Figment 2, our surreal and musical journey into the human thoughts, is one thing we wished to make as impactful as doable concerning the sound design and music. One strategy is to include it into the sport’s setting. We do that by having gentle bulbs blinking to the beat of the music, bridges manufactured from piano keys that play once you stroll on them, bosses that sing their very own theme songs to you throughout fights, and music that adjustments relying the place you’re and displays your environment. This sequel follows the identical protagonist, Dusty, the Braveness of the thoughts as we observe his journey into deep corners of the unconscious.
To make the environment really feel extra in tune with the universe, we analysed the background music by discovering the place the loudest elements of the audio observe are. We then use that knowledge from that audio clip in numerous methods, like animating objects or when to play sound results. Within the image above you possibly can see two bushes with lights hanging from them referred to as Cocobulbs. These Cocobulbs blink at any time when a sure loudness of the background observe is reached, exemplified by the inexperienced triangles within the picture under, that are referred to as peaks. This makes the world dance and transfer to the beat of the music.
One other a part of Figment’s design the place we discovered room for additional experimentation within the musical division was normal fight encounters. Particular enemies have their very own layer of music that will get added to the already-playing (base) fight music. In addition they assault on totally different beats and on totally different bars.
Figment 2 has a completely new solid of enemies. One gentle attacker that prices typically, one which has a bigger wind up with durations of invulnerability, a ranged and motionless turret, and a heavy slammer with high-damage assaults.
That is the place the fight choreographer got here to life, a device that might take all enemies from a selected location and inform them when to assault. This device takes into consideration what number of of every sort there are, what occurs when that quantity goes decrease or greater, and can even change their attacking “rhythm” when these values change.
Then the enemies will sync as much as the observe that’s taking part in and assault. Lighter enemies can assault extra typically, whereas bigger ones can assault on extra important beats like the primary beat of every bar to provide extra impression to their position within the combat.
This device allowed us to extra effectively sync up enemies to fights and provides a way of circulate when the participant discovered themselves in fight. We are able to make a brand new enemy assault Dusty, or have the identical one chase you time and again if it suits the track higher.
These new instruments and overarching recreation design implementations gave method to a couple new ideas concerning boss fights. We wished these encounters to be grandiose, a David vs Goliath state of affairs. Nightmares take middle stage, presenting themselves by way of a change of surroundings and music.
Nightmares bodily manifest within the thoughts, and because you’re the braveness defending it, it’s essential to face them by way of fights and puzzles to know why they’ve appeared. On this case The Jester symbolises the worry of tasks piling up and being unable to let unfastened anymore. In fights in opposition to them, they’ve Oddballs, these little spheres that defend them from assaults, however will also be used to assault Dusty.
We had run into conditions the place enemies or ranges influenced how the music would form up. Nonetheless, right here, music and recreation design coerced one another mutually. In your first combat in opposition to The Jester, the Oddballs slowly transfer round them, and unfold out at key moments of their track so you possibly can assault. Like every part in Figment 2, in addition they transfer and bounce in sync with the world’s rhythm. In one other encounter additional down the road, the Jester has a brand new track with a distinct rhythm with additional evolution of the story – and the previous design of the Oddballs didn’t work anymore. This new track had a a lot faster tempo, was angrier, and we needed to give you a mechanic that mirrored that.
Within the encounter under, the design staff got here up with the concept that The Jester may “shoot” the Oddballs that used to guard him. He’s angrier, looser in combating model. So we needed to give you a distinct method of expressing that. Thus, like six rounds of a revolver, The Jester shoots the Oddballs away.
Each piece of Figment 2’s universe is musically attuned with its environment. We hope that gamers will get pleasure from Figment 2: Creed Valley when it arrives on Sport Move July twentieth, better of luck on saving The Thoughts from the nightmares wreaking havoc.
Figment 2: Creed Valley
Bedtime Digital Video games
$24.99
$19.99
PC Sport Move
Xbox Sport Move
Figment 2: Creed Valley is an action-adventure recreation set within the human thoughts. Nightmares are spreading chaos and have overrun once-peaceful lands. Be a part of Dusty, The Thoughts’s braveness, as you make your method by way of puzzles, musical boss fights and distinctive environments. Face your fears head-on.
Nightmares have shattered the Ethical Compass, making The Thoughts unable to perform correctly. Dusty and his ever-optimistic sidekick, Piper, should journey to Creed Valley, the place The Thoughts’s beliefs are fashioned to revive peace. A journey stuffed with musical showdowns and mind-bending puzzles awaits.