Hey everyone!
Welcome back to another dev blog for Wave Defense: Trappist! This week, I want to talk about a feature I’m really excited about—how you can make your mech feel truly personal. Customization is a big part of the game, and I’ve spent a lot of time working on ways to ensure that your mech reflects your playstyle and personality.
Customization Beyond Weapons
In Wave Defense: Trappist, your mech is your main tool for surviving the waves of alien enemies and gathering precious Crystals. While players will have the ability to equip and modify various weapon systems—a topic I’ll dive into in a future blog—there’s another layer of customization that I think will really resonate with players: the ability to paint and customize the appearance of your mech.
With an infinite number of spray cans, endless color options, and a wide variety of brushes, players can spend as much or as little time as they want designing their mech’s look. Want to slap on a quick color change before heading into battle? Easy. Prefer to spend hours perfecting a detailed, multi-colored design? Go for it! You’ll be able to save your paint jobs, meaning that you can return to your favorite designs again and again—or try something new each time.
I believe that this is going to be a feature many players will appreciate. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if some players end up spending more time painting their mechs than venturing out into new worlds to gather Crystals!
The Challenge of Developing Fine-Grained Customization
From a development perspective, this has been one of the more difficult features to implement. The core idea sounds simple—let players paint their mechs—but offering the kind of fine-grained control I wanted for this feature was much more complex than I initially thought.
I spent a lot of time researching different ways this could be implemented, from real-time texture mapping to creating a system that allows for true brush-like precision. I wanted players to feel like they could really take ownership of their mech’s design, whether they were going for a sleek, monochromatic look or an intricate, layered design.
Early iterations didn’t give the player the control I was aiming for. The painting tools were too simplistic, and it didn’t feel like the kind of customization experience I wanted for Wave Defense: Trappist. After testing several different approaches, I landed on a system that finally gives players the level of control they need to really make their mechs their own. There’s still room to iterate and improve, and I’m excited to see how players respond to this feature once they get their hands on it.
Designing a Fun and Accessible UI
Another big challenge with this feature has been creating a UI that’s both accessible and fun to use. I want the painting process to feel intuitive, so players aren’t struggling with the controls, but also deep enough that players who want to invest more time into customizing their mechs have the tools they need.
I’ve gone through several iterations of the UI, testing different layouts and control schemes to find something that works for a wide range of players. Whether you’re using a mouse and keyboard or a gamepad, the painting system should feel natural and responsive. That said, the UI is something I’m sure I’ll continue to tweak as more feedback rolls in. Your input will be invaluable in helping me fine-tune this feature, so I’m looking forward to seeing how you all engage with it.
Why Personalization Matters
Giving players the ability to customize their mechs is about more than just aesthetics—it’s about letting them express themselves in the game. I want players to feel connected to their mechs, and one of the best ways to do that is by giving them the tools to make their mech look exactly how they want it to. It’s your mech, your way, and I’m really excited to see the creative designs that players come up with.
Let me know in the comments or over on Discord—I can’t wait to see the creativity this community brings to the game.
Thanks for reading, and see you next Week!