Dark Souls-inspired combat and movement with God of War’s Muspelheim Challenges

[mild hinge]

Welcome to My 2025 Devlog!

Hi everyone!

This year, I’ve set myself an exciting goal: to create a Soulslike game in Unity with a co-op feature. The project is inspired by the intense combat of Dark Souls and the structured, replayable challenges of God of War’s Muspelheim Trials.

The Game

In this game, you can play solo or team up with another player to take on challenges. Completing these challenges earns you rewards, which you can use to:
• Upgrade the challenges to make them even tougher.
• Unlock Scrolls—special buffs or new attacks—to use in future trials.

As the project evolves, I may add more features, depending on how development goes (and how much coffee I have left!).

The Technical Side

For multiplayer, I’m using Netcode for GameObjects, and it’s been going smoothly so far. As a programmer, I’m handling all the coding myself. However, I’m not much of an artist, so I’m relying on assets from Synty Store and the Unity Asset Store for the visuals.

While game design and sound design are still areas I’m improving in, this project is the perfect opportunity to sharpen those skills throughout the year.

What to Expect

I’ll be sharing regular updates in this thread as I progress through the project.

Thanks for joining me on this journey—stay tuned for more!

I've added this project once but I accidentally removed the cover image. So I'm trying it again!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Progress and Next Steps

Hey everyone!

Here’s the latest on the game:

Current Focus

I’m working on completing the core game loop and polishing all the networking features. It’s a big step toward making everything feel smooth and connected, especially for co-op gameplay!

Alpha Coming Soon
I’m on track to release a playable alpha version in March! This will be the very first time you’ll get a chance to try out the game and experience the challenges firsthand. I can’t wait to hear your feedback when it’s out.

Thanks for following along, and as always, stay tuned for more updates!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Wave System Improvements

I've implemented a flexible Wave System that allows for creating complex enemy sequences to keep challenges dynamic and engaging. Here's how it works:

• Wave Sequences:
  You can design multiple waves within a single trial, adding layers of difficulty as players progress.

• Wave Events:
  Each wave can contain multiple events, which define specific enemy spawns.

• ScriptableObjects for Customization:

  • Wave events are built as ScriptableObjects, making it easy to configure them individually.
  • You can set enemies to spawn once or on a recurring basis for added variety.

• Scaling Percentages:
  Each wave event can include scaling parameters (e.g., health, damage) to make enemies progressively more challenging.

For my current use case, this system provides the flexibility to design varied and increasingly difficult trials, and I believe it will be a strong foundation for future updates.

Let me know what you think or if you have suggestions for enhancements!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Challenge Interaction & Combat Improvements

Challenge View Update

I've improved how challenges are initiated—now, they no longer start automatically when you enter the trigger. Instead:

• A tooltip appears, prompting you to press E to open the challenge window.
• The challenge window provides a preview of what to expect before you commit.

This gives players more control over when they engage, making the experience feel smoother and more intentional.

Enemy Blocking & Combat Enhancements

I've also worked on enemy blocking, adding more depth to combat.

• Enemies can now block attacks, making fights more strategic.
• Combat feels more challenging and engaging, requiring better timing and positioning.

These updates make battles feel more dynamic while improving the flow of challenge initiation. More refinements to come!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Directional Rolling While Strafing

I've improved the dodge system! Now, instead of only rolling forward, you can roll in all four directions—but only while strafing.

This adds more fluidity to movement, allowing for better evasion and positioning during combat. Dodging now feels more responsive and tactical, especially when locking onto enemies.

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Scroll System & UI Integration

Scrolls are now fully implemented in gameplay! You can use equipped scrolls, and they are displayed in the bottom right corner of the screen during gameplay.

Next Steps:

I’ll be working on the scroll selection system, allowing players to choose up to 4 scrolls before starting a challenge. The goal is to let players build their loadout from a growing collection of scrolls—default ones and those earned from completing previous challenges.

This system will add more strategy, letting players customize their buffs based on the upcoming challenge. Stay tuned!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Improved Hit Reactions

I've fixed the hit reaction system, ensuring that the player now reacts correctly based on the direction of impact.

• Hits from the front, left, right, and back now trigger the appropriate animations.
• This makes combat feel more responsive and immersive, providing better visual feedback when taking damage.

With this fix, attacks feel more impactful, and dodging/reacting to enemy strikes is more intuitive!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Main Menu Overhaul

I've updated the main menu to dynamically display the player count based on your selection:

• 2 for online co-op
• 1 for singleplayer
• 0 for quit

The core format is now set, but I'll be adding animations and effects in future updates to enhance the presentation. This should make the menu feel more polished while keeping it intuitive!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Online Menu Improvements

I've revamped the online menu to make hosting and joining games more intuitive. Now, the menu includes buttons for:

• Starting a local host or client
• Starting a relay host or client

For relay connections, a new view appears where you can enter a join code to connect. Additionally, when connecting to a relay server, the menu now displays a "Connecting..." label instead of the regular menu, providing better feedback during the process.

This update makes online play more streamlined and user-friendly!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Scroll Selection UI

I've added a new scroll selection view to make managing scrolls more intuitive. The UI now includes:

• A scrollable list on the left, displaying all available scrolls.
• A detailed view on the right, showing information when you select a scroll.

The details panel currently includes:

• Title
• Description
• Type (e.g., offensive, defensive, utility)
• Effect Description

This lays the groundwork for the upcoming scroll selection system, making it easier to choose and plan buffs before a challenge!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Final Main Menu Adjustments

I've made some final tweaks to the main menu for a more polished look:

• Players now pop in with an animation instead of appearing instantly.
• Hidden Players Show Only Swords – When a player is hidden (like when hovering over the quit button), only their swords remain visible, creating a sleek effect.
• New Button Sprites – Updated the menu buttons with fresh sprites to improve the overall UI.

These changes bring the menu closer to the final look and feel I want!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Unified Menu UI & Controller Support

I've reworked the Menu UI to make navigation smoother and more intuitive:

• Single UI with Tabs - The menu is now a single interface with tabs at the top for:
  • Character
  • Scrolls
  • System
• Full Controller & Mouse Support – You can now navigate the entire menu using either a controller or a mouse.

I still need to add sound effects, but this is a huge step toward a polished and seamless menu experience!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Core Gameplay Loop & Scroll Attunements

I’ve created a diagram that outlines the core gameplay loop and how Scroll Attunements integrate into the system. This visualization helps clarify the flow of challenge selection, combat, and progression.

The diagram shows how players select challenges, equip Scrolls, and apply Attunements before entering combat. It also highlights how rewards feed back into the loop, allowing players to earn new Scrolls and Attunements to refine their strategy for future challenges.

The Scroll Attunement system is also detailed, illustrating how players can enhance their Scrolls with up to three Attunements, each adding unique effects. This provides more customization options, allowing players to tailor their build to different challenges.

With this foundation, the next step is refining the interface for selecting and upgrading Scrolls before a challenge begins.

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Scroll Detail View, Attunement Selection, and System Menu Improvements

I've added several new features to improve the Scroll and Attunement system, as well as expanded the System menu for more customization options.

Scroll Detail View & Attunement Selection

• You can now click on a Scroll to open the Scroll Detail View.
• This view displays the Scroll details and equipped Attunements.
• Each Scroll can have up to three Attunements, which you can select based on its type.
• Clicking on an Attunement slot opens the Attunement Book, which only shows Attunements available for that Scroll type.
• After selecting an Attunement, you are returned to the Scroll Detail View with the updated selection.

Attunement Overview Menu

• A new menu tab allows you to browse all Attunements freely, instead of selecting them through a Scroll.
• This helps in planning builds and understanding available upgrades.

System Menu Enhancements

• The System menu now includes options to adjust sound settings:

  • Master volume
  • Music volume
  • Sound effects (SFX) volume

• You can also change graphics settings, including:

  • Resolution options
  • Graphics quality presets

These updates provide more control over customization while improving the user experience for Scrolls, Attunements, and settings.
Next, I’ll focus on UI polish and interaction improvements to make everything more intuitive.

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: New Particle Effect on Sword

I've added a new particle effect to the sword to enhance visual feedback during combat.

• The effect appears when attacking, making each strike feel more impactful.

[tacit solar]

Game looks fantastic 🔥

[mild hinge]

Thank you! Putting a lot of love into it

[astral lagoon]

Crazy cool, love this

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Scroll View Improvements

I’ve made several UI improvements to the Scroll View for better clarity and usability.

• Unlocked Scrolls from challenges are now more clearly distinguished, making it easier to track progression.
• Input prompts have been added for various actions, improving navigation and interaction.
• The view now has an inset effect, giving it a more polished and visually appealing look.

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Combat Feel, Flanker AI, and Reward View

I've been working on improving the combat feel and refining enemy behavior.

• Combat Improvements

  • Subsequent attacks now deal extra damage and are executed faster, making combos feel more impactful.
  • These changes help create a more fluid and rewarding combat experience.

• Flanker AI Behavior

  • The Flanker enemy now actively tries to position itself behind the player before attacking.
  • This makes enemy encounters more dynamic and encourages better positioning and awareness.

• Reward View

  • After completing a challenge, a Reward View now appears.
  • This displays the Scrolls and Attunements earned from the challenge.
  • It helps players track their progress and make strategic choices for future challenges.

Next, I’ll focus on polishing these features and improving combat responsiveness even further!

[mild hinge]

Dev Log Update: Play the Game on Itch.io!

I’ve published Windows and macOS builds on Itch.io! 🎉

You can now try the game for yourself and experience the latest features firsthand.

Feedback is greatly appreciated—let me know what you think and help me make this game the best it can be!

https://randstadgames.itch.io/trial-by-fire-playtest

Password: TrialByFirePlaytester2025!

Looking forward to your thoughts! 🚀

[frigid crane]

Cool!

[mild hinge]

If you got any feedback it would really help me