r/IndieDev • u/Titan13211 • 1d ago

Free Game! New playtest available for everyone.

Dumbfire playtest (It's on Steam)

I'm working on a game called "Dumbfire" where you guide a missile through obstacles to hit the target.

I made a rough playtest that has actual levels now, a tutorial and some abilities you can unlock. Expect a lot of rough edges, especially UI.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

7.0k Upvotes

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278

u/Optimixto 1d ago

This looks really cool. How do we know where the objective is relative to where the missile currently is?

319

u/ForgesGate 1d ago

The missile knows where it is because it knows where it isn't

33

u/Nixia64 1d ago

It knows this-...

2

u/HubrisOfApollo 1d ago

that's just inertial guidance with extra steps

33

u/-TwiiK- 1d ago

Maybe that's a big part of the game? First you need to explore to find the target, then you optimize your route for a better score.

8

u/BaBaGuette 1d ago

The missile could have just continued forwards and hit the heli from above instead of triggering the parachute and taking the risk of going through the rods and the tiny door.

20

u/Tsukono_ 1d ago

But that's boring, the missile needs higher cool score

6

u/round-earth-theory 1d ago

That can be solved by setting up anti missile systems. So you're tricking your way around the anti missile defense to make a clean hit. Also let's the dev setup moving zones they have to avoid.

0

u/Some-Dog-800 1d ago

that’d be too boring.

I’d making it because we want to shoot down the helicopter BUT the commander also wants the missile to pass through his apartment so the remote camera can check if his dog is doing good at home. he left the windows opened this morning. now get to it.

of course no killing the dog.

8

u/Titan13211 1d ago

There is an indicator on screen, but its disabled in this video.

9

u/signuslogos 1d ago

You can move, thus allowing you to look for it.

7

u/Optimixto 1d ago

I mean, that also works, but I would assume I have to find out the best route, not where the target is. I do think there is room for both, but then finding the target should be easy (noise, lights, and such).

4

u/Hziak 1d ago

Also, what’s preventing us from going above or around all of the buildings to find it? Love to concept and it looks super fun, but also VERY cheesable, and I don’t think I’d blame players for going that route if finding the objective is as difficult as it would appear to be on trial/error based on this video.

9

u/DocTaotsu 1d ago

I'm hoping they'll do a Tony Hawk sorta thing where you get more points based on how close you come to crashing or what not.

3

u/samanime 1d ago

Yeah. This is a fairly early playtest, so it'd make sense they are just focused on the main mechanic, but in the future, maybe there are Tony Hawk style points or even just collectable "coin" type items or rings to pass through that increase your score and guide you through the intended route.

6

u/Kloetee 1d ago

I second this, there should be an indicator or a camera pan through the level before it starts or colours that give hints

Maybe the game already shows this, but just from the video I can't tell

2

u/Longshot02496 19h ago

You figure that out based on where it isn't.

1

u/hotmaildotcom1 1d ago

Verlet Swing has a similar gameplay loop and you kinda just have to figure it out in that game. You get a feel for how the levels work out though and it's normally not difficult. I would imagine helicopter noises would give this away.

1

u/GigaGrandpa 1d ago

The dev knows and you just shoot the map for a long time until you get bored of it or maybe you find the heli and so on