Version 0.16

We’ve released an update that improves startup speed and adds a new boss track.

Main changes in this update:

• Removed the startup sequence to speed up game launch

• Fixed a mouse input issue when the game is running in the background (macOS / Linux)

• Added a new BGM track:"Stage 2 Boss ~ Sasuke's Theme"

Below is a detailed explanation of each change.

Removed Boot BIOS startup sequence

In previous versions, the game displayed a VGS-X logo during startup. This has now been removed.

Originally, this sequence served two purposes:

• To wait for leaderboard loading (asynchronous initialization)

• To indicate that the game uses FM sound (YM2612)

However, in the current version of Battle Hanafuda:

• Leaderboards are no longer loaded at startup (they now load only when opening the leaderboard or submitting scores)

• The addition of the Music Room clearly demonstrates the use of FM sound

Based on this, we decided that removing the startup sequence and allowing players to jump into the game more quickly was the better choice.

Fixed mouse input issue when the window is not in focus

We fixed an issue where the game would still capture mouse input even when another application was in the foreground.

Note: This issue only occurred in windowed mode on macOS and Linux.

New track added: Stage 2 Boss ~ Sasuke's Theme

This track has been added to the Music Room.

(Sasuke image board)

As for Sasuke’s outfit, he’s currently wearing something rather… unconventional: fundoshi over shorts. It looks quite bizarre, so I’d like to briefly clarify.

In my original character design, there was a note describing his outfit as a “Traditional Matsuri Style” consisting of just a happi coat and a fundoshi.

In other words, at the concept stage it wasn’t quite this strange. However, after applying generative AI adjustments (such as sketch corrections and background improvements), it somehow ended up like this.

I suspect Sasuke’s appearance might raise some flags in terms of content rating (e.g., suggestive elements), though I can’t say for sure. It’s hard to predict what generative AI will do.

Originally, it was just the happi + fundoshi style, but after my daughter bluntly told me, “That’s seriously gross,” I was a bit shocked and decided to add shorts. However, I then realized that Sasuke “doesn’t perform well at work unless the fundoshi is fully visible,” which somehow led to his current outfit… so I added that as a questionable bit of backstory to justify it (?).

As for the music (the actual topic), I aimed for a more “muscular” feel.

I tried a number of different approaches, but in the end, it settled into something closer to my usual style.

You might even wonder, “Is this really music for a hanafuda game?”

Side note: Preparing real FM sound hardware

Battle Hanafuda uses a YM2612 FM sound emulator (based on YMFM).

In a previous update, I implemented analog-style emulation, which improved the realism of the sound.

However, this raised a new question: What exactly defines “real hardware sound”?

The YM2612 has been used in various systems, such as the Genesis and arcade machines.

Its sound is generated digitally, converted to analog via a DAC (e.g., YM3012), and then output through analog circuitry. The characteristics of that analog stage can significantly affect the final sound.

As a result, the sound varies depending on the hardware configuration.

To address this, I decided to build a reference “real hardware” environment for Battle Hanafuda (VGS-X).

Steam post imageThe image above shows the current YM2612 hardware setup under construction.

Note: The YM2612 IC is currently being sourced.

The main board is based on a Project RE:birth (RE1-YM2612).

https://ym2203.com/?p=583

Looking at the analog section, it includes dual op-amps and a relatively large number of electrolytic capacitors compared to typical game hardware, so I expect it to produce a high-quality analog signal.

The plan is to connect a Raspberry Pi Pico to the RE1 board, play VGM data, and record the output via the line-out (stereo mini jack) through a USB audio interface into OBS.

Once this system is complete, I will analyze waveform differences between this setup and the current in-game audio, and use that data to further refine the emulation toward a more authentic hardware sound.