Devlog 2 Eating Pumpking

Welcome to another exciting chapter of our devlog!

In this update, we’re pleased to share some of the latest progress on our game, Eating Pumpking. As you may know, Pumpking is a play on words between “pumpkin” and “king,” since our hero is a pumpkin-shaped king. We’re thrilled to see how this character is coming to life!

Context 

Since our last devlog, we’ve made significant progress on several key aspects of the project. First, we’ve defined the roles for each team member, which has optimized our workflow and helped us focus on our strengths.

Additionally, we’ve decided the tilesets for the game maps. These tilesets will be fundamental in creating a unique atmosphere in Eating Pumpking, immersing players in a visually appealing and coherent world. (These tilesets will be showcased later along with the maps.)

We’ve also decided on the sprite to be used for the portal, which is as follows:

Furthermore, we’ve decided sprites for the enemies, ensuring each one has its own unique and challenging style. With these decisions made, we now have a clear vision of what the game will look like, and we’re excited to begin the implementation phase.

Finally, after many discussions and brainstorming sessions, we’ve established our direction and defined an action plan for the game’s development. With a solid strategy in place, we’re ready to take the next big step! Here are some of the advancements we’ve made since our last devlog.

Portal Progress 

In this phase, we implemented portals, a feature that allows both our hero, Pumpking, and his enemies to travel from one place to another within the map. This mechanic adds dynamism to the game and introduces new strategic challenges, as both players and enemies can use the portals to surprise and evade each other.

Currently, the portals are static and equipped with a timer that limits continuous use, preventing players from overusing them to move indefinitely. This timer balances the gameplay, requiring players to think strategically about when and how to use the portals to make the most of them.

Enemy Progress 

We’re excited to introduce the game’s first enemy, designed to challenge our hero, Pumpking, and keep him constantly on the move. This enemy has the ability to detect Pumpking within a certain radius, and once detected, will relentlessly pursue him, creating an atmosphere of tension and urgency.

While this enemy can use portals, it does not do so strategically. During its persistent pursuit of Pumpking, it will only use portals if it encounters one while chasing the player, adding an element of unpredictability to the gameplay. This means the player needs to be aware of portal locations, as the enemy could unexpectedly appear through them, intensifying the challenge.

The inclusion of this first enemy marks an important step in the game’s development, allowing us to test the chase mechanics and adjust the difficulty to offer an exciting and well-balanced experience.

World Creation 

One of the most exciting aspects of Eating Pumpking’s development has been creating the game’s four main levels, each with its own unique theme. As Pumpking progresses through the levels, he faces increasingly complex challenges and ventures deeper into the dungeons, reflecting a visual and atmospheric progression that immerses the player in a journey that grows darker and more intriguing.

Each level is designed as a completely different labyrinth, intended to keep the gameplay fresh and engaging. By varying the layout and obstacles of each labyrinth, we want to ensure that each level offers a unique experience, requiring different strategies to overcome the challenges. This diversity aims to avoid monotony and create a sense of discovery and exploration as the player advances.

Here’s a preview of the four levels you can explore in Eating Pumpking:

• Level 1: The Green Path: This first level features a vibrant green design. It’s a welcoming, colorful environment that allows players to familiarize themselves with the game’s basic mechanics.
• Level 2: Desert Dungeon: In the second level, the atmosphere becomes more arid and desert-like. This level presents additional challenges and enemies, pushing Pumpking to face a more rigorous experience as he moves forward in his quest.
• Level 3: The Purple Cave: As Pumpking descends further, he enters a dark and mysterious environment dominated by purple tones. This level introduces more complex paths, requiring advanced skills and quick thinking.
• Level 4: Dark Blue Abyss: This final level has a dark blue tone that emphasizes the game’s depth and difficulty. Here, Pumpking will face his greatest challenges, with strong enemies and intricate labyrinths that test his abilities to the fullest.

These levels are not just settings but also visually narrate Pumpking’s journey into the unknown.

Actual and Next Steps 

In the next phase of Eating Pumpking’s development, we’ll focus on implementing new mechanics and improving existing ones to enrich the gameplay experience. Here are our priorities for the next steps:

• Dynamic Portals: We plan to make the portals appear randomly throughout the levels, adding an element of surprise that keeps both Pumpking and his enemies constantly adapting. These dynamic portals will make each playthrough unpredictable, and players will need to adjust their strategy in real-time as portal locations change.
• Enhanced Enemy AI: We’ll continue working on the enemies’ artificial intelligence to make them even more challenging and reactive. Our goal is for them to anticipate some of Pumpking’s movements, and we’ll adjust their behavior to respond more intelligently and naturally. We’ll also be implementing fixes and improvements to their AI to ensure a balanced challenge for the player.
• Collectible Items: We’ll begin developing collectible items, which will be scattered throughout each level and can be gathered as the player progresses. Each time a collectible is obtained, a unique sound will play, providing audio feedback and making the collection experience more rewarding and immersive.
• Victory and Defeat Conditions: We’ll establish the game’s victory and defeat conditions. Players will achieve victory by collecting all the food available in the level, while defeat will occur if Pumpking is caught by an enemy. These conditions will give players clear objectives and add a greater sense of progress and tension to each playthrough.