Dev: Seeks opinion on lowing flashing option

Starg · 04-17-2010, 11:00 AM

Hi all,

It's pretty obvious that Beat Hazard is designed to overload the senses and batter your eyes from start to finish. I love it (that's why I made it that way!). It seems a lot of people get off on that too, but some don't.

So it seems adding an option to lower the feedback is against the spirit of the game. On the other hand, I totally get that it is too much for some and spoils the game. (Which I don't want of course)

So how about this: I can add a 'Visual Feedback Intensity' slider on the Difficulty screen. The higher you put it the more ♥♥♥♥ your eyes have to take, and to reward you for this, you will score more points.

So everyone can set it to how they like, but the player that can take more, scores more.

How does that sound?
Cheers,
Steve

Vanth · 04-17-2010, 11:08 AM

This actually seems like a very balanced change to make. Like you said, the ridiculous visuals are definitely a part of why the game is so unique, and lowering said visuals would detract from the main style of the game.

Aside from that little touch, it also wouldn't be fair to the other people who like to play with the higher visual settings that has an inherently higher difficulty in it (considering you can't see as much). Since the game is all about the score, it would be unfair to give an advantage to the people playing on a lower setting by having the score modifiers be the same as the higher settings.

I would probably find myself going back and forth between the two extremes of the settings, one when I feel like simply shooting ♥♥♥♥ to an awesome song and the other when I feel it's time to get my game on.

I say go with this change.

04-17-2010, 11:10 AM

There should be a slider in the options that reduces the glare that the strobes make. I'd say the minimum you could set it to is 30%, on up to 100%

nirgoren · 04-17-2010, 11:15 AM

NICE! great idea!

PoSSeSSeDCoW · 04-17-2010, 11:17 AM

Sounds good to me. Then again, I'm one of those people who enjoys having the bright flashing lights.

Rumina · 04-17-2010, 11:21 AM

Sounds pretty cool to me

Aemony · 04-17-2010, 11:22 AM

More Intensity = More Score!
Less Intensity = Less Score!

It sounds as a really great idea. Since more intensity means a lower survivability rate it's balanced to award players with more points.

GraemeH · 04-17-2010, 11:23 AM

Isn't that what the difficulty does to a degree? Easier = less of an eye-♥♥♥♥ but less points, Insane = the opposite?

The game is like being ♥♥♥♥♥ in the eye-sockets with fireworks, that's what I like about it. It's a game mechanic rather than a design flaw like it would be in other games. You want more points you're going to have to learn to handle the chaos.

If you were going to make any change I'd suggest some folder browser improvements (at least get Home/End/PageUp/PageDown working, but ideally a "Folders that begin with A/B/C/etc... filter), as that would benefit everybody, not just a small segment.

Cheers for the game and for taking feedback.

Vanth · 04-17-2010, 11:32 AM

Even still, it's a change that would improve the overall gameplay since you would have more options in your game experience.

Don't want to have seizure inducing flashes for a song or two while still having to fight off the insanity of a hard difficulty? You got it, but only at a score defecit. I realize the point of the game is these flashes, and don't get me wrong since I enjoy them, just saying the ability to tone it down every now and then would be nice (especially for some songs where the ability to see is basically gone at points lol).

While those changes would be nice, I'd honestly find it more prevalant to change things that affect the actual gameplay first than simple conveniences to browsing, but that's just me.

04-17-2010, 11:39 AM

The slider is perfect.

Ayakashi · 04-17-2010, 11:43 AM

The slider alone would have been perfect, but the higher intensity the more you score is an even better addition. Great, looking forward to it.

04-17-2010, 12:00 PM

You can also make it exclusively black and white, like in a boss battle when you die. This will give it a retro look. Possibly cure this color intensity issue, and cure the color blind topic that is among the forums and be a relatively easy fix curing two problems.

Starg · 04-17-2010, 12:05 PM

Change approved!
Cool - I like it when a problem turns into a feature

Bug fixing comes first though. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can add this.
Cheers for the feedback chaps!
Steve

Koraboros · 04-17-2010, 12:05 PM

how about up to 200% visual intensity. BRING IT ON!

*seizes*

Cornpwn · 04-17-2010, 12:18 PM

This sounds great. I won't be competing on any leaderboards, but I'll actually be able to see a month from now.

04-17-2010, 11:00 AM	#1
Starg Cold Beam Games Join Date: Apr 2010 Reputation: 782 Posts: 1,797	Dev: Seeks opinion on lowing flashing option Hi all, It's pretty obvious that Beat Hazard is designed to overload the senses and batter your eyes from start to finish. I love it (that's why I made it that way!). It seems a lot of people get off on that too, but some don't. So it seems adding an option to lower the feedback is against the spirit of the game. On the other hand, I totally get that it is too much for some and spoils the game. (Which I don't want of course) So how about this: I can add a 'Visual Feedback Intensity' slider on the Difficulty screen. The higher you put it the more ♥♥♥♥ your eyes have to take, and to reward you for this, you will score more points. So everyone can set it to how they like, but the player that can take more, scores more. How does that sound? Cheers, Steve

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04-17-2010, 11:08 AM	#2
Vanth Join Date: Jan 2009 Reputation: 6 Posts: 20	This actually seems like a very balanced change to make. Like you said, the ridiculous visuals are definitely a part of why the game is so unique, and lowering said visuals would detract from the main style of the game. Aside from that little touch, it also wouldn't be fair to the other people who like to play with the higher visual settings that has an inherently higher difficulty in it (considering you can't see as much). Since the game is all about the score, it would be unfair to give an advantage to the people playing on a lower setting by having the score modifiers be the same as the higher settings. I would probably find myself going back and forth between the two extremes of the settings, one when I feel like simply shooting ♥♥♥♥ to an awesome song and the other when I feel it's time to get my game on. I say go with this change.

04-17-2010, 11:10 AM	#3
KingofBeast Guest Posts: n/a	There should be a slider in the options that reduces the glare that the strobes make. I'd say the minimum you could set it to is 30%, on up to 100%

04-17-2010, 11:15 AM	#4
nirgoren Join Date: Mar 2009 Reputation: 9 Posts: 346	NICE! great idea!

04-17-2010, 11:17 AM	#5
PoSSeSSeDCoW Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 180 Posts: 1,428	Sounds good to me. Then again, I'm one of those people who enjoys having the bright flashing lights.

04-17-2010, 11:21 AM	#6
Rumina Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 1295 Posts: 1,574	Sounds pretty cool to me

04-17-2010, 11:22 AM	#7
Aemony Join Date: Jan 2010 Reputation: 1053 Posts: 3,919	More Intensity = More Score! Less Intensity = Less Score! It sounds as a really great idea. Since more intensity means a lower survivability rate it's balanced to award players with more points.

04-17-2010, 11:23 AM	#8
GraemeH Join Date: Dec 2009 Reputation: 1 Posts: 20	Isn't that what the difficulty does to a degree? Easier = less of an eye-♥♥♥♥ but less points, Insane = the opposite? The game is like being ♥♥♥♥♥ in the eye-sockets with fireworks, that's what I like about it. It's a game mechanic rather than a design flaw like it would be in other games. You want more points you're going to have to learn to handle the chaos. If you were going to make any change I'd suggest some folder browser improvements (at least get Home/End/PageUp/PageDown working, but ideally a "Folders that begin with A/B/C/etc... filter), as that would benefit everybody, not just a small segment. Cheers for the game and for taking feedback.

04-17-2010, 11:32 AM	#9
Vanth Join Date: Jan 2009 Reputation: 6 Posts: 20	Even still, it's a change that would improve the overall gameplay since you would have more options in your game experience. Don't want to have seizure inducing flashes for a song or two while still having to fight off the insanity of a hard difficulty? You got it, but only at a score defecit. I realize the point of the game is these flashes, and don't get me wrong since I enjoy them, just saying the ability to tone it down every now and then would be nice (especially for some songs where the ability to see is basically gone at points lol). While those changes would be nice, I'd honestly find it more prevalant to change things that affect the actual gameplay first than simple conveniences to browsing, but that's just me.

04-17-2010, 11:39 AM	#10
Inferno7734 Guest Posts: n/a	The slider is perfect.

04-17-2010, 11:43 AM	#11
Ayakashi Join Date: Apr 2010 Reputation: 21 Posts: 120	The slider alone would have been perfect, but the higher intensity the more you score is an even better addition. Great, looking forward to it.

04-17-2010, 12:00 PM	#12
Inferno7734 Guest Posts: n/a	You can also make it exclusively black and white, like in a boss battle when you die. This will give it a retro look. Possibly cure this color intensity issue, and cure the color blind topic that is among the forums and be a relatively easy fix curing two problems.

04-17-2010, 12:05 PM	#13
Starg Cold Beam Games Join Date: Apr 2010 Reputation: 782 Posts: 1,797	Change approved! Cool - I like it when a problem turns into a feature Bug fixing comes first though. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can add this. Cheers for the feedback chaps! Steve

04-17-2010, 12:05 PM	#14
Koraboros Join Date: Jul 2009 Reputation: 105 Posts: 1,031	how about up to 200% visual intensity. BRING IT ON! seizes

04-17-2010, 12:18 PM	#15
Cornpwn Join Date: Jun 2009 Reputation: 0 Posts: 122	This sounds great. I won't be competing on any leaderboards, but I'll actually be able to see a month from now.