectively display what info you want, so as not to blast new players with info while leaving it at arm's length for more advanced players. I understand that all this info contributes to the depth of the game, but it should be presented incrementally following the learning curve of the players.
Thanks! Indeed improving the controls is high on my todo list.
Alternatively to keyboard controls, I'm considering the following: while the mouse is pressed, the player keeps moving towards the cursor and adjusts his trajectory as the cursor moves. He stops when the mouse is unpressed.
This would allow to precisely control when the player moves and stops, and therefore to stop instantaneously when you want to click on some resource or something. It would also allow some kind of "cruise" mode for long-distance trips, where you could simply keep the nouse pressed and simply steer it, instead of repeatedly click to keep moving. Let me know what you think!
Dear shokh,
A new version has been uploaded with changes regarding the controls.
Movement is still point and click, but it is now possible to unlock the camera and move it around freely, uncoupled from the player.
- Camera lock can be toggle with the space bar or by clicking the camera icon;
- Camera can be moved using WASD, arrow keys or by moving the cursor against the edges of the screen;
Feedback is welcome!
Thanks for the feedback! I'll see with the artist how to improve the door. In the meantime, I've already implemented the following changes:
- "Dangerous" species (like whie wolves and Arths) don't spawn in starting regions anymore;
- Wolf packs have smaller sizes in starting regions.
The game will be updated with these changes in a day or two. That feedback totally makes sense and ties in well with the whole theme of the game; essentially, the difficulty should increase as you go westward, and you should be safe in the east. ;)
Dear Ferguson,
A new version has been uploaded with changes regarding the controls.
Movement is still point and click, but it is now possible to unlock the camera and move it around freely, uncoupled from the player.
- Camera lock can be toggle with the space bar or by clicking the camera icon;
- Camera can be moved using WASD, arrow keys or by moving the cursor against the edges of the screen;
Feedback is welcome!