This past week I ended up working on a torch light feature. I feel as though I should've been focusing my time on creating enemies to fight and items to pick up and use but this was something I just couldn't pull myself away from. Always so close to having everything worked out that just a little more time wouldn't be an issue. My hope is that it leads to something that ends up being more enjoyable in the game than frustrating.

In any case, I have something that is pretty much what I was aiming for. It's a basic spotlight kind of thing that I can attach to generic things that I add to the level and it's possible for the player to pick those things up and walk around with them (though there's a bit of refactoring to sort out). I tell myself that being able to place torches throughout the maze will be kind of cool and be a part of the exploration. Being able to see everything around you makes a maze way too easy to navigate.

Being able to pick up and put down items is a step forward as well. The player moves over the item to pick up and presses a key and the item is now in your hand as you walk around. An inventory won't be far off and I think that's where picked up things will be placed into by default unless I think of some UI that's more convenient. With being able to move things in the game from one place to another, the player would be able to bring keys to doors or perhaps some other tool to resolve a puzzle, if I can think of something.

There's a bit more to finalize with moving things around but I think next I might want to look into a jump functionality. The maze you walk in isn't a cave environment with walls all around you but more like a platform to walk on. Maybe it's a path in a swamp. So maybe finding places that are safe to jump across could have potential. And maybe the distance you can jump is affected by how much you're carrying. Lots of "maybes". Hopefully it all comes together.