![\"Snowbot](\"http:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5008\/5273378011_47d7c82042.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n But the two tiny changes you do see represent pretty much everything else I needed to get done for the game to make sense: you can now scan enemies when they’re not looking to steal the details of their weapons, then use that info to rebuild their guns, shields and engines when they’re dead.<\/p>\n
I’m happy I’ve got to this point, but there’s a lot more to do. I have a choice of a few fairly major areas to work on, and I’ll list them in my current priority order:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Player guidance:<\/strong> Even in an ultra quick experimental game I don’t think this step is remotely skippable. If I don’t get a few basic tutorial messages in to explain how to play the game, no amount of readmes will ever make up for it.<\/li>\n
- Balance:<\/strong> Bots of random strength spawn in random positions. So that kinda sucks. I just need a few lines of code to make weaker ones spawn near the player, tougher ones further away, and to make certain configurations excitingly rare. This’ll have a big effect on how much fun it is to play.<\/li>\n
- Environment:<\/strong> I’d like to add water around the edges to make this an island, and possibly a fortress wall at the top.<\/li>\n
- Objective:<\/strong> Right now there’s no long term objective. Ideally I’d like to have you scanning and stealing parts until you’re strong enough to assualt a fortified wall to the north and escape.<\/li>\n
- Graphics:<\/strong> I must at least make some proper plasma blasts, and ideally add explosion effects and a better player bot. I also need to take one more go at making snow look less awful – I’d like to make it grainy and randomise the ‘dunes’ a bit.<\/li>\n
- Extra feature:<\/strong> scale. I’d really like to have double- and half-size bots roaming around, with accordingly different toughness and speed.<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n
The reason graphics is so low is that the time it takes is such a wildcard – sometimes I get something bad right away, other times it takes me hours to make something bad.<\/p>\n
Let me know if you think my priority order is nuts.<\/p>\n
Current title idea: Scanno Domini<\/strong>. Other scan puns welcome.<\/p>","time":"December 19th, 2010 6:26 am","title":"Day 2, 1PM: Feature Complete"}
- Balance:<\/strong> Bots of random strength spawn in random positions. So that kinda sucks. I just need a few lines of code to make weaker ones spawn near the player, tougher ones further away, and to make certain configurations excitingly rare. This’ll have a big effect on how much fun it is to play.<\/li>\n