Welcome Back, Dear Friends!

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday season and had a fantastic end to 2024. Let's kick off the new year with some exciting updates and improvements to Blackmarsh.

A New Approach to the Level Progression System

My initial plan was to implement a basic level progression using a hub system, allowing players to choose and complete levels in any order. While this is a solid approach, I’ve decided to take a different approach to fully leverage Ella's ability to learn and use new skills throughout the game.

Inspired by the Metroid series, I've decided to move towards a single, expansive map where not everything is accessible from the start. This approach opens up several exciting gameplay opportunities:

• Acquiring Abilities: By defeating bosses, Ella gains new abilities like double jumping or moving heavy objects, which unlock new areas for exploration.
• Potion Brewing: Crafting potions will grant Ella temporary buffs or transformations, such as the ability to float. This mechanic allows access to previously unreachable or hidden areas, adding depth to the game. Players will need to search for the right ingredients to brew these potions.
• Using Weapons: As suggested by a member of the Game Boy community, Ella's attacks will serve more purposes than just defeating enemies. Depending on the equipped weapon, her attacks can also break or power certain mechanisms in Blackmarsh.

By reshaping the level progression system, I can fully utilize the individual mechanics listed above and create a more engaging and dynamic gameplay experience.

As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts!

Until next time!