Hello everyone! In this update, I’ll be explaining what I call the Base Level of Crumbling World. This is just a fancy name for the platform players will reach at the end of each level. The Base Level will have a forked road – meaning that players will have to decide which direction to go before being able to reach the gates that open upon completion of the level.

The Base Level and Unique Enemies

Like much of Crumbling World, the Base Level platform is procedurally generated. Additionally, it’s a large area, meaning more space for enemies to spawn and greater chances that players will run into unique enemies. These enemies are unique thanks to their specialized skills and oftentimes creepy physical characteristics. To make things even more exciting for players, these enemies will typically be more powerful than normal enemies encountered throughout the level.

Unique enemies aren’t traditional level bosses. Instead, they just represent a different type of enemy that can appear randomly throughout a level, making for more exciting gameplay. In order to finish a level, players will have to kill all of the unique enemies present. At this point, the gates will open, allowing players to proceed, even if some normal enemies remain alive. The great thing about using procedural generation in this scenario is that players are guaranteed a new and exciting experience with every playthrough, as no two levels will have the exact same enemies.

More Randomness, More Fun!

Each and every Base Level will consist of a platform of 5-by-5 cells. To allow for more randomness, I created an algorithm which lowers the cells located along the perimeter, which makes the platform appear uneven to players. In order to make this more evident, perimeter cells will spawn larger rocks and trees, ensuring a random landscape in both shape and content.

Just like unique enemies, these unique elements are spawned at the Base Level. Since they are just decorative graphic effects, they do not have any special function for gameplay. However, the addition of objects like statues, fire pits, and skeletons of former monsters go a long way towards making players feel more engaged throughout the Base Level. In short, they add more personality and character to the visuals of the Base Level. While the Base Level technically belongs to whichever level a player is currently within, I want to ensure that players are able to distinguish the two from each other. This will be especially important moving forward, as players need to perform specific actions throughout each section to ensure their success.

Crumbling Levels

The Base Level will be a safe area during combat, meaning that it will not crumble like the rest of the level. However, once a player leaves the Base Level, the rest of the level will automatically start to destroy itself. Each Base Level is different, thanks to their procedurally generated nature. Additionally, the visuals and enemies are randomized as much as possible, which help to make each level feel like a fresh playthrough experience. This is especially important to me, as I want Crumbling World to be a game that participants are able to play over and over again, with each attempt creating a different experience than the last.

I invite you to stay up-to-date with the development of Crumbling World.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my post.
See you soon!