A case of polls!


i've been inspired to make a game that does something like what this guy's powers are in that book, but i'm not sure the puzzle/gameplay mechanics yet.
I'm assuming that this is envisioned as a kid friendly game.

Side scroller.
Starts with no spots - finds them along the way. Spots stop monsters. Spots can be assembled into staircases / bridges /etc. Different levels have different numbers of spots to find / use in creative ways.
D-pad = walk/direction.
6 button game pad = run / jump / place spot / take spot / look up / look down
Right nub = control mouse pointer (where the spot will go or to select a spot to take)
Left nub = control spot to be placed size / oval shape (expand or contract X,Y dimensions based on left nub analog movement (vector))

Powerups (select with shoulder buttons):
Spot socks for walking up walls - maybe even on the ceiling?
Repel spot: Alternate color spot that repels the baddies.
Bounce spot: Spot that when jumped on launches the character in a direction relative to where on the spot they launched from. I.e. jump on the outer edge and it throws the character sideways.
Throwing spot: Spot that stays the same size but inherits momentum from the analog vector of the left nub.

You could about use the SuperTux 2 code as a base / framework.
 
i've been inspired to make a game that does something like what this guy's powers are in that book, but i'm not sure the puzzle/gameplay mechanics yet.
Based mainly on the first pages, I could see a platform/puzzle game based around the following :
You can change color at will, and touching objects will give them properties depending on the color (flying, getting bigger/smaller, moving/staying still, ...) you have when you touch them.
You can reset all objects at once, but this does not reset the level (you might need for example to batch reset objects so their new position frees the exit).
The puzzle part is figuring out how to cross the level, the platform part attaining the objects necessary.
I'd use LocoRoco and Heave Ho as references.

For visual clarity, you can have simple black and white backgrounds with greyscale objects, and plain colors instead of spots. Not quite unlike Mirror's Edge.
 
Based mainly on the first pages, I could see a platform/puzzle game based around the following :
You can change color at will, and touching objects will give them properties depending on the color (flying, getting bigger/smaller, moving/staying still, ...) you have when you touch them.
You can reset all objects at once, but this does not reset the level (you might need for example to batch reset objects so their new position frees the exit).
The puzzle part is figuring out how to cross the level, the platform part attaining the objects necessary.
I'd use LocoRoco and Heave Ho as references.

For visual clarity, you can have simple black and white backgrounds with greyscale objects, and plain colors instead of spots. Not quite unlike Mirror's Edge.

This sounds kind of like an interesting modern take on A Boy and His Blob, which was one of my favorite NES games as a kid. I know they remade it or updated it or something, but I haven't played the new one. Anyway, the different flavored jelly beans changed the blob in all different ways. Punch flavor turned the blob into a hole you can fall through, Licorice flavor turned the blob into a ladder, Strawberry flavor turned the blob into a bridge, etc.
 
LocoRoco is already a bit like your spot idea, expect that the player is the spots. (Actually you play the world, the spots just cooperate).
The spots can merge split and change shape.
You start as a single spot and grow by eating.
You can install a PSP emulator on your android an try it out.
It is a neat idea, but I think it works because of the simlicity of the game and its clear visuals.
If the spots them self can "die" then a more complex puzzle may get to much stress to solve. So this aproch may not the best fit for your idea.
LocoRoco keeps the puzzles simple, you can always see every spot and when they get off screen they get eaten after some time.
But I liked the game, because of its unique mechanic.
The psp game even contains a level editor of some sort where you can create simple custom levels.
 
I would keep it simple, just one color and type of spot. Kind of like Portal; you alter one mechanic that fundamentally changes your perception of the world.

Maybe instead of adding collisions it should remove collisions? In a 2D platformer that would end you up in a trap most of the time (falling down below the ground and such) so it would be one of those "easy to learn, hard to master" things.
 
likely i'll do bouncy or just blocking to start, though i'll keep in mind the negative/dig feature for future expansions. like in A Short Hike, you'll be able to collect more. you'll also have a limit to where they can be placed - to avoid infiniclimb with two spots - e.g. within 3 units of a previous spot, or within 3 units of ground.

"i lost my spots" might be a good title :D
 
Is there anyone else reading this who has a survey link but hasn't filled it in yet?

And if not, then why the heck not!

I'm surprised that it's almost up to the total of pre-orders. That's an impressive turn out methinks, and perhaps a sign that most people indeed have kept their faith in the Pyra (and ED) throughout.
 
Indeed, and really we shouldn't expect it to quite match the number of preorders, given some people preordered multiple units but only filled in one survey, so it is surprising it's so close.

FWIW, the current state of the preorders are:
EU 4GB units: 2000-1473 = 527 units
US 4GB units: 2000-1746 = 254 units
Standard non-cellular units: 2000-1736 = 264 units
4G total = 1045
And according to my recent memory:
2G total = 22

Meaning the total number of preorders currently outstanding according to the shop (if I'm reading it right) is 1067, and the total number of survey results possible is 1067-the number of double orders (and minus 2 times any triple orders and so on), suggesting that the current survey total of 1059 is pretty damn close to complete.
 
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If I remember it correctly, when I ordered sometime in Feb or March 2019, total orders were 1104. Many orders were cancelled after that so where I might be now, in 2nd batch or 3rd batch ?
 
@Robert Taylor Sadly companies like GPD provide strong competition. I use my Win2 quite often. Yes the Win has its flaws but it is still a great device.
And there are lot of alternatives around that where not before.
A lot of the features the Pyra provides are not advertised good enough. Even if mostly quality of live improvements the value they provide should not be underestimated.

Maybe we should emprace these features more.
For example the backlight control on the GPD ist not fine graned enought, its missing a keyboard backlight (but GPD learned on that one), the devices creates a loud wining noise when fully charged.

Where I think the charging noise problem was also a topic during the pyra development, I don't now for if it was solved completely but I think the cruced chip was a result a the used solution.

A good way to embrace the user replaceable batteries would be a charging cradle for those. I would buy one and stop woring when to charge just grep a fresh baterie.
I think being tied to a charging cable defeats the advantages of such an ultra portable device.
Maybe someone with a 3d printer can sell a few of such crades, such does one only has to solder a lithium charger to the spring contacts or so.
 
A lot of the features the Pyra provides are not advertised good enough.
There will be marketing as soon as the first batches are out.
ED does not want to advertise it more and get negative reviews by people who are disappointed because of delays.

Call me dumb and such but I still believe in SmachZ.
They are in about the same situation but they did sell thousands of units upfront.
And they communicate badly.
The Pyra did not get that huge press attention and so people are not calling us "scammers" whenever they hear "Pyra".
And of course communication is key.
 
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