Getting the Rhythm Right

It has been a few weeks since the last update, but I have been busy working on some of the systems that make the biggest difference to how Rhythm Racer actually feels.

The main focus has been refining how the game reacts to the music: how the speed changes through a track, where gems are placed, and how barriers are generated. The aim is to make everything feel more connected to the rhythm, while also keeping the routes fair and fun to play.

That has meant testing different ways of analysing each song rather than relying too heavily on one thing such as volume or BPM. Different styles of music behave very differently, so settings that work perfectly for one track can feel completely wrong on another.

The screenshot shows the testing program I have been using to compare the different parts of the audio analysis, view the generated gem route, and check that gems and barriers can actually be reached at the speed the player is travelling.

It has taken a little longer than expected, but the results are already much better. Tracks feel more responsive, gem placement is less random, and the game is doing a better job of creating routes that follow the music without becoming unfair or frustrating.

Sorry for the gap between updates. Development has not stopped—I have just been deep in the less glamorous part of tweaking numbers, testing songs and trying not to fix one genre by breaking another.