Aaaaaaaaaaand welcome back
This one won't be NEARLY as bad as the last one since I spent about 4 of these months as dead as Doorguy in the thumbnail, which was pretty cool if you're into being dead. For those of you not in-the-know (which I assume if anyone is reading this, is most of you), I try and do big sweeping "progress updates" where I cover all the important development progress that happened over the last 6 months. A lot of it you guys may already know about considering a bunch of it is already in game, BUUUUT for those who are just kinda casually following along and for some reason like seeing me explain everything...well...
This one's for you.
ANYHOO
Let's get started with HONESTLY a pretty big one.
(But real fast, don't forget to join the)
DISCORD SERVER
Just like a real video game, GTTOD now works off of a save system. You can have multiple save files, delete them, and soon you MAY be able to edit them with Aldin's save editor which I need to talk to Aldin about because otherwise this sentence is pointless and I'm still writing the sentence so I should probably stop. This save system was a pain in the ass to implement since I had to pretty much rewrite all the old save code back into it and then add the functionality of continuing where you left off. This pretty much brought me to redoing the menu altogether as well, so that happened here too, if you were wondering.
I continued working on The Summit, getting some nice wind and snow effects going to sell the atmosphere.
I added a ragdoll death to replace the death cutscene if you're not grounded.
FINALLY readded the stats screen back to the Gear Shop
Gave Doorguy a neckbeard nest in Harbor Deep where he can store all his goodies
Added a stash system so you can save gear between runs
Added a "Teller" system for the same reason as the stash except for M O N E Y
Created a new level called "Cinder City" which became my favorite level in the entire game.
I figured out that the Rune of the Lost Path on Enraged is fucking IMPOSSIBLE and I challenge each and every one of you to go for it.
Revived the MGL from older versions of the game with a fresh coat of paint
I extended the prologue into "The Shatter" which is something I plan on doing more with in the future.
I'm pretty sure that's a Summit Shrine but I just wanted to show this screenshot because it shows the two sides of the development cycle on GTTOD lol
I added a really hacked together crafting system which basically consisted of different equipment items being able to be "combined" in order to make new, cooler equipment items. For instance, a flare and a grenade made a Thermite Grenade.
BOY I SURE DO HOPE NOTHING HAS HAPPENED TO THAT SYSTEM IN THE MEANTIME
WOULD BE TERRIBLE IF THAT GOT SCRAPPED AND COMPLETELY REWORKED SINCE THEN
CONSIDERING IT WAS LITERALLY ONLY IN ONE SINGLE UPDATE
HA HA
Glenn created the model for a fodder enemy that will be used in the final boss battle. I still haven't created the enemy. Sorry Glenn.
This is a comparison to the size of Amber Vale (the first Stage 1 level) and The Summit. The blue circles represent the three zones in Amber Vale.
Summit Big.
I implemented a "Frost" debuff which prevents the player from healing if they stay out in the elements for too long. They can reduce or remove this debuff by getting caught on fire or taking shelter.
I started testing out the difficulty on The Summit using a half-completed arena that ended up getting a pretty massive rework later on.
We celebrated GTTOD's 8th birthday with a funny little dev montage of some core moments (all found in the History Channel in the Discord server).
I reworked the first arena on The Summit to actually be good, and then finished up the second in the same vein as the first.
I finally revealed the Prowler, the main mechanical switch-up you'll be interacting with on The Summit!
Added controller support (finally).
Held an at-length discussion about my thoughts on the current game and where I would like to take it / improve upon it (pretty much everything here is getting done).
Began adding map mod support to the V2 mod tools which will be released on the final Early Access update date.
Made it so the menu tracks what level you're on in your save file and displays it as the background (this came packaged with a lot of other changes including a "Continue" and "New Run" buttons as well as faster mod and level loading.
The Auto Pistol got a remodel
I made a tier list of what I think the best and worst levels are, and with that information...
Began working on a new Act 1 Stage 1 level. I want to add a few more levels to the game before launch to really amp up the replay value, and I want to make sure they're the best levels they can possibly be taking the previous levels' strengths and weaknesses into account.
I readded Monkey Bars, Dash Points, and Balance Poles specifically for use on The Summit. I want The Summit to really mix up how you move and traverse the environment, and I want it to feel much more like a giant GTTOD-themed playground where you can explore and just go wild in.
I created a level called "Dead Man's Depot" which will be a safe starting level you enter after you go through the teleporter in Harbor Deep. It will be where you acquire your starting equipment, which will be randomized out of a few options. This, I hope, will keep the game fresh and interesting in repeated new runs - introducing a bit of RNG right off the bat rather than being a too stagnant.
I animated and readded the Sniper Rifle due to the people breaking down my door and forcing me to do it.
I remade every single icon in the game, it was terrible nbd
I remade the HUD and began working on some new changes to the weapon wheel and inventory systems
We baked this cat into a catsserole
I animated a new SMG, the KMG - a "Kinetic" SMG that currently just shreds shields with its alternative fire mode and desperately needs finished with some extra attention.
Sam doing God's work on the Weapon page of the wiki, which not only displays weapons and their models / icons, but also all their stats with each version / rank of weapon (including BABEs and BABE+)
I began implementing what will probably be the BIGGEST change in the final update, which is replacing the little random icons on the bottom of the weapon wheel with an actual honest to God inventory system. This system will be fast, easy, and simple - only two buttons. The whole idea is to use this system to clean up and manage other weaker areas of GTTOD, such as crafting / equipment combining. With this, there will now be resources you can gather in the levels to use as crafting materials that WON'T take up inventory slots. Furthermore, it allows me to add use items like medpacks and other buffs that can increase your firepower and combat efficiency. Overall, this system is meant to add an extra layer to exploring and looting worlds that isn't half baked and rushed into an update.
Teehee anyway
This one consists of like 36 or so videos, so I'm not turning those into GIFs. If you wanna see the craziest few days of GTTOD dev in like...the last year or so, go check out THE BIG REBALANCE in the Discord server. Basically, this last week and a half has been ALL about taking a peek into GTTOD's mechanics and content and making sure it is running at PEAK efficiency in fun-factor. Can a weapon be adjusted to sound better, hit harder, feel cooler to use? Do it. Can an enemy alter their patterns and attacks to be more unique and feel a bit different to other enemies? Sure. Do it. Do equipment need reworked to better engage in how players want to play? Do it. This gave birth to some COOL fucking things, two of which:
The first being the Shock Rail, a replacement for the Galva Vat that doesn't suck, and then...
The Valari is a GREAT new equipment. This equipment will lock onto nearby enemies and wack'em, then it will bounce to other nearby enemies before returning to your hand. It's EXTREMELY satisfying.
AND THAT'S IT
A bit of a smaller update this time around due to the four months I was dead. It's all good, though; my family owns a Lazarus pit. A little Batman reference for you there now that the Suicide Squad has him on my mind day in and day out. God damn it, Rocksteady, what the hell happened to you?
(A RANT ABOUT TERRIBLE WRITING HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS SECTION)
Anyway, thanks for reading! I hope seeing the progress from the last few months was interesting and informative or something idfk how to end these goodbye.
DISCORD SERVER
Join it. Please.