(Gosh, how does one marketing-speak? This wasn't my job on release!)
For the first time in 4 years, UFOTOFU: Hex has an update! This update addresses a critique many have had about a restriction in the game - that you cannot make a palindrome that starts with a smaller palindrome - by removing it. As I still prefer the restriction, it is made optional to keep it, however it is no longer the default ruleset. This update is now available for Windows and Linux.
However, I no longer have access to a Mac, and famously you can't build for Mac without one, so sadly Mac users will not be getting the update. Neither will phone users, as I cannot keep up with the strict requirements for perpetual updates that Google requires.
For most of you, that's the end of the news and you won't care about the rest. I hope you enjoy the update!
Why did it take so long? There are two reasons, which, like the working class, are stronger together than alone.
The first is, on the 20th of September 2022, Inflorescent Games Co-op, Australia's first videogame development worker-owned co-operative, voted to close, due to worker burnout. I feel proud that we made a business that cared more for its workers than its continued existence, but it was still incredibly sad. We were definitely a success as a game dev business too, as we did release a game. That can't be said of all startups. I would recommend worker-owned co-ops to everyone in the industry, and I wish future ones even further success. (I hear there's at least one other in Australia now!)
The other reason is I'm disabled and have been living in unstable housing situations for 3 years. Really hard to make games while homeless, turns out. Australia needs to stop being one of the worst cost-of-living places in the world, plz.
As such, even now, I cannot promise any further updates. It will likely cost me too much. Which is sad. I wanted to get accessibility like customisable controls in the game, since it's not the most intuitive system. Still, I'm glad I got this one in. It was partially completed when Inflo closed, and I always felt bad that it was left behind when so close to release. I can be satisfied with this. :)