When I first released the demo for my game, I thought that simply putting it out there would bring in players and feedback. I quickly learned that’s not how it works. You have to actively work to get people to try your game, let alone give you feedback.

I began by posting it on Reddit, sharing it on social media, and sending it to friends who were willing to make time to play. I am genuinely grateful to everyone who took the time to try the demo and talk with me about their experience.

If you haven’t tried it yet, you can play the updated demo here: https://alanata.itch.io/iron-doctrine-survival

Gathering feedback: the three main sources

Feedback came from three main channels: Reddit posts in indie game and feedback communities, friends who could give me honest and direct impressions, and players from itch.io along with a few readers from Medium who were following my development journey.

The main points that kept appearing were that the controls and aiming felt too complex, the map looked too empty and sterile, and the game lacked guidance at the start.

Prioritizing without falling into scope creep

Feedback can be a double-edged sword. It’s easy to want to implement every suggestion, but that’s the fastest way to lose focus. I asked myself what were the smallest changes that could have the biggest impact on the quality and playability of the demo.

I decided to focus on simplifying the shooting controls, improving visual variety and atmosphere, and adding small guiding elements without turning the game into a hand-holding experience.

The changes that made it into the update

I’ve always wanted the game to feel darker and more tense, and the comments about visuals gave me the push to go for it. The color tones are now deeper, shadows stronger, and I added a cloud shadow system that moves across the ground. It breaks the flat look of the map and creates moments of tension when areas are temporarily obscured.

To make the story and missions clearer without overwhelming the player, I introduced short pop-up dialogues inspired by games like Frostpunk. They give context and atmosphere without breaking the flow. I also added micro-quests to give some direction early on while keeping exploration intact.

The biggest gameplay change was simplifying the shooting system. Before, aiming required too much precision and was frustrating for new players. Now, the tank fires wherever the mouse cursor is pointing. There’s still an accuracy mechanic: firing too quickly reduces precision, while waiting a moment lets your aim refocus. It’s easier to use but still rewards careful timing.

The impact of small, high-leverage changes

This wasn’t a complete overhaul. I didn’t add dozens of systems or rewrite the game. These focused updates made the game more inviting visually, easier to understand, and less frustrating in combat, all without slowing down the rest of development.

If you’d like to see the changes in action, the updated demo is here: https://alanata.itch.io/iron-doctrine-survival

Asking for more feedback

One of the biggest lessons from this process is that feedback is ongoing, not a one-time event. The demo is much stronger now, but there’s always room to improve, especially in pacing, balance, and how the story unfolds.

If you enjoy indie games, especially survival and strategy with a post-apocalyptic tone, I’d love for you to try the updated demo and share your thoughts. Every bit of feedback helps me make the game better.

Publishing a demo is just the first step toward making the best game possible. This update shows how a few well-chosen changes can make a big difference when guided by honest feedback. I’m looking forward to hearing what the next round of players think, and continuing to make the game darker, clearer, and more engaging.

Try the updated demo here: https://alanata.itch.io/iron-doctrine-survival