May Dev Log 🥀 — New Level & Features

We’re now wrapping three months of development! 🎉 Since the last update, the game has undergone some big design changes. Can’t believe it’s only been three months! I’m very excited to show you what I’ve been cooking up these past few weeks.  

A Brand New Demo

With the prototype receiving almost 200 plays (!!), I'm now focusing on incorporating all the valuable feedback and creating a short demo that will soon be uploaded to our Steam page (coming soon!). This demo will provide a more comprehensive experience of the game's feel, visuals, and story, along with additional content! My aim is to make it around 10-15 minutes of average playtime, compared to the prototype's average playtime of 5 minutes. Although it's still in the early stages, here's a sneak peek at what it looks like so far:

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New map, more secrets! 

We're designing a completely new level specifically for the demo. It will feature more secrets and multiple paths, giving players the chance to get lost in its mysteries! Expect numerous iterations, as the layout is likely to evolve before the demo's release (hopefully by the end of this month). The level is filled with hidden surprises that adept explorers will enjoy discovering, while some secrets might be easy to overlook for those eager to reach the end.

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Very early draft of the map for the demo

I really underestimated just how difficult and iterative level design can be. Surprisingly, more than any other aspect of game development, I’ve gotten stuck on level design the most! It’s really challenging!! But I’ve finally nailed down a layout I think works, with inspiration from this talk on narrative design and story-telling. 

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Sneak and hide in bushes!

You can now truly immerse yourself in the role of a bunny as you sneak past enemies, skillfully avoiding their line of sight. If you happen to get caught, simply rush to the nearest bush! They won't be able to find you there! 👀 I'm eager to playtest this new feature and see how it enhances the overall vision of the game.

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Rewards from NPCs

In order to create a more immersive world and provide incentives for helping out the critters you encounter, completing quests now grants you rewards. For instance, in the following example, little Pippin receives a flower as a reward for assisting his neighbor 🐰

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That’s a wrap! Thank you so much for following along my journey, and I can’t wait to show you our Steam page! In the meantime, feel free to follow our socials. 

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