Fishhead 4 is almost done and I started working on Fishhead 5 because I could not wait.
Right now I want to get the graphics, engine and gameplay as good as I possibly can before I start making actual levels. So far I have:
- a test level (might evolve into one of the regular levels later)
- sort of dynamic camera
- movement with different moves (running, double jumping, wall jumping)
- semi-dynamic enemy AI
- scoring system
- fancy water in the background
Fishhead 4 is almost done and I started working on Fishhead 5 because I could not wait.
Right now I want to get the graphics, engine and gameplay as good as I possibly can before I start making actual levels. So far I have:
- a test level (might evolve into one of the regular levels later)
- sort of dynamic camera
- movement with different moves (running, double jumping, wall jumping)
- semi-dynamic enemy AI
- scoring system
- fancy water in the background
It seems really solid! I think the thing I had the most problem with was the wall-jump. I was trying to figure out what about it was bothering me, and narrowed it down to two points:
1. Right now, if you're holding against the wall (and falling), you can jump, but the moment you press away from the wall, you're no longer holding it. It would be nice if there were a few frames of grace if you press away from the wall where you can still do the wall-jump, because some people (like me) tend to press the opposite direction as well as the jump button to do wall-jumps. And right now, if you hit the opposite direction just a little bit early, it doesn't work.
2. The period in which you can't control after a jump seems a little long, making it tricky to do precision landings after a wall-jump. Maybe give the player control back after the peak of the jump. Or if that ends up being too much (like, if that lets the player jump against the same wall indefinitely), then maybe you could ease it back, giving the player half-speed movement first, or something. Something to let you guide your landing a little earlier.
You might also let the player wall-jump a little before, like "when vertical movement is lower than slightly ascending", as opposed to "when player movement is descending", but that could be a matter of taste.
Beyond that, it seems really good so far. The player moves really quickly, in general, so I didn't feel there was a need to run. And if you're moving, then hold up or down, the release the left/right button, the player does this little in-place shuffle. It's just cosmetic, though. And the ladders felt a little awkward, just because you couldn't climb to the top. I don't know if that would be a tricky thing to implement, but at least let the player climb a little higher before having to jump off.
And the art is gorgeous. I really loved the background, with the wavy reflection beneath the parallax water surface. Good stuff.
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