Another Update - I'm still working on this thing, I swear.
Hello, My Valued Community,
It’s me again. I'm delighted to introduce you to some more progress, which definitely didn't take too long to make. I’ve been staring at code so long, I think I can see the matrix. blinks twice (send help, this dev cycle has cost me my remaining brain cells).
Anyway, I actually did some stuff. So here’s the latest from the development dungeon.
You can actually read stuff now.
I spent about 15 hours revamping the text system. Again. But this time it was for a good cause: I've added a dyslexia-friendly font option. We want everyone to be able to enjoy the game's vague and mysterious lore, so now you can make the words behave. I also have remade the text animation and appeareing system to make it more lore friendly
I made more levels. Please clap.
Yeah, so, making levels is difficult. I've been designing some new areas to float through. They're not done, obviously, but they exist. In theory.
Final level: Combo of all before
Deserts: wind go nyoom
Bug Fixes. So. Many. Bug Fixes.
Yeah, no, there's just too many bugs to list here. I don't even care. My code is awful and I know it. It's a miracle this thing even runs. This is my first major project and I am learning a lot
Let's just say the dandelion seed is less likely to have a spontaneous existential crisis and phase through the floor now. Probably. The camera is also slightly less drunk. I spent literally 32 hours just clicking on green lines. Again. Screw hitboxes.
I'm going to list all that I have fixed since I need to feel the sense of accomplishment of doing anything:
The seed will no longer decide to become a submarine and clip through the ground.
The wind in the mountains is now less "chaotic gale" and more "reliably breezy."
The music won't just randomly decide to take a coffee break anymore.
Fixed the bug that made the dandelion seed look like a weird, stretched-out ghost.
The camera has been stabilized in tight spaces. No more motion sickness!
You can no longer crash the game by pausing it. I see you, testers!
Achievements should now trigger properly when you earn them.
The flickering textures in the meadow have been fixed.
Progress will now actually save. (This one was a high priority, for obvious reasons!)
You can no longer get permanently stuck inside rocks. You are a seed, not a geologist.
The game won't randomly forget your controller is plugged in anymore.
Loading screens will now, you know, lead to the game.
Sound effects are now properly synced with the action on screen.
The tutorial is no longer skippable by just flying into a wall for three seconds.
The game will no longer try to set your resolution to something from the stone age.
UI elements now respect each other's personal space.
Plugging in a controller after launching the game now works as it should.
I Reworked Things Because Yes
Apparently, some of the core systems weren't optimal at all and caused huge frame drops. I knew about this issue for actually about 5 months, but I just put back fixing it for a while because I was too lazy to do it.
Physics: The old physics were bad. The new physics are... newer. The seed should float more like a seed and less like a brick. Plus it actually works well against the wind now.
Controller Support: I wrestled with the input manager for days. It now should recognize your controller. No promises.
Controls Changing: The menu for this was a nightmare. I rebuilt it. It might even work.
Tutorial: The old tutorial was useless. The new one is slightly more useful. It might actually teach you how to play.
Lore: I wrote more story. Yeah, there's a story. Shocking, isn't it?
Also, some other stuff, I guess.
I also tinkered with the UI, added some sound effects that I found, and thought about new achievements.
Did I mention bug fixes?
As always, your continued dedication and feedback are invaluable, mainly because you guys find the bugs I have no idea even exist. Come hang out on the Discord and tell me what you think.
Stay tuned for more updates as I continue to breathe life into this extraordinary wind-kissed adventure that I've been working on for way too long.
- Cherry