Dev Diary #9: 5th Playtest Recap

1. Time Allocation As stated in our previous playtest recap, we hope to have a more balanced gameplay in VAHHS2. Our time allocation goal is a score of 5 to 6.5, which means testers have a balanced experience both in academy management and combat. In the 4th playtest testers rated the time allocation a 6.7, the current build has a score of 6.6 which still aligns well with our goal and we hope to maintain this score until release.

2. Comparison with VA:HSS About 30% of our 5th alpha play testers have played the first VA:HSS game. Out of that 30% about half preferred the previous hack and slash combat system compared to the current turn-based combat. However, the majority commends the game’s new academy management system, let it be the enrolling and graduation aspect or scheduling and courses. The story is also a noteworthy increase from the previous game.

3. Changes from Previous Build We’ve implemented most academy management features in the 4th alpha. However, in the 5th alpha we also added some new features such as the student promotion system and principal task. The principal task as stated before, are goals and task for principals to complete and can help players accustom to the academy. Letting them fully experience all it has to offer. More than 70% of our testers found the principal task helpful and easy to understand, giving it a score of 7.15.

Of course, we’re still further polishing the game so there are a few principal task bugs and issues here and there, but hopefully we’ll be able to get rid of those as the game gets closer upon release. One thing to note, we’ll probably add more principal task or clarification regarding student promotions. This is due to the fact that most testers quickly get the hand of scheduling and courses, however some testers completely missed the promotion feature.

Another thing we plan to work on is the combat tutorial. The combat introduction was changed for the 5th playtest; however, this was met with mixed opinions as some felt the combat was clearer in the 4th alpha. A combat tutorial is currently planned in the works, so hopefully that will help players understand the overall gameplay.

Buildings have also been improved, facilities are resized and have more varied models, the building upgrade layout have been modified as well, giving it a cleaner look. Building mood effects have also been updated to work properly with adjusted stats.

1. UI/UX Update One of the major updates in this build though is the UI. We added new nameplates for the students, new icons, updated the notification feature, implemented in-game menu on quests, updated skill descriptions, and many more. Notification being one of the major updated ones, with added notification for students kicked out of their classes and we also added a student list.

The UI design gets a makeover as well, as you can see from the comparison above between the 4th and 5th alpha test. We made significant layout and background changes in the students tab. Courses description are updated, and the student stats are more organized. We’ll probably improve on the visual aesthetic of the UI next, also adding descriptions for some buttons as the game development progress. Recurring testers seem to appreciate the overall improved clarity, so that’s great news!

1. Combat Testers who have played the prequel have mixed feelings about the new combat system, some like it, some still preferred the hack and slash system from the first game. This is expected, as turn-based combat is not for everyone. However, testers appreciated the combat length not being too long or short, hitting that sweet spot. Quest time and exploration are considered a bit shorter than expected, but still well received. Skill execution and defense break are still the most favorable aspects of combat. However, we do realize we might need to add more skill chains, gimmicks, and of course, balancing the overall combat.

1. Control We improved the camera control making it more fluid and reactive, but we still want to improve on our camera speed and maybe add some camera invert options. Our feedback results also show that most of our testers use both keyboard and mouse control, although some messaged us that they actually prefer to use the controller. Something we were quite fascinated by and wonder about our audience. Are you a keyboard and mouse fan or more of a controller gamer? Let us know in the comments!

Overall progress is still going as planned. Some features were met less enthusiastically than we hoped, but nothing too far out of our expectations. We’re very glad that some returning players still like the game’s combat, despite the major change from the prequel. We’re also very appreciative of all the feedback we received, many of you made excellent suggestions and we hope we can implement some of them before release. If you have your own opinions and input for VA:HSS2 please feel free to tell us in the comments, or through our social media.

That’s all for the 5th alpha playtest recap, don’t forget to wishlist us and we’ll see you in the next one, Principals! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1453640/Valthirian_Arc_Hero_School_Story_2/

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