"The Last Exhibit" Now Available

The Last Exhibit

The time has come, everyone. Mondrian - Plastic Reality's final, major update. I've spent the last six months pouring over this one, building features, cleaning bugs, and adding in long-missing core functionality. While this is indeed the final feature update, I'm not putting the code on ice just yet, in case anyone runs into any issues. But if any pop up, once they're cleared, that will be that, and it will be time to say goodbye. But don't worry, some new stuff is getting cooked up at Lantana Games, and I'm excited to share it with you all at some point.

In the meantime, let's dive in and see what's new!

The Definitive Guide

First and foremost, you'll notice a new “manual.pdf” included in the install folder. This is a brand new book I've written which covers every single aspect of Mondrian Maker and Mondrian Studio. At close to 40 11x8.5” pages long, it's a doozy, but no details are missing. This book takes the place of the old Instructions panel in Mondrian Maker, is more up-to-date, and even has pictures! If by some chance you'd prefer to have the manual in your lap than in a desktop window, you can purchase a paperback edition at Barnes & Noble. Preorders are open for the next couple days!

Mondrian Maker Overhauls

Mondrian Maker has received some massive changes this update. From a new menu bar, to new block shapes, a new Speedpaint mode which you can use to record your level being created block by block, Nudge Snapping which will keep your blocks on grid when you Nudge them around, updated UI elements, loads of bug fixes, and improvements specifically targeting Steam Deck, Mondrian Maker is officially the best its ever been. Honestly this should be called Mondrian Maker 2, it's that much better. But luckily this just is, and always will be, Mondrian Maker. Please go try it out and upload some works to Steam Workshop or mod.io!

Main Menu Fixes

Windowed mode is back. Sorry that took so long! You can switch between Fullscreen and Windowed in the Options menu, and select any 16x9 screen resolution from 1080p down to 540p. Workshop content will also no longer automatically download, but just press the “Download” button in the popup and you're good to go. Mouse and controller functionality has been greatly fixed throughout the menu and it shouldn't skip ahead through the game mode selection process anymore. Finally, events are no longer network-bound, but Art Hallow's Eve and Makersmas will activate in October and December respectively, as always.

The Full Patch Notes

There's way more to list than even I can describe, so I'll let the patch notes do the talking. You can view them here.

Allow Me to Reminisce for a Moment, Please

Little known fact: I coded the first prototype of Mondrian on April Fool's Day, 2015. What a joke, huh? Five months later, Mondrian - Abstraction in Beauty launched to Positive reviews, and was accepted into the Indie Arcade exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Around the start of 2017, I had begun coding everything that would define Plastic Reality: the level editor, the photo mode, the lessened load times, the characters, all of it. From the road trip to Washington DC to the countless demo nights and conventions the game was brought to, this whole series has been adventure.

I can point to any number of reasons as to why Plastic Reality was not the success that Abstraction in Beauty was, some logical, and some pessimistic. But all that being said, YOU have been the most encouraging aspect of this game. Seeing the works the community has come up with over the last five and a half years has been a gift most game developers only dream of. I hope to see some fresh creations up in the Workshop again very soon! Thank you for being a part of the Plastic Reality community, no matter how small it's been.

A Sincere Thank You

If you're seeing this post, played the game, shared a level or two (or twenty) on Steam Workshop, left a review, or all of the above, thank you. It's been a ride to get the game to this point. With everything else getting cooked up at Lantana Games now, it just felt necessary to get the game into a state of which everyone who worked on it could be proud.

If you're just discovering the game for the first time, it would mean the world if you could check out everything on offer and leave a review, positive or negative (though obviously positive is preferable, but if for some reason it's negative, the more workable the feedback, the better!).

Wait, what's that? You haven't played? Well good news! Free Admission now has its own dedicated Steam Page, AND the game is 90% off for the next week! So go check out the demo, and if you like it, please leave a review, drop us a buck, and upgrade to the Lifetime Pass!

What Comes Next?

Over the next few months, you're going to notice our social channels - our video channels in particular - become very active. That's because a huge library of shorts is being put together, which feature all manner of content creators and fellow game developers hosting bite-sized tutorials on Mondrian Maker and Mondrian Studio. Speedpaint shorts are also going to be mixed in as well, for a bit of variety, and hopefully also some creator compilations and maybe an unboxing or two. Please be sure to follow all these, like the videos, repost where you can, you know the deal! And be extra sure to follow all the amazing guest hosts who've come on board for these. If you're interested in hosting one yourself, there are still spots available, so please get in touch!

As for what comes next for Lantana Games, well it's no secret that the next project is being built in Godot. I can say that it is going well - VERY well in fact. I've taken quite the liking to GDScript, and the engine has nearly every tool I've ever needed as a developer. You'll still have to wait a while to hear anything specific about this project as I'd rather play things close to the chest until things are good and ready. But believe me, it will have been worth the wait.

Thank you all so much again for your continued support and, of course, for playing. Now go Be Creative!

• Danny