Early Access Update 9: Regular Update FOUR - End of 2022

Welcome to Regular Update number FOUR! (total Early Access update number 9)
This will be the third of many major updates, usually once a month, which adds to, improves and expands the game during Early Access.

This update features brand spanking new artwork for the Level 5 Boss Monster, Lula The Non-Resident Alien. I also noticed that the later boss portraits were failing to display with the Boss Health Bar due to a missing code link, all of which are now fixed.

The portrait art for the Level 6 Boss, Kaeru The Horticulturist, also got a minor revamp as I wasn't fully happy with the shadowing around the leg. I bet AiArt doesn't have this procrastinating ... ːnotsohappychappyː

Here is changelog list!

1. Updated to version 1.6.2.3
2. New: Level 5 Boss in game portrait, save game portrait and loading screen are now in.
3. Fix: Fixed missing texture in Level 6.
4. Fix: Level 4 Boss Portrait now displays correctly when the boss spawns.
5. Fix: Level 5 Boss Portrait now displays correctly when the boss spawns.
6. Fix: Level 6 Boss Portrait now displays correctly when the boss spawns.
7. Change: Unneccessary spam in the console has now been removed.
8. Change: Reworked Level 6 Boss portraits because some of the shadowing and negative space was bugging me - I bet AI don't have this problem with procrastination.
9. Change: Removed unneccessary source files that were accidentally included, thus saving space on the download.
10. Change: Tweaked some values for damage balancing with monster special weapons.

It is also the end of Space Year 2022.

So a quick look back at the major points of the year, the first one being releasing Monsters Loot Swag on Steam via Early Access.

Since then I have made 9 updates, most of them bug fixes which included the most awkward to find crash bug involving audio emitters throwing an Out Of Range Array Whilst I managed to stop the crash in the Second Major Update (bullet point 48), it took some more time before I had finally tracked down what had caused it and fixed that. And boy did that take a lot of printf!

With bugs squashed left, right and centre - I have now been able to expand the game itself, starting with adding the all new Level 6 in Regular Update 3.

So, with 2022 ending, 2023 will be all about expanding the game until it is finished, and leaves Early Access completed! This will entail creating the final 4 levels (6-10) and their Boss Monsters, and the remaining unlockable Catgirl Cosplayers. There are a few other things to do, such as get the Souvenir system up and running, and of course open the whole thing up to modding, which will probably include a level editor and Steamworks Workshop integration.

I am aiming for final completion of Early Access around late Spring or early Summer.

Goodbye 2022, and Happy New Year everyone! ːsteamhappyː