I would like to announce that The Colorful Creature is officially 4 years old! The game's still in beta but it's getting VERY close to the RELEASE 1.0 version!
I will share a development timeline from September 2018 to September 2022:
TCC Development Timeline (2018-2022)
You might be thinking "isn't this game supposed to be finished by now?" and I have my own response to this question. To be fair, the development of the game could've been much faster if I had spent more time working on the game, I am not working on the game full time, because during development, I was in high school and I worked on youtube videos. I also learned a ton from The Colorful Creature, and I still am, which is great because the next project I will make will have cleaner and more responsive code!
I am a solo developer working on this project by myself, and having others help me in some things here and there, so please understand that my game has flaws, and I'll try to fix them if I can.
Also the game is 30% off for a week (same with soundtrack), so if you don't have the game but you are interested, you can buy the game! Or you could buy it to a friend if you have it in your library. Whatever I won't tell you what to do, have fun!
TCC Beta 1.8.9 Update
Beta 1.8.9 released (Pre-Beta 1.9)
LANGUAGE SYSTEM OVERHAUL
A new language system is in place! The game will now use files in order to translate the game, it works by having multiple .lang files and based on the word id, it finds a correct word and puts it in the game. I also removed the old language system which should increase performance!
This isn't completely finished yet, but you can now try out custom languages in action! But beware some things might be still broken!
For around a year already, Over 5000 words have been translated in 12 languages (no I am not kidding) Without the help of various translators, this wouldn't be possible. Let's thank the following people:
I still don't have a proper way to thank them, so I'll think something through
ENDLESS RUN
Balanced difficulty in levels
The first 3 levels of endless run you play will NEVER have difficulty up
DAILY LEVELS SEMI-OVERHAUL
Daily Levels Streak will now reset after 2 weeks instead of a day, seems like playing daily isn't too fun.
This is to make it more fair to keep your streak, the problem with the old system was that if you got a hard level you couldn't beat, you had no choice but for your streak to reset. This new system still rewards you and gives more activity.
32-BIT DROPPED SUPPORT
From TCC Beta 1.8.9 and beyond, the game will be 64-BIT! This is because gamemaker as an engine itself will no longer support 32-bit compiled games starting this September, and the extensions I am using (like the steamworks extension which brings online functionality) are also switching to 64-bit. Today I encountered a problem where I literally couldn't run the game at 32-bit just because the steamworks extension was 64-bit
So what can you do if you have the steam version of the game, but have a 32-bit system?
I'll be opening a 32-bit branch where people with 32-bit systems will be able to play the game, however, that branch will never be updated because.... well, I can't really stick with an old gamemaker version... which really sucks to be honest.
GENERAL
- Changed double jump - Removed many old language systems, improving performance - Added fonts folder in the executable folder, will be used for better character support
TCC Beta 1.8.8.6 (And some important announcements!)
Features:
BADGING SYSTEM
Badging system was added so you can get rewarded with monthly endless run medals! Not only that, but you can also get special badges such as a game disc badge and the speak bubble badge, which you get by buying the OST of the game or the upcoming developer commentary mode. Well, I guess badges could be used for verifying too.
MONTHLY ENDLESS RUN
At the end of MONTHLY ENDLESS RUN, players will receive a endless badge displayed at the main menu!
1st place receives a golden endless run badge
2nd place receives a silver endless run badge
3rd place receives a bronze endless run badge
4-10th place gets a participate endless run badge
Added world 4 secret way
You can now see details of badges in the main menu
Hardmode levels more balanced (thanks KD)
Bug Fixes:
Fixed zero gravity
Fixed tutorial challenge
Fixed narrator text
Fixed hungarian translation
Fixed some skins while in zero gravity (thanks dha)
Linux version is currently not working, I highly recommend for linux users to use proton to launch and play the game. Native support will come eventually again when the problems are fixed :)
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Future DLC coming soon:
A future DLC is coming where the game will include a commentary mode. Commentary mode is a mode where you get to see how the development process of The Colorful Creature went throughout the years and what I've learned throughout development (and believe me, I learned a ton!).
The developer commentary DLC will be available at the end of this year and will cost 1 euro. To be honest, I hate making stuff like DLC's but I don't want to put like "2500 LEVELS DLC" because that's just plain stupid, all levels are free to play! This mode is entirely optional and you do not have to buy it, only do so if you feel like supporting me.
There will be also two upcoming bundles for TCC:
TCC Deluxe Edition which will include developer commentary and base game TCC Ultimate Edition which will include Base game, game ost AND Dev Commentary
GAME PRICE CHANGES
I plan to increase the base game price from 2 euros up to 3 euros, dollars will stay the same but I am still concerned because of the recent USD value increase. Generally, the game will just cost more, but when you ask? Well, it will be somewhere at the end of 2022, or somewhere around Beta 1.9 or the Release 1.0 versions!
Dropping 32-bit support for The Colorful Creature this September
I'll be dropping 32bit support for TCC for a couple of reasons, the main reason being that Gamemaker, the game engine I use, will no longer support 32-bit exports from this August. What I could do is essentially try to stay in the same gamemaker version, but that will mean that the game will miss out on game engine's bugfixes or performance improvements.
32-bit is considered obsolete by many, because 64bit became a standard in 2003. If you have a computer that is like over 20 years old or is very weak, you likely have a 32-bit system, however with android phones, this issue could be very common.
Will this affect you? Most likely not. Windows emulates 32-bit pretty well because of backwards compatibility. Making TCC 64-bit may give benefits such as surpassing the 2GB memory limit, and other important factors. One thing that won't exactly work is discord API in TCC, since the dll file is 32 bit that is used, this will be fixed soon!
4th year anniversary and Beta 1.9
On 3rd September, the game will be on sale for 30% off, including the soundtrack. This will be the BIGGEST SALE yet for The Colorful Creature, with larger sales also happening in the future.
The game will be updated to Beta 1.8.9 (pre-beta 1.9), where the game will include the following features:
- Full Language Support - New Challenge (new skin too) - Potential new hardmode medal in challenges - 4 new hats - Fixes to the game in general
BETA 1.9 PLANS: Beta 1.9 - Main Game Expansion (More secrets, levels, perhaps new ending) - Few optimizations (better player/troop code rewrite, more flexibility etc) - Return for languages with a WAY better flexible system (English, French, Spanish, Italian, Magyar), which also allows you to do custom languages too - Better Level Editor functionality for mobile
Beta 1.9.1 September 2022 - Fixing potential bugs in Beta 1.9 - Adding lesser languages (Portuguese, Czech, Chinese, Ukrainian)
Beta 1.9.2 - October 2022 - Better Menus (I plan to change it for future controller support + I wanna make a way better workshop menu)
Beta 1.9.3 and onwards - October to December 2022 - Commentary Mode DLC - Polish up to Release - Bugfixing until release
Release 1.0 Hopefully December 2022 - From here I'll work on the calendar, further localization and smaller fixes
Final note:
I hope you enjoy or have enjoyed The Colorful Creature and thanks for sticking with my community we have created together. This project has flaws but I taught so much from it and I am glad there are indeed people who are playing the game and having fun. Thank you!
TCC Beta 1.8.8.3 Update
GAME UPDATED TO BETA 1.8.8.3
Features:
Added splashtext for technoblade :ZooPig: :chcrown: (he never dies)
ENDLESS RUN BALANCING: Speed challenge in endless run is now between 2-5 difficulty levels instead of 3-6, also added few additional levels
Added some calendar levels (yeah.... that, I didn't do anything for calendar for like 5 months so I apologize lol)
Improved details on the rat hat
Bugfixes:
Fixed controller config in Windows (thanks The OP Master13)
Fixed some skins while in zero gravity (thanks dha)
Some notes:
Linux version is currently not working, I highly recommend for linux users to use proton to launch and play the game. Native support will come eventually again when the problems are fixed :)
TCC Beta 1.8.8.2
Features:
- Updated Scribble Engine to the latest version, potentially gives slightly more performance and fixes a crash when you leave level editor - French and Italian translations are almost complete! - Added basic steam rich presence (please tell me if it works or not)
Bugfixes:
- Fixed ukrainian translation - Fixed bug where you could click settings off screen (was partially fixed in the previous update but now fully fixed) - Fixed bug where the android pause button would appear on PC for ultra wide screens (thanks bumblebee) - Cleaned older bloated language code
TCC Beta 1.8.8.1
Features:
Added MONTHLY ENDLESS RUN!
Each month the leaderboard will reset and I'll announce the winners in this discord server of Endless Month! Is there going to be rewards for winning? Well.... probably :ujel:
Updated Google Play Services and steamworks API
Added the new language system, added German, Spanish, Magyar, Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian and Ukrainian lang files, but it doesn't fully work yet!
Added support for 2 leaderboards text in winning screens
Updated game engine to 2022.6, brings better performance.
Beta 1.8.8.2 will have Steam's rich presense, because the newer Steamworks API was updated :)
Features:
Fixed bug where you could click settings off screen (mostly noticable on android)
Fixed bug where in Old School Endless Run you would see the Endless Run leaderboard
Fixed Daily Levels leaderboards bug
TCC Beta 1.8.8 Update
Features:
- Added Daily Levels Current Streak Leaderboard, this leaderboard resets someone's score if they lose a streak. - Closing down the old language system for TCC in favor of the newer one. It'll be back again eventually - Added Languages folder where the game's executable is, this is where I'll add in languages (and eventually, custom languages will be supported!)
Misc: - Brought back the old discord logo for the TCC discord server Android: - Android supports custom controls config in settings! Android users please wait for a while and the game will be updated for you!
Bug fixes:
- When going to level select your coin counter now resets to 0. - You can no longer exploit the pause button after the hotdog boss was killed or at the fake W5-L20 when the floor collapses.
Steam Sale
Game will be on sale for 25% for 14 days starting tomorrow! If you are planning to get the game, well now it's your chance!
TCC Beta 1.8.7.4
- Updated the credits screen (Special thanks to Lomany for this spectacular art) - Fixed a couple of things.
