This week we have been dusting off some of the older and common cave features and templates. This includes most varieties of falling rocks and rotating rock gates you typically encounter in these underground locations. The effort is part of making the levels rely less on a single critical path by offering multiple routes and multiple ways of dealing hazards, which will likely be our main focus for the next couple of weeks.
Although the effort was concentrated on a small number of level templates, the effects should be felt in most levels that feature caves.
Gameplay Changes
- Improvements to the small cave, large cave, and mine templates.
- Increasing the chance that any level template generates alternative paths.
- Improving resonator rock features.
- Improving the mechanics around small, collapsable passages.
- Improving and adding new varieties of rotating rock gates.
- Improving the way shallow water and mud can be used in caverns.
- Improving the way ‘flame vents’ can be used as a hazard in caves.
- Improving the way brittle rock is utilized in caves.
- Improving poison spitters.
- Certain caves can become unstable when you have been destroying/collapsing too many rocks.
- Adding a new type of ‘rock shrine’ that can help stabilize caves.
- Adding a new, rare type of hiding place for small items in caves.