With this update, we are getting closer to the final version of the demo. The game has received numerous improvements across the board, from animations to gameplay features. However, most of the work has taken place in the backend, where we have focused on making the codebase more robust in preparation for online multiplayer. Online functionality is currently being tested and will be made available to the public during Early Access.
As for balancing, several cards have been slightly adjusted to prevent overly fast power spikes and unhealthy play patterns.
GENERAL CHANGES
- Added the Browser feature, which includes two applications. Datawiki allows players to look up the game's rules in detail using a search bar.
- Added a mode selection screen to Single Player. Three game modes are now available: Casual Match (a standard match against AI), Mirror Match (a match against AI using your own deck), and Expert Match (a match against more challenging AI).
- Redesigned the deck selection menu to include a dropdown menu with the main deck management options: edit, copy, delete, and set as active.
- Improved the deckbuilder in several ways: improved card display and management, added new features for adding and removing cards from decks, implemented a statistics panel and an auto-build function, and introduced several keyboard shortcuts.
- Added a marker to indicate the active deck.
- Removed the holographic effect from all non-GPU cards. This is a visual change in preparation for a future update that will make the system more scalable.
- Added several small battle animations and improved existing ones.
- Added a visual effect to distinguish placeholder cards from regular cards.
- Added a spawn effect for placeholders.
- Added tooltips for placeholders, startup lag, and statuses.
- Improved the Void's visual effect.
- Improved the visual effects displayed when playing Cheat and Method cards.
- Improved the glow effects on cards in hand to make playable cards easier to identify.
- Improved the symbol indicating when a troop can be played. It is now split in half to show how many basic troops have already been played this turn.
- Added a glow effect to action symbols to indicate which action is being consumed when dragging a card to play it.
- Added a system to highlight valid targets for Cheat cards.
CARD CHANGES
SANDBAG IDOL
Before:
// Sandbags on your field have +2 ATK. This effect doesn't stack.
Static(), Delete(), ReadOnly();
After:
// Sandbags on your field have +2 ATK. This effect doesn't stack.
Static(), ReadOnly();
EXPLOSIVE SANDBAG
Before:
// Your opponent takes 2 damage.
Update(Sandbag, quick); Collapse();
After:
// Each player takes 2 damage.
Update(Sandbag, quick); Float(); Collapse();
MECHA RANGER
New artwork (Art by Francesco Inserra)
Before:
Update(Ranger); Endlag(); Collapse();
// Create a Barrier placeholder with 1 HP and ReadOnly() in every unoccupied slot in your front row.
After:
Update(Ranger); Collapse();
// Create a Barrier placeholder with 1 HP and ReadOnly() in every unoccupied slot in your front row.
SHADOW PUPPETEER
New artwork (Art by Giovanni Russo)
ROTTEN BRAWLER
New artwork (Art by Francesco Inserra)
FIRE LARVA
Stats reduced: 0/2 -> 0/1
COALCOON
Stats reduced: 0/4 -> 0/3
PHOENIX MOTH
Stats reduced: 6/10 -> 5/8
LORD OF THE FLIES
Stats reduced: 5/8 -> 4/5
Before:
Ritual();
// You have 4 or more Bugs on your field, and there are 10 or more cards between both discard piles.
Float();
// Every other Bug on your field has +1 ATK and "OnHit(): // Corrupt the defending troop".
After:
Ritual();
// There are 10 or more troop cards between both discard piles.
Float();
// Whenever a card is put into your opponent's discard pile, they take 2 damage.
CLERIC
Stats reduced: 0/3 -> 0/2
Before:
Start of turn:
// Every troop in your front row recovers 2 HP.
After:
Start of turn:
// Every other troop in your front row recovers 2 HP.
DATAMINER
Before:
Start(), OnGuard();
// Discard the top card of both your deck and your opponent's deck.
// Then, if there are 8 or more cards between both discard piles, draw a card.
After:
Start(), OnGuard();
// Discard the top two cards of both your deck and your opponent's deck.
CLOUD SPIRIT
Stats adjusted: 2/1 -> 1/2
Before:
Float(); Start();
// Get a {TORNADO} from your deck, then shuffle.
// After you play a {TORNADO}, put it into your hand instead of your discard pile.
After:
Float(); Start();
// Get a {TORNADO} from your deck, then shuffle.
HEAT SPIRIT
New artwork (Art by Giovanni Russo)
Stats reduced: 0/3 -> 0/2
Before:
Start();
// Get a {TORRID FIELD} from your deck, then shuffle.
// Whenever this troop would take damage from the {TORRID FIELD} Settings, it gains +1 ATK instead.
After:
Start();
// Get a {FIRESTORM} from your deck, then shuffle.
// If a Settings card would deal any damage to your opponent, it deals 1 extra damage.
STATIC SPIRIT
New artwork (Art by Giovanni Russo)
DARK ARTS
Before:
// Void every card in your discard pile, then create a {SKELETON} placeholder in the first unoccupied slot on your field for every card voided this way.
After:
// Void every card in your discard pile, then create a {SKELETON} placeholder in the first unoccupied slot on your field for every troop card voided this way.
PETRIFY
New artwork (Art by Francesco Inserra)
BUG FIXES
- Fixed typos in the text of several cards (Dataminer, Strategist).
- Fixed an issue that displayed incorrect text in the Corrupt tooltip.
- Fixed a bug that created a new deck when attempting to rename an existing one.
- Fixed a bug that prevented newly created decks from being equipped immediately.
- Fixed a bug that prevented global effects from reloading when necessary.
- Fixed a bug that caused the startup lag visual effect to render on top of other elements.
- Fixed a bug that caused Dragon Egg to be sent to the Void when destroyed.
- Fixed a bug that caused Will O' Wisp to be sent to the Void when destroyed.
- Fixed a bug that caused Poltergeist to be sent to the Void when destroyed.
- Fixed a bug that caused Golem to create the wrong Barrier upon death.
- Fixed a bug that caused Glitched Caster to trigger an effect it no longer has.
- Fixed inconsistent font sizes across several panels.
- Fixed a bug that prevented the cursor from changing when hovering over the Void.
- Fixed crashes caused by destroying certain cards.
- Fixed various inconsistencies between the effects applied by cards to the player and those applied to the opponent.
- Fixed a bug in the online multiplayer framework that caused crashes and lag when starting Single Player matches.
- Fixed a bug that caused the placeholder created by Dragon Egg to have a missing tooltip.
- Fixed a bug that caused the cursor to remain in an incorrect state when playing Method and Cheat cards.
- Fixed a bug that caused the cursor to remain in an incorrect state when releasing a dragged card without playing it.
- Fixed a bug that prevented the "Placeholder" tooltip from appearing on certain cards that should display it.
- Fixed a bug that prevented Settings cards played by the AI from being applied correctly immediately after being played.
- Fixed flickering when dragging cards under certain conditions.
- Fixed various bugs that caused softlocks.
- Various performance optimizations.