QC Devlog # 1 ~ Expansion

(note to self: throw together cover image to go with new title)

Hello! This is the beginning of the expansion and polishing of my Jimjam #1 game,  Queen Rose.  Retitled as Queen Carnation, it will be about a girl who takes up the mantle of protector of the world when Queen Rose goes missing.   

This week's progress:

• Outlined the story
• Added "key" mechanic
• Added "transform" and "crown" mechanic

Key - just a simple device to get the player to go to certain points in the stage in order to unlock the gate to the next stage

Transform - state switching for the player character's abilities

Crown - a new ability that allows players to destroy obstacles in a radius around them

I've put some work into making the transform feel as smooth as possible.  The idea is that while using one ability, the other is unavailable.  Puzzle solving will require some quick switching between states, so it needs to be as simple and intuitive as I can make it.  May later differentiate between "enemies" that the crown ability can destroy and "hazards" that the ability won't effect.  Don't want to make the levels all about spamming "crown".    However, the fact that platforms cannot be created while the crown is active may be enough of a natural limiter.  Will require some testing.  

Next week's goals:

• get some more enemy/hazard types in there
• start expanding the levels
• continue work on the story
• put together some boss mechanic ideas