[DEVLOG] Droplet: States of Matter (3D platformer)

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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.24.1 is now available! This is an optimization patch which effectively cuts the game’s overall file size by half. I’ve also included several minor quality of life updates and fixes.

The bulk of the game’s file size was actually the marketplace textures used throughout the game. I compressed them from 2048 x 2048 to 512 x 512. This results in some overall improved performance, especially on low end machines.

In addition, new settings to the options menu have been added. The option to enable Steam Deck button prompts has been added though official Steam Deck verification is still pending. Until then, if you choose to play Droplet: States of Matter on the Steam Deck, these button options are available if you so choose.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Patch Notes

Optimization

  • Improved texture compression. This reduces the overall file size of the game by more than half.
  • Removed some unused files.

Gameplay

  • Removed Tree Frogs from Waterworks and Cretaceous Caldera. (Dev note: These mechanics were a little too one-off and felt out of place following the rework of Autumn Hills and Borealis Vista.)
  • Made it slightly easier to jump from the water during Abyssal Fissure’s artifact challenge.

Graphics

  • Updated some texture tiling throughout the game.
  • Small graphical improvements to Abyssal Fissure.
  • Updated Abyssal Fissure with a new thematically appropriate enemy.
  • Fixed an oversight where some coral in the underwater levels was the wrong color.

Audio

  • New music for Toxic Bog.

Menus

  • Added an option to display the buttons for the Steam Deck.
  • Corrected a typo on the description of “Upside-Down Invert”.
  • Lowered the maximum possible X and Y sensitivity in the camera settings. (Dev note: If you had settings that were beyond the maximum, it is recommended to reset the options to default.)
  • New experimental Active Camera mode where the camera follows the player automatically.
  • Fixed issue where the cancel button didn’t unpause the game.
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Oh whoops, I just realized I forgot to post the previous update here. Here’s the video for it:

Autumn Hills level rework (Droplet: States of Matter) - YouTube

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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.25 is now available! This update reimagines the Gale Vale level as a brand new area: Windswept Ruins.

In addition to rebalancing the difficulty curve, I wanted to bring this level up to standard with the rest of the game by fleshing out the worldbuilding. The goal of the overall design of Windswept Ruins was to create a level where players could take advantage of cloud form’s abilities to jump long distances. To add some challenge so that players aren’t always in cloud form all the time, there are stone-based enemies that are immune to attacks from cloud form. Combining the idea of a sky level with stone-themed structures led to influence from Greek mythology. I imagined the area to be some sort of road to Mt. Olympus or perhaps an ancient obstacle course intended for Droplet athletes.

Some of the obstacles you’ll encounter along the way are dark clouds that will disappear underneath you upon stepping on them. There’s also windmills which blow gusts of wind that can push you off ledges, though if timed correctly, you can use these windmills to leap greater distances than normal.

In addition, I’ve introduced several new enemies to encourage multiple approaches. The cyclops is a giant enemy that is immune to punches and has a lot of health. You can either expend most of your ammo taking one down from a distance or you can go up close and low kick them to take them down more quickly. The gorgon is an enemy that attacks from a distance and will turn you to stone if you are hit by one their projectiles. And you might find the existing goat enemy to be much more aggressive than before.

Lastly, in response to some player feedback, I’ve added a new menu to help out new players learning the controls. If this is the first time Droplet: States of Matter is launched on your PC, the menu will appear before the game’s title screen, and it will allow you to configure button prompts to show either keyboard or gamepad controls.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Patch Notes

Gameplay

  • New level: Windswept Ruins. This replaces Gale Vale in order to better explore the abilities of cloud form.
  • Tweaked the logic of windy areas. Hiding behind certain objects will now prevent the player from being blown around.
  • Goats move much faster, have higher health and are much more aggressive.
  • Slight change to how enemy line of sight works.

Graphics

  • Updated Neo Kryptopolis’ sky background to have the correct planet.

Audio

  • New music for Windswept Ruins
  • New music for Neo Kryptopolis.
  • Sound effect change for Pistol Shrimp.
  • Spatial audio enabled for goat and stonehead enemies.

Misc

  • First time players are now prompted what control scheme they want to use.
  • Updated the hint board to display more accurate hints.
  • Slightly changed the text formatting of time trial times.
  • Fixed some misplaced objects in Crystal Quarry.
  • Sprites and Elves now shows the correct planet during the loading screen.
  • Healing crystals will no longer block certain enemies’ line of sight.
  • Minor performance improvements with spline-based objects (i.e. vines, bridges, etc.)
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Greetings @Krayfishkarl !

It is so exciting following your DevLog! I couldn’t help but chuckle when you exposed that players were using cloud form to advance quickly over the level. LOL! (Where there’s a will…) It reminds me of how growing up, we used to share “cheats” that we learned in Super Mario 3 and Super Mario 64. LOL!

Congratulations on achieving some game optimization! The graphical updates look great! I was also excited to see the new canon added to the game play!

Thank you for taking us along this journey! It’s very rewarding to see you learning things and growing your game, making new challenges for players, and actively taking in player feedback to make changes. THIS is how it should be and I salute you for it! :saluting_face:

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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.26 is now available! This update reimagines the Sprites and Elves level as a brand new area: Aether Isles.

The new level is inspired by the real world scientific phenomenon known as upper atmospheric lightning. The different patterns in the sky are named after a variety of mythical creatures such as sprites, elves, trolls, gnomes and more. Just as how I gave anthropomorphic features to the elements of the periodic table, I applied similar design principles to create a variety of fairy tale characters. Thus, the level turned out to be a fantasy world taking place high in the sky.

The goal of this update was to improve upon the level’s design and mechanics. The original level had a strong focus on hardlight platforms, and they were introduced as if they were the first time the player was encountering them. As the recent Autumn Hills rework already introduced hardlight platforms to the player, I found it necessary to add some new challenges to build upon the player’s knowledge.

In Aether Isles, you’ll encounter several new obstacles. Most notably, rainbow bridges that only plasma form can stand on. Additionally, you’ll find rotating cloud platforms that as the name suggests, only cloud form can stand on. And around halfway through, you’ll have to climb a castle tower to avoid deadly traps and solve puzzles.

Most of the level’s enemies were carried over from the original Sprites and Elves level. However, I reintroduced several enemies from areas that were previously removed from the game. In the tower section, you’ll find some wizards that shoot math symbols at you as well as knights that can block your path.

Although Aether Isles is much shorter than Windswept Ruins, it is considerably more challenging. Thankfully, there are plenty of health pickups so that you have the ability to quickly retry the tricky platforming segments as many times as you need.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Patch Notes

Gameplay

  • Replaces Sprites and Elves with a new level: Aether Isles.
  • Weather Machine drones no longer block the line of sight of enemies.
  • Pixies now taunt you when they hit you with an arrow.
  • Camera no longer passes through giant mushrooms.

Graphics

  • Brought back the knight enemy with new graphics.
  • Graphical updates to pixie enemy.
  • Trolls and pixies no longer leave their weapons behind when they are defeated.

Audio

  • New music for Aether Isles.
  • New SFX for gnomes.
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Toxic Bog level (Droplet: States of Matter) - YouTube

Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.27 is now available! This update redesigns the level layout for Toxic Bog.

Unlike other recent level reworks, the new version of Toxic Bog keeps its previous thematics and atmosphere. A swamp filled with toxic water and a variety of obstacles to traverse. The reason for this rework was actually quite simple. A design oversight in the original layout allowed the player to skip well over half of the level. This would be done by freezing a path across the swamp in ice form to bypass most of the level’s obstacles.

To solve this problem, I reorganized the layout to create segments divided by large, terraced waterfalls. You might also find new swamp sludge enemies the next time you explore these waters.

Additionally, one of the new obstacles for this level are tree frogs. Unlike most other entities in the game, you can freeze them and use them as platforms. I originally removed them from Autumn Hills and Borealis Vista as they were confusing to new players, but at the point in the game Toxic Bog takes place, players would have become much more accustomed to the gameplay. As such, the tree frogs worked well as an interesting one-off mechanic specific to this level.

And lastly, I’ve given the Abyssal Fissure level a minor graphical once over alongside a brand new music track. I’ve smoothed out the terrain to appear more naturalistic, and I’ve adjusted the colors to give the area a new mood and feel. I’ve also posted the background music to Soundcloud where you can listen to it alongside most of the rest of the game’s soundtrack.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Patch Notes

Gameplay

  • Redesigned Toxic Bog with a new layout.
  • New enemies: Swamp Sludge, Mosquitoes and Jawtraps.
  • More forgiving hit detection on certain enemies.
  • Purple plants now shoot faster and are slightly larger.
  • Wasps are slightly more aggressive.
  • Jumping crocodiles are larger and can break through ice.
  • Slightly altered atom placement in Abyssal Fissure.
  • Floating helium enemies as well as jellyfish have more health.
  • Adjusted time trial times for Abyssal Fissure.

Graphics

  • Graphical updates to Toxic Bog.
  • Graphical updates and color changes to Abyssal Fissure.
  • Changed color of tree frogs to stand out more from the background.
  • Graphical update to crocodiles.
  • Updated the purple plant’s dart graphics.

Audio

  • New background music for Abyssal Fissure.
  • Updated sound effect for enemy barriers being removed.
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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.27.1 is now available! This update focuses on various quality of life changes.

Time trials have received a number of improvements. You are now able to restart a time trial in progress from the menu, allowing you to quickly try it again without having to leave and reenter the level. Additionally, after obtaining a gold crystal, you’ll now see the time needed to beat the optional Kray time which was previously hidden until 100% completion was achieved. I’ve added several other subtle behavioral changes to ensure a consistent experience with this challenge. The full details are in the patch notes which you can find on either the Krayfish Entertainment website or on the Steam page.

I’ve also changed the way in-game hints are delivered to the player. When struck, the hint board will now cycle through all available hints rather than choosing one at random each time. I’ve removed the generic gameplay hints so that the hint board becomes more useful for locating pink crystals and artifacts.

Lastly, I’ve smoothed out interactions with moving platforms. I went through the majority of locations in the game to ensure that they have improved physics and collision detection. This is by far one of the most extensive changes to the game as I almost completely rewrote the Blueprints for how moving platforms work. Because of this, I will be saving the reworks of some areas, such as the boss encounters, for a future date.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Patch Notes

Gameplay

  • You can now restart a time trial from the pause menu.
  • Kray Times will now be displayed once the gold crystal for a level is obtained rather than after 100% completion.
  • Time trial crystals will now despawn thirty seconds after entering a level.
  • Starting a time trial now resets you to the default state of matter.
  • The Science Museum is now treated as a hub level. If you save and reload from within it, you’ll start there rather than in Argon Town.
  • SPOILER ALERT: Ruby’s Weather Machine can no longer be used during time trials. This is to make the Kray times worth going for prior to 100% completion. END OF SPOILER.
  • Updated various moving platforms with improved physics and collision.
  • Adjusted some platforms in the ultimate challenge.
  • Adjusted some platforms in Haunted Shipyard and Xenon Lagoon.
  • Updated movement of bubbles in Abyssal Fissure and Radiant Reactor.
  • Slightly adjusted a misplaced crate in Mangrove Marsh.

Graphics

  • Minor adjustments to Lucky Cyberpunk.
  • Changed color of Jawtrap’s teeth.
  • Updated model of arrow platforms.
  • Updated model for dark clouds.
  • Regular moving platforms are now slightly thinner.
  • Fixed a miscolored rock in Abyssal Fissure.
  • Fixed missing texture on piles of treasure.

Text

  • You will now cycle through all available hints when activating the hint board. There is also less cooldown when striking the hint board for new hints.
  • Removed the generic hints so that the hint board is exclusively for finding pink crystals and artifacts.
  • Updated text references to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to their modern counterparts as of these patch notes.

Misc.

  • Cleaned up some of the logic for warping to different levels.

Also the game is taking part in the Summer Sale! From now until July 13, you can get Droplet: States of Matter for 50% off!

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Hello @Krayfishkarl !

It took me some time but I’ve finally gotten caught up on the dev logs so I apologize I didn’t reach out sooner. Busy life haha! As I was going through, any recommendations and feedback has already been touched upon at this moment that I can think of. However, I did want to commend you for making a game that feels like I’m being placed back into my childhood.

I truly miss this style of game and how it felt to play. Some examples are Glover, Land Before Time (PS1), Castlevania (N64), and of course Banjo Kazooie. It’s looking very good and I’m most excited about the hint board. Sometimes I use hints more often than I should, so seeing an option that doesn’t feel as shaming and more user friendly is greatly appreciated.

I’m very excited to see more of the game come through and would like to praise you for your creativity as well as dedication. Keep up the good work!! :star_struck: :green_heart:

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Thanks so much for the support!

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Deep Sea Mines (Droplet: States of Matter) - YouTube

Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.28 is now available! This update reimagines the Deep Sea Mines level with a brand new layout.

Deep Sea Mines is unique from other levels in the game in that most of it is completely underwater. You’ll find yourself on a continental shelf where there’s a series of caves, a network of pipes and all sorts of mysterious machinery. Towards the end of the level is an open area where you’ll explore an underwater base accessible through a series of pressure hatches.

I had to design this level differently than most other areas as I had to account for being able to freely move along the Z-axis. As the level turned out to be more difficult than another similar water-themed level, Abyssal Fissure, I decided to swap its placement in the game. You’ll now find Abyssal Fissure in the Xenon Lagoon hub world and Deep Sea Mines in the Radon Industries hub world.

As the level’s name suggests with an intentional pun, you will find underwater mines that explode when you get close to them. In this level, you’ll have to use these explosions to your advantage to clear boulders that block your path. You will also encounter surveillance cameras that will summon nearby electric pylons should you get spotted.

And lastly, you’ll find metal gratings in this level. All states of matter pass through them except for ice form. Though metal gratings are featured heavily in other levels, the way they are used in Deep Sea Mines comes with a twist. Because ice form constantly floats to the surface, in this underwater setting, you might find that some sections play as if the gravity is reversed. You’ll have to navigate carefully and think outside the box to solve a few puzzles in order to find all the crystals.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Patch Notes

Gameplay

  • Redesigned the Deep Sea Mines level to have a new layout. Includes several new enemies such as shark torpedoes and sea divers.
  • Swapped the location of Deep Sea Mines and Abyssal Fissure.
  • Removed the following areas: Steelworks from Heck, Tachyon Gang and Fireling. The new crystal total is 150.
  • Sea mines have shorter fuses, and they now respawn.
  • Replaced kelp enemies with new anemone enemies. (Try saying that three times fast)
  • Time trials no longer reset your state of matter upon touching a gold crystal.
  • Gold crystals now despawn 90 seconds upon entering a level (previously 30).
  • Fixed an edge case where the game number wouldn’t show on the file select menu.
  • Fixed a bug in Arctic Rig where the wrong levers were assigned to a door.
  • Turret bullets now stop when hitting walls.
  • Puffer fish now attack differently.
  • Clam collision is now slightly larger.

Audio

  • Turrets now have sound attenuation.
  • New music for Cirrus Harbor.

Graphics

  • Visual overhaul for Deep Sea Mines.
  • Checkpoints that are underwater now show the character swimming.

Misc

  • Debug Menu can now be minimized.
  • Corrected an animation error when respawning to an underwater checkpoint.
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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.29 is now available! This update gives a second pass to the Cirrus Harbor level layout and aesthetics.

Cirrus Harbor takes place in a steampunk-themed area in the sky where you’ll find a variety of moving platforms. In the latter half of the level, you’ll go so high in altitude that you’ll find the temperature has dropped, causing you to go to ice form.

One of Cirrus Harbor’s main mechanics includes some very tricky platforming. The evil sky pirates have decided to move around the weather machine drones, meaning if you touch one while standing in the wrong place, you’ll fall to your demise. This is a twist on the game’s established formula so that the player becomes more cognizant of the level’s environment before touching a drone.

I wanted to revisit Cirrus Harbor for a couple of reasons. I had gotten feedback that the level was too difficult for its placement in the game. To address this critique, I made the platforms wider and easier to navigate. For thematic reasons, I also moved Cirrus Harbor to a different hub world swapping it with Arctic Rig. I felt that Arctic Rig was more thematically in line with the modern, urban themes of Radon Industries, while Cirrus Harbor felt more appropriate in Xenon Lagoon, an area that had more of an adventure fantasy aesthetic.

The other issue I wanted to address was theming. I felt the level needed to be more distinct in its appearance from Chrome Skyscrapers. As such, switching to a steampunk theme coupled with introducing brand new enemies helped to give this area its own identity. While Cirrus Harbor has received a visual overall, unlike other previous level reworks, this one is still heavily inspired by the original layout. You will find the platforming to be a mostly similar experience as before, just with a lot more polish and a new coat of paint.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Patch Notes

Gameplay

  • Revamped layout for Cirrus Harbor.
  • Moved the entrances for Deep Sea Mines, Arctic Rig and Cirrus Harbor.
  • Fixed a bug where certain whirlwinds were moving when they weren’t supposed to.
  • Slightly moved the area in Arctic Rig where you would heat up.
  • Added a radioactive area to Radiant Reactor for consistency.
  • Bug fix where slimes were immune to the wrong state.
  • Cloud Blower gusts have slightly extended volume.
  • Fixed bug where Cloud Blowers could blow you around during the player’s death animation.

Graphics

  • Cirrus Harbor now has a steampunk theme.
  • The Xenia system now has a second moon.
  • Recolored the explosive slime enemy.
  • Cloud Blowers now have gust particles when they are breathing out.
  • Droplet and Molly-QL at checkpoints are now colored based on environments with different temperatures than the rest of the level.
  • Fixed a small geometry issue on pirate ships.
  • Fixed a corrupted texture on Xenia’s planetary ring.

Audio

  • Sound attenuation added for yetis.
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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.30 is now available! This update gives a second pass to the layout of the Cretaceous Caldera level.

Cretaceous Caldera takes place in a muddy swamp next to a volcano. Mud is one of the main obstacles - cloud and ice forms pass through it, but water does not. You’ll also find water geysers which work similarily to whirlwinds in that they shoot you upwards if you touch them. The only catch is that water geysers are only usable in water form. You’ll have to make careful use of switching between the states of matter to successfully navigate this area. That, and watch out for the dinosaurs.

Although I graphically improved Cretaceous Caldera in a previous update, I felt it was necessary to give the level another pass to bring it up to quality standard with the rest of the game. The level’s aesthetics remain the same, but I’ve expanded it to feel more open and naturalistic. This gave the advantage of having a camera with more breathing room, allowing the player to not only better appreciate the landscape but to also get a sense of where objects in the level are located. Additionally, I designed some areas with verticality in mind. This not only makes for a more interesting, varied landscape, but it also makes use of space more efficiently in terms of modeling out the level’s geometry.

One of the other things I changed was the T. rex chase sequence. T. rex’s now function more like regular enemies as I felt the original sequence - while a neat homage to the likes of Crash Bandicoot - no longer fit within the rules established by the rest of the game. As a replacement in order to replicate the original sense of peril, I’ve designed a new enemy that the player can recognize as more dangerous than normal. You will now find ankylosaurs that not only are armored like rock but are also covered in moss and plants. It’s established that water form cannot defeat plant enemies and cloud form cannot defeat rock enemies. As such, this enemy is invincible until you manage to somehow turn into ice form in order to defeat it.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Gameplay

  • Reworked the layout of Cretaceous Caldera with new obstacles and enemies.
  • New enemy: Ankylosaurs. They are immune to both water and cloud forms.
  • Relocated an artifact from Cretaceous Caldera to Particle Accelerator.
  • Roses now shoot directly at the player.
  • Lava geysers now destroy frozen surfaces.
  • Repositioned lava geysers in Brimstone Temple.
  • Certain enemies will now instantly perish when touching toxic or lava.

Graphics

  • Graphical updates to Cretaceous Caldera.
  • Graphical update to the T-rex, raptor, triceratops and pterodactyl.
  • Graphical update to lava geysers.

Audio

  • Purple plants and roses now have sound attenuation.

Text

  • Updated some hints for a few levels.
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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.31 is now available! This update redesigns Chrome Skyscrapers from the ground up.

Chrome Skyscrapers is a level that has existed since the prototype phase, so I’m quite surprised myself that this level has survived this long during the game’s development. But the time has come to bring it up to a greater quality standard. I wanted to introduce some mechanics to make the level more interesting though I still wanted to keep the original futuristic city theme in order to make economical use of preexisting assets. Thus, I came up with the idea of using new types hardlight platforms tied directly to the concept of series and parallel circuits.

I wanted to embrace Droplet’s dive into its educational aspects. In an effort to create some unique puzzle platforming mechanics, I aimed to organically incorporate scientific concepts without having the player feel like they are sitting in a lecture. I aimed to explain these ideas as nonverbally as possible through the use of instructive level design. I also had to bear in mind that the level needed to have a brisk enough pace for the time trial challenge so I balanced the puzzles to minimize wait time where I could.

This update also marks a new phase of the game’s development. Now with all of the main level design reworks completed, going forward, I’ll be turning my attention to the game’s boss levels, hub worlds and bonus areas. I will be primarily focusing on fleshing out the story elements so that the game is not only fun to play but also tells a compelling narrative.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Patch Notes

Gameplay

  • Redid layout of Chrome Skyscrapers.
  • Moved a hidden artifact from Chrome Skyscrapers to Arctic Rig.
  • More health given to drones, UFOs and shooter robots.
  • Fixed bug where mouse input wouldn’t occasionally register when aiming in first person.
  • UFO laser blasts don’t last as long.
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Let’s not forget the banjo aspect—the musical charm of Banjo Kazooie added so much to the gaming experience.

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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early access 1.32 is now available! This is one of the game’s largest updates since its release in early access, hence why it took a little longer to come out this time around.

Firstly, the narrative changes I mentioned in previous videos have now been implemented. Virtually every cutscene in the game has been redone from the ground up. There are now over 300 lines of fully voiced dialogue. This was done to flesh out the game’s story and characters to make them more compelling. To accomodate new players, the game’s starting area has been reworked to more thoroughly explain the game’s unique mechanics. You’ll find an open, playground-like environment to experiment in before you move on with the story.

Alongside this rework are graphical overhauls to the Helium Valley and Radon Industries hub worlds. The most important changes are that each of the portal locations now have distinct landmarks so that players can more easily find them at a distance. While Helium Valley saw the simple addition of more details, I chose to redo Radon Industries from the ground up to look like a realistic industrial park. You’ll now find signs and posters throughout the area that add some environmental storytelling.

The other major feature I added was a map screen. You can now use a spaceship to fly to different star systems. Not only was this an opportunity to add more worldbuilding, but it also addressed some general feedback about the game’s pacing. Some players had mistakingly believed that the Helium Valley hub world was the entire game, so this map screen will nonverbally inform the player just how big of an adventure they are getting into.

With one of the biggest tasks of the game now completed, the finish line draws ever closer. My next item on the to-do list is to give another pass through the remaining bosses and hub worlds. I want to provide them with a similar treatment to what I did with Radon Industries. Once all these changes are underway, I’m hoping to have this game out of early access before the end of the year.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Full list of patch notes: Droplet: States of Matter – Narrative rework, new map screen and more! – Krayfish Entertainment

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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early Access 1.33 is now available! This update gives a refreshed look at the Sobek boss fight.

While the fight itself remains relatively the same conceptually, I’ve graphically updated the arena to match the narrative changes from the previous version. The area just outside the boss fight has a minor atmospheric sequence where a series of torches light up as you approach Sobek’s temple. The inside of the arena uses similar visuals seen in the Sandswept City level to better imply the two locations are part of the same world. You’ll also find Sobek to be lip synced to his dialogue which now features some appropriate, cartoonish movements.

I not only changed the graphics, but also some of Sobek’s behaviors. In addition to a new beam attack, the way Sobek summons enemies to his aid works much differently than before. Depending on where you are in the arena, either mummies or golden scarabs will spawn. When defeated, they will drop lemonade and burgers respectively so that you can refill your health and ammo during the fight. In a pinch, you can switch between Droplet and Molly-QL so that one can take over while the other gets a chance to rest.

The last major change was that the essence of Ra that spawns during the fight is no longer random. They will now spawn in a fixed order around the arena so that time trial challenges are more predictable on repeated attempts.

In other news, I did a minor onceover across the Haunted Shipyard level. I’ve rearranged all the atoms and enemies as well as a few of the puzzles to improve the flow. While the level can now be beaten more quickly than before, its pacing is now consistent with all the other levels in the game.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

Patch notes: Droplet: States of Matter – Sobek boss fight rework – Krayfish Entertainment

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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early Access 1.34 is now available! This update graphically overhauls the Argon Town hub world.

Argon Town is the second hub world in the game, featuring a medieval German-inspired castle town. The cold, snowy environment leaves the player in ice form as the default. This is to help the player get used to the idea that changing between states of matter can be a slightly different process depending on the temperature of the surrounding area. To stand out from other ice-themed levels in the game, this area has a cozy winter wonderland feel - to better convey that this is a safe area where the player can relax. To further emphasize this, I redid the background music to have a Christmas-y feel to it.

I wanted to take a second pass at this area to bring it up to standard with the other hub worlds. One of the key features I implemented was that each portal now has a distinct landmark associated with it so that players can more easily remember where they are located. I also made the area much more organic and naturalistic in shape to give it more personality.

In other news, I have graphically updated the game’s title screen to take place in the Galactic Science Festival. Prior to this update, the title screen was among the few remaining areas to still use BSP brushes from early development. I thought that it would be important to provide a great first impression to players as to what to expect in terms of graphical fidelity.

A surprising amount of technical work had to be done to make this change possible. Because the title screen takes place in the actual Galactic Science Festival and not a copied-pasted version of it, I had to significantly modify the way the game loads levels. In the end, it did give me the opportunity to address some longstanding technical debt which should make for an overall smoother back-end experience.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early Access 1.35 is now available! This update reworks the boss fight against Duchess Cara Bonnie.

Cara Bonnie is a fairy tale sorceress, one with a notorious temper and a hatred for anyone who dares to interrupt her tea time. Despite her smaller stature compared to the two-headed dragon boss of the previous hub world, she is not one to be trifled with. She can fire a variety of magical projectiles and even put up a shield to block your attacks. You will have to be in the correct state of matter in order to bypass her defenses.

While the original version of this boss was well-received, the primary purpose for this rework was for narrative reasons. I redesigned her character model to be more authoritative and intimidating, and I also implemented new voice acting which aims to convey her more threatening demeanor.

Her ability to change her defenses against the states of matter was also reworked to better distinguish her mechanics from the Sill E. Con boss fight later in the game. Rather than changing between water, ice, cloud and plasma forms, she instead changes between having a shield made out of either stone, plants or wind. This is to ensure that the player knows how the states of matter react to enemies with special immunities before facing more complex challenges later on.

To go along with these changes, I’ve graphically updated the arena to better match the aesthetic of the recently reworked Argon Town hub world. You’ll now find yourself in a castle where several friendly guards will attempt to discourage you from disturbing the duchess. I’ve also added a new boss theme which takes inspiration from Baroque and Victorian era music. These additional details help to bring in a little extra worldbuilding and personality which I’m hoping to eventually include across the entire game.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

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Hey guys! Krayfishkarl here and welcome to another Droplet: States of Matter update! Early Access 1.36 is now available! This update reworks some of the bonus areas.

Across the game, you can find hidden artifacts. When you return them to the Science Museum, you’ll receive a reward of 2,000 atoms each. Naturally, these valuable items are well-hidden, and in the process of going through and polishing the game, I wanted to make these bonus areas interesting and invoke a sense of exploration. Some of them have been moved to different locations than they were previously. I’ve also decided to reduce the number of total artifacts you can find from 14 to 12 in interest of time. In doing so, I was given the opportunity to better flesh out the remaining ones.

Two of these artifacts have been moved to unique areas: the Lava Planet and the Ice Comet. I won’t spoil how to find these locations in the game, but I can show you what you can expect.

The Lava Planet is a short, platforming gauntlet through an area that is so hot that you start out in cloud form. At the end, you’ll find a lava monster boss armored with rock. It’s a challenging fight, but I imagine it’ll be equally challenging trying to find him the first place.

The other new level, the Ice Comet, is a frozen area where you’ll find a unique mechanic related to floating moisture. In some levels such as Misty Canopies, these moisture platforms must be frozen with ice form in order to interact with them. In the Ice Comet level, these platforms actively move around to create a challenge unlike anything else seen in the game. If you manage to make it through, you’ll be rewarded with an artifact.

In other news, I’ve made some tweaks to the Particle Accelerator level, a late-game stage just before the final boss. I’ve smoothed out the pacing and made it much more difficult, yet fair, in order to better take advantage of the skillset the player would have learned at this point. Best of luck as you try and survive the challenges in store for you.

That’s all for now! And with that, thank you for following the development of Droplet: States of Matter!

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New update! I reworked the Krypton Estate hub world!