Could You Fill Something Out?


Hello!

   So, I.C.O. 0.4 has had a few bumps in the road but the art is going swimmingly so production is going well. However, I've become increasingly concerned over something with the VN and I wanted to ask the audience about it. Please fill out the survey below and please be as honest as possible. It'll help immensely, thank you.

https://forms.gle/xPUzvjbyKPSWZ3Vd6

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Comments

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(+1)

I would fill out this survey but I think there are major flaws to the survey.  I think opening up a public forum for discussion on I.C.O. Feedback from 0.3.5 would be better than this survey.

Why not just use the comment section here to show a more detailed opinion its what i did, rambling mess that it is.

Oh? Could you please go more in depth?

(2 edits) (+3)

Im not sure why i went so blank on these questions, i mean the VN is fine. I suppose i don't really feel one way or the other on it. The writing isn't bad, the world is explained well so we know as much as the MC does. The characters are fine i guess, we haven't had enough time to really get to know them more than standard character archetypes. The only thing that drags me out is that the ferals seem really pointless. I know what your going for the whole mech battles but the 'feral mode'is really redundent and even the bi-ped ferals would probably just get out preformed by standard mobile heavy weapon platforms. If the convoys was escorted by even just 2 missile or simple rocket battery platforms any ico attacks would be blown appart as soon as they surfaced.

But getting back to the 'feral mode' issue. There's almost no use to using it in a combat scenario. The I.C.O have proven to rip through the feral units like paper so disarming yourself, losing all of your range advantage forcing yourself in to close combat with somthing that could destroy you in one hit doesn't make sence at all. The 'feral modes' one advantage is it would allow higher mobility which would be useful outside of combat but in combat any ranged ability would be vastly superior.

The combat being a main thing in I.C.O its rather noticeable when somthing like that wouldn't work or have a reason. The I.C.Os are shown to be incredibly powerful ripping apart ferals in the blink of a eye, so getting close to any of them would be a death sentence and rather pointless tactically. Risking a valuable pilot's life and the resources of a feral since their size and constant maintenance would be a huge investment to the limited and fractured economy of the craters. As a whole there would be no in universe reason to ever do it.

If you look at other mech universes they normally account for this even without explaining it. Code geass for instance first use the mechs agility to out maneuver normal weapons since that was what they was designed for. However when fighting other mechs they introduce shields that can block almost all ranged weapons so the characters are forced into using swords and melee combat. 'Feral mode' doesn't have such a reason its just sort of there.

I do get what your going for in gundem you have bi-ped mechs that can turn into planes and such but even then it for mobility mainly and they dont loose their ranged capabilities so they aren't sacrificing anything really. Ferals changing to all fours loose everything and don't gain much advantage.

This could be fixed if the 'feral mode' just had it own unique combat abilities like hidden missiles in the shoulders or a gauss rifle hidden in the mouth or on the back so it being on all fours would provide more stability and limit any recoil. Just things that would benefit or warrent it, but having it be exactly like an animal with just teeth and claws, well there's a reason why humanity ended on top of the food chain.

While typing this i got lost im my rambling so i've probably missed somthing or forgoten somthing, i dont actually remember what point i was making but i think whats here should be enough? Im not sure what im trying to achieve right now but oh well, hope this rambling mess helps somewhat.

(+3)

Just replayed the fight scene and its truely baffling.

Why do the ferals have no weapons but a light arm machine gun?

Why do they have vehicles to carry aditional weapons and naturally dont have any?

why are the weapon carriers IN the convoy? that means if they want weapons they haft to go to the convoy their ment to be protecting leading any enemies right too them.

why are all the weapons in carriers melee considering the ico can destroy a feral in close combat effortlessly.

Isn't their job to guard and protect the convoy how are they expected to do that unarmed when they can be attacked at anymoment?

the ico's seem to feel pain since they recoil and scream wouldnt fire be useful against them? hell even the convoy could throw a molotove.

the craters have artillary defences so artillary exsists but mobile artillary doesnt? otherwise why dont they have any since they can be attacked by any sized colony.

shay's ferals verry big and strong and is standing at the convoy, why doesnt he have a heavy weapon he could quickly use to help from range and support the others rather than get stuck just standing around?

dont they have any built in equipment to act as a scanner/ raydar, even the convoy could have it such things are small and dont require large amounts of power, there also not hard to make. hell a bowl of water on the ground would be able to keep track of any tremmors.

these are only a few but im left with so many questions, like why dont they naturally have weapons? it isnt hard do make a holster for a gun or a sword and just weld it onto the feral like WHY i just dont get it.

(1 edit) (+2)

Interesting. Thank you very much for the criticisms and I'll definitely give this a look through.  

The biggest one I do agree with is the whole arming the ferals bit. I suppose it would make sense for them to have some weaponry on hand at any time. The small arm minigun is supposed to be their little catch-all weapon but I suppose it could be something that's able to be augmented? Maybe I could go into that and later Gil attached a knife or something to his forearm instead. The reason I put the larger weapons like the bardiche in the convoys is because they would be kind of difficult to interact with when they're shifting modes.

I.C.O. colonies do react but only to certain interactions. I think they mention a few times, or maybe I forgot, that the metals used in the feral or weaponry are specialized. If you cut an I.C.O. colony in half, you'll just end up with two different colonies. I haven't gone into it yet so maybe I should've hinted at that more.

(+2)

Hey the vn is still early days so i have no doubt that it'll get sorted as for weapons being too big you could just bloodborne them. Bloodborne's trick weapons can be used small or folded out to be bigger a bardiche could have a simple metal holsteer that just contains the blade and a small handle with the ferals being able to extend it to full length with a simple button press. Its your vn world so you could explain it however you want. collapsible weapons are somthing thats logistically possible and a rather simple explanation that you wouldnt need to explain too hard so its a option but in the end its up to you.

Also just because its text and the way i type can come off as abrasive. I actually do like what you've done so far the critique about the combat is just because that stands out most to me because i overanalyze things like that (i play far too many strategy games) so im more hyper aware of it. However don't take my comment too seriously? too heart? I'm no sure how to put it because both of them are wrong, i guess don't over think it your vn is still very early most of the writing is judas back story gil's story and great job of world building. So you don't need to worry so much you can always go back later to polish it up if you aren't satisfied with it. The combat and other characters have only barely been touched on and you've got all the time in the world.  I've no doubt as the story continues and everything fleshes out more you'll do a great job, you've already proven that you've got a verry good quallity of writing. So just keep on keeping on and dont worry so much.

(+1)

I see. Thank you! I'm actually more annoyed by people who just say it's good so your kind of analysis are more than welcome. I'm not shooting for total realism with the mecha fights but I understand where you're coming from and I think it'd be easy to fix with a few rewrites or maybe clearing a few things up.