Overhauling the Tutorial in Space and Lazers

When I first play-tested Space and Lazers, I didn’t include a tutorial. I assumed the game would be intuitive—players could explore the ship, experiment with systems, and figure things out. During playtests, I provided verbal guidance, which didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. In hindsight, this skewed my ability to assess how well players could learn the game on their own. Without me there, many players reported having no idea what was going on, so I decided to implement a tutorial.

My first attempt drew inspiration from games like Braid, Cuphead, and Binding of Isaac. Those games teach through environmental hints, letting players learn as they go without lengthy text or interruptions. While effective for those games, my version didn’t work as well. I overloaded players with text on the walls, introduced threats too early, and didn’t give players time to learn the controls. Many struggled just to leave the level or return to the main menu.

After launching the open alpha, I noticed players clicking on the game but leaving after only a few seconds. I suspect the tutorial is causing this bounce, so I decided to completely overhaul it.

The new tutorial is set in the Alliance of Planets’ cadet training program, resembling the X-Men’s Danger Room. Players can now select a missile type, which launches a missile at the ship and provides instructions for dealing with it. For example, pressing the hack button spawns a hacking missile, displays text explaining how to reset the CPU, and shows an image of the station the player needs to use. This setup allows players to focus on specific hazards without replaying the entire tutorial. If you just want to practice dealing with fires, you can do that. While the tutorial still involves live ammunition, the siloed approach makes it far less overwhelming.

I’m happy with the new system but have a few ideas for future improvements:

• Firing Ranges: Adding targets for the dagger fighter jet and cadets aboard the ship to practice shooting. I think firing ranges add immersion and make tutorials feel dynamic.
• Hidden Rooms: Inspired by Deus Ex, I’d love to include secret areas. In Deus Ex, finding a hidden room rewarded you with a message congratulating you and hinting that someone would be keeping an eye on your progress. I’d like to include a similar hidden feature where the Alliance Admiral personally acknowledges your discovery.

For now, I hope the new tutorial makes the game more accessible. I’m eager to hear your feedback—let me know what you think!