Learning to Use JavaScript and KaboomJS to Build a Metroidvania Style Game

Introduction to Metroidvania Games

• Metroidvania: A sub-genre of platformers where the game map is one big world instead of separate levels.
• Exploration Focus: Unlocked new abilities and items to access previously inaccessible areas.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

• Setup includes using JavaScript and KaboomJS (a game development library for JS).
• Required software for level design: Tiled.
• Source assets and how to manage them.
• Using VS Code and Live Server extension for local server setup.

Game Components and Mechanics

Player Character

• Movement: Arrow keys for movement, X for jump, Z for attack.
• Abilities: Unlocks like double jump after defeating a boss.
• Animation: Using sprites with various animations (idle, run, jump, attack).
• Collision and Physics: Utilizing KaboomJS's physics engine components.

Enemies and AI

• Drones: Basic enemies that follow and self-destruct near the player.
• Boss Battles: More complex AI with health points, attack animations, and behavior states.

Game World and Map

• Tilemap: Created using Tiled; colliders, player/enemy positions, and layers for visuals and gameplay.
• Rooms and Scenes: Implementing different screens using KaboomJS's scene system.
• Camera System: Dynamic camera that follows the player and frames key areas.

UI and Effects

• Health System: Health packs to restore player health.
• Destroying Enemies: Simple mechanics like self-destruction on collision.
• Sound Effects: Adding sounds for interactions like attacks and collisions.
• Notification System: Popup messages for key game events.

Advanced Features

State Management

• Global state to keep track of player progress and conditions across scenes.
• Using a state management pattern with getters and setters.

Dynamic Interactions

• Collision Handling: Custom collision logic for game dynamics (e.g., pass-through platforms).
• Event Listeners: Custom events and KaboomJS’s built-in methods for animating, moving, and interacting objects.

Finalizing the Game

Linking Rooms and Handling Transitions

• Managing room transitions and data passing between scenes.
• Checking and setting player positions upon entering a new room.

Deploying the Game

• Simplified deployment strategy for web distribution (e.g., itch.io, GitHub Pages).

Tips for Extending the Game

• Use KaboomJS documentation for advanced features.
• Modularize code for better maintenance and expansions.

Example Code and Practical Implementation

• Sample code snippets covering key functionalities.
• Structured approach for building and debugging the game.

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