🚀 Setting the Stage for MAJOR Game Progression & Menu Overhaul (Build 0.5.0)

Hey everyone! 👋

This update marks a major step forward for BitJump — introducing a new boomerang progression system, expanded UI functionality, and a full visual pass on both the pause and remap controls menus. It’s a mix of mechanical depth and visual polish that starts setting the stage for BitJump’s long-term progression design.

🌀 Boomerang Level-Up System

The boomerang now grows with you! This new system allows players to unlock charge levels, giving a sense of progression and mastery over your main weapon.

Charge Levels Overview (These charge states are basically unchanged from before, but now the player must unlock them.

• Tap Throw: Base form — No charge. Standard speed, distance, and pierce.

• Level 1: One charge. Faster throw, longer range, greater pierce.

• Level 2: Two charges. Stronger, faster, even longer distance.

• Level 3: Three charges. Fastest, furthest, and most powerful — the final upgrade.

Each charge tier feels distinct, both visually and mechanically, and will later tie into story progression and collectible upgrades.

The System Also Introduces:

• The concept of the player “having” the boomerang, meaning some levels or story moments can now begin without it — integral in a yet to be created game opening sequence where the player fist unlocks the boomerang as well as great for puzzles or challenge stages.

• Potential for future mechanics like retrieving a stolen boomerang, or stages where the weapon is temporarily disabled.

• A custom “no boomerang” animation and sound when trying to throw without it.

Future ideas being explored:

• Custom boomerang colors and trail styles

• Elemental status effects (fire, ice, electricity) with damage multipliers

• Additional stat boosts (speed, damage, pierce) as temporary or permanent upgrades

This feature not only adds mechanical depth but opens up creative opportunities for progression, level design, and even storytelling.

⚙️ UI Redesign — Pause & Remap Controls

This version also delivers a complete visual and functional overhaul of the game’s UI elements — specifically the Pause Menu and Remap Controls screen.

🧭 Pause Menu

• Fully restructured with a tabbed layout (Player / Settings / Exit).

  • Player tab shows the characters base information such as current health, coins, and boomerang status

  • Settings tab shows options to restart the stage, exit back to level select, exit to title, as well as temporary debug system where you can toggle whether you have the boomerang or not and what charge level it is set to.

• Smooth controller, keyboard, and mouse navigation between tabs.

🎮 Remap Controls

• Fully redesigned to match the new HUD and pause menu style.

• Unified mouse + keyboard highlight logic — single-cell precision with the same highlight color across input methods.

• Fixed hitboxes and exact alignment to GUI scaling (540×540).

• Added debug overlay toggle (Ctrl) to visualize the X-close hitbox.

• Polished “press a key” input-capture flow with proper cancel and escape logic.

• Natural looping between top (X) → cells → bottom buttons for both keyboard and controller.

🔮 Coming Next

Work has already started on:

• A save-state system, so players can continue exactly where they left off.

• Additional boomerang-based puzzles and enemy interactions to take advantage of charge levels.

• Expanded world map interactivity and level unlock progression tied to your boomerang upgrades. (Maybe stores?)

• Experiments with customizable boomerangs that change gameplay style.

💭 Closing Thoughts

This version laid a lot of groundwork behind the scenes — systems that make future content easier to build, from weapon progression to UI consistency. It’s one of those updates that quietly sets up a lot of exciting possibilities down the road, and it’s great finally seeing those pieces fit together in-game. Finally below I encourage you to...

❤️ Play the Prototype & Share Feedback!

Feedback I’d love to hear from players:

• How does the new boomerang charge system feel in practice?

• Do the pause and remap UIs feel intuitive and responsive?

• Any thoughts on what kinds of boomerang abilities or upgrades you’d want next?

Every bit of feedback helps shape BitJump’s direction — thank you all so much for checking it out, playing, and sharing your thoughts. 🙏
There’s a lot more to come — and this update feels like a huge step toward what BitJump is meant to become.