TLDR
We implemented the following project features this week:
Menus/UI
- Added pause and quit menus (Alan)
- Added stats about current workout to pause menu (Jacob)
- Revamped scoreboard (Jacob)
Attacks
- Made attacks aim more at the player's head (Jacob)
- Added arrows to attack projectiles that indicate what move to use on them (Alan)
- Revamped attack aesthetics (Howard)
- Made certain attacks move in a parabola instead of a straight line (Sam)
Feedback
- Made indication for punch reset (Sam)
- Added successful hit feedback (Sam)
- Added player damage feedback (Sam)
- Added punch 'trace lines' to help with form (Sam)
- Added more sounds (Alan)
Gameplay
- Added revamped tutorial (Alan/Howard)
- Created endless game loop (Howard) - Added environment to menu and shop scenes (Howard)
Gameplay Changes
Modifying Menus
AKA Modifying Menus
This week we added a crucial feature to the game in the form of a pause menu that allows the player to quit their session without quitting the game. This was long overdue, and will be quite helpful at the showcase so that we do not have to reopen the game each time we have a new participant. We also decided to use the menu space to display some statistics about how many attacks the player has deflected, how many they've dodged, and how many calories they've burned.
During this change, we revamped the existing scoreboard system. Where before, it tracked how many times the player had been hit by an attack, it now increments when the player successfully deflects or dodges an attack, but decrements when the player is hit.=
Accentuating All the Attacks
AKA Making the different attack types look and feel good
Last sprint we added the beginnings of a system where enemy attacks could only be deflected by a specific attack type such as a hook or an uppercut. We continued to refine that system this week. As of the end of the sprint, there are now three different deflectable attacks that may be thrown at the player: jabs, hooks, and cross attacks. Each attack is differentiated by color, an arrow visible on the attack telling the player which direction to punch it, and attacks meant to be punched from the side follow a corresponding parabolic trajectory.
Among these changes were also some quality of life improvements. For example, in past sprints the boss's attacks were not correctly targeting the player's head, but now they do.
Firm Feedback
AKA Helping the player understand the game state
Something we had neglected in past sprints was player feedback, especially last sprint when we implemented recognition for different punch types. A player who did not understand what they were meant to do or, more generally, who was not interacting with the game as intended, would not receive much feedback telling them to do anything differently. This could lead to unfortunate states where the player thinks the game is buggy and is failing to recognize their punches.
To solve this problem, we decided to add substantial feedback to both moves that are performed correctly and ones that are not. Now, when the player punches an enemy's attack, there will be a trace line displaying the path their fist should follow. After successfully deflecting the attack, the player will receive feedback through game visuals and controller vibration suggesting that they did well. Conversely, they will receive harsher feedback upon being hit by an attack. Finally, we added a visual que for when the player has 'reset' their punch by pulling their arm back in, allowing them to punch again. This was our most substantive change of the sprint.
Tailored Tutorial
AKA Adding a tutorial back in
In early sprints, Dungeon Brawler VR had a tutorial stage. This was scrapped due to the fact that it did not incorporate the gameplay elements we were still adding. This sprint we decided to automatically add a tutorial enemy to the beginning of our demo gameplay loop. This will be helpful for the showcase because every player will be new to the game.
Lovely Game Loop
AKA Completing the core game loop
In past sprints we have discussed adding more levels to the game and curating them. For the purposes of this showcase, we decided to instead make an endless game loop, where the player continually progresses to fight new enemies. We believe this will give a more cohesive experience to our players in the Vis Studio. For a final release, however, the game would have curated levels that are 2-5 minutes long.
Menu Map
AKA Adding a map environment to the menu and shop
Our final change of the sprint was to add environments to the menu and shop scenes. We reused the basic environment from our gameplay scene rather than making an entirely new one, and we think that the change helps significantly to maintain a constant atmosphere between the main scenes of the game.
Comentários