The Power of Prototyping

I had a great experience developing "Kadzen" for three reasons.

• I had previous experience using the LOVE engine and had already completed three small games.
• I had created my own templates and libraries that I used on top of the engine.
• I broke down the development process into several stages. Firstly, I focused on the procedural generation of the maze. Then, I worked on implementing enemy AI. Finally, I polished the sprites and special effects.

To generate the mazes in "Kadzen," I used four different methods. For the first level, I used backtracking. For the second level, I used the sidewinder algorithm. For the third level, I used Eller's algorithm. The fourth level was the easiest to create because it consisted of a hallway filled with columns. However, it was also the most challenging to play.

To implement enemy AI in "Kadzen," I used some custom debug tools to help me fix issues with the pathfinding algorithm. 

The enemies in the game have their own unique behavior. "Spiders" can detect the player's movements through walls, "Tanks" will shoot when they see the player, and "Razors" move faster when they spot the player. 

Finally, I added several elements to "Kadzen," including UI elements, animations, particle effects, and fixed some issues with sprite layers. 

In addition, I implemented a simple economy loop in which the player could collect pieces of robot bodies after destroying them with dynamite. The player could use the collected pieces to buy armor, additional dynamite, and upgrade the TNT power. 

Overall, these additions helped to enhance the gameplay and made the experience more engaging for the player.