Vile Veggies - Devlog # 7 - 07.07.25 - Videogame solo development log

Dear Devlog,

I was incorrect in my last entry to put the method to change the center icon into my Melee Attack script instead of just my Selection Manager script. This is because the Melee Attack script doesn't perceive that the player is looking at a punchable item until the player pressed the attack input. Since it is always running the code to decide what things are from the Selection Manager script, it made more sense to add a punchable item type in that script. The method to change the center icon is then ran depending on what the player camera is pointing at. I came to that conclusion Wednesday night. Then I modeled a bookshelf and a loose book late into the night.

Thursday I fixed some flawed code (NPC navigation & items fading away on purpose) then modeled a lamp, an end table with a drawer and shelved books for the shelf before fireworks. My family goes to see fireworks the evening before the 4th.

Friday I wrote code for an item to appear in world space when used and then textured and fixed some furniture models before my 2 hour Friday evening drive. Then broadcast a 4th of July stream where I compared pickle-flavored chips and played Alien: Isolation (2014) and PEAK (2025).

Saturday I modeled and rigged a hand to make a fist for the player to see during the melee attack instead of just a green sphere. Then I modeled and textured a couch for the living room area.

Yesterday I started working on sound design by finishing a draft of the opening animatics for chapters 1 and 2. I like how those are looking but I'll need to write more music. I also started sound wrangling for specific items and occurrences in the gameplay, so far mostly kitchen appliances opening and closing. I'll have to do more research on the best practices for sound management in Unity. I started to get worried that the game is gonna be too laggy because of the amount of item/furniture assets so I ended up watching a tutorial about how they prerendered scenes to make early Resident Evil games which explains the fixed camera angle choices. I'm still committed to keeping my game in first person but I'm nervous about lag. Time will tell. I'll keep cleaning up code as I learn more and I'm sure I'll find more ways to minimize the work a machine has to do to run the game... ok, today's solo development log for my videogame complete.

That's all for now!

Much Love,

MH

Organizing materials and meshes is definitely on the To Do list!