Devlog #2 -- October 12th, 2020

[Note: This is a devlog regarding upcoming changes to the game. The update has not been released at this time.]

Hey again! I wanted to take the time to share a few more bits and pieces of my progress on the game.

As always, feel free to check out the discussion board for the project over at Weight Gaming. I'll be realistic--there's still a LOT of work to be done, but sharing these progress reports helps keep me on track and accountable! This particular Devlog entry will primarily focus on the changes to the weight gain mechanic in the game, but first I'd like to showcase a few graphical changes.

Body Options

The original Knight character was made fairly androgynous to be more inclusive of all players. In the final game, players will be presented with two simple "Body Options" to choose from. (With a secret character option to be unlocked later on). The differences between the two are fairly subtle, but I hope that it brings the Player a little extra choice and enjoyment!

Enemy Readability

Some of the enemies I've shown before have gotten a slight facelift to make their danger to the player a bit more obvious--and a few extra behaviors have been added. For example, the Pig Knights now carry a spear to warn you of their intent! But dodging the spear and bopping them on the head will buy the player some valuable time (especially important when you're sluggishly lugging around all that heft)!

Note: The game runs at a smooth 60 FPS, but the gifs I share are at a lower frame rate to reduce file size.

Or take the Big Pig Knights, who normally bounce the player back with their rotund form. But, tip them over, and you've created a pillowy platform, perfect for boosting you over a tall obstacle!

Weight as a Mechanic

Previously, I briefly referenced that how the Player's weight was handled would be changing. In the original game, weight was primarily used as a punishment that made the game harder as your progressed. Ultimately this made the weight exclusively feel frustrating, and made some level segments incredibly difficult. Since we're all here because we like weight gain, I wanted to make the Player's changing weight a little more fun and dynamic!

Let's break down the changes that have been made to the Player's weight:

• The Player's weight is now tied directly to their health. This means that when the Player is light and fast, they'll excel at platforming, but have to take extra caution to not get hit! When the Player is heavy and slow, they'll have extra life to help compensate for their bulk, but are more likely to get tripped up on hazards.


• Weight is now variable and can go up and down within each level. A player can find items in select parts of the castle levels to increase their health and weight. The player can also perform exercise to lose weight whenever they need to slim down for a particular challenge.


• Weight is now used to solve simple platforming puzzles and overcome obstacles. This will manifest in a lot of different ways, but ultimately means that the player will need to master the use of their Knight at a variety of sizes to succeed in gathering food for their Queen! This also opens up a lot of clever and flexible level design opportunities, since the Player is not limited to a single size in each level.
  
  A simple example can be seen below:

1. A Knight sees a food crate hidden below the floor but isn't heavy enough to break through to it. 
   
2. They find items to increase their weight and carefully return (getting hit will cause the player to lose life and weight)  to steal the food for their Queen! 
   
3. Before continuing, the knight exercises to slim down and become nimbler at the cost of their extra hearts.
   

How's It Looking?

I've made some great progress, but there is so much work still to be done! I want to make sure that I emphasize quality and fun over anything else, and I am too far out to share an estimated release date. But I promise I am hard at work to make it happen when I can!

That said, with some significant mechanics now in place, the next steps are to start officially creating the levels. Some of the items I'll be working on in the near future include visual level flourishes like background objects to bring more life and color to the castle. I've also begun work on some additional environments that the Player will explore, including the Castle Garden and the Upper Chambers. However, since I know players are eager to hear about the new queen, the next devlog will focus on the Pig Queen and her loyal Pig Knight!

Until next time!

- Roops