< Update Trailer >
Alright, we got out first update! However, this won't be the last one, there is at least one more coming up, still, don't expect it any time soon.
Now, on this update, I've focused on adding the new hard modes and fixing some of the major performance issues, I wasn't able to fix all of them and I'm not sure I ever will but this update should make the game far more playable and stable. Let's go over the details.
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> Performance / General Bugs
- [Game Running At 5 FPS] - > Somewhat Fixed
In some computers the game ran at 5 fps for no reason and this issue would solve itself on it's own sometimes. I was finally able to replicate this issue by plugging a Dualshock 4 controller, when it was plugged, the issue always happened. So, I developed a system at the starting screen that detects if such issue is happening, which it doesn't always do and removes D-Input support from the game, which fixes the issue.
This isn't an elegant solution and it can be improved, but the game still has full support for X-input gamepads and I believe it's possible to emulate those for your D-Input controller. Note that D-Input support wasn't removed, it was only changed to it's disabled if such issue occurs.
- [ Pause Crashes ] - > Fixed but not widely tested.
From the tests we have done so far, the pause button seems stable with no issues, still, there is a PC game and every machine is different. I can only hope it's fine.
- [ Fark Invincibility Glitch ] - > Fixed
No more perpetual invincibility for you folks. Now learn how to play Fark.
- [ Inaccurate Timer ] - > Changed
The timer should be more accurate now and independent of framerate and in-game-for-effect slowdowns. It's not fully tested yet so I can't really say it's fully fixed. There are issues where the timer will stop in later stages before bosses. I'm aware of those and will be looking to fixing them when time attack gets fully fixed.
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- - - - > Menus
- [ Time Attack ] - > Still WIP but with some fixes
Due to the way Spark was designed and the level progression, time attack was a pain to make a program and I feel ashamed by the way it was released as, a totally dysfunctional mess, however, now that I got back into it, I fully understand why I did such a thing. Due to the game's length, playtesting it is was nightmare.
Still, time attack is very much will a work in progress, don't expect it to be fully functional just yet. The plan is to fully fix this freaking thing in the next update.
What was changed?
> Added an option to choose which powers you want from spark before starting a stage. The power might get replaced on death, however. I'm aware of this issue and plan on fixing it later as it's more fundamental to the way the game respawns the player.
> Fixed the issue where it would rank your slowest time instead of the fastest.
> Added an option to choose the hard mode versions of stages as well.
- [ Main Menu ] - >
> Added a hard mode menu
- [ Options ] - >
I've seen reports that the controller remapping menu doesn't work for some people, however, I've decided to leave this untouched for this update as I might have to re-do controller support in the next update. We'll see what needs to be done here.
- - - - - > The Game
- [ Hard Modes ] - >
It's hard to do a patch note for hard modes as a whole but generally, here's some thingies.
> Less health in general, Spark only gets three and Fark gets two, Spark's challenge remains the same health-wise
> More enemies in general. A lot more towards the end of the game.
> Boss patterns are changed to be faster and deadlier. Some bosses even get new effects and hazards to make their fights more of a challenge.
- [ Fark ] - >
> The way you gain your static meter was tweaked by a lot.
> Collecting capsules now gets you a lot more than before.
> Attacking gives you a lot more as well.
> The threshold for activating static mode and fully healing have been increased.
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- [ Story ] - >
The whole thing was remade. All of it, rewritten from scratch.
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Welp, this is it folks. I hope I haven't forgotten anything but this are most of the significant changes added to the game.
See you guys next time!
