This update of Chickens Madness not only called Rice Stuffed, but actually the game executable is really rice stuffed with a ton of things. It's been a while (approx. a month) since the last update, so with this update the focus was not to fix bugs, or bringing normal required/essential features. But also to bring you some new experience. I was about to name it the GDC update,...but naaaah,...Rice works a lot better.
Here are the notes for this update:
Parties
A set of 3 new parties came into 1.4a. The new parties not relying on any old idea, or agameplay. Those are the 3 new parties:
- A Way Out
It is better to be described as a "maze" party. Yet there isn't any maze party within Chickens Madness. This new party randomly pick an exit, so the exit won't be the same every time. The one reaches first, takes all the score..
- Now You See it
Only one way can lead to the end, every player stars in a different starting point. But all the four paths have only one valid end. Some ends are dead ends. But going faster into the right path is not only the challenge here, those paths are made of glass, which makes it hard to see and decide. The one reached first will press the "BIG BUTTON" that will eliminate everyone else.
- Watch Your Steps
You are in a mine field, have to reach the center. Every player starts in a random corner of the level, and the mines are always distributed randomly. So, no chance to have the same strategy working again. You have 10 seconds to recognize and remember the locations of the mines that are blocking your way, because after those 10 seconds, all the mines will go under the ground.
In this party the controller vibration is a huge help for you, the controller vibrates in two levels, the low level means you are getting close to a mine, the higher level of vibration means you really getting super close to bomb that mine! So... watch your steps!
Experience
- New game modes. Now you just not hit play, and play the same maps at the same or random order. This version features the intro to the modes system, you can find 3 main on-couch modes:
- Party Warty You can go through the parties one by one in a random order (the default on-couch mode).
- Playlist You can make your own playlist. There is anew playlist editor been added to the game, it allow you to build (1 playlist) that you can use. The playlist saved and you can play it anytime. Also synced with the cloud between all your clients. Soon will allow for creation of several playlists. But for now 1 shall be good.
- Single Party Do you have a favorite party? Then you can choose it, and keep playing it time after another.
- It was ridiculous seeing (+0) at the results screen in case a participant didn't score anything. so it got replaced with a sad face...no more none sense +0!
- The controller buttons mapping in the description screen at the beginning of each party, got reworked again, as it was made in a rush, and you will notice that the text on the buttons not always the same, it is going to adapt and fit the skill/situation of the party. A good example the X button where in some parties it is for "Drop" while in other parties it is for "Handle". So it is still modular system, but got more flexibility.
- A new handles been added to the game sequence, in order to allow for music fading in some parties. So music not starting or ending suddenly. You will notice it more in the new parties.
- Vibrations in the past had a major issue, where triggering vibrations for one player would vibrate all other players, this been fixed from the fact that there is a whole new gameplay relying on the controller's vibration as a gameplay mechanic of the new party (Watch Your Steps).
- Added new in game camera type, this new one seems to be stationary, but the way it works, it takes 4 point, and use them to make a frame for the camera. The points usually set to the corners of the map. This new type been added specifically to give solid experience for the new party (Watch Your Steps).
- More variations on the blood generated by death or killing others.
- Made some new assets for the UI, mostly could be seen in the options screen, for sliders, buttons and checkboxes.
- The Football party now showing the teaming during the match, it is one step forward into making this party amazing, now it is easier and clearer to know the teams. More to be added into this party in the coming updates.
- Night themed menu.
Workflow
- Any updates in the graphics settings from the options menu, will be not only applied locally, but will be saved in a local file, synced with the cloud across all your steam clients. so make your favorite settings, and it goes with you anywhere.
- New tutorials/description videos for the new parties.
- New Audio Options screen within the game options, where you can control the Music and SFX. Those values will be loaded right away, saved to local file, and synced to the cloud. More to be added into this section soon.
- New Gameplay Options screen where you can do update the players names, or even disable showing the names within the results screen. Those values will be loaded right away, saved to local file, and synced to the cloud. More to be added into this section soon.
- An in progress playlist editor, you can use it, and you can build your own playlist, it allow adding, moving and deleting. And your new playlist will always be synced with the cloud. You can access it from the main menu.
Inputs
- The chickens controller now have no Keyboard inputs at all. Previously you would have tried to move via keyboard, and you would have figured out that chickens can't move in all directions; but can jump. To avoid any miss understanding, and not to confuse people in thinking that 2 or 4 players can share the keyboard (which is insane) the decision came to remove the keyboard form the chicken movement system.
- The results screen now have one new option, which is play again (Y) button. So, if you didn't get enough of that party yet, then you can play it again. This option is valid in all the game modes except the "Single Party" mode, where it is basically the same party keeps running in a loop.
- Pressing "Back" mistakenly in the controller was a big issue for lots of you, as it used to directly go to the main menu. Now the back button pauses the game and triggers a menu that have some options for you, which give you the chance to really decide if you want to go to the main menu or just unpause and keep playing.
- Inputs now should be disabled totally where it have to be disabled. For example in the intro notice screen, during tutorial, during party counter,...etch. If an input shall not work in those cases, it won't work.
- There is always chance to go back while in the menus by pressing (B), and it is displayed on the screen lower right corner.
Performance
- The code of the experimental VR been removed from the game (not really removed, moved to it's own branch of the project, so it become easier to bring it back in the future when needed). Which reduce some of the unnecessary logic execution. Not only that, but also the *.dll files for the VR platform won't be shipped anymore within the game, which save some MB (~50 mb).
- Fix some issues with the graphics options screen, where the game was crashing sometimes on applying new settings. Also the values now start with 1 not 0.
Note
The menus and UI is more of mouse friendly thatn controller. Better to navigate through the menus using mouse.
V.