Phantom Proxy - Version Number 0.0.8 - Combat Update

This new patch brings updates to the core combat loop of the game to make it more fast paced, encourage vertical level design, and add more enemy variety!

New Enemies

There are four new enemy types added to the game, all stemming from the new Soldier AI class. Soldiers are enemies that have several choices they can make on the battlefield, unlike normal enemies which are simple chase AI.

The 4 new soldiers are the Assault, Shield, Stealth Sniper, and Shotgun soldiers!

Soldiers can do the following:

• Retreat
• Take Cover
• Chase the Player
• Evade
• Crouch
• Cloak

In addition, the minebot was made less deadly and now has a countdown timer before it explodes. This was done to prevent runs ending so soon to an instant-kill.

New Movement Abilities

The player was pretty out-maneuvered in the previous build an unable to escape certain death. To even the odds and enhance pacing, the player now has an instant dash through the air.

To encourage vertical movement, the player can also vault over ledges of objects. When combined with dashing, the pace of the game is much faster and the player has way more options for spacial control.

New Equipment

To give the player more options and increase variety of loot, I added Grenades to the game. Grenades are throwable explosives that can be used on a cooldown. Currently, there are four new grenades to use!

• Stun grenade
• Fire grenade
• Shock grenade
• Cluster grenade

Other Changes

• 4 new combat spaces
• Changed textures throughout all levels
• New props
• Pick one system
  • Rather than pick whatever the loot gives you, the player must now choose only one item from a chest
• Ammo now randomly has a chance to drop from deleted enemies
• Recoil has been reduced across all weapons
• Weapons now fire directly on the laser pointer
  • Before, firing animations had a chance to influence accuracy of the weapon's raycast.
  • Now the weapon fires correctly at the reticile, which dramatically improves the effectiveness of all weapons, especially the Triage
• New Title Screen
• New temporary soundtrack

Future Updates

I want to keep the development of the game open an honest. This update has been a real struggle with me as I have been fighting to stay motivated and passionate on the project. I find myself in that situation with any long-term creative project where I am working on it because I have to and not because I want to. Most indie-devs keep up a happy front but the truth is that all projects lose their luster over time, especially solo developers.

Therefore, I am going to do a couple things to help me deliver a better game.

First, I am going to take a small vacation from the project, play some games and remind myself why I love to make them!

Second, I am going to go back to the drawing board and try to justify why I am going after certain game designs, and potentially change the direction of the game. This could mean become something that isn't a rogue-like or trying something that has procedural elements, but not procedural generation.

What do you think? Are you tired of rogue-like games and looting or can't get enough of ?

Thank you for all your support and playing the game, I can't wait to see what it becomes! 

If you read this far, please go and check out the steam store and give it a wishlist. This helps me immensely!