Boss fights are a fundamental part of many video games, offering players the chance to test their skills against formidable opponents. Personally, I’ve always enjoyed designing boss fights, especially those inspired by classic games like Mega Man. I even created a prototype when I was just 15, though looking back, the graphics were quite rudimentary!
My current project involves developing boss fights for my Metroidvania game, “Do Drop Dynasty.” If you’re interested, you can add it to your wishlist on Steam. While the Steam page is still a work in progress, improvements are on the way, and your support is greatly appreciated!
In Metroidvania games, boss fights are essential, providing significant challenges and rewarding players for their progress. Since my last development update, I’ve focused on enhancing these encounters. But before diving into the details, let me share some recent updates from the past four months.
One major area of improvement has been the game’s enemies, which serve as mini-bosses. I’ve refined their artwork and mechanics to make them more engaging. For instance, the crows in the game had overly precise pathfinding, which I’ve now adjusted for a more balanced experience. Additionally, I’ve introduced new enemies, such as the “Ambush,” which chases players and explodes, and a boomerang-wielding character with a shield. These additions add variety and challenge to the game.
I’ve also enhanced the game’s interactivity and user interface. Now, players can open chests with a down button, and picking up items triggers sound effects (which will be updated soon). The NPC system has been overhauled, allowing characters to move, speak, and display text with proper word wrapping. A new character, Digsby, helps prevent beta testers from accessing restricted areas.
With these updates in place, I turned my attention to boss fights. In the “Do Drop Dynasty” demo, players encounter a boss named Cact Dilla. Originally, she wasn’t intended for that area, so I’ve relocated her to a more central location and revamped her fight mechanics. The new setting features unique art and a cutscene to enhance her intimidation factor. Her attacks have been improved, and I’m considering adding another move to keep players on their toes.
A new location, Gizmo’s Gearhouse, has been added to the game. This clock tower-themed area features mechanical wizards, machinery, and libraries, making it one of my favorite places to work on. The mini-boss here, the Wisos, started as teleporting enemies but evolved into a trio with unique strengths, providing a satisfying challenge when defeated.
Other bosses, like the cake dragons, are also in development. One notable boss is the Bonsai Beetle, whose design and mechanics have been significantly improved. His attacks now include throwing TNT and teleporting around the map, creating a dynamic and challenging encounter.
There’s still more to add, such as a potential downward kick attack for the Bonsai Beetle. The development process has been exciting, and there’s much more to explore. As the game’s release approaches, I’ll continue to provide updates while avoiding spoilers. If there’s a specific aspect you’re curious about, whether it’s music, enemies, or combat mechanics, feel free to let me know!
If you’re interested in learning game development and programming, consider exploring Brilliant. They offer interactive lessons on topics ranging from math to AI, with new content added monthly. Their Computer Science Fundamentals course is particularly helpful for beginners. You can start with a 30-day free trial at brilliant.org/goodgor, and the first 200 users will receive 20% off an annual premium subscription.
Don’t forget to visit my website, gus.fun, for Q&A, videos, interviews, and upcoming secret content. Exciting developments are underway for “Do Drop Dynasty,” so stay tuned for more updates. Have a great day!
Imagine you’re creating a boss fight for a Metroidvania game. Outline the boss’s appearance, abilities, and the setting of the encounter. Consider how the boss’s mechanics will challenge players and what strategies they might use to overcome it. Share your design with classmates for feedback and discussion.
Choose a classic video game boss fight, such as one from Mega Man or another iconic game. Analyze what makes the fight memorable and effective. Consider elements like difficulty, pacing, and player engagement. Present your analysis in a short presentation or essay.
Using a game development tool like Unity or Godot, create a simple prototype of a mini-boss encounter. Focus on one or two unique mechanics that make the fight interesting. Test your prototype with peers and gather feedback on the gameplay experience.
In small groups, role-play a boss fight scenario where each member plays a different role: the boss, the player, and the game designer. Discuss how the boss’s mechanics affect the player’s strategy and how the designer can balance the fight to ensure it’s challenging yet fair.
Research the history and evolution of Metroidvania games, focusing on the role of boss fights within the genre. Create a presentation that highlights key games, innovations, and how boss fights contribute to the overall player experience. Share your findings with the class.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Boss fights: love them or hate them, they’re a staple of most video game genres. There’s something so satisfying about testing your skills and facing off against a huge, challenging boss. Personally, I’ve always loved creating boss fights, especially in the style of Mega Man. Here’s an example of an early prototype I made when I was around 15. To be honest, I don’t know what’s scarier: the boss fight or the graphics!
I didn’t make this video to reminisce about the past; I made it because I’ve been working on boss fights for my Metroidvania game called “Do Drop Dynasty.” Speaking of “Do Drop Dynasty,” you can wish list it now on Steam! Our Steam page may not look great right now, but it’s about to improve, so please wish list it—I appreciate it!
If you’ve ever played a Metroidvania, you’ll remember that boss fights are a crucial part of the game. Okay, maybe not the most important, but they are super important! Since the last devlog, I really wanted to dive into some of these fights. Before we get too caught up in that, I wanted to share some updates I’ve made recently, as it’s been about four months since the last devlog.
One of the first big improvements I’ve been working on is the enemies. Enemies are another critical part of the game; you can think of them as mini-bosses. I went back and improved the artwork and adjusted their mechanics to make them feel less cheap. The crows, specifically, always bothered me because their pathfinding was too perfect. I experimented with some tweening, and here’s an example of two triangles moving around. Then, here’s one of them as a crow. It got really confusing, but I eventually figured out a better system, and now crows are the final boss of the game—you’re welcome!
I also created new enemies, like one called an “Ambush,” who chases you around and then explodes. I thought it would be cool to have a wall that you need to blow up by luring him over. There’s actually quite a few new enemies I’ve made, but I won’t show all of them. The last one I’ll highlight is a boomerang guy; I just think he’s funny. He has a shield, tries to block you, and you have to shoot his feet or head quickly. What do you think of him?
Moving on from enemies, I also worked on improving the interactivity in the UI system. Now there’s a down button to open a chest, and when you pick up an item, it plays a sound effect. Don’t worry, I will replace that sound! I also overhauled the NPC system, so NPCs walk around, talk, and there’s proper word wrapping—it’s beautiful! I even created a character named Digsby to prevent beta testers from accessing locations they shouldn’t. I love him!
At this point, I decided to start working on the bosses. If you’ve played the “Do Drop Dynasty” demo, you’ll know there’s a boss named Cact Dilla at the end. She was never meant to be there; I just didn’t have time to create the final boss for that area. I decided it was better to move her to a more central location in Tumbleweed, where you’ll fight her early on. I also wanted to redo the fight because running left and right a lot isn’t the most compelling boss fight. I created a unique location for her with unique art, added a cutscene at the beginning to make her more intimidating, and improved her attacks. Now she charges left and right at you and slides. I think she could use one more attack, but we’ll get to that later because we have more bosses to work on!
Before we continue, I want to mention a new location added to the game called Gizmo’s Gearhouse. It’s a clock tower location with mechanical wizards, machinery, and libraries, and it’s become one of my favorite locations to work on so far. The development for this location could be a whole video in itself, as there are hazards, enemies, and new mechanics. The main thing I want to mention is the mini-boss of this location: the Wisos. What started as enemies that would teleport and fly around while shooting projectiles became something bigger. I loved the idea of having them fly around, so I made a trio of them, each with its own strengths and attributes, and you have to fight them all at once. It’s a simple fight compared to what we’ll have later, but I already love this boss fight—it’s super satisfying, especially when you defeat them!
We’re also working on other bosses, like these cake dragons, but the last boss fight I want to show off in this video is the one and only Bonsai Beetle. If you watched my last devlog, you’ll know I started working on him and had a rough draft. The problem was it wasn’t great, so I went back and made Bonsai Beetle look more intimidating. I updated his artwork, improved his animations, and made him look less cartoonish. Out of all his attacks, the only one I kept from the original draft is him throwing TNT, which feels suspenseful. I took out the sniper shooting effect because it felt cheap and replaced it with a better aiming system, making it feel like you have a chance to dodge. I also made him teleport around the map, similar to Meta Knight, to create distance from the player. Before, he would just run left and right, which wasn’t very intimidating. Finally, I added a big punch attack if you’re too close to him to create some distance. Boss fights are all about creating areas where the player can’t just stand next to the boss the whole time.
That’s pretty much it for now! I still want to add in an attack or two more, probably a downward kick in the air to create some more space. This boss fight is a lot of fun to play! I feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface with this devlog, as so much has happened over the past four months, and I just skimmed over things. I hope this gives you a sense of how progress has been coming along and where the bosses are at. As we get closer to the release of the game, there will be less I want to show to avoid spoiling things for you all, but I’ll continue to provide updates like these. Let me know if there’s a specific subject you’d like to see, whether it’s music, enemies, combat mechanics, or anything else—I’m always curious!
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Also, make sure to check out my website, gus.fun. It’s got Q&A stuff, my latest videos, interviews, and I’ll be adding some secret content soon, so keep your eyes peeled!
That’s it for this video! There’s a lot of exciting stuff happening with “Do Drop Dynasty,” so get excited because the release is coming sooner than we think. Have a great day!
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This version removes any informal language and maintains a professional tone while preserving the original message.
Boss Fights – Challenging encounters in video games where players face a powerful enemy, often requiring strategic thinking and skillful execution to overcome. – In the final level of the game, the boss fights were designed to test the player’s mastery of all the skills learned throughout the game.
Game Mechanics – The rules and systems that govern the gameplay, including how players interact with the game world and achieve objectives. – Understanding the game mechanics is crucial for designing engaging and balanced levels in a video game.
User Interface – The means by which a user interacts with a computer system, including the layout of the screen, menus, and controls. – A well-designed user interface can significantly enhance the player’s experience by making the game intuitive and easy to navigate.
Programming – The process of writing, testing, and maintaining the code that makes up computer software and applications. – Programming in C++ allowed the development team to optimize the game’s performance for better graphics and faster load times.
Game Development – The process of designing, creating, testing, and releasing a video game, involving multiple disciplines such as art, programming, and sound design. – The game development course covered everything from initial concept design to final product release.
Enemies – Opponents or adversaries in a video game that challenge the player and often serve as obstacles to progress. – The variety of enemies in the game required players to adapt their strategies to different combat scenarios.
Interactivity – The degree to which a user can influence or engage with a computer system or game environment. – High interactivity in the game allowed players to explore multiple story paths and outcomes based on their choices.
Mechanics – The specific elements and rules that define how a game operates and how players interact with it. – The mechanics of the puzzle game were simple yet challenging, requiring players to think critically to solve each level.
Metroidvania – A subgenre of action-adventure games characterized by exploration, item collection, and a non-linear world design. – The metroidvania game captivated players with its intricate map and hidden areas that encouraged exploration.
Graphics – The visual components of a computer program or video game, including images, animations, and visual effects. – The game’s stunning graphics were praised for their attention to detail and vibrant colors, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
