Hi everyone!
Let’s start with something small for this 2nd dev update.
Let’s start with befores and afters, they are always interesting to watch as time passes by and as we plan, build, improve and iterate through it.
The first one is on Moss Caves:
This one is a great example of the iterative process that goes into development.
In addition to the absolute visual difference, which for us is so mesmerizing to watch, there’s an interesting outcome of this iteration: make it harder!
On the before part, when we even had a pink rabbit and the scene was only blocks, we only had two enemies shooting at us while we were taking the elevator up.
Through internal testing, we eventually realized it was a bit too easy (considering the section of the game - a couple of hours in) and we decided to bump the difficulty a bit and add a third enemy so players can practice the skills they have been sharpening.
It also was reported that it was hard and frustrating to get out of the elevator at the top because, sometimes we would hit the platform above. So, we opened the “ceiling” and made the drop off easier.
We also added sections that can only be accessed later on by unlocking other abilities. Which is a must in a metroidvania and makes you think about level design in a much deeper way.
So yeah, even though it’s a small portion of the game, there’s a considerable amount of iteration that went through, and we thought it could be interesting to share with you.
Here’s another before and after worth sharing with you, a simpler one but with an important lesson: keep it simple!
In this section here, while testing, we noticed many people didn’t get the jump at the first try.
It was too hard to start with.
Eventually leading to some players feeling a bit moody at the start, which is not ideal when beginning a game.
So, we eventually shortened the gap and made the jump easier, to smooth the player experience.
But all in all, the visuals are what takes a big chunk of our time. Just take a minute to appreciate all the details that go in!
Let's be honest, that’s why we made this dev update, just to share the fantastic evolution with you guys. And perhaps share some game dev insights along the way. ;)
And to conclude this dev update on iteration - on befores and afters - the last content we wanna share with you brings one of the oldest lessons to the table: sketch it first! (even if it is a quick sketchy mess that you and the illustrator have to decipher)
Sketching is probably one of the most essential parts of game development in more areas.
Getting your ideas on paper helps you think and visualize them with more clarity. Plus you can share it with other people and get their opinion rather quickly.
Sometimes the end product comes out different from the sketch, but that’s good. That’s the iterative process of trial and error working its way.
Or sometimes it comes out exactly as you sketched it, like the one above. (If the illustrator is able to decipher it)
If you liked this update then consider adding Rabbit's Tale to your wishlist!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1763860/Rabbits_Tale/
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