Cowzy Friday: Smarter Villagers and Resource Node Updates
Welcome to another Cowzy Friday update! A lighter update this week as I've been incredibly busy with life but still managed to squeeze in some dev time. The focus has been on refining resource collection mechanics to make the townsfolk smarter and the world of The Cowzy Game feel more alive. Let’s dig into the latest updates!
Finite Resource Nodes
Resource nodes now have a finite amount of resources! Meaning, once depleted, the actor will get destroyed. Later I would like to add more effects to the depleting node, such as a change in model the less resources it has, particle effects when gets depleted, and more!
Villagers Seek New Resources
Once a resource node is depleted, villagers no longer idly stand by. Instead, they dynamically search for new resources within the area to continue working. If they do not find a resource, they simply go idle for now.
Smarter Node Depletion Checks
To prevent villagers from targeting a resource node that another villager has already depleted, I’ve implemented additional checks during actions like moving and working. While Decorators in the behavior tree still handle some of the logic, these real-time checks ensure that villagers are not going to run into errors during edge cases.
For example:
Before starting to harvest, a villager double-checks the node’s resource level.
Every tick of the harvest, the villager can reassess the node to ensure it hasn’t been emptied by someone else.
Check if our go-to node is still valid!
What’s Next?
Here’s a glimpse at what’s coming soon:
Villager Energy System: Villagers will need rest after long periods of work, making energy management a core gameplay element.
This will eventually lead into a proper day night cycle!
Enhanced Resource Drop-Offs: Finalizing drop-off mechanics to integrate seamlessly with the town’s total inventory.
Cow Ideas!! I've worked extensively on designing how the cow economy will function. More details another time!
Share Your Feedback!
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Drop a comment or reach out on social media—your feedback is invaluable as I continue developing The Cowzy Game!
Thanks for checking out this week’s update. Stay tuned for more, and have a cozy weekend! 🐄✨
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