Dev Log 6: Iso Rework

Welcome back, everyone! The level editor we added is working terrifically. However, it did present an extremely pressing issue. The massive reform from a top down 3D game to a proper, nuclear-throne iso style. I personally have never worked with isometric angles, so this posed a massive suite of challenges that I was unprepared for. 

The Unity isometric tiles is an incredible tool, but one that lacks much documentation (well, lacks useful documentation). I will be posting a follow up later this week about my progress with it for those who are interested.

This rework required a near-complete overhaul of many assets, but does give a very visually pleasing result. 

[I'm trying to hold back on all the goodies for next dev log, in which I will showcase a refined rework. Or I won't because I didn't finish it in time. Either or.]

I will admit life has been getting in the way of working on the game. Which is my way of saying, I lost motivation when I realized the scope of this rework. It was a subtle thing, always having some reason to NOT work on the game, like that I'm tired, or it was a long day, or that I wasn't really feeling "creative". All of these *may* have been true, but they were never a good reason.

[Here's a snippet of the tile map! Big props to Brandon for measuring and cranking these out in a single night. Now I have to learn how to use them correctly...]

It's intimidating to realize the scope of something, and it can be daunting, especially when you haven't even begun. When I recognized that the real source of my hesitance to keep working wasn't "life" but instead being completely lost in how to approach, I sat down with some coffee and scoped out the steps to getting the Iso rework functioning. 

It wasn't anything complicated. Took me a few minutes, and as soon as I finished my motivation came rushing back. I can show you it here, actually. 

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TASK: Create a level using the new level editor.

1) Design a simple level with the tilemap.

2) Put in a spawner and a destination within a straight line

3) Have units spawn correctly facing camera

3.5) Figure out why spawner UI isnt working and perhaps work a bettter alternative

4) Have units move

5) Have units move correctly facing camera

6) Have many units spawn, including enemy unitsEnsure gun play works correctly

7) Get possession moving correctly

8) Get possession shooting correctly

9) Be able to beat the level!

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It's amazing how just a simple list of rather doable tasks changed my motivation completely. And I needed it back, there is a lot to do. And although the end goal still seems almost dreamlike, I feel as though a path forward has cleared, ever so slightly.

Sorry if I got a little extra personal this time around. Life gets personal, I suppose.

Stay tuned for next weeks dev log, where hopefully we'll have some gameplay footage using the new iso rework!

-Noah