Development Progress Update: Explore the Latest Advancements of Irena!
about 1 month ago – Sat, Mar 16, 2024 at 08:53:58 AM

Dear retro game enthusiasts and investors,

We're delighted to bring you the latest news on the development of Irena, our ambitious project for the SEGA Mega Drive / Genesis. Several months have passed since our last news item, during which our team has been committed to making a multitude of improvements to bring you a quality gaming experience on this iconic console. Explore the diverse landscapes of the planet Xellia at the controls of the Rayden MG323, and get ready for intense, captivating combat.

ROM Optimization 

At this point, we're proud to announce that all five levels of Irena have been fully finalized.  In addition, we've optimized the cartridge's memory, now at 3.6MB, a decision that reflects our commitment to respecting the technical constraints of the time, while paving the way for future content additions.

At the same time, our team has made numerous improvements to the game engine, including a more efficient aiming system for turrets and behavioral adjustments for enemies. But the most significant progress lies in the complete restructuring of the engine to improve the game's overall performance and functionality, guaranteeing a fluid and immersive gaming experience.

Stage 1 - SPACE

Irena's first level has been featured on numerous occasions, and served as a reference for the demo released during the Kickstarter campaign. Since then, the level has undergone several improvements designed to offer players a more immersive experience, with more intense action and a revised difficulty level.

Set in space, the level concludes with an assault on a highly secure station, where players must face the dreaded SCU-18 security system. This station, responsible for protecting the entrance to the atmosphere of the planet Xellia from any external threat, represents a crucial obstacle to the mission's progress. In this level, players will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the controls and game mechanics, while taking on an initial challenge tailored to their skills.

A lot of work went into designing the level, but this step proved essential in laying the foundations for the game, which is based primarily on two-stage levels, each punctuated by an intermediate boss serving as a transition. We're proud to present a shoot'em up offering a diversity of situations within the levels themselves, with rich and varied content.

At this stage, development of the level is fully complete. We are therefore at a stage where modifications should be limited to fixing any bugs and adding minor improvements. This approach allows us to guarantee the stability and quality of the game experience, while concentrating our efforts on the essential aspects of finalizing the game.

Stage 2 - SKYLAND

In level 2, the action continues in the skies above the planet Xellia, as the player faces the army of Emperor Shungor, accompanied by a host of new enemies. Unlike the first level, the first phase of this level uses a warp effect rather than conventional scrolling, offering a visually stimulating and immersive gameplay experience.

This level is available exclusively in the backers-only demo, but it's important to point out that modifications have been made and the experience may be slightly different from that presented previously.

Difficulty increases progressively as the level progresses, requiring constant concentration to succeed. After overcoming the initial defenses, the player gradually descends to a defense station in mid-air, where the confrontation continues with "Yelena" at the controls of a powerful mecha.

We're confident that this level will offer players a thrilling gaming experience, combining intense action, stimulating challenges and epic encounters with formidable opponents.

Although development of the level is complete, we are aware of some performance issues that may arise, including slowdowns during the second phase, especially when many elements are displayed simultaneously on the screen. To ensure a smooth and seamless gaming experience, our team is currently working on optimizations to resolve these issues.

These optimizations include adjustments to graphics rendering, resource optimization and on-screen element management. Our aim is to maintain stable performance while preserving the aesthetics and intensity of the action to deliver an optimal gaming experience for players.

We are determined to resolve these issues quickly and deliver a version of the game that works optimally on all platforms, ensuring that every player can enjoy the adventure to the full without being hampered by performance issues.

Stage 3 - SEA

It's true that some of you may have discovered Irena through our prototype containing the "SEA" level. However, this level has since undergone a significant transformation to match the evolution of the project and harmonize with the other levels in the game. 

This evolution has introduced exciting new elements that promise an even more captivating gaming experience.
In its new version, the "SEA" level has been enriched with the addition of fearsome enemies that are sure to challenge even the most seasoned players. What's more, a second thrilling phase now takes place in a mystical cavern, where players must avoid a variety of devious traps to progress.

This major evolution of the "SEA" level reflects our commitment to offering a rich and varied gaming experience, while maintaining a high level of quality at every stage of development. We look forward to sharing this new version with you and immersing you in the exciting world of Irena.

Development of Level 3 is now complete, and we are pleased to announce that no changes or enhancements are required at this stage. Thanks to the hard work and commitment of our development team, Level 3 offers a complete and polished gaming experience, ready for players to explore.

We've devoted a great deal of time and attention to every detail of this level to ensure total immersion and smooth gameplay. From careful design elements to balanced gameplay mechanics, we're confident that Level 3 will offer players a memorable and rewarding experience.

We look forward to sharing this new content with our community of players and to gathering their reactions and feedback. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for Irena!

Stage 4 - CYBER CITY

Level 4, also known as "Cyber City", represented a major challenge for our team, both technically and visually. We worked hard to bring our ideas to fruition and offer players a unique moment in Irena's world. This level features a striking urban setting, using a distortion effect while scrolling for total immersion.

As with previous levels, players will be treated to a host of new enemies, including the return of a unit familiar to fans of our prototype: cyborgs riding futuristic motorcycles, armed with powerful guns and ready to challenge players' skills. We hope this nod to our prototype will delight long-time fans.

A lot of work has gone into this level's intermediate boss, and we're delighted to see it fully operational. We introduced it in a previous news item, and since then we've made a few modifications to better integrate it into Irena's universe. In particular, we've chosen to make the boss vehicle hover by removing its wheels, giving it an appearance more in keeping with the aesthetics of our game. What's more, this intermediate boss is one of the few to offer two phases of confrontation: one aboard his racing car and the other on foot, guaranteeing a varied and captivating combat experience for players.

We're delighted to announce that development of the level is almost complete. However, we have identified a few adjustments that need to be made to ensure an optimal gameplay experience.

Firstly, we are aware that the intermediate boss battle is currently too difficult. We will be taking the necessary steps to balance this aspect of the game, to ensure that players can meet this challenge in a fair and rewarding manner.

In addition, we have noted that the movements of the robots accompanying the level's final boss also require modifications to improve the balance and fluidity of the combat. We'll be working on these adjustments to deliver a more consistent and immersive gaming experience.

Apart from these specific points, the level is fully functional and ready for players to explore. We are committed to providing a high-quality gaming experience, and will do everything in our power to ensure that every aspect of the level lives up to the expectations of our gaming community.

We thank you for your patience and continued support, and look forward to showing you this new level in all its glory once the fine-tuning is complete.

Stage 5 - PRISON

Level 5 plunges players into a captivating environment, set in a highly secure penitentiary. This crucial mission involves freeing a prisoner who will help Celina locate the secret base where the mothership she is accompanying is imprisoned. The difficulty of this level increases significantly, requiring sustained concentration on the part of players if they hope to progress to the next level.

The intermediate boss represents a formidable challenge that leaves no respite for players, with its numerous projectiles and powerful laser. Facing this formidable adversary will require skill and strategy.

So far, we've chosen not to reveal the second phase of the level, which contains more mature content. Out of respect for the sensibilities of everyone, especially younger players, we have deliberately disabled the scenery on the screenshots to avoid any inappropriate visual shock.

We are confident that this new level will offer an intense and immersive gaming experience, while contributing to the advancement of Irena's captivating plot. We look forward to sharing this new adventure with you!

Development of Irena's Level 5 is nearing completion, but some fine-tuning is needed to perfect it. We have identified opportunities for improvement that will further enrich the gaming experience. Our aim is to create an immersive and engaging environment for players, and to achieve this we plan to make modifications such as adding animation and integrating a hoverboard for the level's boss.

Stage 6 - RAILWAY

Irena's Level 6 takes players on a perilous rail journey, where they will be confronted by a heavily armed train. In the interests of optimizing the gaming experience and ensuring consistency with the game world, we have decided to completely redesign the level. This includes not only a complete overhaul of the train, but also consideration of the possibility of replacing the scenery to better match the overall aesthetic and mood of the game.

In parallel, our team is currently working on the design of the level's boss, who will take the form of a female mecha armed with a powerful assault rifle. Although the intermediate boss has already been created, its integration into the game requires particular attention to ensure a smooth transition between the different phases of the level. As with previous levels, players will have to traverse two distinct stages before facing the level's final boss, adding depth and variety to the gameplay experience.

This redesign of Level 6 demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering an immersive and captivating gaming experience to our community of players. We're confident that these adjustments will enhance players' immersion in Irena's world and deliver an even more rewarding gaming experience. We look forward to sharing this new version of Level 6 with our players and to gathering their enthusiastic feedback.

Stage 7 - SECRET BASE

In Level 7, the player is transported to the bowels of Hell. This secret base represents a formidable challenge, promising a final confrontation as difficult as it is demanding. The introduction of never-before-seen enemies adds to the intensity of the confrontation, their fearsome power a true test of the player's skills. In this crucial battle, every life and credit saved counts to snatch victory from the clutches of hell.

As in previous levels, the player must complete two distinct phases before facing the fearsome final boss, a cyborg samurai ready to do anything to defend his infernal domain. These successive phases add a strategic dimension to the gaming experience, forcing the player to adapt to increasing challenges before the grand final confrontation.

Although the foundations of Level 7 are already in place, there are still some adjustments to be made, particularly in the second phase where certain enemies and the final boss need to be fine-tuned to ensure a balanced and rewarding challenge. We're determined to offer players a memorable final experience, where their dedication and skill will be rewarded to the full.

Level 7 represents the culmination of Irena's adventure, and we're determined to make it an epic and satisfying climax for players. That's why we're working with the utmost care to create a level that lives up to the expectations of our player community, offering an immersive and rewarding experience right to the very end of their journey through Hell.

What remains to be finished

Before tackling the final two levels, we'll be carrying out extensive testing and bug-fixing to ensure an optimal gameplay experience. Level 6 will take you on a thrilling railroad ride, while the final level will plunge you into a secret base where only courage will lead to victory. We've also decided to completely overhaul level 6 to bring you an even more intense action experience. As for level 7, we're staying on the same basis, except for the bosses, which we've decided to replace to make the action more intense. 

Although we've made enormous progress, we're still working hard to finalize the game. We hope to have everything ready for release by the end of 2024, and will keep you informed of our progress through future news updates.

In conclusion, we'd like to express our sincere gratitude for your unfailing support throughout this journey. Although the project has encountered some delays, we have taken this opportunity to fine-tune every aspect of the game, with the sole aim of providing you with an unforgettable experience.

Our team is determined to bring this project to fruition and deliver a game that lives up to your expectations. We thank you for your trust and patience, and hope you will be fully satisfied with the final result. Stay tuned for further updates, and get ready to immerse yourself in the captivating world of Irena.

We'd like to thank you for your continued support and patience. With your help, we're convinced that Irena will be a real success. Stay tuned for more exciting news about our ongoing project.

Sincerely yours, The White Ninja Studio team

December Update: Unveiling the Latest Developments
4 months ago – Wed, Dec 20, 2023 at 01:52:14 PM

Dear supporters of Irena Genesis Metal Fury,

It's finally time to share with you the latest exciting developments in the development of our game. First and foremost, we want to offer our sincere apologies for the lack of communication over the past few months. Your support is incredibly important to us, and we understand your concerns.

Our prolonged silence was motivated by our desire to present you with concrete and thrilling updates, and we are delighted to announce some of these new features. Although our progress has been slower than expected due to development in our free time, we are fully committed to creating an exceptional gaming experience.

News and Progress

Level 4 - "Cyber City":

We have dedicated considerable time to developing the intermediate boss of this level, an epic two-stage confrontation. Inspired by the iconic design of the 1968 Pontiac Val Kimer, we have created the vehicle driven by the red mech. In the first stage, players will need to aim at the skull on the hood. For those without rear fire, a waiting strategy will be necessary as the skull moves across the screen to inflict damage.

In the second stage, face the red mech, demanding repair for the destruction of its machine. Be attentive to its movements and formidable shots! To inflict damage, you'll need to choose the right moment or have the rear fire. Winning quickly will require collecting maximum power-ups in the first part of the level, promising intense action.

After triumphing in the first part of the level, a second exciting section is revealed. Following the tradition set by previous levels, this phase features a map where players must navigate skillfully to avoid obstacles while eliminating as many enemies as possible. We've made significant adjustments to the level design to ensure a smooth and immersive experience in this final stage of the level.

Once this phase is mastered, players will access an entirely new epic scene where the formidable "Krawzer" will appear, accompanied by several mechs. Prepare for an intense and thrilling challenge as you face these formidable opponents.

Dying in Style:

We have also taken the time to rethink certain aspects of gameplay. One notable improvement is the introduction of an animated death for the player-controlled ship, rather than simply using an explosion. This will add a visual and narrative dimension to the gaming experience and differentiate the destruction of the player's ship from that of enemies.

New Continue Screen:

Another significant decision we made is the addition of a new continue screen when the player's ship is in trouble. We found it more coherent to visualize the ship sinking on the screen until the player decides to continue the game. Simultaneously, the continue screen will be recycled for the "Game Over" screen.

What Remains Before Completing Development?

Although the game is well advanced, several elements still require our attention to complete the project. The development of bosses for the last three levels is our immediate priority. We anticipate rapid progress in this stage, except for the final boss, for which we will dedicate special effort to offer you a memorable conclusion to this ultimate phase of the game.

Simultaneously, thorough tests will be conducted to identify and rectify any potential bugs or issues. In order to optimize the visual experience, we also plan to make subtle improvements to the cinematics, emphasizing the finishing touches and refining every aspect of the game.

We have taken concrete measures to overcome the challenges encountered. A meticulous reorganization of our schedule has taken place, and we have successfully integrated new elements that will enrich the world of Irena Genesis Metal Fury. Significant improvements have been made to the gameplay, and work on new levels is underway. The visuals, already impressive, have been refined to offer an even more immersive visual experience.

We understand that the wait can be frustrating, but rest assured that we are not compromising on quality. While we cannot provide specific release dates, be certain that we are doing everything in our power to expedite the process.

We have taken note of your concern regarding communication and are committed to improving this aspect in the future. Regular updates on the project's progress will now be the norm.

We sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding. Your continued support is crucial, and we are eager to share this adventure with you.

Website Update:

You may have noticed that our White Ninja Studio website has been inaccessible for some time. Although this may seem concerning, we have decided not to renew the domain name because the site did not serve a real purpose for communication. In reality, we have always favored social media and the Itchio platform to share our news. However, we have exciting news on this matter! We plan to launch a brand new website dedicated to Irena Genesis Metal Fury, including the player score leaderboard. Stay tuned for this exciting update!

We'd like to wish you all a happy festive season, and we'll be back very soon to bring you our latest progress.

Thank you for being part of the Irena Genesis Metal Fury community.

Best regards, White Ninja Team

September update
8 months ago – Tue, Sep 05, 2023 at 10:25:49 AM

Dear backers and SEGA Mega Drive / Genesis enthusiasts,

As the summer vacations draw to a close, we're delighted to welcome you back for an explosive update on the development of our long-awaited Mega Drive game! Since the launch of our Kickstarter campaign, our team has been hard at work turning this shoot'em up into a legendary gaming experience, and we can't wait to share our progress with you.

Back to school not only means back to school, but also a new impetus for our project. We know you're as excited as we are about reliving the golden age of arcade games on your Mega Drive, and we're determined to make this vision a reality. Over the last few months, our development team has worked tirelessly to refine every pixel, every sound detail and every aspect of gameplay to bring you a gaming experience that evokes nostalgia while adding a touch of modernity.

Over the last few weeks, the major challenge has been to fit all the game's elements into a standard 4MB cartridge. To achieve this, we had to optimize numerous graphics and audio resources, while reducing the size of the code as much as possible. All in all, we have gained a significant amount of memory, which will enable us to add the various missing elements, namely the bosses.

We also had to optimize the use of the console's internal memory, particularly for European consoles which require more memory with SGDK. By reviewing the source code, we were able to make various optimizations and bug fixes. In addition, we reworked the game design of each level, with the aim of improving the pace of the action with less monotonous sequences.

Our team's tireless efforts and your invaluable support have enabled us to overcome these technical challenges and perfect every aspect of our Mega Drive game. We look forward to showing you these improvements in our next update, which will include exclusive gameplay previews and stunning visuals.

We understand that many of you have been asking us how to pre-order Irena Genesis Metal Fury. As we've mentioned on several occasions, pre-orders are no longer possible. You'll have to wait until the game's release to get a copy from Mega Cat Studio or Broke Studio, depending on your location.

We're aware of your dissatisfaction with the length of development, which seems to be dragging on, but we're doing everything we can to finalize the game for the festive season. Our aim is to bring you a quality action game that will have a place of honour in your collection of SEGA Mega Drive / Genesis games.

Thank you for your patience and continued support. We're determined to bring you an unforgettable gaming experience on your beloved console.

Stay tuned, stay retro!

White Ninja Studio team

April update
12 months ago – Mon, May 01, 2023 at 04:42:57 AM

Welcome to the next update ! During the last weeks, we have been working mainly on the last level which will take place in two stages. The first stage will use a scrolling scenery and a self-defense system attacking from the ground. If you're good enough, you'll get to the secret base, which will be the last step to victory! As mentioned in the previous update, we wanted to take inspiration from the last level of Thunder Force III for this final. Of course, we didn't want to have something similar in order to offer you a unique experience by bringing some ideas and an exclusive graphic style.

In this second part, the player will have to make his way to the secret room by avoiding different traps located everywhere. Beware of the lasers that will block the passage and the electric fields when you brush against the ground! Several new enemies will be present and for fun, we have added some destructible boxes with the inscription "65C". But what could it be? The more observant among you will notice a very familiar processor chip that will appear several times in the background. In this level, the various power ups to be retrieved are indicated before destroying the blocks, but you'll have to find them and retrieve them quickly to avoid getting stuck! We hope you will appreciate our efforts to offer you detailed graphics while respecting the graphic style of the Genesis / Mega Drive games.

To accompany the action of this level, we wanted to get a mix of "synthwave" and metal to immerse you even more deeply in the atmosphere of Irena that will remind you of the best action movies of the time. This music was first composed with real instruments and will be used in the Sega CD / Mega CD version of Irena Genesis Metal Fury. Turn up your stereo and listen to this preview!

He's cool and nasty, the middle boss of level 4 is finally finished! This big robot has a super stylish car inspired by the American models marketed in the 80s. This middle boss has the particularity of taking place in two stages. The first stage will consist of destroying the vehicle before facing the robot by avoiding its devastating attacks. After winning, the player will be able to access the second part of the level and face "Krawzer", a boss that is currently in progress.

As we mentioned in the previous update, we are currently working on the different bosses that will be in the game. We have almost finished the design of all the levels and during the next few days we will improve the level design and try to apply various optimizations to gain performance and memory.

Just a little more patience, we are still working hard to finalize Irena Genesis Metal Fury and we will come back in a few weeks to keep you updated on our progress with some videos and screenshots.

White Ninja Studio team

February update
about 1 year ago – Tue, Feb 28, 2023 at 11:48:37 AM

Hi Genesis World! The development of Irena Genesis Metal Fury on SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive is still ongoing and after several weeks of work, it was time to publish an update to keep you informed of our latest progress.

We didn't release an update during the month of January, as we were mainly working on content that we don't want to reveal before the official release of the game. Therefore, we did not have enough information to release an update for the month of January. We hope you will understand our choice.

During the last few weeks, we have been working mainly on the development of the middle boss of level 4 "Cyber City", which you will have to face in two stages. In the first stage, the boss will appear in a vehicle for the first phase of combat. After having inflicted important damages to the vehicle, you will have to face directly the boss in the form of a big robot. Both phases will take place in a slightly different scene from the first stage of the level as we will be using a new background where we can see some references including "SEGA" above a building.

We continued working on level 5 which takes place in a highly secured penitentiary. As a reminder, the goal of the mission will be to deliver a hacker who will help Celina find the exact location of the secret base where the source of the magnetic field that holds her mothership is located. In a previous update, we presented the first part of the level and this time we are talking about the second part which uses a new type of scrolling! Indeed, we decided to bring a little diversity with a special sequence using vertical scrolling just for the pleasure of the eyes and intensified the action. 

In the video below, we have voluntarily hidden a new and original background. We will have to wait for the official release to discover it. Indeed, we are at a stage of development where we are forced to keep certain elements secret, because we want to surprise players and not spoil the pleasure of discovery.

We have continued to work on level 6 by integrating the train that must be stopped. The latter will receive some visual modifications in order to improve the graphic rendering and correct some defects. We hesitated for a long time if the train should collide with the player and the projectiles. In order not to make the level too difficult because of the limited movement space, we have disabled the collisions with the train. This also makes it easier for us to work on the level design since some of the enemies will be able to go over the train.

In the last few days, we started to make the second part of level 7 which will take place in the secret base before the final confrontation. The tileset to draw the map on the screen is being developed and we wanted to get something close to the "ORN BASE" level from Thunder Force III as a reference. Please note that we will not be showing any videos or screenshots of this level until the game is officially released.

After several weeks of consideration, we made the decision to add mature content to keep in line with the world we wanted to create at the beginning of development. As a result, the game's box will have a classification logo depending on the location where it will be distributed. For Europe, the PEGI 16 logo will be present in order to protect younger children from content that could be shocking. In addition, we may decide to change the content displayed on the screen depending on the region of the console.

As we mentioned at the beginning of this update, the development of Irena Genesis Metal Fury is progressing well despite the significant delay we have experienced and we would like to apologize once again to our backers. We are working hard to bring you a quality game that you will enjoy on your SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive. At the moment, we are still working on the different bosses for the levels 4, 5, 6 and 7. Most of the cinematics are finished, but there is still the ending to do. We also still have to make level 7, especially the second part which will take place in a secret base.

During the month of March, we will continue to work on the missing bosses and we will revise the level design for the six levels. In parallel we will work on level 7 and improve the code if necessary. We hope to progress quickly so that we can focus on the manual which is not yet finished.

As a reminder, our composer SpaceCastle has rewritten some of the game's music to better fit the game's universe. Thus, the music of the title screen will be different from the demo and each music will have a version with real instruments that will be used for a future Mega CD version of Irena Genesis Metal Fury that we plan to develop after the release of the game on SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive. 

We would like to take the opportunity of this update to announce that we have recently opened a new room on the Irena Genesis Metal Fury Discord server to share videos and screenshots about our progress. Please note that this room is only for people who want to get information about the development of the game! A lot of the published information could spoil the pleasure of discovering the game at its release and we advise you to take precautions before entering.

We thank you for your patience and hope you enjoyed the content of this update. We will be back at the end of March to update you on the development of Irena Genesis Metal Fury.

The White Ninja Studio team