Dirk Dashing 2: E.V.I.L Eye features a whole heap of enhancements, bug fixes, and gameplay tweaks - and a new public demo!
One of the most significant changes is that the night vision goggles are now introduced in the 2nd level. This means that all of Dirk's stealth tactics are now available from the start of the game! I've added light switches to nearly all of the Part 1 and Part 2 levels, to give players the ability to control the lighting. To balance that, I tweaked the AI so that guards will now shoot blindly in the dark at anything they hear (Normal and Hard skill levels only). So if you decide to turn out the lights and go "invisible", you'd better move quietly too!
I also made some major revisions to the 2nd level. The original suffered a bit from LHS (Long Hall Syndrome), where you run down a long, one-way hallway and must turn around and run back. So I completely redesigned the first 4 floors to improve the flow through the level. There are now 2 sets of elevators, one set on either side of the lobby. And I expanded the 4th floor to add some new areas to explore. So there are now multiple ways to traverse this level.
Level 2 is also designed to help showcase the various stealth tactics available to players. I expanded the small server room behind the blue door, so it now serves as a mini tutorial for how to use the night vision goggles and tiptoe quietly. There's now a guard there, protecting the yellow badge, and you can practice your stealth tactics as you try to grab the badge without him seeing or hearing you. There are plenty of sprinkler pipes to shimmy on, so you can move unseen over the heads of enemies. And there are more cameras and laser tripwires to avoid.
Other changes include revisions to the save game format to fix various issues, adjustments to the Ninja so he behaves properly in the dark, and dozens of tweaks to polish gameplay.
So what's next?
At this point, the main storyline is done, and I've fixed nearly all of the major bugs that have been reported so far. My next task is to finish the game's remaining content. I'm hoping to release v0.9.2 in 2-3 weeks, containing the remaining 2 secret levels, 2-3 new enemies that will make the gas grenades and stealth tactics more integral to the game, the final mission summary comic page, and possibly a new gadget for Dirk.
Then between v0.9.2 and v1.0 (slated for release on June 30), I will focus on minor bugs and requested enhancements. These include updates to the menu graphics, some fiddling with the game's control scheme, and some tweaks when replaying levels.
Meanwhile, have fun with the new demo. And if you enjoy the game, don't forget that you can pre-order - you'll get a link to the full version beta, so you can play through the entire game. You will also get a free copy of the $5 strategy guide when it's finished, containing level maps, hints, tricks, concept art, and more!
