Samurai Defense 🏯🧟

Samurai Defense is a 2D action-strategy mobile game developed in Unity.

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Technologies

• Engine: Unity (2D)
• Language: C#
• Input: Unity New Input System

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Development Diary

Current Status: Final Version (1.0) - Game Completed!

The project features a complete and polished core game loop: Tutorial -> 5-Level Campaign with progressive difficulty and content -> Upgrades Shop (Dojo) -> Final Boss Battle -> Cinematic Credits Scene and New Game option.

Phase 1: Core Systems & Animation

• New Input System: Full implementation of Unity's modern input system.
• Movement: The character (Samurai) moves from left to right using a keyboard (WASD/Arrows) or Gamepad.
• Code Logic: Modified the SamuraiControl.cs script to handle player inputs and character states.
• Sprites & Physics: Imported the Samurai sprites and adjusted the Box Colliders and ground boundaries to ensure the character walks properly on the terrain.
• Animation System: Implemented Idle and Run states managed by the Walking boolean in the Animator.
• Basic Combat System: Integrated the sword slash animation and configured transition arrows. Implemented code logic to "freeze" the character's movement while attacking.
• Camera: Created the CamaraMovements.cs script for a Smooth Follow camera.

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Phase 2: Core Loop Completed, Automation, and Feedback

In this phase, actual combat was defined. The game evolved from manual controls to a smart "Auto-Battler" system, and visual feedback systems (health bars, damage) were integrated.

1. Bug Fixes and Polish

• Cooldowns: Fixed the "Double Attack" bug by implementing wait times.
• Multi-Hit: Used lists to prevent a single attack from damaging multiple enemies multiple times in a single frame.
• Pivots: Adjusted sprites to "Bottom Center" to fix visual jumping during animations.

2. Combat System: Smart "Auto-Battler"

• Automation: Manual attacking was removed. The Samurai now manages combat autonomously:
  • Priority 1 (Short Range): If it detects an enemy at close range -> Sword.
  • Priority 2 (Long Range): If no one is close, it checks long range -> Bow.
• Auto-Aiming (Trigonometry): Implemented Mathf.Atan2 so arrows calculate the exact trajectory towards the enemy's chest, compensating for height differences.
• Action Locking: The character only attacks if standing still and the enemy is truly in front of them (dot product), preventing "sliding" across the floor.

3. Advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Improved Sensors: Zombies use a filtered OverlapCircleAll to ignore the player's sensors (like the attack hitbox) and only stop at the physical body.
• Health Bars (World Space UI): Each enemy has its own floating health bar that moves with it.
• Horde Physics: Adjusted the Collision Matrix so enemies overlap with each other (preventing chaotic pushing) but still collide with the player.

4. Environment and Defense

• Sacred Tower: Defendable object with a health system and Sprite swapping (destruction) upon falling.
• Target Logic: Enemies identify the tower as a priority target.

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Phase 3: Level Management, Economy, and Allies

In this phase, the action prototype was transformed into a full strategy game, adding resource management, allied units, and game structure.

1. Game Structure (Game Loop)

• Wave System: Configurable GeneradorEnemigos script with wave lists (number of zombies and spawn times).
• Victory Logic: Implemented WaitUntil to wait for the last enemy to die before declaring victory.
• Scene Flow: Created Main Menu, Game screen, and Victory/Defeat panels with level reset functionality.

2. Economy and Shop

• Coin System: Enemies drop money upon death.
• UI: Real-time coin counter.
• Summoning: UI button to buy allies (Farmers) if the player has enough balance.

3. Allies System (Farmers)

• Ally AI: Created the GranjeroIA script, which detects zombies and fights in melee combat.
• Interaction: Zombies now recognize allies as valid targets and attack them.
• Health Bars: Implemented floating UI (World Space) for allies as well.
• Logic Fixes: Fixed "shooting at corpses" issues (checking estaMuerto before attacking) and death physics (disabling gravity).

4. Audio and Feedback

• Sound Effects (SFX): Integrated audio for sword slashes and arrow shots.
• Music (BGM): Distinct audio tracks for the Menu and Battle.
• Dramatic Silence: Logic in the GameManager to stop the music upon winning or losing.

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Phase 4: Archers, Kamikaze Ghosts, and AI Improvements

In this phase, strategic depth was added by introducing ranged units and flying "kamikaze" enemies, forcing the player to better manage their defenses.

1. New Allied Unit: Archer

• State Machine: Implemented Run ↔ Idle ↔ Attack logic. The unit stops automatically when detecting enemies, shoots, and moves forward again.
• Animation Events: A professional solution for shooting. Animation Events were implemented to instantiate the arrow on the exact frame of the animation.
• Projectile Physics: Calculated rotation and direction so arrows fly toward the target.

2. New Enemy: Kamikaze Ghost

• Flying Unit: An enemy that ignores collisions with other ground units.
• Suicidal Behavior: Basic AI that moves straight toward the target and deals immediate damage upon impact, destroying itself in the process.
• Counterplay: Introduces the actual need to use Archers to shoot them down before they reach the tower or the player.

3. Advanced Enemy AI (Refactoring)

• Multi-Target Radar: Updated the ZombiIA script to detect three priorities: Tower, Samurai, and Allies.
• Target Management: Zombies now dynamically switch targets if their current victim dies or escapes.

4. Economy

• Shop Updated: Modified GeneradorAliados to include purchasing Archers (Cost: 15 coins).

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Phase 5: Visual Feedback, Bosses, Advanced Waves, and Full UI

In this phase, the complete game cycle was finalized, improving the impact sensation (Game Juice), adding a final challenge (Boss), rewriting the wave system, and finishing all user interfaces and scene navigation.

1. Visual Feedback (Game Juice)

• Blood System: Implemented particles upon taking damage. Now, every hit on an enemy instantiates a visual effect that disappears after a few seconds.

2. The Final Boss

• Giant Variant: Created a new "ZombiBoss" enemy (1.5x Scale).
• Buffed Stats: Adjusted health (x5), high damage, and reduced speed to create a "tank".

3. Flight Mechanic (Ghost)

• Height Sensor: VueloFantasma script using a Raycast to detect the ground.
• Dynamic Hovering: Automatic vertical adjustment to climb ramps without standard gravity physics.

4. Waves System 2.0

• Parallel Spawning: New logic that allows simultaneous spawning of different enemy types.
• Tag Detection: The system now waits for the screen to be cleared by detecting the Enemigo Tag.

5. User Interface (UI) and Flow

• State Management: Victory, Defeat, and Pause screens with time freezing (Time.timeScale).
• Navigation: Configured Build Settings to connect the Menu and Game scenes.

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Phase 6: Mobile Controls, Balancing, and Visual Art

The focus of this phase was transforming the project into a final Android product by implementing touch controls, balancing difficulty, and drastically improving aesthetics.

1. Touch Controls (Mobile Ready)

• Virtual Joystick: Implemented the On-Screen Stick component from the New Input System.
• Codeless Integration: Mapped the Joystick to the Player/Move action (Gamepad Left Stick), allowing the Samurai to move on mobile without modifying its original script.
• Controller UI: Visual design of the joystick (Knob and Background) on the Canvas.

2. Art and Environment (Background)

• Parallax/Static Background: Imported 2D art (Feudal Japan) to replace the gray background.
• Sorting Layers: Created and configured rendering layers (Fondo vs Default) to ensure the environment stays behind the characters.
• Invisible Ground: Design technique that hides the physical ground's SpriteRenderer (Floor), allowing the player to interact with the collider while visually "walking" on the drawn path in the background.

3. Game Balancing (Game Design)

• Difficulty Curve: Adjusted key variables to make the game fun but challenging.
  • Boss: Massive health increase and coin reward.
  • Ghosts: High speed and damage, but low health ("Kamikaze" style enemies).
  • Economy: Adjusted unit costs (cheap Farmer, expensive Archer) and starting coins.

4. Typography and UI Aesthetics

• TextMeshPro Font Assets: Imported and "baked" (SDF) stylized Japanese fonts to improve the visual quality of titles and menus.

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Phase 7: Game Juice, Visual Effects, and Pro UI

The goal of this phase was to elevate visual quality ("Game Juice") and user experience (UX). Cinematic systems, persistent particle effects, and a totally revamped thematic interface were implemented.

1. Cinematic Camera System

• Dynamic Zoom: Implemented automatic camera sequences:
  • Intro: Smooth zoom-in on the Samurai when starting the match.
  • Outro: Panoramic zoom-out upon winning or losing to show the final state of the battlefield.
• Real-Time Management: Used Time.unscaledDeltaTime in camera scripts to allow fluid animations even when the game is technically paused (TimeScale = 0).

2. Visual Effects (VFX) and Feedback

• Fireworks System: Created the LanzadorFestivo and ProyectilFestivo logic.
  • Custom Physics: Rockets with straight trajectories and dynamic rotation so the tip always faces its flight direction.
  • Ignore Pause: Configured Particle Systems to Unscaled Time mode so explosions continue animating behind the Victory menu.
• UI Animations: Entry effects ("Pop-up" with bounce) for Victory and Defeat banners.

3. Total Interface Renovation (HUD)

• Thematic Aesthetics: Replaced placeholder buttons with "Samurai" style assets (wood, scrolls, golden frames).
• Iconography: Integrated coin icons into unit costs and the global counter to unify the visual language.
• Clean Layout: Reorganized the Canvas, clearly separating the gameplay HUD, Pause Menu, and End Game screens.
• Victory Screen: High-impact design with a thematic logo, particles, and integrated buttons.

4. Pause System

• Game Logic: Full implementation of PausarJuego() and ReanudarJuego() managing Time.timeScale.
• UI Integration: Functional pause menu with options to resume or return to the main menu.

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Phase 8: Interactive Tutorial, Dialogues, and Ghosts

• Tutorial Manager: Created a manager script that controls game flow through phases (Intro -> Combat -> Buy Farmer -> Horde -> Buy Archer).
• Dialogue System: Implemented an "Ancient Scroll" UI that pauses the game (Time.timeScale) to give instructions to the player.
• Flying Enemies (Ghosts): VueloFantasma script using Raycast to hover at a constant height above the terrain's relief.
• Archer AI Improvement: Aim correction by calculating angles and gravity-less physics for arrows.

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Phase 9: Meta-Game, Upgrade System (Dojo), and Level 1

• Save System (DatosJugador): Static script based on PlayerPrefs to save progress and the new currency: "Upgrade Points" (Tokens).
• The Dojo: Permanent upgrade shop with evolving graphics and a "Respec" (Reset) mechanic to recover points.
• Stat Scaling: Allies now read their saved data when starting a match to dynamically modify health, damage, and range.
• First Campaign Level (Level 1): Created the Nivel_1 scene with anti-farming protection for delivering upgrade points upon completion.

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Phase 10: Campaign Design, New Troops, and Final Boss

In this final major development phase, the game was completed. The exact progression for all 5 levels was designed, advanced troops were integrated, interfaces were revamped, and an epic narrative and playable conclusion was created.

1. Level Progression (Full Campaign)

• Global Interface Adjustments: Reviewed, anchored (Anchors), and unified interfaces (health bars, buttons, menus) across all levels to ensure consistency on multiple resolutions.
• Level 2 (The Tank): Introduced the Ronin, a new melee allied unit with massive area damage and a multi-target radar, ideal for stopping large hordes.
• Level 3 (Ranged Threat): Implemented a new background scenario. Introduced Zombie Archers, forcing the player to adapt their defenses.
• Level 4 (Explosions): Unlocked the Ninja, the ultimate allied unit. Throws bombs with Area of Effect damage and features a smart "Anti-Air Filter" (ignores ghosts to clear ground zombies).
• Dynamic Scaling: Enemies increase their stats (health and damage) depending on the level they appear in, using the EscalarEstadisticas(nivel) function.

2. Final Battle: The Ice King (Level 5)

• "The Awakening" Mechanic: The Boss enters in a dormant state. He has a timer before advancing, but will "awaken" instantly if an ally enters his detection range.
• Immovable Physics: Used RigidbodyConstraints2D to lock the Boss's X-axis while attacking or sleeping, preventing zombie hordes from pushing him.
• Simultaneous Hordes: The GeneradorEnemigos counts living enemies selectively (ignoring the Boss), allowing waves to keep flowing continuously while the boss is still alive.

3. Narrative Closure and Final Polish

• Credits Scene: Created a cinematic slow-motion transition (Time.timeScale = 0.5f) upon defeating the Ice King.
• Farewell Dialogues: The Mentor returns for a few final words of victory using the scroll system (adapted to the New Input System).
• Hard Reset ("New Legend"): Implemented a final button that uses PlayerPrefs.DeleteAll() and clears the upgrades shop to allow full replayability from scratch.

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Future Possible Expansions

Even though the base game is fully complete (v1.0), the scalable architecture allows for easy content additions:

• Survival Mode: An infinite level where waves generate procedurally and difficulty scales endlessly.
• New Environments: Different biomes and terrain mechanics (e.g., areas that slow down characters).
• Active Abilities: On-screen buttons allowing the player to manually cast spells (e.g., Arrow Rain) with cooldowns.
• Animation Improvements: Fix minor animation bugs.