Fixed a (quite despicable) mistake which rendered the very last level... unsolvable. Thnaks to spikemaster1 and nana for making me aware of that and sorry to whoever may have been unable to finish the game because of this.
Fixed a (quite despicable) mistake which rendered the very last level... unsolvable.
Thnaks to spikemaster1 and nana for making me aware of that and sorry to whoever may have been unable to finish the game because of this.
v1.2.230624 - Fixed an unintended solution in "The Igloo Heart" level
v1.2.230624
- Fixed an unintended solution in "The Igloo Heart" level
Hello, builders! It's been a while since last update, but here I am with some news... and some demands. New feature: fast travel! The main new feature introduced with this update is the possiblity to fast travel from the map to a bunch of dedicated locations scattered around the
Hello, builders!
It's been a while since last update, but here I am with some news... and some demands.
The main new feature introduced with this update is the possiblity to fast travel from the map to a bunch of dedicated locations scattered around the main world, in the form of wooden canoes.
It isn't much, but I figured this feature could be useful to avoid skating all the way back to reach an old, unsolved level, or to reach the newly opened bridges towards the extra islands.
Hope you can find this a handy tool!
The visualization of the key rebinding menu have also been fixed to avoid text overlapping and to remove Italian key names that popped up by default... let me know if it works better now!
And last, the game demo have received a long due update to match the full game's current state.
With the humongous amount of wonderful games available on Steam, I am already really grateful someone trusted this little game of mine enough to spend some money on it.
However, if you bought and played the game, it would be wonderful if you could spare a minute to leave a review in the comments section... positive or negative, it doesn't matter! Right now, the game is quite buried in the algorithm depths, so some more positive reviews would help other people find out about it... on the other side, some criticism would help ME understand where I could do a better job in the future!
Thanks in advance to those who will answer this call!
Last but not least, to "celebrate" the update, the game will be on a discount for a week from now!
Happy 2024 to you all, builders (and players in general)! 2023 has been special for me, because it was the year How To Build Your Igloo, my very first game, has been released, exactly one month ago! I've already had some people buying and playing the game, others probably have th
Happy 2024 to you all, builders (and players in general)!
2023 has been special for me, because it was the year How To Build Your Igloo, my very first game, has been released, exactly one month ago!
I've already had some people buying and playing the game, others probably have the game there, waiting for other games to be played and finished... and let's hope 2024 will bring new players!
After a bit of rest, I've got at least a couple of updates I want to bring to the game... you'll see them in the next months.
Until then, stay tuned and have a nice play, whatever you're playing right now!
Two days left Hello builders! Just a friendly reminder that the launch 20% discount for How To Build Your Igloo only lasts until tomorrow, 8th December, so... if you'd like to have a go at the game AND save some money, take your chance now! Review, review, review! By the way, tha
Hello builders!
Just a friendly reminder that the launch 20% discount for How To Build Your Igloo only lasts until tomorrow, 8th December, so... if you'd like to have a go at the game AND save some money, take your chance now!
By the way, thanks to those players who have already bought the game on its first week of existence, I hope you are having fun and that your trust has not been misplaced!
I have a specific request for you guys: if you are enjoying How To Build Your Igloo, please spend a couple of minutes to write a comment or a review! This would mean the world to me, first because I'd really like to know what you think of the game and, second, because this would help convincing other players to try it out!
But you know what? Also leave a comment if you are NOT enjoying the game... this would certainly less helpful for visibility, but it would help me understand were I went wrong, to fix what's fixable or to do better next time!
In the mean time... happy puzzle solving, builders!
Version 1.02.071223: - fixed an unintended solution in "The igloo heart" level. - fixed a mistake in "The ordeal" level.
Version 1.02.071223:
- fixed an unintended solution in "The igloo heart" level.
- fixed a mistake in "The ordeal" level.
A small step for the gaming industry, but a HUGE step for me! (semi-quote) I'm happy to announce that How To Build Your Igloo is out today! Time to start solving puzzles and building igloos! And let's not forget the most important thing: if you enjoy the game, please take some ti
A small step for the gaming industry, but a HUGE step for me! (semi-quote)
I'm happy to announce that How To Build Your Igloo is out today!
Time to start solving puzzles and building igloos!
And let's not forget the most important thing:
if you enjoy the game, please take some time to let me and other puzzle lovers know what you think by leaving a review or a comment in the community section!
By the way, the game will have a 20% discount for a week after the release, so get it know and save some money too!
Almost there! Winter is coming! Or December is coming, at least, and this means that in five days you'll be able to start Building Your Igloo! It feels about right that this little adventure, which begun with me learning how to use Unity as a hobby during the pandemic, is getting
Winter is coming! Or December is coming, at least, and this means that in five days you'll be able to start Building Your Igloo!
It feels about right that this little adventure, which begun with me learning how to use Unity as a hobby during the pandemic, is getting to the finish line with me being (once again) positive to good ol' Covid 19... luckily with mild inconveniences!
With the last uploaded build, I consider the game to be ready for the imminent release... and the main confirm is that the game now has a proper end, with credits and all, instead of the brutal "YOU WIN" message I put as a placeholder.
The other major update is the key rebinding menu: it is now possible to remap inputs from the keyboard to match your preferences! This is valid for keyboard only, not for controllers.
Last, you may notice a different background music when opening the game. It's not much, but I think it creates a bit of a break, a separation, between the menu and the actual gameplay.
That's it, for today! Have a nice week and... see you on Friday, builders!
Hello, builders! Only two weeks before you can start building your igloos, but there's still some work to do. Let me share the latest progresses with you. Achievements! That's right, How To Build Your Igloo now features 15 achievements ! Not many, just the right amount to help yo
Hello, builders!
Only two weeks before you can start building your igloos, but there's still some work to do.
Let me share the latest progresses with you.
That's right, How To Build Your Igloo now features 15 achievements! Not many, just the right amount to help you keep track of (and reward) your progresses as you skate through the Puzzle Pole.
So far I've only tested the full functionality of some of them, so if you happen to encounter any trouble with any of the achievements, please let me know!
I added to the graphic options the possibility of switching between full screen and a windowed mode. This may be useful for some players or could help with slower PCs. The new option has been tested and it looks like it works properly, but again, please report any issue you may encounter.
Last, I dared to put my hands back on the control scripts (fighting against the "it works fine, let it be") and I managed to successfully switch to Unity's new input system. No difference for you builders, but it should make it easier for me to try and add key rebinding options to the game. This is probably the last feature I'll work on these days, but in all honesty I can't say for sure it will be there at release day: it depends on how easy it will be to implement (considering my little experience too) and on how many troubles it will cause to my poor code!
Stay tuned for more final updates!
Rava
Hello builders! The beginning of November brings good news and GREAT news! Let's hear them! TL:DR Level design completed: the game will feature 250 levels! No, you won't need to solve ALL of them... but I still hope you'll ENJOY doing it! Last development step: achievements ! Off
Hello builders!
The beginning of November brings good news and GREAT news!
Let's hear them!
That's right! While kids (and grown-ups) were outside playing "Trick or Treat", I've been inside creating the last of the 250 levels that you'll find in How To Build Your Igloo... so, now, I can officially declare the level design process completed! And what a journey!
I'm quite satisfied with how all the levels came out... the hardest part, with so many levels, was to give each one its own personality, wether this personality was in the mechanics involved in the level, in what inspired the level in the first place (you'll find a lot of winks and tributes both in the names and shapes of many levels) or in both sides.
I feel there's no filler levels around the Puzzle Pole, in the end... but it'll be up to you builders to tell me if this is true or not!
If 250 sounds like TOO MANY levels, remember that the whole game is conceived so that the end can be reached solving just half of them! The overabundance of levels is meant to be both a treat for who will enjoy the game (the more you solve, the more you get to play!) and a help for beginners and casual players, who in most situations will be able to skip / work around a particularly hard level or to leave it for a while, moving to different levels / areas without just being stuck (which is something that, in my experience, can be enough to make you rage quit a game).
With level and world design behind my back, the game is almost ready for release!
There's still one main task I'm going to tackle this month: the achievements!
As a player, I don't like forced achievements that seem unrelated with the spirit of the game, but I feel there are some key achievements that a puzzle game just needs... the ones which give you certification of your success!
And now to the great news: I feel confident enough with the game development state to announce an official release date: How To Build Your Igloo will be out on Steam on December the 1st!
By the way, there will be a small discount on the full price for the first week, so... save the date!
Rava
After you tried THAT demo... I know... We've all been waiting for The Talos Principle 2 for SO long that it's now literally stealing the show! So, when you're done playing that demo, why don't you come and check what the Puzzle Pole has to offer? Hello, builders, and welcome to H
I know... We've all been waiting for The Talos Principle 2 for SO long that it's now literally stealing the show!
So, when you're done playing that demo, why don't you come and check what the Puzzle Pole has to offer?
Hello, builders, and welcome to How To Build Your Igloo!
Please play the available short demo and share your opinions / feedback! Keep in mind that it only shows the very first, introductory section of the game, which is super easy... but there's also a preview of medium-advanced levels right at the end!
Oh, and if you'll decide to get the full game, you'll be able to carry over your progresses from the demo... no need to replay those tutorial levels!
Talking about the game development, I've just designed the 230th level of the game, which means it's only 20 more levels to go!
Some final areas of the Puzzle Pole map are still in progress, but the day this adventure will be available for everyone to play is getting closer and closer.
I'm also learning how to insert achievements, so the final game should have some of those too before release!
Enjoy the Fest and, if you find anything interesting (like this game ), please spread the news!
Hello builders! Being a beginner also means learning how things work by making mistakes and correcting them. This specific update is no big deal, but it impacts whoever has already played the demo . Let's go into details. Demo saving method has changed When releasing HTBYI demo,
Hello builders!
Being a beginner also means learning how things work by making mistakes and correcting them.
This specific update is no big deal, but it impacts whoever has already played the demo.
Let's go into details.
When releasing HTBYI demo, I stated that progresses from the demo could be carried on to the full game.
During the last week I realised, through some tests, that this wasn't actually the case, because I hadn't fully comprehended how cloud saving and folder organising worked within Steam and Unity.
A very small modification to the overall settings of the game was enough to fix this issue and now the full game should be able to find and maintain the demo progresses. And this is good news.
Now to the (slightly) bad news: because of this change, if you played the demo before last weekend (so before the end of September), you may find out that you've lost your saved data for the demo and that you have to restart the game from the beginning.
The demo is short and easy, so I feel it wouldn't be a big deal, but still I feel the need to apologize for this inconvenient... of course, I'll try NOT to cause similar inconveniences once the full game is out! That wouldn't be good for reputation, I guess.
There may be, however, an easy way to recover your lost progresses from the depth of your PC.
If you already played through the demo and you don't want to start over, contact me at [email protected] and I'll give you instructions on how to recover the missing savefile.
That's it for the day! Rookie mistakes are called rookie mistakes for a reason... right?
See you in a week for the Steam Next Fest, builders!
Rava
September update! Hello, builders! After a summer spent between relax and level design, it's time for and update... and this time, it's a REALLY important one! Let's start with the most exciting news. Demo available That's right: How To Build Your Igloo has now a playable demo an
Hello, builders!
After a summer spent between relax and level design, it's time for and update... and this time, it's a REALLY important one! Let's start with the most exciting news.
That's right: How To Build Your Igloo has now a playable demo and I can't tell you how much this excites and scares me at the same time. For the first time, my game (a small part of it, at least) can be played, admired and criticised by player outside my close friends.
The demo is quite short and it includes the very first section of the game, plus a couple of levels taken from more advanced areas. The idea is to give players a quick peek of how the game looks and feels, but without spoiling much.
This will also be a chance to discover and face any unforeseen issue that may occur outside the comfort zone of my laptop.
So please, check the store page, download and play the demo and, if you want, tell me your first impression! If everything is set up right, progresses in the demo (as small as they may be) will be maintained in the full game (if you'll decide to give it a chance).
The main reason to release the demo is, of course, the upcoming Steam Next Fest, where HTBYI will also be participating. Those, above all, will be the days to play and share opinions on the game!
Meanwhile, the full game is growing fast! I'm 35 levels short of the 250 I would like to put into the game.
I'm pleased to say that, despite having designed such a large number of levels, I'm also satisfied with the quality and the originality of these last ones. I feel this is quite important because all of these levels fall into the last part of the game, which should (and will) be the hardest and most challenging.
That's it! See you in October for the Next Fest, builders!
July update! Hello, builders! This is a quick update about the game development state: the Puzzle Pole, the overworld from where the player is going to access all the levels, is now completed! Here's a glimpse of what it looks like: You can't see anything with all those clouds, y
Hello, builders!
This is a quick update about the game development state: the Puzzle Pole, the overworld from where the player is going to access all the levels, is now completed! Here's a glimpse of what it looks like:
You can't see anything with all those clouds, you say?
Well, of course... I don't want to spoil too much!
But I can tell you I'm quite satisfied about the overworld design and I can also tell you that the final game will consist of as many as 250 levels... which I think is enough too keep you scratching your head for a little while!
But don't worry: the overworld is also designed so that you're not forced to solve ALL levels... most of the times you'll be able to work around any particularly tough level and to proceed anyway towards the end.
Of course, I hope you'll enjoy the game enough to go back and try solving all of the levels! Remember: the more you solve, the more you get access to!
See you on the next update!
Andrea
What a journey! When I launched the first Unity learning course, I hadn't a precise idea of what I would have done with that. I just knew I wanted to try and create a game of my own. Now, one year and a half later, my very first game is on its way to be ready and published and I
When I launched the first Unity learning course, I hadn't a precise idea of what I would have done with that. I just knew I wanted to try and create a game of my own.
Now, one year and a half later, my very first game is on its way to be ready and published and I couldn't be more excited and proud!
The temptation of going HUGE with this game was strong, but I tried to keep things to a level I could manage on my own, as a complete beginner. That's why How To Build Your Igloo was born: it's a game based on a simple idea, with simple mechanics that I could easily bring to life.
Simple doesn't mean easy, of course! I did my best to build upon such a simple basis to make things interesting... but the final verdict will be the players one!
I would say the game is, right now, 75% done. All important codes and scripts are mostly there, together with three of the four sections of the map (for a total of 170 levels, so far). The rest of the time from now until the end of the year will be dedicated to the design of the final section of the game and to some refining and tuning here and there.
If everything goes as planned, the full game will be launched mid-autumn, in between October and November, and there will be a playable demo preview during the Steam Next Fest in the beginning of October.
Stay tuned and wishlist the game!
See you in the next update!
Rava