Chiaroscuro - Boss Fights (GMS)

- Chiaroscuro's boss fights are the most intensive parts of the game to design and playtest. Each boss in Chiaroscuro tests the player on a skill they have learned. Some bosses encourage you to understand the game's platforming elements, while others encourage you to learn attack patterns and dodge attacks at the right time. That being said, I had to code each boss independently of one other with each of their tests for the player in mind. Chapters 1 and 2 contain four bosses for the player to challenge, each having a varying level of difficulty and one of the bosses being entirely optional.
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- Designing a boss fight requires knowledge of combining state systems, timers, animation, and visual presentation to create a challenging experience for the player. Balancing the right attacks, alongside having those attacks not feel repetitive and make sense for each particular boss, is the most challenging part. In addition, properly telegraphing each attack is extremely important to maintaining a fair experience for the player.