Demo? Review?

Hedgehog1965UK · 08-20-2010, 03:03 AM

I was thinking about buying this, but usually like to try a demo of a game first. Does anyone know if a demo is coming to Steam (or even outside Steam)? Would anyone who has bought the game care to give the rest of us a review?

Thanks

Saijin_Naib · 08-20-2010, 04:25 AM

No idea, but I can sort of give you my impressions from my brief play on my friend's computer:

GeoWars + Osmos + Eufloria = This game.

Has some elements of an Ambient game, but the pacing is a bit faster than that (hence GeoWars, also visual style). So far, we've not gotten very far in it but you basically have to out-compete the other color by amassing more drones (Eufloria) and rushing the opponent to destroy them.

08-20-2010, 07:44 AM

http://www.diygamer.com/2010/08/calm...-arena-review/

only review i can find so far - game looks good will have to get come payday XD

Spykirby · 08-20-2010, 08:23 AM

a demo would be nice. The video gives me a bit of an idea on how the game works, but I wuld like to try it out myself.

johnpeat · 08-20-2010, 02:04 PM

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010...m-swarm-arena/

KDR_11k · 08-21-2010, 06:20 AM

It has two modes, a wave-based mode where weak enemies spawn and you have to kill as many as possible (and quickly to keep the multiplier up) and a 1 on 1 arena mode where you have to fight an equally powerful opponent.

The first mode is fun but I'm not so sure about the arena, it feels extremely random since it's so important to have more swarmers than the enemy and powerups spawn randomly, meaning some will spawn closer to you, some closer to the enemy. Under standard rules your starting powerup is random which can be quite bad, having the shot attack at the start is more useful than the spinning defense (you can attack with the spin but it's too risky at the start and has a limited range, with the shot you can practically bombard the enemy from across the map). Then when you get hit you lose your powerup (unless you collected multiple of one type in which case you'll lose only one of them) which makes it very hard to do anything, your survival depends on how lucky you get with powerup spawns. Sometimes recovery is near instant, other times there's no chance. The AI seems to react to new powerups instantly so it's not easy to get to them first. When running away with no ability you can't shake the AI off either.

I haven't even managed to beat the Jester AI yet.

It's annoying when the wrong ability powerup spawns under you.

3289275 · 08-21-2010, 11:40 AM

so is it worth the money? im becoming a fan of these casual indie games but it looks a little to much like Osmos for me

KDR_11k · 08-21-2010, 01:27 PM

It's not like Osmos but IMO it's too frustrating. The AI seems to be really good at dodging and controlling its swarm.

Keyelite · 08-21-2010, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KDR_11k

It's not like Osmos but IMO it's too frustrating. The AI seems to be really good at dodging and controlling its swarm.

Yeah, the AI totally cheats

08-21-2010, 10:18 PM

The AI does not cheat. Just get better.

It is much better to start with circulate than with shoot. If I start with shoot, I evade and try to collect my swarm for the first moments. If I start with circulate, I can stand my ground against a frontal attack, I can try to slip a dagger in red's side (circulate is precise, predictable, and controllable. It is not a shield; it is a weapon.) If you shoot at the outset your drones will get away from you and lose their will to live; red will run right at you and separate you from your drones so that you'll have to race around the edges of the field to collect them.

To repeat myself: drones lose their will to live when shiny you aren't around: this (and the poor control) is the major downside to the otherwise happy shotgun that is 'shoot'. When green and red drones collide, normally they're both destroyed. When suicidal green and red drones collide, only the green drones are destroyed. A thick cloud of green drones is a major hazard for red even if you aren't right there; a thick cloud of suicidal drones is no hazard (unless you're approaching fast, and can catch red on your revitalized drones). This is also true of red's drones; you can have a war of attrition directly with red, or you can destroy half of his drones through nimble movement and distractions.

When suicidal drones are destroyed, you get a distinct sound. Learn it so that you can say "oh ♥♥♥♥" and try to save your drones - instead of "what happened to all my drones?!", later.

I like shoot in the early waves of the score challenge, but once deep into it I really hate getting shoot. You can kill half of them in one blow, sure, but if you end the wave the next one starts right on top of your I'm-starting-to-lose-the-will-to-live-oh-green-why-have-you-forsaken-me? drones, and pretty quickly you're trying to fire a shotgun with only one or two pellets left.

Although you can probably kill yourself more quickly with circulate in later waves, simply because, if you get hit, all of your drones will be in one big cloud losing the will to live - and right next to the enemies you tried to kill - while you run for the cyan pill. So if waves end half the time with you trying to shoot your sole remaining drone in a straight line, the other half the time they end when you had plenty of drones and were only away from them for a few seconds.

Quote:

The AI seems to react to new powerups instantly so it's not easy to get to them first. ...

I haven't even managed to beat the Jester AI yet.

Hah, only Jester is that rabid about them. You might try emulating him: try to control the field, grabbing everything so that red can't get it, even if it's not the attack you prefer. If you get hit when you don't have a powerup, you lose; if you get hit when you have a powerup, you only lose it. So don't leave red lots of opportunities to not lose after you land a blow.

Quote:

When running away with no ability you can't shake the AI off either.

err, you should absolutely emulate this behavior of the AI. That's called "winning".

McChadworth · 08-28-2010, 03:47 AM

I probably would like this game, but I will wait till they bring out a demo.

Show some confidence in your game, and let me try before I buy.

sofarukus · 08-28-2010, 04:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McChadworth

I probably would like this game, but I will wait till they bring out a demo.

Show some confidence in your game, and let me try before I buy.

it costs 2 beer at your local pub (or maybe three

) its not 60 pounds/euro/dollar

KDR_11k · 08-28-2010, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sofarukus

it costs 2 beer at your local pub (or maybe three

) its not 60 pounds/euro/dollar

Yes but there are hundreds of games available at that price and buying all of them would bankrupt you

sofarukus · 08-28-2010, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KDR_11k

Yes but there are hundreds of games available at that price and buying all of them would bankrupt you

or get you very drunk

McChadworth · 08-29-2010, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sofarukus

it costs 2 beer at your local pub (or maybe three

) its not 60 pounds/euro/dollar

I understand that you feel it is a trivial amount of money, but this does not mean I am going to just drop my money on an unknown quantity. This game may look neat, but I want to know how it controls, and how fun it is.

I just bought the game Puzzle Dimension. Even though it is only $6.69, I would not have bought it if not for the demo. If your game play shines, make a demo that gives those who are on the fence a reason to buy it that no review, or word of mouth can accomplish.

As a consumer, why would you not want a demo?

08-20-2010, 03:03 AM	#1
Hedgehog1965UK Join Date: May 2009 Reputation: 11 Posts: 126	Demo? Review? I was thinking about buying this, but usually like to try a demo of a game first. Does anyone know if a demo is coming to Steam (or even outside Steam)? Would anyone who has bought the game care to give the rest of us a review? Thanks

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08-20-2010, 04:25 AM	#2
Saijin_Naib Foreign Legion: BoB forum Volunteer Moderator Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 663 Posts: 3,433	No idea, but I can sort of give you my impressions from my brief play on my friend's computer: GeoWars + Osmos + Eufloria = This game. Has some elements of an Ambient game, but the pacing is a bit faster than that (hence GeoWars, also visual style). So far, we've not gotten very far in it but you basically have to out-compete the other color by amassing more drones (Eufloria) and rushing the opponent to destroy them.

08-20-2010, 07:44 AM	#3
blurrd Guest Posts: n/a	http://www.diygamer.com/2010/08/calm...-arena-review/ only review i can find so far - game looks good will have to get come payday XD

08-20-2010, 08:23 AM	#4
Spykirby Join Date: Jan 2009 Reputation: 701 Posts: 3,671	a demo would be nice. The video gives me a bit of an idea on how the game works, but I wuld like to try it out myself.

08-20-2010, 02:04 PM	#5
johnpeat Join Date: May 2009 Reputation: 37 Posts: 294	http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010...m-swarm-arena/

08-21-2010, 06:20 AM	#6
KDR_11k Join Date: Feb 2009 Reputation: 57 Posts: 1,514	It has two modes, a wave-based mode where weak enemies spawn and you have to kill as many as possible (and quickly to keep the multiplier up) and a 1 on 1 arena mode where you have to fight an equally powerful opponent. The first mode is fun but I'm not so sure about the arena, it feels extremely random since it's so important to have more swarmers than the enemy and powerups spawn randomly, meaning some will spawn closer to you, some closer to the enemy. Under standard rules your starting powerup is random which can be quite bad, having the shot attack at the start is more useful than the spinning defense (you can attack with the spin but it's too risky at the start and has a limited range, with the shot you can practically bombard the enemy from across the map). Then when you get hit you lose your powerup (unless you collected multiple of one type in which case you'll lose only one of them) which makes it very hard to do anything, your survival depends on how lucky you get with powerup spawns. Sometimes recovery is near instant, other times there's no chance. The AI seems to react to new powerups instantly so it's not easy to get to them first. When running away with no ability you can't shake the AI off either. I haven't even managed to beat the Jester AI yet. It's annoying when the wrong ability powerup spawns under you.

08-21-2010, 11:40 AM	#7
3289275 Join Date: Mar 2010 Reputation: 6 Posts: 106	so is it worth the money? im becoming a fan of these casual indie games but it looks a little to much like Osmos for me

08-21-2010, 01:27 PM	#8
KDR_11k Join Date: Feb 2009 Reputation: 57 Posts: 1,514	It's not like Osmos but IMO it's too frustrating. The AI seems to be really good at dodging and controlling its swarm.

08-28-2010, 03:47 AM	#11
McChadworth Join Date: Mar 2010 Reputation: 78 Posts: 617	I probably would like this game, but I will wait till they bring out a demo. Show some confidence in your game, and let me try before I buy.