I keep updating the Shallow Pond demo while the full game is in development. Based on your feedback, the survey responses, and my own ongoing work on the game, I made a lot of changes to performance, enemies, visuals, camera, and general game feel.
Here’s a shorter summary of the bigger updates.
I added three graphics quality modes. The low mode now runs on Steam Deck at around 35–50 FPS. I capped it at 50 FPS, and most of the time it stays around 40–50 FPS, which I’m already very happy with.
The goal is to keep the game smooth while preserving the look and atmosphere as much as possible.
Defeated enemies now turn into plantlings. Water them twice, and they grow into full plants. Sometimes they even reward Ripples with a shell.
This fits the world much better, because all enemies in Shallow Pond originate from plants. They are corrupted, but more in a weird and playful way than an evil one. I also updated their designs: Korq (melee) now has leaves growing out of his body, and Croq (ranged) has a mushroom-like mohawk.
Enemies are smarter now too. They no longer all run straight into Ripples. Up to three enemies can attack at once, while others stay nearby and wait for an opening. They also avoid each other more successfully.
Ranged enemies are now part of the demo as a second enemy type. They throw mushrooms from a distance and try to evade Ripples when he gets too close.
The water spray can now stun enemies as well. It doesn’t damage them anymore, but it gives you another fun option to slow them down and create a bit more space.
Water Spirits are now chained to the ground by magical ropes, and only Ripples can free them.
Before, Ripples absorbed them into the helmet, which worked mechanically, but felt a little too rude for the tone of the game. Now, when you free a Water Spirit, it shows its gratitude, gives Ripples energy, and vanishes back into its own realm.
Ripples is a Water Spirit too, after all.
Ripples is now visible behind larger foliage, so you don’t lose sight of him as often. Tree trunks are still solid, which I like, but bushes and larger plants no longer hide him completely.
I also improved the underwater camera. It no longer tilts too far up or down, which makes swimming and exiting the water feel much smoother.
Ripples can no longer fully “die” in the demo.
When you run out of hearts, you continue from the level start and lose 10 shells, but you keep your other progress. Before, you had to restart the entire demo, which felt too harsh.
Shallow Pond is meant to be about exploration, movement, and playful discovery, so this feels much more fitting.
Ripples also got a visual suit update. The suit now has stitches and more detail, and the visor is bigger, with the wavy fog inside being more visible.
I also improved the unlockable reward skin in the demo.
Since I’m currently working on all biomes of the full game, the starting biome represented by the demo also needed an update.
I improved the foliage, trees, bushes, and distant environment quite a lot. In my opinion, the demo area feels much nicer now and gives a better impression of where the overall look of Shallow Pond is going.
The tutorial gate now opens when Ripples comes closer.
Ripples has new idle animations.
Several smaller camera, balancing, and visual polish changes were added.
When switching graphics settings during very high-intensity gameplay on Steam Deck, the game can crash. In general, it’s better to change graphics settings in the main menu up front, since more graphics options will be set there compared to the demo level.
The 200 survey responses for the Shallow Pond demo helped me a lot. Your feedback was super constructive and influenced many of these updates.
Please let me know what you think, have fun playing the demo, fill out the survey, and leave a review on Steam if available.
I’m working solo on Shallow Pond and started this whole thing around three years ago and I’m still enjoying it a lot.