June Update

Here is a summary of changes that made into the game in June:

Improvements

Visuals

Maxim Kovalenko is helping me out with an artistic side. He has finished first level art - Space map:

A map can contain a sky layer now. Previously only image-files can be used as maps, but now one could upload a ZIP-archive containing multiple images: main and sky layer.

Tweaks to frog appearance:

• Frogs close their eyes when someone is climbing on them.
• Frogs now recover from hurt state whenever health deduction is displayed.

Gameplay

• Improved AI is now able to play Shopper and Training modes. The game on the video above is played by an AI player.
• Added Quick Game option. It starts a quick match against an AI opponent.
• Improved frog placement algorithm to prevent spawning in inaccessible holes.
• It is now possible to get out of a pile of frogs - when pushed frogs will step back towards the background freeing the way.
• Reduced overall memory usage.

Physics and Input

• Added minimum bounce velocity allowing to start vertical motion when tongue is attached horizontally.
• Frog velocity after releasing the tongue is now constrained to rotation arc. This results in a motion that is less affected by tongue contraction/elongation.
• Better terrain normal sampling results in more predictable collisions:

Multiplayer

• Added an in-game chat.
• Added Private Matches - one can host a game that can be joined only through a secret link.
• Improved player selection UI, it is now possible to add multiple local players into a multiplayer game:

Scripting

I started to work on in-game visual scripting. This will allow for player-friendly game customization and will make automation easier for me.

The first challenge was to come up with a presentation that is not as wasteful as traditional node-based scripting.

Bugfixes

• Fixed game not proceeding when browser tab is inactve
• Fixed bug when frog would collide with a newly spawned projectile.
• Fixed bug where holding a space continuously will shot/release the tongue multiple times.
• Fixed audio not working on MacOS.
• Fixed audio volume bug resulting in clipping of some sounds and other being unaudible at times.
• Numerous small fixes and tweaks