Welcome back to another Windblown Dev Log!
July was a busy month! We implemented several changes and additions to the game, most notably a whole host of new and reworked gifts (passive upgrades used to make you overpower... We mean, give you a fighting chance). The team also looked at some UI elements, added a rebinding feature, and have turned their attention to game performance. Because nobody likes lag!
Let's take a look!
Gift System
A major part of Windblown is the staggering amount of builds you can create on your runs. A big chunk of this feature is our gift system, designed to allow players to create their own builds and come up with some truly outrageous synergies!
For example, you could go for a bleed build - focused on making your enemies die slowly... You could be more CC focused and freeze everything you touch, or decide everything needs to explode in total chaos with a blast build (these are just a few examples).
We also added something recently called Hexed Gifts. These upgrades give you powerful buffs, at the cost of something else. For example, deal more damage but take more damage (they're flashier than that, but we don't want to spoil anything...).
Our testers have had a blast trying these new gifts out, and has led to some interesting discussions about game balance and boss difficulty. Gifts can basically turn you into a God, so bosses should be bigger and better Gods, right?
Some Additional Work
It wasn't just about Gifts this month though!
- We reworked some UI elements to make choices clearer and better explained. This was especially true when picking upgrades, so we've began adding short video clips of what each pickup does.
- We added the option to rebind your keys, meaning you don't have to use what we think is best! This was something we had always planned to introduce, but our guinea pigs wanted it sooner.
- Finally, we've began work on addressing the performance of the game. Certain areas or situations could cause frame loss, and is something we know players want to see improved upon. One of these instances happens when you kill a boss and you're showered with loot, maybe we're being too generous?
Testing Continues
We're still on track for Early Access later this year, but still have a long way to go!
We recently expanded our pool of testers and invited some other developers to take a look and offer their feedback and expertise on the game.
We have a lot of cool stuff in the works, so you'll be seeing more of us soon!
Until next time!
You can Wishlist Windblown below, and stay up to date on our social media!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1911610/Windblown/