Dev log: New Combat Features & Tactical Enemies! 🚀

Hey everyone! I’ve been hard at work adding exciting new mechanics and refining existing enemies in the game. Here’s a combined update on all the cool stuff I’ve been working on, from devastating new abilities to smarter and more challenging foes. Let’s dive in!

Playtime Extended! ⏳

I’ve made a significant change to the game’s pacing: the playtime has been increased from 5 minutes to 10 minutes. This gives you more time to explore, fight enemies, and enjoy the gameplay loop. With the new mechanics and features I’m adding, this extended playtime should make for a richer experience.

Spinning Scythe Ability 🌪️

I’ve introduced a brand-new combat option: the Spinning Scythe! This area-control weapon offers a fun alternative to the trusty sword.

What’s New?

• The scythe spins around your character, creating a dangerous zone for any enemies that get too close.
• Unlike the sword, which targets specific foes, the scythe excels at crowd control and defense.

Development Journey

Getting the scythe to work was a fun challenge. Early versions just... floated around without doing much, and there was even a bug where it spawned only once and disappeared forever. After some tweaking, it’s now fully functional and deals proper damage!

Features So Far

• Spawns and spins dynamically around your character
• Deals damage in a circular area
• Acts as a defensive barrier

What’s Next?

I’m planning some upgrades:

• Faster spin speed
• Increased damage
• Multiple scythes spinning at once? 🤔

Let me know what you think and share your ideas for upgrades!

Enemy Wizards: Smarter and More Dangerous! 🧙‍♂️

To spice up combat, I’ve added Wizards, a new tactical enemy type, and taught them a few deadly tricks.

What Makes the Wizard Special?

• Tactical Movement: Wizards maintain the perfect distance for spell-casting.
• Strafing Behavior: They sidestep while casting, making them harder to hit.
• Adaptive Pursuit: If you run, they’ll follow to stay in range.
• Floaty Movement: Faster than basic enemies but slower to change direction, giving you a window of opportunity.

Combat Tips

• Close the gap quickly—they’re vulnerable in close combat.
• Watch for strafing patterns while they cast spells.
• Keep moving to dodge their fireballs, which have a slight spread.

Enemy Wizards Can Shoot Fireballs! 🔥

Speaking of fireballs, Wizards now launch magical projectiles that add a new layer of challenge to fights.

Fireball Mechanics

• Travel in straight lines, making them dodgeable with quick reflexes.
• Collide with walls and terrain, allowing you to use the environment for cover.

Challenges in Development

Early fireballs hilariously phased through the player, but I fixed that, so now they properly deal damage. There was mismatch in collision layering :(

What’s Next?

• Adding visual effects for fireball impacts
• Introducing different projectile types for variety
• Enhancing sound design for more immersive combat

What’s Next for the Wizards?

I’m still fine-tuning their behavior based on your feedback. Planned adjustments include:

• Tweaking their preferred casting range
• Refining their movement when retreating or attacking
• Adding visual cues to make their actions clearer

Feedback Wanted!

Let me know how you’re finding the new features:

• Do the Wizards feel balanced, or are they too tough?
• What scythe upgrades would you like to see?

Your input is invaluable in shaping the game. Thanks for being part of this journey, and stay tuned for more updates!

Happy slashing and dodging! 🎮✨