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[mokesmoe]

For enemies with multiple collision boxes, try making the enemy out of multiple objects.

Although for a weak point you could use "if (y>other.y-5 & y<other.y-10)" kinda stuff in the collision event, although it might not work with some animations. You could also just stick an invisible object that overlaps part of the enemy.

[Gabriel Verdon]

Yeah I know, I use a lot of parent/child objects for stuff, but the difficulty comes when you have to coordinate those objects with the animation. If a character is walking around then I have to enter in the exact coordinates of the knee object for each frame.

It can definitely be done, but I'm gonna work on other enemies first and see if it's really necessary.

[mokesmoe]

Make an animated sprite just like the enemy's sprite but just draw the weak point. Make sure the enemy object changes both objects animations at the same time and the hitbox will always line up.

[rek]

Ents. Massive, lumbering, Ents. Maybe they approach from the background and you have to defend the town from them – push them back with flaming arrows?

[thatshelby]

Maybe some kind of enemy that hangs over ledges, that you can fire that rope-arrow from, and climb on it? Perhaps you'd have to stun it first.

[Destral]

Exploding gas balloon-like monsters (that you can hit with a regular arrow to pop them, or ice arrow to freeze them to use as platforms, or a fire arrow to cause them to explode, destroying terrain/barriers). Maybe they are giant aerial puffer fish that shoot spines at you as they slowly chase you (and you have to kite them into place while avoiding their spines in order to access secret areas using one of the three methods above). Bonus points for mode-7 like deflating-balloon-flying all over the place death animations when you pop them with a regular arrow.

[Claw]

I was just thinking about the jelly cube idea, could have some really cool puzzle uses

brace for shitty mouse drawing:



arrow goes in, goes slowly through jelly monster which then moves about, then the arrow exits at normal speed - more like a time vortex or something than jelly, but who the fuck doesn't love jelly?

[Bones]

I approve of this idea.

[Squid Party]

Love that concept art at the beginning of the devlog its really cool!
reminds me somewhat of skyrym

[Franklins Ghost]

arrow goes in, goes slowly through jelly monster which then moves about, then the arrow exits at normal speed - more like a time vortex or something than jelly, but who the fuck doesn't love jelly?

Great idea.

[BlueSweatshirt]

Yeah I know, I use a lot of parent/child objects for stuff, but the difficulty comes when you have to coordinate those objects with the animation. If a character is walking around then I have to enter in the exact coordinates of the knee object for each frame.

It can definitely be done, but I'm gonna work on other enemies first and see if it's really necessary.

Hmm, I think that's a bit more extensive than necessary.
I think a rough collision box would work in most cases.
And for situations where more precision is needed, I think mokesmoe has you covered there.

[EDIT]
Also, at all these puzzle mechanics suggestions: does this game focus on battle or puzzle solving? I'm seeing all these puzzle suggestions but I seriously thought this was a more action-centric game.

[Claw]

This game makes me think of zelda, and that was action/combat with lots of puzzles.

[BlueSweatshirt]

Yeah, I assumed as much.

The problem is that Zelda doesn't exactly meld the two well.
Pacing pretty much shatters every time there's a switch between the two.

So I guess beware the design pitfalls of Zelda-style puzzle/action melding.

[Claw]

Yeah, I assumed as much.

The problem is that Zelda doesn't exactly meld the two well.
Pacing pretty much shatters every time there's a switch between the two.

So I guess beware the design pitfalls of Zelda-style puzzle/action melding.

Really? These blended elements of gameplay coupled with the story in Zelda made some of my favourite games, in fact Ocarina of Time is probably my favourite ever; I think the integration of puzzles in that game was great. It would have been pretty boring if all you did was slash a sword all the time.

[Gabriel Verdon]

Make an animated sprite just like the enemy's sprite but just draw the weak point. Make sure the enemy object changes both objects animations at the same time and the hitbox will always line up.

Oh wow... totally didn't even think of that. Thanks mokesmoe!


Re: puzzles. Originally I wanted to include a lot of puzzles, but I prototyped quite a few over the last few months and it turns out they are not really fun or interesting. Arrows usually just end up as a proxy for the player's hand if you know what I mean. I would much rather create interesting combat encounters. And yes - this game is modelled after Zelda - but not the 3D ones with their boring puzzles. more like Zelda 1 where the focus was on survival and deep swordplay. What I have is short puzzlettes to obscure secrets, but nothing extensive to take away focus from the fighting and platforming.


Edit: reading over my post it sounds like I'm being sarcastic about the hitbox thong, but I'm not - I honestly didn't think of that and I'm actually thankful you recommended it.