Dev Blog #15 – Milestones and Memories
Tony Dorito - February 8, 2017
It has been a blast working on CURE and it’s time to look back at what we have accomplished so far, and where we’re at in the creation process.
Up to this point…
Last March, we developed a simple prototype of CURE. Shortly after with the support of our biggest fans, we were greenlit in (not only within a matter of days, but also being one of the highest ranked games in greenlight!). After a short break to secure funding for the continued development of CURE, as said in our Dev Blog #1, we continued work on the Single Player Closed Alpha build of CURE. In that blog, we also described the roadmap of CURE. So far, we have: Added three bacteria units, implemented the immune system, added a rudimentary ai for enemies, and have added a new ‘practice’ game mode. Also, in Dev Blog # 6 we described in more detail and have since added: Interactive Objects, New Units, and New Game Modes.
What we are working on now…
We are currently are working on the hardest part of the game to create: Genes in CURE.
As a quick refresher, Genes are ‘items’ in CURE that you can use to upgrade your units. To get genes working in CURE, we have to: Have a way to unlock genes, Have a way to equip genes, and have a way for the player to manage genes and understand what they do. They are unlike any item (that I have ever seen) in any game before, and the possibilities for really interesting items makes the gamer in me really excited!
Over the last few months, we have written about our progress,
? How genes are earned
? How genes are displayed to the player
? How genes are generated
? How genes can be managed and equipped by the player
? What genes can change about your units
? And even, how genes are balanced
And, it’s not easy…
Getting this functionality into CURE is difficult because each part needs to be complete and implemented for genes to function at all. For instance, if you can’t earn genes, then, what good is equipping them… or, if your genes don’t do anything, then what good is equipping them… and so on. If you take out a single one of these functions, then genes won’t work and won’t be fun to play with.
So the next update to CURE will be rather large (larger than we would normally want), but we feel it will be well worth the wait!
The future is almost here!
As stated in our first development blog post about our current phase of development, after genes and genetic engineering is added to the game, we will have most of the major points covered. I think after genes are implemented, we will go back to creating new units and testing new abilities, until we have tested all of the ideas that we wanted to test. We have learned so very much in the development so far, and for all of those that have been giving us great feedback, your help has been amazing!
When Phase 2 is complete…
After Phase 2 is complete, we will incorporate everything we have learned so far (from code, to art, to game mechanics… what works, and what we can improve) and start in on what will really make this game fun- matching your wits and creations against other players! We have done extensive testing of how best to approach developing the multiplayer aspects of the game from a technical level (and to those of you that helped with the CURE Multiplayer Closed Alpha testing, your help has been amazing!), and we look forward to that phase of development.
Also, after Phase 2 is complete, we are planning on giving all of you that didn’t have the chance to participate in the CURE Singleplayer Closed Alpha a chance to play it on Steam Early Access!
And we didn’t do it all by ourselves…
We are excited for the future, and we can’t thank you enough for being apart of the development of CURE and for following it’s progress! The support from gamers, scientists, educators and many others has been just overwhelming. You all have played a major part in the creation of this game, and your involvement is one of the most rewarding milestones and memories for us.
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