Vivace Gym Raw Feedback

Vivace Gym Raw Feedback
Full Results: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-ZNJFSMTVL/
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Entrance Lobby
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Could we replace the teleport with a curtain? Think a closed sign on the closed booth would add even more character, though it already has plenty.

definitely not a fan of the warp pad, i would much rather just have the player come back out through the main door. would like to see some NPCs loitering around here, excited for the show, hoping the performers are doing a good job warming up, etc

Looks good, nothing to add really

Looking fine to me

The lack of symmetry is killing me at the teleport pad and door. Other than that no comment. It's kind of whatever

A different floor texture might better match other areas of the gym. Maybe a carpet instead of kitchen tiles.

I'd prefer for this to be the section where Carlos is, not the next room.

Layout is fine, but should remove the mop and random red rope. This is the night of the big show and there wouldn't be random janitorial crap laying around.
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Backstage
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Could there be more neon (if vivace is still the neon den of sin I remember it to be)? The level of detail reminds me more of final fantasy than pokemon, but I love final fantasy so maybe it's okay. Just throwing that out there. Is it impossible to skip any trainers though? That's not how gyms usually work

i'm not a fan of the flooring transitions, either from tile to dirt or dirt to planks. would prefer if it were primarily wood with small holes of dirt underneath (i linked an image of ghost valley 3 from mario kart snes in main chat as an example). i'm fine with the placement of in-between-room trainers, but i'm a little concerned that having them "hurry towards the stage" could result in some fucky player movement if you block a trainer in the wrong way and they can't get out comfortably

why is the tiling near the front so irregular? The planking sticking out looks like believable wear patterns but the bottom part just looks odd.

Again, looks great. Nothing to add.

Again, not too many comments here. I really enjoy the cramped spacing, drives home the backroom feel. The only complaint I really have is it's a little under-decorated. However, I haven't seen inside the tents so maybe its better in comparison with that.

The amount of corners could be slightly cut down, to make it less jagged, but it could look better once given a more suiting wall tile, so I hold this view loosely; this looks good and flows well

Temporary fences like you see at festivals would be common in this kind of area, might be a better replacement for the boxes? Also you can really see the contrast with those tiles. It's probably fine but something else might transition better to the lack of flooring. Layout is fine excited to see this space ingame with the lighting overlays.

I like the layout but I think the look of the gym is a bit too rough. The backstage area obviously won't look as good as the performance area but I think it would look a little nicer.

As stated previously, I'd prefer Carlos to be in the previous section, not here. Also the floor tiles near A look very strange arranged like that, like they formed naturally. They should either be straight or be dirt. I'd definitely prefer the former.

A great effort should be made to make this layout as circular as possible. Given that the over world of this gym is circular and the inner ring is roughly circular, this area should be circular as well.
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Act 1
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I'm confused as to how you defeat the illusionist in battle instead of finding him. How do you find someone who is hiding? Or is it an optional battle after the minigame?

this is such a cool concept. my main beef is that the second item/statue looks an awful lot like lugia. also, which items will be "fakes"? looks like the water cooler, the fridge, the mop bucket, and maybe the piano? if so, i'm cool with that

I have no problems with this area.

If you need to spot the difference to figure out the real item, it's very important that the player can actually easily see the room in pretty much its entirety, otherwise it's pure guesswork. This room size seems alright, maybe a tiny bit too big. Maybe the illusionist first asks you if you're ready before his challenge begins, so that you have time to walk around and study the room.

I like the concept, as long as the player is warned and given a moment to look around the room first before starting the first round. Appropriately decorated for this too!

Still kinda wished there was, even a small amount of, randomization of the location of the item, but, Its good as is. Maybe less boxes for more openness? Looks a little claustrophobic in there.

Is there a failstate in this room? Should we have a timer which they must find the item in? Doesn't have to be visual countdown clock, could be an audio tune that times the player down and the illusionist would state how much time the player gets before attempting.

Please don't use the Starry Crystal as a tile, that's just baaad. Also we should definitely use some of our circus props in here, not just random stuff from outside the gym.

The difficulty of this puzzle will be based on the clutter of the room, so obviously that will need to be taken into consideration when final mapping happens. Also if there are going to be overlays, which there will be, I suggest keeping this room well lit
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Act 2
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I don't like the idea of invasive minigames that can't be done simply with moving around and interacting like the previous one. Maybe you make the mon turn and face specific directions in order by talking to them from different angles. Or they are already spinning and you click to make them stop, with them spinning faster each time.

i definitely prefer having a QTE/timing challenge over a regular memory challenge, which would essentially be the game Simon, although i'd accept either. for exiting the room, i prefer moving the barrels over making a door magically appear.

This room looks good too.

Map gud. I think a memory game is probably easier for us to do, like up-down-up-left-left-down etc.

Door > Barrels for exit. I'd personally move all the clutter off the stage onto the lower area. Seems weird to clutter the practice area when there's so much other space. I'm torn on the podium. I almost think it'd be better to have a spotlight where the player stands to give directions.

Please involve Pokemon and the dance; and definitely make this room look like a spare stage with stage props and what nots lying near by.

Could again replace the barrels with temporary fencing which can easily be moved by the Clowns but provides a sensible enough barrier for our player http://steadfastfence.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Temporary-Fence.jpg

The puzzle itself is so mediocre, I don't honestly know what to add. As it stands, it's okay, I guess.

I think the clown practicing his act with your help is enough of a premise for the puzzle. Having him feel under-confident, needing help to remember his act which he is literally about to perform, then battling the player (and losing) to boost his confidence feels awfully contrived. Hes a clown, he battles you if you screw up his practice K.I.S.S
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Act 3
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I like this concept, but the idea that each of these performers needs a confidence boost irks me a bit. Why not just be a question of you proving your skill as a trainer since you are the one doing the taming in these tasks. Fits more with the idea of this being a gym, even if it is an unconventional one.

i like the puzzle, i do want a failstate here. maybe hitting the same star 3 times will result in the koberus attacking you, and then the trainer runs up and engages in battle to "work out some of that energy" or something

No issues here either.

Concept and map are fine, but I do think we should figure out a fail state where you need to fight like the other challenges. Maybe if you talk to the Koberus from the wrong side enough times it becomes enraged and attacks you. Beating it calms it down so it easily walks back to its trainer.

No comments here! I think it looks good.

Could also say "Hey! Before you head off, lemme see if your good enough for Shadini!" and initiate a battle just before the player heads out for the exit. Either way, looks good to me

The larger boxes makes sense here. I can't for the life of me figure out a failstate but if 2/3 of the puzzles do then we should try for something that can happen. If only the clown has a failstate then it might be better to remove it and keep it to trainers outside the challenge rooms.

This is fine. No further comment.

I'm fine with there being no battle here
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Finale
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I think this will be really cool. Will you be able to talk to the spectators? Might be too much of a hassle but I imagine it would be worth it to some.

i have some concerns about how this map fits with the other maps, particularly wrt where the main double doors from the lobby actually connect to/where the audience enters from. i support being able to battle trainers who you didn't battle previously, although this should be optional (prompted by yes/no dialogue, not eyesight encounter). i dislike the teleporter and would rather create a straight path for the player to exit through

The circus layout itself looks good. As for the return path, having a circus artist have a straight up teleport pad lying around their office seems a bit incongruous with the rest of the setting so I'd have the return path go through the circus floor again where the show now has ended and the trainers are cleaning up and can be talked to.

Final hallway to the stage is fucking excellent, that definitely needs a muffled screaming crowd in the distance. Stage looks alright, will be rad in proper lighting. I think going to Oscar's dressing room afterwards is the best, it's a nice opportunity to show off a bit more of his personality in how the room is decorated. Posters, costumes, etc. Maybe you can inspect some stuff for fun flavor text, like "wow these are a bunch of fan letters" or whatever. Look at the ringmaster's room in the circus case in the second Phoenix Wright game.

Really love the addition of all the performers from the earlier areas, really nice touch. Again no comments here! Maps have been very solid.

Looking good to me, but when battling shadini, can we get a camera pan to see the crowd, and the only thing in the center room is the ring, non of the mess or NPCs that are currently in the pic?

Battling the trainers here instead of backstage would mess with the pacing. I do like the long walk to the arena, though, that works really well to up the suspence. We could even have the cheering crowd growing louder as the player moves closer.

Again the layout is fine. The look is a bit bland. As this is meant to be a performance area it should make previous gyms look boring by comparison. Lots of bright colours and interesting things to look at. Though perhaps I am being too ambitious.

Another take on the teleporter: Remove the stairs to the back room completely and have Shadini teleport the player his room during closing dialogue with the crowd (Shows over folks!). The exit the door to that room is attached to the lobby or some other more accessible location. It also gives a gameplay reason to introduce the character Oscar other than arbitrary dialogue.
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General Concerns
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I can hear the music already please tell me the lights strobe. If they don't i can make them

Not really.

Gorgeous. Maybe add some balloons or something around the tent. The walls definitely need some extravagant circus posters on them.

s'okay

This looks perfect to me. Can't think of any improvements to make.

Keep layouts circular if possible is my primary concern. And remember that the lighting of the gym has direct relation to the balance of some puzzles and overall theme thus should have significant consideration.