Following on from yesterday's major update, I have released a hotfix (v1.5.1) which addresses the enemy loading bug which was mentioned in the previous announcement. This turned out to be a larger issue with the save system which should now be a bit more reliable.
Full release notes for v1.5.1:
Fixed a bug where the enemies that spawn in when picking up the keys in Maps 3 and 4 would not load correctly after a save
Fixed the Luger pickup not being consumed if the ammo cap for the Luger had been reached
The Game Design and Interactive Media capstone group’s goal this semester was to bring the spy in Spy Cats and create a new level. We started the semester by brainstorming new mechanics, the story of Spy Cats, and level ideas. Then, we moved on to create the 2nd level in the game.
First, we started with brainstorming mechanics, where we had over a dozen ideas split into categories such as combat, movement, and abilities. Below is a screenshot of our jam board with all that we brainstormed.
That's a lot of ideas! We're a small team with a limited amount of time to work on the game, which means we're unable to do everything, so the team narrowed the list down to a handful. The ideas we decided to run with for abilities are the extendo-tail, where the player can use their tail to attack enemies from a distance, the meow enhancer, which players use to stun enemies, and the hacking ability, which sees the player complete a minigame to unlock doors and other secrets as they traverse the level. For movement, we decided to include wall climbing and a jump boost. Lastly, we decided to include the ability for the players to disguise themselves from enemies.
Next, we brainstormed ideas for future levels and changes to the level currently in the game. Below is a screenshot of the several different ideas we had. Just as the mechanics, we narrowed this list of ideas to three and decided on one to work on this semester.
Now that the brainstorming sessions were done, we got to work on creating the level and programming the new mechanics we decided on for the semester. The team started with programming the wall-climbing mechanic and drafting concepts of the main and the sub-world we decided to include at the research facility level. Below is a video showing the wall climbing mechanic in action.
While the programming team got to work on the wall climbing mechanic, the level design team started blocking the vents subworld in-engine after the concept paper drafts were made. Here, players use the wall-climbing mechanic to traverse a maze-like world as they travel between floors. As the design team started work on the new mission, the art team drew concepts for new enemies that players may encounter.
The level design team then moved on to blocking the main world. Here, the player must traverse the different floors of the facility, find notes, fight rats, and avoid detection by the security cameras to find out what the rats are doing in the facility at night. Below is a video showing off the completed first version of the level.
And that's the progress we have made on Spy Cats this semester. Stay tuned for future Spy Cats Intel reports, and please wishlist the game!
We're thrilled to share the latest developments and sneak peeks of our upcoming RPG game, "Horny Housewives." Our team has been hard at work crafting an immersive experience that blends captivating storytelling, realistic 3D interactions, and a vibrant cast of characters that will bring the neighborhood to life.
Meet the Characters:
1. Anna - The Enchanting Florist: - A mysterious florist with a passion for botany and a secret longing for connection. Uncover her past and help her find love amidst the flowers.
2. Leo - The Charming Musician: - A gay man who thrives on the energy of the town. Discover his hidden talents and assist him in forming unique connections through the power of his observations of the housewives.
3. Emily - The Emotional Explorer: - A psychology enthusiast on a quest to understand the intricacies of human emotions. Dive deep into her quest and help her navigate the complexities of her own heart.
4. Mark - The Troubled Romantic: - A neighbor struggling to mend a fractured relationship. Assist Mark in overcoming obstacles and rediscovering the spark with his wife, Sarah.
5. Claire - The Fitness Enthusiast: - A health-conscious individual with a penchant for smoothies and a commitment to a fit lifestyle. Embark on fitness quests, join Claire on runs, and explore the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
6. Eric - The Curious Observer: - A neighbor caught in the crossfire of neighborhood rumors. Navigate through his perspective as he seeks the truth behind the gossip.
Immersive 3D Interaction:
- Dynamic Environments: Explore a richly detailed suburban landscape, complete with lush parks, bustling streets, and charming homes and backyards. Every corner tells a story, and every choice influences the narrative.
- Realistic Interactions: Engage with characters through realistic 3D interactions. From helping Anna arrange her enchanting bouquets to joining Claire on a jog through the neighborhood, every action has consequences.
- Player Choices: Shape the narrative through your decisions. Forge friendships, spark romances, or delve into the mysteries of the neighborhood. The power is in your hands.
Compelling Storylines:
- Love and Intrigue: Uncover hidden desires, secret affairs, and unexpected connections as you navigate through intricate storylines that blur the lines between romance and mystery.
- Neighborhood Drama: Become a part of the community as you witness and influence the drama that unfolds between neighbors. Gossip, romance, and unexpected twists await.
What's Coming:
We can't wait for you to experience "Horny Housewives" and become a part of this vibrant virtual community. Stay tuned for the official launch, and get ready to embark on a thrilling adventure filled with love, drama, and unexpected connections.
Hello everyone, this is Enis from Phew Phew Games.
We've got some new details about Anomaly Agent! Our release date is confirmed! Hooraay! Finally!
We're launching on January 24, 2024!
Our original plan was to release the game in 2023. However, after the demo phase, we decided to tweak a few more things based on the feedback we received.
We had the chance to release the demo of our game during Steam Next Fest. About 40,000 people tried the demo and shared their feedback with us on social media. We're incredibly grateful for that. It was immensely beneficial for us. The positive feedback was truly motivating.
The most complained-about aspect of the demo was what we focused on improving. Players wanted the enemies to be more aggressive and threatening, so we've reworked the movement sets, attack patterns, and speeds of all in-game enemies.
As a result, we found that enemies have significantly upgraded. They're providing a much tougher challenge now. We've also added new features for our protagonist. These new abilities will come in handy, especially when dealing with enemy groups.
We've introduced new combo moves. By combining these moves with special abilities, players can overcome tough enemy situations. Additionally, using environmental elements and utilizing dropped weapons remains a crucial aspect of the game.
Besides the action, we have fantastic music to accompany our gameplay. A total of 13 unique tracks were composed by Ali Barutcuoglu specifically for the game. The positive feedback we received for the musics made us extremely happy. Rest assured, you'll hear much more of these tracks in the full version.
Alongside these original tracks, we're also featuring 3 compositions by Berkan Cesur.
We aimed to create an adventure where people could have fun. You'll engage in conversations with various characters, earning different emotions from them. Yes, the game features an emotion-gaining system. The responses you give will earn certain emotions, which you can then spend on the upgrade screen.
Also we already have post-launch update plans. After the game is released, we'll be introducing a Hardcore New Game Plus mode and a special challenge mode, both of which will be offered to players at no cost.
We are extremely excited for you all to experience the full game. Hopefully, we've managed to create something enjoyable for you to play. See you on January 24th!
Smaller update this bi-week as we've been working mostly on technical behind-the-scenes stuff. But we do have some new stuff for you guys as well, and some big plans! 😉
Lite Version
In order to help Minigame Madness hit escape velocity on player stability, we've been working on Minigame Madness Lite: the Free-2-Try version. Lite players will be very limited in features, but are still able to play in servers with Paid players. 😄
Our goal with Lite is to help fill servers and seamlessly convert Lite players to Paid players over time. Lite is a temporary solution, and will be disabled again at some point after stability is reached. Note that we'll never make the base game F2P permanently! ⚠️
Minigame Madness Lite will release sometime in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more info! 😎
In-Game Friends List
In order to be able to offer Minigame Madness Lite in the near future, we've started work on our own in-game friends list, because Steam inviting doesn't work between different Steam games: The current implementation is very barebones, but you'll now be able to see your online MM friends regardless of whether they are in your instance or not.
In the future you'll be able to see your offline MM friends in the friends list as well, and check their stats whenever you like! 🤩
Mub Optimization
Mubs with clothes are rendered whole for each clothing piece - at least that was the case. 😅
If you had 6 clothing pieces on, that was essentially 6 Mubs being rendered. We've rebuilt Mub rendering from the ground up and started baking clothing & Mub into a single mesh.
Baking the individual pieces into one will increase FPS on most PCs significantly, while increasing loading times slightly.
This is only the first step in optimizing the game. Please let us know about your experience with the new Mub rendering, especially if you had bad FPS in crowded areas before! 👍
⚠️ We've temporarily added a setting in the new 'Advanced' setting category for you to be able to turn this off, in case you experience any issues with it, as it's still experimental.
Steam Achievement Progression
It's very difficult to reach 5 stars in any particular minigame, so our Steam achievements have now gained loading bars to show your friends how many stars you have! ✨
Also, play Minigame Madness between December 15th-31st for a small Christmas miracle! 🤫🎄
Have an epic day! Or an average one. No pressure! 👋🏼
V0.4.1
Added Steam achievement progression bars
Added work-in-progress in-game friends list
Added alarm sound on Bounty Battle correct kill
Added centerpiece to Bounty Battle plaza
Added lamp posts to Bounty Battle plaza
Added tooltip in minigame buy menu for minigames that are disabled because of solo-play
Added interact and aim controls to the tutorial messagebox
Added new Advanced setting category
Changed Mubs to be more optimized leading to better performance in crowded areas (revertable in case you're experiencing issues, check Settings>Advanced)
Changed NPC collision radius to be smaller, reducing the amount of NPCs walking in circles
Changed Bounty Battle wanted screens to be off during intro and outro
Changed Bounty Battle wanted screens to have random delays before updating
Changed Bounty Battle games to end early if somehow all NPCs are killed (see this as a challenge!)
Changed WIP minigames to always be the third voting option if featured
Changed default Capture Resolution to 1x (was 2x), to fix unknowing players getting a major lagspike when accidentally pressing C
Fixed holes in Bounty Battle map which allowed players to escape out of bounds
Fixed rare bug where two player could get rewarded for killing the bounty in Bounty Battle
Fixed false dying broadcast during intros (actually this time)
Fixed an issue where players could kill Bounty Battle bounties slightly after game end
Fixed Sumo Shamble water rising speed balancing from last update not being applied
Fixed elevator notifications never being localized
Fixed Hub statues having no shadows
Fixed Hub statue spotlights not lighting up players
Fixed rotational spectator cameras lagging on long-running servers
Removed unnecessary DOF calculations leading to some GPU optimization