- Devlog #4 - Weapon Classes - Part 1 - 23 November 2023
Hey, folks! In the previous devlogs I mentioned weapon classes a few times, and this week I’d like to introduce you to two (out of four) weapon classes of the Keep Those Bugs Away From The Bomb universe in more detail. When making the switch from B.I.O.T.A. Swarm to Keep Those Bugs Away From The Bomb, it was one of my top priorities to make the weapons system as enjoyable as possible. I wanted the weapons and their upgrades to be complex and detailed, so you would enjoy playing around with various combos and loadouts. Here’s a little rundown of how that will go down using the example of Electric and Fire weapon classes, Electric class weapons Weapons in the electric class, as the name implies, run on electricity. They include tasers, lightning generators, and sometimes also faulty cell phone batteries. Here's a list of ones that are already in the prototype: Taser You could call it the…
- Devlog #3 - Modifiers & Inventory - 9 November 2023
Hi everyone, In today’s Devlog I want to focus on two systems that have changed the most between B.I.O.T.A. Swarm and KTBAFTB - the modifier system and the brand new inventory. (Those took a lot of time to be researched, designed and implemented, taking up a good part of the summer), Since I made the switch from B.I.O.T.A. Swarm to Keep Those Bugs Away From The Bomb I wanted to provide as much customization and modification possibilities to the players as I could think of. I'd love to see what you think about what I have come up with. Modifiers In B.I.O.T.A. Swarm each weapon or item used to have fixed attributes, which meant that their stats, like range, damage, and ratios, remained constant throughout the entire game. This simplistic approach lacked the depth I was striving for in gameplay. And how does it work now? I introduced a rather complex modifier system that allows various gam…
- Devlog #2 - Levelling up the currency - 20 October 2023
Hi everyone! After the last Devlog you know what happened to B.I.O.T.A. Swarm, and how it transformed into Keep Those Bugs Away From The Bomb. Today you will learn more about currency you will come across when defending the bomb. Certainly one of the most unsatisfactory aspects in the previous version (again considering both the testers' point of view and mine as a developer) were the mechanics of levelling up and gaining new power-ups. In B.I.O.T.A. Swarm it went like that: Initially, to give a more immediate and "arcade" feel, power-ups were earned with a similar logic to Vampire Survivors: the more enemies you killed, the more experience points you earned. Once you got enough experience to level up, you could choose one of three randomly presented items. The selected item was then immediately equipped in the weapons/powerups slot. This repeated each time the player leveled up. I soon…
- Devlog #1 - From B.I.O.T.A. Swarm to Keep Those Bugs Away From The Bomb - 5 October 2023
Hey folks, Ivan, a.k.a. small bros here, welcome to my first dev log! From now on you can expect regular updates on the game I’m currently working on, as well as some behind the scenes info about the previous iteration of Keep Those Bugs Away From The Bomb, which was B.I.O.T.A. Swarm. Those who have been hanging around here for a while, or have followed my previous game, B.I.O.T.A., probably remember that “Swarm” was planned as a direct spin-off of the original B.I.O.T.A., retaining its art style and core mechanics. After the initial work on the vertical slice, which is basically a playable part of a game, like a Demo, B.I.O.T.A. Swarm had its first playtests, both internal and external. The overall feedback was less than comforting, and it pushed me to take a few steps back and rethink the game’s direction. Many players pointed out that they had trouble understanding the gameplay loop,…
- Enter: Keep Those Bugs Away From the Bomb! - 30 September 2023
Hey everyone! It's been a while, but we've been preeeeeetty busy the last few months! After the original reveal and some playtesting we went back to the lab and started working on improving the game. Over the course of the last few months, our project underwent rather substantial changes to its visuals, gameplay loop, and overall vision. We realized it wasn't B.I.O.T.A. Swarm anymore, but a whole new game... Introducing: Keep Those Bugs Away From The Bomb, or KTBAFTB for short. No dots this time! The gameplay foundations did not change that much from B.I.O.T.A. Swarm. Keep Those Bugs Away From The Bomb is a quick bullet hell roguelike which features dozens of weapons and upgrades to make sure each run feels unique. Your goal? Simple, yet you probably know the answer: Keep Those Bugs Away From The Bomb! Get ready to blast the alien swarm! Yep - alien swarms - still there. Coming in 2024…
- Check this gameplay with commentary! - 27 October 2022
Hey everyone, This week we’re part of the MIX Next online showcase and want to share with you a closer look at the gameplay in B.I.O.T.A. Swarm. Check out our video with commentary by a friendly alien. We hope you like it! Be sure to wishlist the game and join us on Discord!
- Check out our new artwork! - 17 October 2022
Hey everyone, We’ve updated the look of our Steam card with new artwork and a slightly refreshed logo. It’s now more eye-catching ahead of the upcoming MIX Next on October 27. We’ll have something special to share during this event, so be sure to tune in… Our new looks are the work of comics creator and illustrator Łukasz Kowalczuk who perfectly captured the colorful bullet hell chaos and the alien threat that you’ll face while playing B.I.O.T.A. Swarm next year. We hope you like it! Be sure to wishlist the game and join us on Discord!
- Welcome Survivors! - 16 September 2022
Hey everyone, Thanks for checking out our game! B.I.O.T.A. Swarm is all about quick bullet hell fun and high replayability as you clear the arenas, rescue survivors, beat the boss, and unlock new heroes, guns, and skills in randomized campaigns. The game is being made by Ivan Porrini, aka small bros, a one-man-army indie developer from Italy. His previous works include the original 2D platformer B.I.O.T.A. which Swarm is loosely based on. If you like what you see, please add B.I.O.T.A. Swarm to your wishlist, follow small bros on Twitter, and join our Discord server for a chat.
