(WEEK 18) SNARK

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SUMMARY:

SNARKY REMARKS WHEN YOU MISS THE MARK - You get random messages each time you use your shovel in any empty area.
OUR FIRST JUNK MODELS - We added 3D models in place of cubes, starting with junk, more to come.
10 MOST COMMON ITEMS FOUND WITH METAL DETECTORS - A list of items to be included the game, based on real life.
LARGER SCREEN FOR WEB PLAY - Faster play with a larger WebGL screensize!
TASK TRACKER UPDATE- Improved security and stability. Now we support animated gifs!

SNARKY REMARKS WHEN YOU MISS THE MARK

We'll start with our main update, we added snide comments when your shovel misses. It was inpired by the idea we should have as much enjoyment in losing as in winning. It's also about rewarding you for your time, after waiting for the shovel to complete it's animation, it doesn't make sense not to give you some kind of fun and interesting text to keep it interesting.

We might add a fortune cookie message to the comments but it's too soon. With so much ahead, we can expect this to be rewarding in it's own right. But until the rest of the game has had a first pass, we'll consider it further and at least share antics.

Give it a try! It's available in the latest build. See what messages you get when the shovel misses! For more snarky remark suggestions, let us know in the comments!

OUR FIRST JUNK MODELS

We've also started updating the cubes into actual models using Blender3D. Some of the asset store prefabs might be too high poly and it would be faster to make something on the fly than spend time shopping around. There's a tradeoff between finding something pre-made versus making your own.

Blender isn't easy to get used to but with practice it becomes familiar. It does a lot as a capable 3D application, how can anyone complain about something so full featured that happens to be free? Blender also has an incredible community I can't rave enough about.

Now when you find junk there are no longer cubes but actual items. Moving forward we'll begin adding more as the project progresses. You can expect to see improvement on this in the coming weeks.

You can see we tried to implement a ring, coin, belt buckle, and bottle cap. Materials need more work but gameplay is our priority for now. Let us know if you have any suggestions for items in the comments!

While we're at it, there's a list of items most common found during treasure hunting or metal detecting in real life. We plan to adopt these in the weeks ahead.

10 MOST COMMON ITEMS FOUND WITH METAL DETECTORS

Items	Description
Coins	Old and new coins made of various metals, including silver and gold, are commonly found with metal detectors.
Jewelry	Rings, bracelets, necklaces, and other types of jewelry made of precious metals like gold and silver are often detected with metal detectors.
Bullets	Also other ammuniation. Metal detector enthusiasts often find old bullets and other types of ammunition from past wars and battles.
Keys	Keys made of metal, including car keys and house keys, are frequently detected.
Bottle caps	Metal bottle caps and pull tabs from cans are commonly found, especially in parks and other public areas.
Tools	Old hand tools made of metal like hammers, wrenches, and pliers are often uncovered.
Buckles	Belt buckles, shoe buckles, and other types of metal buckles are frequently detected.
Nails	Old nails and screws are commonly found, especially in rural areas.
Tokens	Commemorative coins, medallions, and other types of tokens made of metal are often uncovered.
Relics	Metal objects from past historical periods, such as buttons, arrowheads, and other artifacts, are commonly found with metal detectors in areas with significant history.

LARGER SCREEN FOR WEB PLAY

We also scaled our webpage to 720HD. It runs faster and makes sense to maximize play time without disruption. While you're welcome to play full screen, in many cases it runs much faster in a smaller window, so we scaled it up as much as possible. Give it a try!

ASSETS WE USED

Last but not least, a shout out to all the folks who made thier assets available at the store. Their hard work helped us make a better game and sped up our dev time. If you can, please support them and check out their other assets.

Cartoony Spruces: vist page

Low Poly Golf Kart: vist page

Stylized Traffic Cone: vist page

Metal Detector Parts: vist page

Casual Game Sounds: vist page

Footstep Sounds: vist page

TASK TRACKER UPDATE

As for Task Tracker Pro, we've been working to improve security, speed, and stability behind the scenes. It's almost there, close to going gold. There's still a few things we want to add before declaring it prime time.

You're welcome to try out Task Tracker Pro Beta. Give us your feedback by sending us an email (or leave comments below): support@monarchgames.net

MORE TO COME, STAY TUNED

So much more to say, but it's time to sign off. We'll continue to focus on one main thing each week while addressing bugs as we go. When you get a chance, check out our links to this and all our other projects. As always, to be continued...