April 12th, 9:00 AM. Chris's bedroom, now officially a legendary site of game development history (at least in their neighborhood), was filled with a reflective, yet still energetic, atmosphere. Leftover energy drink cans formed a small, metallic mountain range in the corner.
"Alright, team," Chris said, leaning back in his chair, a marker held loosely in his hand. "Post-mortem on The Nebula Gauntlet. Three weeks. From 'What's a Godot?' to this. How do we feel?"
Max, ever the optimist, was practically vibrating with excitement. "Incredible! We made a real game! It's got everything! Shooting, explosions, a ridiculously overpowered final boss… It's a masterpiece!" (He winked, acknowledging the slight exaggeration).
Tyrone, sketching idly in his notebook (a new, even more epic final boss concept, no doubt), nodded. "It's amazing how far we've come. Remember when we struggled to make a spaceship move? Now we've got screen shake, particle effects, and a scrolling background that doesn't make your eyes bleed."
Chris chuckled. "The Wobbling Wonder seems like a lifetime ago. We've leveled up, big time. In coding, in art, in design… We're basically a triple-A studio now." (He, too, was joking…mostly).
They spent a good hour reminiscing about their journey. The early struggles, the breakthroughs, the "aha!" moments, the near-disasters, the triumphant victories. They laughed at their past selves, marveled at their progress, and acknowledged the sheer amount of caffeine that had fueled their endeavors.
They even play their first mini project, "The Wobbling Wonder" and laugh so hard.
"But," Chris said, turning serious (as serious as a guy wearing a pizza-stained t-shirt could be), "we can't rest on our laurels. The Nebula Gauntlet is good, but it can be better. And we can build even more amazing things."
He grabbed a fresh whiteboard (his sister was definitely going to kill him). "New milestone. Time to expand our horizons."
Project Nebula - Sprint 4: Beyond the Stars (April 12th - April 18th, 2025)
April 12th (Today): Game Juice & Feedback.
Player feedback on hit.
Enemy hit and destroyed effects
April 13th: Main Menu & Options.
A proper start screen.
Options for sound, music, and controls.
April 14th: Multiple Levels (Structure).
Design and implement at least three distinct levels.
Connecting each other level
April 15th: New Enemy Type and AI.
A new enemy with a unique attack pattern.
Implement the new AI.
April 16th: Save/Load System (Basic).
Allow the player to save their progress.
April 17th: Difficulty settings.
Add Easy, Medium, Hard mode
April 18th: Mini-Project 4: The Nebula Campaign!
A multi-level, polished, and challenging shoot 'em up campaign.
"More ambitious," Max said, his eyes gleaming. "I'm in."
Tyrone was already sketching new enemy concepts. "This time, it's personal."
They tackled today's goal: Game Juice and Feedback. Chris focused on adding visual and auditory cues to indicate when the player hit an enemy and when the player took damage.
Max implemented a brief "invulnerability flicker" when the player was hit, preventing them from being immediately destroyed by consecutive attacks.
Tyrone created new particle effects for enemy hits and destructions, making them more satisfying and visually distinct.
The process was a mix of experimentation, refinement, and constant playtesting. They tweaked the colors, the timings, the sounds, trying to find the perfect balance between clarity and visual flair.
By 9:00 PM, the game felt significantly more responsive and satisfying. The feedback was clearer, the impacts were more impactful, and the overall experience was more polished.
"It's the little things," Chris said, admiring their work. He like to polish a game more.
Max nodded. "Juice makes all the difference. It's like…the secret sauce." He know what to improve in the game feel.
Tyrone, ever the artist, was already planning more visual enhancements. "Needs more…sparkle!" He felt the game more alive.
They were tired, but their enthusiasm remained undimmed. They were building something special, something they were proud of, and they were learning and growing with every step of the journey.