July 31, 2012

Top Down Shooter Update July

So to recap minor or less official updates I've removed the wheel scrolling spell concentration in favor of pre-defined sets and more upgrades. I've added stat tracking and a final level or end game. I've been doing a lot of balancing. There have been some graphical overhauls I'm now around 3 or 4 times better graphics from where they were without any increases in processing power or memory needed which I was hoping to reduce but I'll settle for breaking even. It's still not amazing graphics because I am trying to do massive mobs. I think you'll enjoy it though it's not bad looking.

Finally I've started working on the dungeon crawler part of it I'd thought about and played with for so long. I've started adding loot drops and random extensions on various levels. I've added an inventory system and a merchant you visit between levels. The same crystals you use for upgrades will be used as a form of currency. You'll have to buy and upgrade staffs for some spells to be unlocked like upgrading the fire spell to the lava spell. Staffs will be of certain types which determine some of the summoning spells you'll be able to use as you may need an earth type to summon Titan for example not that I have such a summon yet but I may in the future. I'll be working on adding more items and grades to keep things balanced. This next week or two I'll primarily be working on the upgrade system for equipment. It's likely you'll be using more of the crystals though I'm not sure yet if I want it available in the upgrade menu or at the merchant or both. I'm also not sure if I should put a cap on the upgrades to equipment considering I don't have caps on the other upgrades, it's a simple algorithm based simply on how many crystals are allocated.

Speaking of which the auto-allocation system got a  minor update adding a little more control. I also updated the mana system a little due to some issues caused by charging a spell in which it would stop generating mana. The concept for the charge spell is while it drains the existing mana first then relies on incoming mana it eventually hits a peak and stops drawing it's capped and the mana would start to fill the bar again. What would happen is the charge spell was still looping the drain mana as long as it was held even after it reached its cap. This was a minor problem because I do have a line of code to drain a small amount of mana to sustain the spell I just didn't set it up to transfer the remaining mana to the bar it was just getting dumped. All good now.

I also made the mana bomb non-automatic to avoid some cheating. Now it will auto fill over time and you'll have to manually release it. I also added a cool down on it to avoid spamming it through another cheat.

I also had a draft for a different update that I never posted so I'll include the details of that below.

The right click spell system is completely redone. For starters it now when clicked rapidly throws a small bomb type spell and if you hold it it now directs energy into a ball where it's being aimed and the explosion ring identifying how big the blast will be grows steadily. I removed the previous system for scrolling the mouse wheel to make lines and cones for your currently selected spell etc. The local  wave spell is still in effect which is similar to the held right click bomb spell though it's focused with the player as the epicenter. I have a new upgrade for the right click bomb section of spells for making their explosion larger based on how many enemies they kill and infecting any they damage. Infected enemies explode when killed damaging and infecting other enemies. The explosions from this don't hurt the player. I finished implementing those summoning spells and the stat tracking. I have a set number of levels and a special event for the final level 1000 with a unique boss and the spawn count of every enemy you've ever killed you now have to kill again to beat the game which can now be done. You can save and load progress which is autosaved every other level. I added 3 more spell types and 2 manipulators for all spells. Still no spell combining.

1 comment:

  1. Sounds like a lot of work, would love to make my own but its so much to do.

    ReplyDelete