v0.42 — making the music part of the run
The new browser build is live: https://denpuzzle.itch.io/no-safe-block
The main song is still the foundation. I built thirteen layers around it so the arrangement can gain weight as a crowd closes in, thin out during an upgrade choice, and change character for each boss without throwing away the groove. Rick's three phases get an escalating arrangement, with a more restrained lead-in before he arrives.
The design challenge is that the player decides when things happen. A stash or boss entrance cannot wait for a musical cue, so the game keeps moving while the arrangement catches the next musical boundary. I want the score to make pressure and relief feel stronger throughout a run.
Rewards got a related pass: cash starts counting quickly, upgrades reveal one at a time while the total keeps climbing, and the final haul stays uncertain until it settles. Larger payouts are paired with higher Hideout prices. The upgrade cards, reveal effects and mechanical selection sounds have also been refined.
Boss difficulty went up too. Kev has longer rush chains and more staying power; Rick has denser volleys with shifting gaps, heavier mortar pressure and stronger final-phase attacks. The aim is to demand better movement while keeping warnings and recovery windows readable.
The public build now goes straight into one main survival mode, with the older Practice/showcase menus removed. The game page has three fresh screenshots from regular gameplay.
Full update: https://denpuzzle.itch.io/no-safe-block/devlog/1736097/v042-the-sound-of-ash-str...
If you give it a run, where does the music help the action, and where does it feel too busy or too flat? I'm also interested in whether the stash reveal builds anticipation without holding you up.