Project Type: Game

Engine: Unreal Engine 4.23.1 

Language: C++

This weeks devlog will focus mainly on getting additional features to DEADBEAT before entering the polishing phase. It also will showcase some of the more progress made on the Menus, Character selection/customization, and additional content.

Drone & Dropping

Previously week, we showcased some basic pickups that would give players a goal during the game other than trying to avoid traps.
These pickups would give you certain abilities that you could use to gain a short advantage over others. The question was always in our minds on how we would implement these drops into the DEADBEAT gameplay.

That led us to the decision of creating a drone. This drone would be an important piece of the puzzle for the pickups.
It will fly to a certain position in the air, drop a pickup box on the conveyer belt, and  continue it's flying path.

What's important to mention is that these boxes falling from the air do player damage. This was a decision to avoid players to be able to grab pickups instantly without punishment (and avoid players to wait on the exact drop position).

Improved Punch

Since the start of production, we always had a certain idea of what we wanted the standard attack/punch to be.  We wanted to give players a way to mess each other up. However, that was easier said than done. The first punch required players to be in touch with each other to punch the other player away. This wasn't only an inconsistent method, it also showed to have little impact.

We decided to go with a ranged punch, which is now implemented in the newest DEADBEAT version. This ranged punch consists out of a glove gun, that shoots a boxing glove in a certain direction. If the glove hits, the player it hits gets knocked back a significant distance in that direction. This has brought new life into this idea, and has proven to be much  better than the punch that was in previous DEADBEAT versions.

We will further improve the cooldown, knockback and other balancing issues in the polishing phase of DEADBEAT, which starts TODAY!

Improved Menus

It's always important to have a nice impression when you start a game up. We didn't want to make DEADBEAT an exception to that.
We needed multiple menu's, and whilst we are still working on improving the general feel of these, we can already show off some of the concepts and current progress.

Main Menu

Character Customization Screen

This is the visual we eventually want to achieve. We decided on a temporary easy layout to test the functionality of this menu.

This customization will allow players to really make their own character and better see who they are as well as the not feeling that the game is too repetitive/same.

Player Visibility

We had player panels below the players before, but saw how these panels still needed matching colors to the player. This is why we decided to color the panels and make a more distinguished visibility between the players.

Dynamite Ability

This ability is similar to the punch, except, its AOE! This will give players opportunities to launch away all players around them!

What's Next?

• We are entering the polishing phase, this means that DEADBEAT is nearing its final stages.
• We are going to focus a whole lot on AUDIO and MUSIC.
• Improving the visuals a bit further.
• Improving general mechanics and "Feel" of these mechanics.
• Everything else that we can think of to finalize DEADBEAT and prepare for the first release.

And that's it for this devlog. We pumped up the work a lot this week, DEADBEAT is becoming more and more like we envisioned, and with the polishing phase starting now, We're surely getting to a point were we are confident DEADBEAT should be.

The DEADBEAT Team.