Build iOS Games with Sprite Kit

Pulsing Power-Up Countdowns for the Win

At the moment, players have no idea how much time they have left when they collect a power-up to temporarily enhance their weapon. While the authors originally thought this was an important game mechanic, we realized when play testing this behavior that it was more frustrating for players than we’d like. Let’s add more information to see whether it aids players’ strategy and helps their sense of progress.

Figure 27. Showing a power-up countdown in the center

Because we already have a heads-up display, let’s add a red, pulsing countdown timer that shows players how long until their current power-up runs ...