Brand New Demo Revision!
Cutscenes, Gameplay Tweaks, and Fixes Oh My!
New Cover!
It has little to do with the game itself, but the old cover just wasn't doing it for me. The "poorly drawn main character superimposed onto some background art from the game" look, in my opinion, is overplayed, so I made a new one with a bit more originality to it. This one has a strong image of "crap, that otter boy's being menaced by a giant snail. Adventure ensues!"
The only thing the old one tells me is "this game has a weasel-faced monstrosity who, at one point, stands in front of a forest."
Boring.
New... Ish Title Screen!
The title screen is largely unchanged, except for the different logo. I wanted to do something special with it, but I couldn't think of anything in time. Oh well. Purple gradients are okay... right?
New HUD!
The HUD, however, has had a big revision. Instead of a standard green health bar next to an off-model drawing of Garret, I have a gear symbol. It meshes well with the cogs you collect, I think. HP is also represented with text under the bar, just so you know exactly how you're doing. Also, the Instance Count/FPS counters have been moved to the top-right corner of the screen. This is so they don't cover up another HUD element.
Speaking of the Instance Count, it most likely won't be in the full game. It's something I use to keep track of how many objects are on the screen. I use it to make sure nothing's making infinite clones of itself in an attempt to take over the world or something.
Don't get used to this HUD, by the way. They tend to not stick around.
Cutscenes!
Cutscenes? More like CUTE-SCENES, HAHA.
I guess "cutscenes" is kind-of a stretch. They're more like "brief confrontations that just so happen to have textboxes." They add a bit of character to the game, so they're welcome in my eyes. Now you actually have a goal to accomplish beyond just "go right."
The textboxes are themed after some tacky stationery. The theme of the stationery is "The Great Westlouia Line," a railroad that runs all the way across the country of Westlouia. It's the only sensible way to make it to Garret's hometown of Pivot.
Boss Fight Improvements!
In all honesty, the boss fight from the last demo was a DISASTER. If you want a master-class in how NOT to make a boss fight, look no further than the last boss fight. It introduces new mechanics out of nowhere, it's a pain to even hit, it's confusing, it has too much health...
This new one makes a lot more sense, at the cost of being somewhat easy. Every attack it does is shared by an enemy you meet earlier in the level, so you already have some idea how to fight it going in.
I also stuck a scene before and after the fight, just to give it come context. Overall I think it's much more enjoyable.
And That's It for Now!
If you want, give it a try, here:
https://whiskermidi.itch.io/westlouia
If you have any complaints, comments, whatever, feel free to tell me about them! There's lots of ways to contact me and keep track of the development of the game listed on the game's page, there. Thanks for reading this lengthy devlog!