Bacon May Die

🥓 Kinetic Flow and Stunlock Mechanics

Bacon May Die simplifies the brawler genre by automating the Z-axis movement (or linear progression) while giving the player complete control over the combat state. This design choice removes the friction of platforming, allowing the player to enter a pure Flow State focused entirely on damage output and evasion. The physics engine emphasizes knockback chaining. Hitting an enemy acts as a force vector; hitting them repeatedly keeps them in the air (juggling), effectively stunning them and neutralizing their AI.

The game blends melee and ranged combat seamlessly. The transition frames between swinging a bat and firing a shotgun are near-zero, enabling "animation cancelling" techniques that maximize Damage Per Second (DPS).

🧠 Reflexive Combo Processing

The cognitive load focuses on enemy prioritization:

• Threat Identification: The screen fills with varied enemy types (flying, ranged, melee). The brain must rapidly classify threats: "Shoot the flying bacon, melee the ground bacon."
• Rhythm Maintenance: The combat is rhythmic. Mashing buttons works initially, but timed inputs create critical hits and deflect enemy projectiles (Parry mechanic).

🎮 Mechanics: The Arsenal

Inventory impact on physics:

• Melee Weapons: Short range, high knockback. Essential for defense (deflecting bullets).
• Ranged Weapons: Long range, low knockback. Used for crowd control.
• Outfit Stats: While mostly cosmetic, certain visual cues help the player track their avatar amidst the chaotic particle effects of the battlefield.

🏆 Survival Strategy

1. The "Rolling" Dodge

Movement is your best defense. Double-tapping or holding the directional keys triggers a roll. During the roll animation, the character has "Invincibility Frames" (I-Frames). abuse this mechanic to pass through explosions unharmed.

2. Projectile Reflection

Do not dodge bullets; hit them. Swinging your melee weapon at the exact moment a projectile arrives reflects it back at the shooter. This is often more effective than shooting, as reflected damage scales with the enemy's power.

🛡️ Technical Implementation

Engine notes:

• 2D Skeletal Animation: Uses segmented sprites (arms, legs, head separate) to allow for fluid combat animations that blend independent of the movement state.

❓ FAQ