Howdy folks,
lately we've been busy with a little something a lot of you were hoping for: asynchronous multiplayer!
As this feature is currently in its alpha stage, it is currently available only through the Experimental Branch; read the following information to see how it works and how to get access to it.
What are we talking about?
This is a different approach to multiplayer. Unlike the current version where you have to stay online throughout the whole game (the "synchronous" multiplayer), in this new version you can exit the game whenever you see fit without losing any progress, just as it happens with offline games.
Another advantage of this new approach is when you create a match, if there is no one online in that moment, your "open game" will persist on the server and other players will be able to join later on. Once the adequate number of players is reached, the game will actually start.
Why is this an Alpha?
We are still finalizing the core features and working out the last few bugs. Before we move on, we need to put the infrastructure through some good ol' stress test. Expect some minor inconveniences, and some occasional maintenance time.
As soon as the new system is solid enough, we will move everything to the main game branch.
PLEASE NOTE: we will need to take down the server from time to time. When this happens, to ensure consistency, all online games will be deleted.
Is the system complete, feature-wise?
Not yet. The Async multiplayer is still missing some major features, such as timers and notifications. We'll keep you posted as soon as something new is available.
What if something goes wrong?
You may encounter issues while playing with this new system. If that happens, or if you see something out of place, don't forget to send a Bug report (or a general feedback) through the gameplay menu. Every report helps!
Of course, we already have a list of minor bugs we are working on. We'll get there, one step at a time.
How to switch to "Experimental" branch
From your Steam library, right-click onto Lorenzo il Magnifico and choose "Properties...".
You'll be prompted with a popup. Click on "Beta" tab, where you'll find a dropdown menu. From it, just choose "experimental".
The game should auto-update as usual, but if it doesn't, simply try restarting Steam.
If the procedure goes well, you should see v.1.2.0 on the top right corner of the main menu, once you open the game.
(If you ever want to get back to the current version, you can opt out with the same procedure by choosing "None" from the dropdown menu)
As usual, thank you for your invaluable support.
If you need further assistance or wanna give us some feedback, don't forget to visit our Steam Community Page or peek around on BoardGameGeek!