I’ve been working on a key part of the game loop that has been missing. I’ll post a video demonstrating this at the start of next year, but it really answers the looming question of how I can influence the fish behavior during fishing. I’m so glad the pumping system addresses this issue.

New Features in Development

Recently, I’ve focused on two main areas of the game:

1. Stray SystemThe stray system adds an extra layer to the fighting loop. When a fish strays far from its initial hook point, you must bring it back by moving the rod horizontally. This mechanic is still basic and needs further testing, but it’s a crucial step in making the fishing experience more interactive and engaging.
2. Materials and Level Design Building on my last update, I’ve continued to work on materials and level design. During this process, I realized that the scale of my level was off. By adjusting foliage and landscape features to more realistic standards, the level now pops and gives me a clear direction for tackling the above-water environment. Also so nice having tesseleation back in 5.5

Goals for Next Year

Next year is still a work in progress, but my stretch goal is to have a polished and complete version by September and aim for a spot at a PAX booth. To achieve this, there are three main hurdles to address:

1. Polish One challenge has been self-judging and worrying about others judging the game. Rough edges can be extremely distracting for players and may deter them from enjoying the game. Since the main activity is fishing, which inherently involves waiting, it’s essential to make the mechanics feel smooth and keep the player informed. Improving the visual quality of the level is a significant step toward this goal.
2. Balance Balancing the game is complex because it’s not physics-driven, meaning everything has a variable. Additionally, the fish system revolves around the age of the fish, making most variables curve-based. Fine-tuning these variables in conjunction with the fish and equipment is key to the longevity of the mechanics and loops. I’m not aiming for perfection, just a solid and enjoyable experience.
3. Landing Minigame There’s an entire state of the main loop that’s missing: the landing minigame. When you get a fish to the boat, you must stop a moving dot on a slider. While in the inner part of the slider, your hook strength decreases. This hook is also used when fighting the fish, so the longer it takes to land the fish, the lower your chances of success. This mechanic is similar to what’s found in Konami’s Fisherman’s Challenge (PS2). The most complex part of implementing this will be the animations. As we aim for polish, this includes celebration animations. Yay! We’ll tackle that hurdle when we come to it.

Looking Ahead

I’m excited about the progress made so far and the direction the game is heading. With continued focus on polishing, balancing, and enhancing the core mechanics, I’m confident we can create an engaging and enjoyable fishing experience. Stay tuned for more updates and the upcoming video early next year!hurtdle when we come to it.