How I learned to Skate
Small patch Oct 13
Small patch
- Modified the trigger zone of the second boat at the end of the last checkpoint. The boat is triggered a tiny bit later now and it doesn't depend so much on the direction you are coming from.
- Added menu missing localizations from the previous updates
Collision boundary view for Practice Mode + Bug fixes
Collision boundary view for Practice Mode
Added an option to show the collision boundaries of the game in Practice Mode. I decided to add this as it is not always clear where the collision boundaries are in the game and what can you actually collide against. Doing a complete graphics overhaul would be too time-consuming, but I think this is a great way to learn where the actual collision boundaries are in some confusing places.
Map changes:
- Decreased the chase time of one of the birds in the final section that could often land on the ice exactly on your way. It can still reach the ice but should always be passable from below.
Bug fixes:
- Fixed a couple of blocker obstacles under the bridges of part 6. It was possible to skate under some of the bridges that were supposed to be blocked.
- Fixed a bug where in the Permafall mode the timer showed double the time once you fell.
New game mode: Permafall
- Added a new game mode, Permafall
- Changed the requirement for the zero fall achievement to complete the game using the new game mode instead
- Added two new achievements. Managing to complete 33% and 66% of the map in the new game mode.
- Permafall has a separate high score for how much of the map you have completed, or the completion time if you manage to do 100%
I added the mode so that the zero fall run would need to be done without checkpoint reset abuse and because of the same reason, the Permafall run needs to be completed in one go, there are no saves. The game can be paused to the menu though.
The previous game version is available in the Steam beta branch "v1.1.0" if you face game-breaking bugs with the new patch.
Thank you Challenge Enthusiasts for feedback on the game.
Practice mode + bug fix
Practice Mode
Added separate practice mode where you can jump to any checkpoint you have reached so far.
This can be used to help train for better speedrun tactics or to overcome the (maybe even too) unforgiving + 1 - 2 sections.
The mode includes a simple timer that resets with every reset so that you can time your individual checkpoint times.
I will look into saving local high scores of each checkpoint and time trials/leaderboards for the checkpoints. This can be a bit problematic though because of the continuous nature of the track, the time can be from a standstill start or with velocity acquired when coming from the previous checkpoint. I will see how much work this will be.
Localizations will come in future patches.
Bug Fixes
- Fixed an issue where the player could crash to a dock even when he should have clearly hit the ladder. Especially annoying at the end of the final checkpoint.
Small balance patch (ver 1.0.1)
- Add two more checkpoints to Part 2(Tuul)
- Tune the first duo section a bit easier
- Small tuning to some obstacle parameters in different places
Finally live! And future plans!
This was my first game, I made it as a solo developer, with my own engine, and even made half of the assets myself. Not the fastest way to make a game and especially for this type of game, which focuses heavily on the movement mechanic and speedrun potential, maybe even a bit stupid way of doing it :D But I'm very proud of myself that I managed and from time to time I even feel very amazed by what I have created.
I really love hard games and games that focus on you as a person learning something to get through the game, be it finger dexterity or solving a logic puzzle. Games that rely more on the skill of the player than luck or just time. I hope this game catches some of that.
Future plans
- Fix any bugs that appear
- Add a separate practice mode, where you can freely jump between checkpoints to practice individual sections
- Proper speedrun timer with automatic splits
- Saving high score times for individual checkpoints
Hope you'll enjoy the game! And thank you to everyone who motivated me to get this finished!
Thanks,
Taavi
Demo Patch
- Added a short time window, 0.05 seconds, when a leg can be raised before the previous push animation has been completed
- This makes it a little bit easier to skate fast but doesn't really make the game easier for beginners. Also theoretically it is now possible to maintain maximum velocity, as you can click the foot before the previous animation ends and the foot will be raised right after the previous animation is completed.
Demo Patch
- Changed controller controls to be more like the mouse ones
- Both tilt and foot rotation are controlled by the left stick
- The stick doesn't control the absolute tilt/rotation anymore, but the change of tilt/rotation
- The wind affects the player tilt now
- With controller there is a force that drags the player to the center-tilt as otherwise the controls were too unprecise
- Added initial error sound when the player tries to raise a leg, but the previous push animation is still in progress
General changes:
- Added controller sensitivity settings
Bug fixes:
- Fixed a bug that caused crashes with smaller than 720p resolutions with some fonts
- It still doesn't render the fonts correctly, but it won't crash
Demo Patch
- Added localization for 13 more languages
- Added setting to force mouse input over controller input
- Made the controller menu nicer
- Added icon for Windows executable
Gameplay changes:
- Made the demo map a bit easier
- The first two checkpoints were split into four checkpoints
- Added mouse sensitivity options
- Reset the game timer only when a new game is started
- Before it was reset when respawning if the player hadn't reached the first checkpoint
Bug fixes:
- Fixed mouse sensitivity being tied to the window resolution