The Catch and Release Devlog

 For a fishing game, the mechanic of actually fishing wasn't implemented for a long time- but it's finally here! Right in time for the updated fish, here comes the hook!

———–– Fishing Reworking ———––

Fishing has generally been the same for the alpha updates of the game. You press spacebar, throw the rod. It catches absolutely nothing- but I am finally changing that! The “Go Fishing!” meter from previous updates finally has a purpose- it now increases the speed + luck value of the cast!

Hitting the white bar right in the middle, in the lighter area gives a “Purrfect Cast” effect. A purrfect cast will increase both the luck and speed values of the rod. The luck value is also a new mechanic- and complicated it is. However, let’s discuss the speed value first. The hook moves down at a rate at about 1m/s, however hitting the Go Fishing meter closer to the middle increases it, with the bullseye giving you a speed of about 2m/s. It’s extremely useful later on in the game, where the bosses guarding the next section are much deeper in the water. This is partly a feature for players who have already played through the game- new players are unlikely to hit it perfectly the first time. Returning players likely want to get through the first few sections faster, so this boost allows them to.

Now let’s discuss luck- which isn’t actually fully finished. Luck is a value on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest luck value. Luck changes a multitude of factors, including but not limited to: *Chance of multiple fish from one catch *Higher fish spawning rates *Chance of boss spawning earlier *Larger fish *More common rare fish *More common story items and *Less chance the line will snap

These values will affect gameplay a lot, and all it takes is learning to hit a little white bar on time! Easy, right? Maybe for now…

———–– Catch and Release ———––

Finally, what you’ve all been waiting to hear- you can now catch fish! Your rod begins with a capacity of one, which means you can only hold one fish at a time. You can purchase bigger rod capacities from the market in the future. Fish are caught by touching a fish with the hook- but this is only with smaller fish. Once you begin to catch bigger fish, there’s a smaller chance they’ll actually bite onto your hook.

You can then press [E] to reel in your line, which will be reworked in the future from a simple button press to a fully resistance and line snap functionality. However, for now it’s bare and simple. When you bring a fish to the surface, a god-like aura will surround it as you bask in it’s beauty and read it’s stats such as size, rarity, selling price, etc. When pressing [Z] to continue, the fish will go to your inventory AND the aquapedia if you have not discovered this fish yet.

After continuing, Callie will return to her waiting phase and the rod will return for you to go fishing once more. Pair this with the recent market update and you now have a fully functional circle of fishing! However, we’re not quite done yet. You may have noticed this is called the “Catch and Release” devlog, not the “Catch and Sell for Profit” devlog. This introduces the mechanic of: Releasing!

I can understand you may get stuck with a fish you don’t really want- so I’ve added a feature to help! Pressing the [Q] key brings up the current fish stored on your hook, pressing any number key will release the corresponding fish from your inventory, freeing up a space for you to use. Maybe you reached the boss just as a guppy filled in the last spot, or you simply cannot be seen catching a tuna fish as it’ll destroy your reputation. Either way- we’ve got you covered!

———–– Wrapping Up ———––

I know, this is extremely short and I do apologize! Once again I find myself writing this late at night. Fret not- a huge updating is coming! (Maybe even a beta release?!?) But keep your eyes peeled, and to those with supporter keys keep those handy! SleepingDragon will recieve an update along with the beta release of Catfishing allowing you to use your supporter key to unlock all of the levels immediately.

Thankyou for reading, truly It means a lot to me! (granted you didn’t just skip to the end to see if there was a free gift, I see you) Goodnight and I’ll see you next time!