It has been bothering me for awhile that if you are not locked on the dodge will do a u-turn instead if you try to go in the opposite direction. After a lot of testing I found that in the rotate function for the dash that I made a long time ago there is a degrees per second and max rotation variable that I could change. I played with the numbers a bit and found values that made it so the dashing would always go towards the direction you are intending to go. This is a huge improvement because it will make the dashing more consistent and predictable.
I also made a big change to how the parrying worked. A parry is now a good way to avoid all damage if properly timed. It can be done repeatedly when done successfully. Previously the parry felt unreliable and impossible to use for attacks that barely had telegraphs. This was another big change because I had to change the way some enemies reacted to parries. Instead of reeling back from parries the player themselves is the one who reacts by taking no damage and regaining some Primelight. This makes parrying a more viable and attractive option because it can be used consistently if the player can get the timing right. While testing the speed and duration of the parry I feel I found a good value for the window it can mitigate damage.
At first I had the parry state tied to a montage but I found it wasn’t working properly because a montage can easily be played over by another montage. By simply making the Parry variable true for a very short period then switching it back, I am able to make it a mechanic that needs to be mastered. At least I am hoping it can’t be spammed.
A major part of my to do list is to create more visual cues that a player is using a certain power. Since I was working on the new parry I made it so that the shield is visible whenever the player is using that power. For the other powers I still have to think about what those aesthetics will be on the character.
Tomorrow I will go back to working on the most recent boss. I was testing the new parry on her earlier and it is a fun mechanic to player with. The fourth boss may be my favorite so far.
GoldenGratus Games 