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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch!

@leoqb.bsky.social

34 followers 64 following 88 posts

Berlin based gamedev. Working on a 2D stealth game! Play it here for free 👉 https://leoqb.itch.io/nightcrawler

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · Sep 14

I'm about to release the first version of a 2D stealth game that I've been working on for around five months...

...or 7 years if I look at it from a different perspective. 🧵

#gamedev #gamedevelopment #indiedev #pixelgame #godot #godotengine #indiegames #indiegamedev

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 3d

On one side I agree, on the other I think my game has very simple core mechanics and maybe I could explain everything in just 1 (linear, guided) level

But also I need to remember that what looks simple to me might not be to players, it was clear during playtesting. I’m too much immersed in the game

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 3d

On the other hand, if the first impression to the game are extremely simple and basic levels it might give the wrong impression

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 3d

I have 4 super-simple tutorial levels and I'm thinking of switching to just 1 complex tutorial level (still linear and with instructions).

Do you think it's better multiple simple tutorial levels or 1 big one?

I worry to cognitively overload the player right away

#gamedev #indiegames #godot

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 3d

Always fun to fool around in a test scene.

That repeated off-screen kill with everyone catching up to kill me once I was already dead made me laugh, like was that really necessary

#gamedev #solodev #indiedev #gamedevelopment #godot #indiegames

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 4d

Debugging collision shapes is always fun

/s

#gamedev #godot #indiedev #solodev #gamedevelopment

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 6d

I think it mostly boils down to the replayability then: would it be fun or a chore to replay each level up to 6 times?

Based on your experience what approach would you enjoy more to play? 1 or 2?

7/7

#gamedev #indiedev #godot #solodev #indiegames

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 6d

These feels like a lot, but in the end could be just another badge on the level selector screen. For example you can get an assassin badge for the Assassin playtrhough and it becomes gold if you also completed it as Ghost Assassin, or something similar.

6/7

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 6d

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 6d

I want to do this because I know it will trigger my completionist monkey brain so it will probably increase the replayability of the whole game for many players.

BUT! Thinking about it I realized that Ghost could apply to both Assassin and Pacifist.

4/7

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 6d

The idea is that each level is going to have it's own "achievements", every time you complete it with a different playstyle you would unlock it.

Imagine small badges on the level selection screen to show your progress.

3/7

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 6d

Here the differences:

- Normal, just complete the objective
- Assassin, complete the objective and kill all the guards
- Pacifist, complete the objective without killing any guard
- Ghost, complete the objective without getting spotted, any corpses getting spotted,any KO guards getting spotted

2/7

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 6d

From the next update I'll add KO and change the overall level objective, this will unlock new potential playstyles:

Normal, Assassin, Pacifist, Ghost.

This comes with an interesting game design question and I would need your input 🧵

1/7

#gamedev #indiedev #godot #solodev #indiegames

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 7d

Yeah I use GitHub, no need to complicate things. The less time I spend on tooling the more time I have to work on the game. Also GitHub Actions are a good way to automate some things easily if needed

1 1

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 7d

Now levels in my stealth game can be completed with these different playstyles

I wonder if Ghost should be it's own separate thing or if it should be added on top of the others. eg:

Ghost, Assassin, Pacifist

vs

Assassin, Ghost Assassin, Pacifist, Ghost Pacifist

wdyt?

#gamdev #indiedev #solodev

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 7d

I have a playable build with these changes, I can send it if you want to try it, but don't plan to upload it on Itch yet.

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 7d

This gives an option for people that enjoy a challenge to still have the challenge, but at the same time other folks can play at their own pace.

I think it's a win-win situation, besides maybe losing the ability to promote it as a "punishing game" which is appealing to some.

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 7d

But more importantly, it would make the core experience less punishing. Right now the game is fun, but punishing. This means that while some people love it, some are alienated quickly by it.

With this change the game would remain punishing only when playing the "Assassin" style, which is an option

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 7d

First of all would enable playing the game in three different playstyles: Ghost, Assassin, Pacifist.

By making these some kind of achievement you could replay the levels to unlock all three victory styles, a pattern I saw in many games and that triggers that "completionist" mindset.

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 7d

I'm testing some big changes to the core gameplay of my game.

Instead of having to kill everyone, you have to kill just 1 target. The guards can be stunned, killed or ignored.

This would have a lot of interesting implications in the game 🧵

#gamedev #indiedev #solodev #gamedevelopment #godot

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 8d

Thanks 😭 Please share any feedback or ideas that you might have after you play!

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 8d

The conundrum: polish an update until it reflects what's on your mind or release it as soon as the gameplay changes are playable (and polish it later).

#gamedev #indiedev #gamedevelopment

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 10d

Thanks!

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 10d

This is a reminder for everyone to buy indie stuff and support indie creators. For less than what you would spend to try some new cheese in a supermarket you can make someone's day.

Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 10d

Today some complete stranger decided to buy my game (which is available for free). Besides some friends supporting me, this is the first time someone I don't know buys this game. It was so unexpected and felt so good tbh, just a selfless act of support.

#gamedev #indiedev #solodev

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Leo | Nightcrawler now available on Itch! @leoqb.bsky.social · 12d

Lovely