Debug & Deploy: How player data is sharpening Scratch’s moves
Software, much like a cat, is constantly adapting to its environment. Every jump, fall, and collision in our closed demo leaves a trail of data behind. In this month’s newsletter, we’re following that trail with our programmers to uncover the "silent" improvements being made to the game based on the patterns our playtesters left behind.
We’re heading behind the scenes with programmer Jesper Andersson to see what really happens under the hood at FlatPonies. It turns out, making a cat jump to the beat involves a lot more than just pressing "play."
The Secret Life of a Programmer
Behind the vibrant colors of Scratch The Cat lies a world of automated tests, code maintenance, and analytics. Jesper sums it up as a job of many hats:
"If I'm working on gameplay features there's usually a lot of back and forth with designers; seeing what’s fun, what’s not fun, if everything is looking like the design-sheet, if there’s any oversights with the design-sheet... the list goes on!"
Jesper stress-testing a new feature after being told: 'Just play naturally... but also play for the camera... but also forget the camera exists.'
The Legend of the "Humble Bouncepad"
You might think programmers only love complex systems, but for Jesper, true beauty is found in simplicity.
"A feature I'm really proud of is the humble bouncepad... It’s a small script, only 50 lines of code, but it’s fun, it’s versatile, it’s used by our designers frequently and it rarely comes up in a bug report [...] I love you, bouncepad. You would never betray me."
Making Sure "Dead Bugs Stay Dead"
To keep the game running smoothly, we have a dedicated PC in the office that runs roughly 900 automated tests every single evening. "We add to it whenever we encounter a 'spicy' bug that is annoying to fix, making sure that dead bugs stay dead," Jesper explains. This allows the team to make big changes without accidentally breaking Scratch’s ability to jump or slide.
But not every bug is easy to squash! Jesper shared his "favorite" nightmare involving the Rat Brute:
"There was a bug where if you jumped right as you were knocked back by a Rat Brute, your gravity would toggle off. You would just fly up and away forever. I eventually had to rip out the entire knockback system and rewrite it!"
However, not every glitch is a grind. Some bugs are just pure, unintended comedy:
“Honorable mention goes to the early demo bug where players would touch a moving platform and promptly teleport to 'god knows where.' We had a good laugh at that one.”
Meet the Rat Brute. His hobbies include flexing, looking tough, charging at full speed,
and losing fights to Scratch.
Words of Wisdom
We asked Jesper what advice he has for aspiring devs looking to break into the industry:
"Be a good communicator," he says. "That's what really sets a great coworker apart. Good communication should extend into being a good programmer - writing clear, concise code that will make it easier for you and your team to maintain the game."
Jesper putting Scratch’s new flow to the test for artist Tyra Malmqvist (center) and level designer Alice Persson (right). Instructions from communications: 'Look at the screen, but also look like you’re having the time of your lives, but also forget I’m here.'
Wanna send funny bugs to Jesper?
We are still running our Closed Demo! So there’s still time to hunt down some bugs, and see the bouncepad in action (or find a new way to fly into space)! A huge shoutout to our Discord members who have been helping with internal balancing. We’re using your feedback - and Jesper’s analytics - to polish every jump. There are still a few spots left in the "lab," so if you want to help us make the final game even tighter, jump into our Discord and fill out the survey!
Community Spotlight: The Real Cats of Discord
While we’re busy fine-tuning our digital feline, Scratch, our Discord community has been sharing their own 'co-developers.' Whether they’re acting as office assistants by blocking the screen or taking a well-deserved supervisor’s break outside, here are our Cats of the Month!
Oreo (to the left), Momma (center), and Zelda (to the right). Our Cats of the Month - purr-fecting the art of blocking monitors, looking sassy, and napping anywhere except their actual cat beds.
Want your feline friend featured in the next issue? Head over to the #funsies channel in our Discord and show us who’s helping you play the demo!
Thanks for listening - and remember:
✨ Stay groovy. Stay scratchy. ✨
With excitement and puuurfect hair,
FlatPonies
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