Hey everyone!
Welcome back to another dev blog for Wave Defense: Trappist! This week has been packed with exciting work on the game’s endgame content, specifically the final boss fight that players will encounter after navigating the path of worlds we talked about last week. I’ve also been tackling some UI adjustments to improve the base-building experience based on feedback, and I’m thrilled to announce a demo coming in December!
The Final Boss Fight: The Ultimate Challenge
When players reach the end of the procedural map and overcome all the challenges along the way, they’ll be met with one last, ultimate test—the final boss fight. This encounter is designed to feel very different from the other worlds and battles players have experienced. Here’s what makes it unique:
- No Base-Building: Unlike the other worlds, where players build and defend a base, the boss fight throws players straight into a head-on battle. You’ll be up against a new boss alien that’s significantly stronger and more challenging than any enemies you’ve encountered before.
- Waves of Previous Enemies: To raise the stakes even further, waves of previously defeated aliens will also join the fray. This final battle will test not only your Mech Build but also your Mech Piloting skills under intense pressure.
- Permanent Defeat: One key difference here is that you don’t have a Mission Control building in this battle, which means if your mech is destroyed, it’s game over for that run. There’s no reassembly—only a definitive challenge to see how far your build and skills can take you.
Designing this boss and creating new abilities and attacks that feel fresh and impactful has been a really fun process. I can’t wait to see how players react to this final showdown and what strategies they bring to the fight!
UI and Base-Building Mechanics Improvements
In addition to the final boss, I’ve also been working on refining the UI and mechanics for base-building. Recently, several playtesters shared feedback that the base-building interface could feel a bit overwhelming, with too much information shown at once. Another issue was the accidental one-click building upgrades—players sometimes upgraded buildings without meaning to, which could disrupt their strategy and resource management.
To address this feedback, I’ve made two key changes:
- Condensed Building Info: Now, when you hover over a building, you’ll see a more streamlined summary. For the full details, you just need to right-click on the building. This change keeps the UI cleaner and more intuitive, while still providing in-depth information when you need it.
- Upgrade Confirmation: Instead of a single button press, upgrading a building now requires you to hold down the button for a few moments. This should prevent accidental upgrades and give players a bit more control over their decisions.
These changes were designed to make the base-building experience feel more accessible and intuitive, and I’m eager to hear what players think about the updates.
Demo in December!
Now for some big news: with my friends at Caketown, who are publishing the game, we’ve decided to release a demo in December! My focus over the next few weeks will be to polish and stabilize the game to ensure a smooth, satisfying experience for everyone who will try it.
The demo will of course be available here on Steam, so if you’re interested in joining, make sure to wishlist the game and join the Discord to stay up to date with all the details. This is a great opportunity to try the game firsthand, share your feedback, and be part of shaping Wave Defense: Trappist.
However, if you can’t wait for the demo?! Check out this post on how to become an early MECH, joining the beta tester channel on Discord.
Looking Forward
The upcoming weeks will be focused on refining the demo and improving stability. I’m incredibly excited to see new players jump into the game and share their experiences, and I look forward to making any improvements based on your feedback.
Thank you for following along with the journey, and I hope to see many of you in the playtesting session! As always, feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, or questions in the comments or on Discord.