If you've read the game description, you know that it isn't a complete game.  It is in a stable enough place as a prototype that I feel comfortable uploading it and getting very early feedback.

To address the lack of features that I wanted to implement, I'm going to be working on a monthly update to add features and make the game that I want to see.  This might eventually include porting over to Unity or Godot, but for now this will just be code/sprite updates for the game in Pico-8.

Super Pico Wars Z - The Titular Update

It's a turn-based tactics game, but without variety and a large grid to work on, it's not much of a game about wars.  Let's fix that.

Required Features:

• Larger Grid
  • Grid sizes will be randomized, starting from 10x10 going up to 20x20 - square sizes only for simplicity's sake.
    • The maximum grid size might be up to 30x30 depending on testing.
  • Larger grid sizes will help to make unit variance and future mechanics (bombs, unit starting position choices) possible.
• Unit Variance
  • To start, 3 enemy/player variants which are TBD as of planning this month.  They will present different HP, Shield, Move, Attack Range, and Attack Damage values. Each variant will use a different sprite. 
  • At present, there are seven different unit sprites to use which permits a wide amount of variety.
  • In this version, each ship will be randomly cast to a Unit Variant.  Be sure to use the Infobar at the top when hovering over units to see their stats.
• Infobar
  
  • The infobar will be updated to shorthand various details.  "HP" and "SH" will remain, "move" will be "MV" (move value), "AR" for Attack Range, "AD" for Attack Damage.  "VA" may be added to indicate a particular Unit Variant code, if implemented.
• Camera
  
  • With the larger grid size, a perfectly centered camera will no longer be possible.
    

Optional Features:

• Message Log
  • Currently, damage functions push a message to the message log relaying what happened to what ship.  This is not exposed at present.
  • The Message Log will show at the bottom of the game window, showing the last 2-3 actions that occurred.
  • There will be an option in the Cancel Menu (hit X) that lets you view the full message log, which you can scroll through via up and down arrow.
  • This requires a fair amount of new UI and Input work which makes it unlikely it will be in this update, but you never know.

Testing Features:

• Unit Initiative
  • The current setup for unit turns is that the player takes their turn, and then the enemy does so afterwards.  This is one form of TBT turn order, but it doesn't have to be the final setup for this game.
  • I will try random initiative for unit turn order, which will require a bit of fiddling with turn order as it's coded right now.
  • This will likely not make it into The Titular Update.

If you made it this far, have yourself a cookie, you trooper you.  Even if you skimmed.  No judging here.