Local Multiplayer Update

BETTER TOGETHER

Posted by Ben Thomas on January 25, 2020

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Making updates to a game as a solo dev can be a weird thing. The development plan lives in your brain, there’s no marketing deadlines or producer kanban boards. So I wasn’t actually sure when I should “bundle” the features I’ve been working on into a release and push an update to Nectar of Gods. But once I added the local multiplayer to the game I was like this is new and exciting!

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So here it is! v0.02! The “Local Multiplayer Update”!

It includes:

  • Local multiplayer with either a single keyboard or 2 controllers
  • New environmental animations
  • New game mechanics such as a “boost” tile that speeds up bugs and “sugar cubes” that bugs can eat for a health boost
  • New “Controls” and “Bug Descriptions” UI from the pause menu
  • Updated music and sound effects
  • “Bug” fixes

I feel good about the balance I am doing between quality of life improvements and “playable” features. It is keeping development fresh. I think the ability to play test constantly is crucial to that development feedback loop. Without it sometimes I get lost and unsure of what to prioritize.

I tentatively see the rest of NotG’s development in 5 pillars:

  1. 2 more bug factions
  2. "Story" mode
  3. Contract music and sound
  4. Polish and balancing
  5. Online multiplayer (scary)

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Mood Journal

  • Is this game fun? Is anyone gonna be drawn to it? I know the more I add the more it will come together.
  • It’s so nice being able to add to a playable body of work rather than just a bunch of random assets in a unity editor.
  • I care so much about political issues sometimes I am inspired to make things that comment on the injustices in the world. I also try to remember that games can also just be a total escape which is really special too.
  • Holy balls music is hard. There’s a reason people dedicate their lives to making music sound good.
  • Indie game development podcasts are so inspirational, and yet the hustle is so real and precarious.

Thank you guys so much for reading this and just sharing this passion for games with me. It means the world.

Love, Ben

sugarCubePurple