Giovanni Nodal - Hackclub ZRL Santa Meet and Greet Coordinator

⚠️A MESSAGE TO ALL VOTERS!⚠️

Welcome to Hack & Slash! Based on my previous shipping experience, I acknowledge the unavoidable and inevitable fact that some may be unable to run or play my game to the fullest. As such, use any of the following to your discretion:
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WEB GAME EXECUTABLE: This is a web-based port you can play from your browser (best for convenience) https://butter-toast1134.itch.io/hack-and-slash-v100
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DESKTOP GAME EXECUTABLE: This is an actual .exe file you can run to play the game from your desktop (best for performance) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hNFAR63ZiRFLxDY0deZ-x95yvPkycULJ/view?usp=sharing
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COMPLETE GAME SHOWCASE: If both of the above fail, there’s a full game showcase on the official Hack & Slash YouTube channel for you to experience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_C-e_WyhY4

HACK & SLASH FULL GAME RELEASE - V1.1.0

Hack & Slash is now out of development, and is released as a full playable experience, from both itch.io and desktop!
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I have a unique page to visit it at. Good luck! Performance is variable, but fun is guaranteed >:D
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-new itch.io background
-new .exe file downloadable

UPDATE #38: OFFICIAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL + LAPSE STARTUP

-created an official YouTube channel for Hack & Slash, https://www.youtube.com/@hacknslashofficial

• pfp based on the Toast Studios logo
• fit with its own banner, description with links, and a short about me

-posted a walkthrough of the entire game on the channel

• shows the menu screen and its sections, both secret levels, and all three normal levels
• timestamps, proper description, and basic editing

-began compiling all of my out-editor work into Lapse

UPDATE #37: NEW ENEMY: THE LOOMER

-added a cavern-exclusive enemy, the Loomer

• another close relative of the Locust and Loser
• looms on the ceiling and periodically shoots down eye plasma balls, deals one damage
• has a chargeup and blast visual
• unique sfx and tweenimation for discharging

-added lantern decorations throughout the caverns

• simple props, nonfunctional (have an extinguished candle inside)

UPDATE #36: LEVEL 3, THE CAVERN

-added the third level of the game, based in a cave

• unique tilemap additions with new background tiles and new stalag/acmite tiles
• new background music and thumbnail on the level selection for it
• paced to be a lot more cramped, with tons of enemies close together in clusters

-reworked all background music players to (hopefully) function on itch.io

• used signals to loop tracks instead of the Looping parameter

UPDATE #35: SECRET STUPID LEVEL

-added a stupid knockoff level to the game, accessible by clicking the protagonist icon in the title screen

• has a bootleg version of the menu screen, horrible UI
• entering the game becomes an extremely distilled, temu version of Hack & Slash
• all textures, background music, movement and mechanics done horribly
• stupid goofy pirate in the corner, and new “health bar” and “pfp”
• essentially a glorified platformer

-added a unique congratulations message when finishing the bootleg game

• two different versions, a crowd cheering and a freaky ahh congratz

-fixed a minor bug in the main game where the loading screen would not disable any of the menu buttons

UPDATE #34: VOTER FEEDBACK CHANGES

-added splash text to the menu screen

• 30 unique messages containing various references to popular media
• silly rotating tweenimation

-added “tutorial” panels inside the permaperk shop and beginning of the game

• permaperk shop: briefly explains the shop, navigation, how to earn coins, and what to buy it from
• game: displays the control UI again

-minor background sprite changes
-minor bug fixes involving music not lopping properly

UPDATE #4: ITCH.IO DEMO

With the game practically completed, it was time to publish it to itch.io. So, I made myself a cool-looking page for it, and I made myself a project banner and everything.

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-created the itch.io page

• unique banner, embed background, and color scheme
• made it monochromatic and darker to reflect the grimness of the game

-optimized the game to support fullscreen and windowed mode, and help run it on itch better.

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SPOILERS!!!!!!! ATTACHED IS A PLAYTHROUGH OF THE ENTIRE GAME, FOR THE VOTERS UNABLE TO FULLY EXPERIENCE IT. THANK YOU!

UPDATE #3: CREATING AN ENDING

With the plot nailed down by simple dialogue exchanges, I needed an impactful way to end the game.
Devised an idea where it would show some “aftermath” pictures, post-investigation, and a small credits scene.

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-added an ending scene

• contained two photographs, one of the surrounding officers, and the other of cassandra, the victim
  -small blurb about the name of the game

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ISSUE 3: Ending scene was too bland and unimpactful.
solved by adding a variety of different sound effects - officers walking, doors being barged with different pitches, and the door eventually slamming open.

UPDATE #2: CONSTRUCTING THE DIALOGUE

I thought of some of the story elements, and set in the exposition

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-began building the dialogue

• brief but unsettling conversation between the victim at the door and the officers on the outside.
• meant to install the gravity of the situation at hand
• series of “hints” established between the two

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ISSUE 1: clicking didn’t continue dialog
solved by limiting when the user could click via a system of variable toggling, and creating a separate mouse detector.

UPDATE #1: GAME FUNDAMENTALS

I brainstormed an idea for a novel with a slight tinge of horror, based on the experience of a few cops handling a tense domestic call.

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-began work on the dialogue system

• involves a string a text displayed character by character with a talking sfx, similar to Animal Crossing’s dialogue system
• characters can hold short conversations that, when ended, will display a [CLICK to continue] prompt
• clicking will shift to the next dialogue piece

-created a “door” in the middle to simulate the boundary between the outside and inside of the house

HACK & SLASH DEMO RELEASE - V1.0.0

Hack & Slash is officially available on itch.io as a playable demo!
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I have a unique page to visit it at. Good luck! Performance is variable, but fun is guaranteed >:D
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-itch page color scheme
-new screenshots, updated images
-added a banner and unique background

UPDATE #33: PRE-PUBLISH POLISHING

-added a Hack and Slash boot splash screen, no longer shows the default Godot bootup

• Toast Studios, hooray!11!

-added a Level Select screen when clicking play, now has the option to play either Level 1 (the funni forest level) or Level 2 (the funni trolley level)

• unique tweenimations and select visuals, turning colored when hovering

-added a new achievement: Self Destructive

• achieved by dying to one of your own permaperks. Only obtainable by having the Lifesteal or Zeus charms equipped.

-updated the background footage in the main menu to match the current Level 1
-updated the achievement icon to be a medallion instead of a book
-completed Level 2’s map
-minor bug fixes with the permaperk system

UPDATE #32: CRATES AND BUSHES

-added interactable environmental objects: bushes and crates
-bushes are a variety of slashable shrubbery that explode into leaves and, infrequently, coins

• unique slashing sfx and particle bursts

-crates are a stackable and breakable box that explodes into wooden fragments and, infrequently, coins

• unique breaking sfx and particle bursts

-patched a bug where slashes ignored loser iframes

UPDATE #31: ADVANCED PERMAPERK SHOP

-continued development of the permanent perk shop

• reworked some of the pricing and original item stats

-added 6 new items: Advanced Combat Guide, Rapier Hilt, Sandpaper, Crooked Elixir, Wonder Drug, and the Red Marvel

• ACG directly upgrades your sword attack
• Rapier Hilt reworks attacks to be longer but one-sided
• Crooked Elixir is an ultra-defensive lifesaving elixir, giving a shield and pseudo-revive
• Wonder Drug gives you an activatable adrenaline rush
• Red Marvel gives you the ability to dodge attacks

-added 2 charms: Zeus and Omnipotence

• Zeus is a fast-paced ultra offensive charm. Highly rewarding, but equally dangerous
• Omnipotence is a mellow defensive charm making all enemies slightly weaker

-added a little player icon in the top left, and a coin counter in the bottom right

-added the coin pickup

• unique spinning animations, appear and collect sfx, and pickup tweenimation

-added coin obtainment methods

• Bats have a 5% chance to drop a coin
• Dagger Dudes have a 7% chance to drop a coin
• Losers have a 10% chance to drop a coin

UPDATE #30: PERMAPERK SHOP

-added a game shop with permanent accessories in it

• all items can be purchased using coins collected in-game
• unique button added for it in the menu with a lil market button
• items found on the left shelves, stats to the top right, and current equipment and balance in the bottom right.
• three different sections: attack items, defense items, and charms. can be scrolled through
• allows for permanent game progression and class diversification. can only equip one charm and one item at a time.

-added 3 charms: Onyx, Chance, and Lifesteal

• Onyx oriented towards kill count, offensive item
• Chance oriented towards luck, offensive item
• Lifesteal oriented towards kill consistency, defensive item
• charms are intended to be extremely rewarding, but also punishing if not used correctly

-unique sfx and vfx when purchasing items or charms

• flurry of coins when buying, price goes down and fades off

-menu buttons now have hover sfx

UPDATE #29: DEATH SCREEN + AESTHETICS

-added a death screen in place of an instant retry

• has a section that tells you what you died to
• retry and return buttons
• unique lil “you died” header with subtle animation
• cuts down distracting music

-all buttons now have subtle interaction effects

• clicking noises and small tweenimations when hovering over them

-completely reworked the loading screen system

• removed loading message, and placed the animation in the bottom right corner
• different loading screens when transitioning between scenes - a fade and a curtain

-Locust encounter slightly reworked

• attacks are now more frequent and aggressive
• tiny detail of Locust rising up in the background

UPDATE #28: LEVEL 2 + THE LOCUST ENCOUNTER

-began development of level 2, takes place in an ethereal sky city

• new decorations, new parallax backgrounds, and minor tilemap changes

-added a new environmental object: the trolley

• takes you across large expanses via rail lines
• unique boarding and halting sfx, as well as a visual smoke “screech” when beginning to stop
• has a silly little light on the top left that visually triggers when stepping in
• camera fixates when stepping into the lift, and jumping is disabled (or else you’d fly off!)

-added a new enemy: the Locust

• flying pest with an eyeball, horns, and a thirst for blood. close genetic relative of the Loser. travels in hordes among the sky, looking for prey
• drawn to sky trolleys, will begin pursuing and attempt to “snatch” individuals inside the trolley
• implemented them in the Locust encounter, where entering a trolley will alert nearby Locust to your location
• sweep across the screen, warning sfx and vfx when attacking

-fixed a major bug where bats would slide across the protagonist
-fixed a small bug with the protagonist death visuals

UPDATE #27: AESTHETICS

-all enemies now flash white when killed

• brief visual effect that fades off swiftly

-added birds in the background

• periodically appear, typically every 15-60 seconds
• slowly flap in the distance, sidescroll along with the parallax background

-the Loser enemy now blinks at moments after being hit

• periodic blinks every 1-6 seconds
• stares you down like a chud, still acts like a pest

-added more tilemap changes

• dirt now has occasional particles sticking out, giving it a “soil” feel
• grass along the maps now have occasional patches of dirt

-all game text now changed to the Monogram font

• removed any inconsistencies in the fonts
  -made font sizes more uniform across UI

-minor bug fix with bat death particles being positioned incorrectly

UPDATE #26: ACHIEVEMENTS SYSTEM + AESTHETICS

-added an achievements system with 10+ unique names, challenges, icons

• accessible by a new Achievements button in the menu and in-game
• becomes opaque and shows a CLEARED sign when completed

-added an achievements popup when completing an achievement

• brings down a tab that can be clicked to pull up the achievements screen
• shows the achievement (or hardest of them, if you get several) and it’s icon
• unique tweenimation and sfx when popping up

-remade the Return button and added an Achievements button in-game

• both are now tiny buttons with icons
• return button is a door and arrow, achievement button is a book
• unique hover animations

-added an afterimage to dashing
-added a loading screen animation

UPDATE #25: KILL STREAKS

-added a kill streak system, counting the number of consecutive kills within 4-second periods

• bar to the left that shows the time remaining before the streak expires
• unique animations when entering and exiting streaks
• slowly accumulates redness as the streak continues

UPDATE #24: HIGH SCORE SYSTEM + AESTHETICS

-added a high score and mode UI when hovering over the play button

• lets you keep track of your best runs
• shows a little blue HIGH SCORE RECORD message in the level cleared screen when breaking your record

-difficulty is now displayed under the protagonist’s hearts

• colored white in normal mode, red in expert mode

-added a cinematic animation when picking up a perk coin

• two cinema bars appear and the background becomes blurred

-dashes now have a subtle motion blur
-fixed another bug with the background music not looping

UPDATE #23: SECRET DEBUG MENU + AESTHETICS

-added a secret debug menu filled with several cheats, challenges, and game settings

• contains 2 secret modes, 3 cheats, and 3 game settings
• accessible through a hidden button in the corner of the settings
• unique opening and closing sfx

-added julien mode

• modelled after my good friend julien because he wanted to be in the game :D
• unique attack, hit, and death sfx, as well as a death jumpscare with his face on it

-added Hellen Keller mode

• now you get the 100% accurate hellen keller experience being both deaf and blind, makes the game virtually unplayable lmfaooo
• neat lil challenge for the worthy

-added cheats for invincibility, extra perk coins, and extra heart drops

• intended to make the game easier for testing, also accessible to the player to customize their experience

-added custom score, enemy speed, and player speed modifiers

• also intended for game testing, but still accessible to the player

-added a red pulsing screen effect when getting hit
-added tweenimations to the settings screen
-minor bug fix with player death particles

UPDATE #22: GAME OPTIMIZATION

-completely rewrote half of the game’s code, cutting off as many instances of _process() functions and _physicsprocess() functions

• went from >10 of these functions to ~3
• these functions run a check every frame, running thousands of times a minute. Cutting them down greatly reduces lag

-made all enemies only render their scripts and animations when on screen

• instead of rendering 150+ enemies at once, the player only renders up to 20, again reducing lag

-reworked the camera shift trigger when you enter the perk checkpoint

• all one big box instead of four separate checks, detects whether you enter or leave the box

-fixed a resolution and viewport bug on the itch.io demo

UPDATE #21: ATTACK COOLDOWN BAR + POST-WIN MENU

-added a bar above the protagonist’s head that displays their attack cooldown

• slowly drains based on time remaining, helps new players gauge their attack times

-added a unique menu screen after beating the game

• has a cute little star in the bottom left corner

-Added hell.
-added a second Normal level variant with different mob and drop positions
-adjusted the attack animation to match the actual window the protagonist attacks in (lasts for 0.15 seconds, attacks for 0.15 seconds)
-fixed a camera bug when starting the level

UPDATE #20: ENDING SEQUENCE

-added the ending to the level, a long bridge with the gates to victory

• unique UI pulls up that shows the player’s score and time to beat as they progressed
• adds a score bonus based on the amount of time to complete the level (awarded linearly by the hundreds if completed in < 400 seconds)
• unique sfx and tweenimations

-new tileset additions

• added a variety of brick variants, as well as slabs and columns

UPDATE #19: ADVANCED AESTHETICS + THE LOSER ENEMY

-added numerous major aesthetic changes

• added background music in-game
• added vines and grass flora, pebbles, and wall mounted torches
• unique lighting system: subdungeons are now cast into darkness, with the player illuminated
• revamped all background tiles to have shading under block tiles
• corrected the Dagger Dude’s sprite to match the environment’s lighting
• Bats now come in three variations: blue bats, green bats, and big boi bats (the last being the only non-cosmetic change
• the protagonist’s death particles are more white now

-added the sleepy Loser enemy, a stationary pest

• tanky guy, soaks up 3 hits and deals 1 heart of damage
• hitting him knocks him back and wakes him up, where his eye will begin watching you fearfully
• eye tracks your position
• unique hit and death sfx + death particles

UPDATE #18: SUBDUNGEONS

-added subdungeon rooms filled with clusters of enemies

• difficult but rewarding, each contains a perk coin
• accessible via secluded doors around the map
• custom “W” key prompt to enter + unique sfx

-reworked bat AI to have exclusive “dungeon aggros”

• significantly decreased aggro radius for dungeon bats

UPDATE #17: ADVANCED PERKS SYSTEM

-condensed perk menu into perk coins

• picking up a perk coin triggers the 3 perk choices
• coins have a unique animated texture, resembling the protagonist
• coins retain the perk sfx

-protagonist now has 5 perk slots, capped

• if a perk coin is picked up after all 5 slots are full, instead heals a heart and grants +2500 score

-minor perk rebalancing
-minor audio fixes

UPDATE #16: PERKS SYSTEM

-added 6 perks to spice up character playstyle. accessed at a “perk checkpoint.” halfway point in Normal mode.

• unique perk room with exclusive tileset, camera pan effect, and sfx
• given 3 options to choose from, with different chances for each perk to appear (ranging from 30% for common to 5% for mythical)
• each perk unique in nature

-gave the protagonist a “perk slot,” visible in the top right corner. an icon for any perks equipped.
-minor visual changes

UPDATE #15: MASTERED MENU SYSTEM

-added a “return to menu” button in-game

• positioned under the score counter with a warning beforehand

-added an aesthetic background footage effect to the main menu

• plays a repeating animation of the gameplay in the background, seamless gradient

-minor audio changes

UPDATE #14: ADVANCED MENU SYSTEM

-created a settings menu

• contains a slider for volume, displays percentage as well
• contains a difficulty editor between Normal and Expert mode (not coded yet) which will have unique challenges and stat changes. also has a tagline at the bottom!
• unique sfx for switching between difficulties
• contains an interactive controls guide, where pressing any of the keybinds will make their corresponding graphic “glow”

-main menu now has a theme playing
-added a fade to the play button

UPDATE #13: BASIC SCORE SYSTEM

-created a basic score system

• killing enemies and picking up items will award score: hearts are 50, bats are 100, and dagger dudes are 150
• score meter flashes a green indicator when achieving more score

UPDATE #12: DASH MECHANIC

-created a dash mechanic

• P to dash, dashing lets you scape short distances quickly, allowing for dodging
• added a visual cooldown indicator at the bottom of the screen
• unique dash sfx

UPDATE #11: MENU SYSTEM

-added a basic main menu

• play button, menu icon, and a short loading screen (for impact!)
• play button has a short hover visual and sfx when clicked

-extended the level

• tripled level size and began packing in enemies

-minor tilemap change

UPDATE #10: HEALTH RECOVERY

-added a heart pickup item

• recover +1 heart upon contact
• unique visual “pop” effect and sfx, player glints green

UPDATE #9: THE DAGGER DUDE ENEMY

-added the new dagger enemy

• stationary, but deadly. deals 2 hearts of damage and attacks in one direction. They’re weak from behind!
• unique death sfx

-minor background parallax fix

UPDATE #8: AESTHETICS

-complete aggro mechanic overhaul

• aggro radius is now based around the enemy, not the player

-being hit now has a visual effect

• whenever the protagonist loses a heart, they’ll flash red for a brief moment

-killing enemies now has a visual effect

• whenever an enemy dies, they’ll burst into white pixels

-fixed the heart system to show all 3 hearts downed upon death

UPDATE #7: PLAYER HEALTH

-added health mechanic to the combat system

• the protagonist now has 3 hearts, with bats damaging 1 heart. Three hearts leads to a total restart.
• hearts displayed in the top left, shattered when you lose a heart

-aesthetic death sequence: death and hurt sfx, respawn cooldown, and a “blood” visual effect

UPDATE #6: AESTHETICS

-HUGE aesthetic and sfx overhaul

• added a 3-layer paralax background, establishing the forest scene
• revamped the tileset again, adding gradient border to background walls
• added a jump sfx, randomized pitch (sounds good now!)
• remade the slash sfx, randomized pitch (sounds good now!)

UPDATE #5: THE BAT ENEMY + AGGRO

-finalized the first mobile enemy: the bat

• flies towards the player and is generally a pest. not damaging, at the moment

-added an aggro mechanic to the combat system

• enemies will only move towards you in a certain radius around the character (shortened here for demonstration)

UPDATE #4: BASIC COMBAT 2

-coded in a basic flying enemy with a placeholder slime image

• slowly move towards the player, adhere to collisions

-coded in a basic combat system between the protagonist and a “flying”enemy

• slashes instantly kill the flying enemy when entering the slash’s radius
• slashes have a .75 second cooldown, preventing spam attacks
• slashes now have a hit and kill sound effect, making for spicier combat

UPDATE #3: BASIC COMBAT 1

-implemented protagonist
-coded a movement system and slash attack for the protagonist

• slash attack activated by mouse clicking, A and D for left-right movement

-finished the tilemap for Level 1, a dark grassy setting
-continuing to brainstorm enemy ideas

UPDATE #2: THE PLAYER

-finished the design of the protagonist
-continued developing the level design
-brainstorming potential enemies

UPDATE #1: FIRST MAPPINGS

-finished the first basic tileset for the levels I want
-began designing Level 1
-brainstorming a design for the protagonist

UPDATE #0: TILEMAP

-began developing a tilemap for the setting. was thinking something cool like a dark forest.

• tilemap will contain of several 16x16 tiles to be arranged in a platformer-style map