The good news, the bad(?) news, and the ugly news.

Heya!

It's been a few months since the Next Fest demo went live. Apologies for the lack of any real updates (even on X outside of a few text-only tweets) or WiP screenshots, I've been working hard on the game to really record or take screenshots.

The good news

After a lot of grinding, the game is mostly complete, content wise!

A ll the planned content has been implemented.

This... doesn't mean that it's ready to launch, because there's still a few things that need to be done:

• Testing Advanced, Expert and Quest mode in full.

• Balancing (enemies, weapons, etc)

• Stage tweaking and making them better looking

• Testing the Steam Achievements API and fallback system.

• Updating existing localizations (French, Spanish) and get both the Japanese and Russian localization started.

• Adding the content for the secret developer commentary feature.

The bad(?) news

I've signed onto a new job IRL. This is actually good news for me.

It also pays decently well, so hopefully for future projects I'll have a bit more leeway in terms of budget...

...but, it will lead to a delay regarding the game's release, since I don't foresee getting the above done in the next two weeks, when I'll take my new position.

This is because there's...

The ugly news

The project is afflicted with some severe performance issues and potentially unknown engine bugs. These are causing three core problems:

1. Severe performance issues tied to an unknown engine process (not user scripts, assets or logic) that is NOT present in other projects made with the same engine, even if both projects are stripped down to the bare-bones essentials.

2. Sudden inability to export the localization table.

3. Sudden inability to export the actual game.

As a result, I had to send the project files to the engine's maker to help them squash these bugs. I didn't send the project lightly, because I can dig around and find workarounds, but in this case I couldn't find a solution.

There's currently no idea on when it'll be fixed, or if it'll even be fixed. Worse case scenario, I would still be able to release the game as long as point 3 is fixed, since I do have an annoying workaround for point 2, but the performance issues would tank the review scores.

What's new in the development since then?

Some of these features will be reflected in an upcoming demo update, which will be a closer reflection of the final game. However, most of these are exclusive to the full game.

• New Weapon Type: Pistols

  • Lock-on fire in the character's direction (not the camera).

  • Fast, weak damage.

  • Critical hits deal significantly more damage.

  • Inspired by the western game jam entry I made in about 3 days, after an engine update broke the game for a week.

• A new move, dodge, was added.

  • Each character has a different take on it with different properties.

  • A sound effect will play when you can dodge again.

  • This is not a parry.

• The default controller button configuration for jump, weapons, and weapon switching has been adjusted according to usual player expectations. Button references are XBOX:

  • A now is Jump and interact with Shopkeeper

  • B is the dodge move.

  • X and Y are weapon left and weapon right attack. Secondary buttons tied to the previous way of attacking are also assigned by default on the shoulder buttons.

• The "Heat Gen" power up was replaced by a Speed power up.

• Some weapons were updated:

  • Healing weapon variants with no drawbacks now reset score multiplier to x1 on hit.

  • A few weapon variants were completely redone.

• Equipping two of the same weapon type (Sword + Sword, Pistol + Pistol, regardless of the weapon itself) can confer special passives.

  • This was mostly added to make Guns Akimbo a play style (of sorts).

  • Not all dual weapon types are supported due to a lack of ideas.

• The Advanced course boss was updated, and 3 bosses were made for Expert course.

  • Also implemented EX Bosses, harder variants of the boss that appear when certain conditions are met in the run.

• Expert course has a deadline timer mechanic and a set amount of stages before entering the dungeon. Running out of time before reaching the dungeon will cost you a Continue.

• Leaderboards will support Steam Leaderboards, and have been divided between game modes and courses.

• HUD adjustments.

  • Focused on reducing the amount of UI elements to reduce lag.

  • Some information like the power ups collected total count are isolated into the pause menu for performance reasons.

  • The HUD can now be hidden in the options.

• Secrets have been added: basically achievements. However, these gives in-game rewards, mainly small bonuses like outfits or features that don't alter gameplay itself.

  • Additionally, these rewards can be forced unlocked with in-game currency earned by playing the game, but the online achievement won't be granted. However, meeting the achievement requirements will grant the online achievement, even if you've forced unlocked the reward prior to that.

• A myriad of performance update placebos.

Game Plan

• Work on the game as much as possible in the next two weeks.

• Pray that the engine bugs are fixed, at the very least Game Export, so that I can test Steam Achievements.

• Finalize game text, translate it into French, and send it to the Spanish, Japanese and Russian translators.

• Finish the game and send the final build to Steam's review team for approval.

• During approval wait, work on new trailer and press release.

• When approved for release, announce a public release date for the game, alongside releasing the trailer and sending press releases.

Optimistic outcome would be a release in July, but it could either be August or September in a worse case scenario. I won't be able to guarantee a minimum amount of work per day on the project to project a concrete release date due to my new job. Assume that the game's fully complete by the time the release date gets announced, and the work done on the game before release will just be PR / social media.

If you wish to stay up to date on the game without relying on a social media algorithm, consider joining the Meringue Rouge discord server. Please note it's only for announcements, there are no discussion channels there.

https://discord.gg/HEs9faqb2u

See you in the near future!

Meringue Rouge