Dev Log | Violet Flame Studios

Keep tabs on our development progress as they are updated. Sneak peaks into our debut game...

Last updated 31/10/24

Adding hand cuffs, changes to Karma UI interpolation
9 Achievements
Separating the Karma and Spirit stats, updates to HUD, updates to Settings UI, limit frame rate
Steam Leaderboard
Changes to tomb sprint
More changes to the UI
Added emerald cuffs
Shield material and additions to Tomb_Sprints map
New UI, Karma debug
Karma volume and karma shield
Parchments trigger the doors before playing the sounds instead of after finishing the sound
New climbing & precision jump assets - updates to Tomb Sprint Level
Added global leader board
Fixing the packaging and UI problems
Training level and sounds on menu
Add sliders for sounds in settings
Jump pads and hit pads materials can be changed
The training button is linked to the training level
UI fades in whenever there is a change in one of the stats and then fades out after 3 seconds
Additions to training level
Start screen changes

October 2024

Demo is LIVE on Steam NOW!!!

Gamepad works properly in the menu
WE ARE READY FOR STEAM FEST - LET'S GO!!!
Lighting Optimization
Fixed the spike sound bug
Adding collision to Horus
Horus added and fixed
Adding the rest of the achievements
Loss Screen UI
Anubis will not change the player's Z velocity, i.e., fall or jump speed
On the start screen, the leaderboard includes the players' avatars
Fixing the merge bug
Glorious Shader overhaul for perf and Lod optimisations to Tomb Level
Anubis does not recover the karma
Breakable Urn and Bust and Shield now in first room in tomb for integration
Shield material and mesh re-work to theme
Karma sounds, changes to some exposed settings, tweaked karma volumes and added some in tomb level
Added breakable item for karma reduction
Updates to Box and floor trigger
Lever triggers can be jumped on to activate
Alter of incense won't play the interaction animation if player hands are tied
Shield's mana cost debug
Custom Settings will be saved and loaded, same UI for both levels
Shield uses spirit instead of karma

September 2024

Working hard to get a DEMO released in time for Steam Fest (14 Oct)

Started work on a NEW level!
Jump pads and air pads prevent fall damage
Coin assets to project and start screen
Fix to some broken parchments
Boosted volumes
Added parchments and additional access points to tomb level to accommodate the weird air pad bug
Added intro video
Leader board, wish list and start screen
Leaderboard Text and new Text positions on start level
Adding:- Instant death height - Weapon toggle sounds - Super Jump - Not enough mana sound
Fragment sounds final parchments
Completion Times will be saved and displayed
Added more options to settings: game difficulty, mouse sensitivity, UI scale
Updating the controller input bindings
Symbol flasher time penalty
Adding the Meta Portal
Tomb Level Start scene
Fixing bug: random sounds didn't play in the packaged version
Added 10 Parchment Tutorials
Details to start screen
Changes to Start Level
Adding the Start Screen and music
Fixing the ladder bug, Fixing the background music bug, Fixing the UI text color bug, Dialogue text goes from left to right and hint text starts from middle
Music and sound changes - added music tracks
Fixing a mouse sensitivity bug
Adding in-game menu
Adding background music playlist and sound ducking
Fixing the looping sound bug and fall damage bug
Exposed some of the character stats
Using the Sun Disk UI
Removing Attenuation Overrides
Adding start time, death time deduction penalty, mantling sound, Spike Activation sound, Jump pad order and sound, attenuation for platforms and attaching the sounds to moving platforms properly, using new emerald tablet meshes
Huge sound updates to level - doors, platforms, etc
Adding Mantle Z Velocity Restriction
Adding ladder climbing, lever, Wind Pad, and Parchment default sounds

Fragments and emerald tablets can display text and play voice-over sounds; parchments can do the same
Sounds and Tomb update
Adding more sound variables
Fixing inconsistency with air pads
Adding sound slots for taking damage and death sounds
Adding Sounds to Exposed Settings
DataAssets: Sprint Breathing Sounds, Jumping Grunts, Light Attack Grunt, Heavy Attack Grunt, Roll Sound
Footstep Sounds: Adding three surface types and connecting them to corresponding materials, Supporting different footstep sounds.
Update to Tomb Level - Added Emerald Tablet Modules for 7 Variations in Tablets
Adding weapon change inputs
Adding fall damage, updating the Brazzier
The Emerald tablets have cameras attached to them and guide stone cycles through them upon interaction
Torch and super jump now drain mana
Simplifying the UI
Updating Key Bindings for Overlays: Unarmed (1) - Torch (2) - Armour & Sword on Body (3) - Armour & Sword in Hand (4)

Parchment system
Input updates
Updated Tomb Level - Added Trap assets - added BP_Falling_Floor
BP_Lootcrates - Updated Static Mesh Library - Mesh Clean out - Changed starting level - added new traps to PhysX level
New traps - tidy up and optimisation of mesh assets
Material fixes to player girl
Added primal girl for female character
Changed ladder colliders to box simple for performance and closer representation to mesh
Enabling the dynamic jump; now it's linked to the frame rate for consistency
Updates to Tomb Level - Added additional jump pad to main room - added Enochian sigil to start room
Fixing UI
Interaction bug and jump bug fixes
New mini-map
New toggle order by pressing tab
Added new detailed mesh into the Tomb_Level - Added a falling platform blueprint
Changing the interaction type of emerald tablets to 'overlap.'
Changed Guidestone mesh and broke the blueprint. Changes to Tomb level
Vibration puzzle pads can be jumped on
Using the new appearance for the Emerald Tablet. Both of them work - Fixing some errors in the trigger blueprint
Updates to Tomb Level - new platforms added -
Added lion face
Added Emerald tablets, Guide Stone, and possible tablet locations
Raised camera pivot when up-close to fix camera overlap when character's back is close to a wall
Adding voice variables to check points
Fixed the UI disappearing bug
Added the small map
Optimisations and additions to Devlevel2024 & Tomb Level
Dialogue triggers
Updated mini map
Fixed lava asset on tomb level
Folderized Tomb Roofs for Minimap - Added new assets
Spikes reset after 20 seconds
Added dust to footsteps and mantling

July - August 2024

Preparing to launch Kick Starter and Steam Page

Changes to vib pads in main room - make a sequence
Adding 'Shuffle' variable to fragments and Fixing roll's collision bug
Fixing the Time-out bug, and fragments Red Error
Added spot light to torch
Disabling the cast shadow 'On Jump' and 'on Roll'
Fixing the extra torch bug (incense )
Walking and crouch have to be held not toggled
Fixing a few bugs about roll
If you hold the sprint button while you are climbing up the ladder, you will sprint when you get off the ladder
Adding the new lights to jump pads
Adding the new chakra meshes to Emerald Fragments
Made Tomb Level Great again
Tomb level changes, fixed some shaders and mip map settings and added some fragment circuits
Vibration Springs added for the Jump Pads
Added a light around the ring of the Jump Pad Button
Updates to Emerald Fragments
Added new VFX mesh for each frag to be added to the BP
Added Planetary Metals and Planetary Metals Glyph
Added sigil meshes to the project
Created fragment chakra asset to be added to the blueprints
Re-imported to fix pivot
Updated issues with Emerald Fragment mesh
You can pick the emerald fragments in the wrong order, but they will re-spawn 3 seconds after the first wrong pick.
New updates to time pick ups
Fixing ladder bug
Updates to Mercury room
Added Mercury to Portal Room
Added portal room to Thoth tomb
Updated some materials and emerald fragments
Updated tomb level - updated emerald fragment assets mesh - updated guide stone mesh - updated assets
Tomb level updates - added jump pad circuit to second thoth room - added spline pickups
Zoom and stamina drain are re-enabled.
Fixing the jump pad's red errors
Adding a new kill Z to the player character
Adding an instant Kill volume
Fixing the break dancing bug (Roll after getting impaled)
Ascension Mechanic Jump room added (Beyond most recent Thoth Room)
Adding Spline For Time PickUps:"BP_Spline_TimePickUps"
Adding TimePickUps: "Bp_TimePickUp"
New Thoth Scribe Room on Tomb_Level
Updates to levels - Startscreen, Tomb, updates to star sphere and other materials
Symbol Flasher update - Alchemical Texture Atlas maps added - updated decal materials with new atlas
Updated puzzle logic mat and re-imported symbol flasher with adjusted UVs
New level added LVL_Spiral (Wip)
Added Pearl Shaders to project - changes to dev and tomb lev
Updates for alter of incense
Fixed sprint bug
Increasing the speed of 'turn in place'
Added hieroglyphic textures
Additions to tomb level - adjusted UI widget for dialog to fit the UI - added some fonts - changed the parchment mesh
Crates break "On Landed" instead of "On Jumped"
Added Crate, destructible jump pad

April - June 2024

We Continue Cranking

Glory to the master - Tree of life symbol design in Bottom Room
You can grab the ladder by jumping
Added Ghost Shader - Added Fading Platform Shader
Unifying interaction input
Added Room to LVL_Tomb
Added Greek Male Textures, and attached Materials
Greek male character
Disabling climbing the ladder when the character is in mid-air
Ladder system
Control updates
Barrels are now destructible by rolling over them or attacking them
Floor trigger
Wind pad
Added Parchments
Lighting fixes and disabled climbing from spin trap so its more ruthless
Air pad
Trigger for the box and barrels
Boxes and barrels can be picked up after being dropped (by pressing "E")
Fixed bug: Pressing "F" zooms in
Solved Mantling Bug on Floor Collisions
Vibration puzzle: Jump pads
Updates to DevLevel and Demo Levels - Added Tesla Tower to Crucible level
Torch bug fix
Spawning a point light when the character holds the torch
Spin Blade-Trap: Increased the mass, decreased the bounciness, added Blood Spurt particle
The character won't be able to mantle when his hands are tied
Updated 14 Body Parts - Tidied Edges, Created Meat Shader
Optimization to Thoth_Temple
Replicated jump and super jump
Update DevLevel Trap Doors
Triggers can be linked to doors
Added Co-op Race Level & Architecture
Replaced levers

Slicer trap chopping a player character into pieces.

Added incense burner to tomb level
Added Trigger/ Interaction Blueprints
Added Shiva Model to Tomb Level
Vibration Puzzle: Hit Pads
Added Skybox to Saturn Sphere & Castle Level
Added the Spin Blade Trap
Added Liberty Bell
Added Lever and Lever housing
Added Vibration Puzzles - Launch Pad & Button - Hit Pad and Button, and Input Controller
Fixing a small Re-spawn bug
Symbol flasher update
Re-spawn a new character at the place that you started playing
Added puzzle flasher to devlevel
Can't climb off ledges when walking or crouching
Climb system

January - March 2024

Summer Derping

Greatly improved impale system and added spike trap
Smoother super jump
Debug: jump on a platform as its moving upward - Super jump
3 attack types: Normal, Fire, Water - Left Ctrl roll - 0.1 second delay before slide
Startscreenlevel added LVL_Startsscreen
Added locomotion for Archdemon-AI and Orge_AI - Improving Goblin's projectile, Added explosion
Enemy: goblin
Cleaned up Project Structure - Removed old un-needed files
Added Goblin, Ogre and Archdemon
Fixed the issue of the camera going through walls
Added Hermes SK_Wizard to project
Demo levels, mesh and materials
Added Saturn Sphere Meshes for EP1

October - December 2023

A Glorious End to 2023

Added DEMO Map - Starting Migrating DEMO MAP Mesh & Collisions
Bullets are bigger and faster, changed color
Improved the BulletHell and Mage AI
New Mage animations and effects
Queen Marika physics
Added new female character: Queen Marika
Added new female character: Dark Elf
Added new female character: Demon girl
Added suggestions for FX on Trail Map
New AI: Flying Mage
Sword trail
Added new level to example maps: trail- Fix up re-directors
Add Projectile System
Add Attack Sound
Fix Knockback Again
Key binding debug
Improve Knockback Buff
Partial Key binding 01
Change Crouch to Hold for Slide
Fix Buff Duration
Add Hit Effect when Damaged
Add Handling for Invalid Attack Target
Improve Attack and Add Dash, Slide
Improve Attack Response with Contingency Handling
Fix Attack Heavy
Death from orb only shows the skeleton - Orb deals 3 times more damage
Added Combo Attacks of all direction
Add Combo Attack
Orb movement debug
Orb spiral movement - small bug fixes
Orb resets after killing the player - small bug fixes
Dash improvement
Add Ethereal Object Type and Buff System
Fix Death and Respawn
Replaced Slide animation
Fixed mantling issue
Add Guillotine Trap
Improve Explode Death for Dynamicity
Add Ethereal Trace Channel for Orb

An Orb flying around the player character melting his flesh until he is merely a skeleton crumbling to the ground.

Fix Death Explode
Add Animations and Add Explode Death
Fix Plugin Trap Collection
Add Ultimate Traps Collection
Fix Timeline of Trap
Add Blade Spin Trap
Animations added
Adding Floor spikes Intro Traps Plugin
Add Directional Attack to Respond to Switch
Gore - Added Impale - Added 14 bouncing pieces - Added Squash - Added head explosion
Fix Lever to Trigger by Attack
Add Use Camera Rotation to Attack Direction
Add Attack Up and Down
Add Force Impulse to Dying Ragdoll

An Emerald Tablet with an orb glowing green behind it. A castle in the distance.

Shield & Material Tweaks
Added Shield
Added dash
Configure Files
Added textures and tweaks
Added left, right, up, down attacks - improvement to sprint
Add Collision to Brazzier
Created and added Decal assets to ENV Map
Added melee combat locomotion - Moving some files to the developers folder
Added new mesh, materials, added world building, changed and added sounds fx
Another Fix to Collision of Coin
Handle Camera Jittering Handling and Remove Coin Collision Climbable
Added sounds and lighting to EnvLookDev Map
Added orb AI
Laid out Coin Assets in DevMap
Coin Animation and Platform Collision Handling
Added Coins
Added UFO Platform to Dev Map - Added some world building to LookDevEnv
Add Coin Item and Improve Naming Convention
Added Waterfall Assets to EnvDevMap
Update to Devmap & EnvLook Maps
Sound for Platform and Door
Platform Fixes
Final changes to platforms on Dev map
Added Emerald Tablet to EnvDevMap
Some changes on Dialogues
Door with Platform to Latch and Some Asset Fixes
Finished Collision to meshes in Dev map
Updated Dev Map Assets Collision and Pivots
Fixed Rotating Circular Platform
Fixed Dev Level Assets Pivots
Quest Writing & Statemachine config
Switch System and Platform System
Changes on Dialogue
Fixed corrupted reference
Simple Find location quest
Added Orb and other assets
Added Sword, and Switch and associated Textures
Added Decals & Decal Asset
Added Dialogue system
Platform Fixed and Switch Component
Added water materials, world building & materials
Added VFX fire, Sound, and Materials, Lighting to EnvLookDev Map
Platform Bug Fixes and Combat Components
Removed Auto-exposure - Adjusted world lighting, and starsphere
Added more Mesh and Materials + World Building
Started Adding Modular Castle Assets
Rotating Platform Fix
Added Modular Castle Material
World Building, Asset Integration & Material Set-Up
Multi Character Response on Platform and Door
Platform Replication
Changes to ENV Level
Tested some function of BP - fixed collision on rotators
Fix Player Start and Clean Prints
Platform Instances and Play Level
World Building in LookDevMap
Added Modular Environment Assets & Rock Material
Principle Platform and Door
UI, Character Add Skirt and Platform WIP
Health and Stamina Bar
Replace Default Mesh and Animation
Fixed Packages and Add Hoplite Package
Health and Stamina
Fixed broken UV's on a few mesh, made Dev map editor load map
Added Dev Map Content
Repair Addons
Sword and Shield Asset and Animation
Actor Component and UI
Character and Player
First Commit Main

July - September 2024

Let's get this Show on the Road

Add Restore Inventory of Weapon and Shield
Add Defend Collision
Add Resistance when Wielding Shield
Fix Ragdoll, Respawn and Attack
Add Dummy Enemy and Increase Attack by Item
Add Damage Hit to Crate and Switch
Add Box Life and Attack to Decrease Box Life
Add Animation Data Structure
Add Hand Combat
Enhance Attack Ability
Add Crate and Response to Attack
Improve Attack Ability
Add Attack Ability
Add Sweep Start Location
Improve Item Equipping Weapon and Shield
Improve Item Handling
Add Potion Items
Add Inventory Component
Major Enhancement on Platform
Improve Platform Detection and Door Performance
Enhancement on Platform
Add Delay to Lever System
Add Delay to Platform System
Enhanced Boaz Puzzle
Add Rotating Puzzle
Add Rotating Switch as Puzzle
Added New feature: Bullet Hell
Enhance Lever Movement and Reverse
Add Reverse Lever Movement
Enhance Lever and Switch System
Added New feature: Slide
Upgrade Switch, Lever and Platform Systems
Enhance Switch System
Fix Switch for Door
Adding new feature: Slice system 03, Press "j" on keyboard to test
Adding new feature: Slice system 01
Add Composite Application of Platform System
Fix Platform System on No Actor Return and Delay Return
Update Platform System
Add Platform Reference Level
Add Focus Bar UI
Apply Principle Ability as Subclass to Base Ability
Apply Ability Cooldown from Ability System
Apply Data Table as Character Designer
Add Data Table for Character and Ability
Improve Character Interface
Enhance Stamina for Sprint and Ability UI
Added new feature: hit reaction for all attacks
Enhance Health UI and Add Ability UI
Add Stamina Circle UI
Added new feature: Down Attack will cause an AOE knockback
Modify UI by Module Mode
Enhance Attribute Knowledge
Added melee AI
Fixed Dash rotation issue
Fix Character Component and Ability
Fix Attribute Bonus and Health Regen
Apply Attribute
Jump Pad and Ability Sound
Debug: invisible damage zone and mask
Ability Cooldown, Autocast and Damage Modifier
Principle and Element Enums
Improve Respawn and Add Damage Calculation Pool
Added Spawn System and Damage Zone
Fixed and Organized Respawn System
Added Respawn and Sound Cues
Fix Audio on Platform System
Added Modular Trees, LOD UPDATES TO ENVMAP
Sorting Game Modes and Controllers
Dialogue colors changes to show who is the speaker
Added Sounds and Fixed some assets
Fixed jump issue
Changes on UI and sound volume
Added sounds and other stuff - weapon attack sounds
Updates to Dev map, Env Look map etc
Big update to sounds, and to Devmap
Added Unreal Sound FX and Nicky FX - Added some Trap Mesh
Death Zone and Living State Type
Added Respawn system - Changed Shield and sword position - Changed Key binding of dash - fixed missing animations for ragdoll getup - changed default overlay and weapons visibility
Replaced shield