Behind the Brawl #1: Beta takeaways and next steps
HI brawlers
Welcome to the very first Behind the Brawl, a development series where we'll be looking at challenges, considerations and behind-the-scenes of how HyperBrawl Tournament is being developed. This first part will specifically look at what we learned during the most recent beta - and where we go from here.
We recently ran our first PC beta of 2020 right here on Steam and as we’re currently working on the next one, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the key takeaways and look at where we’re going from here.
We received a ton of feedback from everyone during the beta, which highlighted both known and new issues, as well as general things for us to consider going forward in development. Let’s dive into some of these!
The pros
Players told us they had a great time during the beta and made sure to inform us of specific instances where the game needs adjustments. We’re working on those right now!
Our multiplayer technology performed really well with minimal lag during online matches. Score!
Players brawled with both controllers and keyboard/mouse. While we’ve always recommended playing with controllers, it was great to see that both options are viable in the arena – and that the player skill level was super high on both!
A ton of players were really good! Almost too good, though, as even the developers lost countless matches. We need to practice!
A lot of you put in the work and hit the level cap! Maybe we should increase the cap for the next beta...
Many players mastered the HyperCurve while others never used it at all. We need to show everyone just how awesome the HyperCurve really is! Case in point:
Make sure to HyperCurve responsibly though, or this might happen... Thanks to Olda Robot for the karma-filled original clip
The cons
A number of things didn’t quite work as intended, and while much of this is expected in an unfinished game, we still discovered and were told about new issues, that we’re now working on. Some of these will be addressed for the next beta, while others will be fixed closer to launch later this year.
Some players seemed to miss the fact that you can take control of your AI team mate, keeping the action entirely in your own hands. We’ll be looking at ways to ensure that this is more clear, so everyone knows that you can either switch characters manually during the match, or set it up to change character automatically to whoever has the ball.
The Sentry Shield quickly became “meta” and everyone picked it, because of some of the unintended ways it could used…
The above is just a small part of the feedback we received during the beta and we want to thank our players once again for taking part and for sharing your thoughts. This is what will ultimately help us create an even better game that we can all enjoy both during the betas as well as at launch later this year!
So, what's next?
Firstly, the team is currently hard at work on preparing our next PC beta, which we'll be talking a lot more about in the weeks to come. For now we recommend signing up to our newsletter or following us on Twitter (or maybe both!), so you'll know as soon as we've got beta details ready to share!
Secondly, we're looking into ways to bring more HyperBrawl to your screens! And no, we're not making a movie, but we may have ordered some livestreaming equipment... Stay tuned for more on that!
Finally, keep your eyes peeled for our second Behind the Brawl dev blog where we will be diving into weapon design and development, while taking a look at how we may adjust the Sentry Shield so it isn’t quite as overpowered at launch. Here’s a sneak peak…
Looking forward to more HyperBrawl? Be sure to WISHLIST here on Steam so you never miss a beat. It really helps in making sure that more brawlers discover the game and gives us more poor souls to take down on our way to the top of the leaderboards! *Evil laughter*
A big thank you to everyone who took part in our first 2020 PC beta for HyperBrawl Tournament - it was a ton of fun!
While we're busy planning the next PC beta taking place in the near future, we wanted to take the opportunity to share some of the highlights from this past beta weekend, which you can find below:
Which stat did you contribute to the most?
Whether you took part in the previous beta or not, we really want to encourage everyone to take part in the future HyperBrawl betas, to help us create the best sports brawler we possibly can - and we need everyone's feedback for that. Now's really the best opportunity to have your say and help shape development and the future of the game!
As always, feel free to join our Discord community, which is the best way to not only speak to fellow brawlers, but to the HyperBrawl team directly.
See you in the arena!
Closed Beta Live Now!
Hi everyone
We're happy to announce that the closed beta for HyperBrawl Tournament is live RIGHT NOW!
For the next two days you'll be able to get a taste of HyperBrawl Tournament, as the closed beta includes 4 heroes, 4 weapons, 2 arenas and 4 game modes, including local and online multiplayer.
If you haven't claimed a closed beta key yet, there are still some available on Alienware Arena.
See you in the arena!
Want to learn more? Join our Discord community to chat to developers and fellow brawlers alike!
Closed Beta FAQ
Where can I play the HyperBrawl Tournament closed beta? The closed beta is available on Steam. Keys are available exclusively from Alienware Arena.
When is the closed beta? The closed beta runs from March 7th 08:00 GMT / 00:00 PST to March 9th 08:00 GMT / 00:00 PST. The game can only be played during this period.
What’s included in the closed beta? 4 Heroes; Shade, Tristan, Toro and Bazooki. 2 Arenas; Court of Azdritch and Odeon of Talhaca. 4 Weapons; Hammer, Mag Glove, Grapple and Shield. 4 Game Modes; Quick Play, Blitz, The Trials and Advanced Tutorial.
Can I play online against other players? Yes! We’ve included the Blitz mode in the closed beta to allow you to take on the world and become the HyperBrawl Champion!
Can I play the closed beta offline? Yes, The Trials, Advanced Tutorial and Quick Play are all available offline. Please note: You need to be connected to the internet when booting up the game to be able to access any of the content. Should you go offline for any reason during gameplay, however, you will be able to continue playing offline without issue – at least until you restart the game.
Can I set up a game with my friends? The closed beta doesn’t include the full game, so while you will be able to set up games specifically with your friends in the full game, the closed beta only allows matchmaking when playing online. You can, however, enjoy Quick Play offline with up to 3 friends!
Is there any cross-platform play with the Apple Arcade version? No, we’re keeping the versions separate so we can ensure a fair, fun and level playing field on each platform.
Can I talk about and share content from the closed beta? You certainly can! There’s no NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) in place, which means you’re free to share screenshots, videos, livestreams, blog posts and any and all thoughts and feedback about the closed beta anywhere you want - and we would love it if you did!
Where should I share my closed beta feedback? You’re free to discuss your closed beta experiences anywhere you like, but if you’re looking to give us direct feedback to help us improve the game further, please share this with us on any of our official channels – like right here on Steam!
I didn’t get a key before the beta started; am I out of luck? As long as the beta hasn’t ended and all keys haven’t been claimed on Alienware Arena, there’s still time!
Will there be additional betas prior to launch? Definitely! We’ve got a few more betas planned for the lead up to launch, so if you didn’t manage to get a key or were unable to play during the beta period, keep an eye on our channels for information about future betas!
HyperBrawl Closed Beta Keys Available Now!
Hi brawlers!
It’s Monday which means those sweet, sweet closed beta keys are available over on Alienware Arena RIGHT NOW! We’ve made 10,000 keys available, so if you want to get some friends in on the action with you, be sure to give them a heads up!
We’ve prepared a handy closed beta FAQ for you below and if you’ve got any additional questions about the closed beta or HyperBrawl Tournament in general, fire away in the comments below.
See you in the arena!
Closed Beta FAQ
Where can I play the HyperBrawl Tournament closed beta? The closed beta is available on Steam. Keys are available exclusively from Alienware Arena.
When is the closed beta? The closed beta runs from March 7th 08:00 GMT / 00:00 PST to March 9th 08:00 GMT / 00:00 PST. The game can only be played during this period.
What’s included in the closed beta? 4 Heroes; Shade, Tristan, Toro and Bazooki. 2 Arenas; Court of Azdritch and Odeon of Talhaca. 4 Weapons; Hammer, Mag Glove, Grapple and Shield. 4 Game Modes; Quick Play, Blitz, The Trials and Advanced Tutorial.
Can I play online against other players? Yes! We’ve included the Blitz mode in the closed beta to allow you to take on the world and become the HyperBrawl Champion!
Can I play the closed beta offline? Yes, The Trials, Advanced Tutorial and Quick Play are all available offline. Please note: You need to be connected to the internet when booting up the game to be able to access any of the content. Should you go offline for any reason during gameplay, however, you will be able to continue playing offline without issue – at least until you restart the game.
Can I set up a game with my friends? The closed beta doesn’t include the full game, so while you will be able to set up games specifically with your friends in the full game, the closed beta only allows matchmaking when playing online. You can, however, enjoy Quick Play offline with up to 3 friends!
Is there any cross-platform play with the Apple Arcade version? No, we’re keeping the versions separate so we can ensure a fair, fun and level playing field on each platform.
Can I talk about and share content from the closed beta? You certainly can! There’s no NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) in place, which means you’re free to share screenshots, videos, livestreams, blog posts and any and all thoughts and feedback about the closed beta anywhere you want - and we would love it if you did!
Where should I share my closed beta feedback? You’re free to discuss your closed beta experiences anywhere you like, but if you’re looking to give us direct feedback to help us improve the game further, please share this with us on any of our official channels – like right here on Steam!
I didn’t get a key before the beta started; am I out of luck? As long as the beta hasn’t ended and all keys haven’t been claimed on Alienware Arena, there’s still time!
Will there be additional betas prior to launch? Definitely! We’ve got a few more betas planned for the lead up to launch, so if you didn’t manage to get a key or were unable to play during the beta period, keep an eye on our channels for information about future betas!
HyperBrawl Tournament Closed Beta!
Hi brawlers!
Today we’re excited to announce our upcoming Closed Beta right here on Steam with keys being made available exclusively over on Alienware Arena on Monday – don’t worry, we’ll remind you all when the keys are ready to go!
We’re giving out 10,000 keys for this particular beta and we can’t wait to get everyone in-game and competing online for the title of HyperBrawl Champion! Once you’ve got your beta key, you’ll be able to redeem and download the game here on Steam, though you won’t be able to play outside the beta period stated below.
Beta Timing BETA START: March 7th 08:00 GMT / 00:00 PST BETA END: March 9th 08:00 GMT / 00:00 PST
We’ll have more details and a handy FAQ ready for you alongside the keys on Monday. For now, if you’d like to chat to fellow brawlers, head on over to the forums, join our Discord server or chat to us on Twitter or Facebook.
2020 is going to be a super exciting year for HyperBrawl Tournament and we're happy to have everyone along for the ride! We hope you’re all as excited about the upcoming beta as we are, and we can’t wait to meet you all in the arena!
Official HBT Discord! Help shape HyperBrawl!
HyperBrawlers!
Do you want to be a part of our growing community and help shape the future of the game by chatting directly to the Developers?
Join us on Discord, here: https://discord.gg/qMXpJZR
Keep up to date on HyperBrawl announcments and updates!
Give us your suggestions, ideas and help us make HyperBrawl the best it can be!
Plenty of oppurtunites to get involved in our exclusive Ambassador Reward Program!
Be notified of upcoming Betas and how to play early versions of HyperBrawl!
Join our early, expanding community and be the first to get involved in our community games and rewards!
Don't be afraid to stop by and ask us anything you want or begin chatting to the other HyperBrawlers!
Thanks a lot, see you in the Arena!
URGENT: We need US and EU HyperBrawl Ambassadors!
Hello HyperBrawlers!
Those of you who are signed up to our Beta will have seen we are searching for gamers and fans to become a part of our HyperBrawl Ambassador program!
The response we got was overwhelming! Our UK team is now full of dedicated HyperBrawlers, ready to help us make this game the best it can be!
But we still have spaces available in our US and EU teams, so if you play from either of those regions, we need you to join and eventually help us test our online gameplay! Only 25 spaces available!
Want to have a part in the development of HyperBrawl? Email our CM Luke, at lwoods@milkytea.com, with your region (US or EU), full name and Discord name to take part!
We look forward to hearing from you! We'll be in touch Monday!
https://discord.gg/qMXpJZR
JOIN HYPERBRAWL ON THE ESL STAGE AT EGX!!!
Coming to EGX in Birmingham this weekend? We’d love to show you the latest build of HyperBrawl Tournament, find us in the Tentacle Zone and play the new arenas before anyone else!
Can’t make it? No worries, because the world’s first ESL HyperBrawl Tournament will be streamed live, from the stage at EGX on Sunday 23rd September at 2pm GMT. Witness pro-streamers battle it out in this epic, stadium-scale, HyperBrawl Tournament here.
Are you a Streamer or Influencer? We are looking for Twitch streamers who can host the ESL Twitch stream and help us reach a wider audience for the game. We want partners, not just for this awesome event, but for the whole HyperBrawl Tournament universe! The Twitch stream will go live between 2pm – 4pm GMT on Sunday the 23rd of September, please get in touch with us via Twitter DM at @HyperBrawl if you are interested and let’s talk!
Even if you can’t be there for the main event, be sure to check out HyperBrawl Tournament from our stand at the Tentacle Zone every day at EGX - 6 playable Warriors… 6 playable Arenas… for all 4 days… believe the HyperHype!
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for the latest on HyperBrawl Tournament and Wishlist us on Steam Here.
Thank you!
Milky Tea Team
IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT HYPERBRAWL TOURNAMENT
HYPEBRAWL TOURNAMENT WILL RELEASE IN EARLY 2019
We’ve been working hard on HyperBrawl Tournament to make it everything we, and you, want it to be; and your feedback has been invaluable in this process. However, this has meant that our ambitions for the game are bigger than ever, and we have taken the decision that to meet these goals we need to delay the launch of the game on Steam until early 2019. This means that the game will no longer enter Steam’s Early Access program.
BUT WHY?
We’ve made this choice because we want the official launch of the game to provide the best possible experience from the very moment you enter the HyperBrawl universe. In the last twelve months we’ve had amazing feedback from Beta tests, from the multitude of events we’ve attended, from influencers, journalists and esports organisations as well as platform partners. The majority of this was positive, from press accolades to ‘Best in Show’ awards, and we are now so driven to make HyperBrawl Tournament as brilliant as it can be.
WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK
We would love to get your feedback on the game, and if you haven’t done already please head to the HyperBrawl Tournament website and get your hands on our closed Beta keys. PLUS, feel free to pass the invitation on to friends and family – https://www.hyperbrawl.com/
FAQ
Why have you decided NOT to launch into Early Access?
Our original Plan was to launch on Steam EA. We’ve done 12 events in 12 months, showcasing the game and built a great community of fans. After discussing the game at length with the community we wanted to give players the best possible game at launch. This meant we had to pursue a full launch initiative whereby we could guarantee users that there would be an active player base. We hope the followers of the project can sympathise with how difficult a decision like this was, and continue to support us in closed Betas and give us valuable feedback on social media.
Why has the game now got a 2019 release date?
We’ve had some amazing reactions to the game this year and our ambitions are bigger than ever. We want to make sure that we live up to those ambitions and build a game that we and the community are proud of. This means we need to invest more time and energy making this game the best it can be at launch; therefore we have moved our release date. We can’t be precise what this date will be, but we will do our best to give the community plenty of notice.
When will the game be released?
We have no exact date at present. We want to manage expectations and we’re confident that an early 2019 release window will be achievable. We will give the community as much notice as possible.
When can you try the game?
We still plan on having several closed beta tests leading up to launch. In any development process, testing and getting valuable community feedback is paramount. Recently we’ve been working hard on things like gameplay, including player vs player combat and weapon usage; amongst many other things. Art, UI and general game aesthetics are also being developed. We’ve also been busy designing new characters and arenas to ensure there’s plenty of content at launch. If you’re interested in helping us play test builds of the game, or getting involved in closed betas then please sign up via our web site here: https://www.hyperbrawl.com/
We value all constructive feedback and need the communities help in making this game the best it can be.
How can you help?
If you’re interested in play testing builds of the game, please sign up via: https://www.hyperbrawl.com/
Also, you can stay up to date with the latest developments via twitter and Instagram here:
Join the HyperBrawlers and be one of the first to play this intense multi-player sport brawler.
In the past few months we’ve made some major changes to the game, stormed some of the biggest shows and been awarded a mention in the GDC “Best In Play’ awards. HyperBrawl Tournament continues to go from strength to strength, but we want to make it even better, even more fun, and even more HYPER!
So, we need you! We’ve opened a new window for our next group of HyperBrawl Pioneers and we want you to be part of it.
Sign up and have access to this:
•Get to play the exclusive HyperBrawl Beta Test Build.
•Have a vital say in HyperBrawl's development and be part of its success.
•Exclusive content, studio giveaways and events
•Get the latest HyperBrawl game development news & insights directly from the developers.
Sound good? Then click on the link below, give us your details (and the all-important permission to email you) and we’ll be in touch.
