Excellent short game. Exactly the kind of original gameplay mechanics I love, with just right level of challenge, and every game session is short enough that you immediately want to play one more again!
I reached floor 12 after 2.5 hours of non-stop play ^^
One minor detail : when you are "check" at the beginning of a turn, and you have the ability to play another action after a soul move, soul moves leading to a "check" position are forbidden, while I should be able to escape the "check" on the extra turn (not sure what version of the game I played though)
So currently I'm playing the gamejam version, as I was curious to see what had won (congrats by the way guys!!) and as soon as I get my next paycheck I'll be coming right back here to get the full version! This game is awesome! Way to make an incredible twist on chess while still keeping it strategy based!
Unless I'm missing it somewhere, I've yet to find a tutorial on the game for the rules, so I've just been sort of feeling it out. By now I think I've got them all down (I've been playing for hours since I recorded the video) and every little twist has been such a wonderful delight. Skip ahead to 6:35 to see my overreaction to learning how the soul cards work XD
I cannot wait to get the full version! Also as I'm posting this comment found out that MODS EXIST FOR THIS, ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? *Takes several deep breathes
I won't be playing other games for a while it would seem
The Militia card's picture clearly shows a pawn with red attacking arrows in four orthogonal directions. Meanwhile, hovering the mouse over a pawn on the board shows (using the same red arrows!) that it actually attacks in four diagonal directions. This is rather misleading.
Royal Loafers feels mechanically inconsistent with Cornered Despot; your gun fires from the square you moved from but your bullet count seems to depend on the square you move to? Also, moving into a single piece's check while firing at it point-blank range for a guaranteed kill triggers folly shields unnecessarily.
If extra turns don't cause you to be checkmated between your original movement and free turn, then any action granting an extra turn shouldn't trigger folly shields. I assumed for a while that extra turns were only useful to stall piece movement because of this.
I do love how well executed this very stupid premise for a video game is, but it could really use some kind of readme rules guide or in-game glossary. Chess puzzles don't fit well with trial and error ...
If you still can't figure it out, please come to our Discord, we have active members who should be able to help you out. :) https://discord.gg/dpQx647USm
I'm really enjoying this game so far, but I, for some reason, cannot get the Steam link to work even though I purchased the game on itch.io. Is there a way to retrieve the Steam key itself
Hey, glad you're enjoying the game! You have to get to that purchase page to get your Steam key. You can ask that it be sent to you again here : https://itch.io/docs/buying/already-bought
I can get to that page, but it wants me to link my Steam account to get my key, which isn't working for some reason. I have the game downloaded from itch.io, but the Steam Key attainment feature is not working from there.
Owning the game on Steam doesn't get you the Itch version but the good news is you can mod the Steam version just as well. The Sample mod here can be downloaded for free, and it works for both versions. You can get some help (and other, actual mods) on our Discord if you'd like: https://discord.gg/dpQx647USm
I really don't understand the shooting-while-in-check rules: sometimes I'm allowed to shoot and it kills the thing that was checking me (good); other times it's not allowed, and instead I lose a shield (bad). I can't see any feedback wrt which one is going to happen, but it feels really bad when it doesn't let me shoot -- why not let me shoot either way *and* steal a shield? That way it's consistent. (Or am I missing something? I understand that it will let me shoot if I would kill the thing, but since whether I kill the thing or not involves random chance, how does the game (or the player) know which will result??)
Also, it seems like when I'm in checkmate (no souls, no safe moves, no possible kills) I still have to click three times to burn through shields and die.. why? If I'm in checkmate, ie there's no solution, it should just kill me -- the current behaviour feels weird/awkward and makes me think I'm missing something. Am I?
In situations beyond that, you can still fire - you just have to burn through all your shields first. (You get them all back after your shot, natch, assuming you lived.) There's a reason shield quantity is freely adjustable - once one is good enough at the game (or is already a chess grandmaster and isn't about to blunder), shields only get in the way.
With all the abilities/powers in the game, it can be REALLY HARD to determine whether a situation is truly hopeless or if there's a slight chance somewhere; the game ending on you automatically when there WAS a hope would be FAAAAAAR worse than what it does now, which is not even try to figure it out. I don't blame the devs on that one at all. Also, now that Black Mist is a thing, what you choose to do when it is hopeless - your "parting shot", often literal, as it were - actually can matter.
EDIT: You always get back all your lost shields after every single turn you take. Taking a shield AS you take a shot, as you suggest, makes no sense, so maybe that's what you were missing?
Yes you do! Go into your Itch library, then go into "My Purchases" on the left, and click on Shotgun King. It should be there.
You also received a mail from Itch yesterday to tell you about it and it has a direct link to that same place, if that's more convenient. Let me know if you find it!
Also, I have no idea if its even viable if you were to do it because of game balance, but how come ascension doesn't let you move over pieces with a bishop soul card, but the red book lets you move on rows and columns with a bishop soul card
Black Mist in beta is currently unbalanced in my opinion, especially has potential to be broken in harder difficulties, giving the player the ability of a "get out of jail free" card is broken, but also I definitely shouldn't be able to draw TWO or more of these cards. probably add drawback
Possible, but I'm unconvinced. Every copy of Black Mist one has is one less card they have to actually be more effective in battle and not get into hopeless situations as often; I'd think two copies of it would be worse than one for that reason, as surely it's diminishing returns. If anything, I'd suggest limiting Black Mist to one copy for the exact opposite reason - it's too WEAK to offer to the player once they already have one. If for no other reason than to SHUT UP all the whiners about "discovered mate", Black Mist is practically necessary; to the expert, it's a chance to escape when the game gets truly ridiculous (and sanity knows Black Mist often doesn't get one out of trouble, only delaying it a turn). To each their own, but I don't think it needs a drawback.
Apparently if you have secret heir active and no pawns on the board when the game starts, the game will softlock, trying to add an heir that doesnt exist.
I've found it too unbalanced, pawns evolve into the exact right thing to lock me every single time, not once I have seen an evolution which hasn't been imediatelly useful for a checkmate. Game can't recognise a checkmate/stalemate, when a player has no moves, no souls and cannot kill the piece which blocks him, he should lose, making the last move only to die makes no sense. The game let's me kill pieces even if it kills me, it should tell me if a piece behind the one I'm gonna kill is gonna kill me back instantly. Another complaint is about the spread, when one is side by side with a piece and then there's another enemy piece a couple squares away and in the same direction as the piece adjacent to you, how would the shots go arround the piece which is close to hit the far one? I've lost count of how many times I've died to an adjacent piece after my shots spread all over, even without using blunderbuss or extra barrel. nonetheless, outstanding idea, pretty fun game, despite all my anger, it kinda served as more incentive to win :)
We're already working on a linux port! The full game has a story mode with a boss, an ending, and 5 different difficulties, and it also has new cards that are not included in the demo version.
Does Unfaithful Steed work? cause I remember it not working when I got it with a knight soul card and it just ate it. I don't remember being able to move more
Yeah, I think I got it to work in the beta like you describe it, I didn't try to use the soul card, I just tried to do a further move. might've either been a bug or I just didn't do it correctly
If there's one thing I'd suggest, it's removing the feature where if you kill an enemy unit and it opens a checkmate, you lose. It doesn't feel very fair especially with a weapon that has as wide a spread as a shotgun. You could potentially kill an enemy you weren't even aiming at and get yourself killed that way. I'd consider at least warning if not remove that feature entirely.
I have accidentally killed an interposer and lost a run that way once. ONCE. I didn't ask for the game to be dumbed down in response. I smartened up instead. I also note that the spread of the gun is very much an intentional element of the game - that's why there are cards to control it! - so learning how to deal with it is part of the learning process. [insert comment about proper IRL firearm safety here]
Compromise then, have the kill shields warn you. It really stinks that this is a mechanic and the game at least does not warn you despite being fully aware it's something that happens. Frustrating especially with Blunderbuss. Plus remember the cards are random you get so it's not always within your control.
You can't always pick the cards, sure, but you always control where you fire... Besides, you're asking for something more complex than you seem to realize (though you're far from alone here in that regard :P). The shields are there to stop you from using your turn moving into or staying in a deadly spot. Checking to see if the spot you're in is safe but one you could make deadly is (besides clearly being a misplay on the part of the player) not so simple to program, especially now that there's a card that can fire a pellet outside even your selected firing arc. That's a lot of math slowing things down just to try dealing with a player skill issue; as it is, the shields aren't perfect, sometimes blocking 100% safe shots and NOT blocking 0% safe ones in rare cases, and that'd be tough to figure out without even going down the "discovered mate" route. So maybe avoid taking the card with "blunder" right there in the name until you can keep from doing so, and maybe always take Black Mist when you have the chance (which WILL save you from "discovered mate")? Good luck to any mod makers that try to "remedy" discovered mates - sure, it probably CAN be done, but it'll be a LOT of work... work better spent, in my opinion, learning the game and not getting themselves killed.
Wouldn't the programming of the shield protecting you from an opened checkmate just be similar to the programming of the opened checkmate itself? I think it's something that is being overestimated in its difficulty to create. Helps people get into the game too with more intuitiveness on an inaccurate weapon. Could always just play without shields if you're not interested in it so I am honestly confused why you are trying to make it a big problem.
i would like this feature as well, at least as a toggle, like with increasing/decreasing the shields you have, i've lost at least 5 runs to this and most of them were from being sniped by a rook at the other side of the board, although some were really obvious, like me killing an enemy that had a queen right behind it, i'm not a very strategic person who also sucks at chess, i just move without thinking most of the time tbh, although i'm used to getting skill issued with the amount of roguelikes i play, having this feature at least as a toggle would be nice, i'd understand and be fine if it wasn't added though, i'll just suffer until i learn to not
I think it would be good to have a warning thing for pins, but I don't think its good to remove that as a potential death. makes the gameplay loop more strategic and less just "shoot forward and get rid of the pawns" you actually have to pay attention to the end half of the board for a bit.
Really great game, scratches that rouge-like itch! I think for other people complaining about the difficulty, the key to avoiding simple and quick defeats is to avoid having a rook in the same vertical line as you. Most of my defeats have been from rooks I forget about being behind the area I'm shooting and then dying the next turn by them as I kill the piece in front of them.
I think adding some boards reflecting the different ways to play chess would be nice to add eventually, though currently I'd really like some kind of easy reset button and a way to get back to the menu while in a run. I rather not have to watch the animation of me loosing over and over, and would like to just be able to press "R" and reset the entire run or be able to get straight back to the menu to quit when I've had enough for the day.
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the idea is …
like u added a shotgun to chess
like … HOW
Hermoso XDDD Como me pude reír
Y ESTÁ EN ESPAÑOL los amo enserio (Está en PRIVADO por los momentos estoy programando el lanzamiento)
This is a good game, but sorry 😞 i cant buy it
Please when is this game coming to mobile I can wait as long as it's coming to mobile
Excellent short game.
Exactly the kind of original gameplay mechanics I love,
with just right level of challenge,
and every game session is short enough that you immediately want to play one more again!
I reached floor 12 after 2.5 hours of non-stop play ^^
One minor detail : when you are "check" at the beginning of a turn, and you have the ability to play another action after a soul move, soul moves leading to a "check" position are forbidden, while I should be able to escape the "check" on the extra turn
(not sure what version of the game I played though)
Oh my goodness, I'm in love with this game!
So currently I'm playing the gamejam version, as I was curious to see what had won (congrats by the way guys!!) and as soon as I get my next paycheck I'll be coming right back here to get the full version! This game is awesome! Way to make an incredible twist on chess while still keeping it strategy based!
Unless I'm missing it somewhere, I've yet to find a tutorial on the game for the rules, so I've just been sort of feeling it out. By now I think I've got them all down (I've been playing for hours since I recorded the video) and every little twist has been such a wonderful delight. Skip ahead to 6:35 to see my overreaction to learning how the soul cards work XD
I cannot wait to get the full version! Also as I'm posting this comment found out that MODS EXIST FOR THIS, ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? *Takes several deep breathes
I won't be playing other games for a while it would seem
I can't download DEMO version
You can download it from Steam! Also, full version in Steam too!
The Militia card's picture clearly shows a pawn with red attacking arrows in four orthogonal directions. Meanwhile, hovering the mouse over a pawn on the board shows (using the same red arrows!) that it actually attacks in four diagonal directions. This is rather misleading.
will it be added for mac too???? and if so how soon?
Royal Loafers feels mechanically inconsistent with Cornered Despot; your gun fires from the square you moved from but your bullet count seems to depend on the square you move to? Also, moving into a single piece's check while firing at it point-blank range for a guaranteed kill triggers folly shields unnecessarily.
If extra turns don't cause you to be checkmated between your original movement and free turn, then any action granting an extra turn shouldn't trigger folly shields. I assumed for a while that extra turns were only useful to stall piece movement because of this.
I do love how well executed this very stupid premise for a video game is, but it could really use some kind of readme rules guide or in-game glossary. Chess puzzles don't fit well with trial and error ...
where do i find mods. and how do i download them
Hi! We have a few mods up on our Discord server: https://discord.gg/dpQx647USm
And here's a fan-made guide which has a section for installing them: https://microbullet.github.io/
Wait, mods work only in full version?
That is correct yes. Modding was quite some work to make happen so we feel like it should be exclusive to the full version.
What do I do to start mod? Like, I maked it, but it wont startup! Im using steam version.
Hi! One of our Discord member made this really nice guide: https://microbullet.github.io/
If you still can't figure it out, please come to our Discord, we have active members who should be able to help you out. :) https://discord.gg/dpQx647USm
the github link seems to be broken, which is sad cause i used it to mod and now i forgot lol
Every people has this?
Hi, you're playing the jam version. We recommend rather trying the new Demo version.
And you should activate windows too.
Hello!
Awesome game! Any plans for a MacOS or Nintendo Switch release?
I'm really enjoying this game so far, but I, for some reason, cannot get the Steam link to work even though I purchased the game on itch.io. Is there a way to retrieve the Steam key itself
Hey, glad you're enjoying the game! You have to get to that purchase page to get your Steam key. You can ask that it be sent to you again here : https://itch.io/docs/buying/already-bought
I can get to that page, but it wants me to link my Steam account to get my key, which isn't working for some reason. I have the game downloaded from itch.io, but the Steam Key attainment feature is not working from there.
if i own this on steam, do i get the itch version too? I’ve been interested in playing modded but have no idea how or where.
Owning the game on Steam doesn't get you the Itch version but the good news is you can mod the Steam version just as well. The Sample mod here can be downloaded for free, and it works for both versions. You can get some help (and other, actual mods) on our Discord if you'd like: https://discord.gg/dpQx647USm
ok thanks.
I really don't understand the shooting-while-in-check rules: sometimes I'm allowed to shoot and it kills the thing that was checking me (good); other times it's not allowed, and instead I lose a shield (bad). I can't see any feedback wrt which one is going to happen, but it feels really bad when it doesn't let me shoot -- why not let me shoot either way *and* steal a shield? That way it's consistent. (Or am I missing something? I understand that it will let me shoot if I would kill the thing, but since whether I kill the thing or not involves random chance, how does the game (or the player) know which will result??)
Also, it seems like when I'm in checkmate (no souls, no safe moves, no possible kills) I still have to click three times to burn through shields and die.. why? If I'm in checkmate, ie there's no solution, it should just kill me -- the current behaviour feels weird/awkward and makes me think I'm missing something. Am I?
Anyway, really fun and interesting game! :)
It freely allows you to shoot while in check if all the following conditions are met:
ah okay, thanks! That makes a lot more sense. :
In situations beyond that, you can still fire - you just have to burn through all your shields first. (You get them all back after your shot, natch, assuming you lived.) There's a reason shield quantity is freely adjustable - once one is good enough at the game (or is already a chess grandmaster and isn't about to blunder), shields only get in the way.
With all the abilities/powers in the game, it can be REALLY HARD to determine whether a situation is truly hopeless or if there's a slight chance somewhere; the game ending on you automatically when there WAS a hope would be FAAAAAAR worse than what it does now, which is not even try to figure it out. I don't blame the devs on that one at all. Also, now that Black Mist is a thing, what you choose to do when it is hopeless - your "parting shot", often literal, as it were - actually can matter.
EDIT: You always get back all your lost shields after every single turn you take. Taking a shield AS you take a shot, as you suggest, makes no sense, so maybe that's what you were missing?
If it's based on the assumption that the outcome is positive, you should probably guarantee that enough pellets hit to kill the piece.
I've already had a situation where it let me shoot and then I lost, and this sucked.
How do I get the steam key if I bought it here before it launched on steam?
Yes you do! Go into your Itch library, then go into "My Purchases" on the left, and click on Shotgun King. It should be there.
You also received a mail from Itch yesterday to tell you about it and it has a direct link to that same place, if that's more convenient. Let me know if you find it!
Does this work the other way 'round? i have been interested in the modding of the game but dont know how.
Also, I have no idea if its even viable if you were to do it because of game balance, but how come ascension doesn't let you move over pieces with a bishop soul card, but the red book lets you move on rows and columns with a bishop soul card
Black Mist in beta is currently unbalanced in my opinion, especially has potential to be broken in harder difficulties, giving the player the ability of a "get out of jail free" card is broken, but also I definitely shouldn't be able to draw TWO or more of these cards. probably add drawback
i NEED black mist to win the game. i am TERRIBLE at shotgun king.
Possible, but I'm unconvinced. Every copy of Black Mist one has is one less card they have to actually be more effective in battle and not get into hopeless situations as often; I'd think two copies of it would be worse than one for that reason, as surely it's diminishing returns. If anything, I'd suggest limiting Black Mist to one copy for the exact opposite reason - it's too WEAK to offer to the player once they already have one. If for no other reason than to SHUT UP all the whiners about "discovered mate", Black Mist is practically necessary; to the expert, it's a chance to escape when the game gets truly ridiculous (and sanity knows Black Mist often doesn't get one out of trouble, only delaying it a turn). To each their own, but I don't think it needs a drawback.
Hi, the demo is great and see that its coming to Steam.
Do you think you could make a version of your Patreon that gives out Steam codes for each of your games?
People with the itch version of the game will get a steam key after the release
Apparently if you have secret heir active and no pawns on the board when the game starts, the game will softlock, trying to add an heir that doesnt exist.
This is really well done. I love how it's designed. I also love how you went for Pico-8 aesthetic. Really neat!
give checks for potentially killing an enemy and opening up a checkmate PLEASE
I'd love a mobile version of this
But hey, if sugar game engine doesn't have mobile support, so be it
thank you for making amazing game.
are there any plans to support macOS?
Hi, yes it will!
So looking forward to the Linux release of this game!
very cool game :)
Shotgun King has that vibe of the King being tired of your shit, and goes on a rampage with a double-barreled shotgun.
I've found it too unbalanced, pawns evolve into the exact right thing to lock me every single time, not once I have seen an evolution which hasn't been imediatelly useful for a checkmate.
Game can't recognise a checkmate/stalemate, when a player has no moves, no souls and cannot kill the piece which blocks him, he should lose, making the last move only to die makes no sense.
The game let's me kill pieces even if it kills me, it should tell me if a piece behind the one I'm gonna kill is gonna kill me back instantly.
Another complaint is about the spread, when one is side by side with a piece and then there's another enemy piece a couple squares away and in the same direction as the piece adjacent to you, how would the shots go arround the piece which is close to hit the far one? I've lost count of how many times I've died to an adjacent piece after my shots spread all over, even without using blunderbuss or extra barrel.
nonetheless, outstanding idea, pretty fun game, despite all my anger, it kinda served as more incentive to win :)
the spread thing is pretty infuriating I must admit. everything else? skill issue
Would providing Linux build be viable? Also what is the difference between full game and the demo?
We're already working on a linux port! The full game has a story mode with a boss, an ending, and 5 different difficulties, and it also has new cards that are not included in the demo version.
Neat, looking forward to that.
Also, will buying the 5 dollar patreon optin give me access to this game?
Yes it will!
will you have it permanently?
Yes, you get to have it forevermore!
finally finished the demo. Very polished. Will maybe get the full version soon
Does Unfaithful Steed work? cause I remember it not working when I got it with a knight soul card and it just ate it. I don't remember being able to move more
It buffs your non-soul moves while you have the soul in reserve, not the soul movement itself.
Yeah, I think I got it to work in the beta like you describe it, I didn't try to use the soul card, I just tried to do a further move. might've either been a bug or I just didn't do it correctly
If there's one thing I'd suggest, it's removing the feature where if you kill an enemy unit and it opens a checkmate, you lose. It doesn't feel very fair especially with a weapon that has as wide a spread as a shotgun. You could potentially kill an enemy you weren't even aiming at and get yourself killed that way. I'd consider at least warning if not remove that feature entirely.
I have accidentally killed an interposer and lost a run that way once. ONCE. I didn't ask for the game to be dumbed down in response. I smartened up instead. I also note that the spread of the gun is very much an intentional element of the game - that's why there are cards to control it! - so learning how to deal with it is part of the learning process. [insert comment about proper IRL firearm safety here]
Compromise then, have the kill shields warn you. It really stinks that this is a mechanic and the game at least does not warn you despite being fully aware it's something that happens. Frustrating especially with Blunderbuss. Plus remember the cards are random you get so it's not always within your control.
You can't always pick the cards, sure, but you always control where you fire... Besides, you're asking for something more complex than you seem to realize (though you're far from alone here in that regard :P). The shields are there to stop you from using your turn moving into or staying in a deadly spot. Checking to see if the spot you're in is safe but one you could make deadly is (besides clearly being a misplay on the part of the player) not so simple to program, especially now that there's a card that can fire a pellet outside even your selected firing arc. That's a lot of math slowing things down just to try dealing with a player skill issue; as it is, the shields aren't perfect, sometimes blocking 100% safe shots and NOT blocking 0% safe ones in rare cases, and that'd be tough to figure out without even going down the "discovered mate" route. So maybe avoid taking the card with "blunder" right there in the name until you can keep from doing so, and maybe always take Black Mist when you have the chance (which WILL save you from "discovered mate")? Good luck to any mod makers that try to "remedy" discovered mates - sure, it probably CAN be done, but it'll be a LOT of work... work better spent, in my opinion, learning the game and not getting themselves killed.
Wouldn't the programming of the shield protecting you from an opened checkmate just be similar to the programming of the opened checkmate itself? I think it's something that is being overestimated in its difficulty to create. Helps people get into the game too with more intuitiveness on an inaccurate weapon. Could always just play without shields if you're not interested in it so I am honestly confused why you are trying to make it a big problem.
i would like this feature as well, at least as a toggle, like with increasing/decreasing the shields you have, i've lost at least 5 runs to this and most of them were from being sniped by a rook at the other side of the board, although some were really obvious, like me killing an enemy that had a queen right behind it, i'm not a very strategic person who also sucks at chess, i just move without thinking most of the time tbh, although i'm used to getting skill issued with the amount of roguelikes i play, having this feature at least as a toggle would be nice, i'd understand and be fine if it wasn't added though, i'll just suffer until i learn to not
I think it would be good to have a warning thing for pins, but I don't think its good to remove that as a potential death. makes the gameplay loop more strategic and less just "shoot forward and get rid of the pawns" you actually have to pay attention to the end half of the board for a bit.
Really great game, scratches that rouge-like itch! I think for other people complaining about the difficulty, the key to avoiding simple and quick defeats is to avoid having a rook in the same vertical line as you. Most of my defeats have been from rooks I forget about being behind the area I'm shooting and then dying the next turn by them as I kill the piece in front of them.
I think adding some boards reflecting the different ways to play chess would be nice to add eventually, though currently I'd really like some kind of easy reset button and a way to get back to the menu while in a run. I rather not have to watch the animation of me loosing over and over, and would like to just be able to press "R" and reset the entire run or be able to get straight back to the menu to quit when I've had enough for the day.
What are the conditions for the secret ending?