This week we are releasing our final version of Vesuvius. Over the past week, we made one major change to the game and spent the rest of our time using user feedback and analytics that we've been collecting on play testers to balance the enemies, weapons, and shop in our game. We also updated the user interface across the game and redesigned the home ship.

This week the storyline changed and without spoiling the ending, we've added one final boss battle at the end of the game. This fight utilizes some interesting mechanics that the player should recognize.

Change Log:

• Added final boss battle
• Better enemies are more likely to drop better items
• Bug fix in the second boss fight that lowers the difficulty on high frame rate systems
• Updated starting scene to be more realistic
• The player now starts with less money and can only buy limited shop items until they progress further in the game
• The total player energy and health are now visible and it is more obvious when an item is used
• Game-wide UI and NPC dialog updates
• Added a reticle for the cursor
• Redesigned ship layout
• Final trailer released with help from a voice actor
• New custom music for all game scenes and weapon sound effects
• Special versions of the soundtracks for the boss fights
• Added credits to the end scene
• Balanced all player weapons and enemy hit points
• Balanced enemy damage as well
• Decreased attack delay on the crab monsters

Here are some examples of the new UI:

Unfortunately we did not have time to implement some features that we wish we could have done:

• Add a bad ending if you lose to the boss
• Automatically apply upgrades bought in the shop to avoid confusion
• Make applying upgrades more visual
• Add a charge up sound for the boss with a laser

Link to our Itch page: https://doingtimestudio.itch.io/vesuvius

Link to our trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA9-t4bQ39M