Today I had a go at some more features and bug fixes on a post-LD variant:

• Tried reducing memory usage by using CopyOnWriteArrayList. I had been copying the gamestate object array to avoid concurrentmodificationexceptions. I’m going to try modify this to reuse objects instead, but it needs to be threadsafe anyway.
• Made the arrows into an arrow shape and rendered with gradient fills that dont show up at that pixel depth.. For kicks, I made the arrows enlarge as they go up into the air, maybe it looks odd?
• Increased volume of dragon screams. (Why? Why was I created to feel pain?)
• Reduced space between joints to make the dragon less jointy. Neck segment 2 needs scaling slightly.
• Made dragon faster.. This makes the game ridiculously hard at the moment.
• Experimented with tail takes no damage. This lets you hide behind tail to deflect damage then bust through and kill some dudes. Slightly overpowered, but wouldnt be if you were surrounded on all sides.. Needs more art peices and a redone title screen for that though.

Things that are really bugging me:

• Archers need to have bows, though now I’ve got an idea to draw the bows pointing in different directions! When I do this, I will probably change the warrior cloak to be red, and keep the archer in ranger colours, though add some random texturing.

Ideas:

• I had the idea that multi-hits could result in a powerup drop, so two hits within 2 seconds gives you something good.
• Thinking about rendering spent arrows and scene damage into the ground. I created some decent scorchmarks at one time.
• Thinking about making the dragon dart and open its mouth to feed.
• Thinking about making guys explode into gibs you can eat later (maybe).
• Had some Hobbit related ideas about Grandelf and his glitched mare shadowhaxx. Also thought of having a cutscene of the dwarves, with Hobblin’, Dabblin’, Tiffin, and Dave (who comes from a semi-detached house in the suburbs) “What do you mean your name doesnt rhyme with your second cousin’s auntie’s goat?”.