It’s still blazing hot outside... We really need some rain!
Unfortunately, this dev log doesn’t come with a video. :(
Some of the goals from the last update have been delayed, but we’ve managed to make progress on other areas instead. Let’s get into it.
Completed Work
4 New Head Arts
Delightful Morning · Nuclear War · The Darkness Within · When the Curtain FallsModular Wall System
Placing walls piece by piece was causing optimization issues, so we introduced a new modular wall feature. No matter the placement direction, walls now connect seamlessly and are processed as one continuous structure.
New Shadow & Lighting System
The old Unity 2D Light system didn’t quite fit the top-down shooter perspective, so we built a brand-new shadow system specifically for objects.
Shadows now dynamically adapt to the player’s position, making environments feel more three-dimensional without obstructing gameplay.
After months of trials, we split light into four categories:
Light around the player
Light that blocks vision beyond walls
Light that defines objects
Diffused light that scatters through doors, windows, and open spaces
These work together to make darkness meaningful, while shadows organically shift along with the light system. This was one of the longest tasks, right alongside the Overseer AI.
Importance of Darkness
Shadows are now fully implemented, interacting with the light system to create tension and depth in every encounter.
New Special Enemy – Foamer
A new type of enemy has been added: The Foamer, which sprays bubbles to obstruct and threaten players.
Work in Progress
Chapter 1, Act 1 Map
Still under heavy development.
Overseer AI
This has been the most time-consuming task of the past two months.
The Overseer tracks player progress in real time and dynamically adjusts difficulty within the chosen difficulty range.
It takes into account player health, pacing, number of enemies, and more to fine-tune pressure on the squad.
Importantly, the Overseer never lowers difficulty below what the player selected. If you choose “Hard,” it won’t reduce it to “Easy.”
The core system is complete, and we’re now preparing pressure and flexibility tests.
Lobby
Foundations are in progress.
Enemy Placement System
Our enemy spawning system for Spearhead: Breakthrough is inspired by several different games.
There are three main types of “Walkers”:
Wanderers – roam the map aimlessly
Aggressives – detect and chase players quickly
Horde Walkers – appear in groups during assaults
This system will continue to evolve over the coming months. It factors in player position, visibility, health, ammo, combat state, and game progress to spawn enemies dynamically. Every run will feel different, with encounters adapting organically.
Next Goals
Stress system for the Overseer
Refined player movement speeds
Player code cleanup
Rework on debris when enemies are destroyed
Implement object destruction
Rework fragments, bullet holes, and smoke effects
Additional lobby features
We originally aimed for a closed test by the end of the year, but with the extra workload, it’ll likely be pushed back. We’ll keep moving as quickly as we can—thanks for sticking with us to the end!
As always, questions are welcome.
No! This is NOT fine! It's burning hot!