Suggestions Ideas: 1) There is no benefit to crafting a head and a pole to try to craft them into one. You get much higher chances and much better odds getting something better just from creating a full pick every time. 2) Many of the 'skills' are meaningless. The progression costs for them makes no sense. Every single time you might as well do cheapest as the increase in level is so small vs the cost increase and progression that again, no reason to try to increase a single skill up higher vs the others.
3) Decrease costs first, keep reduced defense 1/2 of increase bonus damage. Its too easy to figure out this optimal progression. Then Once you reach max costs and reduced armor, put everything in damage. The only reason to have anything in anywhere else is for the start of your game...
I have a lot of critical thoughts about this new iteration of blacksmith. I really enjoyed your first game however I feel like this falls short for my expectations.
I feel that the graphics are overly done up. There is very little contrast and because of this its hard to distinguish what parts of the game is the main focus and my eyes have a hard time moving across the game UI.
I also feel like the game has too many tacked on game mechanics that are just put there for the sake of being there. I know achievements are used in every game, dont get me wrong... but why are they here and taking up so much UI space? Clearly this is a game about blacksmithing... yet when I look at the game I get a sense that I am staring at a 6 year olds report card. I was hoping for an interesting new game with a slight more depth...I have no idea what this is but this isnt blacksmithing.
The concept of this game is great but this needs to be flushed out a lot. Progression seems wild and doesnt feel like it has a good pace to it at all.
Materials do feel more purpose with the recent update, however I feel that the amount of materials and their purpose is lacking. I zoomed through most materials my first play through... where is the progression?
The UI is well designed but has poor form. Mu cursor is waving wildly across the screen to get anything done. This isnt a proper time sink, its just annoying.
Having to re click the same gem and material after I get to re use the gem again is annoying. Another time sink that could be solved in other ways.
This game to me is a good BASE with many possibilities to expand upon. Right now its just a basic game I consider a 3/5. A little polish and work I can see it be a solid 4.5/5 game.
This is a very well thought out game. The boss battles are not just harder just because, there is actual strategy and skill involved with the way you pick items and strategies. Great freaking job, have 5 stars.
I think the idea behind TBS is awesome, but to go through that mini game every single rebirth seems too tedious. Its 5 of the same mini games, cute dont get me wrong, but does not feel rewarding enough to feel worth it to do it every single rebirth. I dont think it should be any easier if its going to be reset every rebirth, but it isn't worth going through for the reward.
I think about it if I can make them a bit more different. But it is more intented for longer rebirths and people who are bored. You need about 10-15 mins to double your damage output. If you are good at it, it can tenfold your power output in less than 30 mins. On rebirths which take longer than 1 day this can save a few hours and than it is worth it imo. But for people doing mostly speed runs it is not really worth it, true.
@CAEL: stop acting like a douche towards bringing up legitimate concerns with your game. The people making suggestion are bringing up very valid points and giving very good suggestions, and all you are doing is replying with smart a@@ responses. Grow a pair and take criticism and advice like an adult.
I found that the difficulty was a little low for my liking, however great game over all. I would suggest on the premium make it have more then 20 extra floors or something that gives it more replay value. In this current form I doubt I will purchase it.
The game in its current form has a very short life span. The progression arc in the game at the moment is flawed in the way that it does not attract players to continue forward once they understand how the game works. No real challenge is presented in this game and I would never even call it an idle game. I would call it an upgrade game and cut idle away from this all together. The results that the player gets from interacting with this game are too fast to consider idle. There is too few game mechanics here to make this a long lasting game, and very little discovery.
Again, I think you have a great opportunity here to make a very awesome game, you need to play through the game itself and ask yourself what grabs the player to continue wanting to play.
Don't listen to people complaining about the new look just because. I feel it looks more professional tbh in terms of looking like a game. Before it looked slapped together. now it looks way more organized.
I enjoy this as a idle game but I have one major issue at the moment. Clarity. I feel that the game is not very clear on a lot of its mechanics. I mean, I am happy that it does list everything dont get my wrong.
That information however is so spread out that if it wasn't for my own obessive personality I would never bother trying to figure it all out. Some information isn't even listed. The reason to rebirth isn't really mentioned well. I am still confused on how to multipliers work.
My suggestion isn't to really change the game all that much but try to organize it in a way that the information gather is kinda in the same spot. I would also suggest having a short tutorial (if there isn't one I forget) to explain some concepts like why rebirthing is good.
No this is just stupid. I cant even be bothered to play this. Its an idle game and it hurts to look at. I am done. I replaced my 5 star rating to 1 star. I cant even play an IDLE game, thats how bad this looks now. Dam. You need to learn to use testers or get better opinions.
Ill be blunt. The game looks too flashy and is hard to look at. The artist attempted to create a more impactfull looking 50s theme. Instead he went way too far and everything looks to compacted. Print is too small, the changing of the buttons too often is stupid and annoying. its an idle game not a place to express your artistic ability.
Who ever did the art here, calm your artistic reach and think about your target audience. We want to have fun and idle and just chill. Not strain our eye balls.
Last suggestion as a long term goal to make your game more meta: allow players the ability (far down the line and cost ascending levels) to equip their own army and battle other "npc empires" with their gear. Of course this has far reaching development issues an idea that could allow for much more expansion of the game into greater potentials of ridiculousness. That is all :O
I find the progression a little... inflated. Ascending is far too powerful. I think that the cost for ascending should out weight your ability to progress far more. Right now its not balanced in that way. You can easily keep ahead of the progression cost increases for ascending with little effort.
I think that that between 1 to 100k ascending levels it should lower from 10% to 1% bonus at least for example.
Another thought to consider is spending money on automation. For those who do ascend its too much of a chore to have to click through... over 100 different bars to get to a progress point where you left off? Should allow players to auto level up, even if its just for online. Make this something players have to buy maybe.
Another considering is ascending levels. I would suggest re naming it into something more material sounding. The reasoning? In the future it may allow you to have players spend "ascending levels" on game benefits and still sound as if it makes sense.
 "MineQuest"){kind=icon}
 "Idle Blacksmith 2"){kind=icon}
 "Epic Boss Fighter 2"){kind=icon}
 "Reactor Incremental"){kind=icon}
 "Idling to Rule the Gods"){kind=icon}
 "Battle without End"){kind=icon}
 "The Enchanted Cave 2"){kind=icon}
 "AdVenture Capitalist"){kind=icon}
 "Idle Blacksmith"){kind=icon}
I think about it if I can make them a bit more different. But it is more intented for longer rebirths and people who are bored. You need about 10-15 mins to double your damage output. If you are good at it, it can tenfold your power output in less than 30 mins. On rebirths which take longer than 1 day this can save a few hours and than it is worth it imo. But for people doing mostly speed runs it is not really worth it, true.