Balancing deployment speed with clean code architecture is one of the most important aspects of creating a medium sized game. While certain creature AI is thrown together at breakneck speed, there are larger systems that require careful planning so they can be reused and expanded upon as development requires.
Inventory
The inventory system in CleanFall supports a wide array of item types. Some items are consumed when used, while others are permanently held. Some items work as long as they are in your inventory, while others can be turned on or off. On top of this, the player needs to be able to drop and move items, and all items are categorized according to rarity and type.
The world is also littered with vending machines that cost any assortment of item objects. The system supports four rarity levels, and they have a maximum stock that depends upon the item’s rarity.
Upgrades
There are 18 unique stats that effect various aspects of the game. Some upgrades effect your turrets, some might make you dig faster, while some may boost your energy production. Players can upgrade their stats through special machines that offer 3 upgrades to choose from. Players can reroll the upgrades, but the reroll cost increases each use.
Turret Alchemy
The turret alchemy system for CleanFall allows me to add or remove any recipes as I see fit. I also implemented a menu that displays all the recipes that the player has discovered. When I add a new recipe to the game, the menu reads the data and automatically updates accordingly.