Wednesday, December 2, 2009


There's a spring flower to the left, and an Appleseed.

I'm still making progress, don't worry.


The bug up here is especially dangerous.

Lately I've been noticing that it takes a long time to test rooms, so I added a debug room, and started work on save points.


Something's missing.

I'm redoing the weather/daylight system too, so there's still no real sky to speak of.


Oh, it's the enemy radar.

This time I want to talk more about the different throws. Since Double O's attacks are indirect, it takes a little finesse.


It's just an Appleseed, but it's the target.

There's two basic kinds of throws: A quick throw which can't be directed, and a normal throw, which can be thrown in 8 directions.



The quick throw's angle is just a bit off.

Quick throws are short throws used by tapping the C key, and can be done in quick succession. They're good if something is running away or chasing you. Usually, you'll want the normal throw, though.


Since the throw is longer by a bit, it's still important to judge distance.

Other than distance and control, a normal throw is beneficial because after pulling up a bit of ground, you can carry it around and use it whenever you need. It's kind of like loading a round into the chamber.


Just barely.

If you miss an enemy and you're standing still, you get a little disappointed expression for a second.


Just in case you were wondering what was down there: It's a large ventilation shaft.

There's usually at least three exits on any given screen, by the way. Naturally, sometimes it'll be less. If you're low on health, you can always look for a different way out if a path you've chosen is too dangerous looking.

For instance...


Somewhere along he lost his last bit of life.

Unless you're feeling daring, it's usually a good idea to avoid unfamiliar doorways.


Razzberries typically fly in a predictable manner, so they aren't that dangerous.

Crawling can be a good way to avoid trouble, since it halves the height of your hit-box.


It's a good thing debug mode is on.

Of course, it can't always save you.


Ladders come in lots of shapes and sizes, but they're still pretty distinguishable.

Ladders are all over the place, and it's a good idea to hold onto a ladder going down to a place that's unfamiliar. Of course, you could always jump.


They aren't that easy to spot when it's this dark.

In addition to radar being something you need to gain, the ability to see easier in the dark is something you'll need to earn as well.


With a particular item, this wouldn't be a problem.

Once your eyes adjust, it's manageable, but when you're on your last sliver of strength it's not a good idea, unless you're scouting for new territory. Going in one direction until you can't go anymore for any reason is a good way to get your bearings.


Since it's the debug room, there's no problem finding it.


Collecting a powerup also gives you a note with additional details, which you can read from the file screen.

Anyway, the thing you're looking for is this:


Bright Eyes

The first accessible powerup is Bright Eyes, which makes seeing in the dark easier. It's always active, and never runs out, so it's a pretty major ability. A good portion of the game is underground without power, so without this you'll be flying blind.



There's lots of interesting things underground, so I'd recommend finding Bright Eyes as soon as possible.