I’ve been developing a metroidvania game called Dew Drop Dynasty for the past three years. What started as a small 30-minute prototype in 2020 has evolved into one of the most challenging yet rewarding projects I’ve ever undertaken. Despite the ups and downs, I’ve grown deeply passionate about this game, and I’m thrilled to share the progress I’ve made over the last six months.
For those who are new or missed my updates on social media, I launched a Kickstarter campaign and a demo for Dew Drop Dynasty in October 2021. Initially, the Kickstarter seemed promising, but pledges stalled after the first few days. Thanks to the incredible support from the community and a generous $6,000 pledge, we reached our funding goal with just an hour to spare. It was a nerve-wracking experience!
After the Kickstarter, I had mixed emotions. While I was relieved that the project was funded, I was also aware of the significant work needed to improve the game. After a much-needed break, I returned to the project with a fresh perspective. I began by creating a game design document to outline tasks such as the number of abilities, their acquisition points, the number of areas and bosses, and a timeline for completion. Although this document continues to evolve, it provides a clear roadmap for development.
One major piece of feedback from the Steam Next Fest and Kickstarter was that the game lacked a distinctive gameplay hook. To address this, I collaborated with my best friend Bonzo, a talented character designer with a keen eye for game design. Together, we brainstormed various ideas, including monster teaming, world randomization, dimension shifting, and NPC partnerships.
The concepts that stood out were dungeons and a partner-based ammo system called “ammo links.” We envisioned dungeons as self-contained puzzles and enemy challenges that introduce new abilities, akin to a side-scrolling Zelda game. The ammo links concept involved your partner being part of your weapon, providing a narrative reason for infinite ammo.
After organizing our ideas, I began prototyping new weapons, such as a melee-based grapple hook called the Frog Shot. I also started designing boss characters. Game development can be costly, especially for indie developers, so I want to thank Surfshark for sponsoring this phase. In today’s digital age, using a VPN like Surfshark is crucial for online security, encrypting your data and protecting you on public Wi-Fi.
One feature I appreciate is the built-in kill switch, which safeguards your data if the VPN connection drops. Additionally, you can switch servers to access content available in other countries.
Returning to the game, I’m a fan of intriguing villain groups and have some secret lore planned for the bosses. I sent sketches to Bonzo, who transformed them into detailed designs. I then created the final pixel art, though “final” is flexible as things may change.
I’m using the Godot 3 engine, but with the release of Godot 4, I decided to migrate the project. This transition fixed many bugs and enhanced performance, though it also introduced some challenges. I spent about a week on the migration, using the opportunity to clean up and optimize the game.
One significant improvement was adjusting the camera to zoom out slightly. The game previously felt cramped, so this change allows players to see more of their surroundings and adds detail to the pixel art. I also refined the movement and gravity mechanics. The jump height was initially too low, making platforming feel restricted. By implementing changes inspired by a GDC talk on jump mechanics, the jump now feels more controlled, enabling precise platforming.
I haven’t yet delved into the level design process, dialogue overhaul, or graphics updates, but those topics will be covered in the next development log. There’s still much to do before Dew Drop releases in 2024, but I’m committed to working diligently. If you’d like to support my game development journey, consider wishlisting Dew Drop on Steam—it’s free and greatly helps me.
Let me know what you’re most excited about in Dew Drop, and I’ll see you in the next update. Peace!
Imagine you are a game designer working on Dew Drop Dynasty. Create a detailed plan for a new dungeon, including its theme, puzzles, and the abilities players will gain. Present your design to the class and explain how it enhances the gameplay experience.
Using basic game development tools or software, prototype a new weapon concept for Dew Drop Dynasty. Consider how it integrates with the existing gameplay mechanics and the partner-based ammo system. Share your prototype and gather feedback from your peers.
Review the game design document for Dew Drop Dynasty as described in the article. Identify key elements that contribute to a successful game design document. Discuss how these elements help in organizing and guiding the development process.
Research the process of migrating a game project from Godot 3 to Godot 4. Discuss the potential benefits and challenges of such a migration. Present your findings and suggest strategies to mitigate any issues that may arise during the transition.
Imagine you are responsible for marketing Dew Drop Dynasty. Develop a marketing strategy that includes social media campaigns, community engagement, and potential partnerships. Present your strategy and explain how it can increase the game’s visibility and support its success.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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I’ve been working on a metroidvania called Dew Drop Dynasty for the last three years now. What began as a small 30-minute prototype back in 2020 has become one of the hardest, longest, and most rewarding projects I’ve ever worked on. Though it’s had a lot of highs and lows, I’ve completely fallen in love with working on this game, and I’m excited to share with you what I’ve been up to for the last six months.
For those who are new here or didn’t see my updates on social media, I launched a Kickstarter and a demo for Dew Drop Dynasty back in October of 2021. At first, the Kickstarter seemed to be going well, but within the first couple of days, pledges completely flatlined. Only after several stressful weeks and incredible support from the community, along with a generous pledge of six thousand dollars, were we funded with an hour to spare. I was a little nervous!
After the Kickstarter, I had a lot of conflicting feelings. On one hand, I was relieved that Dew Drop got funded and I could continue working on it, but I was also painfully aware that the game needed a lot of work. After taking a much-needed break, I jumped back into Dew Drop with a fresh perspective. I started by creating a game design document to break down the game into tasks, such as how many abilities there should be, where to acquire them, how many areas and bosses there are, and most importantly, a timeline for when everything needs to be done. Even though I continue to change this document to this day, it was really nice to have a clear plan of what to work on next.
I knew it was time to address one of the major complaints I saw during the Steam Next Fest and Kickstarter: people thought the game was lacking a strong gameplay hook that made Dew Drop stand out from other metroidvanias. So, I decided to reach out to my best friend Bonzo to brainstorm some ideas. Not only is he a fantastic character designer, but he also has a great eye for game design, which is really important when working solo or in a small team.
We brainstormed various ideas, including monster teaming, randomizing the world, changing dimensions, and even befriending NPCs to fight alongside you. The two ideas that really stood out were dungeons and a partner-based ammo system called ammo links. For the dungeons, we imagined self-contained puzzles, enemy gauntlets, and new abilities that could break up the gameplay, similar to a Zelda game but side-scrolling. For the ammo links, we liked the idea of your partner being part of your weapon, which would explain why you have infinite ammo.
After organizing and brainstorming, I started to prototype new weapons, including a melee-based grapple hook weapon called the Frog Shot. I also began working on some boss characters. Making games can be extremely expensive, especially for an indie developer, which is why I want to give a big shout-out to Surfshark for sponsoring today’s video. In an era where online security is a high priority, using a VPN like Surfshark is important. It encrypts your online data and keeps you safe, even on public Wi-Fi.
One feature I really like is the built-in kill switch that protects your data from accidental exposure. If your VPN goes down, it will cut off your internet connection to keep your data safe. Plus, if a show or anime is only available in another country, you can simply switch servers to access it.
Now, back to the game! I’m a big fan of cool groups of villains, and I have some secret lore planned for these bosses. I decided to send some sketches to Bonzo, who turned them into pages of designs. I created the final pixel art, but I say “final” loosely, as things are always subject to change.
The game engine I’m using is Godot 3, but with the announcement of Godot 4, I knew it was time to migrate the project. This would fix many bugs and improve performance, but I also knew it would break some things. I dedicated about a week to migrate everything over and took the time to clean up and optimize the game.
One major gameplay improvement was zooming the camera out a bit. The game always felt a little cramped, and I updated the demo so players can see what’s below them. I also felt that zooming out was necessary for better visibility and more room for detail in the pixel art.
I refreshed the movement and gravity mechanics as well. The jump height was previously too low, which made platforming feel cramped. After implementing changes based on a GDC talk about jump mechanics, the jump now feels much more controlled and allows for more precision-based platforming.
I haven’t even begun to discuss the level design process, dialogue overhaul, or graphics updates, but all that will have to wait for the next devlog. I still have a lot of work to do before Dew Drop releases in 2024, but I’m working as hard as I can. If you’d like to support me on my game development journey, consider wishlisting Dew Drop on Steam—it’s completely free and helps me tremendously.
Let me know what you’re most looking forward to with Dew Drop, and I’ll see you in the next update. Peace!
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any informal language and unnecessary details.
Game – A structured form of play, usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool, often involving digital or computer-based platforms. – The computer science students collaborated to create a new game that teaches programming concepts through interactive puzzles.
Development – The process of creating, designing, and programming software applications, including games, from initial concept to final product. – The development of the new mobile app required extensive testing and debugging to ensure a smooth user experience.
Design – The process of envisioning and planning the creation of objects, systems, or interactions, particularly in software and game development, focusing on aesthetics and functionality. – The design phase of the project involved creating wireframes and user interface mockups to guide the development team.
Prototype – An early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process, often used in software development to evaluate design choices. – The team presented a prototype of their educational game to gather feedback from potential users before finalizing the design.
Mechanics – The rules and systems that govern the interactions and behaviors within a game, forming the foundation of gameplay. – Understanding the core mechanics of the game was crucial for the developers to ensure it was both challenging and enjoyable.
Engine – A software framework used for the creation and development of games, providing essential features like rendering, physics, and scripting. – The students chose Unity as their game engine due to its versatility and support for multiple platforms.
Gameplay – The specific way in which players interact with a game, including the challenges, rules, and overall experience. – The gameplay of the new puzzle game was praised for its innovative use of augmented reality to enhance player engagement.
Dungeons – In gaming, typically refers to complex, maze-like environments filled with challenges and enemies, often used in role-playing games. – The level design course included an assignment where students had to create their own dungeons using procedural generation techniques.
Coding – The process of writing instructions for computers to perform specific tasks, often using programming languages. – Mastering coding is essential for computer science students who wish to develop their own software applications.
Project – A planned set of tasks or activities undertaken to achieve a specific goal, often involving research, design, and development in a computing context. – For their final project, the students developed a web application that helps users track their coding progress and set learning goals.
