We’re thrilled to announce the Pre-Winter Premiere—a new patch packed with updates and improvements. It took us a bit longer to get this version out, but we believe it’ll be worth the wait!
Improved Tutorial Experience
As a new game, we want to ensure that all players can easily dive in and enjoy. We’ve reworked the tutorial based on tons of feedback to make it more accessible. You’ll find better pacing, voiced lines, and a softer, more digestible presentation of mechanics. These enhancements aim to make learning the game clearer and more enjoyable—perfect for newcomers and those still deciding.
Introducing PvE Story Campaign
Instead of jumping straight from the tutorial to practice or multiplayer, you can now test your skills in our new PvE story campaign. Play against improved bots and enjoy a narrative-driven experience with generous rewards. The campaign provides enough resources to craft at least two additional leads beyond the starter deck, which offers even more ways to experiment with team combinations. We’ve also added guides for deckbuilding, crafting, and missions to support your journey as a budding movie director in ScreenPlay.
Daily Missions UI Overhaul
You spoke, and we listened! We’ve redesigned the daily missions UI based on player feedback, making it easier to track and claim rewards. We hope this change makes your daily quests more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Enhanced Rank Badges
Our previous rank badges were placeholders, but this update brings a visual upgrade. We want you to feel proud of your rank and enjoy showcasing your directorial prowess. While they may see further refinement, we hope you enjoy the new look.
Match Reconnection Feature
We’re introducing a match reconnection feature, allowing you to resume matches in case of crashes, disconnections, or desyncs. This ensures a smoother and more reliable gameplay experience, so you can stay focused on directing your masterpiece.
Bot Improvements
The bots have been improved to provide a fun experience, especially for new players. They now offer a good challenge up to the first 2-3 ranks, helping players sharpen their skills.
Early Match Emotes
Players can now send default emote messages during matches. This is an early version of the feature, with more exciting emotes and customization options coming in future patches.
Other Improvements
New vfx for Noir Thinking
This patch also includes upgrades to card art, VFX, and sound FX, with more enhancements planned for future updates. We’ve also addressed numerous bugs, with special thanks to our community for their helpful reports.
What’s Next?
In the coming patches, you can expect further bot improvements, new cards, a draft mode, in-game tournaments and one more special mode. Plus, we’re working on additional VFX, animations, and new card art to keep enhancing your experience.
We hope you enjoy this update! Spread the word, and let us know what you’d like to see in future patches. Thank you for being a part of ScreenPlay—we’re excited to have you with us on this journey!
Version 28.13: Tutorial Redone and Optimization
Tutorial: Brief and to the Point
We have significantly reworked the tutorial, making it much shorter in duration without sacrificing clarity on the rules. This streamlined version, with clearer objectives and a balanced presentation of information, helps new players quickly grasp the game.
The improved tutorial is the first step to our full-fledged PvE content.
Reel: Brighter and Clearer
We've enhanced the reel with a highlight for the player currently in the spotlight. This improvement makes the priority of actions in the game clearer.
Directors: it's more alive!
We added arc max-out animations for BBQ Bill, Spector, Pikaboo and Mayor Goldmane.
Bugfixes: why did it have to be bugs?
Fixed description of cardbacks in player inventory (thanks, MageArmour);
Fixed spelling on topbar buttons in Japanese translation (thanks, CloneDog);
Fixed behavior of Brainwashing Machine and Sudden Reveal (thanks, CMAvelis),
ScreenPlay Dodgy Days: Test the New Dodge Counter-Attack Mechanic
Welcome to ScreenPlay Dodgy Days!
This is a temporary event where we're testing a new game mechanic:
On every successful dodge, the dodging character will counter-attack the attacker.
The event starts NOW. There's no need to download anything; simply RESTART the game if you're already playing to get the update. The event will end this Sunday, July 21.
We want to see how this mechanic affects the game's dynamics, so your feedback is greatly appreciated, especially if you capture your games on video.
Join our Discord to share your feedback and participate in regular tournaments with prizes!
Prepare your decks and get ready for some dodgy action!
Text-related hotfix
A couple of errors in the texts made their way into version 28.11, we fixed them.
Remote Controlled Popstar should have "1 narrative" in the ability text, not "2 narrative" (thanks, Aqwijn).
Raptor Boys should mention "2/1 Baby Raptors" in the ability text, not "2/2 Baby Raptors" (thanks, Dunkoro).
Fixed description of card packs and Comedy Back Cover in the Store (thanks, MageArmour).
Version 28.11: rebalancing, optimizing, polishing
Hey everyone, thanks for your patience with our patch! In this update, we’ve introduced game balances, a revamped collection system, new voiceovers and performance optimizations.
Game rebalance
Base mechanics
If the card is frozen, its frames on the reel are considered "broken" (i.e. won't count for BBQ Bill)
Performance interruption always steals 1 story point.
Leads
BBQ Bill: +1 story arc, shattered action frames on reel are not counted for his ability, performance detection for his ability is now genre based.
Insult Comic Frog: Gains 1 NP in the end of scene, and an extra NP for a successful performance.
The Godfish: +1 story arc,
Qaal: now have 2 attack and 6 HP, -1 story arc.
Characters
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Sleight-of-hand Heister: Now returns to hand on successfull attack, dodge or performance.
BIRD-E: Bounty is now 1, got Unstoppable, attacks on second frame out of 3.
Sacrificial Goat: Triggered only when killed by friendly, no other conditions.
Chillodile: Triggers if damaged in the end of scene, no other conditions.
Bureaucrat Leech: Several leeches can not steal the same NP now.
Mind Control Operative: Played on first out of two frames now.
Counterfeiter Cuttlefish: Free 6 NP from your lead on set.
Jumbo Dumbo: Attack freeze is 2, on enter freeze is 2.
Doomed Augur: Triggered only when killed by friendly.
Pengnum P.I.: 2 HP, counting only friendly.
Baby Cthulhu: 4/4, costs 2, freezes by 2.
Remote-controlled Popstar: Steals 1 NP.
Meathead Rebel: 5 HP, attack costs 2.
Eco-Friendly Bog Monster: 3/3 stats now.
Raptor Boys: Raptors are 2/1 stats now.
Pro-Profit Centurion: 4 HP.
Brainwashing Machine: 1/5 stats now.
Rocky Reef Plankton: 1/2 stats now.
Debt-Ridden Scholar: 2/1 stats now.
Inspector Incognito: 1/6 stats now.
Cousin Caiman: 3/4 stats now.
Judge Dairy: 5 HP.
Vaxxinut: 1/2 stats now.
[/expand]
Crew
[expand]
Dynamator: Play costs 2 frames, ability costs 2 frames.
Obsessive Assistant: Ability costs 1 frame.
Adventure Ashington: Play costs 1 frame.
Unstable Clapper: Play costs 1 frame.
Sci-Fi Siri: Ability costs 1 frame.
Reel Runner: Ability costs 1 frame.
Monster Maker: Play costs 2 frames.
Action Axel: Ability to 2 frames.
Horror Hank: Ability to 1 frame.
[/expand]
Tropes
Couch Trap: Freeze pre-selected enemy lead backstage to no more than 3.
Trap Door: Play costs 2 frames.
Players will receive automatic compensation on their account for any nerfed cards in their collection.
Thanks to all community members involved in playtesting the changes: JetmanSkye, MageArmour, Aqwijn, Merxy, yarracteeln.
More Voiceovers
We added voiceover for tons of characters - Rex Xaah, The Godfish, Bartender Hydra, Alice Alea and many more.
The Great Collection Schism
By popular demand, we've revamped the way you view your Collection! Now, Decks and Cards are separate entities with their own screens.
New Collection Screen: Easily view your Collection on a dedicated screen.
Updated Deck Selection Screen: The decklist now exclusively serves as a decklist, with all deck actions performed at the center of the screen.
Color Indication for Missing Cards: Cards not in your Collection are now clearly indicated with color.
Improved Crafting Access: The crafting window now appears automatically when you add a card not in your Collection. More convenient ways to mass craft cards are on the way!
Performance optimization
We’re excited to announce significant performance improvements in our latest update! For the first time since our early access release, we've made major strides in optimizing the game.
Improved Memory Management: The game now uses a more predictable amount of memory.
Smoother Visuals: Experience a smoother and more polished gameplay experience.
While we’re not claiming perfection just yet, these enhancements provide a solid foundation for future optimizations. Thank you for your continued support as we work to make the game even better!
28.10: leaderboard and new languages
Leaderboard
We've added a global public ranking. If that's the only thing stopping you from showing off your new movie's screenplay to your friends, then your problem is solved.
This ranking system will be the foundation for more refined features, such as a separate "Legendary" league, seasons, and more.
Localization
We've added Spanish and Polish localization for the main parts of the game: cards, tutorial, and menu. While it still needs some fine-tuning, we'd love to hear your feedback.
Hotfix 28.9
Fix for UI-related crash (thanks, R-O-B B!).
Fix for missing translation of abilities in Portuguese translation.
Added missing glyphs in Chinese translation.
Hotfix 28.8
Bugfixes
Fixed a situation where localization led to blocking the ability to perform (thanks, Yudukiy).
Fixed cases where the game could crash during the tutorial briefing.
Fixed the position of the reel for screen aspect ratios other than 16:9 (thanks, sunspider).
Fixed cases of incorrect system locale detection (thanks, gunbus and Feep).
Fixed font artifacts in the Collection and on lead buttons (thanks, Azurah Star and MageArmour).
Returned missing description of card packs in the Store (thanks again, sunspider).
Version 28.7 Game Update
Hey.
We collected some user feedback and fixed few pretty critical, even blocking problems.
Display support
We've implemented basic support for beyond 1080p and aspect ratios outside of 16:9. Although the interface placement during the tutorial previously blocked progress, these issues have been corrected. The visuals may vary with different displays, and we plan to enhance this in future updates.
Tutorial
Feedback revealed that the tutorial was not effective for everyone, which is crucial for a game where understanding the rules is important.
We've added reminders and rebalanced the tutorial decks to improve clarity and flow. Further refinements are scheduled for the next patch.
Localization
We've laid the groundwork for adding multiple languages to the game. During this process, we encountered issues with font rendering, which may affect text quality for some, though it might not be noticeable to everyone. We now support partial translations (lore and some elements might still be in English) in:
German
Japanese
Portuguese
Simplified Chinese
French
Bugfixes
Added new sound for a lot of things: victory, defeat, pack opening, etc.
Fixed Cybocock not gaining story points when a backfire character attacked Cybochick (thanks, NatriOn for report!).
Fixed BBQ BIll without spotlight end of scene triggering before the one with spotlight
Improved layour of missions UI. We will be re-designing and improving it further so expect more updates on that in next patches.
Fixed some cryptic UI and gameplay related-crashes.
Artwork Attribution
In previous versions of the game, the names of artists and AI-generated artwork were only noted in the lore section, which led to some confusion about transparency. To clarify, we have now extended this attribution to the collection section as well. All placeholder artwork includes a visible watermark when you hover over the cards in both the collection and lore sections.
We want to assure you that AI-generated artwork is used strictly as temporary placeholders, and we are actively replacing them with original pieces created by our talented artists. For a deeper insight into our creative process, please check out our post titled 'The Art of ScreenPlay.'
Thank you all for your continued support. We look forward to sharing more updates soon.
The Art of ScreenPlay CCG: From Concept to Completion
The Art of ScreenPlay CCG: From Concept to Completion
Ever wondered how we create the quirky, humorous characters in ScreenPlay? Consider this post a behind-the-scenes look at the filmmaking process—yes, a movie within a movie. Get it? Alright, moving on.
The Creative Process
Our journey begins with the card mechanics. Before any illustration starts, we define these mechanics and use placeholder artwork to embody the core concept of each card. Take "Wake and Roll," for instance. The initial idea featured a bear comically propelled from bed into action, embodying the sudden call to adventure.
Illustrating the Drama
For "Wake and Roll," it was crucial that the artwork captured both the readiness for danger and the potential for failure. We envisioned an anthropomorphic bear from the world of Jaw-Z, mistakenly offending Queen Bee and facing a retaliatory swarm of bees. An alarm clock designed as a honey bee hive and the bear desperately reaching for bee spray enhance this scenario. Will he manage to grab the spray in time or succumb to the buzzing foes? This cliffhanger mirrors the card's mechanics, where a selected character can dodge an attack, counterstrike, and earn a story point.
From Sketches to Final Art
Our artist, Kevin, translates these ideas into two initial sketches, from which we select one to develop further.
After finalizing a sketch, Kevin crafts a rough color version to integrate the artwork seamlessly into the game, allowing for adjustments before the final rendering. This approach ensures that the artwork is not only effective but also resonates with the gameplay experience without rush.
Here's a look at the final polished version and its implementation in the game.
Designing the Movie Set Universe
Our process extends to other aspects of the game's world, like movie sets. Our artist, Sam Kemp, sketches out initial designs which are then blocked out in 3D for optimal lighting before the final paintover.
Sketch Stage
Blockout Stage
Final Version
Once the final version of the movie set is complete, we meticulously segment it into layers and animate various elements to infuse life into the scene. We employ shaders to animate certain components, while others utilize Spine for smooth, realistic movements.
Animated Version in game
Illustrating the Card Backs
Similarly, the back of each card receives the same meticulous treatment, tailored to the theme of the card, such as our comedic card back featuring a clown hit by a pie, brilliantly brought to life by artist Leo Fonseca.
Sketch
Flat Color
Final Version
A Note on AI Artwork
While some AI-generated artwork currently serves as placeholders, we're committed to replacing these with original creations. All placeholder art is clearly marked with a watermark in the game's collection view and noted in the lore for full transparency.
We're dedicated to ensuring the final release is free from AI-generated content, and your early support is crucial in achieving this.
Looking Forward
There’s much more going on behind the scenes, especially with VFX and animation that demand unique artistic contributions. We’ll share more about these processes in future posts.
Thank you for joining us on this artistic journey. ScreenPlay has entered early-access, and we’d love for you to spread the word and share our innovative take on the collectible card game genre with your friends!
