Improve my Game Jam 26 kicked off on March 24th and we took the opportunity to improve Earth Survivor over the course of the week. Prototype 1 was pretty basic, so our goal was to add much greater variety in terms of player ships, enemies, upgrades, and gameplay mechanics.

Day 1

On the first day of development, I focused on making some under-the-hood changes. I refactored the Player controller code to allow for multiple ship types. I also separated the logic for shooting, propulsion, and other features into different components, which will make it easier to manage the code as the game grows.

I played around with a melee character that had a sword slash, but it made the game much too difficult. I think that some kind of sword throw would be better, so I decided to keep exploring that option in the coming days.

In addition to these changes, I spent some time cleaning up the code and creating subfolders for prefabs and scripts. The game is already growing quite big, so I want to make sure that everything is organized and easy to find.

Day 2

On day 2 I added a new "lucky draw" power-up, which drops from enemies with a low probability. This rare item provides an extra challenge and incentive for players, as they must strategically navigate the battlefield to collect it. The power-up is not affected by item attraction mechanics, which means players will have to stay on their toes and move around the screen to seize it.

In addition to the new power-up, I addressed a key balance issue by restricting the maximum range of the power-up attraction upgrade. This change prevents players from simply camping in the middle of the screen and passively accumulating power-ups. By limiting the attraction range, we encourage more active and dynamic gameplay, requiring players to traverse the play area and carefully plan their movements to collect essential upgrades.

I also fixed a persistent issue where the player's ship would continue shooting even when stunned.

Lastly, I implemented a new time-slowing effect that activates just before opening any upgrade dialog windows. This subtle enhancement creates a less abrupt transition between gameplay and the upgrade selection process, allowing players to adjust and maintain their focus. 

Day 3

On day 3, I introduced a boss enemy with high health that spawns every five minutes, and refactored some enemy-related code to accommodate this addition.

I also added a custom shader for enemies, making them flash white upon taking damage, which adds satisfying visual feedback for players.

A significant portion of the day was dedicated to playtesting and fine-tuning various game variables, such as kickback and enemy speeds. This ensures that the new boss fights are challenging but don't disrupt the overall game balance.

Lastly, I refactored the code for damage-dealing projectiles in preparation for adding a new weapon: the plasma sword. This step sets the stage for further expanding the game's arsenal and gameplay options.

Day 4

To begin day 4's work, I tackled the enemy spawning code. Previously, the code was rigid and a bit difficult to manage when it came to adding new enemy types. I spent some time refactoring the code to ensure that integrating new enemies would be easier and more flexible in the future. This will allow me to create a diverse array of challenges for the players without getting bogged down by the technical details.

Next, I introduced a new enemy type that moves to a static position on the screen and fires bullets in the direction of the player. The purpose of this enemy is to keep the player on their toes, as they now have to dodge bullets while simultaneously managing their defense against other incoming enemies.

I also continued working on the Plasma Sword player ship. I focused on coding and refining the sword-throwing mechanics, as well as introducing separate upgrade paths for each player ship.

Lastly, I dedicated some time to address multiple tweaks and bug fixes throughout the game.

Day 5

On day 5, I finally managed to make the plasma slash mechanic work. This will allow players to cut through enemies at close range, adding a new layer of strategy to the game. It has a unique feel and is satisfying to use.

I also added a new upgrade to the game – a satellite that rotates around the player's spaceship and deals melee damage to enemies that come too close. Unfortunately, it turned out to be not as effective as I had hoped. The damage output was underwhelming and didn't provide enough incentive for players to choose it over other upgrades.

During some long play sessions, I worked on balancing the difficulty for different player ship types. I noticed that playing with the plasma sword ship is currently much easier than with other ships. It seems I'll need to make some adjustments to ensure that all ships offer a fair and engaging experience.

Day 6

I integrated new graphics by ShatteredReality into the game today. They look fantastic and really elevate the overall visual experience. I also added a particle exhaust effect to the Earth rocket, which adds a nice touch of realism and makes the rocket feel more powerful.

In order to make the satellite upgrade more fun and effective, I added a mini laser projectile with low damage output. This gives the satellite an additional way to attack enemies, making it more versatile and appealing to players.

I also implemented a background effect – a shooting star that gets instantiated randomly from time to time. It's a subtle addition, but it helps make the game world feel more alive and immersive.

Throughout the day, I fixed several bugs and made a number of gameplay improvements. I spent a considerable amount of time playtesting the game myself. To gather a broader perspective on the game's difficulty, I reached out to my friends and asked them to playtest Earth Survivor as well.

Day 7

It's a wrap! After a week of improvements, the game feels much more engaging and immersive. It's time to post the devlog and publish the game after a few final balance changes.

Hopefully, if this jam is a success, we'll make a grand plan to turn the prototype into a full release.