Devlog 7

Devlog 7 - Preparing for the beta build (7/15/25)

Game Design:

The tutorial has been fleshed out a little more; this includes the text that describes how to control the bat, as well as visuals and button prompts. There are also indicators to help the player fly with the intended rhythm of the bat. 

Level Design:

There have been some slight changes to the tutorial area. It was made larger in order to with better with the camera. This is because the previous one was too small and it caused awkward visuals when the camera went into and behind walls. In addition to this, once the player collects all the blood drops in the level they will be rewarded with a message congratulating them. 

Programming:

This week, we focused on refining the core flight mechanics and enhancing UI interaction. We introduced bumper-assisted turning as a complement to analog stick control and increased the turning speed to make maneuvering more responsive. On the flight control side, we shifted the alternate flap detection to a code-driven system, allowing us to shorten the input window and make chaining flaps more forgiving. We also implemented linear speed buildup for both repeated flapping and falling, adding a stronger sense of momentum and flow. In addition, we added exit confirmation dialogs to both the main and pause menus to prevent accidental exits.


Art:

An asset for a magic circle, which blocks the player from leaving the map, has been created. This was made to make sure that the reason why the player can't leave the map makes sense, as putting an invisible wall may make players feel cheeped out. The design was inspired by simplified circles from other pieces of media. 


First draft of the magic circle.


Land masses are also planned to be changed. Instead of just a flat world assets were created to give the world a little spark; rolling hills, mountains, and other terrain features were created in order to enhance the environment of the game. 

Music and Sound:

Due to real life responsibilities and writing and preparing for the the work term discussion post, Julian was unable to implement the collision sounds into the game by the time this devlog as been written (Tuesday morning). Julian does plan to implement these sounds by the end of the week, assuming nothing interrupts him. 

Next Steps:

Our next steps for this project will be to add controls to the menu based off of the active input, similarly to what we currently have in game. The animations for flapping your wings are to be improved as well: making animations smoother for when you flapping your wings as well as sound effects for when you hit a surface at a high speed. The magic circle will also be implemented within the following weeks, as it's integral to expanding upon the world that we've crafted for our players.