Sin Spire – Dev Log 25

Hello everyone! I wanted to get a Dev Log up this week since I won’t be posting anything next week. Despite my original plan to release the next build (0.0.4) this month, I completely forgot that I won’t actually be here at the end of the month. I apologize to anyone who was expecting a major update, but I have plans to make it up to you.

The next big numbered release will be in April, and instead of 0.0.4, I’ll be skipping straight to 0.0.5. Since I’ve been numbering builds based on dungeon additions, you might be able to guess what this means: I plan to include both of the next dungeons—the fourth dungeon, known as the “Hotel,” and the fifth and final dungeon, the “Slaughterhouse.” This will bring the game very close to its Beta version.

For those who aren’t aware, the Alpha version is the work-in-progress phase, whereas the Beta version will be fully playable but may still have missing features and assets. Once we hit Beta, development will primarily focus on smaller additions, bug fixes, and polish.

Now, let’s talk about the two upcoming dungeons and the new enemy featured at the top of this post.

The Hotel

The fourth dungeon is a Love Hotel, complete with neon signs, heart-shaped beds, and a more contemporary feel compared to the others. The pacing here shifts away from running and hiding, instead emphasizing combat.

I’ve started calling the last two dungeons the “Action Dungeons” since they introduce faster, stronger enemies that will challenge everything you’ve learned up to this point.

One of these enemies is The Twisted, the one seen at the top of this post. Originally, I intended for them to be another melee-focused enemy, but after seeing feedback about the game’s gunplay, I decided to make them more unique. The Twisted can use every gun the player can.

That overpowered double-barrel shotgun? now it can be used against you.
That supposedly weak SMG? Try being on the receiving end.

They have some damage dampening (since getting deleted in five seconds isn’t fun), but dodging melee enemies while taking cover from The Twisted’s gunfire has proven to be a compelling challenge that definitely makes the game feel more action oriented. They will first appear in the Hotel to introduce their mechanics before going full throttle in the next dungeon.

Their one plus-side is that once you purify them, you can take their weapon and they do have a noticeable charge-up before they start shooting.

The Slaughterhouse

The Slaughterhouse is a dungeon that I’ve pretty much known what I wanted to do with from the beginning of development. It was always planned as the final dungeon in the game and as I've been juggling both it and the Hotel, this dungeon ended up being completed first, with the exception of its Stalker.

This dungeon solidifies the more combat-centric approach with wide-open spaces and miniature arenas instead of the various corridors seen in earlier dungeons. Hiding spots still exist, but they're mainly for avoiding the Stalker, rather than regular enemies.

By this point in the game, you should be powerful enough to handle most threats, but getting swarmed is still a real danger. To potentially make up for anyone who is behind, this dungeon will also offer more rewards for completing runs in.

The Banshee, an enemy I introduced in a previous post, will also make its debut here. Like the Twisted, the Banshees have a ranged attack though they can also use a melee combo up close. Overall, I’ve had a lot of fun testing this dungeon so far.

What’s Next?

With the Slaughterhouse mostly done, my next step is to go back to the Hotel (Dungeon 4) and bring it up to standard. Right now, it feels too empty, so I’ll be populating it with props and refining the lighting.

Beyond that, I’ll be working on stronger variants for recurring enemies like the Witness, giving them new visuals and increased difficulty. That will likely happen after the Hotel is mostly finished. Boss fights also still need to be done, so they’re on the list as well. As you can guess, at least two boss fights will need to be introduced in the next version so that progressing through the dungeons is possible.

As I mentioned earlier, I won't be here next week. My birthday is also coming up, so I'll be taking a short break and resuming work in April. I'll keep you all posted as always!

That's all for now! See you all again in a couple of weeks.