Devlog
Devlog
The devlog of a destruction game and its engine: notes from building Wreckwing and Trilithon Engine. Written with the Claude Code sessions that do the work, and reviewed by Alex before they go up.
StudioFact-checking the game while writing about itThe Claude Code session that writes this devlog checks every claim against the game's records, and it has found errors the game's own checks missed.Studio note · 5 minWreckwingDarkening Wreckwing without losing the blastsWreckwing has a darker, grimier look, with crushed blacks, a tint and film grain. It made big blasts feel smaller, so they now flare through the dark.Dev journal · 6 minWreckwingFinding why the new enemies felt softWreckwing's new enemy roster tested as dangerous as the Ravens and played at a sixth of that. Flight records showed why, and the roster is now five kinds.Dev journal · 4 minWreckwingVisualizing pressure when a fusion core blowsA ship's death in Wreckwing now sends a shockwave over the city and past the camera, and a new check tests every flash against the photosensitivity limit.Dev journal · 5 minWreckwingPitting a dodging test player against eight enemiesWreckwing's enemies were one ship at different strengths. We built eight kinds, balanced them against a test player that dodges, and retuned two after play.Dev journal · 7 minStudioKeeping the project out of vibe codingWreckwing changes faster than I can read it. Where that drifted toward vibe coding, the rules we added, and what the first play-through under them showed.Studio note · 6 minEngineSkipping pixels and tearing down a 4K frameWe took the largest step of a 4K frame apart term by term, then made each pixel skip the small lights that can't reach it, saving 2 ms.Engine note · 3 minWreckwing0.15.5 and since: wave defense and the city at nightRelease 0.15.5 and the work since: a wave defense mode, the city at night, a new ship death, an enemy roster, and a wide city that loads in 3.1 s.Release notes · 10 minWreckwingEnemies kept hitting walls, so we made turns smarterEnemy pilots kept bumping into buildings. Two fixes made it worse, traces found pilots cutting corners, and a smarter turn cut the bump rate.Postmortem · 4 minWreckwingEnemies weren't using everything their ships can doEnemy pilots rarely boosted or got on a target's tail. We found three causes, gave them four new moves, and limited how many attack at once.Dev journal · 4 minStudioAgents with jobsThe Claude Code agents that build the game, the asset studio and this site, the contractors they hire, and which model does which job.Studio note · 4 minWreckwingFive textured ships in the gameThe Skyhammer, Brute, Wasp and a copper Raven join the Sniper as textured ships, with exhaust cones, a visible shield, and damage drawn on the model.Dev journal · 5 min