Dev Diary #5: 4th Playtest Recap

We’d like to do something a bit different today and show you our previous playtest results. Over 70 principals have joined the 4th Alpha test, and their opinions have greatly helped us further improve VAHSS2’s development. Here’s a recap of their input and our modifications so far:

1. More Balanced Gameplay

One of our goals in VAHHS2 is to have a more balanced and academy-oriented gameplay compared to the previous game’s more combat heavy one. Out of our scoring system of 1, signifying combat-oriented gameplay, and 10, a more academy-oriented gameplay, testers rated the current build a 6.76. This aligns with our scoring goal of 5 to 6.5, and is a large improvement compared to the 3rd playtest that had a more combat-oriented score of 2.71.

1. Academy Features Update

On our 4th alpha we wanted to test out more on the academy side, such as assigning the students schedules and courses to help them grow, a promotion system to promote your students, and the building upgrade feature to improve your academy.

Some of these features have been showcased in the first and second alpha build but were incomplete or not functioning as we’d hope. In the 4th alpha we managed to fully implement all the academy gameplay features along with updating its UI.

Overall, the academy features were met with favorable reviews. Many testers stated it rounds up the system from the previous game and gives a more realistic and polished gameplay.

1. Combat System Refinement

Testers favor the combat’s shield break feature, a feature that we’ve discussed in our previous dev diary. Many complimented that matching the student’s proficiency with the shield breaks adds an extra challenge to the game. However, the overall combat score still only has an average of 7, needing further balancing. We’ve also been improving the combat’s visuals effects, polished out some battle transitions, added indicators to better communicate enemy stats, and balance out the battle pacing.

1. Academy Layout Improvements

Along with the 4th alpha build, came a new layout. In previous builds our academy felt rather empty and scattered. Larger isn’t always better, so we reworked the academy size and building placements around for a more compact look. There are some drawbacks to this approach, mainly less natural environmental elements such as lakes, trees, and waterfalls. Instead, we compensate by providing more space for player decorations and customization. Thankfully, testers appreciated the change, complimenting the academy’s more fitting décor and the overall compact layout.

1. Visual Improvements

As the game progress we continue to improve on its overall appearance. Adding more 2d illustrations, 3d models, effects, and visual novel aspects to the game, making the game livelier and more visually appealing for our testers. Here’s a sneak peek of our updates below! Do note that we will continue to refine the game visuals, and what you see currently might be changed in the final product.

1. UI/UX Update

More than 60% of testers admire the UI’s visual appeal, but some were still confused with the UI’s clarity. As a result, we’ve modified the UI for better readability, and provided more informative displays such as building lists and student information. We also managed to fix most of the previous build’s UI bugs and hope our efforts show good results in the 5th Alpha test.

Overall, playtesting has gone quite smoothly and it’s all thanks to all you early principals who joined our playtests! We owe it to you guys for noticing our shortcomings and giving us your input to make VAHSS2 the best it can be!

If you’re interested in becoming a play tester for the 5th alpha build, come register here: https://bit.ly/alphateststeam. Your input is very valuable to us and is always appreciated. Well, that’s all from us for now.

Don’t forget to wishlist and hope to see you in the next post, Principals! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1453640/Valthirian_Arc_Hero_School_Story_2/