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Steam News31 May 20261mo ago

Devlog: Multiplayer HUD Overhaul, Connection Safety & Self-Play Analysis

Hey everyone, solo dev here! I've been polishing the multiplayer experience to make matches more strategic, visual, and stable.

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Full Pixel Chess Idle RPG update

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Repeated intro

Hey everyone, solo dev here! I've been polishing the multiplayer experience to make matches more strategic, visual, and stable. Here is a quick, to-the-point list of what is now live:

What changed

0 fixes4 additions6 changes0 removals
  • UI and audio
  • Server
changed⏱️ Clocks & Turn HUD
changedRight HUD Thematic Clocks: Moved timers to custom, board-themed clock cards on the right side of the board. Features dynamic Steam name displays and a centerpiece turn banner ("YOUR MOVE" / "OPPONENT'S MOVE") that pulses colors using sine-wave animations.
changedDesync-free Timers: Changed to client clock authority. Your client ticks down your clock, and your opponent's ticks down theirs, syncing the remaining time and +5s increment on every move. No more false timeouts due to packet latency.
changedClean UI: Hidden campaign passive displays ("+10/s") in multiplayer.
addedInactivity Warning: Added a "RECONNECTING..." overlay if no packets are received from the opponent for 60 seconds. Transitions to a disconnect screen after a 5-second grace period where you can claim a victory immediately.
addedColor-Swap Rematch: Added a "REMATCH (X/2)" button. Voting resets the board and swaps player colors (former Host plays White, former Joiner plays Black).

Pixel Chess Idle RPG changes

changed⏱️ Clocks & Turn HUD
changedRight HUD Thematic Clocks: Moved timers to custom, board-themed clock cards on the right side of the board. Features dynamic Steam name displays and a centerpiece turn banner ("YOUR MOVE" / "OPPONENT'S MOVE") that pulses colors using sine-wave animations.
changedDesync-free Timers: Changed to client clock authority. Your client ticks down your clock, and your opponent's ticks down theirs, syncing the remaining time and +5s increment on every move. No more false timeouts due to packet latency.
changedClean UI: Hidden campaign passive displays ("+10/s") in multiplayer.
addedInactivity Warning: Added a "RECONNECTING..." overlay if no packets are received from the opponent for 60 seconds. Transitions to a disconnect screen after a 5-second grace period where you can claim a victory immediately.

⏱️ Clocks & Turn HUD

  • Right HUD Thematic Clocks: Moved timers to custom, board-themed clock cards on the right side of the board. Features dynamic Steam name displays and a centerpiece turn banner ("YOUR MOVE" / "OPPONENT'S MOVE") that pulses colors using sine-wave animations.

  • Desync-free TimersChanged to client clock authority. Your client ticks down your clock, and your opponent's ticks down theirs, syncing the remaining time and +5s increment on every move. No more false timeouts due to packet latency.

  • Clean UI: Hidden campaign passive displays ("+10/s") in multiplayer.

🔌 Reconnections & Game Flow

  • Inactivity WarningAdded a "RECONNECTING..." overlay if no packets are received from the opponent for 60 seconds. Transitions to a disconnect screen after a 5-second grace period where you can claim a victory immediately.
  • Color-Swap RematchAdded a "REMATCH (X/2)" button. Voting resets the board and swaps player colors (former Host plays White, former Joiner plays Black).
  • Instant Re-queueAdded a "PLAY AGAIN" button on match completion that leaves the lobby and queues you up for a new matchmaking lobby immediately.

🧠 Self-Play (Analysis) Mode

  • Local Opening StudyAdded a "Self-Play (Analysis)" button at the bottom of the multiplayer mode menu. Move pieces for BOTH colors locally turn-by-turn to test opening combinations.

  • Balanced Stats: Uses multiplayer base stats (King HP 15, Queen HP 12, flat damage, Pawn front attacks) without clocks or network replication.

  • Reset & Quit Actions: Includes a quick Reset Board button to clear the board and restore pieces, plus a Quit button to return to the menu cleanly.

Source

Steam News / 31 May 2026

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