The problem I see with games versus other types of software is that in games having a Minimum Viable Product does not mean much. While in other type of software you may have a working solution to a problem that’s normally enough to get a prototype rolling, and iterate on customer feedback, with gaming has never been enough, as this will not generate enough traction.

With games doesn’t feel like that, feels like what you need is a Minimum Lovable Product, something that even its in its prototype phase could be likeable by the audience, that they’d like to try, follow, and participate. And that’s what I’m trying to accomplish now.

I still have a bunch of bugs to fix and features to implement in a better way, however I think is important at this point in the development to focus for a bit in the “lovable” part of the game and not only in the functional part, and make so people want to play it. I found an interesting talk from Jan Willem Nijman (- Vlambeer) about this:

 

“Just fill your game with love and tiny details”

Added this week:

• Added muzzle flash on shooting
• Added animation for the main character: Idle and running
• Added sprite flip on movement and on mouse aim, the character flips when necessary and follows the weapon aim as well
• Added weapon sounds for gun and secondary weapon (undefined yet)
• Added impact hit when bullets hit walls and environmental items
• Bug fixed: Bullets instantiate correctly from the tip of the weapon now
• Drafted 10 weapons
• Drafted coins/item pickup animation

To add next week:

• Enemy permanence: When enemies die, leave a corpse behind and not just disappear
• Bullet permanence: Bullets around when shooting
• Sound on weapon change
• Sound on getting damage and doing damage
• Finish the secondary weapon and implement a system for the current 10 weapons created
• New enemy with a better IA based on A* path finding
• Keep working on the game art