Making a videogame is hard.
Really hard.
I’ve been chipping away at Beyond the Mountains for about 3 years now. There have been two tremendously difficult aspects to complete over the years.
- Combat
- Inventory
Combat is easy to implement but a nightmare to ensure that everything “feels right.” In the beginning, combat in the game was extremely rudimentary. Point a sword at an enemy and you’re essentially good to go. Over the years, I’ve refined the combat significantly. Some enemies have secret stages when they are invincible until their attack is performed. Items in the game can help subdue specific enemies.
Inventory management has also been a nightmare. After finalizing some details, I have ensured that there will be 5 items in total, with a 6th unequipable item.
- Magnet (manipulate metal, create bridges, push metal-related enemies around).
- Pickaxe (crack walls and rocks to create new pathways, mine ore for keys).
- Element Fork (manipulate fire and ice to harm enemies, melt ice blocks, and freeze lava).
- Melodica (use music to open doors and teleport).
- Shovel (dig stuff. Lots of stuff).
- Running Ring (gotta go fast).
There are some other items in the game (fishing bait, salt, potions), but they are basically tethered to your character. The goal is to create something light and not overwhelming for the player. I don’t want a collectathon. I want a tight game.