Potato Leaf Health Pickup

Bud the Spud has a new health pick up item, the Healthy Potato Leaf will add 25 health points to Bud's existing health points. Not only are the Fireflies helping Bud here cross the deadly middle mud bog but they are also giving a hint to look up and spot the glowing green healthy potato leaf. "Sweeet!" Bud will say when he gets one of these, especially if he's been injured by attacking worms.

There is another one located way above ground on the floating stone platform but Bud will need some supper skillful jumping dexterity to get that one without falling through the hole and having to climb back up again. I've managed to do it a few time but it is a very difficult jump to get just right, but it can be done. Worse case scenario is that he'll just have to climb back up again if he falls through the hole. Hopefully he managed to get the potato leaf in the process though.

Bud the Spud With Fireflies

As part of Jonathan's idea he suggested on Gamasutra to add visual cues or clues as to where to go I added some fireflies into the scene to give the players a hint. For instance on the middle deadly mud bog it would be perhaps logical for a lot of player to try and jump to the broken dock on the other side of the mud bog from the center island, and although it can be done it is a bit of a tricky jump. The safer jump is to the right of the dock along the mud bog edge. The fireflies flying around the glowing green fungus will hopefully provide a clue to the safer jump option.

Here we can see a screen capture of bud the spud with his very helpful Fireflies. They  are an animated particle system so if you get close to them you can see a little animated glowing bug flapping its wings while they lazily fly about and fade in and out. It's awesome comments like those from Jonathan that I just love and REALLY take to heart. ;)

Danger Signs Added

One of my game testers from Gamasutra (Jonathan) made the awesome suggestion of placing danger signs around the toxic mud bogs as he at first time playing did not know that they were dangerous. Makes perfect sense. I did actually have that planned but it is so good to hear that kind of thing from people as it lets me know I'm on the right track with a lot of this stuff.

Here we see Bud the Spud standing next to the new signs marking the deadly toxic mud bog water. This weekend I'll upload the latest changes and improvement I've made to the online playable version so people can test out and see the new stuff like these wonderful signs, the blob shadow fix, the additional worms and Fertilizer pellet pickups. It's so great to hear people are enjoying playing and testing out this first level. I think when level 02 is ready for testing I'll add that to this one so you'll be able to go from level one to level two just because people are being so absolutely Awesome!!