DragonflyProject Update May2023 (Patreon)

Finally feel like I have enough to upload a new update. It's still not much, I would've preferred to have more done but there's a decent amount.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BQVUWo22CuNxU-Ylz_-rCJa2Pfj8vS-x/view?usp=drive_link

Like the last one, just unpack this zip and then place the data.zip in the same folder as the executable. I do wonder if there's a better way for me to distribute this but I can't think.

With this update I managed to finalise the new background for Flytrap and also add a few more item sprites and revamped some of the effects. A little bit of balance as well although I really shouldn't focus on that now, I just adjust things whenever it pops into my head. I've also nailed down the practice mode so trying out the boss spells or the test spells like the BG showcase should be decently smooth.

With the next update I want to focus really hard on adding more spells and stage portions, to make use of the improved practice stage. Though I think the pattern design is something I've struggled the most with, there's maybe 3 or 4 boss patterns I'm very happy with and the rest are very scuffed. And the stage portions are even more of a struggle for me. I need to practice more but I just haven't found the motivation, even with the improved scripting I've worked on.

I have noticed some weird silent crashing that seems to happen inconsistently while textures are being loaded. I've disabled asynchronous loading for this update, so load times may be slightly longer, but I still notice it happening occasionally. So to anyone who ends up playing, please do report if you are having the same issue as me, it usually happens either on the starting loading screen or before a new stage starts, cheers.

Here is the full changelog for this update:

- v0.1.2 -

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NEW:

- New background for the Toothy boss.

- New Playable Character: Voiceless.

- New Item: Fissure Worm.

- New Item: Makeshift Missiles.

- Added polygon bullet pattern type for scripting.

- Added codenames to background in the BG Showcase test spell (in practice menu).

- Added achievements. (very basic and are not saved when closing the game)

- Added a bunch of new item sprites.

- Added new font for basic text info. (items, descriptions, lore, anything that is meant to be readable)

- New debug controls:

- F1: Toggles cheat mode. (cannot die while in cheat mode)

- F2: Grants maximum points (99999).

- F3: Skips current act or spell.

- Added new hit and death effect for player.

CHANGE:

- Reworked Item: Plexian Helix is now a familiar that fires helix shots. (the old item is now 'Twisted Mirror')

- Bosses can no longer use a timeout spell for their first attack unless they're a midboss.

- Lasers are cleared immediately between spells and acts to prevent them from cheapshotting the player.

- Player shots now have increased size the higher their damage.

- Renamed a bunch of items.

- Modified Item: Cornucopia (previously Perserverance)

- Now grants life charge when collected in addition to at the end of each stage.

- Cost reduced.

- Now stackable up to 3.

- Modified Item: Spider Totem (previously Flay Shot)

- Now fires 8 shots in an even spread every 8 shots for 80% damage each.

- Modified Item: Counting Cuts

- Now grants bomb charge and blood charge directly when damaging enemies instead of through pickups.

- Modified Item: Pale Spyglass (previously Point of Collection)

- No longer increases the value of pickups.

- Changed the damage calculation of main shots when fired. Rebalanced all items that create additional main shots.

- Shop now always generates with one boss item.

- Improved item event system to be more efficient.

- The practice stage no longer starts in cheat mode.

- The practice stage has faster animations to make retrying spells fast and fun.

FIXES:

- Fixed bosses skipping through multiple spells when timing out a non-timeout spell.

- Fixed BG Showcase test spell crashing on certain backgrounds. Please enjoy the backgrounds to their fullest in the Practice menu.

- Fixed noise shader in the Dollhouse background not being applied properly.

- Fixed one of the midbosses being skipped over entirely.

- Removed asyncronous loading of textures before stages as it sometimes causes crashes (this may make load times between stages a tad longer).

- Fixed practice mode starting a normal run the second time it's opened.