[img=http://druidsduel.com/images/update105.png]
It's finally here! The major updated you've been asking for and helping shape is complete and ready for you :) This is a huge undertaking and there are a lot of things added and addressed across the entire app so bear with me (heh) as I break them all down for you.
You can also join me tomorrow to try out the changes and line up some games!
Now, on to the changes...
Game Options
- Widescreen (16:9 and 16:10) are now the supported formats. 4:3 is gone.
- Added Audio options for setting music and sfx volume. This setting is retained between sessions and across any game modes.
Campaign Changes
- Campaigns can now be individually cleared and the AI difficulty setting can be changed before a session. Simply go to the Campaign screen from the Main Menu and select a new difficulty. Up is harder, Down is easier.
- Back-tracking in Campaigns has been removed. You now always have the option to play any board discovered at the "edges" of your progress.
- Some Boss Battles got re-vamped maps to make them beatable.
Online Multiplayer Changes
Your requests have been heard! I've incorporated a number of big changes into Update 105 for improving online play. I've incorporated more help text and explanations throughout the Play Online screens to help you out.
Your current Aura and Trisk scores are now shown on the My Profile screen. Leaderboard will be moved in-game as well, but is not in quite yet.
Dash Duels
Dash Duels provides a way to complete a 2 player game in one sitting. This is enforced by disallowing a player to leave the game once started. Leaving will forfeit the game, which is an expectation not set by normal games.
Dash Duels have a 2-minute turn limit set automatically to help keep it moving.
Starting a Dash Duel does not count against your game limit as it can only exist during one play session. Once started, the other player has three minutes to join the game for it to begin, otherwise it is canceled (or can be canceled by the starting player).
Tournament Mode
Any online game (including Dash Duels) can now be optionally played in Tournament Mode. This mode eliminates the automatically spawned set of three Fairies found in standard mode and in the Campaign. Fairies are still spawned when an Obstacle is destroyed.
Tournament Mode also changes how the turn time limit works. If you are playing with a turn time limit, restarting your turn will NOT reset the clock, so think hard before using all your time in trying different options out!
Live Chat
- Added a main lobby chat available in the Main Menu if you are logged in to the game server.
- Added in-game chat for all online games. This chat will show you when a player restarts their turn and if they leave the game. For normal games this can be pretty helpful so you don't wait for them to move.
- Chat is not available in Campaign games, though that may change, based on your feedback.
- Chat uses your Player Portal username, not your SteamID (for now).
There of course are also a number of bugs fixed and small things added here and there. Credits is now two distinct pages to make it easier to actually read and the help text font has been changed to be more readable.
A visual tour of these things is available on Facebook as well.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. I feel this update brings A Druid's Duel up to where it ought to be in terms of features and polish. There is more to come, of course, so if your request didn't make it in, please keep asking!
Kris
