ADOFAI Custom Effects Test
ADOFAI Custom Effects Test: Wait, I Can Make Games Too?
OMG okay so I just discovered this whole ADOFAI thing and there's this level called "Custom Effects Test" and... it's not really a "level" in the normal sense? Like, it's more like a playground where you can see what the game CAN do. And it's FREE on GoSprunki which is awesome because I'm broke lol.
First thing I noticed: the visuals look like they're from one of those old Flash games I played as a kid. (#495) All geometric and bright and... retro? But in a cool way. It's got this aesthetic that reminds me of early internet art, which is actually really charming once you get used to it.
So here's the thing – I've never made a video game before. Never even thought about it. But playing this "test" level made me realize... the tools to MAKE levels are actually built into ADOFAI! Like, you can place tiles (those are the beat points) and edit them and add effects and... wait, does this mean I could technically make my own game?
Okay so the editing tools – from what I can tell in this test level – let you do stuff like change colors, add spinning effects, make things pulse with the music... it's actually kind of intuitive? Like, more than I expected. I always assumed game design was super complicated coding stuff, but this feels more like... digital Legos for rhythm games.
Random observation: I kept messing up the timing at first because my audio was off. Turns out my cheap headphones have like a tiny delay that throws everything off. (#003) Once I adjusted it in the settings (there's a calibration tool!), suddenly I could actually hit the beats. Game changer.
This is gonna sound weird but... the first time I "finished" this test level, it felt like a false victory. (#023) Like, yeah I got to the end, but I missed half the beats and the whole point is to experiment with the effects, not just complete it. So I went back and actually started PLAYING with it instead of trying to "win." Much more fun!
If you're completely new to ADOFAI like I was, this Custom Effects Test is actually a great starting point. It's low pressure because it's not really about difficulty – it's about showing you what's possible. And it might just inspire you to try making something yourself!
Seriously, how cool is it that you can play a game for free and then maybe... make your own version of it? That's wild to me. The internet is amazing sometimes.
P.S. If anyone has made their own ADOFAI levels, tell me in the comments! I wanna see what's possible once you really learn the tools.
