Greetings, Hard Chip players!
This is an update from version 0.0.5.1 to 0.0.5.3 which is actually live on the playtest branch. There's quite a lot to go through. Let's catch up on all the modifications that were done!
1. New Bonus Challenges: After finishing the campaign you'll now unlock "Bonus Stages" from the main menu. There are 16 new challenges, ranging in difficulty from simple to quite hard.
Those were hidden challenges, but why keep them hidden? Even if they don't follow a linear progression of difficulty, we think hardcore players will welcome them!
Will you try to make an 8-bit multiplier?
2. New Deterministic Simulation and Microseconds resolution for scheduling: The main goal of HC is to build a basic 8-bit processor. The simulation is built around that goal. And running fast is critical for that goal. But it was a bit annoying to see a few differences in runs while designing smaller parts like gates.
Note how the "421" tick count in the center of the screen remains the same during multiple runs!
This update allows HC to run smaller circuits deterministically. Each time, the same tick count! Now you can measure how perfect your solution is and lower that sweet sweet tick count!
3. Update Versioned Online Scores: Scores can be separated depending on the HC's build version. Why this is important? Some older HC builds would allow to "cheese". Now we can record scores with the peace of mind that the scores we are compared with are "cheese-free" (at least up to your current version of HC).
4. New signs for Up/Down Terminal, Clock and Output block: Up/Down, 1/0, +/-, Red/Blue, all those terms/colors mean the same pair of things. But it was confusing for new players to have to play with around those different terms.
The Up and Down terminals are now "Always 1 Terminal" and "Always 0 Terminal", respectively with a "1" and "0" sign on them. The clock which was a "0" sign (I know) has now a distinct sign. Same for Input and Output that were too close to each other.
5. New Select/Cut/Past/Delete Whole Segment shortcuts: Now, with a double click you can select an entire segment (continuous chain of trace blocks). Here's a quick demo:
Quality Of Life, Bug, and Crash fixes:
- Input Output is shown on Intro Trace;
- Music stops fix;
- Remove MOS with Alt+Double Click : tentative 1;
- Selection works when the mouse moves outside the die;
- Force initialization of the first validator to have a visual indicator at the proper place;
- GateSRLatch 1-0 terminal adjustment;
- Small tooltips for readouts;
- "Stick" readout icon shows action rather than state;
- F2 to Hide/Show UI and/or Readouts.
- The camera doesn't move between Alt-Tab
- Tentative "Sequence contains no matching element" crash fix
- Touching inputs cancel the validation;
- Validators weren't waiting for the simulation to settle fix;
- Campaign launches in deterministic mode;
- Challenge Half adder terminal position;
- F2 doesn't bring back objectives when there is none.;
- Shorting terminals while next to each other;
- Exiting modal sound;
- Auto start simulation off when in the Library (demo doesn't work anyway)
- Main menu shows new startup area
- Adding controls in Keybindings;
- Fail-safe index out of range in SceneRenderer, crash fix tentative;
- No editor shortcut when on UI (text inputs bug);
- Remove selected readouts feature;
- Adding music in the editor;
- Fix the camera lock when the middle button is pressed while exiting the editor;
- BenchMark adapted to conducive gate except the Thingy one though;
- Fixing campaign with conducive gate done;
- Scores now are properly evaluated with one or more scores.;
As always, your feedback/suggestions/comments are instrumental in making this game. Join our Discord server!
Thank you for playing Hard Chip, and stay tuned for more updates and new features!