Work Preparation:

The three major takeaways from GDC are that 1. No more new features in, instead use the time to really polish the level. 2. Juicer combat is needed, sound effects are very important as well. 3. More feedback is needed in the game, and we should also give players some early wins to reward them and keep them playing the game.

We also decided to implement an easy and short tutorial section in the level.

Plan towards April 6th Playtest Day 

Based on the feedback we have received and the team internal discussions, we decided to focus on the following areas before the next milestone, which is the April 6th Playtest Day.

• Valve steam effect: make the valve on/off more obvious
• Juicy combat:
  • 3 hit combo
  • Hit animation
  • Sound
  • Bullcap death frame
  • Enchantrelle animation
• Tutorial level:
  • Level implemented with Tilemap
  • Burst the crystal (glowing when Hum get close by, 100% glowing when Flashed)
• Landmarks:
  • New level sketch
  • New interior assets made
• Light pickups
• Saving / checkpoints
• Upgrade system:
  • UI polish
  • Number of candles obtained

Adding a Tutorial Level

After GDC playtests, we decided to add a linear tutorial section in the level such that we can better prepare players for the upcoming combat challenges as well as the shadow puzzle. For the sake of scope control, the tutorial level will be short, and it should introduce the following four features to the players: refill light at the campfire, light up candles and get Hum upgrades, use Flash to stun the enemies, and use Flash on the shadow crystals.

3-hit combo / attack animation keyframing

As player and enemy attacks became more complex both visually and behaviorally, it became necessary for us to base a certain amount of game logic off the animations themselves rather than handling all attack logic in script. Unity’s animator has this functionality built in and made short work of hooking up the hitbox spawning to the animations.

Additionally, as part of our effort to improve the feel of combat, we went about implementing a 3-hit combo attack for the player. By inputting attack while the current attack animation is playing, players can extend the duration of their attack. The overall effect makes combat feel much more dynamic as opposed to the single attack we had before.

Cabinet Asset + Sword Swing Animation

This week, artists continue refining the game scene after modifying the level map. The last large asset cabinet was finished and placed in the Unity scene. On the other hand, the sword swing animation of the vagrant is finished. For the following weeks, more ground assets, such as carpets, rocks, and skulls will be added to the scene to align with the thematic direction.

Progress Report:

• Particle effect when Hum hits the wall/gets light refill 
• Solved bugs in the combat system
• Make 3 hit combo animation and implement it
• Implement the hit animation
• New level sketch
• Tutorial level implemented with Tilemap
• Light pickups
• Saving / checkpoints
• Record number of candles obtained
• Reacted to the GDC playtest feedback
• Weekly blogs

Plan for next week:

• Make the valve on/off more obvious
• Make more combat sounds and implement it
• Redo the bullcap death frame
• Make Enchanterelle animation and implement it
• Player able to burst the crystal (glowing when Hum get close by, 100% glowing when Flashed)
• New interior assets made
• Light pickups
• Saving / checkpoints
• Polish upgrade system UI 
• Record number of candles obtained
• Prepare for the Saturday Playtest Day
• Weekly blogs

Challenge:

• Need to explore the design possibilities and get feedback from playtesters
• Need to prioritize the feedback we get from GDC playtesters
• Need to make sure systems are in scope
• Need to implement sfx into the game as soon as possible