DevLog #2 - Level Blocking

This second devlog will cover basic level blocking layouts, updates to old scripts and the addition of new scripts, sprite addition and lighting.

Level Blocking

Building upon the base level from last week, I've updated it and included two more levels for this week’s preview build and testing. Each level has its own entry and exit point(s), with obstacles throughout them to navigate through and bypass to continue through. Through these obscure level designs, testing of the area light, sprite collisions, shooting and object sizes were observed. With the obstacles set in place acting as placeholders of sorts for final objects in the game such as warehouse shelves, cardboard boxes, crates, garbage bins and other such objects.

New Script Implementation + Updates 

The game scripting has picked up pace since last week. The script that had numerical keys set to change the camera size has instead been changed out for a slider. The slider changes the camera size between a minimum size of 3 and a maximum size of 10. Scripting so bullets shoot towards the players mouse cursor location were implemented alongside a snippet of code inside PlayerMovement, so the sprite does the same. When moving in the scene, the sprite now rotates to aim where the cursor is, and shooting occurs in the same direction. A problem was encountered using an empty GameObject to make bullets leave via the weapons gun, they'd collide with the player. With new layers being implemented so the bullet and player layers have no collision in Physics Layer properties, bullets aren't immediately stopped and don't project forwards.

Smaller additional scripts include:

• Bullets being destroyed after a set amount of time:
• Level change script attached to buttons on a UI canvas across the Main Menu and three test levels

Sprite

Building upon last week’s circle, a sprite was found that is suitable for our bounty hunter. The sprite is sourced from PixelArtMaker, by artist Xenysi (Creator ID: 9664c4). The artist has two renditions of the sprite, one with less shading and arms that are bent out more, with another that has considerably more shading and detail with arms down more in a shooting/aiming stance. The latter will be the sprite I plan to implement at a later date.

Environmental + Character Lighting

In terms of lighting for the game, I've slowly began experimenting with a universal render pipeline which will assist with creating lighting for my game. Though the preview build for this week has limited lighting, in the form of a single area light attached to the player. Further implementation of lighting will be stretched out to include different types of environmental lighting and the player being changed to a point light, which only illuminates directly ahead of the player in darker environments. Doing this will create the ideal atmosphere for the game, where the player in some areas has little to no visibility while hunting their targets and has to stay sharp and alert.

Peer Feedback

Regarding peer feedback, below is the standout feedback and responses to it.

Level Design + Player Collision:

love the ability to switch between levels

A temporary feature during game testing and for preview builds only. In the final implementation of the game, I'm hopeful to have a level selection screen that players can use to choose levels freely from the main menu.

Not sure if you want the players to be able to get though these but if you wiggle the mouse a bit you get these

The collisions of obstacles and other objects in the scene I'll improve or widen so this can't happen as much. 

Shooting + Scripting Issues:

one thing i noticed is that when i click on the slider to change the camera size, and after use the A and D keys to move, it moves the slider and the player at the same time, not sure if that's supposed to happen - it makes the camera zoom in and out whilst the player is moving.

I have come upon this since seeing the feedback, and will be a bit of a job to do regarding the code for the slider.

I like the irregular shapes for obstacles and how they create little nooks and crannies to shoot through. They're a little hard to shoot through right now,

The physics layer collision may need to be adjusted or it may be a simple collider update on the prefabs. I'll need to see at a later date on the best approach.

Also, I can see a slight amount of the bullet poking out the side of the gun barrel on the initial firing of it.

Hadn't seen this myself when testing so very grateful for this feedback. I'll need to adjust the empty GameObject that handles bullet creation to the barrel of the gun to fix this.

General Feedback:

Love the camera slider feature

After feedback last week regarding placing a notched slider or any type of slider, I decided to add it in as a test. The limitations of the slider might change for the final build.

You can always scale the sprite down/up to meet your needs, probably easier than resizing everything else

Good feedback here as I had nearly forgotten I could do this, a rather silly thing to forget in all honesty haha.

i really enjoy the movement in your game its very clean and smooth feeling, had fun messing around and randomly shooting at things

Looking pretty good! Movement feels responsive and clean.

I like the irregular shapes for obstacles and how they create little nooks and crannies to shoot through.

You can always scale the sprite down/up to meet your needs, probably easier than resizing everything else

Overall, the general feedback for MBH currently seems rather positive. Some small glitches and errors which have been covered above, but general consensus is rather good!

/*
 * DEVLOG 2 OVER.
 */