Patch 1.10 includes a large VFX update, with updated Tokens, a new Game Board, weapons fire from Mech hardpoints, new Card backs, and plenty more throughout. The newly implemented Pilot Dialogue system adds more character and personality throughout a run. You can see some of these changes in the screenshots below:
Deckbuilders Fest
Mech Shuffle is proud to be part of Steams Deckbuilders Fest this year! To celebrate all forms of deckbuilders, we are running a 30% discount for the duration of the festival.
What's New In Patch 1.10?
With the lastest patch now ready, we can share the full patch notes.
We have added collectible card backs that you can unlock in various ways by playing the game. To thank everyone who has supported Mech Shuffle during Early Access, we are adding a limited early access card back for anyone who plays the game between now and full release (soon™).
Warning, the patch notes is a long list:
Full Patch Notes
Card Backs Added
Final Boss Fight
Added Pilot Dialogue
New Event Type: Quirk Bay
New Heavy Mech: The Sovereign
New Pilot: Baron Heremod
New Mech Variants:
Hammerhead R
Armadillo X
New Terrains:
Volcanic Ashlands
Cityscape
Dense Forest
Several New SFX Added
VFX Updates
Gameboard Updated
Reward Reveals VFX Updated
Overheat VFX Added
Card Play/Cycle/Discard VFX Improved
Token VFX Updated
Cycle Pool only visible when pool is non empty
Cycle Pool VFX Updated
New Event Type: Add Quirk Card
15+ New Cards
3 New Perks
3 New Achievements
New Accessibility Option: Game Speed Slider
Updated Tutorial
Balance Changes:
Sherman loses Proficiency: Missiles
Sherman gains: Pilot Skill: Utility
Vent Heat is now Pilot Skill: Vent Heat
Perk: Fortified Slam now does max of 5 damage
Perk: Heat Dissipator I and II activate on 6 and 4 plays (up from 4 and 3)
Bug Fixes:
Perk Abilities now load correctly on game continue
Card Upgrade Paths now hide on mouse exit
Thermal Resonator tooltip fixed
Show Deck Icon now works while choosing perks
Enhance Tokens now disappear correctly when used at start of round
Fixed a bug where tokens would sometimes count twice
Fixed a bug where 'Quit' would overwrite save file
What's Coming Next: The March Patch
Patch 1.10 is well on the way! Here are some of the things to look forward to coming soon:
- final boss fight: Baron Heremod - new Pilot: Heremod - new Mech Variant: Hammerhead R - new high risk terrains (Volcanic Ashlands, Cityscape) - new low risk terrain (Dense Forest) - new event type (Q) - new perks - new cards - new steam achievements - several bug fixes - several balance fixes
I'll make an announcement when the patch it ready to go live, hopefully in early March!
Announcing: Drop Command
Drop Command?
Drop Command is a mech combat sim with combined arms warfare, epic large battles, and where you can pilot any unit under your command. Drop Command takes place in the same game universe as Mech Shuffle, so you can expect to see a lot of the Mech Shuffle units and lore showing up.
I have been working on this project since October 2021. Two years later, and it finally has a Steam store page! This is a huge milestone for Drop Command, and I hope you are as excited for it as I am.
Wishlist To Show Support!
Drop Command is still being developed. With the launch of the Steam page we are officially moving from pre-alpha to alpha status. This means that the core gameplay has been tested and well established. However, there is still a lot of work to be done fleshing out various systems and building content (more units, map sets, weapons, mission types, etc).
If you want to show support, every wishlist makes a huge impact on the games visibility, and would mean a lot to me!
How does this impact Mech Shuffle?
I have been developing Mech Shuffle and Drop Command together, and I will continue to do so. You can still expect more content for Mech Shuffle as I work towards getting it out of Early Access. My plan is to release Mech Shuffle sometime in the coming year (2024), and continue to support it with content updates after that. Once Mech Shuffle leaves Early Access, I will want to take a short break from it to focus on finishing Drop Command.
30% Sale for Patch 1.09!
In celebration of the Indie Cup Canada 2023, we are releasing Patch 1.09 on October 4th, with a 30% sale starting today!
You can expect a lot of new content, including:
New Assault Mech: The Goliath
New Mech Variants: Dodo M, Behemoth A, and Mantis L
New Token Type: Enhance Capsule
New Reward Type: Perks
End of Run Stats
New Mech: The Goliath
The Goliath is an advanced Assault Mech built to be a powerful mobile artillery battery. With this unique starting load out, you will need careful planning and tactical foresight to blast your way to victory:
Mech Variants
Mech Variants allow us to add new play styles for existing Mechs. In this patch we are adding three new variants to check out: the Missile focused Dodo M, the Auger Analytic capable Behemoth A, and bristling with light weapon mounts, the Mantis L.
New Rewards and Event Type: Perks
The new Perk rewards can be found by defeating bosses, or through a new Event type. Perks can give your deck small advantages, activated abilities, or they can unlock new win conditions by adding new mechanics like overheat damage
Perks offer a wide array of new strategies for deck building. With over 50 new perks to find, there is a ton of new strategy and synergy to explore and discover.
New Cards
With so many new Mechs and new Perks to play with, we have also added several new cards to fill gaps in the play space. For example, Heavy Unguided Missiles adds a weak early game missile weapon, which scales to become very powerful in the late game.
New Token Type: Enhance Capsule
This versatile token serves a similar role as the Enhance tokens. However, instead of doubling the matching damage and block tokens, the new Enhance Capsule token allows you to double your cooling, heat, and fortify tokens.
End Of Run Stats
We've added a stats screen at the end of a run, so you can see what your journey looked like, and compare with friends.
Balance Changes
In light of the effect that Card Cycling has had on the Mech Shuffle meta, many cards with Card Draw tokens are having their cost reduced by 1. This buff should bring those cards back into use, since they will now be a more viable alternative to cycling cards. Some cards affected by this change include: Safety Override, Pilot Skill: Operations, and Pilot Skill: Running Hot.
And Plenty More!
We have also added new VFX to highlight which token will be doubled when a card is played, we fixed several bugs, buffed System: Missile Guidance to be a more appealing option for missile builds, and more.
Give the new build a try on October 4th, and let us know how we're doing by leaving a review!
Patch 1.09 Is Coming
It has been several months since the last major Mech Shuffle update. I wanted to let you know that the next big content update is on its way. Here are a few of the things I am planning to include in the patch (subject to change during development of course!):
- Final Boss Fight vs Baron Heremod - End of run stats - 1 or 2 new Terrain types - 1 new Assault Mech chassis - Mech Variants (alternate starting mech loadouts) - Unique perk rewards
And plenty more. I'll make a News Post with more details when the patch is close to finished.
As usual there will be a nice big discount when the patch launches, so if you're thinking of purchasing the game, I would recommend waiting for the discount.
If you haven't left a review for Mech Shuffle yet, please do! Every review helps tremendously, and is very much appreciated.
Here's a sneak peak at the upcoming Dodo Variant M card pack:
Patch 1.081 (bug fixes)
* Fixed a bug preventing the Hard Mode Victory achievement from unlocking when a retry token was available during victory
Patch Notes: v1.08
Welcome Mech Pilots!
Patch 1.08 is here, and it comes with a lot of new content. Hard Mode will let you test your metal in the most challenging game mode yet (unlock hard mode, start a new run, and click "Enable Hard Mode"). There is now a Card Compendium accessible at any time. Use the Compendium to see upgrade paths for any card in the game. We are adding 9 new base cards, each with its own upgrade path (a total of 22 new cards). There are 3 new events, including a special Pilot Event to unlock pilot FALK. We have made several balance changes, including changes to the DODO and BERINGER card packs. There are several VFX and SFX updates, an updated tutorial for new players, and tons more!
If you're enjoying the game you can help us to grow the game by leaving a Steam review. We're still in early access, so head on over to the Steam Discussion page for Mech Shuffle and give us your feedback!
VERSION 1.08 PATCH NOTES
New Game Mode: Hard Mode
FALK can now be unlocked through a Pilot Event
Pilot Deck is now visible when choosing Mech Deck
Card Compendium has been added
9 new cards:
Pilot Skill: Sentinel
Heavy Flamer
Support: Artillery Barrage
Quirk: Juggernaught
E-Pulse Cannon
Shroud Missile
System: Laser Point Defense
System: Synaptic Core
System: Auger Analytic Tracker
3 new Events
Updated BERINGER: replaced "Proficiency Heat" with "Pilot Skill: Sentinel"
Updated DODO: replaced 1 "Flamer" with "Heavy Flamer"
Card Changes:
System ECM now costs 1 and 2 heat at levels 2 and 3 (up from 0)
Light Flamer now has a level 3 upgrade
Artillery Cannon can upgrade from level 2 to level 3
System: Battle Computer now costs 1 heat (up from 0)
Quirk: Jump Jets now costs 2 heat (down from 3)
Added two new Steam Achievements
VFX Updates:
Updated visuals for Card Pack selection
Added Terrain visuals to Mech viewports
Quirk cards will now have a metallic grey color
Improved "Add Tokens to Cycle Pool" VFX
Improved "Display Discard Pile" VFX
Improved "Display Upgrade Path" VFX
SFX Updates:
Added sound effect for clicking on popups
Added sound effect for new unlocks
Tutorial Update: added "Cycle Cards" tutorial tip
BUG FIXES:
Fixed Bug: Card Hover no longer glitches on border
Fixed Bug: Proficiency (doubling) tokens now activate on tokens which enter play from the cycle pool
Fixed Bug: Break Block (missile, delayed) now correctly transforms into Break Block (missile) at end of round
Mech Shuffle: Major Content Patch Arriving April 7th!
Coming April 7th, we have a major content update for Mech Shuffle! We are adding a new game mode, new control cards, a Card Compendium, and tons more.
New Game Mode: Hard Mode
A new single player game mode is being added. Hard Mode introduces permanent battle damage, and the need to carefully balance risk and reward when choosing end of combat upgrades versus repairs. Hard Mode is not meant for new players who are still learning the ins and outs of heat management, card cycling, and deck building. You will unlock the ability to start a hard mode run once you have reached Wave 4 with any Mech. After that, you can start a new run as usual, and a new "Activate Hard Mode" button will be available before you choose your first encounter. Expect a real challenge, and an achievement for giving Hard Mode a try.
Card Compendium
Now available next to the settings button, you will find the Card Compendium button. This opens a new screen which will let you browse all of the cards in the game by category, and to view the full upgrade paths for each card. With this knowledge, you can make informed decisions about which cards to add to your deck, which to remove, and which to upgrade all the way!
New Cards
With this content patch we have a bunch of exciting new cards to play with! Cards like E-Pulse Cannon will add more control deck options to the game: While other cards are adding more defensive deck building options:
Here are some of the new cards to look forward to:
Pilot Skill: Sentinel
Heavy Flamer
Support: Artillery Barrage
E-Pulse Cannon
Shroud Missile
System: Laser Point Defense
System: Synaptic Core
System: Auger Analytic Tracker
Balance Changes
Several cards are being adjusted. Some are being changed for game balance, some to make cards feel more unique in their intended role, and some to open design space for new cards. The Flamer cards have been adjusted for all of these reasons:
Card Changes
System: ECM level 2 now costs 1 heat and level 3 now costs 2 (up from 0)
System: Battle Computer now costs 1 heat (up from 0)
Light Flamer now has a level 3 upgraded form
Flamer level 2 and 3 have been adjusted
Quirk: Jump Jets now costs 2 heat (down from 3)
Artillery Cannon now has a level 3 upgraded form
Pilot Skill: Misdirect now has a level 3 upgraded form
Card Pack Changes
Two card packs are being adjusted. The DODO light mech is replacing one Flamer with the new Heavy Flamer. This will help address some issues the DODO has with dealing early game damage. The reduction in heat cost for Quirk: Jump Jets is meant to improve the defensive capabilities of the DODO during the first wave of a run.
The aggressive pilot BERINGER is also being updated, replacing Proficiency: Heat with the new Pilot Skill: Sentinel. This change is meant to open up more viable strategies involving BERINGER. Previously this pilot was almost exclusively used in combination with the TAURUS, while now she can be used effectively with most missile focused builds, or in a more control oriented deck.
And More!
The pilot pack FALK will have a second method of unlock, so that she can be unlocked without playing Ranked Play. There will be several bug fixes, VFX and SFX updates, new achievements, an improved tutorial for first time Mech pilots, and more.
I have had a lot of fun getting this patch ready, and I am very excited to get it out for you to try. See you all on April 7th!
Game Balance: PvE and PvP
Today I want to talk about game balance in a deck builder that has both PvP and PvE game modes. There has been some excellent discussion taking place in the community forums, with many ideas for the future and some concerns about maintaining both balance and fun over time.
There are two competing interests in card balance. One is to keep cards fair, while the other is to keep cards unique/fun. In PvE, fairness is less of an issue, because the game can be asymmetrical (the player deck and the opponent deck do not need to follow the same rules of construction). In PvP, fairness is extremely important. If one card is far better than any other card, then everyone will use it and the game will lose variety. On the flip side, if every card is perfectly balanced, then the cards will not feel unique.
Some cards in Mech Shuffle are far too powerful for a PvP setting (such as the Rescued Pilot event reward cards). Fortunately, cards like these do not need to be balanced for PvP, since they are only obtainable in PvE. Cards which are available in both PvE and PvP do need to be balanced for both. However, the balance does not need to be achieved by changing a card itself.
The way that Mech Shuffle solves the balance issue for starter decks is using card packs. While a card like "Quirk: Low Profile" is a more powerful card than "Quirk: Jump Jets", players do not get to choose Low Profile as a card on its own. If they want that card, they will need to choose a mech pack such as the Armadillo (which starves for action points) or the Medusa (which starves for cooling).
Since the cards come in packs, we don't need to nerf Low Profile unless all of the mechs which use it are superior to most of the mechs which do not. For example: if the Medusa is over-performing, we would look at the entire Medusa pack as a whole and decide what needs to change for the mech pack. It could be that the pack is too consistent, or too heat efficient, or has too much burst damage, or has too many defensive options. Each of these would warrant a different approach to fixing the underlying issue. On the other hand, perhaps the mechs which are meant to keep the Medusa in check are not strong enough to do so. The Dodo is meant to take advantage of mechs that run with high heat, using flamers to counteract their cooling tokens. If the Dodo is not strong enough to do so, then the problem may not even be with the Medusa, but with the Dodo.
For Mech Shuffle, I will be keeping the card balance the same between PvE and PvP. This is mostly for consistency, so that players who enjoy both PvE and PvP will know and understand the cards they are accustomed to playing with. However, I do not plan to nerf fun and unique cards to accomplish game balance (not unless a card is both too powerful and too easy to obtain). The card "System: Battle Computer" is an example of a card which is easy to obtain, and just a little too powerful. It will be getting a small nerf in the next patch, gaining a Heat Cost of 1. The card will remain a very viable defensive and card draw option, but it will no longer be "free to play".
In the future, I would like to expand the multiplayer aspect of Mech Shuffle to include some deck building (choosing cards to upgrade, picking cards to add to your deck, etc). This will have some ramifications for card balance, but I will be avoiding major card changes when possible. To balance for PvP I will likely use a modified "Battle Value" system for deck building. With this system a valid deck will be required to have a minimum number of cards, and will have a budget to spend on adding/upgrading cards. With this sort of system, a card that is more powerful will cost more, and if a card over performs in PvP, we can increase the cost to purchase that card (which would have no impact on PvE).
The next Mech Shuffle patch will be focused on expanding the single player PvE experience, so these ideas for PvP are a long ways from being implemented (and are of course subject to change!). I will be very grateful to hear your thoughts and suggestions on game balance and the directions for PvP and PvE in the comments below!
Announcing: 25% off Sale, Ranked Play, and new Pilot Pack!
Coming February 14th, we have a major content update planned for Mech Shuffle! This includes a whole new game mode, and a new pilot pack. Mech Shuffle will be part of the Indie Cup Celebration 2023 sale. This will be the final sale at our Early Access price point, so plan accordingly!
New Game Mode: Ranked Play
Until now, if you wanted to play against a human opponent, your only option was local hotseat. With our latest patch, you can now test your skills against online opponents! Entering the Ranked Play mode will earn you an ELO rating, rank you on the leaderboard, and help you to unlock the newest Pilot Pack.
New Pilot Pack: FALK
Meet the newest Mech pilot: FALK! Unlockable by winning 10 ranked matches in the new Ranked Play game mode.
FALK takes control of the battlefield with the new card Pilot Skill: Outmaneuver. By strategically removing action points from an opponent, FALK limits their offensive and defensive options. FALK is the only pilot with Pilot Skill: Misdirect in their starting arsenals, allowing her to swing the heat gauges in her favour over time; simultaneously cooling FALKS mech, and forcing the opponent to spend additional heat to keep up. Pilot Skill: Patchwork is a unique defensive card, allowing FALK to fortify her armour and survive over longer engagements.
Indie Cup Celebration 2023 Sale
The lowest price yet for Mech Shuffle, at 25% off our Early Access price. We are proud to be a part of the Indie Cup Celebration Sale this year. The sale will run for 1 week from February 14th to February 22nd. After the sale ends, we will be increasing the price of Mech Shuffle to reflect our progress towards leaving Early Access.
New Mech: The Goliath
