Multiplayer beta update

NEW FEATURES

Player Interactions

• Added a high-five system between players after scoring (while the serve timer is running). High-five requests can be toggled with HIT1 (default: F). To perform the high-five, press HIT1 again when you are next to your teammate.

Chat System

• Added team chat (keybind: Y).

• Added quick chat with multiple message sets (Keyboard: 1, 2, 3, 4; Gamepad: D-pad).

• Added chat notifications with sound variations.

Settings and UI

• Added V-Sync toggle and FPS cap options (30/60/120).

• Relocated the Guide menu to the main/pause menu to be more visible.

• You can now cancel the “joining a lobby” process if you are stuck. After 10s, it will show a button that takes you back to the lobby menu.

• Added online player count display.

• Mouse cursor is now hidden while in-game.

Player Mechanics

• Player jump changes: speed now translates to jump height. Standing jump is now the lowest possible jump.

• You can second jump near platformer platforms.

• Buffed float strength.

• Nerfed dive receive; it is now less forgiving and harder to always receive using the dive action.

• Increased set horizontal setting power.

Gamemodes

• Added Ability Clash to multiplayer. The update includes all 8 abilities: Jump Cancel, Teleport, Shoe Throw, Switcharoo, Push Ray, Ball Dash, Platformer, Curve Ball.

Ability Clash Changes

• Abilities will behave slightly differently because we had to rewrite how forces are applied to the player.

• Platformer changes: Platformer no longer reacts (rotates) to your directional inputs until you hold the ability button.

• Ball Dash changes: made it easier to use Ball Dash (but not too much :)).

• Adjusted ability cooldowns from the base game.

Lobby

• Added the ability for hosts to change lobby settings (game mode, max points, visibility, lobby name, player count).

MINOR CHANGES

• Removed transparency from chat and chat popups.

• Added an indicator in the lobby friend list to show when an invite has been sent.

BUG FIXES

• Fixed end-game statistics not displaying correctly (serve aces, errors, spikes).

• Fixed lobby ready status not updating.

• Fixed infinite loading when joining via invite.

• Fixed blocking-yourself bug.

• Fixed all scenarios where the block animation is played instead of the spike animation.

• Fixed a bug where the end-game whistle is played at the wrong time.

Beta Access Details:

To access the beta, open your Steam Library, right-click the game, select Properties > Betas, and choose public_multiplayer_beta from the drop-down list.