Summer Mayhem is an re-playable summer event that was removed a few years ago from the game. For the summer of 2024 we revamped it, creating an entirely new experience and level.
The Mayhem is played through difficulty stages, once you have completed one you gain access to the next difficulty.
Design
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The level is based around sunlight and shade. The player needs to move between spots of shade to get rid of the stacking Overheat debuff that limits their attack speed. All while clearing out each room of enemies.
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While exploring the level, players can find crystals to destroy that grant a variety of buffs, random every time. This adds a new rougelite element to the level - granting different builds to the player every time they run the level. The stat can be rerolled.
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Lastly, the level is time gated, giving a little extra push to the players to not dwindle.
On the more artistic side we could take this level closer to a modern standard thanks to the fact that it had static lighting. Improved lighting, clouds, heat distortion and dust was added to fill out the entirerty and add to the logic of the mechanics by emphasizing the environment.
As for the final boss encounter, the arena became a landmark that could be viewed while progressing through the level. Adding to the culmination of the efforts of the player once reached. You can read more about the encounters, mini-bosses and boss in the Top-down above at the start.
Player playthrough:
I wanted to keep the original green and tropical color of the area. Giving it a stronger counterweight to the barren and dry lands on the opposite side. Like a part of the "old world" that survived.
As for the level design and spaces, I went for an interwoven 8-design; basically funneling players through smaller paths into larger openings at a high rate.
The entrance to The Spina Grotto is found in the vale.