Devlog: Animations, Old Memories & What’s Brewing in the Hive

Hello hive-dwellers!

I’ve got a big update for everyone following Hive City HEAT, and it’s one I’ve been itching to share (pun fully intended). Grab a cup of recaf and settle in—this one’s a little long.

Fresh Walk & Idle Animations

Our heroine now struts through the underhive with a brand-new walk cycle and a polished idle animation.

The walk: heavier steps, a bit more forward lean, and a coat sway that catches the neon light just right.

The idle: if you ever played my old side-project Dungeon Ravager, you might notice a familiar pose. It’s a quiet nod to those early days and a fun way to bring a piece of my past into Hive City HEAT.

Every frame was worth the late nights—she finally feels like the fighter I’ve had in my head since day one.

Building a New Sub-Level

While the animations were in the oven, I’ve been blocking out a new sub-level that will eventually lead to a major boss fight.

Think narrow catwalks, sudden open arenas, flickering neon on rusted pipes—places where you’ll catch your breath for a second and then get ambushed by chaos. The plan is to finish this sub-level first, then dive straight into the boss encounter that caps it off. Concept art is still rough, but it’s already looking mean.

 Brand-New Enemy

A fresh enemy type is joining the roster to keep you on your toes. No spoilers yet, but it’s designed to mess with your usual combat rhythm. Early playtests already have me rethinking combos, which is exactly what I want for players.

Behind the Scenes

A few extra bits for the curious:

• Collision tweaks = smoother hits and less camera jitter.

• Audio pass = chunkier bass for melee strikes (it’s already addictive).

• Pipeline improvements shaved hours off sprite exports—especially handy for that coat sway.

What’s Next

Here’s the near-term roadmap:

1. Final polish on the sub-level environment props.

2. Implement and balance the new enemy’s full move set.

3. Lock in boss design and start animations.

Once those pieces come together, I’ll cut a short gameplay clip for the next devlog.

Thanks for following along and for all the comments, ratings, and shares here on itch.io. Your support is what keeps this neon-lit project alive.

See you next time in the underhive,
[Adeptus Celeng}