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[Nordanvinden]

#Update 98 - Water visuals and fixing colliders

I did a lot of bug fixing yesterday that included:
- Visual issues with meshes
- Clipping of text
- Build errors

I also fixed some bigger things that has bugged me for a while:

Collider fix

So there as always been an issue when using one collider for each building block. The physics engine thinks from time to time that there is and edge between two blocks that are right next to each other and makes the player "trip". This also happens when wall jumping which leads to even bigger consequences. When I did my own play through this was extremely frustrating at times. So what I found was the Composite Collider 2D that is already implemented into Unity. You just add it to the parent game object of all the colliders and set the collider to use the composite collider. And voila, it creates one seamless collider. I thought that I would have to use the polygon collider 2D. Either by writing my own script or setting the points by hand.

Don't forget to set the composite collider to use polygons instead of edges, otherwise the player falls through sometimes ( ! ! )

Water visuals

It has also bothered me for quite a while that it was hard to see where the water was, and it did not really fit into the games visuals. I also wanted some foam around the objects that intersects with the water surface  

This is what I came up with and it is so much easier to see where the water is. It also fits the alien environment, which I like.


New water visuals.

Final

I also tried to get the DOF working in a good way. For some reason, objects floating in the air with no object behind them, also gets blurred. So I still havent added it, but I got a cool looking Tokyo Cyberpunk looking feel  



Sisu as a tokyo cyberpunk game.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 99 - Prototype of intro cinematic

So there was quite a few things that I did last thursday.
- An intro animation.
- Updated visuals for pusher to let player understand easier which way it will push you.
- Versioning of save file.

Intro animation

I have added a simple intro animation that plays when there is no precious save file. A simple but effective way to show it only the first time the game starts. It is supposed to look like a crash, but the short feedback I have gotten is that it looks more like a regular landing.


Intro animation.

Pusher visuals

I wanted to make it clearer which way the pushers are actually going to shove the player. It was a hard for the player to know which way they were going to get pushed, which ended up with some annoying side effects. I dont really want the player to have to fail once because they didnt realise that the pusher would push them in the wrong direction.


New pusher visuals.


Prototype that I did not go with.


I also tried to change the mesh. First prototype.

Versioning of save file

So I have added a version to the save file to be able to know if the save file is compatible with the current game version. At the moment I will remove the old save file and create a new one if the version is not the same. This might change depending on if I have to patch parts that are concerned with these things, but at the moment I think its fine.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 100 - Second planet

Yesterday I decided what I wanted to put into the second world. I changed from having an Ice-world with a gravity changing and heavy cube to an ice-magnet-world with flying and ground slamming cubes. I will probably remove the heavy one, since people did not really like it that much during play tests. The gravity one is still good but I feel as it could come in handy in the last world by affecting all the other cube abilities.

And mechanically I decided to keep the second planet as an ice world but also include the magnetic parts from world 3. I think it feels more interesting and can create some really nice moments.

I had time to create the two first levels that introduce the flying cube, ice and spitters that freeze you. 


Level 2_1.


Level 2_2.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 101 - Ground slam in wind

I have finished 3 more levels. They introduce the slam cube and how to use it in wind and water. I also introduced magnets and how they affect the flapping ability. The magnets actually strips the player of the remaining flaps if they get caught.

Here are some gifs of different things that I introduce to the player in the new levels:


Learning slam ability by utilizing the wind as a swing.


Magnet elevator.


Spitting ice obstacle.

New levels


Level 2_3.


Level 2_4.


Level 2_5.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 102 - Fish is back!

I have made some more levels that introduce fishes, ice-slides and negative magnets. Also floating ice which I might remove, but it looks and feels kind of nice.

I also made the fish kick the player to the left or right if they currently have a roof above them. Otherwise it kicks them upwards out of the water.


Ice slide.


Fish and floating ice.


Fish and floating ice.

New levels


Level 2_6.


Level 2_7.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 103 - More levels

I basically worked on new levels and tried to incorporate some ideas that I had into them.
- Using the negative magnet (that pushes the player away) in fun ways.
- Combining flying and running in a good fun way.


Flygin through magnets challange. Failing..


Splitter challange.

New levels


Level 2_8 - A night level.


Level 2_9.


Level 2_10.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 104 - More levels

I made two new levels that advances into using more slam cubes and flying cubes. On the level where you obtain multiple slamming cubes, the birds did not have time to react. When I tried to change this, they got a little bit too agressive


Overly aggressive bird.

New levels


Level 2_11 - A level introducing multiple slam cubes.


Level 2_12 - A level expanding on having two flying cubes.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 105 - Ice slide challanges

I have made two new levels that introduce ice slide challanges. Level 2_13 combines timing with flying. And 2_14 combines timing with slamming.


Sliding and flying.


Sliding and slamming.

New levels


Level 2_13 - A level introducing ice slides + flying.


Level 2_14 - A level introducing ice slides + slamming.

[Jovu]

Game looks great mate, I like the ideas you have.

The first thing that came to mind when I saw your introductory post was Thomas Was Alone. I think this game could benefit greatly from a narrator, that is if it fits your vision for the game of course. Not that finding an ideal narrator is an easy thing mind you.

Keep at it, I'm very curious where this goes.

[Nordanvinden]

Game looks great mate, I like the ideas you have.

The first thing that came to mind when I saw your introductory post was Thomas Was Alone. I think this game could benefit greatly from a narrator, that is if it fits your vision for the game of course. Not that finding an ideal narrator is an easy thing mind you.

Keep at it, I'm very curious where this goes.

I really like the idea of having a narrator. I haven't thought about it though, and it feels a bit too late into the game to add something like that since I am trying to wrap it up. And like you say, its not the easiest thing to find the ideal narrator or write good dialog.

Thanks a lot for the kind words and the great idea. I'm going to ponder a little on it to see if I can maybe add it in some form.. 
I really appreciate it

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 106 - Ice on nights levels

Yesterday I finished level 2_15 which is a night level, and level 2_16.

2_15 combines the darkness of a night level with under water mazes that are patrolled by fish. And 2_16 expands on flying through magnetic fields with the right flow.

Also, I have some issues with ice and night levels.. I dont think you can call it a feature really
Anyway, I am prioritizing finishing the 20 levels, and then I will look into these bugs that are not game breaking.


Flickering ice during night.

New levels


Level 2_15 - A night level .


Level 2_16 - A level introducing ice slides + slamming.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 107 - Spitting in the wind

Level 2_17 and 2_18 are finished.
2_17 is all about spitters spitting ice orbs into the wind and wall jumping from ice. The ice orbs gets affected by the wind and creates some nice scenarios.

2_18 is all about wall jumping and flying with a lot of speed.


Spitters spitting ice orbs into the wind. Soothing.. (should have been an endless loop..)


Spitters spitting ice orbs into the wind.

New levels


Level 2_17.


Level 2_18.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 108 - Windy ice slides

I have finished level 2_19 and 2_20. PUH! Finally done and ready for play testing world 2. These levels include stuff like ice slides with wind that pushes you and tricky dark mazes where you also have to run and fly over obstacles.


Run and fly in darkness.


Windy ice slides.


Reflection in the ice on night level.

New levels


Level 2_19.


Level 2_20.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 109 -

So this last friday I started looking into feedback that I have gotten from the last play throughs. One of the bigger feedbacks have been that people have had a hard time grasping friction under water. So what end up happening is that when they try to jump up on a cliff under water, they push against the wall and the friction stops them. This makes them think they cannot make the jump. So after trying some different versions where I changed the friction under water (removing it) I went for a simpler level design approach. I used angled cliffs instead, so the player does not push against the wall.


Angled cliffs instead of blocky ones.

I also added all the levels for the ice world to the second planet. So now it is all testabel. I still need to make a mesh for the second planet and create the boss.


Level layout for second planet.

The camera does now react to when the player is under water and shifts its angle so it is easier to see what is going on.


Level layout on second planet.

The jump-presses are now kept in memory for ca 200 ms. This means that if the player presses jump right before they land on the ground, the character will still jump. Before you could press it right before you land and get no jump, annoying.

I also did some other minor bugfixes.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 110 - Ice world Boss

So yesterday I pretty much worked on the boss for the ice world. It is a big fish that you need to feed with smaller fish to make it move. In this gif, the boss starts moving when the small fish is close enough to the bosses mouth. In the final version the boss will probably shoot out a tounge or something like that.


Tricking fish into the bosses mouth.


Boss level layout. The boss is the big red (wobbly) square.

Visuals ice world

I also did a quick test for how the visuals should look for the ice world. Instinctively I want the world to be white and blue, but the white is kind of straining on the eye. So I might choose some other colors.


Quick test for visuals in second world.


Older visual test where shadows are added.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 111 - Ice world level generation

Yesterday I mostly worked on generating the ice world levels and bugs/fixes that was needed to make it work. I'm about half way through I think. I still need to add smaller hills, both in the background and the foreground. But also some minor props like icicles maybe.

Here are some images from the ongoing work:


How it looks now.


Generating level.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 112 - Generating ice world

So I have kept on working on generating the ice world levels, and I am starting to feel pretty satisfied. There are still some minor things, but I am glad with how the hills are generated and how they avoid sticking out through geometry and stuff like that.

So the ice world background is basically composed out of these components:
- Big hills in the far background. (Red circle)
- Medium hills. (Blue circle)
- Mediummedium hills. (Black circle)
- Small hills. (Green circle)


Layout of hills.

And the foreground is basically composed out of these components:
- Ice. (Red)
- Hills that create depth. (Blue)
- Snow particles. (Black)


Layout of foreground.

I am also adding something to the caves (like the mushrooms in the forest world), but Im not sure exactly what that will be yet. Otherwise I feel satisfied that this is the right amount of things to make the world not feel crowded or empty. Still haven't looked into the colors either.

Progress

Here are some images that shows the current progress:

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 113 - Generating ice world

I have just kept on generating the ice world. 19 out of 21 levels, so done soon

Something I have had to deal with in the ice world that was not present in the forest world was the ice. The ice does not necessarily have anything behind it or in front of it, so it is a bit more to take into concidereation when generating the level. I solved this by introducing a new builing block that operates like the path building block, but is invisible. It still has a trigger collider which has caused some issues when raytraing, but I think it is solved now. Here is an image that shows how I have placed these new building blocks and how they have helped generate the back and foreground.


The yellow diamonds represent the new invisible building blocks that helps the generation algorithm figure things out.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 114 - Depth perception and colors

The ice world level generation is done for this time and I have tried out some different colors. Now I need to make some play tests to learn more about the maps and if there are any places that are confusing,too hard etc.

Here are the different color palettes that I tried out. I currently like the white and blue the most, even though its a little boring in the sense of beeing very conventional and what you would expect from an ice world. But its a nice contrast from the first dark forest levels. I would have liked to have another color than white, but then the depth perception becomes worse, which is a huge deal.

What do you guys think about the colors? Or do you have any other suggestions?


White to green.


Red to blue.


White to red.


White to blue.

Level depth perception

I also improved the feeling of depth in the ice world. It was really hard to see where the player could interact with the world because of the fact that the color change/gradient was happening too slow. This is a before and after:


Old.


New.


Old.


New.

[Nordanvinden]

#Update 115 - Tongue

So a very small update today since all of yesterday (and probably a big part of today) went to "administrative stuff" that does not create any progress for the actual game.

Anyway, I had time to fix some stuff based on feedback. One of those things was the second boss. When the fish just disappeared, no one understood that the big fish ate the small one. So I came up with the simplest solution possible, I added a tongue

Hopefully it is more clear what is actually happening now. The play test on friday will hopefully let me know.