ITCHIO -https://marionettecz.itch.io/balladrion
Balladrion is an ongoing passion project I work on in my free time. The game has come a long way, with over 157 updates so far! Below is a condensed overview of major features and improvements made from the start up to the current version. The project also now has a Steam page and YouTube channel, though everything is still in the early stages. I expect to keep developing it for at least another six months.
Key Updates and Features
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Dynamic Enemy Generation: Procedural spawning of goblins and wolves for varied gameplay experiences.
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Minimap System: Displays player and enemy icons for easier navigation.
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Item Pickup & Inventory: Implemented item pickup mechanics, inventory management, and XP progression for character growth.
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UI Overhaul: Added health, stamina, XP bars, quest progress, inventory grid, pause and death menus for improved interface.
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New Levels and Environments: Town, Forest, Graveyard with smooth map transitions and loading logic.
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Performance Optimizations: Static lighting, asset cleanup; maintaining stable 60 FPS on test hardware; reduced project size.
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Shooting System Redesigned: Arrow objects with Niagara VFX for enhanced visual impact.
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Enemy AI Improvements: Better behavior, attack animations, visibility enhancements, and unstuck logic.
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Player Interactions: F-key actions, teleportation via obelisks, and UI feedback on interactions.
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Map Selection System: Smooth transitions and refined visuals for map choosing.
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UI & Resolution Compatibility: Icons properly scaled; works on 1980x display; ESC and menu handling fixed.
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Advanced Visual Effects: Niagara effects for fire and shooting; FPS limit unlocked for smooth gameplay.
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World Expansion: Added buildings, fences, props, windmills, tavern, combat dummies for immersive experience.
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Cooldown & Ability Systems: Cooldowns for abilities and dash; bow shop and forgery systems fully implemented.
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Companion Mechanics: Passive fox companions providing buffs like map reveal and inventory aid.
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Inventory Improvements: Auto-expand on upgrades; visible enemies on map; bug fixes in UI and cooldown display.
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Potion Upgrades: Health and stamina potions can be upgraded and maxed out.
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New Stats Tracking: Deaths, enemies killed, and successful runs are now tracked.
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Spawn System Revamp: Enemies spawn farther away; AI chases only; no freezing issues.
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Enemy Behavior: Enemies stop to attack, flash red when hit, have individual pathing; elite enemies introduced.
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Gameplay Systems: Timer and boon mechanics; improved game pause functions.
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Story & Quest Updates: Added cutscenes and memories system; quests replaced with map-oriented story events.
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New Abilities: Defensive shield with rotating disks and health regeneration with upgrade options.
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UI Enhancements: Ability skill levels now displayed on the UI.
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New Enemies: Goblin archer enemy with ranged attacks and timed shooting mechanics.
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Final Adjustments: Preparation for Balladrion Steam packaging and release.
