Domo Yoro
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Patreon Build Poll: Bonus Level!
🕑 Added 2022-11-14 21:45:47 +0000 UTCSince December is quickly approaching, that also means that it's about time I started work on the bonus level for the patreon build scheduled for that month. However, I can't really decide on what mechanic to focus on... so here's a poll instead! I'll break down what each option means, and the development effort required to execute on it.
- Rising platforms
- When I was working on Dark Descent, the level that features falling platforms, one of the “twists” I wanted to present later in the level was rising platforms. So I wound up designing about a dozen rooms, only to realize that the level was now too long… so I cut the rising platforms rooms.
- Creating this bonus level would require the least effort, since the mechanics are already complete and the rooms have already been playtested a fair amount. This would also mean that a bonus level centered around rising platforms would be longer than a bonus level centered around any other mechanic in the poll.
- Water
- Right now, I’m a little unsure of how water would fit in with other mechanics, or what role it would play in a full-length level. Since the mechanic is mostly complete (it’s just missing a few visual and sound effects), it’s ripe for a bonus level.
- I’m not sure how many interesting rooms I could make from water alone, but I’ll do my best!
- Drilling
- Drilling is present in the hub and the title screen for the demo, but the mechanic has no tutorial and is currently not present in any full-length levels. While I do have a few rooms designed with drilling in mind, they haven’t been thoroughly playtested and aren’t that interesting; I would have to design new rooms.
- However, I am a bit hesitant with a bonus level focused on drilling since I plan on making it one of Dark Descent’s major mechanics in a later revision. I might end up moving these drill-focused rooms into that level later on.
- Cannons
- Like with water, I’m a little unsure of how cannons would fit into a larger level- but the mechanic is mostly complete. There’s also quite a few playtested rooms designed around cannons already, so this has potential for a longer bonus level.
- Toxic gas
- As it turns out, the factory level I’m working on is a little too long- and I need to cut out some of the rooms in the beginning that focus on the toxic gas mechanic. A bonus level would be a pretty good place to put them!
- Working on this bonus level would also mean finishing the toxic gas effects, of course. No more placeholder green water shader!
As a final note, this bonus level would follow a fairly similar format to the two other bonus levels: abstract visuals, somewhat higher difficulty, emphasis on a single mechanic, and few or no bottlecaps. Also, options that aren't voted on are likely to return in future bonus level polls.
Comments
GreenHammerBro
Drilling would be cool, I was thinking of ricocheting diagonal surfaces, and also have "softer dirt" that lets you slightly adjust your trajectory.
