Devlog #21

This is a kinda long devlog so thanks to everyone who is really reding it all the way.

This update was a bigger gameplay and polish pass focused on turning SpaceGuessr into a more complete and shippable version.

New game mode and scoring changes

• Replaced the old Infinite mode with a new Blind Reveal mode because it’s more fun
• Added countdown support for Blind Reveal
• Reworked scoring so Blind Reveal starts at higher points and drops with each reveal step
• Added streak bonus scoring, so longer streaks now reward extra points
• Updated leaderboard handling so score-chasing modes save automatically after a run

Gameplay and UX improvements

• Added confetti for correct answers (discourse.webflow.com)
• Added a stronger streak animation when a streak continues
• Added danger styling for the countdown when time is low (red)
• Improved answer feedback presentation and round transition
• Added subtle round motion polish plus small audio cues for hints, correct answers, wrong answers, streaks, and end-of-run results

Menu and endscreen polish

• Added a help button in the main menu that opens a smooth animated help panel
• Added scoring explanations directly into the help panel
• Removed the visible dark/light mode toggle and kept the game in the default light theme
• Reworked the endscreen so score saving is more compact
• Removed the large manual “save your best run” panel and switched to automatic score saving when possible
• Added a run summary/final run text on the endscreen so the result feels more personal and less like raw stats only
• Cleaned up feedback so success toasts are gone and only errors appear as top toasts

Leaderboard and save flow

• Added local-first score saving with global leaderboard sync afterward
• Improved fallback behavior when global leaderboard writes fail
• Simplified the save-name experience so the player is only asked for a leaderboard name when needed
• Improved leaderboard modal behavior in the menu

Content expansion

• Added 30 new NASA image entries to the question pool
• ChatGPT helped research and pick these new images from the official NASA Image and Video Library
• Added matching answer sets, facts, and difficulty tags for the new entries

New content includes objects and scenes like:

• Venus
• Io
• Deimos
• Mimas
• Tethys
• Hyperion
• Oberon
• Umbriel
• Titania
• Sun
• Helix Nebula
• Carina Nebula
• Trifid Nebula
• Flame Nebula
• Butterfly Nebula
• Triangulum Galaxy
• Pinwheel Galaxy
• Cartwheel Galaxy
• Centaurus A
• Sculptor Galaxy
• Antennae Galaxies
• M81 Galaxy
• M82 Galaxy
• Stephan Quintet
• Pillars of Creation
• Charon
• Nix
• Hydra
• Phoebe
• Olympus Mons

Current state

At this point the project feels much more release-ready than before, with the biggest remaining work being final balancing, QA across all modes, and a last pass on leaderboard edge cases.