Latest Debug: Problems with Cursor

Issue Explanation

In our latest build, we developed a comprehensive health system that allows both the player and the enemy to take damage, with win or lose conditions defining the end of a match. During development, we encountered an issue related to cursor interaction with the gameboard, particularly when the player clicks on the deck to draw a card and add it to their hand. The problem was that the cursor would revert to the default system cursor when it hovered over the deck and would not change back to the custom cursor unless the build was restarted.

This issue arose because the script responsible for changing the cursor did not consistently maintain the custom cursor state when interacting with certain game objects. When the cursor entered or exited specific elements, it was not properly resetting to the custom sprite, leading to unexpected behavior and a jarring user experience.

Solution

To resolve this, we took the following steps to ensure that the custom cursor persisted reliably:

1. Centralized Cursor Management: We created functions to set the custom cursor and revert to the default cursor. This centralization helped us maintain consistent behavior across various interactions.
2. Consistent Cursor State: We added logic to the OnMouseOver method to continuously check and enforce the custom cursor. This method ensures that if the cursor is not the custom sprite, it gets reset to the custom sprite.
3. Event Handling: We modified the OnMouseEnter and OnMouseExit methods to ensure that the custom cursor is set correctly when the mouse enters a relevant object and reverts back to default only when necessary.
4. Debugging and Testing: Extensive debugging and testing were conducted to identify any remaining edge cases where the cursor might revert to the default. This involved simulating various interactions with the deck and gameboard to ensure that the cursor state remained stable.

Impact on User Experience

Implementing these changes significantly enhanced the user experience by providing a consistent and responsive cursor interaction:

• Improved Visual Feedback: Players now have a reliable visual indicator when interacting with game elements. The cursor consistently reflects the game's state, providing better visual feedback and reducing confusion.
• Enhanced Immersion: Maintaining the custom cursor enhances the game's thematic consistency, making the user interface feel more cohesive and immersive.
• Reduced Frustration: By addressing the cursor glitch, we eliminated a potential source of frustration for players. They can now focus on gameplay without being distracted by cursor inconsistencies.

Overall, the changes led to a smoother and more enjoyable gameplay experience. The cursor behavior now aligns with player expectations, ensuring that interactions with the gameboard and deck are intuitive and seamless. This improvement highlights the importance of polished UI interactions in enhancing the overall quality of the game.