Devlog No.035

So after sending out the last build, I spent a good bit of time just correcting errors and even spotting them. One major issue I had with the last build was that a couple of the areas literally couldn't even be reached due to my own failure of course. Thanks to everyone who helped me find the issues!

In regards to them... the first was that I did a very silly thing and put the raw spell down where a pickup was meant to be. The second was that I completely forgot that you couldn't access Bristle without going back to Lascidial and being forced to swap to the wind force spell. I fixed that by adding in another location (the new inn) which, unfortunately, would force everyone to redo the final area who had already done it. (Or redo whatever area they had done last if they chose to teleport elsewhere.)

I'll have to keep this sort of thing in mind as I make the rest of the levels.

In the new build I also experimented with having the player need to find items to assemble a statue, then pay to have it repaired. I'm hopeful that all the trouble feels worthwhile! A lot of the upgrades in the game can be quite helpful, but I do admit that some can also feel weak. (Like the ones which give you extra energy for specific candy). Not all of the upgrades will be amazing, but if you're going to spend a bunch of currency and time pursuing one then I feel it should be worth it.

I do still have plenty of 'more effective' upgrade ideas.

Just to give an example, I'm thinking about adding in two more upgrades for the grahstery lantern. One which will make it so that chompy will 'jump' to a new target if the one he's chomping on dies. The second upgrade idea I had was that whenever chompy's target expires an explosion will occur. So the idea is that a kind of 'chain reaction' could occur where chompy's target dies, an explosion occurs, chompy finds a new target, the explosion hurts/kills that target, another explosion occurs, chompy finds a new target, etc. I'd want this kind of thing to make the niche weapon more interesting/satisfying while still feeling 'random' as to how effective it is at any given time.

I also intend to completely revamp the wind blade weapon due to some suggestions by a supporter. I'm realizing now that even giving the wind blade armor/weapon and projectile clearing capabilities that it's just not enjoyable to use. It's just too sluggish even for the steadier pace of the game.

So I will likely give it a full make over to make it much more fluid. It's worth noting that I had plans to implement a faster melee weapon into the game alongside the wind blade that just wouldn't destroy weapons/armor, but I will rethink that particular weapon.

Instead, the next weapon I am planning is for something of an auto-aim bow. It will use a similar aiming system to the phantom blaster, but be much more mobile.

I'd like it to fire as fast as, or faster than, the charge cards with the trade off being that it has ammo. (Probably five shots per reload) So you would have five very mobile shots you can fire, then have to pause briefly to reload. In terms of damage output, I am thinking that by default you will get a damage boost for each shot you land on an enemy up to a small cap.

I also will likely add the first wind force spell upgrade to the game which will grant the next arrow in the quiver the ability to instantly inflate an enemy you shoot. I have other ideas for upgrades for it too, but I think I will have to implement the weapon first before really making any extra decisions.

Also, on the subject of the phantom blaster, I'm happy with how it works, but not so much how effective it is compared to the other weapons. I'm likely going to add something to it to make the long charge and wind down more worth it. (Probably not an upgrade either)

But on the subject of the next build, I have been thinking and I may make it a mixed beach/dock/town segment and allow you to move back and forth between the areas as a slight test. I may remove energy drain from this area completely, but I'm not 100% certain just yet. I'll talk more about it once I get started on it.

Before that, I am working on the NPCs of the month! I finished Ridra's tf and I'm going to work on Mun next. Then I have a talimari saint to do! And if it takes till the end of the month, I will likely then just roll into the next NPC and get them out of the way before starting on the next build.

Though once that is done and once the next area is finished, that means we'll be moving into the dark forest area which will contain the next boss and the next major build. So that's what's on the immediate agenda. The bow weapon and likely another spell will be included in this build and I'll put extra time into it.

And that's all I really have to report for now!