Devlog 2

Devlog #2: Forging Movement and the First Levels

Introduction: Building Upon Our Pillars

Welcome back to our devlog!

In our first entry, we introduced you to the essence of our game: a 2D platformer where everything revolves around movement and momentum. The vision was clear: a movement system that is intuitive to learn but with high technical depth, where the player feels constantly launching themselves through the level, using a giant hammer not only as a weapon but as their main tool for mobility. We also have the focus of making fluid gameplay.

Since then, we got down to work as a team. The most valuable thing from these weeks has been the coordination: we divided tasks, but above all, we talked a lot which has helped us align our final vision of the game and ensure that each piece fits the direction we dreamed of.

All that collaborative effort now has a shape: a playable demo that already includes a large part of the key mechanics we had planned. It has been a process of constant trial and error, adjusting numbers, polishing feelings, and celebrating those small moments in which, finally, a hammer blow feels exactly as we had imagined.

What Did We Do Since the Last Devlog?

We focused on building the central "skeleton" of the game. Here are the concrete advances:

1.  Basic Movement Mechanics Implemented:

    We have coded the fundamental actions that will define the player's experience:

• Charged Jump: The ability to charge a jump to gain height or initial impulse.
• Side Strike: The basic attack that propels the character horizontally, the main way to start movement.
• Downward Strike (Pogo/Spike): An aerial strike that propels the player downwards, perfect for crushing enemies (in the future) or bouncing off surfaces to gain new vertical momentum.

2.  The Heart of the Game: The Momentum System:

Moving isn't enough; you have to feel the weight and inertia. We have implemented a momentum accumulation system. This means that the more you move continuously in one direction, the more speed you gain, making controlling your movements and stopping a challenge in itself.

3.  First Layers of Visual Polish:

    A game feels alive with its details:

• Animations: We created the key animations for the side strike and the downward strike, giving much more impact and visual feedback to the player's actions.
• Parallax in the Background: We implemented backgrounds with a parallax effect to create a sense of depth and make the levels feel more dynamic.

4.  Level Design and Player Experience:

•     Test Map:  We created a test level specifically designed for players to experience and combine all the basic mechanics. It is our testing ground to refine the feel of the game.
•    Checkpoints and Respawn: To make testing less frustrating and lay the foundations for progression, we added checkpoints and the functionality to respawn with the R key.

What Comes Next? Our Next Steps

With the movement core working, our focus expands towards refinement and building real content.

Short Term (Next Sprint):

• Momentum Control: We will add options for the player to have more control. We will implement ways to brake on the X-axis (perhaps a "power brake" or aerial friction) and to cancel vertical momentum, adding another layer of skill.
• Interaction Blocks: We will move from generic blocks to custom blocks with unique properties. For example, blocks that only break with a charged strike, surfaces that increase bounce, or platforms that fade away.
• Art and Animations: We will create the braking and powered jump animations to make the transitions between movement and stillness more fluid and satisfying.
• Camera and Navigation Improvement: The current camera can be a bit static. We want to improve it to follow the player more intelligently, anticipating their movement and showing more of the level ahead. We will also explore the idea of a mini-map to help in route planning in more complex levels.

Long Term (Future Vision):

• The Hook: One of the most anticipated mechanics. The hook will be a key tool for aerial control, allowing the player to change directions sharply, reach new heights, and maintain infinite momentum chains.
• Advanced Level Design: The goal is to have 5 well-designed and polished levels that serve as the first world or act of the game. Each level will gradually introduce the mechanics and challenge the player to master them.
• Enemies and Dynamics: We will begin to integrate enemies that interact directly with the momentum system, like the example we gave before: enemies that can only be eliminated if hit with a minimum speed, forcing the player to plan their attacks as part of their trajectory.

Playable Build (Download)

So you can experience the progress firsthand, you have an updated build of our prototype available for download called "demo1.exe". Focus on testing the movement mechanics and the flow between the side strike, the jump, and the downward strike.

That's all for now! We are very excited about the direction the project is taking. The next devlog should bring news about the braking system, the new blocks, and, hopefully, the first advances with the dreaded hook.

Thanks for following our development