shibagani48

Weekry report

Added 2023-08-30 08:32:21 +0000 UTC

Hello everyone!
I apologize for the delay in the demo update. I appreciate your patience!

Due to the menu overhaul, almost all aspects of the game were in a broken state, which is why we couldn't provide updates until today. 😨

Let's take a look at the progress from this week and last week!

#Demo update

Download here. New password is "t6qP2LK3yEU3pCt".

Implementation of rounds
Pseudo-3D rendering for all stages
Implementation of double jump
Implementation of Double KO, Time Up, and Draw conditions
CPU mode revival
Addition of settings mode to the title screen

◆ Implementation of Rounds

Unbelievably, rounds weren't implemented until last month. But don't worry. We've implemented them this month! It's a best-of-2-rounds system, and it supports Double KO, Time Up, and Draw conditions.

◆ Implementation of Double Jump

You can now perform a double jump in mid-air. However, it can't be used after an aerial dash or aerial backdash.

◆ Menu Data Restructuring

The code for the menu was put together as a makeshift solution a while back, so its structure is quite complex and rough. To accommodate more menus in the future, it's necessary to logically reorganize and rebuild the basic structure. This time, we decided to modify all menu data, along with creating a settings menu scene that allows changes and saving of volume and certain in-game settings.

However, this marked the beginning of a nightmare.💀

The settings screen has a far more intricate internal structure than most people realize. It involves handling the cursor, each setting item, their types and respective content, where the changes are reflected, and managing multiple elements together. Additionally, scenarios like having multiple menus in one scene, sharing those menus with Player 2, and deciding how it behaves when there's only one player, all needed to be considered and implemented.

As menu creation was something from a long time ago, I had forgotten how daunting it could be and underestimated it. I had to learn numerous new technologies such as alignment tools, external memory management, and detecting long button presses, all just for menu creation. Each menu modification came with a slew of bugs, and my sanity was pushed to the brink. I started last Wednesday, and I finally finished it today. The restructuring work was grueling, but thanks to organizing the structure, the latter part of the process went more smoothly.

For creating new menus in the future, it seems like it could be done within an hour! 🤩

Probably.

◆ Lesson Learned from This Time

Indeed, while it's beneficial to organize complex code, if it's functioning smoothly, using it as-is can maintain development speed without slowing down. Undertakings like the complete menu overhaul we did this time should be avoided in the future.

From a programming perspective, the lesson learned is that classes should be subdivided based on their purposes. Classes that serve multiple use cases can lead to the emergence of numerous unnecessary properties when consolidated into a single class. In such cases, it's better to create separate classes to divide the work or, if specific handling is needed, enhance code readability by overriding functions in derived classes.

◆ Other Minor Adjustments

Fixed character outline being messy
Fixed CPU blocking at incorrect timings
Fixed update function canceling player damage state transitions under specific timings
Adjusted so that the KO sequence doesn't trigger while the opponent is being grabbed
Camera work adjustments