Its been a while since I’ve posted a development diary log, and well… I sort of need to seeing as its part of the process. A lot of things have been implemented since the last post (albeit shakily).
Amongst these things are: pixel art sprite models, a journal to track down journal entries about the world, particle effects (rain) and backgrounds. Most of the feedback given was to make things clearer, to cut down on the level’s content until I can develop it post-hand in. For now, I deem it important to bank on the use of rope arrows to further emphasise how crucial they are to the game.
I can’t help but be disatisfied with the lack of content here, compared to my Bachelor’s final project where I had multiple levels for the player to go through, I only have one here, which is rather weak to showcase compared to previous masters. (Who knew attempting to design a metroidvania was difficult?)
For now, the ideal concept is to get a level that gives the player sufficient challenges to get through, alongside platforming and rope challenges, to put things into context. My thesis was on environmental storytelling and worldbuilding, which banks alot on graphical storytelling – a thing I am unique inept at. Additionally, I originally wished to make a metroidvania or stealth-like game, but I feel like I might have spent too much time idling, or overdesigning things.
Here is how the game has evolved so far:
Now, the only thing left is the main door, which when interacted with will end the game and bring the player to an end of level screen, likely with a “still under construction” placement, I’ll have to see. I fear I’ve dreamed too big.
Simplest code in the world, just taking from a bunch of arrays and displays them depending on the entryNumber.
The key feature implemented here was the journal itself. It functions off a very crude function that merely increments an integer, depending on the integer, it allows the display of certain entries, but I think I would have to find a more adaptable variant, as if someone misses even a single ‘exposition point’, then their journal remains incomplete, yes, but also out of synch: which is a problem I’ll have to find a solution to later (as in after submission).
What else… mostly practical, quality of life, improvements. The game has a hut which shows the health bar, arrows, available arrows and available journal entries. I’ll see if I can get some feedback about the whole thing, and perhaps change the healthbar to something like hearts instead.