Development Update 1

Hello stranger. Today, I'd like to give you a brief update on the development of my game HEX & AGON.

Since returning to the project, my primary focus has been on cleaning up the code and improving existing game systems to make them more robust, efficient, and user-friendly.

At first, I refined the player controls, resulting in a more natural feel, especially with the rotational movement. I also added in coyote time, allowing jumps to register for a brief moment after sliding off a platform.

Next, I created new level sprites and replaced old singular prefabs with variants. This was a painstaking task, as I had to manually replace every single hexagon in every level due to scaling issues. However, this effort ensures that any changes to the prefab will affect all of its variants, illustrating the importance of thoughtful asset structuring. A small detail I also added are floating particles for the kill box. So when you see those, try to avoid jumping into them.

I then refactored the enemy script, making it more modular. This should help me with adding more enemy types later on. Furthermore, I implemented an event-based system for collectibles, which eliminated a lot of spaghetti code and made it straightforward to add the new text and sound effect that appears when all shards in a level have been collected.

Speaking of collectibles, after finding all the shards, a portal spawns to transport you to the next level. I enhanced its visuals and made it interactible instead of a trigger you jump into, giving players more control over when they choose to end a level.

Lastly, I completely recomposed the game's soundtrack, which I hastily put together during the game jam.

Looking ahead, my next priority is to overhaul the entire user interface, including the main menu, upgrade menu, and the addition of a level select screen. This aspect of the game is currently underdeveloped and doesn't fit artistically.

With that, thank you for watching (or reading), and I look forward to seeing you next time! 

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