Player Movement Devlog

This is the first devlog for Redline!

Today, I worked on implementing the player movement script for our racing game in Unity. The goal was to create smooth and responsive controls that allow players to navigate the track effectively.

the player will be represented by a 2D Top Down Car

I created a new C# script called "PlayerMovement".

This script handles the player's movement, rotation, acceleration, and braking.

Key Features:

• Rotation Control: The player can rotate the car left or right using the A and D keys or the left and right arrow keys.
• Acceleration: The car accelerates forward when the W key or the up arrow key is pressed.
• Braking: Players can slow down the car by pressing the S key or the down arrow key.
• Speed Limiting: I implemented a maximum speed limit to prevent the car from exceeding a certain velocity, ensuring a balanced gameplay experience.
• Skidding Effects: Added skidding effects to simulate friction and make the movement feel more realistic. 
• Lap Counting: Implemented lap counting logic in a separate script attached to the finish line GameObject. This script detects when the player crosses the finish line and updates the lap count displayed in the UI.

Testing and Iteration: After implementing the player movement script, I conducted extensive playtesting to ensure that the controls feel intuitive and responsive. I iterated on the script based on feedback from testers, tweaking parameters such as acceleration, braking force, and skidding intensity to achieve optimal gameplay balance.

Next Steps: In the next development session, I plan to continue working on enhancing the player experience by adding additional features such as  power-ups and track obstacles.