Devlog #9
Playtesting was a huge success, and I’m incredibly excited to keep pushing GadgetSmack closer to the vision I have for the full game. My current target is a December beta release incorporating the amazing feedback I received on the pre-alpha.
The Most Important: Player Motivation
From playtester feedback it was clear that GadgetSmack needs stronger motivators than just the fun of slashing around. Answering this call is going to be vital to a successful beta.
The good news is that people already loved the combat, music, and animations — which gives me a strong foundation! Now it’s about adding those extra layers of motivation through:
- Story elements that provide setting, desires, and obstacles to overcome.
- Gameplay elements like environment interactions, NPCs, and unlocking new abilities.
- A scoring system to layer in challenge and replayability.
Iterating on Core Systems
Clarity came up again and again in feedback. Two big examples were health and the JUICE BAR.
- Health: Instead of a standard health bar, I’m leaning into sweeping visual and sound cues to signal danger. Going for better immersion here.
- JUICE BAR: This is getting a full overhaul. In beta, it’ll be explained better during play, and mechanically it’s expanding: JUICE will still power up your sword, but it can also fuel gadget abilities like slow-motion, dashing, or flashy special attacks (exact gadget abilities haven’t been decided yet, tell me your ideas!). The dual-purpose system should give combat more strategy and flexibility.
Beta Release Goals
Here’s what I’m aiming to deliver in December:
- A story that gives reason for the madness, and keeps a fun lighthearted tone.
- A tighter gameplay loop with gadgets that add variety and utility to the combat.
- A smooth, dedicated keyboard-only control scheme.
- At least one boss fight to have a fun challenge to beat!
- More polish everywhere: UI, sound design, and balancing. You know it!
- Also a scoring system to add additional challenge and replayability.
Looking Ahead
I’ve had so much fun building GadgetSmack so far, and this pre-alpha was a huge success. I’m grateful for everyone who played, gave feedback, and encouraged me up to this point. Every critique pushes the game forward, and I’m confident the beta will be totally WICKED!!!
More updates soon; don’t let your socks burn on the mantle.
BUILD ON EVERY DAY
-Ethan