PS - popping my response to your message to me on here, in case it helps others, or maybe gives others a chance to help/advise you!
I did look at your game yesterday actually, and I've got some suggestions...
I'd definitely start with some screen shots in the app page - if people can't see any images of the game, you've pretty lost 9/10'th's of the potential players after you've worked hard to get them to your app's page?
...and I have to say, I struggled to see where to start the game, ie. the big red button looks like it should start the game, but the writing ABOVE it is small, so I read the larger writing BELOW, which says "Press here for level select", the average player doesn't read the small text, but looks for the 'go' or 'help' etc buttons, but in this case the largest text is ambiguous.
I'd honestly advise putting a lot more contrast in the menu's and text, and maybe make the alpha on the BG a bit lower, change it, or make it a little darker/less contrast? (maybe make the text headings bold, and/or a different colour?), and maybe simple one word BOLD labels or icons that are universally understandable (ie. Play = right-facing triangle, settings = cogs, shop = shop / money image, help = question mark etc) - that, or maybe just put the words in large, UPPER case text?
Sometimes you have to dumb down the interface, to accommodate players who just want to press a recognisable button without reading the small text!...
ie.
PLAY
SETTINGS
HELP
...or icons. There are plenty of great ones, FREE, in OpenGameArt, etc...
I also think that just having the white/red areas as featureless areas makes it seem like they are unfinished / place holders, so possibly have a ground surface etc? Certainly the boxes with X's in do?
You can literally just have a short vertical one, and choose to repeat it along an object, ie.
Again, it's just a few suggestions, but I honestly think it will improve engagement to at least do the first bit on the store - the running man is, to me, as a prospective downloader, just a blown up, low detail graphic that doesn't show me anything about the game, nor the quality/look of it?
Finally, I tried jumping over the LARGE red block at the end of level 1, like, 10 times, with no joy - it was pretty frustrating, especially for the first level? (I'd imagine I have to jump REALLY early, almost as soon as it comes on-screen / pixel perfect jumps - so I'd advise putting simpler levels in early on, then increasing sizes/gaps, hazards as they get further, to keep their interest?
Thanks for the suggestions! I definitely agree with the text idea, making it bolder. The ground is white because it is "snowy plains", and the lava is just red. But I definitely have considered making the ground and lava more "realistic", but you know, it's not supposed to be that complicated of a game. There are some improvements I am gonna work on for the menu and stuff, and maybe make an easier level 1 or whatnot. I hope you play a little past level one, like get to level 6+, as that is where the game really gets kicking in my opinion. Thanks for looking into it @Japster!
The red block... at the end of the level? Are you talking about the box, or sooner? I need to make it more apparent that you stop over the finish sign and fall onto it... sorry. Will try to make more apparent. Unfortunately there is the problem that even though I may "fix" these things, that will not result in any more exposure. But hey, at least 1+ downloads is better than nothing. Cries. #poorindiedevs.
Edit: Can't give up. Ever.
Twayne2
Member Posts: 458
(Google Play).
Comments
Nice! Link?
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https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.GimmeGames.UltimateRunner
Hi Twayne - Well done!
PS - popping my response to your message to me on here, in case it helps others, or maybe gives others a chance to help/advise you!
I did look at your game yesterday actually, and I've got some suggestions...
I'd definitely start with some screen shots in the app page - if people can't see any images of the game, you've pretty lost 9/10'th's of the potential players after you've worked hard to get them to your app's page?
...and I have to say, I struggled to see where to start the game, ie. the big red button looks like it should start the game, but the writing ABOVE it is small, so I read the larger writing BELOW, which says "Press here for level select", the average player doesn't read the small text, but looks for the 'go' or 'help' etc buttons, but in this case the largest text is ambiguous.
I'd honestly advise putting a lot more contrast in the menu's and text, and maybe make the alpha on the BG a bit lower, change it, or make it a little darker/less contrast? (maybe make the text headings bold, and/or a different colour?), and maybe simple one word BOLD labels or icons that are universally understandable (ie. Play = right-facing triangle, settings = cogs, shop = shop / money image, help = question mark etc) - that, or maybe just put the words in large, UPPER case text?
Sometimes you have to dumb down the interface, to accommodate players who just want to press a recognisable button without reading the small text!...
ie.
...or icons. There are plenty of great ones, FREE, in OpenGameArt, etc...
I also think that just having the white/red areas as featureless areas makes it seem like they are unfinished / place holders, so possibly have a ground surface etc? Certainly the boxes with X's in do?
You can literally just have a short vertical one, and choose to repeat it along an object, ie.
Again, it's just a few suggestions, but I honestly think it will improve engagement to at least do the first bit on the store - the running man is, to me, as a prospective downloader, just a blown up, low detail graphic that doesn't show me anything about the game, nor the quality/look of it?
Finally, I tried jumping over the LARGE red block at the end of level 1, like, 10 times, with no joy - it was pretty frustrating, especially for the first level? (I'd imagine I have to jump REALLY early, almost as soon as it comes on-screen / pixel perfect jumps - so I'd advise putting simpler levels in early on, then increasing sizes/gaps, hazards as they get further, to keep their interest?
Hope that helps!
Thanks for the suggestions! I definitely agree with the text idea, making it bolder. The ground is white because it is "snowy plains", and the lava is just red. But I definitely have considered making the ground and lava more "realistic", but you know, it's not supposed to be that complicated of a game. There are some improvements I am gonna work on for the menu and stuff, and maybe make an easier level 1 or whatnot. I hope you play a little past level one, like get to level 6+, as that is where the game really gets kicking in my opinion. Thanks for looking into it @Japster!
The red block... at the end of the level? Are you talking about the box, or sooner? I need to make it more apparent that you stop over the finish sign and fall onto it... sorry. Will try to make more apparent. Unfortunately there is the problem that even though I may "fix" these things, that will not result in any more exposure. But hey, at least 1+ downloads is better than nothing.
Cries. #poorindiedevs. 
Edit: Can't give up. Ever.