Hello fellow engineers. First of all, thanks for all the kindly advices from the community!
It's actually two parts in this update: The balance update about 'different complexity score for each kind of devices' and the difficulty adjustment of chapter III. The former one provides interesting choices when a player try to add a new device onto the automaton - "If a clutch switch cost only 10 complexity scores, should I use a gear register instead?" - and make the calculation of complexity score more reasonable.
By the way, thanks all the vote for the poll of the 'comment' feature. Based on the result of the poll, the sticker type of comment will be implemented and added to the game at the end of April.
One more thing, the Automaton Journal just released a new issue in the minor update last month. If you haven't tried the four new puzzles yet, welcome back! See you at the library! 😁
Release Notes
Master build 30415
Complexity Certification Change:
Each kind of hardware devices has its own complexity score now. The more powerful the device, the more complexity score it costs.
Start node is no longer consider as a state node. It cost 0 complexity score now.
The standards of complexity certification for every level were re-calculated due to the changes above.
Levels:
Added hints about binary number system for level 3-1, 3-3, 3-4.
Replaced the gear registers with integrators in level 3-5. The complexity certification cannot be done by brute force algorithm now.
Reduced difficulty of level 3-7: There's only one term located at the left side of brackets.
Reduced difficulty of level 3-8: There's no negative numbers or subtractions in the test cases now.
Improved:
The condition of Transition is no longer allow empty set ({}). The condition with empty set will be consider as undefined and shows a question mark on it. (Thanks the advice from Redglyph)
The 'Array and R/W Head' and the 'New Device' tutorial is added back to the automaton journal (Thanks the advice from 叶月博规)
Rename the achievement of Gulliver to 'Gulliver's Travels' and make it visible. (Thanks the advice from agrimes)
Bugfixes:
Fixed several typos. (Thanks to Redglyph, NashBlaster, das and MikeCrosley for spoting them)
Fixed an issue where the universal tape earise the written symbols on it when it's newly created. (Thanks to Redglyph for reporting it)
Mod:
Added 'No-Story' mode in AAW Language Mod
The "How Did That Work??" Bundle
The "How Did that work?" bundle is out now!
Alan's Automaton Workshop teams up with the glorious post-apocalyptic synthesizer puzzler The Signal State in this head-scratching bundle to work out your brain.
Set in a post-apocalyptic future, The Signal State puts your logic skills to the test with complex puzzles inspired by modular synthesizers. Repair machines, rebuild an abandoned farm, and be part of a revolution that will change the fate of agriculture once and for all.
The demo of both of our game Alan's Automaton Workshop and The Signal State are also available now. If you're still hesitate about getting one, welcome to have a try.
For the further information of the amazing game The Signal State, please check the link below:
The logical negation 'NOT' modifier for conditions: In the effect of the NOT modifier, if value of the Device matches none of the parameters, it counts as passed. The modifier will be available in level 2-3.
"Snap Edit Panel to selected item" option: If the option is enabled, the Edit Panel will move to the side of selected element and move back to its default position automatically when un-selecting an element.
Improved:
Edit Panel will dock at the bottom-right corner to reduce unnecessary movements.
Players can use hotkey 'R' to return Edit Panel to its default position.
Improved tutorial of Edit Panel (1-3)
Improved tutorial of Array and loops (2-1, 2-2, 2-3)
Bugfixes:
Fixed a typo in tutorial of certifications (1-5) (Thanks to refeu for reminding us)
Fixed a typo in tutorial of adding a new Device (2-2)
Fixed an issue where cause the Device name of Memo are incorrectly displayed when debugger is enabled.
The Jukebox in Hoffman's Bar can finally play some music at the background
Bugfixes:
Fixed an issue where cause the check mark incorrectly displayed in Automaton Journal (Thanks to kuan0127 for reporting it)
Fixed an issue where the player rapidly clicked multiple times on Gulliver might get the achievement earlier (Thanks to 阿飛 for reporting it)
0212 Roadmap of Future Update
Greeting engineers!
This is Alimen, the developer of Alan's Automaton Workshop.
Time flies, it had been three weeks after the launch of AAW. New engineers from all over the world came to the city of Grantabridge and the community grow steady. It's such exciting to receive all the suggestions and advice from you guys – and I'm very very happy to be able to grow under your help!
First thing first, please allow me to rewind a little bit, to review the change which is inspired by you:
1. The 'Quick Test' button allows players to speed up the test run immediately.
2. About renaming the devices: We add the 'Rename Device' button in Build 30130, to make the diagram more readable.
The 'rename' button only affect the device that created by player. The devices given by the level has its own place, so they are not allowed to rename now. Once the sand box mode is out, since all the devices are created by player, there will be no restriction.
3. The "You may not get both of certifications with one design" hint is added for the achievers who is eager to get all the certifications in game but frustrated of guessing what to do in a level. Please noted that, for example in level 2-3, an experienced player might still figure out the way to get both certifications with one single design, so we have to emphasize the 'may' part.
4. We also get a boost to the memories window and the dialogue system. A 'watched' checkmark in the memories window to mark the conversation you had read and an 'exit' icon on dialogue option which will end the conversation.
Phew! That's a lot! But here comes the part that everyone looking forward to: How will AAW progress in the future?
The following is the future roadmap we'd summarized from your kindly suggestions. Here it goes!
1. The long-awaited 'NOT' operator update! It will be our first major update at the end of February. By the help of this new operator, we can significantly reduced the mouse clicks to create a "if NOT … take this Transition" condition and bring more flexibility to the diagram.
The 'NOT' operator will be available in level 2-3 and come with a little tutorial about it.
2. Improved tutorials, hints and UI! In the very same update, we'll also introduce couple improvements concerned by the communities that helps the game more friendly to everyone. Including the difficulty change to Chapter II – There'll be more tutorials and hints about Switch Array and the loop structure.
At the same time, we'll also make some adjustment to the movement rule of the Edit Panel – It will be more like a dockable window on the screen and only minimize when it needed to. We believe the change can help us flatten the learning curve of our UI system. You can also enable / disable this new feature in the option.
3. Language MOD The tutorial of installing or making your own language mod will be available in the next week. Struggle to invite a player who didn't read English / Chinese / Russian? That's the way you did it!
4. The introduction of new puzzles They will be slightly delayed until the first week of March. There'll be a new issue of Automaton Journal available in the reader desk in the library, including 2 or 3 simpler puzzles about the NOT logic and a harder challenge. Welcome back to do some warmup!
5. The schedule of the second major update is still rough The only thing can be sure is it will include the difficulty adjustments of Chapter III by adding the tutorial of binary numbers and more hints to the levels. The manual / reference of hardware devices will be added in the same update.
6. The sandbox mode Which is still in progress. Sadly I can't tell when it will be done now, but I can promise that I'll notify you as soon as I can.
7. IP Products We are about to publish the much-anticipated official artbook and soundtrack in the next season. Sorry for the delay, but we never forget about them!
8. Others We'd received a lot of friendly messages from other developers who is also focus on programming games since our launch, so there'll be a bundle on the schedule (yes!). As we promised before, the Demo of AAW will be available just before the bundle is ready. For the engineer who haven't make up your mind, a little patient is all you need.
And that's all for now!
Once again, Thanks for all the help, all the supports and all the recommendations from you, the amazing automaton engineers. May the Alan's Automaton Workshop become better and better. Thank you! 🙏
+ Hints in conclusion / summary window when a level that player cannot get both of certifications with one design + A 'watched' checkmark in the memories window + A 'exit' icon on dialogues which includes options
Improved:
+ Any two hardware devices cannot have identical name now (Thanks the advice from Katsudon)
Levels:
+ Rise the complexity certification standard of level 5-2 from 490pt to 520pt + Rise the complexity certification standard of level 5-5 from 2660pt to 2690pt
Bugfixes:
- Breakpoint will pause the quick test mode correctly (Thanks to avalon46204 for reporting it) - Fixed an issue that may trap player who played Demo at the library - Fixed an issue where cause damaged save file summaries (Thanks to Ziboo for reporting it) - Misplaced tooltip 'Rename the Device'
1/24 Update
To all dear engineers: We already collected all feedbacks from Steam review, community and Discord server. So we begin to improve several part according to the feedbacks in this version.
+ Quick Test button: player can speed up the test run from the Execution Panel (starts from chapter II). + Editing the name of hardware devices.
Improved:
+ Rise the Level 2-8's speed certification standard from 9.75 to 20.08 .
Bugfixes:
- Fixed an issue where the action inside state node didn't remove when the corresponding device is removed. - Main calculator (Com) in level 3-8 can preform the Clear() action currectly now.
We won't stop to make this game better, so welcome to tell us your suggestions, opinons or cool ideas on Steam community or Discord!
1/22 Update
To all dear engineers: It's the first week of the opening of the workshop, are you guys enjoy the new life in the No42. Market street so far? We also want to thank to all your participation and feedbacks. We are already discussing the future contents update based on your suggestions. But for now we want to report the issues fixed and content added so far.
+ Improved cutscene loading speed. + Update the tooltip of "Передвиньте линию перевода (Цель)" (Thanks @Zigmeir for the suggestion)
Bugfixes:
- Fixed an issue where screen goes black when watching certain memory clips. - Fixed an issue where the box select tool is offseted when the game is running at widescreen (or windows mode with aspect ratio larger than 16:9)
Beside the system issues, we still occasionally found some mistake or typo in the text, so to everyone to found it: Please report to the Steam Discussion page or our Discord sever if available. Also welcome everyone to discuss the story, levels and suggestions to make this game better!
