Progress update: co-op, outfit dyes and patterns, and animations

tl;dr: most new entity animation work is done with some sprites left, split-screen co-op mostly works, per-outfit-piece dyeing and textile patterns, tweaks and improvements to old content

Next update progress

✅ Pink Slime Lady

I'm gonna mark this as done, because it's just fine-tuning left, I no longer need to focus on this

✅ Level design

I'm marking this as done - I'm still fine-tuning it every now and then but the main work is done and I don't need to focus on it anymore. I've added a few one-way or secret shortcuts to make exploring the maze more fun

🟦 Flower Lady

While she still needs 2-3 sprites, her animation is fully done now

🟦 Night Rabbit

The animation is very close to done, with one work-in-progress sub-animation left. I've finished her defeat sprite, but her jump isn't done yet and there's potentially one more static sprite to do. Her run-away movement logic is also something I'm still working on

🟦 NEW: Co-op

(while this work isn't new, I figured I'd add a progress entry for this because I want it in the next update)

I've added co-op support to various systems, basically all the core systems have co-op support now - specifically I worked on the light system, use buttons, entity loading, and they all seem to work but there may be some bugs lurking in the shadows

I've also done UI work here so that player health, energy, effects, and item shows up for the second player too. There are a few UI bugs but otherwise it's pretty much there

The camera work has been fine tuned (you can see how it works in the video!) - some work remains here in particular with animations and boss arenas

🟦 NEW: Outfits

I've been working on adding per-item colors and textures to the layered outfit pieces now. For example, pantyhose clothes have a net-like texture, and you can apply that texture to many other pieces, making the slit dress into a net dress too. For this, I've added some new base ingredients you can find in loot boxes, and flowers will become more useful as ingredients to dyes too. All of this needs to work well so I'm working on that now

I also need to create a clothing room/area in the hub where you can modify outfits through some new interface - I might delay the room for later, but the interface does need to exist before any new test builds

In terms of drawing sprites, I'm aiming to have the following in the upcoming Test Build 2: the slit dress, pantyhose, cat ears, and of course the base bikini that's already been done. It's mostly done with a few poses missing

🟦 Deep Maze arena

I'm still experimenting with new ideas for this but nothing to show yet

⬜ Timed obstacle course (new minigame)

I haven't really touched this since, it's still 'basically done'. I might consider it complete for next time or add a relevant athletic NPC, we'll see!

Otherwise

Dialogue boxes now always stay on-screen even if you move away and I'm working on keeping their size slightly independent of camera zoom so they don't take up too much space

Jump pads now slide down slopes and only activate on gentle slopes or flat ground, I've also re-balanced them a bit to use use less energy, do more damage, despawn faster, and limit the amount you can spawn (oldest ones get despawned)

The side dash collision shape is smaller than before and matches the sprite better, meaning platforming with it makes more sense and you can use it to get through smaller gaps alike sliding

I've improved the player un-stucking system to make sure getting stuck in the floor, ceiling, or walls is rarer now, and the new method has easier room for future improvements. This enables more complex, denser level design, as well as making the smaller side dash more reliable

Added a new work-in-progress blessing that reduces nearby entity HP when activated, a first of its kind and hopefully not the last since exploring blessings that affect nearby entities could be fun! It only needs an icon and it's fully done

Plant Walkers can only do damage every now and then to prevent situations where you feel doomed by their spin move

The Stone Temple's last upside-down belt lift section is being redone. It's one part I wasn't too happy with and I'm changing it into a challenge elevator that descends as a waterfall pours onto it and you have to defend yourself while it descends

And of course, I'm still working on the DLC split but new content is the focus so it's a bit here and there

That's it for this one! Next one in two weeks as usual, see you then!