I had a blast creating Golf Quest for my first time participating in Ludum Dare!  I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback from my game page here, my Greenlight page (that’s a whole other post), and friends.  Because of that I’ve got a list of things I want to try to expand the game and improve the overall experience.  I’ve put most of them below in no particular order.

• Give the player more indication / control over ball placement (UI indicators, backspin, topspin, etc).
• Add in a shot rewind feature so you can back up if you make a terrible shot.
• Add in some basic platforming mechanics to see how the game plays when you have to walk to your ball.
• Remove the one hit kill mechanic.  I only included it for theme purposes, and it honestly took more away from the game than it added.  I really liked the theme but I decided I wanted to make this game regardless.  I just wasn’t very creative with my theme integration, despite other ideas.
• Make it more “golfy” by adding in stroke counts / course pars.
• More levels, monsters, characters, and environments of course!  I only had time for one during the Jam.  Similarly, add more game modes.
• Add in actual RPG elements such as upgradeable gear or level ups.
• Introduce environmental hazards – wind, water, lava, etc.
• Tighten up the mechanics / ball physics.
• Redo the graphics with more care & try to create a more compelling visual style.  Do the same with the sound.

Most of the feedback I’ve gotten from people who have played the game indicated frustration with placing shots with any amount of accuracy, so that’s my first concern.  If you’d like to play the game, please head on over to the Golf Quest page here on LD and check it out!  The game was built in Unity and should be playable by most people.  I’d love to hear your thoughts!