Welcome back Heavenly Keepers. :]
Today's update is a very general maintenance update modernising some various QoL stuff.
The game's base resolution of 256x144 has been slightly increased to 274x154. I felt previously the game was just a little bit too zoomed in so you now have a bit of extra screen estate to spot the evildoers. It also scales much more nicely to 1080p so there's very little pixel weirdness at that resolution now.
The basic pixel font has been upgraded to be more readable, and there's now a double resolution version which is On by default. You can switch back to the pixel pure font by changing the Font Type in the settings.
The stark black pixel dithered vignette border during play has been replaced with a smoother darkness layer. The various enemies and projectiles now also show through the vignette so it's now much easier to see meanies approaching.
When choosing a game mode or vessel there's now a couple of gems to signify progression (eg completing a game mode and getting a high score). Just in case you want to play beyond the achievements.
Tweaks to the Dungeon Pilgrimage game mode...
- You now need to beat the Deamonica Hunt to unlock this game mode (just a bit of extra progression).
- You can now teleport to any rooms you have beaten via the Status Screen's Map.
- The doors of all enemy rooms will now slam shut until all enemies are killed (so they can't be cheesed by dodging in an out).
- Your Score Multiplier will now only be reduced when fighting against enemies (so you can take your time exploring).
Some improvements to Settings...
- Visuals - Resolution: Two new high resolutions have been added as options (2560x1440 and 3840x2160).
- Visuals - Display: A new Borderless Window option has been added.
- Visuals: A new 'Button Tips' setting has been added in case you wanted to specifically set it to Xbox/Playstation/Switch buttons.
- Audio: A new Master Volume setting has been added.
- You can now press Left/Right to change the setting in that direction (previously you could only effectively go right).
Other misc stuff...
- The game has been updated to the latest version of GameMaker (v2023.8.2) which might help with compatibility.
- The game's window caption no longer has the version number (since some programs were resetting their properties due to the caption changing each patch).
- The 'Pumpkin Treat' hat is now always unlocked (like the Santa hat as they're nice for the Holiday themes).
- All menus now have button tips which show what the Menu Confirm and Back buttons are.
- The Escape Menu now has a Quick Restart option (so you don't have to quit to the title screen to start a new run).
- Many of the Relic item descriptions have been changed so are less vague.
- Each game mode now has their own text on the Congratulations screen (used by Lichemancer/Deamonica Hunt and Dungeon Pilgrimage).
- Lichemancer/Deamonica Hunt: Between stages the Blessing screen now has some extra Heart pickups and has a chance of giving Purity Hearts instead of regular Hearts.
- Diabolus Rush game mode: After the first cycle it will now start spawning Reaper and Wraith Mortarch enemies during fights (each cycle increasing the amount and chance for a Wraith).
- After winning a main game mode it will now only take you to the Online Leaderboard screen if you achieved an online high score.
- Killing a Mini-Boss will now always create at least 1 Treasure Chest, and there's now a slight chance they can create 3 Chests.
- Penitence Trials game mode: The Lichemancer/Deamonica Purity Trials now only unlock once you've beaten all three variants of that boss (so you're not trapped fighting a particular variant in the trial).
- Blighted Host Vessel: Holding the Axe button will now auto-aim and fire at the nearest on-screen enemy (since his aim is fiddly when just using regular keyboard controls). When starting a run for the first time you get a tip text to explain it.
- Accursed Haunt Vessel: He now starts with the Chaotica Blessing/Sigil/Hex relics (the Vessel already counted as having them but now having them in your inventory avoids confusion).
- Exalt Husk Vessel: If you have your Head then it now shows in the HUD (in case you're using a Hat).
- Twineth Strike relic: This will now always be performed when swiping and will reset your facing at the end of the reverse swipe (previously it was very fiddly to perform).
- Thirsting Fangs relic: This can now dash you to meanies in any direction (previously it only worked with Up/Down/Left/Right).
- At the end of each stage the portal will now push you away from it if you're standing on it when it opens up (so you don't instantly teleport if you happen to be stood on it).
- Fixed wrong usage of "thou", "thee", and "thy".
- The various relic items, cards, hats, and consumables from chests and enemies can now be picked up by hitting them with your Axe (in case you can't reach them due to them being over water).
- Big Chests now behave the same way for both your own projectiles and enemy projectiles (eg opened Big Chests now won't block your projectiles, while unopened Big Chest now blocks enemy projectiles).
And some bug fixes...
- Deleting your Save Data from the Escape Menu during a run could cause issues (it will now restart the game).
- When choosing a Vessel on the title screen moving to a locked class may not refresh the typewriter text.
- Mawspiter enemy: The first time it shoots per game causes a mini-stutter.
Enjoy! :]
