Much like solitaire, minesweeper is a game we enjoy playing. Z is especially fond of its simple, yet timeless mechanics, and it was a cornerstone of his childhood. It is easy to jump in and out of games, and is a great choice to accompany relaxing and listening to music or podcasts. 

The interest to make minesweeper was always there, but it was near the bottom of our ever-growing list of games we want to make. A little over a month ago, we felt the pull to develop another game. Up to that point, we had been experimenting with VR and 3D programming in Unity, and art in Blender. It was fun, but not as satisfying as working together on a game. The idea for this game came up randomly and the thought of developing it, coupled with its seamless integration into a larger game we’ve been working on here and there, excited us.

Gameplay

We wanted to maintain the same minesweeper logic, mechanics, and grid structure. But, instead of mines, we added snakes (which better fit the theme of our larger game). We also wanted to create a more dynamic gameplay loop than with classic minesweeper, so we added antivenom (our variation of a “life” system) and usable items.

In this version, you play as an anonymous protagonist, the snake sweeper. It is essentially an endless challenge where the game progressively increases in difficulty as the player clears levels. There are three difficulty modes: easy, medium, and hard. While these difficulties all start out the same, the rate at which snakes increase and item drops decrease correlate with the chosen difficulty.

Items

We wanted the items to elevate the gameplay, so we incorporated diverse mechanics and methods of use, and ensured they fit the Western theme (at least a little bit). They also interact with each other: bombs and grape shots can trigger each other, and the wagon wheel crushes items it runs over. 

The player starts off with a couple of snake lures, wagon wheels, and antivenom potions. All three of these items can be uncovered and picked up during gameplay. Since they carry on to the next level, we made it so the player must pick them up immediately after uncovering, otherwise they disappear. As much as we like looting in games, it can get tedious scouring the map to ensure all loot was picked up. We didn't want gathering the items to become a chore or slow down the gameplay, but rather an exciting rush to grab it before it goes. And, since these items don’t linger, the player will not feel burdened to inspect the board after every level.

The items are generally pretty straight forward, but the snake lure stands out as something special. It is a stick with lipstick and a bow that entices snakes to pop out of the ground momentarily. We wanted a recon mechanic, so some kind of bait or lure made sense. The thought of using raw meat did not feel right, and the idea of using live animals for bait was too gruesome for us. We prefer a more wholesome experience in our games so we decided to go a different route. The snake lure being a dressed up stick better matches the lighthearted and whimsical vibe we are going for, and has become a beloved addition to our game.

Sound

We spent significantly more time on the sound for this game than in previous titles. Historically, we would leave the sound until the very end (if it wasn’t skipped entirely). It was typically squeezed in and completed during the final hours before release. We got away with this previously because the sound was simpler in previous games. Solitaire, for example, didn’t require much attention or scouting; nearly all sounds could be found in a “card sounds” pack in the Unity Asset Store. For this game, however, there were many different sounds we needed–from bomb explosions and grapeshot pops, to enamoring harp music and rolling wheels. We also wanted to strike a balance between Western (which has an intrinsic serious and epic tone) and cartoony.

Our first pass through incorporated fine enough sounds, but they weren’t cohesive. We extended our selection process and spent the day play testing and listening to different sounds many times through to get the right vibe. It was time well spent. Additionally, we made a deliberate effort to balance the sound levels, which we have not done before. Many lessons were learned, and, going forward, we’ll have a better pipeline for sound implementation.

Alternate intros

We’ve always adapted our Lone Z intros to fit the theme of the game. Increasingly of late, these intros feature our mascot, Mantis engaging in random hijinks. This time we created three different intros for Mantis, featuring a fun variety of situations. We often imagine our Mantis in whimsical scenarios, and these intros are some of those ideas brought to life. 

We really liked the silliness of the snake lure being a stick disguised as a snake. In one intro, Mantis inspects the snake lure and is surprised to see it is a stick. We built upon the “stick” idea and, in the other intros, Mantis engages with sticks dressed as bandits. They all end with the facade being broken when the stick inevitably falls over. 

Release

For most of the development, we’ve only played the game for shorter periods of time, between new feature testing and bug squashing. Since the release, we’ve played the game a little more leisurely, and for longer durations. During this post-release playing, we’ve noticed some things we want to tweak/add. With that being said, we are working on a decently-sized update, and will have it out soon.

We want to thank you for playing our game, and taking the time to read this release log. We will have more to say in the devlog following our next update.

Until next time, 

Lone Z Games