We are currently in the process of redesigning all of the levels for the main branch of the game, AKA “Chapter 0”. There will be a major update coming soon with all of the mentioned items below. Every scene in the game will be updated with new art assets, and modified environments. There has also been a lot of new coding implementations that improve various aspects of the game.
One of the major script enhancements is the improved “hookshot” ability. The hookshot no longer requires the player to equip the multi-tool to their controller. Now your controllers are the source of the “hookshot” and is accessible at any time with just a trigger press. The hookshot also requires the player to hold trigger when using it. The old mechanic simply brought you from point A to B and disabled falling physics while this was happening. With the new mechanic, physics is always enabled and you have more control while “pulling towards the target”
The bow and arrow retrieval method is also modified. The bow is attached to the in-game character and can be pulled off. Simply reach behind your head and press the grip button to access your bow. While holding the bow, use your other controller to reach behind your head and grab and arrow.
With an easier, and quicker method of accessing equipable items, we felt the current User Interface (UI) was clunky and impractical (The UI is accessed by pressing the menu button and the item selection screen pops up). This however did require us to remove the collectible keys from the garden of time scene. Although, the dojos are still presented in a linear format, ie you can’t access dojo 2 without beating dojo 1.
All of the Dojo scenes were completely re-designed. The old scenes felt static and ended abruptly so we spent a lot of time considering how the player will transition in and out of the dojo, and we decided a magic teleporter device would make the most sense. This new transition sequence makes the scene feel much more connected to the rest of the world, and presents a much more clear beginning and end. Each dojo is focused around teaching the player a specific mechanic. Dojo 1 is climbing and flinging oriented, Dojo 2 is teaching the hookshot mechanic and Dojo 3 is the player's first attempt at Archery.
Climbing is also one of the core things that was enhanced during this development cycle. The player can now grab onto moving objects and move with them! Although it seems basic this actually allowed for a lot of new level design options. Also we have been working on a script that allows the player to essentially grab and fling from from anywhere. There isn't a jump button and the only way you could fling is if you were grabbing onto a climbable object. Well what if you're in an open area with nothing to grab? While it is still in the works (and a bit buggy,) if the player presses grip with both controllers, a magic handle will appear and the player will be effectively grabbing onto a climbing object. This allows the player to fling from any given position. The currents bugs are a bit strange and quite dangerous as they can break player locomotion, which makes the game unplayable. Also, we want to limit the use of it because it is possible for the player to fling infinitely which makes any obstacle way to easy. This ability ideally, can only be used if the player is on the ground, and possibly upgraded to allow for an additional “double jump” like mechanic
The locomotion system is another component that has been changed. We have removed teleportation from the locomotion options and put “touchpad to walk” and “move in place” locomotions in simultaneously. Here’s how the controls breakdown:
Walk - touch left circle pad
Jog - press left circle pad
Run - press right circle pad + swing arms up and down
Sprint - press left circle pad + press right circle pad + swing arms up and down
These are the major scripting/mechanics that will be in the next major update. Also expect to see the beta branch, AKA chapter 1 merging with chapter 0. We are trying to craft chapter 0 as the introductory chapter that establishes the narrative, mechanics and aesthetic. By the time the player gets to chapter 1, all of the essentials are taught and the game starts to expand its scope. Please note that chapter 1 is still in development, but it will no longer be in the beta branch.
The beta branch will be replaced shortly after this update with a multiplayer beta. Our current networking capabilities are limited but we are designing new content like Co-op dojos and multiplayer tower defense. Stay tuned for more announcements for the next major content update.