Core gameplay complete! v0.2.0

Reworked upgrade system

The upgrade system now takes a much more major role. It allows you to get random improvements for you structures and, rarely, get special upgrades that can change how they work entirely. This system allows me to design structures that have clearly defined roles, but make them more flexible as you start upgrading them. In other words,the  initial level layout and structures you get determine your early game setup, but the upgrades determine you late-game strategy.

However, there are only a few special upgrades added. Good for 5 minutes of gameplay. Just enough to showcase its potential. Of course, I'll be adding more as I add more content.

Updated graphics and UI

I updated the graphics and UI to make it look less prototype-ey. These are still placeholders though. I'm not an artist so my goal was just to make it clean, consistent and easily readable. Do let me know if I did a bad job at it.

Added basic tutorial

It's a text-based tutorial combined with short gameplay gifs. It can be finished in 30 seconds. There's a more in-depth help screen once you get to play the game.

Core gameplay features

With this update, the core gameplay is complete:

• Basic tower defense mechanics - build defenses to stop waves of enemies
• Plants VS Zombies inspired - you have multiple lanes where structures and enemies occupy the same space
• Tile reclaiming system - you start with limited buildable spaces
• Movable structures - you can move and swap structures
• Time-based economy - all structures and upgrades are free, except that it takes time to get one
• Randomized elements -  initial level layout, structure generation, research generation (non-linear upgrade system)
• Survival mode - I chose this mode since it's probably the easiest way to showcase the core gameplay

I wanted to make a TD game where the initial game state is randomized and you had to create and adapt your strategy as you play. Try the game out and let me know what you think!

What next?

I'll be taking some time to clean up my code. I just haphazardly added things for the past few weeks so its a mess right now. The good thing is actually got stuff done, so thats good.

This version will be the foundation with which I will expand the game. Here is a list of things I plan to do, in no particular order:

• Add more structures and enemy types
• Add a meta-game and persistent progression. Perhaps a campaign mode or a rougelite endless mode?
• Add a loadout system so that players can plan out at the beginning and allow for different playstyles. Perhaps you can combine towers?
• Think of a name and theme.

I was thinking of the theme "Reckless Reclamation". The idea is you are trying to reclaim your lost land, recklessly. Your structure factory AI is crazy so you get random structures. Structures get destroyed often either due to malfunctions or enemy attacks. After you defeat a level, civilization gets rebuilt on it then the camera moves right where you go reclaim the lands again, recklessly. Perhaps the main character is a mad scientist. What do you think?

• Art and sounds.

All the art and sounds are temporary. I can either do them myself (i hope not), or hire people. Either way, this will be low priority until I get a good idea of what the game really is.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more updates!