Everything is Coming Up Potatos!

OK so get this, I'm out for my run this morning and as I'm running down the little fenced part of the river trail that runs along Waterfront Drive close to the Baseball park I spot 3 brand new healthy looking Potato's lying on the trail. Hmmmm... "One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato More!" I think I'll take this as a good omen ;) That's just so weird huh? What a strange coincidence to come across something like that in such a strange place, nothing could have been more out of place than that!!

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!!

Character Blob Shadow issue fixed

Although a minor nuisance I found that whenever Bud the Spud performed his "Flip Jump" the shadow spun around with him which is not accurate. I found a way around this with the option of unparenting the Blob Shadow Projector from my character and giving it it's own empty object or container if you like, placed on the ground with the projector above the character. I added a very simple script onto that object containing the projector that tells it to follow the character along like so:
transform.position = objectToFollow.position + offset;
Works like a dream!! Now there is no more of the silliness of the shadow flipping with the player.

I've also been playing around a bit with trying to add a nice background music loop for level one's underground, I've got something with a bit of a tribal beat to it, not sure if I'm totally sold on it yet. just experimenting. I also added some worms to the upper floating stone platforms for Bud the Spud to deal with. I have not added any of these changes to the online web player version of the games testing page yet. I want to do a lot more tweaks yet. 

Sneak Peek at Level 2 Development

Here is a sneak peek at the very early stages of level 02 of "Bud the Spud." Level 02 takes place above ground just after Bud has exited from his underground world through the pipe to the surface, that is if he's managed to collect the two keys needed to unlock the door to the exit pipe, managed not to get himself killed by worms or from falling into toxic deadly mud bogs.

Level 02 Bud the Spud must make it through the front yard and make his way to the Tree House located in the Pumpkin Patch where he'll have to avoid more worms and a new enemy the "Potato Beetle." Inside the tree house he'll have to avoid the occasional windup toy robot as well.

I don't want to spoil too much of what's in store for "Bud the Spud" but I just wanted to show a sneak peek at how my environment for level 02 is starting out. ;)

Bud the Spud Makes it to the Top!!

Actually made it to the top with 4 lives and only half my health taken away while testing out some minor changes I made to the game today. I moved some of the glowing Fungus over towards the dilapidated wooden walkway that leads up to the giant rock across the 3rd toxic deadly mud bog. I found that after doing the beast light mapping that, that area looked a little dark and could use some light sources in there so the Glowing Fungus were ideal for that. While testing it out I was doing so well I thought; "OK... I'll keep going and see if I make it all the way to the top?" which I did!! And with 4 lives yet!! Just thought I'd share that as I thought that was pretty cool ;)