Dev Log Update v0.19

July 18th, 2024

I've been working hard on polishing the game and getting ready to release an official demo on Steam, which will hopefully happen in early August. Over the past couple of weeks, I've focused on adding more life to the world environment and improving a few existing systems, such as the Bow/Crossbow, Wardrobe, and even the game's logo.

Bow/Crossbow Updates

The new Bow & Crossbow initially felt extremely overpowered. To balance this, I added a charge-up mechanic, requiring a bit of time to fully charge the weapon before it becomes effective in combat. Players can release the arrow before it's fully charged, but this results in a weaker shot. A circle icon appears on the screen in place of the crosshair, starting relatively large and shrinking to the size of the crosshair when fully charged. The weapon also uses up Stamina while being held, discouraging players from keeping the bow fully charged all the time. These changes make the weapon feel less overpowered, though it's still my go-to for dungeon crawling. It's effective for picking off enemies from afar, but being surrounded still necessitates a quick switch to a melee weapon. I love the new Bow/Crossbow and look forward to adding more ranged weapons in the future.

Critters

I've added a variety of animals to the game to create a more living environment. There are now Bears, Cows, Chickens, Deer, Pigs, Boars, Wolves, Dogs, Scorpions, and Horses, each with some form of locomotion. While they currently only walk around and eat, this is a significant improvement over the previously lifeless environment. I may add more functionality to them later, such as a hunting feature allowing players to harvest resources from animals.

Adding creatures was more challenging than adding humans. The Humanoid Animation feature in Unity simplifies human character animations, but it doesn't work for other creatures, requiring custom animations based on animal anatomy. I purchased a pack of rigged and animated models and reskinned them to fit the game's aesthetic. However, the limited animations in the pack are far from perfect. I'll need to revisit this later to create custom skeletal rigs and animations, but for now, at least there's some life in the game. 

NPC Wanderers

Using scripts similar to those for the critters, I now have NPCs moving around and performing actions. Unlike critters, NPCs can chop wood, cut rocks, and engage in other human activities. I added particle effects for these actions and sound effects, creating more background noise and activity in the world.

Game Map

The map now features icons indicating the locations of Merchants and Quest Givers, helping players find shops and quests more easily. The larger view of the map now appears bigger on the screen, with three modes: expanded, normal, and hidden. In the future, I may add zoom functionality to give players more control over the map's screen real estate.

I also added Fog of War to the world map's edges to hide non-existent parts of the world. This system, already used for generated dungeons, works well to obscure the map's outer edges. The map UI graphics now match the art style of the rest of the game.

Cascading Water

I improved the water to flow down cascades instead of moving sideways and added particle effects for splashing water and sound effects for waterfalls. The current water shader is temporary and will be revamped soon. I'm considering purchasing a better water shader that fits the cartoon aesthetic and includes features like collision-detecting foam outlines, multi-layered water cells, ripples, and proper flow direction. This is still a work in progress.

Building Colliders

Some structures in the game had either simple box colliders or none at all, making it impossible to walk on their roofs. Now, players can jump up and walk on rooftops, which adds a fun element to exploration.

Wardrobe Updates

The "Wardrobe" feature, accessed by clicking on the Tent, now allows players to change their clothes and unlock new fabrics by spending in-game coins. Initially, all fabric choices are locked except the starting ones. Players can hover over options to see their cost and click to unlock them with a single click, spending coins permanently. Prices range from 25 coins for linens to 200 coins for exotic fabrics. While these fabrics don't enhance the player's armor, they allow for aesthetic customization. Unlocking all fabrics would cost over 6,000 coins, but most players will likely unlock only a few.

Imbuer Updates

The Imbuer's interface has been improved, particularly in handling stackable items moved between the player's backpack and the Imbuer's slots. Now, items automatically swap places and update quantities without manual removal, simplifying the interface and making it more intuitive.

Logo Lettering

The game's logo lettering has been revamped to stand out more. I experimented with various designs before deciding to remove the graphical scroll behind the lettering, which finally made it pop. While I'm not 100% certain this will be the final logo, it's a significant improvement over the previous version.

Steam Wish List

I'll share one more update on itch before moving the demo to Steam. In the meantime, please add "Go Deep Or Go Home" to your Steam Wish List to support the game's development.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2550910/Go_Deep_Or_Go_Home/

What's Next?

The top priority for the next update is improving the First Time User Experience. I want the demo to be exciting and easy to jump into, with clear instructions guiding new players. The game should direct players to the dungeon entrance and hold their hand until they get the hang of things.

Another priority is ensuring full controller support, starting with the Xbox controller. Eventually, I aim to support other controllers as well, allowing players to do everything in the game without needing a mouse or keyboard.

Additionally, I'll work on various shaders, including the water shader, player skin shader, and grass shader. The current skin shader causes the player's skin to glow in the dark, which looks odd when turning invisible. Improving these shaders will enhance the game's overall visual quality.

I'm also considering the music for the game. As an accomplished guitarist with 40 years of professional experience, I plan to record original music for the game. This might include a short looping theme for the main menu, a looping track for the world environment, and dynamic multi-layered tracks for the dungeons. Combat music will intensify during encounters and mellow out during exploration. While this may not happen until after the game's official Steam release, I'm excited about the potential to create an immersive soundtrack.