Emberwake 0.2.0

Hey there!  This is ALL patch notes from the devlog channel on the discord!

4/17/25 -- No Version/Build Update

• Made the Ember light less bright with a larger radius to slightly aid in exploration (Based on feedback)

• Changed the ember color from a deep red to a light yellow. While this is a little less "ember like" it makes colors appear on things which makes exploration more fun IMO.

• Slightly changed initial dialogue to be more clear about what embers do and what the player's goal is (Based on feedback)

• Increased the rate at which Fire Sprites generate light in the beginning of the game. This should allow the Denizen to acquire embers more quickly earlier on in the game, fixing some of that boring "e" mashing. (Based on feedback)

• Added the ability to hit 'T' to teleport to the nearest Fire using 100 Light. This will allow you to run fearlessly into the dark without worrying about being unable to return. It also comes with a cost so this cannot just be done infinitely. I am considering changing the cost based off of distance. If I increase the cost I will also add a confirmation of some kind, because right now its just insta-move. (Based on feedback)

• Added a bit of visual juice to the teleporter by adding a very mild effect to the camera when you teleport.

• Adjusted the black border of the opening scene to completely cover the edges so nothing peeks through during the sequence.

• Added a new type of light source! A glow source. This is intended to only light up an area. Glow Sources do not generate light nor do they contain Fire Sprites.

Completely changed the backend on how light generation works. This bullet goes in conjunction with the Fire Sprite generation bullet. Now, on the backend there is only a single routine looping instead of one for each and every light source. This would have gotten very expensive in the long run. Each time you light a new light source it registers itself and increases the amount of light you generate. There are two variables: Amount of light per generation (I.e. how many fire sprites you raised) Speed at which light generates (Default 10s). In this way I can more simply generate light with also having less overhead. I am messing around with the numbers to find the best bang for buck as far as the satisfaction of generation is concerned.

No Version/Build Update Teeny tiny update today, just some housekeeping and a few feature additions. Changes/Adds:

• Added full controller support for gameplay. I have not implemented menus yet so there is no controller support for them. Note that the symbology for interactions is not accurate. The interact button on controller is the west button (or X on Xbox) but the UI will still show 'E' for now. This is known and will be fixed in a future update.

• Added fireflies to each area after you have collected each light source to let you know that you're done in an area and have found every light source. This is to help the player know when its time to move on from an area. I am not sure how I feel about this to be honest. Unsure if it ruins the desolate aesthetic. Let me know what you think based on the screenshot below.

-- Started next area The Crossroads. This will act as a sort of hub area between the areas. ------------- The builds channel has been removed. From now on I would like playtesters to download the current build from the Itch.io page so I can track analytics accurately. I will supply the link whenever there is a version change/build update. Additionally, I have a steam app registered! Soon, I will have a proper steam page where the game can be wishlisted, demo downloaded, etc.

No version/build update Teeny tiny update today

• Changed Light generation rate to (Amount of Fire Sprites) per second. If the player has 4 sprites unlocked, they will get 4 light per second.

• Added a X/s readout to the bottom of the UI to show how much the player is generating per second (See attached image)

• The Crossroads expanded, some platforming started. I want some of the light sources behind some verticality. Easy-ish platforming seems like the best way to accomplish this.

• Hidden campfire in a small cave before the crossroads.

I added some spoiler tags for those that would prefer to find those things on their own for playtesting. As always thank you for reading! I should have a build coming soon! (and also a steam page)