Further Progress


Hello, I'm back with another progress update on the new premium version of First Cut.

Apologies for taking so long as I have been working on a lot of little things at once and the game has been in a messy state with many things half-finished. I've been preparing to launch and so I've been focusing on the business side of things on top of working on the game. I've also been going through the environments, gradually improving the existing ones and adding new ones, some of which can be seen below.

Here's a round-up of new features and improvements, in no particular order:

Players can equip a bokken instead of a katana, for 'merciful' blunt attacks and some satisfying wooden thuds. Corpses can also be shoved as they fall.

I have implemented scrolling backgrounds and parallax effects for use in challenge mode; so that the player can advance through longer environments populated with enemies. The grass now animates as it sways, and can be cut twice.

AI vs AI mode can now be selected if you'd like to spectate a computer battle, as seen above.

I have been improving the water effect, and added this flooded effect for environments like this cave. Water will splash around and become stained with blood.

I have been experimenting with colour-tinted lighting effects to further enhance each stage's atmosphere, and in the above clip there is a shadow effect cast on the player by the pillars. Performing a last second block against a charged strike now has a chance to destroy your hat.



Work on the gore system is still on-going, but characters can now be cut into about six pieces overall with continued strikes.


I've been experimenting with multiple enemies at once in survival mode. Right now AI will stand their ground if the player is facing away or fighting a closer enemy, but will strike if the player enters their range. Essentially the extra enemies become stage-hazards that will kill you if you back into them. I'm quite satisfied with this rule as it allows for more challenging battles while still feeling fair, but I'm still playing around with the system.

These battles also necessitate the ability to turn around, which works very well with a mouse but I'm still figuring out the best method of doing so using a controller.

The game also now has a tutorial to guide players through the mechanics step-by-step using a training dummy and a teacher NPC.

I've been getting a lot of requests to make an official Discord for the game, so I'll try to prepare something soon so everyone can stay up-to-date a bit easier. As always thanks for reading and stay tuned for more news.

Get First Cut

Download NowName your own price

Comments

Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.

ive only discovered this game and im so in love i hope this goes BIG

(1 edit)

this is gonna go on steam right? i am so gonna buy this game

Yes, it will be on Steam.

A Sakura tree themed level would be beautiful

(+1)

Any plans to add some kind of multiplayer duels?

(+1)

When it launches on Steam, you will be able to play online with your friends through Steam Remote Play, or you can use Parsec for the moment as far as I'm aware. After launch, we plan on looking into integrated online multiplayer to see if we can do it (we hope we can). Only one man is developing this game and he has no experience yet in programming online multiplayer.

(+1)

Thank you so much for adding AI vs AI mode into the game. I'm glad I commented about it and you actually did it! :)

Looking beautiful, keep going!

looking good, the enviroments looks gorgeus

Incredible update cant wait to buy the full release. 

(1 edit)

Finally, got my account back!
It has been great following your work through these devlogs, loving everything you've shown so far, really excited to play this!

I second Casper the helipilot's idea for different weapons, though I imagine it would absolutely be very difficult to include with all the work already done, work that I imagine wasn't done with other weapons in mind, it would definitely make the game way more interesting and replayable,  but not sure how the differences would be implemented since the longer weapons would be way better on their own.

Thanks for keeping us up to date with the work and I hope you're doing very well!

too excited, looks great so far

(+1)

this gonna look amazing, also can you add more weapons? like naginatas odachis and spears maybe? would also be cool if there was some kind of 5v5 where all ai fight at the same time and you would have your own allied AI, or maybe a online co-op or PVP mode


would also be amazing if this game was on steam

When it's ready, it will be on Steam.

o cool

(+1)

agreed it'd be awesome, including kamas which are sickles

true

(+1)

indeed, also cool pfp dude

thankz

you're welcome :)

I'm so hype, this looks beyond amazing

Excellent!

looks stunning!!!

(+1)

Holy hell this looks pretty. And the animations are so smooth. Ugh I can’t wait for this to release but don’t rush it, this will be something real special. 

(+2)

Love the new art style cant wait to speedrun the hell out o it - kenhine

(1 edit) (+1)

Drasnus, this looks amazing, my friends are reading this beside me and we're really impressed, the flooded effect looks outstanding, outright breathtaking and implementing a tutorial was much needed

Would also love to see if you're working on any flashy skins or a change in appearence in battle, like if you do multiple attacks rapidly maybe you could get a red aura around your character like a rage effect but I'm just spitballing.

Also, if it's a multiplayer match and someone leaves mid-game, is an ai going to take over or were you thinking of a cool death animation like seppuku?

Well, looking foward to the addition of a discord server. Best of luck :)

(+1)

First cut is about realism, and personally I would not want to see any "red auras" at all, for example (No offense)

no thanks, no special abilities or anything,   though yeah it really looks amazing

(+1)

I wasn't refering to special abilities, I personnaly think that's a bit much, if not,  a vissual change.

Essentially when you do multiple attacks rapidly, you or your sword could get a red aura to represent rage but it has no benefit, it's just an appearence changer but I see why some may not like that. 

(1 edit)

ah i see, excuse me for getting confused here

maybe have it a optional mode ?  i mean i would like to see flashy skins too

(2 edits) (+1)

Finally! Every day i watched for the appearance of a new artpass, and here we are!!

UPD: New content is an explosion of the head. And Lord! New sword drop system, new maps, MORE TWO PEOPLE ON THE MAP OMFGGG