Hello buddies! Today I‘ll reveal some details about the game‘s sidekick droid Buddy and how he‘s implemented in both single player and Co-Op mode. Buddy has three basic abilities: Scanning, Telekinesis and Hacking.
Scanning is a quality-of-life tool that avoids random wall-bombing to find secret areas and gives clues about how to interact with unknown objects and facilities.
Telekinesis is used to move physical objects and modify platforming obstacles or use the environment against your enemies. OUTBUDDIES uses a hybrid physics engine to allow realistic object movements while maintaining the pixel precision of a custom engine for all player movements.
Hacking is an ability to modify enemy behavior or functionality to your advantage, a bit like the famous glitch ray in Axiom Verge. Upgrade your hacking level by collecting so called Corridium Protocols. Use your scanner to determine an enemies security level and the possible hacking effect. Those effects range from health and missile drops, to creating platforms, movable objects or friendly fire.
The idea of local Co-Op emerged around the Buddy droid leaving his gimmick status behind and becoming a fully fleshed character with various interesting abilities. Local co-op games were a big part of my childhood, and I hope the experience will be valued by our players, providing a possibility of team-speedrunning as a fresh take on the scene. Due to the asymmetry of both characters and the shared screen, a lot of real-life communication will be needed to become an efficient team. Of course, it would be super cool to have online multiplayer too, but that, unfortunately, is out of my current scope as a solo indie developer.
Compared to the single player experience, the Co-Op mode needed to provide a more constant activity flow for the Buddy player. On Co-Op, more random enemies are hackable and every boss exposes a Buddy-specific weak point. Co-Op mode also exclusively allows Buddy to create walkable blocks and modify the game's level design or create protective structures around the main character. Buddy's slingshot-like hacking seeds will also inflict damage on non-hackable enemies, enabling Buddy to actively engage in combat situations. Those Co-Op specific mechanics will fundamentally change the game's balance and feel, allowing for Co-Op speedruns as a very unique take on the metroidvania scene.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1083310