NewMe NuMe LuMe: Alien Wars News

Firstly, please understand that this message has been written using a translation tool and may have issues with clarity.



Hello!

It’s already November, and Halloween has passed since we updated a portion of the additional stages in October.

Did you have a good Halloween?

I couldn’t get out to celebrate as I was busy developing the Stage 2 boss, but I hope you all enjoyed it on my behalf!

Anyway, the purpose of this announcement is to update you on the boss for the additional (epilogue) stage!

This time, rather than just showing pixel art as I did in previous dev updates, I’d like to give a brief introduction to the process of creating this boss.

Check out the details below!








1. Stage 2 Boss



When I create game systems or enemies, I usually do so spontaneously.

This was also the case with the additional (epilogue) stage boss, which I created through the following steps!



[1-1. Concept Planning]

First, I start by thinking about what kind of boss battle I want to design through a process like this:

Idea 1: Up to now, I’ve created bosses that either chase the player, remain stationary, or move within a set range.
→ So this time, how about a boss that runs away from the player?

Idea 2: Why should this boss flee from the player?
→ Perhaps because it can launch artillery if it’s a certain distance away?
→ If it’s a long-range attacker, I’ll base it on an artillery unit!

Idea 3: What should a fleeing artillery-type boss look like?
→ Drawing inspiration from a scorpion, with a tail as the main gun and pincers for close attacks when the player approaches.
→ But a scorpion feels a bit overdone…



[1-2. Sketching]

After deciding on a concept for the boss, I sketch out its attack patterns, as shown below!





[1-3. Pixel Art Creation]

Using the sketch, I then create pixel art for the boss and design its attack patterns!





For the second phase, I also referenced some parts of the existing bosses from stages 4 and 5.








[1-4. Drawing]

Finally, I create the art to introduce the boss!




And just like that, the boss is complete!









2. Sneak Peek at the Final Stage Boss



The characters and storyline of the additional (epilogue) stage have already been planned, and the image above shows one of the bosses that will appear in the final stage!

The additional (epilogue) stage seems to be about 50% complete. At this pace, I think it may be finished around spring next year…



But!








3. Plan to Add a Difficulty Setting Feature

Since the game’s release, I’ve received ongoing feedback about its high difficulty level.

This is because…

As I was creating enemies and their patterns for the first time, I went through a lot of trial and error. I struggled a lot, but in the process, I grew attached to the enemies.

Because of this, I developed a desire to showcase all of each enemy's attack patterns, which led me to set their health values quite high.

As the game progressed, I kept wanting to include even more varied enemy types, which in turn made the difficulty increase even further.

As a result, I’m now planning to prioritize creating a difficulty setting feature that will adjust the enemy health and patterns, rather than continuing work on the additional (epilogue) stage.

Thank you for your understanding, and I apologize for the delay in developing the additional (epilogue) stage.







Lastly, I tried to make the new (epilogue) stages easier than the existing stages, but since I’m developing this game solo,

the difficulty tuning might not be perfect yet. If you find any enemy patterns or difficulty too challenging while playing, please share your feedback via the link below.

I'll actively consider your input and make adjustments!

https://steamcommunity.com/app/2855660/discussions/0/4364628673432078457/









This is where I'll end this announcement.

Thank you very much for your interest in the game I developed!

Firstly, please understand that this message has been written using a translation tool and may have issues with clarity.



Hello!

A few weeks have passed since the last development update at the end of September, and now it's already mid-October!

How have you all been this past month?


This announcement covers the updates mentioned in the title: the addition of the new (epilogue) stage and the Checkpoint System, which was discussed in the previous development log.

Please see the details below!








1. Checkpoint System


The checkpoint system allows you to start from the middle of a stage by turning on the TV at the beginning of the stage.

This way, you can choose where to start playing from!


This function isn't one-time-use; it unlocks automatically when you progress past the midpoint of the stage.

Even if you use the save function or clear the stage, the checkpoint system won’t reset and will remain available.






In fact, as mentioned in the last development log, the checkpoint system itself was completed last month.

However, since the drawings for the checkpoint feature weren’t ready (as shown in the image above), it wasn’t included in the update until now.







[Stage 5 drawings]

This time, I've completed and updated the drawings for all the checkpoint points in the existing stages (1~6)!
(Though, for the new stages, only the function has been implemented, and the drawings are still in progress.)


Also, the drawings for stages 1~5 have been uploaded to the artwork page.

If you'd like to take a look, please visit via the link below!
https://steamcommunity.com/app/2855660/images/#scrollTop=0








2. New (Epilogue) Stage Update

In April this year, I announced the upcoming new stages, and it’s taken six months to finally release this update.



[previewyoutube]https://youtu.be/YoESpJhSxoM[/previewyoutube]










To celebrate the release of the new (epilogue) stages, I've also made a gameplay video that will be uploaded to the store page!




However, please note that this update only includes the "new character and stages 1~2."

The prologue, story, character drawings, dialogues, and the third stage are still unfinished.

Also, for stage 2, the boss is not yet complete, so this update only covers everything except for the boss battle.



Ideally, I would have liked to complete all the content before releasing the update, but the development pace has been slower than expected.

Although I post monthly development logs, I thought it would be better for you to experience the current progress directly rather than just reading about it.

So, I decided to release the parts that are finished now.

I apologize for this, and I will add the boss for stage 2 as soon as possible in a future update.





Lastly, I tried to make the new (epilogue) stages easier than the existing stages, but since I’m developing this game solo,

the difficulty tuning might not be perfect yet. If you find any enemy patterns or difficulty too challenging while playing, please share your feedback via the link below.

I'll actively consider your input and make adjustments!

https://steamcommunity.com/app/2855660/discussions/0/4364628673432078457/









This is where I'll end this announcement.

Thank you very much for your interest in the game I developed!

Firstly, please understand that this message has been written using a translation tool and may have issues with clarity.



Hello!

It's already the end of September, and it's been a month since I posted the development update in early September!

How have you all been during this past month?

Today, I’d like to share some about the upcoming updates, as the title suggests.

The detailed breakdown is as follows:




1. checkpoint Function

I received feedback regarding the game’s difficulty, asking for a checkpoint system when the player dies. (Thank you so, so much for the feedback!)

When I first created each stage, I didn’t really feel it, but looking back now, I realize the maps are quite long, and it might be overwhelming to restart from the beginning each time.

Of course, I added a coin revival system to reduce the chances of a game over, but it seemed like a temporary solution at best.

However, implementing a checkpoint system that restarts from the point of death wasn’t part of my original plan when I first started developing the game, so I thought it would be difficult to implement.

Instead, I initially decided to add an "Easy Mode" to the existing coin revival system, where selecting easy mode would reduce the cost of revival coins and increase the amount of health recovered, aiming to reduce the number of game over situations.

But then, I realized I didn’t have to make checkpoints start from the point of death. There’s also the option of adding a mid-save feature that allows players to start from the middle of the stage. So, instead of adding easy mode to the coin revival system, I developed a mid-save system.




[Summary of the early part of skipped stages – Image to be added]

[Image to be added]
As you can see, I’ve created all the functions and dialogues for each stage, but I’m still working on the illustrations to be integrated into the system.




2. Two Additional Epilogue Stages


Mid-boss for Stage 2

As for the additional stages, I’ve been writing about the development status once a month,

but I think it would be better for you to experience it directly rather than just reading about it, so I’m planning an update in October.


However, my development pace has been slower than expected. Currently, Stage 2 is about 75% complete, and while I’ve conceptualized the boss, I haven’t yet created the pixel...





I also added cloud shadow effects since the background felt a bit dull.


These are the updates I’d like to complete by Halloween in October. However...

It will take about a week to complete the boss’s pixel art, another week to design the patterns, plus I need to finish the illustrations for the mid-save system. There are also other things I haven’t mentioned, like player-specific settings menus, instructions on how to play, etc.

At my current pace, I’m not confident I’ll be able to finish Stage 2 by the end of October.

If it’s not completed in time, I’ll try to at least update it up to the mid-boss stage!





This is where I'll end this announcement.

If you could let me know through the link below about any difficult enemy patterns or level of difficulty you've experienced, I will actively take it into account!

https://steamcommunity.com/app/2855660/discussions/0/4364628673432078457/








Thank you very much for your interest in the game I developed!

Firstly, please understand that this message has been written using a translation tool and may have issues with clarity.



Hello!

It’s already been a month since I posted the development news in August, and now it's the end of September!

How have you all been for the past month?


After posting the development news at the end of August, I’m here again to greet you in early September!

How have you been for the past two week



Originally, as mentioned in the August news, I planned to complete Stage 2 and post the usual end-of-the-month development news.

However, since my development progress has been much slower than expected, the September development news will cover bug fixes and new shop items added after August! Please check the details below!






1. Bug Fixes


A few days ago, while reviewing the development news from August, I found something odd in the section introducing the new supply weapon




Homing Shot




Before Grenade Fix




After Grenade Fix


As you can see, the grenade only generated one smoke effect when it was first created, unlike the homing shot.

The shocking thing is that the difference with and without the smoke effect was significant, but I didn’t realize it until I checked.

Even the gameplay video on the Steam store page shows that the grenade has no smoke effect, meaning this bug has been present for at least six months, even before the game's release!



Yipes!!!







Now, the smoke effect for the grenade works properly.

But since I’ve gotten used to the appearance without the smoke, it somehow feels like the visibility is worse now…






2. Additional Stage Shop Items



In the August development news, I introduced the shop system and items for the additional stage (please refer to the August development news for descriptions of the previous shop items!).




Here, I’ve added some of Kim Ttolttol and Ryong Ryong’s shop items!





2-1. Kim Ttolttol





2-1-1. Charge Attack


0 upgrade


1 upgrade - Increased charge speed, enhanced charge shot.


2 upgrade - Further increased charge speed, faster charge shot activation.





Additionally, once the charge shot upgrade reaches Stage 2, the charge attack can be charged up to two stages.





The upgrade 2 charge shot reduces the number of bullets from six to one, but the damage is the same as all six combined, with added piercing ability that can deal maximum damage to up to three enemies.





0 upgrade


1 upgrade


2 upgrade

Lastly, when the Stage 2 charge shot is activated, part of the charge is refunded, allowing for quicker charge shot activations!



2-1-2. god Bomb


0 upgrade


1 upgrade - Slightly increased explosion radius, additional explosion occurrences.


2 upgrade - Creates a clone (half damage).





2-2. Ryong Ryong



2-2-1. Fireball - Lung Capacity Enhancement


0 upgrade


1 upgrade - Expanded explosion radius, added chain explosions.


2 upgrade - Further expanded explosion radius, flame effect changed (added damage judgement).




0 upgrade


1 upgrade


2 upgrade

Additionally, as the Lung Capacity Enhancement upgrade progresses, the charge speed increases, and once it reaches upgrade 2, the maximum number of charges increases from 4 to 6.



2-2-2. Fireball - Fragment Enhancement


0 upgrade

[
1 upgrade - Fragment attacks occur in the direction of movement upon explosion.


2 upgrade - Fireballs perform fragment attacks while moving.




Additionally, when Fragment Enhancement is at upgrade 2, if there are enemies nearby when the fireball explodes, two small fireballs will be generated.






3. New Enemies in Stage 2


Following the regular enemies introduced in the early part of Stage 2 from the August development news, here are the regular enemies that will appear from the middle of the stage.


The patterns for these regular enemies are now fully completed, but I haven't yet created the mid-boss or boss.

Therefore, I will post the development news regarding their patterns and the bosses in October!





This is where I'll end this announcement.

If you could let me know through the link below about any difficult enemy patterns or level of difficulty you've experienced, I will actively take it into account!

https://steamcommunity.com/app/2855660/discussions/0/4364628673432078457/








Thank you very much for your interest in the game I developed!

Firstly, please understand that this message has been written using a translation tool and may have issues with clarity.



Hello!

It’s been a month since I posted the news in July, and now it's already the end of August!

How have you all been during this past month?


As for me, I caught a cold because I had the air conditioner on too strong. I spent two days of the week suffering from headaches, and the other three days struggling with a stuffy nose. Haha!


Anyway, as for the development status for August, as announced in the July news, I focused on creating the shop system.

Please see below for the details!





1. Shop System







The shop items, except for the health and movement speed boost potions,

have been adjusted to match each player character.




Additionally, I've added interactions when you click specific parts of the shop character!







[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]










Also, there are now three different types of shop BGM, which change depending on the stage's progress.

Check out the video above to see the shop BGM in action!









While working on the shop system, I found that the hand image turned out better than expected,

so I decided to create an image to include on the Steam store page as well.





It took me four hours to make this, but I think it turned out well,

so if I get the chance later, I’d like to add similar images to other parts of the game.





2. Player Shop Upgrades
While creating the shop system, I also added upgrade elements for each player.

Although I’ve made all of them, I’ll introduce the most noticeable changes!




2-1. Kim Ttolttol


Charge Attack Basic


Charge Attack Upgrade




god Bomb Basic


god Bomb Upgrade (Matryoshka!)




2-2. OcherFrog

Grenade Basic


Grenade Upgrade - Added Mini Grenades


Grenade Upgrade - Added Fragments




2-3. Ryong Ryong

Fireball


Fireball Upgrade - Added Fragments





3. New Weapons for OcherFrog


(From the existing stage 6 supply weapons)


In the additional stages, Kim Ttolttol's playstyle has been changed to a charge attack,

and the new character Ryong Ryong now attacks with an accelerating coin shotgun and a charging fireball.

The playstyle of supplying ammunition for weapons in the existing stages has been passed on to OcherFrog.






Therefore, compared to the new playstyles of Kim Ttolttol and Ryong Ryong, OcherFrog,

who has a more traditional playstyle, didn’t see many changes other than some tweaks to bomb attacks.

To balance this, I’ve added three new weapons!




3-1 Thunder Shot







3-2 Laser Ball







3-3 Dlsperasl Bomb(Cluster Bomb)








4. Stage 2 Enemies



- New enemies to be added in the early part of Stage 2


Due to the work on the shop system, weapon upgrades, and other features, I’ve only been able to create the early enemies for Stage 2 so far.

I plan to post news about Stage 2 in the September development update. Since just posting a video gets little response, I’ll also include details about enemy and boss patterns!



Finally, my original plan was to complete everything before Halloween and release the update along with a Halloween sale.

However, progress on the additional stages has been slower than expected, so it looks like the completion might be pushed to December this year or January to February next year…





This is where I'll end this announcement.

If you could let me know through the link below about any difficult enemy patterns or level of difficulty you've experienced, I will actively take it into account!

https://steamcommunity.com/app/2855660/discussions/0/4364628673432078457/








Thank you very much for your interest in the game I developed!