Learning from Failures #1 2D platformer Space Invader Clone

What went wrong

What went wrong was the fact that I decided to focus on active play, making players think about the weapons they were using and how often they used them; the limited use and depth for the given weaponry with a passive regen system and a jetpack system that took time to refill over time.

Passive systems and mechanics made the more top down space adventure game boring.

What I learned

Different genres fall into different game types for passive and active play; for active play slower games benefit more from a chess like approach while passive games with more hold down button for fun gunplay benefit from more active, aggressive cool stuff going on the screen approach.

The reason why a more hold down and fire approach works for a game like Bullet hells as the such is the chaotic nature of these kind of games with dodging and everything. People value the more fun, run and gun style gameplay for a reason.

How to fix it

Change it to more active firing system, no reload system and if there is a reload system only have it be as a way to encourage the player to think with their weapons.

I could have things like parrying enemy bullets reload your gun.

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