After a LONG time, the second update for Blast Brawl 2 is OUT NOW ON STEAM!

Go check it out! Tell me what you think! (Seriously, I would appreciate feedback on the boss fights/difficulty of the first level.)

Happy Brawling!

After a LONG time, the second update for Blast Brawl 2 is OUT NOW ON STEAM!

Go check it out! Tell me what you think! (Seriously, I would appreciate feedback on the boss fights/difficulty of the first level.)

Happy Brawling!

Talofa tagata!



1 year ago Blast Brawl 2 entered EARLY ACCESS!!!!

I kinda thought I'd have more done by now! :D But the journey is what it is. And I can happily announce that the end of this update is in sight, and I think I will be able to release it on... *drumroll*

THANKSGIVING! (Or, like in 4 weeks if you aren't American)

So, sit back and bask in this handy little feature list of what to expect!

First, the feature I know everybody has been waiting for:


I kid, I kid. But seriously, the menus are going to be getting a much cleaner look. Yeesh, I don't know what old me was thinking. Gradients?!? So 2004.




Once 1.2 launcher, the ammunition imposition that is the GUNSLINGER will be putting bullet holes into your screens at a frightening pace!

I covered the Gunslinger in a previous post - go read about him there if you want an in-depth look!






So, you may (or may not) remember the old unlockable outfits introduced in Update 1.1:



Well hold on to your butts because EVERY character now has a full alternate costume!

No longer will you be forced into conformity, picking the same old look day after day! Now you can pick between TWO same old looks day after day! How progressive! :D

(You may recognize some of the outfits below - any such perceived resemblance is purely coincidental.)





More significantly, Blast Brawl 2 now has unlockable abilities for all characters!

Each one of these changes up one (or more) of a character's abilities - sometimes in subtle, sometimes in massive ways. The core concept behind each playstyle is still the same, but you might find some surprising mixups in the bunch...





But that's not all! I've stressed that I've been working on adventure mode in the past, and now I get to prove it!

I've prepared a little mini-campaign for you, that both shows how Adventure mode will generally function, as well as letting you face three of the bosses from the first region of the game!

(Side note: making world maps suuuucks.... >_< It's very tedious work lol.)





So Bosses in Blast Brawl are gonna be tough! (Like, actually hard. I look forward to hearing complaints.)

Therefore, I feel like players who manage to defeat them without being hit once should receive some sort of epic reward. So I'd like to announce BOSS RUMBLE mode.

In short: if you manage to defeat a boss, solo, without taking any hits, you will be able to play AS that boss and battle your friends! :D The fights will take place in the bosses arena, and you'll be able to customize things like health/player respawns, so you'll be able to set up the ultimate showdown of your dreams!



.
.
.

Phew. That's a lot.

What's that, you say? This seems like a bit light for a 10-month update?

Well, I've been doing a lot of work behind the scenes. There is a not-quite-finished pathfinding engine, better physics support, a number of bugfixes, rework/rebalancing of many characters, etc etc etc.

And a lot of the work I've been doing just straight isn't done yet!

I'm pretty sure that I'll do another intermediate update (add a character and some other features) before the full "adventure mode" one. The next update will probably bundle together the finalized AI code, include some Wave Mode improvements, and feature a certain magical character I'm excited to create...



Anyway, good night! And good luck! o7

Talofa tagata!



1 year ago Blast Brawl 2 entered EARLY ACCESS!!!!

I kinda thought I'd have more done by now! :D But the journey is what it is. And I can happily announce that the end of this update is in sight, and I think I will be able to release it on... *drumroll*

THANKSGIVING! (Or, like in 4 weeks if you aren't American)

So, sit back and bask in this handy little feature list of what to expect!

First, the feature I know everybody has been waiting for:


I kid, I kid. But seriously, the menus are going to be getting a much cleaner look. Yeesh, I don't know what old me was thinking. Gradients?!? So 2004.




Once 1.2 launcher, the ammunition imposition that is the GUNSLINGER will be putting bullet holes into your screens at a frightening pace!

I covered the Gunslinger in a previous post - go read about him there if you want an in-depth look!






So, you may (or may not) remember the old unlockable outfits introduced in Update 1.1:



Well hold on to your butts because EVERY character now has a full alternate costume!

No longer will you be forced into conformity, picking the same old look day after day! Now you can pick between TWO same old looks day after day! How progressive! :D

(You may recognize some of the outfits below - any such perceived resemblance is purely coincidental.)





More significantly, Blast Brawl 2 now has unlockable abilities for all characters!

Each one of these changes up one (or more) of a character's abilities - sometimes in subtle, sometimes in massive ways. The core concept behind each playstyle is still the same, but you might find some surprising mixups in the bunch...





But that's not all! I've stressed that I've been working on adventure mode in the past, and now I get to prove it!

I've prepared a little mini-campaign for you, that both shows how Adventure mode will generally function, as well as letting you face three of the bosses from the first region of the game!

(Side note: making world maps suuuucks.... >_< It's very tedious work lol.)





So Bosses in Blast Brawl are gonna be tough! (Like, actually hard. I look forward to hearing complaints.)

Therefore, I feel like players who manage to defeat them without being hit once should receive some sort of epic reward. So I'd like to announce BOSS RUMBLE mode.

In short: if you manage to defeat a boss, solo, without taking any hits, you will be able to play AS that boss and battle your friends! :D The fights will take place in the bosses arena, and you'll be able to customize things like health/player respawns, so you'll be able to set up the ultimate showdown of your dreams!



.
.
.

Phew. That's a lot.

What's that, you say? This seems like a bit light for a 10-month update?

Well, I've been doing a lot of work behind the scenes. There is a not-quite-finished pathfinding engine, better physics support, a number of bugfixes, rework/rebalancing of many characters, etc etc etc.

And a lot of the work I've been doing just straight isn't done yet!

I'm pretty sure that I'll do another intermediate update (add a character and some other features) before the full "adventure mode" one. The next update will probably bundle together the finalized AI code, include some Wave Mode improvements, and feature a certain magical character I'm excited to create...



Anyway, good night! And good luck! o7

Salutu, cumbattenti!



4 days from now, it will have been 1 year since the Early Access launch of Blast Brawl 2!

Jeez, time flies. Since then, I have gotten a job at Google, moved to a different city, celebrated my 3 year anniversary with my wife, and spent an ABSURD amount of time typing (and occasionally clicking) in front of a computer.

I've been pretty shitty on these posts lately. This has NOT been due to lack of work on the game, just... eh. Posting stuff like this has always been hard for me, especially when it's on top of all the other work I've been doing.

BUT! Lo, fret not. Though it may have appeared like I have been dead, or gave up on the project, or acquired a social life, that is not the case! I have labored long in the deep mines of my apartment, hand-crafting quality chaos for you to overcome.

And with that, I would like to say:

The update.

Is.

ALMOST.

Finished.



So it's not quite out of the oven yet. I was really hoping that I could release the update on Oct. 26th (for the anniversary) but as Gabe Newell once said, "These things... they take time."

But there is a LOT in this update. I think the effective amount of "content" you will be able to play will effectively double. Not bad, eh?



Plus, a lot of the stuff I've been doing has been more "structural" work. Things like getting a world map working, programming how adventure levels function, getting an AI infrastructure, making sure stairs and slopes work right. The game has been basically faking a lot of stuff before this, and I've had to make things actually work now.

The good news is, I think most of that type of work is done, and I can work on churning out actual content now!

So on October 26th, I'll give a quick rundown of the update, and I think I'll be able to state a rough release date.

And in the meantime... Happy Halloween! :D

Salutu, cumbattenti!



4 days from now, it will have been 1 year since the Early Access launch of Blast Brawl 2!

Jeez, time flies. Since then, I have gotten a job at Google, moved to a different city, celebrated my 3 year anniversary with my wife, and spent an ABSURD amount of time typing (and occasionally clicking) in front of a computer.

I've been pretty shitty on these posts lately. This has NOT been due to lack of work on the game, just... eh. Posting stuff like this has always been hard for me, especially when it's on top of all the other work I've been doing.

BUT! Lo, fret not. Though it may have appeared like I have been dead, or gave up on the project, or acquired a social life, that is not the case! I have labored long in the deep mines of my apartment, hand-crafting quality chaos for you to overcome.

And with that, I would like to say:

The update.

Is.

ALMOST.

Finished.



So it's not quite out of the oven yet. I was really hoping that I could release the update on Oct. 26th (for the anniversary) but as Gabe Newell once said, "These things... they take time."

But there is a LOT in this update. I think the effective amount of "content" you will be able to play will effectively double. Not bad, eh?



Plus, a lot of the stuff I've been doing has been more "structural" work. Things like getting a world map working, programming how adventure levels function, getting an AI infrastructure, making sure stairs and slopes work right. The game has been basically faking a lot of stuff before this, and I've had to make things actually work now.

The good news is, I think most of that type of work is done, and I can work on churning out actual content now!

So on October 26th, I'll give a quick rundown of the update, and I think I'll be able to state a rough release date.

And in the meantime... Happy Halloween! :D

Hiya pugilists!




Been a bit busy this week, and I'm gonna be back in Omaha for the next, so I can't really post too involved of an update tonight as I need to pack!

Most recently I've been primarily wrapping up some art tech stuff - I've improved the blood splatter code significantly, and have done some other procedural art stuff that should make levels both look more varied while also being easier to make!



I've also finally gotten around to fixing the Brawler's melee attack animations. His punches looked a little derpy, so I've given him a much more dynamic "kung fu" series of attack. The basic idea behind his attack is similar, but he now has 4 different animations that he randomly cycles through. His momentum also functions a bit differently to feel more natural.

There actually is a lot more that I want to show off, but it's either not quite there yet or would take a bit longer to go into detail than I have tonight! So you'll have to wait a bit. It'll be worth it tho!

Anyway, cheers!

Hiya pugilists!




Been a bit busy this week, and I'm gonna be back in Omaha for the next, so I can't really post too involved of an update tonight as I need to pack!

Most recently I've been primarily wrapping up some art tech stuff - I've improved the blood splatter code significantly, and have done some other procedural art stuff that should make levels both look more varied while also being easier to make!



I've also finally gotten around to fixing the Brawler's melee attack animations. His punches looked a little derpy, so I've given him a much more dynamic "kung fu" series of attack. The basic idea behind his attack is similar, but he now has 4 different animations that he randomly cycles through. His momentum also functions a bit differently to feel more natural.

There actually is a lot more that I want to show off, but it's either not quite there yet or would take a bit longer to go into detail than I have tonight! So you'll have to wait a bit. It'll be worth it tho!

Anyway, cheers!

Barev, zinyalner!

Last week I talked about how and why the Vanguard is getting a redesign. Well, that's old news - today I'd like to talk about something NEW.

So, let me reveal the new character that will be released in Update 1.2: the GUNSLINGER!



The Gunslinger is a new ranged character who wields a rapid-fire revolver that can be fired at any angle, and uses his whip to fling himself across the terrain.

He has a few interesting features that set him apart from his compatriots:




First on the list: the Gunslinger's revolver is fairly unique in several ways.

First, it can be aimed in ANY direction, instead of being locked to 8 directions like the Sniper or Rocketeer.



The Gunslinger aims by holding down the attack button - an aim indicator (displayed by a slowly narrowing triangle) will appear, showing the direction he will fire. (He can move around while aiming, making him harder to hit!)

The bullets are initially rather inaccurate, but the longer he aims, the more precise he will be.



The bullets that are fired by the revolver hit their target instantly, and can be fired EXTREMELY quickly!

However, the Gunslinger only has 3 shots in his gun before he must reload. Reloading is fairly fast, but you'd best be careful while in intense fights.



All in all, the Gunslinger requires a lot of skill to use correctly (especially against large groups of enemies). He can only hit at most 3 enemies before he needs to reload, and it's fairly easy to miss a shot if you're not careful! However, with proper handling, the Gunslinger can snipe opponents who get anywhere close to him, and is capable of laying down a blistering barrage of death when pressed.





The Gunslinger's "Mobility Ability" it also a bit unorthodox. Instead of the conventional dodge roll or dash, he instead pulls out a whip and attempts to pull himself towards a distant target.

This move does not help him dodge attacks, but used properly it can actually move him around at terrific speeds. He can repeatedly use it in the air, allowing him to traverse great distances as long as he has a ceiling or wall to pull himself towards!



If used against an enemy, the foe will actually be pulled towards (and probably behind) the Gunslinger, while still propelling him forwards! Useful if you need to swap places with a target.




When in a pinch - surrounded by enemies, out of bullets, and with no opening to escape - the Gunslinger is not helpless! His Defensive move allows him to rush forward, smacking a foe with the butt of his revolver, knocking them away. This can often create the opening needed to turn a bloody death into escape, then victory!




Finally, the Gunslinger has one last move. An ace up his sleeve, if you will. By using his Special move - Ultrafocus - the Gunslinger slows down time, allowing him to aim more precisely and weave through incoming attacks to line up a perfect shot.

Be warned, though - time slows for EVERY player. Depending on if you are comrades or enemies, this might be a good or a bad thing...




Want to see the Gunslinger in action? Check it out here!

Anyway, that's it for this week! To those in the US, Happy Fourth of July!

PS: The above images were captured within an early Adventure Mode level! It's still coming along :)

PPS: Not sure why, but my GIF capture program seems to be saving clips at like 2x speed? So actual gameplay isn't as fast as the above images show (it's a bit more manageable than that).

Barev, zinyalner!

Last week I talked about how and why the Vanguard is getting a redesign. Well, that's old news - today I'd like to talk about something NEW.

So, let me reveal the new character that will be released in Update 1.2: the GUNSLINGER!



The Gunslinger is a new ranged character who wields a rapid-fire revolver that can be fired at any angle, and uses his whip to fling himself across the terrain.

He has a few interesting features that set him apart from his compatriots:




First on the list: the Gunslinger's revolver is fairly unique in several ways.

First, it can be aimed in ANY direction, instead of being locked to 8 directions like the Sniper or Rocketeer.



The Gunslinger aims by holding down the attack button - an aim indicator (displayed by a slowly narrowing triangle) will appear, showing the direction he will fire. (He can move around while aiming, making him harder to hit!)

The bullets are initially rather inaccurate, but the longer he aims, the more precise he will be.



The bullets that are fired by the revolver hit their target instantly, and can be fired EXTREMELY quickly!

However, the Gunslinger only has 3 shots in his gun before he must reload. Reloading is fairly fast, but you'd best be careful while in intense fights.



All in all, the Gunslinger requires a lot of skill to use correctly (especially against large groups of enemies). He can only hit at most 3 enemies before he needs to reload, and it's fairly easy to miss a shot if you're not careful! However, with proper handling, the Gunslinger can snipe opponents who get anywhere close to him, and is capable of laying down a blistering barrage of death when pressed.





The Gunslinger's "Mobility Ability" it also a bit unorthodox. Instead of the conventional dodge roll or dash, he instead pulls out a whip and attempts to pull himself towards a distant target.

This move does not help him dodge attacks, but used properly it can actually move him around at terrific speeds. He can repeatedly use it in the air, allowing him to traverse great distances as long as he has a ceiling or wall to pull himself towards!



If used against an enemy, the foe will actually be pulled towards (and probably behind) the Gunslinger, while still propelling him forwards! Useful if you need to swap places with a target.




When in a pinch - surrounded by enemies, out of bullets, and with no opening to escape - the Gunslinger is not helpless! His Defensive move allows him to rush forward, smacking a foe with the butt of his revolver, knocking them away. This can often create the opening needed to turn a bloody death into escape, then victory!




Finally, the Gunslinger has one last move. An ace up his sleeve, if you will. By using his Special move - Ultrafocus - the Gunslinger slows down time, allowing him to aim more precisely and weave through incoming attacks to line up a perfect shot.

Be warned, though - time slows for EVERY player. Depending on if you are comrades or enemies, this might be a good or a bad thing...




Want to see the Gunslinger in action? Check it out here!

Anyway, that's it for this week! To those in the US, Happy Fourth of July!

PS: The above images were captured within an early Adventure Mode level! It's still coming along :)

PPS: Not sure why, but my GIF capture program seems to be saving clips at like 2x speed? So actual gameplay isn't as fast as the above images show (it's a bit more manageable than that).