EA Update Week 2 - Training Overhaul & Enemy Armor Adjustments

Week 2 Update is here

This update brings a lot of updates and improvements. I'm super excited to share the progress from this week and where we're going next. I am happy to say that all planned items completed on time in this update along with additional bug fixes and improvements.

Can't slow down - the eyes of the Snail are watching!

Update Highlights

• Stage Layout and Power-Up Placement

  • More Power-Ups early on in Stage 1. This gives the player more opportunities to try or change missile types, and offers an early Option power-up.

  • More enemy variety and routing improvments, some enemy spawns moved to Hard Mode.

    • Would you like to give feedback on Hard mode pacing and improve enemy placement? Come join the Discord server and share your feedback, let's chat!

• New Training Mode Overhaul

  • Player can choose which stage and section to start from, and jump in with no briefing.

  • During play in training mode, players can use the Pause Menu to change to the next or previous stage section, or retry the current section.

  • When reaching the end of a stage section, player is prompted to Continue on or Retry that section again. Once prompted the player will not be prompted again unless they start a new Training mode game.

  • Upon reaching the end of a stage in Training Mode, the player will be returned to the Main Menu.

    • In the future, the player will go directly back to the Training Mode Stage Selection screen.

• Enemy Armor System Adjustments

  • Tank and Boss enemies have been rebalanced with new Damage Reduction and Damage Threshold values. This should provide a much more dynamic and weighted fight vs armored opponents instead of simply chipping down HP.

  • For more information about the Armor System see the section at the end of the Update.

• New Snail Enemy

  • Reaching Stage 3 (not available in Demo Mode) you will find these Snails keeping watch. Stray to close and you'll receive a blast from their hypnotic eyes. Destroy for satisfying crunch!

    • Would you like the Snail to be one of Stage 3's holdable and throwable enemies? With your feedback it can! Join the Discord server and lets chat!

• High Score Screen Improvements

  • High Score Screen now scrolls to the Player's score instead of just to the top of all scores (if the player has a high score posted).

  • Player can scroll the High Scores using move input

  • Auto-Scrolling speed moves faster, then slows down when nearing the player's score

  • Exiting the High Score screen is now done by pressing Cancel/Bomb.

• Arrows or WASD: Default Control Pop-up

  • On Game's First Startup, the player is prompted if they want to use Arrow or WASD controls as the default, this prompt shows only once. It will be reset if the options are reset to defaults. All current players should get the prompt. This may overwrite current key-bind customizations.

Other Changes

• Bomb Special activation time has been shortened to .75 seconds from 1.5 seconds. This does not affect the time the bomb provides invulnerability, or the overall duration of the bomb effect.

• Damage flashing effect - instead of flashing pure white, the shader now uses a biased inversion effect. By reacting to enemy color the effect is more obvious and causes less eye fatigue.

• Screen shake from Missile detonation has been reduced and explosion volume reduced.

• Enemies with lasers, and the Heavy Mining Laser pickup weapon now play a laser charge sound when firing.

• Pickup Announcement sounds only play when increasing or changing