Thanks... Chicken?!

UPDATE!

New versions uploaded on the links below.

In response to feedback I've had a pop at improving the tutorial text and reducing the difficulty at the beginning, so hopefully the start should be easier.

END OF UPDATE!

Hello everyone!

Announcing...

Thanks... Chicken?!

Browser: http://tachicken.bitballoon.com

Scirra Arcade: https://www.scirra.com/arcade/action-games/thanks-chicken-5665

BUCKAWK!!

Darn it, that chickin gone crazee, keeps thinkin' it's still Thanksgivin' an' the turkee's gittin' too much attenshun. He's hell bent on gittin' 'imself all jooced up on cranbrees an' on the farmer's dinner table!

Good job that farmer's got 'imself a stockpile of ol' squishee squashes to knock the stuffin' outa that loopy chickin wit'!

Watch ya brainium, chicky, pumpkeens incomin'!!

Instructions

• Tap to flap!
• Hold to dive!!
• Catch cranbrees!!!
• Dodge, bounce or dive-squish pumpkeens!!!!
• Don't let a pumpkeen hit you on the noggin'!!!!!
• Catch funbrees for super party time!!!!!!
• Become a time-bending masterchickin!!!!!!!

About the Game

This is my second solo C2 creation; originally, it was intended to be a quick project due out for last Thanksgiving as some fun for my transatlantic friends, hence all the pumpkins and cranberries. However, things didn't quite work out like that... After multiple reschedules, I finally figured I'd just keep tinkering with it until I I felt it was done and/or got bored. And nearly three months off-schedule, here it is!

The browser version is optimised for playing on phones, tablets and desktop browsers;

I've tested it on a Nexus 5, iPhone 5, iPad 2, iPadMini 2 and Kindle Fire, as well as a Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari on the desktop and it runs pretty smoothly, but if you find any bugs please let me know and I'll endeavour to fix them asap.

I've enabled leaderboards for the Scirra arcade version and posted a score for you to beat. For some reason the game doesn't want to load up through the arcade on iOS tablets - does anybody know what might be causing this?

I'm debating whether or not to spend time making Android & iOS versions so I'd love to hear your feedback on what needs juicing up!

If you've read this far then thanks for your time and interest! Feel free to give me a shout if you'd like more details about how the game was made.

Hope you like! Byeee!

Browser: http://tachicken.bitballoon.com

Scirra Arcade: https://www.scirra.com/arcade/action-games/thanks-chicken-5665

this is too wierd, why you don't hide the texts???

—

Yeah, it is a bit nutso This game is, in part, an experiment in how to communicate rules and systems to the player. I'm trying to explore the balance between chaos and comprehension, like you get with pinball or fruit machines. There's a confusing amount of information to parse at first but as you continue to play (hopefully) you gradually figure out the connections and clues. This should then leads to those "aha!" moments where you learn a new skill that significantly ramps up your score. At least that's the idea... it sounds like I might have over-egged the crazy, and maybe should tone it down a tad!

Specifically for the black and white tutorial texts, I found that if I located them elsewhere on the screen users tended not to focus on them, and so wouldn't learn how to dive early on. Someone on another forum has pointed out that the pumpkins can start spawning before the text has cleared meaning you can die before completing the tutorial, so I'm going to change it to ensure the spawner waits until the tutorial text has cleared.

Thanks for your feedback!

Yep I agree the texts can get a little distracting.

My minor nitpicks are there is an obvious graphics clash, having the sprites as Pixel art and everything else vector.

I love the Paralax going on at the top of the screen; the bottom looks a little weird though. Is the land supposed to be an outcrop and the parallax at the bottom I suppose are Plate Tectonics in action???

Yep I agree the texts can get a little distracting.

My minor nitpicks are there is an obvious graphics clash, having the sprites as Pixel art and everything else vector.

I love the Paralax going on at the top of the screen; the bottom looks a little weird though. Is the land supposed to be an outcrop and the parallax at the bottom I suppose are Plate Tectonics in action???

Thanks for the feedback

I'm working on the text layout at the moment to make the straps a less intrusive.

The pixel-vector mash-up was quite intentional!

You've guessed completely right about the lower parallax, the land rolling over a sea of molten mantle. It makes me feel weird if I stare at it for too long, which probably isn't a good thing...

Thanks again for the useful input!

As your friend, I'm not allowed to say horrible stuff about your games!

Luckily, I think once you know what to do, this becomes a hugely fun game! I'm loving it, as you well know, sir!

*curtseys*

QS =D

hahahah the loading is very nice ! But the colors in the game are too strong... >.< my eyess!

hahahah the loading is very nice ! But the colors in the game are too strong... >.< my eyess!

That's what happens if you get hit on the head with too many pumpkins!

New update posted, fixing an old bug with the time-bending mechanic and a new one that botched up the spawning system.

As your friend, I'm not allowed to say horrible stuff about your games!

Luckily, I think once you know what to do, this becomes a hugely fun game! I'm loving it, as you well know, sir!

*curtseys*

QS =D

No you're not allowed to say horrible stuff because, you know, I still have those incriminating photos...

Glad you're persisting enough to surmount what some might call a steep learning curve to get to the delicious juicy bits!

the colors and sounds are great.

I have to agree, the text is annoying.

tip: you could make a screen just with the instructions or show the text just on first time playing.

the colors and sounds are great.

I have to agree, the text is annoying.

tip: you could make a screen just with the instructions or show the text just on first time playing.

Thanks for the feedback, glad you enjoyed it. I'm working on the text at the moment; I wanted to avoid an instruction page as most players tend to skip straight through it, but I can certainly hide the text after the first play - only problem is if you miss something the first time around you would have to restart the game... hmm... Maybe I could add a toggle somewhere. Alternatively I could hide the text permanently once you've completed the skill. Lots to think about!