HyperDot
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Patch Notes 6-18-20
Bug Fixes
- Fixed problem where some bonus levels weren't previewing correctly when you hover over them
Updates
- You can now change the starting amount of lives (100, 50, 10, 1) in Gauntlet mode
Gauntlet Update
Gauntlet
Kick the campaign challenge up a few notches with HyperDot’s new Gauntlet mode and see how far you can make it with a limited number of lives. It’s a new twist on the classic campaign that will challenge even the most dedicated players.
12 Bonus Levels
Each of these 12 stand-alone levels tackle a unique challenge that’ll put your dodging chops to the test. Ambitiously hand-crafted and extra-rude with attitude.
The Equalizer Background
This new level background is not only beautiful, it reacts to the music of the game.
Bug Fixes
We’ve been listening carefully to everyone’s feedback and have identified and resolved a number of gameplay issues.
- Updated coarse angle adjustments in the level editor
- Deadzone on ice levels is increased to prevent accidental movement from joystick
- When you test your level from the power up toggle screen, you will now return to the modifiers screen correctly
- Prevented level editor hotkeys from activating when editing the name of a level
- Made fixes to Achievement System to unlock achievements more reliably and at the correct times
- Fixed bug where angles of enemies would change when you copied and pasted other enemy parameters
- Fixed bug where if you tested from the Power Ups Toggles screen in the level editor you would be stuck
- Fixed enemy movement speeds sometimes being carried over from previous levels
Want to check out the new updates? Check out the streaming schedule below:
- 5/19/2020 @ 2:00pm-4:00pm CST -- TopicTech (https://mixer.com/TopicTech)
- 5/21/2020 @ 5:00pm-7:00pm CST -- LXE7 (https://mixer.com/LXE7)
- 5/22/2020 @ 2:00pm-4:00pm CST -- N0M4D (https://mixer.com/N0M4D)
- 5/22/2020 @ 11:30pm-1:30am CST -- JaneyLaney (https://mixer.com/JaneyLaney)
- 5/23/2020 @ 9:00am-11:00am CST -- Allisha (https://mixer.com/XxALLISHAxX)
Want to report an issue? Post in the #game-support channel in discord.gg/glitch or email support@tribe-games.com.
Patch notes, April 8th, 2020
Want to report an issue? Post in the #game-support channel in discord.gg/glitch or email support@tribe-games.com.
Bug Fixes
- Fixed issue where when playing on a DS4 controller it would say you are using "Horizontal" rather than "Joystick"
- In random, fixed bug with the area staying on the screen giving players no score after a reset round
- Fixed graphical issues within the level editor
- Fixed issue with mouse not allowing you to copy and paste enemies
- Fixed issue with Escape not pausing the game if you are using a mouse
- Mouse now highlights enemy parameters correctly
- Typing a leading decimal place in a parameter will now automatically put in "0." rather than preventing you from typing
- Values default to 0 when clearing number from parameters
- Level Editor now shows keyboard controls when using a mouse
- Fixed issue where the parameters would sometimes reset to 0
- Fixed enemy angle guides not lining up with actual angles
- Fixed issue with enemy angles not being preserved when multiple spawners are active
Updates
- Updated layout of Level editor to look similar to other menus
- Mouse and Keyboard now have special controls that appear for copy and paste (for enemies)
- Streamlined wave timing editing
- Clicking other enemy buttons or outside the current enemy closes the current selected enemy
- Updated buttons to allow mouse to toggle range parameters on enemies
- Mouse controls now have access to Copy/Paste for enemy parameters
- Added a confirmation prompt if you have changed the current level before quitting out of the editor to prevent loss of work
Patch notes, Feb. 19, 2020
Want to report an issue? Post in the #game-support channel in discord.gg/glitch or email support@tribe-games.com.
Bug Fixes
- Fixed issues with mouse not reacting appropriately on the level select screen in campaign.
- Fixed graphics issue where the token counter kept the color of the player after playing in multiplayer.
- Fixed cross enemies to spin in the same direction they spawned in.
- Fixed control button in color select to show the correct input and show it faster.
- Fixed error with level modifiers displaying incorrectly in the freeplay pause menu.
- Fixed issue where if player picks up a Time power-up right before dying, screen doesn't reset until the next Time power-up is grabbed or until after next death.
- Fixed bug in level editor that prevented enemies with multiple spawners from being copied.
- Achievements now are checked when the player first starts the game to try to prevent missing achievements from unlocking.
- Fixed bug where Level 101: Corrupted didn’t show correct completion status.
- Stopped “unlocked” prompt from displaying after the player completes the game.
Updates
- Added modifier tags to the screen before trials.
- Adjusted token and area spawns to not be in the center of the arena.
- Ambient sound can now be toggled on and off.
- Suppressed the Tobii Eye Tracking settings notification from popping repeatedly.
- Changed various minor graphical inconsistencies.
- Lowered amount of enemies that spawn in Level 40: Sliced.
HyperDot is out now!
It's official, everybody. HyperDot is available now on Steam, Xbox, itch.io, and Microsoft Store. That feels…bizarre to say.
I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout years of me making a game about a dot. This past year in particular has been childhood dream after dream being fulfilled. I couldn't have done this without you all — friends, family, players, business partners, and collaborators.
It would mean a lot if you helped spread the word online. You can share the news on Twitter, hit the 'like' button on the launch trailer, or leave a good review.
If you want to talk about the game, follow me, @DarkaysTG, or hop in the #hyperdot channel on Discord. Thanks again, and happy dodging.
— Charles McGregor, HyperDot developer
HyperDot enemy types and how to outsmart them
Charles McGregor, HyperDot’s solo developer, shares some origins, behaviors, and dodging tips for HyperDot’s five enemy types.
Squares
Enemy behavior
“Squares go in a straight line. They’re the most basic enemy and easiest to understand,” Charles says. “They’re the first enemies I ever made in HyperDot and the backbone of the game.”
Dodger beware
Squares are underestimated. Once players get to know trickier enemy types, they put their focus on dodging them…and get caught by those simple, common squares.
How to use them
Squares are the best enemy type to form “structures” when creating your own levels — that is, solid lines of red that players need to navigate around.
Pentagons
Enemy behavior
As Pentagons spawn, they point at the player dot, then move straight across the arena. Charles explains, “Under the hood, I basically just say hey, pentagon? Rotate once towards the player. Then that’s it.”
In the prototype, they were hexagons
“I changed the hexagons to pentagons because pentagons have a point that indicates the direction they’re heading in,” Charles says. Don’t say he never did anything for you.
Players don’t “get” them
Without the above info on hand, players can tell that pentagons are doing something different but they’re not sure what. Charles drops hints for these and other enemies in the names of the single player levels — keep that in mind.
Triangles
Enemy behavior
Triangles act like homing missiles — they follow player dots around the arena, much to most players’ distress.
Under the hood
Like the pentagons, triangles are programmed to rotate. Unlike the pentagons, they keep rotating — they’ll follow the player around for five seconds until moving off the arena.
The enemy of your enemy
You can attract and pass triangles off to other players in multiplayer. Not condoning it, just saying it’s possible.
Stars
Enemy behavior
Like triangles, stars follow player dots. But instead of swinging around in a wide circle, they spin in one spot and shoot straight at the player again. And again. And again.
GameCube roots
“Stars were actually inspired by Kirby Air Ride. There is a star in the game called the Swerve Star. Basically, you stop, adjust where you’re pointing, and then go. Then stop, adjust where you’re pointing, and then go. I thought, ‘oh, what if an enemy did that?’” Charles says.
You’ll see more of them later
Stars are tricky, and they crop up often in difficult late-game levels. By staggering their spawn times just so, just a handful of stars in an arena can feel like a constant barrage of attacks.
Crosses
Enemy behavior
Crosses enter the arena, come to a stop, spin on their axes, then break into four small squares that shoot quickly across the arena.
Why, though
“I wanted to have a more random enemy, one that was based more off twitch reflexes than pattern recognition. Crosses get the most flak from a lot of like game designers.”
If you pay close attention
As they spawn, the crosses indicate which direction they’re going to split apart in. When they spin, they stop in the same orientation they were in before, then break apart.
We have a release date!
It's happening! HyperDot launches on January 31! Thank you all for your support throughout the development process. We can’t wait to see everyone trying the game out for the first time.
Show your support
It would mean a lot to us if you helped share the news on social media — you can share @heyglitch's announcement tweet if that's easiest.
Subscribe for updates
Get news as it happens and first looks at behind-the-scenes content by subscribing to the HyperDot newsletter.
Get in our Discord
Post in the #hyperdot channel at discord.gg/glitch to connect with HyperDot's creator Charles McGregor, chat with fellow HyperDot players, and direct questions at the GLITCH publishing team. Let's be pals.
These updates will increase HyperDot's flexibility and accessibility
Thanks to everyone who participated in #HyperDotA11y! It was surreal to see people streaming my game, and the response that I have gotten from the games accessibility community has nothing short of amazing. I really do appreciate all the kind words and encouragement.
To be honest, I was nervous about doing this research. I was hoping there wouldn’t be bugs or barriers that showed up and was worried that it could prevent people from playing. Fortunately, everything went well! Everyone was generous with their time and feedback, and in the end, HyperDot was even more accessible than we’d thought!
I worked with the GLITCH team and accessibility consultant Cherry Thompson to identify updates that I could make to HyperDot based on what we learned during #HyperDotA11y research. We chose updates based on what would have the highest impact for most players and what I could feasibly get in the game within the constraints of the project. Some of these updates will be made before release, and some will come after. Visit hyperdotgame.com/a11y to see the full changelog.
Thanks again to everyone who helped and supported this project! I’ve learned a lot from watching and listening to the community, stream team, and accessibility experts and advocates. Thanks so much!
Coming 2020
Follow along in the #HyperDot channel at discord.gg/glitch to hear about fresh updates as they happen, including:
- More music (lo-fi chill beats to dodge to)
- New settings to deepen HyperDot's accessibility (thanks, #a11y stream team)
- Additional storefront supports and Play Anywhere options (because Charles takes that "anywhere" quite seriously)
- In-depth, behind the scenes stories of HyperDot's creation (we've got some new Content™ coming your way)
This wasn’t an easy decision to make, and we're so thankful to have the support of our partners and players while we make sure HyperDot gets the launch it deserves. We can't wait to play with you in the new year.