During weeks ten and eleven, development entered the final polishing phase. My primary focus shifted towards enhancing the overarching “game feel” and implementing vital player feedback mechanisms. I integrated particle-based blood effects upon character impact and added basic audio cues, such as punching and kicking sound effects, to give the combat mechanics a satisfying, tangible weight. Alongside this, I finalised the functioning menus and overhauled the user interface navigation. To ensure accessibility across different input methods, I engineered a dynamic UI highlight system that creates a glowing outline around the currently selected option. This guarantees seamless menu navigation whether the user is operating via a controller, keyboard, or mouse.
A significant portion of these two weeks was dedicated to refining the local multiplayer input logic. I implemented a robust Player 1 and Player 2 configuration, purposefully designing the input parameters around optimal user comfort. Player 1 is assigned to a controller, while Player 2 is given the option to select either a keyboard or a secondary controller. I deliberately avoided forcing a shared-keyboard setup; cramming two players onto a single keyboard is ergonomically poor and drastically diminishes the overall user experience. Furthermore, I finalised the character physics, specifically fine-tuning the gravity and jump mechanics. I gave the ‘Air’ character a deliberate, intentional advantage in jump height, cementing their unique aerial identity and adding a layer of strategic depth to the game’s balance.
As we rapidly approached the final submission deadline, critical project management decisions had to be made regarding our remaining scope. Due to rigid time constraints, it became apparent that fully implementing, animating, and balancing the ‘Fire’ character was no longer technically feasible without compromising the stability of the existing build. Consequently, we made the strategic decision to cut the character from the final roster. However, to ensure the art team’s hard work was still showcased, I successfully integrated the completed ‘Fire’ arena into the game’s stage rotation. The remainder of my time was spent conducting rigorous bug-fixing sweeps, resolving all outstanding technical issues to ensure a highly stable, polished final deliverable.