Weekly Update 3

This week has been a bit of a slow burn where I implemented some new features but spent a lot of time on art. The next unit to be added to the game is the Archer unit: a human unit with a long-ranged bow. Wherever the player clicks on the screen an arrow will reach! The attack animation for this unit took longer than the others due to the complexity of using a bow, not to mention the ability to also aim up or down.

I also implemented the core features of the Mana Crystals: the objectives defended by the human side. These can be attacked by Monsters and mark key locations that will let the monsters make progress as they attack the keep. These crystals grant Mana to nearby units which use it to restore their health. As the crystals take damage the amount of mana restored is decreased which increases pressure on the human side and eventually forces them to retreat once they can no longer sustain combat without Mana.

The Mana Crystals have 8 frames to show their rotation, as well as 5 different sets of these animations which are swapped between to show the damage sustained visually. Of course, eventually there will also be a UI element to more clearly display the current health to the player, however a visual representation should increase the player's immersion so I felt it important to add considering these are the main objectives of the game.

I also added some custom cursors for while in-game. These will likely be updated as progress continues.

Time Breakdown:

Art: 12h16m

Programming: 11h39m

Other: 3h19m