Major v0.9.0 update

Hi there! It's been far too long since we've posted an update to BlitzKeep Unleashed. Fortunately, v0.9.0 is a good one, and is getting very close to the v1.0.0 release!

Changelog

Features

• Extreme balance pass – the entire game has been rebalanced. Previously, the stronger you got, the harder the game was (you would need to kill more enemies to level up). Although this was a nice curve, it caused unpredictable difficulty spreads (if you were diligent and killed more enemies in earlier levels, later levels would be especially difficult or even impossible). Changed the algorithm to have a predictable spread and difficulty.

• There is now an option to remove the game timer entirely

• Moved the delete user data feature to the options menu

• Overhaul of the Askar Bridge – there are no more double lasers since they were too difficult, the lasers now turn on and off with the wind, the wind now moves predictably and is more forgiving, and the miniboss fire mazes are signficantly more predictable and easier with less waiting.

• Askar Bridge boss major overhaul – the chicken boss now works quite well, throwing barrels at you and giving you a chance to hit it back.

• Major tutorial changes and improvements – it should be much clearer how to play now, and some of the tutorial rooms are less tedious

• Changes to the boss key – it now always spawns in the room leading to the boss, and spawns either if you are strong enough to take on the boss or if you clear the preceding room

• Theoretically no rooms should be unbeatable with different classes (previously, some classes that can't boost could not get beyond certain rooms)

• Greatly simplified the power system for some classes, so you're either too strong or you're not (mage, rogue), rather than needing to do weird math

• Major changes to how the level select works so it's more intuitive – there is a big enter button and you can't so easily select the wrong level accidentally. The level select also focuses on the most recent level you played instead of the farthest level you've reached, making it less annoying if you go back and play previous levels

Polish

• New art and animations for many of the bosses – much more beautiful and "alive" now

• Some new intro animations for bosses

• The shop has a scrollbar now so it's more clear that it can be scrolled

• The shop now has a "NEW ITEMS" notification when more is available for purchase

• The shield guard that tutorializes the glowing orbs is more obvious now

• New art in the Askar Bridge

• Changed text on the death screen to actually be useful with gameplay suggestions instead of flavor

• Changed stop mechanic to be nearly instant to avoid pesky deaths where the character stops too slowly

• Added new sound effects throughout the game

• Made it possible to do a shorter simpler finish for the Spookane 1 miniboss, but gain coins for doing the harder finish

• Made many trap rooms easier

• Improved aiming and throwing – now you can't accidentally throw your character when you were holding your shield up, you need to initiate a new click to throw

• Improvements to the stop pads – they are super predictable now and won't sometimes skip stopping you

• Mausolia's light projectile is majorly improved to actually feel reasonably useable

• Fix for the multi-trigger rooms in Verdantopia where sometimes they could be triggered without all being pressed. Also gave them a delay period where they remain pressed to make the Verdantopia minibosses easier

• Darkness in Mausolia will no longer kill you twice in a row when you have an extra life

• Now when you control multiple characters in Verdantopia, you must click on the door itself to exit (greatly reduces accidental exits with many characters)

• Made the swipe mechanic move the character slightly more per swipe

• Buying a new class now selects it immediately

Bug Fixes

• Fixed issue with the Aimer where it would jump to the wrong angle for a frame

• Latest version of Unity adds compatibility fixes for some machines

• The shooters in Spookane work more predictably

• Fixed some death screen issues on different aspect ratios

• Major performance improvements throughout, and memory leak fixes

• Laser beams now have a proper sprite when they kill you

• Fixed a bug where the shield and the bubble on the player would change color as you went through doors

• Fixed typos throughout

• Fixes for various rooms being oriented / entered the wrong way (boss rooms, some fireball rooms)

• Fixed the coin pickup animation so it originates in the right location

• Fixed the swipe particle effects so they originate in the right location

• Clouds on the level select are now big enough regardless of aspect ratio

• Fixed several issues in Amphibia levels – giant frogs not moving and animating properly, laser issues, problems with the mines room, stop pad issues

• Lots of Z-fighting issues fixed throughout

• Fixed tiny logo on start

• Major fixes to how multiple players syncing their power and items are handled, which fixes bugs found in Verdantopia and in multiplayer

• Fixed a bug where the chain slime spell wouldn't grant experience

• Fixed painfully loud boost sound in Verdantopia when many characters boost simultaneously