Hey everyone! Today I’m bringing you a new devlog, so grab your favorite drink and snack, and let’s get right to it.
It’s been a pretty productive last three months for the game, focusing my energy on two main areas: 1) advancing the main story, and 2) polishing up some incomplete gameplay mechanics.
Main Story Progress
Regarding the game's story progress, the goal was to finish the detailed planning for Chapter 3, codenamed "Snowy Valley", including its maps, sidequests, and the main story events that take place here. 50% of the story events are fully done. The rest are drafted out—they’re just missing animations, some assets, and a bit of polish, but the main path is completely defined. This is one of the biggest chapters in the game, so it feels great to make progress and watch it all come together... I can't wait to see it fully playable.
What could that handsome golden-haired man be up to...?
Where did that toad come from...? And more importantly, why is it carrying a pipe...?
Gameplay Mechanics
Since day 1, I’ve wanted to include slippery ice terrain, the ability to pick up and throw pots/bombs, and the option to "dig" in certain spots to find items. After a lot of testing and trial and error (mostly error, haha), I can finally say that these 3 mechanics are working at 100% in the game. I plan to use them in very specific locations—not as constant gameplay loops, but rather to complement map exploration and give players a bit more variety. Even so, I am very satisfied with the result.
"What am I going to do with the bomb the mysterious old lady just sold me...?"
Bugs?
Finally, the explanation behind the title of this devlog: "I love bugs." The truth is, I actually don't like bugs at all—they're just a waste of time. However, in this case, something beautiful happened.
The first area you visit in the game, called "Amphibian Forest", was also the very first place where I tested all sorts of things. Over time, the main map of that zone got cluttered with elements relying on old code. In practice, this meant the game suffered HUGE framerate drops if the player did something as normal as opening the Skill Tree, or if I, as the developer, decided to add anything extra to the map (like a small NPC). As a result, if I had any new idea or something I wanted to add to that map, it would probably have to be left out.
After weeks of trying to optimize and find the source of the area's "overheating" (partly while trying to make everything compatible with the Steam Deck), I decided to tackle the problem at its root and rebuild that map from scratch. Since everything was already designed, all I had to do was copy the structure (of a giant map, haha) but divide it into smaller, more manageable sections so the PC wouldn't explode.
Long story short: it worked! Right now, I'm about 70% done updating that chapter (moving fast!), and the good news is that I've been able to add extra details that, in my opinion, really improve the gaming experience. For example, I've now been able to add water reflections for Zerra and the NPCs, a "wind" swaying effect to some trees and plants, and updated assets for certain walls and trees to make the walking paths feel much more open and spacious. Thanks a lot for helping make the game better, you beloved, unfixable bugs xD
Here is a before-and-after image of the area.
"Classic" Amphibian Forest vs. Amphibian Forest 2.0 (though the apples are missing from the trees, lol)
Misc.
I had been putting it off for months, but I finally updated some descriptions on the Steam page, adding that the main motivation for the adventure is, apparently, helping Zerra pay her electricity bill. Ok, I know. Please don't ask anymore, xD.
Bonus Track: A new sprite of Zerra crawling, just because :P
And that’s all for today. I plan to have a new devlog ready for you around the end of the year to share more updates. Thank you for your time and for joining me on this wonderful journey! =)
