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I have been considering extra about what the purpose of the collectable shells is. Because the sport would not have lives, I am unable to simply hand out an additional life for each 100 shells.
Beforehand on this devlog I discussed that I wished to keep away from conditions the place the participant might replay ranges simply to grind for shells. However I’ve modified my thoughts on that 
My plan is:
- Shells are collected throughout gameplay. Dying perhaps incurs a small shell penalty? However would not take away all of the shells you collected for the reason that checkpoint.
- On the finish of the extent, shells are added to your world complete.
- Shells might be spent on the world map to open up extra paths. Additionally might be spent to purchase powerups. Be aware that within the gif above the vine path comprises a brand new stage – however in all probability more often than not I’d use it to unlock non-compulsory shortcuts around the globe, and little issues like that.
My reasoning for these mechanics are:
- In some ranges the participant can smash a great deal of blocks to gather some shells, which is enjoyable, however abruptly feels pointless when you die and lose all these shells. I would like gamers to at all times really feel incentivised to maintain accumulating.
- Pc chips collected for the reason that final checkpoint are misplaced when you die, so it appears harsh to additionally take all of the shells away.
- Rising crops on the map reinforces the theme of recovering the island, and dealing with nature! (Leilani likes crops even when she often beats up the island’s animals)
- I feel having the ability to grind for shells is preferable to imposing harsh restrictions, similar to “you collected 100 shells, however final time you performed this stage you collected 90, so I am solely including 10 to your complete”
This has all remained the identical since then. Shells are collected in ranges, and might be spent on the world map to unlock new paths or purchase powerups.
Sadly shopping for powerups on the world map turned out to be a bit lame. The hope behind this technique was to permit gamers to spend shells to make the sport a bit simpler if wanted, or to present some flexibility to purchase a selected powerup that the participant would possibly need to use. However, shopping for a single powerup on the world map would not actually obtain this.
- It’s a must to know earlier than going into the extent which powerup you need
- Usually when beginning a stage there is a powerup close by anyway
- It would not assist in opposition to conditions similar to bosses the place you in all probability need the powerup in opposition to the boss, not at first of the extent
It’s supported to stop the extent, go and purchase one other powerup, and return to the extent, which is able to proceed you from the newest checkpoint you hit – however that is unintuitive and nonetheless cumbersome.
I’ve had a greater system on my thoughts for a very long time and eventually acquired round to implementing it.
Milk caps / POGs / tokens
I’ve added a brand new collectable, that are tokens that can be utilized to use powerups to Leilani. The visuals are primarily based on Milk caps / POGs which was an enormous playground sport once I was a child and originated in Hawaii. Listed below are some outdated ones that I personal 
Enjoyable truth: the collectable laptop chips in Leilani have been milk caps at one level very early on (this is a mockup that exhibits that). So I have been wanting to incorporate them within the sport for a very long time.
I am undecided on the precise naming that I will give them within the sport, since “milk caps” would not make a lot sense within the context of Leilani’s world, and might be bizarre for gamers unfamiliar with the sport. I will simply use “token” for this publish because it’s faster to jot down.
I will first go over how the mechanic works after which attempt to justify all of the characteristic creep after.
Amassing
Placeholder artwork: the tokens are simply recoloured however ought to even have completely different designs on them.
Tokens might be present in ranges (however fairly hardly ever, and possibly in hidden locations) both in blocks or simply floating on the planet.
Amassing duplicate/unneeded powerups will even flip them into tokens of the related kind.
I have not applied it but however I am contemplating that defeating various enemies whereas invincible must also award a token.
Hitting the highest of the tower on the finish of the extent (quite than one of many decrease elements of the tower) additionally now awards a token. The token is randomly chosen, sure tokens are extra seemingly than others however it is also extra seemingly to present you one you will have fewer of.
Utilizing
Placeholder artwork: the yellow sq. is a pointer, and the inexperienced sq. represents some type of fancy animation that may occur the place the powerup seems and strikes over to Leilani.
You possibly can open the stock throughout gameplay and apply a powerup.
Presently you want 5 tokens for one powerup and might carry as much as 10 tokens of every kind. These numbers are topic to vary relying on how I really feel the balancing works finest.
Be aware that invincibility additionally has tokens, which means you would apply it wherever. This may little question introduce some attention-grabbing conditions that I’ve to cope with similar to having the ability to use it throughout a boss struggle.
Shopping for
Placeholder artwork: the crops you see are those that you simply used to purchase powerups from. However these might be changed with one thing else – maybe an animal promoting tokens? Unsure but.
On the world map there’ll now be ‘retailers’ the place you should purchase tokens quite than shopping for powerups immediately.
I did not need to make UI for choosing what number of tokens to purchase, so I automated it. It will promote you the variety of tokens you should attain the following powerup (you want 5 for a powerup, so when you presently have 3 tokens, you should purchase 2 tokens).
You may as well open the stock and apply powerups whereas on the world map. (Although you possibly can’t apply invincibility right here).
Controls
Lastly this is the token stock button added to the management display screen. This was a secret extra incentive for my current revamp of the controls display screen.
Somewhat than including a brand new enter for this, I used to be tempted to have the stock be accessed through the pause menu, however that appeared clunky.
Inspiration
A giant a part of the inspiration for this technique was the powerup stock in Bowser’s Fury. Mario video games have had fundamental powerup reserve techniques that usually allow you to swap between two powerups. Bowser’s Fury’s system was extra beneficiant, holding a lot of powerups, which was extra appropriate to its open world model gameplay. The system I’ve made right here is just like Bowser’s Fury however principally modified to be a lot much less beneficiant because of the conversion of tokens to powerups – the participant has to work tougher to construct up their stock.
Justification
The constructive results I am hoping for from this new system:
- Make shells extra priceless and value accumulating, as a result of there’s extra to spend them on.
- Higher rewards throughout gameplay – not at all times simply giving the participant extra shells.
- Extra methods for a novice participant to make the sport simpler for themselves through the use of powerups on the time they want it.
- Extra choices for expert gamers to play how they need – e.g. factoring the gathering and utilization of tokens right into a speedrun might be attention-grabbing.
There’s loads of polish to do on the visible and audio aspect, however I am ready to see how I like this entire system first. I doubt I’d scrap it solely however I’ll find yourself making modifications.
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