Hey everyone! Been a minute since the last update - but it has been fruitful time.
Major progress update - mapping, puzzle design, and enemy scripting for level 3 has been completed! This was a long time coming, but working on it over a long period helped to let some of the ideas breathe and evolve nicely. I don't want to spoil too much, since this is a bit of a departure from the original Zelda's concept for this dungeon, but I think you'll enjoy it. Some screenshots showing off the architecture:
This will have a round of internal playtesting, bugfixing, and balancing amongst the hivemind (and still needs its boss scripted to be truly final), but this is a huge step towards another eventual demo.
Other engine stuff:
I've begun to work on a mild revamp of enemy knockback and scripting to add more modular enemy options. Previously, systems such as being knocked back when your sword is blocked (internally called tinking) were handled on a specifically scripted, per enemy basis. Now these are being handled by a flag system that allows these effects to be applied generically to any enemy. While you may not notice any difference while playing, this will make the codebase far easier to add to and maintain.
The most recent major addition to the engine is inertial movement. One of the things that defines ZC movement is its jerkiness - this is especially noticeable in sideview, while jumping, and while swimming. This new system allows for smooth acceleration and deceleration while performing these actions.
This isn't just for better gamefeel though - this enables new kinds of movement interactions with persistent forces, such as strong winds or currents in water. You'll see some of these in level 3! Check out a video below showing generally how this looks in-game:
Edited by Mitchfork, 23 March 2023 - 01:56 AM.