Guys, I learned so much during Clea 2's development. When I look back at Clea 1, I go come on now, there is work to do here. So, work I did. Around two years after Clea's release, here is yet another big patch. Your love for Clea inspire me to keep the game healthy and at its best.
New costumes:
First, this is probably the biggest news of all. Three new costumes have been added to the game, unlocked by default! Two of them were previously costume mods. These are now handpicked to serve as official dresses, available on all platforms (once patches go up):
Halloween:
I have made the lantern smaller compared to how it looked in the costume mod, because I noticed the pumpkin would poke through side walls. The smaller pumpkin is quite cute, actually!
Rain:
Only the best costume mods deserve to become official. Let's face it. When I look back, some mods were simply texture filters, while others had visual glitches that would be hard to repair. This rain dress warrants an official spot by my books. Enjoy!
16-bit:
Last up, here is our discord community dress! We held an event where 16 chaos/chaos+ completionists were asked to let their presence be known. Our mighty 16 rocked up, so as promised, the 16-bit dress is now unlocked.
By the way, we have a friendly community that has just passed 100 members, and we hope to schedule more fun events/hangouts in the future. I would love to have you can join us: https://discord.gg/Z2yP6fkqCr
Now for the full list of updates. There is so much here I had to split these into categories. Enjoy, and seriously, please grab this update, then give the game a run. I hope you will like what you see!
Major updates:
- Lighting fixes across the campaign. Many light sources were far too bright in retrospect, now that I have the experience built from Clea 2's development. - Fixed an extremely rare bug where, after you peek left/right, your character could be stuck walking in place. For console players, until the patch is up, if you do stumble into this issue, please open and close the inventory, and you will be able to move again. - The UI used to look slightly wonky on higher resolutions (as you approach 4K). Some buttons would be too big, or the text would be too small, etc. This is no longer the case.
Enemy updates:
- Enemies' hearing and sight ranges (when in close proximity) will now vary based on difficulty. - Subtle AI tweaks to grant players more breathing space on lower difficulties. - The final enemy now seeks the player out more reliably, in exchange for a reduced vision range (as per design). - Some enemies are no longer invisible on invisible mode, but they are still harder to see (removed light source). - Fixed a bug where, if you returned from the cells and headed right, you could find an enemy who failed to activate (and be frozen in place).
Gameplay balances:
- Clea's base speed increased by 0.5. When you return to Clea 1 after Clea 2 (featuring Florine), Clea's movement speed can feel like a slog. - Difficulty balanced in chapter two.
Visual fixes:
- Fixed some areas where your lantern can pop slightly through the side walls. - Fixed minor visual glitch on top of the lantern with the Invisibility Cloak. - Fixed minor visual glitch on the x-shaped key piece. - An assortment of other minor fixes. For instance, a cake floating a single pixel above a table in chapter 4.
Bug fixes:
- Removed an exploit where, if you cancel out of the upgrades pop up then immediately pick an option, you can re-use the same crystal ball to obtain all available upgrades. - Removed a bug where, if you spammed confirm while saving (with infinite saves off), the save could cost you multiple candles. Not replicable on PC versions.
Price changes:
I also wish to use this chance to be transparent about price changes for Clea 1 and 2. Once approved by Valve, both games will be 13.99 USD on Steam. Here are the key reasons behind the change:
- Clea 1 was originally priced at only around 8 dollars. Both publishers I have spoken to, and even several players, mentioned this was far too low. I am thankful players would say that, and I learned a lot in terms of what price range is acceptable. To be honest, I highly doubt any game I release from now on will be priced that low, or I will not be able to sustain myself on these titles (unless I create mini-games).
- After Clea 1's launch, chaos+, arcade mode, invisible mode, along with additional unlockable costumes, had been added. I hope these additions have increased the game's replay value, and therefore also worthy of the new price.
- Clea 2, meanwhile, will have its cost reduced by a dollar to match Clea 1's. I want to do this, because now that Clea 1 has received the aforementioned updates, it has a similar amount of content as its sequel. It is only right for them to be priced the same in this case. Please note, this will happen in around 30 days.
- The console versions are slightly higher in price, because they have bonus dresses to make up for the fact PC supports costumes mods.
As usual, thank you for hearing me out. Any thoughts, I am here to listen and discuss. Everyone in the community has always been reasonable, which makes me comfortable with sharing my exact thoughts. To sum up, I feel like I have made a mistake with the pricing, so thank you for letting me make these corrections.
I have the next four days off because it is Easter break here. Please, give the patched version a run, and let me know if you spot any issues. I am keen to resolve things right away. This is the best version of Clea yet, and I wish to keep her sparkling clean.
Over the next few days, I will run regression tests on the console versions. Once they pass my tests, I will push patches out, and soon enough, Clea will be at her best on all platforms. Happy days.
Thank you ːcleahappyː!
Post sequel upgrade!
New costumes: - Added three new costumes, 16-bit, Halloween and Rain, all unlocked by default.
Major updates: - Lighting fixes across the campaign. Many light sources were far too bright in retrospect, now that I have the experience built from Clea 2's development. - Fixed an extremely rare bug where, after you peek left/right, your character could be stuck walking in place. For console players, until the patch is up, if you do stumble into this issue, please open and close the inventory, and you will be able to move again.
Enemy updates: - Enemies' hearing and sight ranges (when in close proximity) will now vary based on difficulty. - Subtle AI tweaks to grant players more breathing space on lower difficulties. - The final enemy now seeks the player out more reliably, in exchange for a reduced vision range (as per design). - Some enemies are no longer invisible on invisible mode, but they are still harder to see (removed light source). - Fixed a bug where, if you returned from the cells and headed right, you could find an enemy who failed to activate (and be frozen in place).
Gameplay balances: - Clea's base speed increased by 0.5. When you return to Clea 1 after Clea 2 (featuring Florine), Clea's movement speed can feel like a slog. - Difficulty balanced in chapter two.
Visual fixes: - Fixed some areas where your lantern can pop slightly through the side walls. - Fixed minor visual glitch on top of the lantern with the Invisibility Cloak. - Fixed minor visual glitch on the x-shaped key piece. - An assortment of other minor fixes. For instance, a cake floating a single pixel above a table in chapter 4.
Bug fixes: - Removed an exploit where, if you cancel out of the upgrades pop up then immediately pick an option, you can re-use the same crystal ball to obtain all available upgrades. - Removed a bug where, if you spammed confirm while saving (with infinite saves off), the save could cost you multiple candles. Not replicable on PC versions.
Clea 2 released, plus new costume mods!
(Thank you vanduobones for the artwork!)
Hello bud! So happy to announce Clea 2 has just arrived fresh on Steam. Please guide Florine as she braves the Fifth Dimensions to save her loved one:
Check out Yomiku's stream of Clea: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/961299189
Next, we have the 8-bit dress, which is part of a set unlocked by our discord community. With 16 chaos/chaos+ completionists, the 8-bit and 16-bit dresses have been unlocked. More info, including where to expect the 16-bit dress, can be found in the link below.
How to install mods: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2245125421
Thank you for supporting Clea, and I hope you will enjoy Clea 2 ːcleahappyː!
Conquest Pack
You know what makes me happy ːcleahappyː? When I check out what screenshots players have been posting, and I see yet another person who has conquered the campaign on Chaos+ mode. With your victory comes the Chaos+ Dress. When this dress is worn, enemies flee at the sight of you. You are now the hunter.
I am so proud of you, in fact, that I wish to offer more than those in-game rewards. This is why I have put together this Conquest Pack:
Let’s play a game of trust. Inside this pack is a set of wallpapers. However, they are only allowed to be used by those who have dominated the game on Chaos and/or Chaos+ mode (the files are labelled). Each time you see that desktop, you remember yes, I have conquered. Mousey, you thought you got me, but I laughed hard in your face ːcleachaosː.
There are also custom Steam library backgrounds. Yes, did you know those can be customized? Pick your game of choice in your Steam library, then right-click the header image and choose Set Custom Background. The Conquest Pack contains custom logos for you to use, too. I recommend aligning the logo to the bottom left for the best look.
Thank you for wishlisting Clea 2, and for telling your friends:
Hello there ːcleasunniesː. Just a few days until Clea 2's release! From paper planning to final crunch, at last, the time is upon us. To celebrate, I would like to invite you to our discord's Clea 2 launch party!
Two time zones to confirm your region against. Hope I got it right!
Activities (based on EST):
Chill chat + Q&A (2:30pm - 3pm): Chill out with the friendly folks on our discord! I like to think we are a wholesome bunch. In the meantime, please ask me any questions about Clea 1, 2, and any of my games in general. I will be there to answer what I can.
Chaos+ run (3pm - 4pm): I will stream a play through of Clea 1 on chaos+ mode. Hope I am not too rusty! Let's have a blast, and perhaps you might pick up some tricks along the way? To ensure I complete the game in time, I should play with infinite saves on. It will be a run without the secret chapters, and the cutscenes skipped.
Signings (4pm - 4:30pm): For the final 30 minutes, I would like to digitally sign thank you cards for those interested. When the time comes, please tag me up, and I will get to work. In the meantime, feel free to have fun on the server! After 30 minutes, in true indie spirit, I must immediately sign off to prepare for my day job. Thank you for your understanding.
Hope to see you there and then! I would love to have you join us ːcleahappyː!
Clea 1 & 2 custom Steam backgrounds
Hey pal! Hope you are doing good ːcleasunniesː.
Yo, I have a confession. Did you know you can assign custom Steam backgrounds for the games in your library? Oh, you did? Cool, haha, I kind of just found out the other week.
When there is a game I love, you know when I like doing? Let’s get some wallpapers up. Phone backgrounds. Steam library images. Get a few and set them on rotation. Let me go all in.
Worry not, because I got right onto it. Inside the below link are two custom Steam background packs. One for Clea, the other for Clea 2:
Please note some of these contain minor image spoilers. That said, with Clea 1, you may have seen most if not all of the artworks already. Also, Clea is primarily a test of skills. I doubt a single image will ruin your experience. Still, you can hold off on downloading these if preferred.
For the logos, I recommend aligning them to the bottom left for the best look:
Thank you for wishlisting Clea 2, and for sharing with your friends:
First, I am happy to announce we now have an InvertMouse discord server! A friendly place for us to hang out, with cute emotes packed for your enjoyment. Hope to see you inside:
I also plan to run cool events on the server, and in fact, there is one happening right now. See these dresses?
Once you are on the server, you will find the details in the events channel. To sum up, let’s gather 16 players who declare to have conquered Clea on Chaos or Chaos+ difficulty. After that, I will put up the dresses as PC mods for everyone to download.
As you can imagine, this is all trust based. If you have yet to beat Clea on Chaos/Chaos+, why not give it a shot? With Clea 2 around the corner, this would be a great time to brush up those skills. Then, when Florine kicks off her adventure, you too will be ready.
Good luck have fun ːcleasunniesː!
Deep Dive - Secret chapters
Clea 2 will be released on March 25th! As we approach launch day, this feels like a good time to reflect on the original Clea. For the first time, I will dive deep into each chapter and share my design thoughts, things I would change next time etc. If you have not completed Clea, I recommend reading these after a playthrough to avoid spoilers.
Okay, to finish up this series, let's dive deep into the three secret chapters ːcleachaosː.
The bonus chapters are made with business constraints in mind. A portion of players will never experience these chapters, so the levels will never be designed from the ground up like our core campaign. Meanwhile, existing levels are reused to get the most "buck" out of those assets. The secret chapters were designed to be short. If they were dragged out, we would venture into padding territory.
First, we have Florine's story. The maids make their exclusive appearance here (minus the dead ones ːcleasmugː). Something new as a reward for players. Meanwhile, you get to control Florine for a short time. While her controls are the same, it is nonetheless something fresh.
Edmond's chapter goes for something similar. On top of controlling a new character, your own protagonist is now the foe. Not only that, but she is one of the faster characters in the game. A shift in roles is always fun to experience.
Last up, we have Mom's story. As you are hunted throughout the mansion, you most likely wish you could make those Chaos Servants pay. I felt this way as I played Resident Evil 7. Yes, I would pay 50 bucks for a DLC where I can visit Jack again as the Doom Slayer. Mom's chapter offers this stress relief as a reward.
Side chapters provide opportunities to change things up. Play as someone different. Face a unique foe. A change in gameplay. In future titles, I hope to explore other shifts in tone, too. A humorous side quest in an otherwise serious narrative, for instance. Bonus chapters serve to flesh out a game, to exceed promises, and most important, to maximize satisfaction.
If you enjoyed your time with Clea 1, please consider wishlisting the sequel:
Your support will give Clea 2 a boost, and if you can tell your friends, that would also be super cool.
That concludes my deep dive into Clea. Thank you for reading, and for your support. See you in Clea 2 ːcleasunniesː!
Deep Dive - Chapters 5 + 6
Clea 2 will be released on March 25th! As we approach launch day, this feels like a good time to reflect on the original Clea. For the first time, I will dive deep into each chapter and share my design thoughts, things I would change next time etc. If you have not completed Clea, I recommend reading these after a playthrough to avoid spoilers.
Okay, let's dive deep into the final two chapters ːcleasunniesː.
The cells start off with you crammed inside only two rooms with a speedy servant. This Dark Servant is one of the fastest in the game, but now that players have conquered the Invisible Edmond "stop test", I am confident they will overcome.
In fact, as the chapter expands, more rooms become unlocked, which also means the Dark Servant must travel farther to reach you. While the puzzles ramp up in complexity, in a sense, your hunter becomes less of a threat. The Watchers pop up on occasions to keep you honest, but by this stage, you are most likely using this all to prove your prowess. I am more than okay with this, as it is something you have earned. If it motivates you to replay on Chaos or Chaos+ Mode, even better.
If you have challenged Clea on Chaos+, you would know about those Yellow Servants who appear on the final floors of most chapters. As I type up this article, I wonder if I should spawn the Yellow Servant on all difficulty settings, inside these cells exclusively. There are plenty of players who struggle from start to finish (which is fine), so this could be too much of a risk.
After surviving the cells, you have reached Clea's final chapter. The focus here is no longer on a challenge, but rather emotions. A piano track plays as a teary eyed Clea navigates back to the mansion's double doors. Edmond is gone. Dad has perished. Even Mom has turned. You are alone with your chaotic thoughts. Players make their way through past locations as they reflect on the puzzles they have solved, the foes they have conquered. The curtains close for both Clea and the player.
Clea's mom can outrun and catch you with ease. She has extremely sensitive hearing, too. One noise from you, and she will bolt directly to your location. She is no pushover, but still, she is designed to not be too much of a hurdle. One, again, this is a time for players to ponder. Two, a game should know when to bow out. Once your ideas have been expressed, exit with grace rather than pad out the content. Take some time to regroup, gather feedback from players, then brainstorm again for that sequel, or a new game.
If you enjoyed your time with Clea 1, please consider wishlisting the sequel:
Your support will give Clea 2 a boost, and if you can tell your friends, that would also be super cool.
Thank you for reading ːcleahappyː!
Deep Dive - Chapter 4
Clea 2 will be released on March 25th! As we approach launch day, this feels like a good time to reflect on the original Clea. For the first time, I will dive deep into each chapter and share my design thoughts, things I would change next time etc. If you have not completed Clea, I recommend reading these after a playthrough to avoid spoilers.
Okay, let's dive deep into chapter four, the rooms ːcleasunniesː.
It is fine, or even ideal, for games to have "stop tests". The designer wishes to check whether you have truly grasped a certain concept. Not out of conceit, but from the belief that, once mastered, this mechanic will boost your enjoyment of the game. So, please prove your understanding. If you cannot, I am afraid you may not progress.
I am on a design study run of Doom Eternal, and in the first big fight, a stop test already occurs. The ammo count has been lowered since the previous game. This is to encourage, or even force, the use of your chainsaw to replenish ammo. The first arena is filled with low-tier demons. They only take a shot or two to drop, but there are a bit too many to kill without refilling your shells. Without using that chainsaw, it may be a struggle. However, there are also shells lying around to show there are multiple solutions to this ammo problem.
The Chameleon Servant, or Invisible Edmond, is the ultimate stop test of Clea. You may even consider him to be a final boss. So far, players can get by via audio cues produced by the servants. They can hide in closets, then sneak and run as required to outsmart their foes. The Chameleon Servant, however, is invisible. Your existing bag of tricks may not suffice. You can sneak past Invisible Edmond, but what you truly want is for him to be completely out of the picture. You prefer him to be in a distant room, or even another floor. In other words, you wish to manipulate his positioning, to deceive him.
At this stage, I have seen many players begin to flush the toilets, or run around on the spot, to trick this invisible servant. It brings me great joy to see players solving the stop test. Once they have, I am more than okay with them dominating the rest of the campaign. It is, after all, something that has been earned, not stumbled upon through sheer luck. Despite conventions dictating otherwise, it is not compulsory for games to have a steady difficulty curve.
Clea's mom randomly appearing through this chapter? That was inspired by the grandma from Resident Evil 7. She often scared me more than Jack did. On a first playthrough, I hope players will feel anxious each time Clea's mom appears. After all, she can decide to lunge at any time. It might have been even more effective if, each time she appeared, she would look more and more out of control. Yet, to have her suddenly strike could be deemed unfair. It is a balance of dread without being cheap.
By the way, the secret room should (hopefully) be the only area in the game with no "get out of jail free closet". If you are chased by a servant into an unfamiliar room, only to run into a dead end, that can feel unfair. This is why closets are usually placed, especially at the end of long corridors, to provide an escape. Also, this is why Chaos Servants cannot react even if you hide in front of their faces. Originally, they would open the closets to end your run. Many players have teased the servants for their inability to do so, but believe me, you would not want the original behavior reverted ːcleasmugː. As for this secret room, since it is a tiny space, I am okay with it demanding a small risk.
This chapter contains the remaining two secret doors. On top of that, one of the keys is partially hidden in the same space. This is here for players who missed the Flower Key for Florine's story. It shows them hey, secret chapters exist. Perhaps there are others you may have missed? When you give players an easy first taste, you can inspire them to hunt down your other nuggets.
If you enjoyed your time with Clea 1, please consider wishlisting the sequel:
