Orbarella (MonoGame) Devlog #6 - Bringing the game to life

Orbarella on Itch: https://rheyan.itch.io/orbarella
Source code on Github: https://github.com/cmiddlebrook/Orbarella
Orbarella Devlogs Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyl8md3Lj3mpnom9GPneHWX9cGWGAwCuT
Learning MonoGame Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyl8md3Lj3mrYgp6ORTf9htt39i9PLVTX

In this devlog I finally fixed that collision bug that I knew was lurking in there! I've added a game clock and added a simple night to day cycle and some sound effects which is making the game feel more alive.

Timestamps:

00:00 First sound effects
03:35 Debugging the collision bug!
07:17 Game clock
09:30 Visual day / night cycle

AI Generated Summary:

# Sound Effects and Collision Detection in Game Development
## Introduction to Sound Effects
- The speaker discusses the introduction of sound effects into their project, noting a lack of personal sound skills and reliance on downloaded assets.
- They mention using a luggage rolling sound for the cannon movement but find it lacks continuity due to abrupt silence when it stops, prompting the need for ambient city sounds.
## Creating Ambient Sounds
- The speaker uses Audacity and searches for "city at night" sounds on Free Sound, experimenting with various clips to create a cohesive background track.
- A combination of subtle sounds like dog barking, crickets, and passing cars is selected to enhance the game's atmosphere without overwhelming players.
## Implementing Sound Effects
- Although not yet implemented, the speaker plans to integrate these ambient sounds into their game as a looping background track instead of traditional music.
- Initial tests show improvement in audio flow; however, they acknowledge that further sound effects are needed for actions like charging and firing an orb.
## Debugging Collision Detection Issues
- The speaker expresses frustration with collision detection issues where objects do not register hits correctly against window edges.
- They demonstrate this issue by showing how the ball can pass through corners without triggering collisions due to bounding rectangle miscalculations.
## Visualizing Bounding Boxes
- To debug effectively, they introduce a utility in their library called Calamo that allows drawing bounding rectangles around game objects for better visualization during testing.
- This tool helps identify discrepancies between visual sprites and their actual collision boundaries.
## Fixing Bugs and Enhancing Gameplay Mechanics
- Upon inspection, they discover that changing the origin point of an object affects its bounding box alignment.
- A simple code adjustment resolves this issue, allowing proper collision detection once again.
# Game Development Insights: Countdown Timer and Level Design
## Initial Setup and Game Mechanics
- The speaker introduces a new video focused on the Calamo library, indicating recent experimentation with backend functionalities.
- A countdown timer is initialized to manage real-time minutes, simulating game hours that can accelerate based on player actions.
- The game includes mechanics for winning or losing; players can lose by hitting specific triggers, which increases the "nightmare meter" rapidly.
## Level Structure and Progression
- The speaker aims to implement three distinct levels in the game, utilizing a JSON file to define various buildings and their attributes.
- With a functioning countdown timer, the game now starts at night, enhancing immersion as players progress through levels.
## Visual Enhancements and Gameplay Experience
- The timer adjustment allows for gradual lighting changes from midnight to dawn within approximately 45 seconds of gameplay.
- Consideration is given to adding visual effects like sunrise; however, technical limitations regarding texture compression are acknowledged.
## Inspiration and Conceptualization
- Inspired by games like Stardew Valley, the speaker notes how darkness impacts gameplay experience, aligning it with the dream theme of their own game.
- Simple coding adjustments significantly enhance visual effects; using a "Lurk" function allows smooth transitions between dark and light colors throughout gameplay.
## Conclusion and Resources
- Despite challenges in developing the clock class functionality, implementing visual changes was achieved quickly with minimal code adjustments.