Howdy!
New beta patch, New Pardner objectives!
It's been a little while since the last development update, it's been a hectic couple of months! I'm excited to announce a new public beta patch available to try now! The beta patch includes a handful of new Pardner objectives and reworks for the old blocker train and key objectives.
These new objectives drastically change the Pardner side of things. While there is still a lot of work left to do with the remaining features, bug fixes, and changes coming in the next official patch, the beta should give plenty of time to gain vital feedback and testing.
Under the match settings panel, you're able to choose the number of objectives you want for the round as well as the difficulty of the objectives. By default, the objective number is set to scale with Pardner count - more pardners, more objectives. It will randomly choose from the pool of objectives. In the future, you'll be able to select which specific objectives you want.
The beta can be accessed in both the standard game and the Friend's Pass.
To access the beta branch:
Right Click Wormtown in your steam library -> Properties -> Betas, and choose "publicbeta" from the drop down list. You should see Steam begin downloading the new patch.
Notes:
- This is a beta patch, so you may run into bugs and unfinished/unpolished content. Everything is subject to change! - but, the objectives are in a fully playable state.
- The new objective system broke the Pardner tutorial, and it's disabled for this update.
How to complete the new objectives?
While the objectives are in game, they're not tutorialized yet. Most of them are fairly self explanatory, or can be figured out easily, some are more complex. I'm also aware many players would like to try and figure them out on your own, so
SPOILERS AHEAD!!
Fuel Train: unchanged. Get fuel, throw in furnace. Fuel scaling has been adjusted (lowered) now that there are more objectives to balance things out.
Train Blockers Reworked: The train blockers have been removed and replaced with broken segments of the track that need repaired. Find scrap and throw it into the designated area around the broken track. Scrap can be found by blowing up abandoned train cars (placed randomly throughout the map) and buildings. Train cars drop 3 scrap, the church drops 2, and normal buildings drop 1.
Train Key Rework: The key is now hidden and buried underground. You'll need to find it's location and dig it up with the new shovel equipment (spawned on train). The shovel has a metal detector attached to it, and the bulb will ding when near the keys location. It will ding faster the closer you are to the buried key. When standing directly over the key spot, the detector light will be fully illuminated and a distinct noise will play.
Note: Dynamite will also unearth the key - which can be helpful when finding the exact spot is difficult. Additionally, The key can be buried under a rock or house, in which case you'll need a dynamite. This is intended (aka, not a bug) but may change with player feedback.
Sarsaparilla Delivery: Around the map are broken down stagecoaches that were once delivering sarsaparilla to the townfolk. Retrieve the cases of sarsaparilla and bring them back to the train (drop them near the bottle + arrow in the enclosed train car). Sarsaparilla crates are fragile and bottles will break when dropped or impacted. When fully broken, a new crate will spawn at the stagecoach.
Cattlebug Herding: Cattlebugs are flying around the map. When you get close to one, it will flee away from you. Guide all of the Cattlebugs to the back of the train (a sign post will designate the area) to complete the objective. Note: Since the cattlebugs don't touch the ground, the Worm won't see them unless they use Sonar Scream nearby.
Light The Signal Fires: Around the map are large signal fires you'll need to light (large triangular piles of sticks with a red flag poking out of the top). Tumbleweeds can be "used" near the train furnace to ignite them. Once ignited, throw/drop/roll the burning tumbleweed into the signal fire pit. But be quick! The tumbleweeds will only burn for so long before crumbling to ash.
Retrieve the Train Manual from Gilbert's Safe: Inside one of the ranch houses (the houses outside of town), there is a large Safe with a series of symbols on it. This is the code you'll need to figure out to open it.
On the train, you'll find a new special item: the "Puzzle Map". Press the use item button while holding to toggle the map view. The map shows the Safe's location as well as a series of symbols. Head to the symbols shown on the safe to find a playing card sticking out of the ground with a number on it. That symbol = that number.
Press your pickup key ("e" by default) in front of the safe to begin entering the code, the dial will begin spinning and pressing "e" again will lock in that digit and move to the next one.
Once open, pickup the book that falls out of the safe to complete the objective.
Note: If you're holding a map in your hands and you "use" a playing card, it will record it's number on the map so you don't have to remember it! (the map numbers will be stored for others if they pick up your map - but it's specific to that map. It will not update on other maps).
And as always, feel free to leave any bugs, feedback, or just hang out with some cool people over at the Discord. Discord.gg/Wormtown
Stay safe out there, Pardners!