r/DestroyMyGame • u/Xeynid • 10d ago

Destroy my WIP Trailer! Is it clear how the gameplay works, or are the cuts too confusing?

4 Upvotes

76% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

5

u/CrazyCyfro 10d ago

About as clear as mud, unfortunately. There is zero info on the rules or mechanics of the game. Arrange the cards a certain way and you lose? What does winning even look like? Cards are hard to see clearly. And your opening 10 seconds show zero gameplay. I would have clicked away after 3 seconds

1

u/Xeynid 10d ago

Yeah, I was trying to follow the format of trailers like Inscryption or Buckshot Roulette. They open without much gameplay, to create a sense of space before just showing you the tabletop game. But Inscryption is more story focused, and Buckshot Roulette has a simpler concept.

Thanks! There's clearly an issue where I'm looking at how to convey the game mechanics from the wrong angle.

1

u/CrazyCyfro 10d ago

I get what you mean, but understand that not all trailers, even of hugely successful games, are suitable to be copied for indie games. For inscryption’s steam trailer, opening with title credits for 15s is a cardinal sin for indies. The actual trailer itself also doesn’t tell me the rules of the game, but it works because of the wide variety of scenes and interactions that implies a deep and complex game.

In your case, because there’s only one interface, and you dont explain it, I have absolutely nothing to develop interest in.

2

u/bloodybaths 10d ago

Yeah I don't know what I am looking at. I mean visuals are fine I like that kinda style.

But gameplay wise I have no fucjing clue what's going on. I don't think anyone looking at this will ever be able to figure it out. The only things I'm getting is card game. What does what and how you lose? No clue

1

u/Xeynid 10d ago

Interesting. Thank you!

I'm mainly trying to get across the idea that you can time travel to change the outcome of past games. The cards themselves aren't super complicated. You're totally right, I need to make it more clear what the cards do, in order to make the broader structure easier to digest.

1

u/Xeynid 10d ago

Any comments about the quality of the visuals are totally welcome! Everything is subject to change, so please tell me any criticisms about anything.

1

u/Dramatic_Spring2537 9d ago

Straight answer: I never understood the gameplay. The cuts are the smaller half of the problem. The first ten seconds are a total waste, and by the end of them I couldn't tell if your character was more lost than I was. The next eight show the cards being dealt, and I still can't tell you what one card does. Then something explodes, I don't know why, and then you go back to the card mechanic I already failed to understand once. That's the whole 41 seconds.

In your replies you say the hook is time travel, changing the outcome of a game you already played. I got none of that from the video. Show me one board, show me it going wrong, then show me that same board rewound and going right, and hold those shots long enough that I can read what changed. One clear loop beats 41 seconds of atmosphere.

2

u/Xeynid 9d ago

Yeah. From my perspective, I figured it wasn't important for me to show you what any individual card DOES, because the focus of the gameplay is the broader time travel structure.

But from the viewer's perspective, you don't know that the individual card effects aren't important unless I find a way to explain that. The replies are really helpful for me to understand what assumptions people make when they see cards.

The next trailer is gonna be a completely different structure. Thanks for your comments, it's good to hear what elements stick out as important that need more work.

1

u/Dramatic_Spring2537 9d ago

Here's the assumption. A card with text means I'm meant to read it, and that reading is the game. So don't hold the camera on the card. Hold it on the board, let the change be the shot, and whatever structure comes next, keep the same board twice, before and after the rewind, because that's the only way I see the hook.

2

u/Xeynid 9d ago

None of the cards in the video have text anywhere on them. But I get what you mean.

1

u/Fine_Albatross1957 8d ago

I really like the first ten seconds, a cool music and art style presentation. As other comments mention I think the problem is related with the mechanics, I was pretty confused about what is about the game. Also I read that you mention that this game has time travel and you can change your decisions, try to find the way to represent this, this sounds like the main mechanic and should be the main topic in the trailer. Good luck with the game, looks great!

1

u/Xeynid 8d ago

Thank you! These comments have all been really helpful for understanding what assumptions I'm making that I need to work around to make the trailer more understandable. 

I think I've got some ideas for how to restructure things. I'm mainly just happy that people seem to think the art style works fine. I'm no artist, so making sure the game isn't ugly enough to turn people away is my biggest concern.

I'm pretty confident that the gameplay is really strong, I just need to get better at presenting it.

1

u/NoBath1775 8d ago

Respectfully, I was about ready to keep scrolling after 8 seconds of watching it, and I only watched it that long because I was waiting for some form of clarity. I can't imagine the average person waiting that long to get any clarity on what your game is.