Sort Potion Mixery demo version is released

Sort Potion Mixery - Devlog

Introduction: Welcome to the official devlog for Sort Potion Mixery! This game has been a magical journey in development, blending the charm of potion crafting with the engaging mechanics of liquid pouring puzzles. I wanted to share the creative process, challenges faced along the way, and what makes this game stand out from other liquid sort games.

Concept & Inspiration: Sort Potion Mixery was born from a desire to create a cozy, fantasy-themed puzzle game where players not only sort colorful liquids but also experience a magical shop management twist. Inspired by classic liquid sort games, I wanted to expand the concept with a rich fantasy setting and rewarding progression.

The goal was to design a puzzle game where the potion-making mechanic feels immersive. The game features:

• Potion Shop Ownership: Players create potions for profit and use earnings to furnish their shop.
• Magical Ingredients: Vibrant, magical liquids with fantasy animations.
• Fantasy Aesthetics: Hand-crafted visuals and a mystical soundtrack to enhance the atmosphere.

Challenges Faced During Development:

1. Design Balance:

   • Making a liquid pouring game visually appealing while keeping gameplay intuitive was a challenge. Early designs felt too simplistic, so I added fantasy-themed potion bottles, magical effects, and whimsical UI elements.

2. Potion Mixing Logic:

   • Ensuring the liquid sorting mechanics were both fun and challenging required careful testing. The game now prevents players from making consecutive 'perfect pours,' adding more strategic depth.

3. Animation Complexity:

   • Implementing smooth pouring animations and ensuring they reflected the player's actions accurately was tricky. I eventually used Unity's BoxCollider2D and particle systems for the flowing liquid effect.

4. Progression & Replayability:

   • Introducing a shop management layer where earnings can be spent on furniture added a unique twist. Balancing this with puzzle difficulty required extensive playtesting.

What Makes Sort Potion Mixery Unique?

Unlike many liquid sorting games, Sort Potion Mixery offers:

• Thematic Depth: The fantasy potion shop setting adds narrative depth and immersion.
• Shop Customization: Earnings from puzzles can be used to decorate and upgrade your potion shop, giving players more creative freedom.
• Potion Unlocking Mini-Game: Beyond standard puzzles, players can unlock new potions through a separate ingredient-mixing challenge.
• Magical Effects: Smooth, magical animations and glowing effects for a more enchanting experience.

Lessons Learned:

• Early Playtesting Matters: Getting feedback early helped identify balance issues in both gameplay and UI design.
• Simplicity vs. Depth: While keeping the core mechanic simple, adding layers like potion unlocking and shop management provided depth without overwhelming players.
• Art Consistency: Staying true to a fantasy art style required ensuring consistency across all elements, from UI to animations.

Next Steps: The game is now in beta testing on Itch.io! I’m actively seeking feedback to fine-tune the balance and explore potential features like:

• Additional mini games
• More content to in-game shop for decorating

Thank you for following the development journey of Sort Potion Mixery! Try the beta, share your feedback, and help shape the future of the game!

The full game will be soon relesed on Google Play in Open Testing.