Developer Diary #2

Straight into it

It's been a good few weeks, we've focused a lot on testing for Wraithwood, ensuring its balanced appropriately and contains things that actually interest you. Although its a lot of work, we refuse to let our towns blend into eachother. Our highest priority is feeling like you've actually travelled somewhere.

The caves has a completely unique set of rocks and plants. Something that feels as if it's close to the orange-y, muddy Wraithwood, but far away from dry, pale Stickstead.

Where are we at with the Screaming Caves?

There's a lot of art left to do, but we're happy to say that all new enemies and features are implemented for this town. Additionally, three of the four bosses are feature complete, with the Horseman of "Famine" himself being the last one.

As with Stickstead, the Caves contains a minigame, secrets + a sheriffs... office? Accompanied by a rat which may or may not want to be there, the Undead sheriff is struggling to keep this place clean. There are three bounties to capture here. Don't underestimate them!

Remember, capturing or killing bounties grants permanent stat bonuses.

The challenge of rocks

A cave.. is just a hole in the ground. Everything inside more or less looks the same. Sure, some parts are wetter than others or a different shape, but variety is a bit of a challenge.

We've gone for the idea that every cave is slightly different in a more game-ified way.

The Serpent's Aquifer is the first level you'll encounter in here. A winding dried river filled with corpses and cretins alike. So many creatures have died here... you'll want to bring a spectral weapon for this one.

In this level, we've introduced blue mosses and mushrooms to solidify the presence of moisture. In comparison to the Burial Grounds, which is covered in bones and debris.

Arachnids Embrace is also a lovely, webbed place. Definitely unlike anywhere else in the game.

Enough about levels, what else is new?

A significant rebalancing has occurred, making the first hour of the game far easier. Weapons, gadgets and abilities have been adjusted as well. The overall feeling is that surviving is easier, but the game does get harder with time.

Defiled West has over 50 unique weapons so far, how do we keep them interesting?

One of the biggest changes is the implementation of Weapon Ascension. You will now be able to upgrade old weapons to bring them in line with the difficulty of the late game. Some weapons like the rusted revolver are ... too poor to be brought along for the ride, though.

Animations

Arriving in the demo later this month, Drunkdead, Disciples, Slammers and Poltergeists will have their full animation set. They've been gliding around the floor way too long, and it stands out a bit!

Additionally, the Well of Souls will receive new SFX, Particles + Effects when used.

Death Logic

Dying in a town will no longer send you to the death screen, you will be instantly, miraculously revived. This also means that any Withered Whiskey you slipped to the Inspectre wont be consumed (wasted entirely because you forgot to hit pause).

Bossbar Glowup

It's about time our bosses got the plaque they deserve. In future, you'll even be able to display their skulls in Riftwood Cabin.

Achievements

Maybe we're going a bit overboard, but it's hard not to. There are 12 new Achievements for Wraithwood, and 17 for the Screaming Caves!

Wrapping Up

We're pretty happy with where the caves are at the moment. Our new enemies bring unique challenges, our new weapons bring superior satisfaction and our new gadgets add an addictive element to the mix.

Hopefully you can see it too, but the visuals for the game are improving every time we make a new level. Stickstead will definitely need a refresh to bring it in line with the rest of the game.

What's the focus now?

Right now, our priority is finishing off the Screaming Caves. Animations, SFX, Particles, Polish. All the good stuff. Our aggressive, hyperactive ultimate guardian of the caves also needs to be finished. Along with his level, the Shrieking Monoliths.

After that, we'll move onto Banshee's Bluff. As a whole, the town itself is completely designed already. You'll see a return for the Occult Wheel and a new variant of Horde Level (akin to the Farmhouse in Wraithwood). Banshee's Bluff is a small town which serves as the cold, shivering bridge between the caves and Fort Experiment.

You'll experience Frostbite, freezing cold enemies + some beautiful snow. A lot of enemies from previous towns cannot survive here, so watch your back... anything could be lurking nearby.

New Trailer

In the not so distant future, we'll have a new trailer on our store page and youtube channel to show off loads of new content and give you a better idea of what to expect in the full release later this year!