Dev Log Update v0.20

August 1st, 2024

Exciting News: First Playable Demo Release!

The moment we've all been waiting for is here! The first fully playable demo of Go Deep Or Go Home is now available. This update brings us one step closer to the official Steam release. I'm looking for Closed Beta Testers to provide feedback and help with one more round of bug fixes and updates before the official launch. Over the past few weeks, I've focused on polishing the game, making it fully compatible with the Xbox One controller, and creating a First Time User Experience (FTUE) help tips system for new players. I've also redesigned the player character faces for a more intuitive flow between options, and there's much more to share!

Blocking System Enhancements

The Blocking system has been improved to work with or without a shield. When you block, a shield-shaped icon appears, starting large and quickly shrinking. Initially, your Block is most effective, gradually decreasing to least effective. Quick blocking absorbs 100% of the damage, but holding the block button drains stamina and reduces effectiveness to 10% over a few seconds. Effective blocking requires good timing.

I've also added sound effects for three blocking scenarios: without a shield, with a wooden shield, and with a steel shield. These additions significantly enhance the gameplay experience.

Acid Damage

This update includes changes to the damage types in the game. Acid Damage now affects the durability of your weapons and armor, making them degrade faster. The more Acid Damage you take in a single blow, the more durability is affected. Typically, normal damage partially absorbs into your armor, reducing its durability by one point. For Acid Damage, this can range from one to three points, depending on the hit's intensity.

Full XBOX Controller Support

I wanted to ensure the demo was fully playable using only the Xbox Controller. Despite challenges with my aging controller, I managed to achieve full support! This was a significant milestone, ensuring a seamless experience for all players.

First Time User Experience (FTUE)

Inspired by Dungeons & Dragons Online, I've developed a subtle FTUE help system that integrates into the user interface. While not interactive, it provides essential guidance and cleans up as you complete tasks. This system is ideal for the demo, especially with only four quests available. It may evolve, but it's perfect for now.

New Player Faces

I collaborated with Raph, my 2D artist, to redraw the male and female player character faces for a more intuitive look in the Character Creator. The facial features now change smoothly with the slider, resulting in a richer quality of randomly generated faces. I plan to make further adjustments to the art as needed.

Challenging Bug Fixes

Several persistent bugs have been fixed:

• The glitch causing characters to jump a meter into the air when struck in combat is resolved.
• The issue where characters would hit an invisible collider when jumping down the well is fixed.
• Wall Traps now accurately hit players and enemies, increasing the challenge.
• Attack Speed enhancements now affect Bows and Crossbows, ensuring consistent gameplay mechanics. Note that bonuses only apply to equipped items.

What's Next

With the fully playable demo ready, it's time to invite players for Closed Beta Testing. I'll be announcing this on various Facebook Groups I'm part of. Without a budget, I'm hoping to find volunteers who want to help or play for fun. Watching players live or in recorded videos would be incredibly valuable.

If you're interested in helping, please message me. I'd love to meet on Discord and hang out while you play the game. Your support would be enormously helpful. Just reach out, and I'll do my best to coordinate our schedules.