New Beta Released and Progress

There are a lot of additions to this update including:

Difficulty selecticing with 3 difficulites:  Easy, Normal, Hard

In Easy Mode, you will have the ability to use CheckPoints within the Levels.  If you pass a CheckPoint during the level and die, then you will be respawned at the CheckPoint as Opposed to the beginning of the level.  You will also retain Items you have collected during each level.  Weapons collected will be retained as well in the event you die, you will respawn with the weapon you collected and you will no have to recollect any pertinent items.  Not to mention, you have unlimited attempts.

Normal mode has the same retainment system for collected items, although you will spawn at the begining of the map as opposed to a checkpoint in the event you die.  You will also be given unlimited attempts in Normal Mode.

Hard Mode:

This is a huge addition as it plays just like an old NES game would.  You only have three lives, then you get a game over.  None of the items collected will be retained during the level.  In the event you die, you will be sent back to the beginning of the map and you will have to collect all pertinent items and weapons all over again.  Once you die three times, you will be sent to the game over screen and then to the main menu to try again.

SpeedRun Timer;

When you select Hard Mode on the difficulty screen, it will create an in game Speed Run Timer.  Once the player selects New Game, the timer will start and displace it self on screen.  I have incorporated the ability to show the Speedrun Timer any time I think it is nessecary and along with that ability I have it setup to record splits on important events such as collecting a Christmas Wreath after Killing a boss.  When the game is over or completed, the player will be sent to the Game Over Screen or the SpeedRun Screen.  where all the splits can be viewed.  If it is a Game Over then Then the final split will read Game Over with the Time subsequently.

SpeedRun Timer Questionability:

One thing I noticed while creating and testing the in Game SpeedRun Timer is that lag would affect it.  AI has walked me through on how to use Delta Time and how to equate for the missing time.  I also had to make a 0.66 compensation equation as when the game is started there are a few frames of lag that I add on to compensate.  My question then becomes, how is this going to play across different sets of hardware that the population may use.  I am sure there is always a way to compensate for that with an advanced equation of some kind but if it gets too messy, then its possible the SpeedRun Timer may have to be taken out.  Fingers crossed.

Various Other Changes:

The elf like goombas of XmasVania have been changed back to a one stomp if you jump on them as opposed to a two stomp.  They retain needing to be hit by two weapon projectiles though.

XmasVania Progress:

Surprisingly a lot of progress has been made in this games development for the amount of time that has been spent on it thus far which is roughly 8 Months.  Currently I have 4 Full Worlds Completed with 4 Boss Battles and 1 Hidden Boss Battle.  A variety of new enemies have been created whom will be placed in the final world as they are a bit tougher and reminiscent of some of the bosses.  The goal is to create the final world which will consist of 2 levels then the Final Boss Battle.  Last on the agenda is to create a Hidden set of Objectives with a final boss battle.  Then I will be able to say that this project will be nearing its end.

Expected Release Date:

Honestly I couldn't give you an expected release date.  It would be awesome if could release this by Christmas but thats two months away and I still have a lot of things to create and test.  I am also hoping that some people get interested and play the demo so I can see if there is any bugs or issues.  I also forgot that I will have to incorporate a better save system so that the lower difficulties will be able to save how many hidden objectives they do during the course of the game.  So we still have a ways to go, but it seems promising.