DAY 60
So since I've recently stated that I'll be taking a break from the scripting side of things, I've been focused on the level design aspect and started a new cave level, because I already had the placeholder modular assets and I did want to make four levels in this particular vein. At the moment this is WIP (like everything else) and not finished (layout wise) so here's a glimpse of how it looks now:
The intention and direction is to make this level loop on itself, or more precisely have elements akin to a Mobius strip. To be honest, that was the goal for the first cave level, but ultimately went with a different flow, because that's what the level wanted to go.
It's an interesting challenge, this whole looping on itself thing. I first encountered it in AER Memories of Old and was quite intrigued by it because it offered a little bit of spatial awareness challenges, a little bit of orientation challenges and a little bit of freedom by way of choosing your own route to progress through the level.
Though I have not played much of AER, I believe this kind of level can have slightly more looping. So, I've started having a loop that has a Mobius strip-like path. After testing it, it seems like a good start. It gives the sense of progression without the feeling of walking in circles, accomplishing nothing. There are no mechanics or hazards here yet, as is the case with the other cave level. This is because I want the feel of exploring to be as top notch as possible before continuing placing gameplay elements. If the exploring part fails, then the other gameplay elements are nearly worthless ("polish a turd and it's still a turd" kind of thing). So, nail the exploration first, add mechanics and hazards later.
The Mobius thing starts when the player reaches the octagonal-like module. For now, only the left-hand side of the level is done and I'll continue working on it today. All this was implemented yesterday, but it was getting too late to write a devlog at that time.
I'm really curious if a Mobius Strip can be placed within a Mobius Strip. That's a real challenge right there. :))
I'm fairly excited about how this level is going to turn out. I say "fairly" because I'm also concerned about it's quality. Yes, it's an interesting element to add, but is it good? Will it be fun? Will it be challenging but not frustrating? Will the mechanics be the cherry on top of the cake? These questions add to the excitement, but also to the concern. Must treat this with care. Like I said, testing it did give good impressions, but let's see where it goes from here.
That's all I've got for today. See ya in the next post, bye!!