Kids these days don't know 'bout DEF LEPPARD. 

FOOLS!

So I'm finally happy with the waveswim mechanics, part of my brain is just like, IT WORKS! IT'S SIMPLE, IT'S  FUN JUST TUNE IT! YOU IDIOT!

And another part of my brain is like... but i have yet to get it to feel like you're propelling yourself forward like a dolphin, it doesn't feel like the bend is propelling you forward.

I thought up the logic that I think is going to allow this to work. I already have some code that determines if you're turning into a new direction

private void CheckForUpDownOscillation()

{

    var minBendRequired = 4.3f;

    if (verticalBend < -minBendRequired && positiveOscillation) { upDownOscilations = zz.UpperLimit(upDownOscilations + 1, upDownOscilationsMax); positiveOscillation = false; }

    else if (verticalBend > minBendRequired && !positiveOscillation) { upDownOscilations = zz.UpperLimit(upDownOscilations + 1, upDownOscilationsMax); positiveOscillation = true; } 

}

And I use this to check if you actually want to waveswim by bobbing up and down, not just swimming in random circles. But what I want the player to feel is a burst of speed as they reverse their turn direction, like a dolphin bobbing up and down and oscillating forward. And I think I finally have the logic in mind that will allow that to happen. Currently I do a min bend check, but with this revamped system I'll ditch that as it will have a more organic, variable feel to it,, it won't be all or nothing.

So when an oscillation occurs I'm going to zero out a new variable called "oscillationBuildup", and each frame I will add to it dependent on the absolute value of your bending. Then when you initialize a new oscillation by bending in a new direction, as it zeros out, this will initialize your waveswimBurstReserve. 

The more you've  bent in a direction before oscillating, the more reserve you will have. This reserve will be a multiplier to your max speed (which I just revamped Friday to tie directly to acceleration to simplify the movement system).

I've ravamped this system so many times, I'm not sure how much of the old system to keep, and how much to gut. My gut tells me to just take the knife to it and we'll build it back better, so i'm thinking that's what we'll end up doing.

Making a game fun isn't so easy as just knowing the most important systems, and pouring hours into them and making them better with raw man hours. It's much more about the delicate balance of motivation, and not  burning yourself out. I'm going to be burning out working on this again for the 50th time, especially knowing it's pretty darned good as is. But This is a core movement feature, maybe the most fun aspect of the game, and i'll be kicking myself if I don't put 110% to make it as fun as possible.

It's entirely possible we add these new systems and it's not as fun, or it's only "AS FUN" or debatably better for this reason and worse for this reason. So i'm going to only keep it if it's far and away better. I don't want to bloat and overcomplicate the game if it's not warranted. Better to keep things super clean, and expandable, and leave the door open to future improvement, than to overcomplicate the damned thing, lock it into something imperfect and overcomplicated and unapproachable.

Hot damn, I really feel like we've kinda gotten good at this gamedev stuff over the years.

You know... wisdom and excellence and the SeaCrit sauce, it doesn't come from a billion dollar investment by some ultra huge corporation looking to secure market shar and chase trends. It doesn't survive through the waves of publisher pressures to ship on time, or to secure this or that venture capital, to chase social clout to leverage various ulterior profit schemes, or to inflate their egos.

It's been a really trying fucking 7 years working on this damned project, didn't even know how to code at the start and had no intention to, but we're stubborn as SHIT. Through it all, we never lost sight of our main goal, to make a damned game for people to enjoy. No bullshit. No judgements. No obsessive greed. No post modern manipulations and self congratulations or subversions. Just hard ass work to make something for people to hopefully enjoy some day.

Our hardest days are behind us. We're whoopin' ass effortlessly, C# and prefabs bend to our will, and every core system I set my sights upon improves by leaps and bounds. Game is kickin' ass, we're kickin' ass, feeling better than I've felt in over a year.

What a fuckin' journey this has all been. I look forward to get to work and whoop ass like we used to in the old days. Feelin' strong as SHIT right now. While all the knob goblins and lapdogs cowered and circle jerked for their corporate crumbs, knelt at this new age hors shit,  it wasn't just our industry that collapsed, but our world that we're leaving behind for our children. We let go to shit for the most petulant, embarrassing, degenerate, and self serving horse shit. We should be fucking ashamed of ourselves. 

Not in these parts. We hunkered down in our shame and and bled sweat and tears into this fucking game while everyone enjoyed their little smarm-fuck party.

I will rise up from the chaos

I will rise up from the grave
A brother to the darkness
A master to the slaves

I give no explanation
I was branded by the will
To bring of Death and Destruction
To all that I will kill
Bravery calls my name
In the sound of the wind in the night
My sword will drink blood
And I will fight
Yes I will fight
In the dawn of battle

Fuck the World. We've got a demo to finish.