Welcome to February, over the last month many changes have been made as well as an additional new map has been added.
With this years major update, I added round based gameplay, as well as 4 additional free maps for you all to play. This month I will be introducing PIT 2. The map was originally planned for DEAD 2, but for those who read our last announcement, all of those features that were planned for that were instead added to this game to continue adding to it rather than making a sequel that could be avoided. The map was originally meant to show off the art direction while I worked out other core features. .
Below, you will see the new maps layout:
The map around the same size as INTRODUX, or HEDGE but more compact, and honestly a more personal favorite than those two. Currently, LAB is my favorite.
If you've read this far, give the post a like :)
Aside from the new map, I also have a few changes, fixes, and additions to the game that you will notice:
(Fun note, this list is basically what is added in it's order)
*Pit 2 has been added for DEAD+ players.
*The Layout of the Score, and Rounds GUI has been changed .
*I added a number for remaining enemies for quality of life after requested.
*Main menu changes
*Weapon Upgrade Station now displays the number before interactions. Weird bug ig.
*Layout of death screen has been changed.
*Show Buy Text option is properly working again but because there is no literal item text anymore I may change the name.
*The Quads starting rounds now play a little faster.
*Spawn Rates changed in all levels.
*Added new type of barrel that functions as a timer.
*Changed the builds uploaded on Steam BETAs for the 2020 Timeline.
*Added Super Computer option to the game. This makes all effects permanent.
*Introduxes first puzzle now has a better indicator as to what may happen.
*Added basic ambient occlusion.
*3 New level buttons on the main menu, which enabled vertical menu movement instead of just horizontal. 2 of those levels are coming soon.
*The price of the Machine Gun, Shotgun, and Rocket Launcher have been changed.
*Fixed random spawn noise issue.
*Spitter Enemy is now fully paused on pause, this enemy has caused so much trouble haha.
*Updated 3 Store page assets. May revert one of them.
*Fixed some enemies not doing damage sometimes.
*Fixed some problems block door buys not displaying when 3D is turned off.
*Changed the Iteration Sprite.
*Changed the Health bar to be sprite based.
*Added bomber introduction noise
*Various object overlapping issues have been fixed.
*Rounds properly end at the desired kill amount.
*Bullet location creation has been changed.
*Fixed stupid main menu bugs.
*Options menu controllers specific rather than universal now.
*Changing the overall volume of the game is now in the options menu with updates to come.
*Steam Cloud is added.
*After watching gameplay from a co-op user I also noticed how horrendous 3D looked to another player besides 1 so I have updated this. Doing this also had a positive effect on the viability of the UI.
*Introdux has a new fun surprise.
*You can now get rid of the absorber.
Beyond this update
The plan now is to spend February adding a series of quality of life features, and make some larger changes to all of the maps, even pit 2. This includes changing the way enemies will spawn, and adding better lighting to each map.
Everything I have planned for Marches update will make the game 10x better. While the 2024 overhaul update did introduce a lot of very good changes, it also showed me there are some things I really need to fix/change and I should spend the time to do it. The next announcement will outline the march update but know it will feel so much better to play.
With Marches update, also expect DEAD+ (The games expansion) to be reintroduced.
The effects of that update may go up earlier than the post*
Coming Sooner Than Later
There is a slew of quality of life stuff I would like to add into the game, some you may have seen on the last post but this has more description:
*Adding a splash screen would to remind players they can use a controller would be great, I have no idea how many people realize they can, it would probably be helpful.
*Adding a welcome logo past this would be great to add less of a sudden opening of the game. It does in fact add more immersion.
*Adding a Censorship/Graphic Content Warning Enable/Disable on the first initial start. This is important to people who simply never want to see it, or even have options for it. You either never want to see it, or you want options to toggle specific settings.
*More Options: Keybindings, Graphic Content Bool, and Auto reloading I would like to add as options, auto reloading would be cool, it may even change the gameplay but I would need to check it out.
*With keybindings would also add a new item, the grenade as well as other explosives. I just need to get around to adding that feature. The explosives are easy to make happen as well as already in the game.
*I am working on a better health indicator, but it is a bit of a challenge. The game is pixel art, I have
made two attempts now at a blood outline for when you get hurt but I can't get it right. It would also have a heavy heart beat with more hits. I have other ideas too, but it's still not an easy task. That, and it would take me a few hours to actually complete for a third time.
*Adding better visibility for enemies is also on my mind, I have tried a few things to do this from adding the original colors and looks back, to upgrading the overall look of the game but I am still not sure what else I can do. I even added a glow at one point in testing but it was ugly. Another option is make the colors more intense. with a sort of color only mode just as an option.
*This update I added ambient occlusion to make the non-3D gameplay look a lot better, and the 3D look slightly more clear. I need to upgrade it to be less buggy then the next step would be, as I mentioned earlier in this post, is adding lighting and what better way to do that than with a map or two demonstrating light.
*Something else I wanted to add into the game is being able to select who exactly you are, a "Who are you" character selection screen. I have different characters you already play in the game and you will randomly change to different people per level but if you were actually allowed to choose what you want to look like that might be nice. In a different version of this game I added at least 30 skins, but maybe like 100. This may be an exaggerations but they were all well thought out as well as fun to make.
*Adding a control setup screen is what a fan of mine "Flaming Potato" said may be a good idea, but this was in terms of a bug that was occurring as of a recent update where a keyboard would control all players. What I need to do is incorporate a controller timeout system. There currently is a "Control Disconnect" display as required by Steam but having the game timeout, save/leave, etc. might add a lot more to the game. This would obviously get rid of the initial start controller reminder and start levels sooner.
*Speaking of the split screen, rarely do I get sent footage of people playing or clips from YouTube but one person did do this showing me such gameplay. I may add a border to the split screen as it is may be potentially hard to see the game. I could also make this an option.
*There are 2 new enemies I have had on my mind including inspiration from the fire dogs/hellhounds from Call of Duty Zombies. My change to the spitter replicates a little bit of this ideology. The other idea referenced an enemy from Dark Souls, and then now I am thinking of something of bio-shock.
* I still have to get new store art into the game, but I have replaced a few panels and headers. Adding the trailer will be more annoying and tedious as the current one is simply me playing a way earlier build and it isn't the greatest despite having so many people look at it.
*More buy stations will be added. The goal of this game is to reward long term gameplay. It is definitely a fun challenge.
*The Quad is expect to get an update to have it so it has an acitivty going on. My current thought is blocking off the last area once entering a new, and then once you "turn on the power" a robot or something rams through these older area blockades. I was also thinking of going some more magical route.
*Speaking of magic, I was thinking about having zombies lighting into the map as a sort of spawn effect, that and many other types of radial spawning.
*Lab is expected to expand dramatically.
*Another thing I am exploring is having enemies come from outside the map rather than only within the map. It would change gameplay a bit, and have it more similar to cod zombies but I don't totally like their system either.
And then I have also been looking into
*Weapon Modding
*More power pickups.
Someoe mentioned to me that they don't actually know if I want feedback or not, and that they feel bad/socially akward about saying anything in the discussions/these posts. I welcome all feedback, especially if there is a bug. I need to fix those, and I like making sure glaring issues are resolved.
For transparency, this is my current todo list:
ToDo
Finish Pit2
Make sure all level information for the levels are accurate for Pit2
Add Ambient Noise to Pit2, and other maps
Camera System
Camera Borders
Zoom in, Slow the players down.
Lab Multiple Areas, Teleportation from the middle to other areas with timers to re-teleport.
Do a pass over each round based level
Healing downed friends (Flaming Potato) *Reviving and Helper Bots
Unlocking Horde Levels?
Confirm Controller Fix
player specific hurt sounds
Perks: Anti-Explosion Bubble,
Power Pickups: They need to have a more unique sound
Enemies need to have a unique death sprite.
Music should have different occurrences when different enemy types show up as a track layer.
Spitter should be bigger or more obvious, slower, and have a grease trail
move the spawner code over to the main controller to update faster and change the spawn rates to increase steadily.
Apparently we need more variety
We also need teaser gameplay for more stuff a round.
Maybe spawning barrels?
Valentines Day thing (steam play together)
new explosive imagry.
slime based enemy > puddle
reintroduce runner enemy.
map effeccts and art per map
Round based spaawning, coming from floor spawn areas that also have wall spawns, as well as other safer but tighter areas with only wall spawns. Wall spawns can be blocked off.
arcade shouldnt have multipliers?
Fix The layering of the ammo and such because now it's hard to look at other things.
ui is above the enemies making it slightly hard to see.