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Hamsterball... an unfathomable nightmare of difficulty!

Luposian
in Hamsterball
I was THIS close to actually buying Hamsterball.  I love the music.  I love the graphics.  I love the quality of design and depth of variety...

BUT I... JUST... CAN'T!

I watched someone on YouTube, who somehow added THOUSANDS of seconds to the clock, so time was never an issue... and some of the later levels he literally died DOZENS of times, trying to get past a certain part of the course.  Had he had the normal amount of time, there is NO WAY he could have completed the game.  Not a chance.  On the demo level, I can't get past the 4th or 5th level, before the clock runs out.  But knowing what I know now... no...

Hamsterball has taken Marble Madness to a point of similar, but different... and cranked up the graphics and the cuteness factor (a hamster instead of just a marble), but the game has also be made to become nearly impossible to complete (and most definitely impossible to complete, without unlimited time)!

There is a fine line between "difficult" and "impossible".  And when a game becomes so difficult it IS impossible, you end up with players who rant and rave about having paid good money for a game they can't finish.  I almost was one of them.  Thankfully, I did my due diligence before commiting to the purchase.  I want to own this game, but knowing what I know now, there is no way I could justify paying that amount for endless frustration!

Now, there IS a way you could have those levels exist and NOT be "player enraging".  Make them available as a "untimed" (no time limit) but "timed" (how long it takes) tournament competition.  Where networked players compete to see who can get to the goal first.  As long as the levels ARE completable, someone will figure it out.  That would be fine!  I'd even jump on board!  Doubt I'd ever win, but... :-D

But for one player, timed, games... the levels need to be more reasonable.  They need to actually BE completable within a given time limit.  The game should be winnable.  And the ending needs to be really satisfying.

I'm having a game idea developed (currently in beta) for iOS that uses all my own music and it's a very simple 2D overhead game (inspired by William's Bubbles), that I am making sure is beatable, but difficult.  And I'm planning on adding in incentives to encourage people to play to the end.  And I am making sure the ending makes you feel real good about having fought all that way.  Real satisfaction factor.  That's important.

Man, I'll say this... that Eschuresque level in Hamsterball, where everything is not as it seems (it practically gave me vertigos watching!) really must have taken some design work!  You gotta be able to see things in a totally different way than normal 3D!  Wild!

Comments

  • RainbowmonRainbowmon
    You certainly have a point - when I was a kid, the furthest I was able to get was give or take around the Odd Race. It's not an easy game, and while nowadays I can beat it without too much issue - at least on easy and normal; I haven't tried hard difficulty - I can definitely see how the timer might make the game less accessible to those who who get frustrated more easily at tough games. Maybe Raptisoft can introduce a "No Timer" mode in Hamsterball 2, so that people who want to play the game but are just starting out? That way, people could get used to the courses, and then when they're ready they could try out the Tournament Mode, which would still be timed like usual.
  • RodentRacerRodentRacer
    I will admit that not everyone can or will be good at Hamsterball.  It does have quite the difficulty curve.  But it's far from impossible.  It just takes a lot of practice.  I believe I first beat the game when I was around 10, so you can do it.  It's just significantly harder than most games nowadays.  This was back in the day where a good, challenging game was popular.  Nowadays people prefer easy and extensive games.  It really just comes down to whether you like a challenge or not.  I'll tell you that the most exciting thing for me playing as a kid was finally beating a level in tournament mode for the first time; being able to play the next one, and even more enthralling, being able to see the image of the one after it.  Keeping the upcoming levels in suspense really added something to the game, something that's been lost because of the internet, where you can look up anything at any time.  (Man has it been years since I reflected on that.)
    So bottom line, yes, Hamsterball is hard, no it's not for everyone, but I'd say it's definitely worth it.  Also, John said that he might 'freeify' Hamsterball (or at least drop the price) when Hamsterball 2 came out.  So at least there's that.
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