general feedback thread

[Jaeger]

I'm sorry to say this, but I won't work with this artist again sadly since the art style was one of the main (if not the main) reason why the game under performed. Sorry but in future will stick with more manga art

NOOOOOOOO!


Seriously though, that is was one of more technically accomplished artists for your games thus far. Alas, I cannot change other people's opinions, if this in fact one of the reasons for disappointing sales.

[jack1974]

I'm pretty sure it is, I got many positive emails/PM/messages about the gameplay and writing, but basically zero praising the art. I could still use him maybe in games where romance is not involved, one of my gameplay-only games. But otherwise...

[P_Tigras]

There was just something a bit off-putting about many of the faces the artist drew, making them less appealing to the eye.

[IotaOne]

To be honest, after the anouncement of the art style, earlier during development, i was against it. After playing the game i still wasnst convinced, but what struck me were the cards. I really liked the art and the design of the cards altough it was the same artist (?).

[jack1974]

I think he is quite good at drawing alien creatures, or even mech stuff. The main issue are the characters and facial expressions in particular. Who knows maybe I can still use him in future card games if I need to drawn such things. No romanceable characters though
(personally I didn't find it so bad, but when *everyone else* says something, it must be true!)

[Smokejaguar]

My feedback: Why I didn't buy Planet Stronghold: Colonial Defense... at first

My background:
I've played Planet Stronghold and Loren and really liked both games. They are charming and very well done, so naturally I began looking into what other games Winterwolves had to offer. And while I wouldn't think of my self as a VN player I sure liked combining it with RPG elements to combine them into a compelling narrative.

1) I didn't even knew it existed
While I occasionally checked Winterwolves store page I usually rely on Steam for new purchases and to know what's new.

2) I was on the fence of the whole card came mechanics, for a long, long time
So after I discovered PSCD in mid March I realized it wasn't supposed to be an RPG like Planet Stronghold. If that would have been the case, I would have bought it right off the bat. But being as it was I still figured I might give a demo a shot. Unfortunately, there was none on Steam (and still isn't), so I marked PSCD for my wish list and decided to come back and check for a demo once in a while (completely blending out the idea that I could have checked the Winterwolves Store).

I guess that PSCD essentially being a combination of VN and Card Collectable Game might have been one of the very reasons why this game didn't do as well as expected. Jack wrote in another feedback thread that the majority of VN players are female and I can imagine that CCGs are not doing really well in the female game demographics. But I have no hard data on that. So it might have been a suboptimal combination of genres... or maybe not I'm not an expert, I'm just giving feedback.

3) I finally found the demo on the Winterwolves store, completed the demo and bought the game on Steam (I'm just a sucker for having all my games in one account). So far (Mission 19) I'm really enjoying the game, but it has some flaws.

I really love the art style, it implies a more serious take on the setting, the (I suppose) semi realism instantly gave it a grittier style, which seemed to fit the idea of a lone border outpost in the middle of a galactic war, fending for itself, surviving against all odds. It had a bit of a Battlestar Galactica vibe going for me from the start.

Sadly it was shot down faster by the too cheerful and lighthearted writing, than Starbuck could blow a cylon raider out of the sky. Don't get me wrong the writing isn't bad, it made me laugh a couple of times and I enjoyed it, but it certainly is misplaced. It doesn't fit the mood, the struggle for survival is swapped out for the struggle to find the right boy or girlfriend.
That could have been done better. A war setting is a great backdrop to show what people are made of, how they react and cling to their values or throw them overboard, when the shit really hits the fan.

Loren on the other hand really captured that essence, that having a loved one can give a person the strength to pull through anything, to keep going against all odds, because there is that special someone who is worth all the suffering and the pain, that even one self's death is acceptable if it helps to keep that person safe.

So yeah, PSCD never had me on the edge of my seat, its story progresses slowly and never really picks up the pace. It feels more like a stroll in the park, than a fight for survival and the game mechanics don't seem to help create tension as well. I don't know how that could be solved, perhaps by some sort of resources that are expended every battle (after all, they are unsure when a new drop ship with supplies would/could come in) and are carried over. Losing unit cards should have a serious impact on that counter, after all they represent the colonies defenses and forces. So if you lose a squad of infantry, people died, the enemy destroys a wall, well, that wall is gone and leaves an opening in the colonies defenses.
It would also open up new moral dilemma. I might not have given the rebels materials, if the game mechanics represent that with a serious hit to my own resources. But as it were in the game, the impact was barely noticeable.
That train of thought could be continued for more decisions. What am I (read Diana or Alex) willing to do for the colonies survival, how far will I go, what moral borders will I cross, or not?

My final verdict: The game has a lot of potential, which is unfortunately never utilized and perhaps it would have fared better as a RPG. And if it's not a lot of a hustle, please make the demo available on Steam, it might help to acquire more customers.
Overall I enjoyed the game and I'm really looking forward to Planet Stronghold 2 and Loren 2, in the meantime I might give SOTW a shot.

[jack1974]

Nice, thanks for the feedback
While the REAL reasons can't be known, because this game breaks too much from my usual games (different art style, different gameplay, etc). I think however that if you rely on Steam only to discover games you might miss a lot of good ones. SOTW showed up in the "popular new release", but there are TEN slots, while there are like 25-30 new games DAILY on Steam... so as you can imagine the competition is fierce (might be an understatement haha).
I think the writing is good, but you're right about the clash. Sadly we had to rush several things doing that game, first was supposed to be a tower defense with little dialogue... and so on.
The writer matched PS1 writing which was lighthearted too if you remember. But yes, in this case could clash too much with the story.
It's also a problem of how it was made. 30 missions, while is not short at all (if one day you'll get the full game you see that last 10h minimum) it means that the best writing parts (I think) are later in the story, when you make some "tough choices" and especially at the end where you can choose to ally or crush various races.
That part, it's really good. But sadly it's at the end, so playing only the demo you don't get to taste it

[Smokejaguar]

It was my pleasure.

And yeah, competition on Steam is brutal and I could/should have keeping better watch of Winterwolves store. I so solemly swear that I will do better. :D What I forgot in the review (edited in though) is that after I finished the demo I just had to buy PSCD, especially after I found one of your posts saying that it is quite long.PSCD has more potential than it utilizes, the game just didn't come as well together as the others I played, still It is a good game and I'm enjoying it, there is no denying that. I'm actually quite amazed about the quality of games from Indies, and your's are ranking among my favorite. Keep up the great work, I'm surely looking forward for more.

[jack1974]

Thank you
Remember that I'm also going to add the already planned romances in a free update, maybe next month

[Jaeger]

I think he is quite good at drawing alien creatures, or even mech stuff. The main issue are the characters and facial expressions in particular. Who knows maybe I can still use him in future card games if I need to drawn such things. No romanceable characters though
(personally I didn't find it so bad, but when *everyone else* says something, it must be true!)

I think the humans were drawn reasonably wel,l or least when they have their "neutral" facial expression. However, it istrue various facial expressions to display a specific emotion were hit or miss. Someone mentioned earlier about the uncanny valley effect, there is something off that bothers people, even if they can't figure WHAT it is.