Hi everyawn!#
After missing the July meetup, my hoomans and I were more than ready to get our paws back on Lyon Game Dev! So, on Thursday, August 6, we returned to the monthly meetup, and I brought two watery levels of Catstronaut along for the ride.
The meetup was a little quieter than usual, which was a relief for my ears, with around 60 visitors instead of the 200 it can sometimes host. We set up one computer and two Steam Decks, ready for three players at a time. And some of them already knew me! Instead of asking what Catstronaut was, returning players came with the very important question: “So, what’s mew compared to last time?” One playtester found the game “very beautiful, very pleasant to play” and “easy to pick up”. Purr-ty nice to hear! 😻
Into Phoxinus’ Water Galaxy#
This time, players explored two levels from the Water Galaxy, where my prey Phoxinus lives.
Level 2 introduces a little fish who guides players towards the final portal. Level 3 adds the water bubble, which gives the fish a bonus while slowing the player down. The idea is that I introduce each mechanic gradually, one paw at a time, so players can get used to them before things get really fishy.
But there was one tiny problem… “At first it really makes you want to catch it, but it’s frustrating not being able to eat it”, a hooman said to me. Oops. Looks like I may have some competition for my lunch. 🐟
Time to sharpen our claws#
As always, my hooman playtesters gave us plenty of useful feedback. They noticed that the final sections can be fun to figure out. Gravity, inertia and my jetpack don’t always make the easiest combination!
They also found that death can feel a little too punishing, while the water bubble sequence might be slightly too long for an early level.
And chasing that fish? Apparently not so easy when you’re zooming around with a jetpack. Still, one player admitted that when the chase actually happens, “it was fun.”
Mission accomplished. Mostly. We left Lyon Game Dev with lots of notes, new ideas and a few things to scratch off our to-do list. Every playtest helps us make Catstronaut a little better, and gives me another excuse to go exploring. 🐾
Now, if you’ll excuse me, all this playtesting tired me. Time for a well-deserved nap. 💤
Until next time, spawce explorers! 🚀
Félicette 😽