Online for Sumo Tanks is here! Anyone can try it out by signing up for the playtest on the Steam store page. Until February 4th, the playtest will be open to everyone. After that, the playtest will end and online will be added to the proper Sumo Tanks demo.
How can I play online?
There is a new "Online" dropdown in the top right of the screen. Clicking the dropdown or pressing tab will open it, and you'll be able to invite friends. Alternatively, your friends can join you directly from Steam without an invite. One player will be the "host" for all others. If the "host" disconnects, all other players will disconnect and return to the title screen.
Players can join at any point: on the main menu, selecting upgrades, or playing a match, it doesn't matter. Once they connect, they can watch the current game. If you pause, they can even take over a tank and join you!
Why have a separate playtest? Why not just update the demo?
Online has been tested as much as possible, but it may still have bugs. So, the playtest is being run separately to catch any bugs before adding online to the demo. If you encounter any bugs, please report them in the Steam Discussions.
For a stable version of Sumo Tanks, please play the demo or wait until February 5th for online to be added.
Is this a playtest for the full game?
No. This is a playtest for the DEMO with online. The available tanks, levels, and arenas are identical to the demo. The only difference is that you can now play online.
What happens to the playtest after it closes?
Online and any feedback will be added to the demo, and you will unable to launch the playtest from Steam. However, there will be another playtest for the full game at a later date. If you sign up for this playtest, you will be able to join the full playtest when it releases.