Day 2

• Fixed text rendering bugs on fake-08. Had to use sub() to index into the strings rather than the newer txt[i] syntax. I filed a bug upstream 🐛
• Added a build time option to show the EXIT menu item. Only native binary exports have the EXIT menu item enabled and the main menu reflows the available items to fit the screen automatically.
• Submitted Antsy Alien Attack Pico to the Linux Game Jam 2023; I have a page, so why not get that bit of admin out the way early?
• Fixed the .dmg image creation script, but discovered the macOS export from PICO-8 is broken 😭
• Add a new mini-game, “None shall pass”
• Tweaked the difficulty of “Asteroid Belt” based on play-testing feedback.
• Tweaked the player starting firing rate based on play-testing feedback.
• Finalised the sprite sheet.
• Wrote up a table of alien characteristics.
• Wrote up player weapons upgrade path and play-tested them.
• Increased scores to 8-digit numbers.
• Implemented a simple algorithm for calculating the points aliens yield when destroyed.
• Made impact flashes when aliens are hit more rapidly.
• Added knockback to aliens when they are hit.
• Added basic alien bullet firing.
• Reworked the SFX for players and alien firing.
• Refactored the actor class to remove properties not used by all actors.
• Added screen shake when an alien is destroyed; it makes everything feel more impactful.
• The screen shakes when the player collides with an alien, not when they are hit by a bullet.
• The player explosion is only triggered when HP is exhausted; it improves player game-play visibility.
• Prevented aliens from spawning over the top of other aliens
• Added some initial alien movement patterns.
• Fixed some typos in the on-screen prompts.
• Disabled on-screen debug output and hitbox rendering.

Here’s how things are looking:

The game is a bit unbalanced now and requires power-ups so the player can level up to better take on the hordes.