Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.31 is now available! This update redesigns Chrome Skyscrapers from the ground up.
Chrome Skyscrapers is a level that has existed since the prototype phase, so I'm quite surprised myself that this level has survived this long during the game's development. But the time has come to bring it up to a greater quality standard. I wanted to introduce some mechanics to make the level more interesting though I still wanted to keep the original futuristic city theme in order to make economical use of preexisting assets. Thus, I came up with the idea of using new types hardlight platforms tied directly to the concept of series and parallel circuits.
I wanted to embrace Droplet's dive into its educational aspects. In an effort to create some unique puzzle platforming mechanics, I aimed to organically incorporate scientific concepts without having the player feel like they are sitting in a lecture. I aimed to explain these ideas as nonverbally as possible through the use of instructive level design. I also had to bear in mind that the level needed to have a brisk enough pace for the time trial challenge so I balanced the puzzles to minimize wait time where I could.
This update also marks a new phase of the game's development. Now with all of the main level design reworks completed, going forward, I'll be turning my attention to the game's boss levels, hub worlds and bonus areas. I will be primarily focusing on fleshing out the story elements so that the game is not only fun to play but also tells a compelling narrative.
That's all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!
Patch Notes
Gameplay
- Redid layout of Chrome Skyscrapers.
- Moved a hidden artifact from Chrome Skyscrapers to Arctic Rig.
- More health given to drones, UFOs and shooter robots.
- Fixed bug where mouse input wouldn’t occasionally register when aiming in first person.
- UFO laser blasts don’t last as long.