UPDATE: I have made the changes to the main game now. You do not have to start a new game to continue playing, but you may want to try it out, as the first level is different.

I have uploaded some rather large changes to the "Testing" branch of Paradox Vector.

Since there is a lot of new content, it has not been tested as thoroughly as I'd like, so I will probably be updating this list before it goes to the default branch.

The first level of the game has a new layout. It's not vastly different, but there are a few things that make it a bit more interesting. I plan to do this with all the levels, eventually making them longer and more complex.

Urchins are strange, jumping creatures that can be found outdoors. I am finding them quite difficult to hit right now, but I will work on that. Maybe they need to jump less, or move slower, or both...



The spiders in the normal (not hard mode) version of the game have been made a bit slower and easier to hit. There are also some new spider hiding places on most of the maps, as well as in the outdoor areas.

There was an issue with some of the alert messages, if you reached one while another was already active. This should fix the issue. For instance, if you collected a health triangle, and then reached an old one statue, the lore would disappear when the health triangle message would have. Now the game can distinguish between the times messages for pick ups, and the other messages that should stay on screen while you remain in proximity of the game object responsible.

I made a script that will make it easier to add items and creatures to the checkpoint save system. Soon I will be including things like weapons, ammo, exploded walls etc... Right now, pressing F5 will set a checkpoint (with a new alert message) and F6 will load that checkpoint. Enemies that you have defeated prior to setting the checkpoint should not reappear after loading it, with the exception of urchins, which are not quite finished yet.

I expect there will be a few bugs in this version that I did not have time to discover yet. I plan on continuing with this version a bit longer before it's ready, but I thought it would be good to upload my current progress as is.

In this update, I have split up the second outdoor level into two parts, making them run smoother, and made a few minor changes to the outdoor areas. The basic flow of the game is unchanged. However, you will need to start a new game in order to play this latest version.

To try this latest version, go to "Paradox Vector > Properties > Betas" and select "beta" from the drop down menu. This will prompt the update. Let me know if you experience any trouble.

If you do not want to start a new game yet, keep playing the standard version.

Updated content includes:

Smaller Outdoor Levels - The first outdoor area has been separated from the larger, secondary area. This makes that area run a lot smoother than before, and should not impact your frame rate as much.

I plan to split up the second area too, since it is larger than the first area, then the game will have three, similarly sized outdoor areas.

Outdoor Plants - The plants that appear on the outside terrain had a problem that caused them to not appear in large stripes when moving across the map. This has been addressed, and now plant coverage should be more uniform.

Outdoor Sounds - This was actually in the last update, but I forgot to mention it. The outside areas now have a different ambient noise, and different footstep sounds to match the more natural environment.

I have uploaded the latest build of Paradox Vector.

I have added a number of new features, and am hoping to get some good feedback from players. It's just a few minor changes that I hope will add a bit of polish to the game experience.

Music
I have added music to each level.

Fade in and Out
Each level transition now fades in and out, preventing some of the abrupt starts and stops of previous versions. I think this can still be improved, but I am hoping it looks and feels nicer than before.

Upside Down Bridge
It's just a small detail, but you may notice that the bridge between level two and three is now upside down in relation to the rest of the world.

Improved Frame Rate
I added a script that should improve the frame rate, especially in the out-door level. I have more ideas I want to implement that will improve it even further in future updates.

Once these updates have been tested and finalized, I plan to start adding a lot more content to the game. I have ideas to make each level a bit longer and more complex. I also want to work on some kind of in-game menu that will show the player's progress, and maybe a map of some kind.

I'm not a huge fan of cut scenes, but I do want to have some more in-depth story telling at least at the beginning of a game, and once certain check points are reached.

For the next few weeks I hope to get a lot done here, so it's a great time to offer any feedback you might have. Of course I will also be going through all the discussion threads and making sure I have captured everything already mentioned. Reminders can't hurt though, and the more people I hear from regarding a particular issue, the more likely I will address it sooner, rather than later.

I'm so happy to announce that Paradox Vector got 3rd place in the Game Development World Championship Fan Favorite competition! Thanks for all your love and support!



The GDWC is still deciding who will win their main competition, so Paradox Vector still has a shot at that. There is nothing to do, but prayers are appreciated!

Steam Awards
With that said, I would also appreciate if you'd all consider nominating this game for a Steam Award this year. I hope it might do well in the visual style category, since vector games are not too common these days.

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https://www.twitch.tv/houradaygamer

Thanks for your patience. I have added 30 Steam Achievements over the past couple days, and was testing them out. There have been a few other minor changes as well, especially in the normal difficulty level.

Some monsters were removed, some were added. You'll see when you play...


New Monster Idea
I am thinking about adding a new type of monster, something big and easier to hit than the squid-spiders, but weak and non-exploding, just to add a bit more shooting to the gameplay ... I would also increase ammo and weapon capacities to compensate for this. What do you all think of this idea?

Urchin
I have not found a place to add the urchin type creature yet. It will most likely be a kind of obstacle type creature, nothing that will chase the player, but something to avoid in the upcoming underground cavern levels...

Screen Resolution
That's all I have for now. I will be revisiting the way the game handles screen resolution, as a player has found some kind of issue there.

Gun Stuck
Also, there still is a bug where the player's gun will get stuck and will not shoot down or up. I will be looking for how to re-create this bug. If you encounter it, or are able to reproduce it, let me know.

The default version of Paradox Vector has been updated to version 0.9.4.5

Here's what it includes:

Achievements

• The game now has seven unique Steam Achievements
  
• More will be added in the next updates, these are here to make sure they are working for everyone

Better Checkpoints

• Some levels have automatic checkpoints at certain spots
  
• Manual checkpoints can be set with F5
  
• Checkpoints will now remember which monsters were killed, and should no longer respawn them

Normal Mode

• Normal Mode is now the default setting when you play
  
• Normal mode generated less monsters, and they do less damage
  
• Hard mode still exists, but you must reach the end of the demo to unlock it
  
• Future updates will allow you to set the difficulty in the main menu

I believe the game is going to be a bit more user friendly, less frustrating, and hopefully more fun to play! I am still looking for your feedback though. Updates should be coming more often now, so it's a great time to let me know what you're thinking!

I am now in the process of testing Steam Achievements in the beta version 0.9.4.5. If you are playing the beta version, you may notice updates, or achievements appearing (or disappearing) or experience some strange things. Fear not. For it is I, the developer, merely testing things out.

You can expect this to go on for the next few days. Then, I hope to update the default game, so everyone can enjoy the new features :)

I added a couple things to the beta this morning. If you want to try out the beta, right-click "Paradox Vector > Properties > Betas" and select "beta" from the drop down.

Updated Checkpoints
Some of the monsters were not removed after reloading a checkpoint. Now it should work with all the monsters.

Normal and Hard Mode
Currently the game will start in normal mode. This reduces the amount of damage monsters do to the player. It will also not spawn all the monsters in a given level.

Once the campaign is completed, it will unlock "Hard Mode" and those monsters will appear in the game.

Next Steps
I will be adding Steam Achievements soon. I will also be adding a menu option to select the difficulty level.