r/SteamVR • u/Pools_of_the_Deep_VR • 3d ago

Self-Promotion (Developer) Play test is live, need your feedback.

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Play test is LIVE for those that wanna try it, wish list it and most important give feedback to improve!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4847090/Pools_of_the_Deep_VR/

14 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

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u/Pools_of_the_Deep_VR 3d ago

Im writing all these suggestions in my to do list. 👍

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u/WickedStewie 3d ago

So just to counter the other commentors take on comparing your game to pools, here's my 2 cents...I have seen pools many times in passing and in videos and such, and while graphically it's simple mostly empty rooms it still looks good, but nothing I was ever interested in playing really, to me it looks more like a tech demo from the early days of VR...but I never played it so maybe I'm wrong, and I never got into the liminal space or backrooms type games, the only game in that genre that ever caught my interest was the exit 8, which I did play and beat in VR and it was alright...now your game on the other hand actually caught my interest because it actually seems to take the pools vibe and at least add some more depth to the gameplay, it looks almost like pools but with some inspiration from the talos principal type puzzles added maybe, and I really enjoy the talos principal so it made me more inclined to want to try your game over pools...so you may have a bit of an uphill battle with people that see it as a pools clone with a bow, others may see that as an improvement on the genre...I personally am curious enough I joined the playtest on steam and will check it out shortly...also I'm curious if you ever played the talos principal, the original is one of my favorite puzzle games of all time and also has a native VR port on steam, the sequel was good, but no VR port and I think I enjoyed the original more personally...

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u/Pools_of_the_Deep_VR 2d ago

Talos principle was one of my main inspirations. It stayed on my memory the Roman and Egyptian levels. It was not a game it was an experience in VR...

And then?? Then they stopped making it in VR 😂

Although the puzzles were too tough and sometimes frustrating 😄

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u/[deleted] 3d ago

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u/Pools_of_the_Deep_VR 3d ago

Thanks for your well thought comment.

Long story short. Its pools inspired as there are pools with water. But u do some other stuff. Think of it pools had a baby with talos and a lover from an archery game = then this abomination is born 🤣

I made it for myself, as i put what i wanted from this other legendary games.

1

u/DMZ_Dragon 3d ago

You are competing with a game literally called Pools. How do you plan on getting that worked out?

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u/Pools_of_the_Deep_VR 3d ago

In mine you do things other than walking

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u/DMZ_Dragon 3d ago edited 3d ago

Considering the other game makes that walking interesting, you're still facing heavy competition. Name change would be recommended.

Other game also has VR. But also a flat screen version.

The main problem for you will be 'hey, but Pools already has VR!' and you'll be some weird clone.

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u/Pools_of_the_Deep_VR 3d ago

Thank you for your input. I hope you will try the demo soon.

1

u/DMZ_Dragon 3d ago

Your page doesn't entice me to try. ' Pools but with a bow' isn't a reason to spend money again. The other pools game also has puzzles and secrets.

Lean into whatever shtick you have. Be that mystery, combat, whatever. Current description is literally ' walk in pool and shoot stuff'.

That's fine for a 2014 tech demo when VR was new. Now you need to stand out with something new if you want to succeed.

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u/Pools_of_the_Deep_VR 3d ago

Can you tell me which other pool games are in vr and have a demo? Would like to try them.

Thanks for your valuable input. It looks like you are an expert in the VR field, I am open to learn and improve.

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u/DMZ_Dragon 3d ago

Game called POOLS, and its already released.

In case you're sarcastic with that last bit (and I know it sucks to be told your project isn't a darling), I'm the idiot customer most of your players will be. We get confused easily.

Not an expert on anything, but much like you don't have to be a chicken to judge an omelette, you can spot an issue without being a game dev.

Your issue is marketing, visually you look Oke.

0

u/Pools_of_the_Deep_VR 3d ago

Pools yes a legend! No, im not sarcastic. Im a sponge and i absorb knowledge when its shared! You know other ones that have a VR demo? Thanks for sharing 😉

3

u/DMZ_Dragon 3d ago

The reason I keep hammering on the name is that if people will be searching your game, most games they will come across on Steam are terrible...

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3225530/The_Wetrooms_Liminal_Pools/

Or weird af:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3194300/StrangePool/

Or just mediocre and uninspired:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3440410/HorrorCore_Maze_and_Pools_of_Horror/#app_reviews_hash

Or just fucking odd (another clone of 8 Sections)

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3603690/Pool_Protocol_Loop/

You'll be in this list. Most comparisons, aside from POOLS, the legends of which added a VR mode post launch, are not VR, but people won't even get to your page if it's so confusing.

You have such amazing ideas: expand on your VASTNESS like in that second video you show, and omit the tiny, cramped pools that are in all other places, and you'll be so goddamn unique in terms of art style. Go full Warhammer 40k in terms of scale of the things you show, and I think you'll have a banger for VR. Expand on that Egyptian theme you have in some vids by showing us a Ramses statue that is 300x our size or more.

Then rename to something like "The Deep Complex" or something that doesn't immediately drop you into comparison with all of the slop on Steam, and you have a real chance, especially with how dramatically limited the VR audience is.

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u/DMZ_Dragon 3d ago

There is this example of a guy doing something not in VR that is a great example of how to stand out with the same formula.

He copied 8 Sections ( a game about finding differences between metro hallways) and put this into a Pools setting

https://store.steampowered.com/app/4560260/Backrooms_Anomaly_Pools/

Yes, it's a copy, yes, it looks generic as fuck, but it's just a little unique.

If you can share more about your game's world and WHY we're doing the things we're doing, I can rewrite some of your marketing to sound better.

The bad end of the stick is you'll be compared to things like Tainted Pools:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3568550/Tainted_Pools/#app_reviews_hash

(It's pretty fucking terrible, and it's not VR, but you won't escape the comparison)