The graphics, music, and fluid motion are awesome.
But, I cannot stand the controls. I play games like this laying down in bed at night, which automatically disqualifies this, due to its use of my phone’s orientation. Also, the modal disconnect between throttle and direction controls (one orientation and the other button press) is too much to tie to muscle memory.
If you added an “old fashioned mode” with a dynamic joy stick (appears where ever I put my thumb within one bottom quarter of the screen) for direction and throttle (touch to engage and drag a small amount in any direction to turn and go that way), that’d fix the issue. NOVA 3 for iPhone got this 100% right. Then, a small section on the other bottom corner could house a few small buttons to engage hyperspace, etc. Just let the user pick right or left handed.
Thanks, that's a great suggestion. I had tried pure touch controls before but it was a complete disaster. Never even occurred to me to anchor against a dynamic touchpoint. That'a a really interesting idea. I'll have to check out how it works in NOVA 3.
Tbh, I've never been satisfied by the tilt controls: they work OK if you're stood or sat still, but if you need to move at all whilst playing it can end up going sideways. I probably haven't yet put in enough effort to get them to feel right whatever the ambient orientation of the phone.
I think you're right though: I need to offer an alternative control scheme that's touch only.
The graphics, music, and fluid motion are awesome.
But, I cannot stand the controls. I play games like this laying down in bed at night, which automatically disqualifies this, due to its use of my phone’s orientation. Also, the modal disconnect between throttle and direction controls (one orientation and the other button press) is too much to tie to muscle memory.
If you added an “old fashioned mode” with a dynamic joy stick (appears where ever I put my thumb within one bottom quarter of the screen) for direction and throttle (touch to engage and drag a small amount in any direction to turn and go that way), that’d fix the issue. NOVA 3 for iPhone got this 100% right. Then, a small section on the other bottom corner could house a few small buttons to engage hyperspace, etc. Just let the user pick right or left handed.