Hello and welcome to another devlog!
It's been a month since the first World 2 preview, and two since the last devlog. During that time, I managed to finalize World 2's gameplay, finished the initial work required for the Challenge Mode, and made some quality of life improvements. Along with that, I begun planning for World 3.
This time, I don't have any shiny new screenshots, but instead I have a ton of news to share!
In the last devlog, I revealed game modes as a temporary substitute for the initially missing level editor, however since then I made some big changes. Let's start with that.
Game Mode changes
After some consideration, I decided to remove Sandbox from the game as I realized there's no real need for it, and Experience earned in Challenge mode can be utilized in more creative ways than unlocking cheats in a separate game mode.
With this in mind, and the fact that the game's levels are mostly linear with little room for shortcuts, I decided to prioritize Challenge as a game mode focusing on precision, rather than being a speedrunning one.
Challenge Mode changes
Originally I planned Challenge to reward Experience based on time and amount of attempts, but I soon realized that this model doesn't fit nicely with the linear design of the levels. Let me present the alternative solution that I implemented.
For start, the amount of health you have is the same as in the default game mode, which is three. The reason for that will be explained further.
Each level now has a set maximum amount of Experience you can earn, and the final reward is calculated based on the remaining health and collectible bonuses. The idea now is, the more precise you are, the more Experience you will earn. Combined with the fact that levels in Challenge Mode will have their harder counterparts, makes up for an overall challenging gameplay, which is, well, the goal of the game mode.
That would be it for Challenge mode, but how about the new way to utilize Experience, you may ask? Well...
Vaults
In the first ever devlog, I teased the possibility of unlockable level sections: which is precisely what I want to achieve with Vaults.
Vaults are little locked challenges scattered across levels. To get access to them, you need to earn Experience in Challenge Mode. Each vault contains it's own reward that you unlock after completing a small challenge.
I don't want to spoil a lot, so that's all I'm going to share about them. Expect to see them in action in the upcoming trailer!
World 2
World 2 is now pretty much complete when it comes to gameplay. The reception by playtesters was positive. The new mechanics were extensively praised, but there were major balancing issues that spoiled some levels. Luckily, using the feedback I received I was able to properly tweak them.
Progress Report
Moving on, let me provide input on the current progress of the game.
Generally speaking, I'm currently pushing for a Beta, which is set to be released somewhere in the next month. It means that I plan to finish all of the features by the end of May, with some additional time for World 3 in early June. The private betatesting will begin around the same time I'll be sharing a gameplay trailer, which will hopefully contain an accurate release date.
To achieve that, I decided to split big features into separate mini-projects and work on them in parallel, with little dependence on other grand features to be completed. This way, I have a better picture of progress as well as making it easier to plan the development.
World 3
One of these projects is obviously World 3, which is in a prototyping stage. I'm playing around with different mechanics to see what works best, but overall the goal with this world as well as the rest, is to find an interesting way to utilize polygonal level design. Previous worlds introduce their own spins on that plus new obstacles and elements.
While I have a general idea for the types of obstacles I want to introduce in World 3, I'm currently in progress of creating a new and interesting use of polygons that can contrast with the previous worlds. The final result will be visible in the gameplay trailer.
UI/UX overhaul
I'm unhappy with some of the UI in the game, so I'm working towards improving this. While most sections do not need massive changes, I believe there are some that could use some work, such as level selection screen and a pause menu.
Soundtrack rework
One of the complaints of playtesters is the repetitive nature of the soundtracks, and under utilization of the dynamic soundtrack system. My plan is, apart from reworking some of the tracks, is to overhaul a dynamic soundtrack system to account for more parameters.
Graphics touchups
Initially, I wanted to do full on overhauls to the worlds. However, due to lack of time and resources, I decided to put this off for a future content update. Instead, I want to use the engine's lighting system, as well as enriching existing levels with more detail matching to their setting, and making sure they not only feel, but also look unique. Along with that, I'm going to polish some of the obstacle's visuals.
Achievements
Luckily, with the already existing systems in place it shouldn't be a huge undertaking to implement, with most work being the art assets for icons and translations.
Steam page refresh
The footage and the description on the Steam page are severely outdated, and I'm working towards fixing that. This one will probably have to wait after the gameplay trailer.
Closing words
The devlog is getting quite massive already, so I think it's time to wrap up. Thank you for following the progress for the game!
See you next time,
Daniel.