This is the document I use to write probable and possible future features and changes for the game. Not everything is in here but it's a decent list I refer back to a lot. Comments welcome in this thread.
Note that things I've completed are left in there and crossed out. This either means they're completed or attempted and abandoned for whatever reason. It's a super professional working process, i know.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tm7v5QyX1nJ2vRKQKcuGJeE7glEoxCIteZUcjSdtEps/edit?usp=sharing
Initial thoughts:
Google Docs is the new Trello/Jira? Nice.
Impressed at your working speed.
Consumables are good for monetization. You could go TF2 style and have hats for avatars, you could make each part (hair, eyes, face, shirt, etc) of the avatar customizable. I also really like the idea of unlockable balls, the cooler they are the more rare they are. If you end up doing a season pass you could have them unlock via that with a ball on fire (example) as the end goal.
New Mechanics Section:
Why do you say you don't like the balls consumable anymore? I think they would be interesting as powerups if done correctly. (You run the risk of making it way too easy and P2W)
Breakable props in the level sound very cool.
Wow bomb is cool too.
Special friend is an interesting concept. Where did you get that from? I've never seen anything like it.
Google docs is quick and easy for a single dev like me. Trello etc are better for bigger teams when you need to start managing more. But early on, never underestimate the power of a list!
Ball power-ups could work but I think I'd rather them wrapped into a power up system rather than being their own feature like in mini golf matchup. I didn't really like them in mini golf matchup... too P2W. Special friend is my own concept I've been wanting to try for a while. I just haven't had the right game to implement it in before.
Yep agreed on the ball powerups.
Definitely would like skins for the balls as unlockables.
What type....? :o haha. oops
I've decided to implement premium levels/worlds next. Details of the feature and work that needs to be completed is detailed in the newly renamed Features Roadmap document linked above.
Match Making
Players with premium content should only ever match with other premium content games.
Makes sense I think, but could reduce the pool size?
Players without premium content can match with premium content games so that premium users always have opponents.
So this also seems contradictory to the above statement. Plus, if a non-premium player can play premium maps, where is the incentive to purchase the map packs?
The idea is that people with premium content don't join matches without premium content, instead the game will create a new match with premium content and wait for an opponent, A player without premium content can find and join a match with premium content like the one create above, or if no matches are available they will create a match without premium content. Given that the majority of players will not have premium content, the vast majority of matches joined by someone without premium content will be matches without premium content. But a player with premium content will not join a match without premium content because if they did then they would hardly ever be able to play the content they bought, hence why we need to let non premium content players join their games so that someone who has bought content can play it without issue.
I'm starting to have second thoughts about premium levels. I'm starting to think it might be simpler and easier to make all levels free and random. And instead I can focus my attention on just building the levels, power ups, cosmetics and tournaments. Toughts?
Edit: Upon further though, the worlds for sale heavily factors into the theme of 'Worlds' in Mini Golf Worlds so I think it is necessary to play up worlds and selecting them in some way. They could be free or paid.