Devlog #1 - Ad Wars Game Reboot (v0.4.4 Lost Changelog)
Hey Ad Hunters! First I wanted to say sorry that it took so long for me to finish this changelog.
After each update, I tend to work a lot on fixing current issues, and this update changed the game so much that it also introduced new things to fix. After that we were behind schedule for the new content, so I rushed to work on update v0.4.5. Hopefully by the end of this changelog you will get an idea of HOW BIG this update was to the entire game.
Without further ado, let's get into it!
New Level: The Adpocalypse
When I first created the game, it started with the bullet hell genre but we had a problem with it: it was TOO HARD for new players. Some players ended up dropping the game before playing the multiple game genres! It was a really difficult decision to made, so we ended up discarding the Bullet Hell and it's 3 levels.
But it's not lost: we're going to make a new game / mini-game out of the lost levels in the future.
After discarding the Bullet Hell, we re-made the whole city level into a Top Down Shooter level that sort of acted as a tutorial first, then it opens up so you can almost instantly start exploring at your own will.
This new level is called "The Adpocalypse" for the disaster that kickstarts the game story. Alt's mission is to get to the AdBlue building.
As we scrapped the old Bullet Hell Level 2, we wanted to bring The Gatekeeper to this level, it ended up working as the first boss.
Also: back in march we attended to our first game event, and we were lucky that we got to live test this level. People had a lot of fun with it and the level boss, so we knew we were on the right track.
Vs Combo Bosses
The old Combo battle was a Bullet Hell level with 4 bosses, so we had to re-do it as well.
It's now broken up into 3 separate battles: Burger (RPG), Fries + Soda (Platformer) and the Mighty Ice Cream (Top Down Shooter).
We also re-made the Internet Portal and made a new cutscene that introduces the New Combo Bosses and wraps the Intro episode of the game.
When we first made our game, I used Construct 2 as our engine, as it felt like it provided the freedom to make a multi-genre game. But, after years went by, it felt that we were stuck with really old features, and the performance was starting to show it's age. So we had to upgrade.
It took some time, because we had to port the entire game, delete plugins, and dish out really old code.
Thanks to the new engine features I was able to optimize the game code A LOT. This + the new engine (which is tons faster too) made a night / day difference in terms of performance. I cannot stress how big of a difference it ended up making. It felt (feels) like a new game, and now I can work on new features faster.
An example of a major improvement is that now the game is fully responsive! It will scale up / down according to your display. Gone are the days of scaling issues!
Gameplay UI Reboot
Back when we made the pause menu / inventory system, it was already clear that we needed to re-do our Gameplay UI. It was a debt we had with the project for a couple of years.
You can now see your current weapon (Sword), your equipped item (or Spell), your Health Points (red), your Magic Points (Green) and the Weapon Durability (Yellow circle around the weapon).
Boss GUI
This was part of the new Gameplay GUI. We re-made the Boss Lifebar with the new visual theme.
Also, whenever you fight a boss, there's a new GUI that shows the boss position even when it's out of the screen, so you can keep track of it's position.
Notifications
Tiny pop-ups that show up whenever you pick an item / weapon.
Big Feature: Upgrade System
In Ad Wars you destroy ads. Destroying ads give you Upgrade Points.
What can you do with your precious Upgrade Points? You can now purchase upgrades at any Checkpoint System to enhance your abilities. This can vary from a much needed permanent Health Upgrade to more base damage to your Sword and Blaster!
This is a core mechanic to the game, and the entire game has been reshaped to spin it around finding hidden ads.
Accessories
You can now find and purchase accesories, which get you non-permanent upgrades that sometimes work context-wise like resistance to Ice damage (which helps you in the Ice Cream Boss Battle by the way), other times they enhance abilities like giving Platformer Alt more Jump height.
You can equip a limited amount of accessories at a time, using Accessory Points (which can be upgraded by destroying ads and using the respective Upgrade Points).
Fast Weapon Swap
Throughout your adventure you will find lots of weapons, spells and items to use. Before, you had to open up the pause menu, switch tabs to your inventory and equip it. While you can still do that, you can also use the shoulder buttons to quickly swap between your current weapons. This made the combat much faster.
Spells
Spells are a secondary type of weapon that you can use at any time that have many effects like protecting yourself, attacking rows of enemies, staling enemies and more! We're also working on special obstacles where you need to use the spells to unlock your way through (ie special ice block that you destroy with the Fire Spell).
The first 2 spells are the Shield Spell and the Fire spell.
Shield Spell
The Shield Spell creates an orbitting sphere that protects you from damage and also damages enemies. you can spawn 2 at a time, but you will be able to upgrade it in the future, so it can withstand more damage and other effects like exploding when it gets destroyed.
Fire Spell
The fire spell launches a powerful ball of fire that goes through enemies and also burns them, dealing extra damage.
RPG Battle Item weapons + New UI
You can now use weapons from all other genres into RPG Battles! Some weapons like bombs attack every enemy on the battlefield.
Others, like the Electric Gun deal Electric damage and are able to stun enemies as well!
You can also use any Spells that you find around, like the Shield Spell.
To integrate this new feature, we redesigned the entire RPG Battle UI, it's now shinier than ever.
Level Select Screen v2
While the whole game grew, the Level Select screen was left behind, it didn't help keep track of your current collectibles, so we decided to re-do it from scratch.
Rocket Launcher + Revolver
Who can say no to a bunch of new weapons?
Joystick movement redone
We heard the complains loud and clear, you were absolutely right about joystick movement! I've now re-made the Gamepad Joystick movement from scratch. It now uses direct axis inputs for smooth control.
Platformer / Shooter Enemy AI Revamp
All enemies in the game now use a line of sight system where they can be alerted or go back to idle. You can tell it because they will either pop out an "!" or "?" symbol. They are smarter and more fun to fight.
Full screen tutorials
Ad Wars is a complex game. There are lots of mechanics that need to be explained to players, and sometimes it was overwhelming. We introduced full-screen tutorials with videos to make it a better experience.
We're also working on a section on the Pause Menu where you can check back all the Tutorials any time you need (TBA).
Zoom
You can now toggle zoom in / out by pressing Backspace on the Keyboard, and Select on a Controller. It's specially helpful on bigger screens.
Platformer Respawn System v2
Previously, if you fell off the stage or landed on a Spike, you respawned at a set location, which caused problems with open ended levels, like Convenience Store, where you're running left to right at times, and right to left at others.
You now respawn at an invisible checkpoint that is near the falling pit / spike.
More Features:
-Platformer Camera shakes whenever you stomp an enemy, get hit and destroy boxes -You can now use Bombs in Top Down Shooter and RPG! -New Songs for Hero Village! (Credits to the great Yemmie) -Map Names / Quest Status Updates Fix -Adblue Platformer: Added a Walljump Tutorial Room Before the Cracker Fight
There are tons of small / tiny features and improvements everywhere in the game that are not listed here.
We feel like this update ended up the research phase of the project. All loose ends tied, major features all working together into a cohesive experience.
I really mean it when I say that I hope this is the version of the game you get to play.
Thanks for all the love and support,
aGlitch
AD WARS v0.4.5 UPDATE OUT NOW!
Hello Ad Hunters, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
And what better way to celebrate than a monster-filled update! Ad Wars v0.4.5 is here, packed with new content and improvements to the overall game.
Trailer:
Metro Town
Personally it's been a dream of mine of releasing Metro Town on Hallloween. For the past 3 years I've wanted to release Metro Town, but there were other priorities in the game. We're finally there and we're so happy for it!
RPG Interiors
FINALLY. Another much needed feature. Both Clickbait City and Metro Town feature house interiors. It opens up the possibility for new quests, hidden items and many other things.
New to this update are the Clickbait Bar, the Clickbait Hotel, the Clickbait Shop, and of course it's Metro counterparts: Metro Hotel, Metro Potion Shop and the Metro Goblin Shop.
Platformer Graphics Upgrade Part 1
This has been on the works for a long time, but it was finally time to upgrade the platformer graphics, and integrate them to the overall aesthetic of the game (AKA outlines). Now it will look great whenever you wield a weapon that was originally designed for the shooter genre.
Maps / Minimaps
A Highly requested feature. Big levels will not be as confusing anymore! Also, completionists can now keep track of which things they collected thanks to map marks.
And many many more features and improvements! The game is much more stable too. Changelog coming soon. Promise it won't take long this time.
Have I said Happy Halloween already? Because HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Have a great one.
aGlitch, Moon Snack Games
AD WARS v0.4.4 - A MAJOR UPDATE IS OUT!
Hey Ad Hunters, we're finally back with another update! But this is not just your regular content update...
This one is a major re-engineering of the entire game. First, we migrated the entire project to Construct 3, which itself is miles ahead of the previous version, and that triggered mejor re-structuring of the project.
We also wanted to leave behind the old first level, because it made players drop the game before actually discovering it's true nature. So we set up to re-create the intro in a much better fasion, with gameplay at it's core. The result is the new level called "The Adpocalypse" which is the starting point of the game.
I also attended my first ever event back in march from which I took a lot of great feedback. We decided to delay this update in order to implement those changes (it was supposed to be released in march).
The full changelist would be endless by the amount of things we re-did, but I'm going to post a changelog in the upcoming days with the most important changes and the process behind them.
Keypoints: -New Engine migration (over 200% better performance, lots of re-ingeering) -New Story Level (The Adpocalypse) -Much better enemy AI (all genres) -New Bosses -Major project Cleanup -Multi-Genre Weapons (all weapons in all genres) -Fast Weapon Swap -Universal Game Variables across all genres (HP / MP) -Equipment -New UI
We're really happy with how it turned out to be. Once again, I'll go deeper into explaining some of the changes in the next log.
For now, we hope you have fun blasting those nasty ads!
aGlitch
New Content Update (v0.4.3) OUT NOW! (Full changelog)
Hey Ad Hunters! We're back with another big content update. This time you'll get to explore the haunted kingdom of Metro. We also made big changes to the game overall, added new requested features, improved several maps and much more. Let's get started!
Trailer
Features
New Game Areas
Metro Forest North
Clickbait Castle Entrance
Clickbait Fields North
New Intro Room
HP / MP System integration
One major problem with the game was the lack of integrations between the game genres. It made the experience feel like different games taped into a package because it didn't have many mechanics built across them.
So, in order to unify the genres into a more cohesive experience, the first step is to unify all HP / MP values into just one parameter.
Ads
Shooting in the RPG
You can now shoot enemies in the RPG overworld to temporarily stun them, giving you the chance to avoid some battles.
We also added a bunch of destructable objects to shoot at.
Crowdies
A new type of "collectible" exclusive to Clickbait Kingdom (RPG). Finding a Crowdie will get you a Crescent Stone, which will be used in the future in exchange for something great!
RPG
RPG fast travel
RPG Checkpoints have been completely changed in this update: they now feature Fast Travel between the different checkpoints inside a map, and an option to access the Upgrade (Rank Points) Menu.
You can also drop down from the overworld to any Checkpoint (same as it was in the Platformer)
You can now run in the RPG overworld to explore the world as a faster pace
Metro region OW
RPG exit from any point
RPG OW indicators
New RPG Enemy Pathfinding
RPG Breakable objects (boxes, crates and skulls)
Breakable objects in Clickbait Castle, Clickbait Town, Clickbait Fields South and AdBlue RPG
Ship
We redesigned Alt's sprite from scratch, with new animations
You can now run in the Ship (same as the RPG)
We also redesigned Alt's ship chair with special animations
You can now find the Upgrade Menu (Rank Points) on the top left PC
General
Controller Consistency
One of the main criticisms about the game was the lack of consistency of inputs between genres. We now changed some of the default inputs so they are consistent.
In the roguelike genre you couldn't shoot with a button, so now you can shoot in the same direction Alt is shooting by pressing the shoot button
Running in the RPG / Ship now uses the same button
All genres use the same button to swap between weapons
All other genre-specific actions use the same button (Bomwat in the platformer, dashing in the Roguelike)
Steam Overlay Fix
We finally fixed the Steam Overlay! It had some issues regarding the game engine that we're using.
Roguelike
Shooting with the shoot button (Controller consistency)
Alt now blinks when you get low health
Platformer
Added a new sprite on top of the Air currents that makes it look much better
Hero Village now features a complete new song by Yemmie
Explosions now create a light object (you can see it by exploding a bomb in a cave)
Alt now blink's when you're on low health
AdBlue
Rank Points Explanation
Upgrade (Rank Points) PC
AdBlue Roguelike Ads
AdBlue Rpg Ads
AdBlue Platformer ads
Patch 1 Bugfixes
Hp values
Magna not updating HP / MP
Upgrade menu fix
Checkpoint Menu fix (it was aligned to the left)
Quacky cream fix
RPG enemy stun particles
(special thanks to Northdream for reporting these bugs!)
That's all for now! As usual, we'll keep on releasing Patches as we find bugs or we improve some things out. We're already working on update 0.4.4, which will feature masive changes for the entire game.
If you happen to find any bugs, you can open a thread on our discussions or DM us through social media.
Thanks for playing!
New Content Update v0.4.3 Trailer + Release Date!
Hey Ad-Hunters! It's time for a new content update! This time for some new content for the RPG episode. Alt and Magna venture into the haunted region of Metro!
Without further ado, here's the new trailer:
With roughly 1 hour of new content, tons of new features, new enemies, new collectibles, ultrawide scaling and many improvements, it's a big step towards the open genre / open world experience we're aiming for!
As usual, we're posting a full changelog when the new update launches.
So get your controllers ready, see you on thursday!
Moon Snack Games
Update v0.4.2 Patch Changelog: New Area, New Music, Improved Enemy AI and more!
Hey everyone! aGlitch here with a list of fixes / changes we've done to the game after we recently released update v0.4.2. Let's get started.
Patch 1
This mostly fixed critical issues that prevented players from completing parts of the new levels.
UI
All new styled menus have a shadow backdrop now
Platformer General
Cave shadows fix
Keyblocks have a new effect when you use a key on them
Big rocks destroy animation fix
Issue with warps that went back (ie Hero Village to Perfect Practice)
Convenience Store
CS had an issue when starting the level again after getting inside the store for the first time, as there was a cave to return to the starting area, but it wasn't accessible from the start. You can now access this cave (which we call the Return Cave) to access the store exterior area
Kill Cotton with Water Gun Health UI Update fix
Return cave gem is now a timed gem
Return cave fog fix
Store camera problem fix
End cave tokens
End cave tiles ultrawide
Puzzle pieces room in the air duct fix
CS while going back to the air ducts
Bomwat movement controls not working on gamepad
Bomwat button not working
Scan boxes while facing the other direction
Exit door immediately fix
Plant gum break had an rock destroy effect when it hit acid blocks
Burger Boulevard
Spikes animation time
Spikes on ice cave borders fix
Death blocks fix
BB spike respawns fix
Condiment cave tiles fix
Condiment cave camera problem with rightmost spikes
Condiment cave left tiles black
Condiment right respawn wrong id
Condiment pre bacon temple tiles missing
Condiment pre bacon spikes not working
Condiment cave end death block
Condiment cave end door camera problem
Checkpoint travel from condiment cave to outside has no environment effect
Enemy positions
Condiment cave level end camera fix
Level end (condiment cave) shady dev box fix
Level end (condiment cave) camera gems 12 -> 14
Tiles optimization -> 2000 less tiles per layer
Leaves inside bacon temple recipe room
SFL end of content dialog fix
Getting crushed by a Crusher block while running on a platform above it (happened in Meat Temple)
Hero Village
Signs on top of Alt fix
Shrinked Hero Shop collision
Sellout Bridge
Bridge not unlocking
Ultrawide fix
Out of bounds respawn point fix
Bridge restore camera fix
Save data wipe after going to Convenience Store
Patch 2
New Features
Added a new track for all caves in Premium Plains! (Happy Caves)
New UI icon for Energy tokens
Plant Gum enemies can now shoot / attack in any direction!
Level 1 tutorial text missing ultrawide + remove unique function
Unpause Level 1 music
Intro Room
Intro repeat cutscene bug
That's it for now! I originally wanted to release another patch before the new update (v0.4.3) but that one's kinda close to being done, so we might just release those features with that update.
Thanks again for playing and sending your feedback! ːsteamhappyː
New Content Update (v0.4.2) OUT NOW!
Today is the day! The new update is finally out, and it's PACKED with new content. This new update focuses mostly in the platformer episode. We added 2 brand new levels that take place in new areas: Merch Mountains and Fast Food Forest.
We also added new mechanics such as Platformer weapons, items, puzzles and more! Let's get started:
Previously the game featured a currency called Energy Cores, which were confusing, so we left them as a powerup for Roguelike / Bullet Hell and added a new curreny called Energy Tokens!
Now it's much cleaner, and we even added different values color coded:
-Gold = 1 ET -Blue = 5ET -Red = 10 ET -Green = 50ET
This is a big step towards a more streamlined experience across all genres. Next updates will also focus on integrating all current systems, such as HP / MP and equipment.
Bomwat's new ability
You can now explore hidden paths with Bomwat's free roaming ability! It's crucial to get all the secrets from Convenience Store.
New enemies!
-Recyclawble -Shaving Mantis -Cotton Candy -Screw Wasp
Ultrawide Mode
New Collectibles
Puzzle Pieces
Balloons
You can throw knives to pop these types of crates! We added some in Cafe Bombino as well as the new levels.
Overworld tunes!
Our composer Yemmie made some amazing new tunes for each overworld! Be sure to check 'em out!
Other changes
UI Cleanup
Sleep RPG Status
Sleep RPG Status
Debug Mode
Tons of code cleanup + Optimization (platformer)
This has been a big update. Now that is out, let me tell you that we're already working on the next one! Update v0.4.3 will be out sooner than later, and will bring new content to the RPG Episode.
That's it for now! I'll be paying attention to feedback and uploading fixes when needed. Have fun!
aGlitch
New Content Update (version 0.4.2) coming out April 14th!
Hey Ad-Hunters! It's been a long time, but it's finally happening: the new update, version 0.4.2 is finally coming out this friday (April 14th).
Check out the trailer here:
With 1.5hours of new content, tons of new features, new enemies, collectibles, ultrawide scaling and many improvements, it's the huge update you've been waiting for!
Will have a fully featured changelog on friday when we launch the update.
Purple Gengens now wont fall off ledges (they're now in many new places)
Improved Rest in Pizza (Ship / Main Menu) music
New Tree Tileset (used in Café Bombino and the wip new levels!)
There's now a new Weapon Switch Rebind setting on the controller setup screen
Episode content end signs (requested by players)
Fixes
AdBlue
Door explanation cutscene repeats after going out of a vortex
Vortexes would sometimes place Alt in the wrong location if it's a new savefile
Ship
Ship BG was dark while on episode SFL
Access Point
Fixed a bug where players got locked out of the story
Elevators are now closed while the power is out
Locked door at the bottom of Floor -1
Spider surprise jumps out of nowhere
Floor 1 encounter would sometimes lock players
Bad guy wont leave floor 1 after seeing him for the first time
Platformer
Improved Cracker AI
Cafe bombino Coffee Delivery quest
Hero Gym Key meditation room fix
Hero Village spawn cutscene bug
Hero Village enter shop bug
Weird bug after viewing DC id in plat (cafe bombino) and moving after closing the menu
Fix pickables in air bug
Hero Village platforms z index
Fixed some Alt animation issues
What I'm working on
I'm currently working on 2 things:
A patch (F3) that will add more places to use bombs and will add more secrets to the current platformer levels
Content Update 0.4.2
Thanks again for submitting your feedback!
aGlitch
Ad Wars Early Access OUT NOW!
After a long time in the making, I'm happy to say that Ad Wars: Early Access is now available on Steam!
This is not only a dream come true for the team, but a big accomplishment for all of us as well.
Release Trailer
New Features!
-Story contents for all three Episodes (2.5 hours of NEW content!)
-Multi-genre Inventory System
-Quests System
-AdBlue: a brand new Introductory level to a multi-genre adventure!
-Platformer Alt complete redesign and new animations!
-RPG Trend / Antitrend system -New RPG Status -Tons of new enemies! -Lots of new items (for all genres) -On the fly options menu -New gameplay options -Clearer tutorials -Bullet Hell Improvements -Music Improvements -Dialogue Improvements -Many, many feedback related fixes / polishes
Early Access?
Yes, Ad Wars is planned to be an incredibly long game. With 4 game genres, tons of quests, npcs, enemies and obviously, ads, we want to have the freedom to express all of our ideas, and to do them properly!
So the best way to approach is to release the game as Early Access, and release batches of content updates, until the project is done!
What's Next?
Getting this release took a long time to get ready, so we already made some progress on the next update!
Starting from now on, we'll be releasing smaller content updates every couple of months plus your random, but necesary patch.
Check our social media for new announcements and game improvements!
Lastly
If you encounter any issues, please post them on our Steam Forums so we can patch them asap!
That's it for today! If you like the game and want to help us, please consider leaving a review. It helps us a lot!
