TTV2
NU STUFF
The Omega, the End, the Final Volume of the arcade series UBERMOSH will launch soon, ...it will not be my last game, but this 2015' code framework can not handle more content, and I am glad to close the series with the superfine polished gameplay of UBERMOSH:OMEGA.
To enable more enemies, with the game keeping playable, collateral changes had to be done, like power triggering balance, background saturation, hud colors, enemy AI and, editing all sounds (because more events will happen during the same time and the reverb of each sound started to muffle the others, ...it took a lot of work, but now the game is sounding better than ever, and you will be able to notice new sound elements, like bullets crashing on shields).
The new challenge asked for more gameplay flexibility... now players can tweak a bit the Saints to fit different styles of gameplay... like adding floating guns to Q, a huge sword for REEZ, a moving shield for AYA or making KORE moving blazing fast.
Instead of unlocking progression, the "Rank S inspired" system returned, with the final milestone set to 5200 KO's.
A "Perfect" match can deliver scores from 5500 to 6000, to get the final rank players will have to perform very close to perfection, but the possibility to tune the character to the players' style helps to extract the best of skills.
Visually the menu presents "grunged" versions of the characters cards, during gameplay, veterans will see that the Saints are a bit improved since Vol.7, like WOOK having autofire, a way to shoot the gun and have a 50% chance to trigger the power, the skill to cut some shields and a rare Brainclap during the match.
The OMEGA gameplay calls for more enemy management and evasion due to the increased number of enemies and a new class of enemy that can viciously use the Shredder.
It is harder, faster, more flexible and sounds better than the previous versions. I hope you enjoy to play it as much as I enjoyed making the series. Many many thanks for the amazing feedback, constant support, and overwhelming community kindness during this long journey. It is the last volume, if you have not reviewed a UBERMOSH game, the best time will be with OMEGA. Have fun!
THE LAST UBERMOSH?
Am I making the last UBERMOSH?
Yes.
There will be another after UBERMOSH:OMEGA?
No.
"The colony is glitched, and it will soon stop respawning"
The glitch elements that appeared in the previous volumes were signs of what we will have on the final chapter of this story we made together. OMEGA has more affected versions of Vol.7 characters with 2 "Class Mod" disks for each, with stuff like the Buckler: a shield that follows your aim, Boneblade: a huge Sword that can equip the melee capable characters, Celerity: that makes the saint faster than bullets, Warmup Shield, Late Shield, Autogun, Warlock Rifle, Extra Respawns... creating lots of new possibilities (just talking math, 96 gameplay variations and 16.777.216 possible ways to configure the all Saints on the launcher screen). The maps look glitched and new music completes the fitting. About how much stuff on the screen... previously, there were up to 50 characters (+the swarm) on screen at the same time, 49 thugs and the Saint, and no thugs with the same face on screen at the same time. Now, the no doppelgangers policy is kept, but there are up to 74 characters (+ the swarm) on screen at the same time that will try to flank, evade and beat your strategy to hit the saint (with the added long-range Shredder character to break stationary Saints) and the possibility to make over 5000 KO's during 90 seconds (above 50 per second). I am still polishing and balancing it, working a lot to make the golden key to close this series that I love so much.
Thank you all for the amazing support.
Please stay tuned,
https://store.steampowered.com/developer/waltermachado
MANY THANKS!
Howdy folks,
I took 2 years to be able to filter, test, prototype and materialize the players' suggestions for a Trip to Vinelands sequel. The next day it was possible to find threads on the UBERMOSH hubs about the next title. Am I making the next UBERMOSH? Why?
Right now I am working on 3 game-related projects... (and 2 other tech-related projects). It is not news that my work is my hobby... and my work... and it is all about testing new stuff, updating it, checking how it works now, thinking about ways to improve the experience, testing again... sending it, checking how it worked, ...looking for the next step, executing it, testing again...
One of the projects is the "TTV3 after launch", changing stuff following players feedback to make the best balance... it is like the UBERMOSH Vol.7 Redux update, where I inserted and changed lots of stuff. The next two game-related projects are a "not-UBERMOSH" game and the constant test of hundreds of UBERMOSH threads/suggestions/impressions to see if a worthy sequel is possible... I can say that the answer is Yes, but after Vol.7 and the aim of each volume being wider than the previous, ...it is pretty hard to say when I will be able to release it (but I will).
The tech stuff not related to games wobble around audio effects circuits (that I also use on my games) and "hyper-fast ascending drones" ... that are very experimental and math-related.
This post is a THANK YOU for all the support during this development journey... and a letter for the community, saying that soon more stuff will be released.
Many thanks!
https://store.steampowered.com/developer/waltermachado
UBERMOSH Vol.7 REDUX + TTV3
Polishing with brute force.
The way to crack a password with Brute Force is testing all possible answers. Balancing a game is not that different. UBERMOSH is on the 7th volume and gone thru 2 early access (the first and the latest version) and, gained lots of new elements during this journey...
My main quest developing it is to find a way to give a kinda accessible challenge to some players and reward the outstanding skill of other players in the same game. The progression system started a new approach, giving an easy starting goal then moving to more complex goals while presenting improved powers for each character. It created a learning curve but reduced the gameplay momentum.
Then the REDUX version comes.
Now each character can evolve as much as you score and you will never have to strike the same score again. The improved progression system comes with 1.5 updates related to improved map hue variability, intensity, and saturation tweaks to keep your eyes fresh during the gameplay. Fine audio and performance improvements come followed by a very very fine challenge tune to make it the ultimate UBERMOSH experience.
I thank you for your feedback and invite for another time at the pit.
TTV3... I like the Trip to Vinelands series, and I wanted to play it faster... with new gears to force me to manage stress and beat the hundred again. If you can see you on the same boat, there is a new trip... the character will look too fast to control, the levels will look unbalanced and unfair, the game will look very similar but with weird new spinning stuff... that's all true, and I loved to beat it because the procedural variability made it as challenging for me as for the new players.
...I am still working on more things, hope to deliver it soon.
Many many thanks.
https://store.steampowered.com/developer/waltermachado
DEEPTRIPVINESEQUEL
The first "Trip to Vinelands" was one of my most experimental takes on game developing (...was it as experimental as Warpzone Drifter?), it was launched in 2016, having a sequel one year later, TTV2.
Today I am not working on TTV3, because my hands are on another project... and TTV3 development is complete.
2 years since the previous volume, TTV3 presents new pieces, faster pace, and new "Maze Seeds".
Every time you beat a level, one seed will generate a level... and two levels generated by the same seed can be similar, but with changed parts to create a weird Déjà vu, where you kinda know how to beat that maze, but something is a bit different now... and that memory can improve your chances to score further... if you keep focused.
Many many thanks for the support, my production is pretty constant and it is an overwhelming pleasure to deliver new content for you.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1114530/TTV3/
Bonus Content
Please check your Music tab on Steam, it should appear 12 dark mixed versions of the Classic UBERMOSH tunes, and if for some reason Steam can't find it, it is near the Easter Eggs folder inside UBERMOSH installation folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\UBERMOSH Vol.7). It should be inside the eggs, but it was moved to the side to make it easier to appear on the Music tab on Steam. I am pretty happy with the game balance, performance, gameplay, and cosmetic elements... My huge thanks for the community feedback that made it possible, detailed hub suggestions, impressions, and Steam Reviews (that are extremely important for the game visibility and Store relevance)!
More stuff soon
https://store.steampowered.com/developer/waltermachado
THE DARK MIX UPDATE
One lesson I learned developing TTV and TTV2 and it was inserted on all previous UBERMOSH: Randomic changes on how the light is pre-rendered on the floor refresh players' perception. TTVs change level filters each maze and the UBERMOSH games change a bit "light projection/ground tonality" each match. Now, it works on Vol.7 too.
While experimenting variations on the OST I brought back the Dark Mix, a "tweak" that I liked to make on the tracks to "listen while driving". Low tunning plus some degrees of a special reverb setup that can morph surf music thru the darkest metal. Now, on Vol.7, the dark-mixed can randomly play with the classic tracks, and I hope you have as much fun as I am having.
Many many thanks for the support and hub interactions, it is guiding the development and performance updates. If you like what you are seeing, please, please, make a review on Steam, it helps a lot to spread the seed.
Play it loud!
https://store.steampowered.com/developer/waltermachado
1.0
I like to see Vol.7 as my best effort to translate years of players' feedback about what they want in a top-down shooter. This volume brings more characters to cover more gameplay styles, some characters will have more progression (to meet the desire of some players to feel the character learning and upgrading skills) and, some will start hardboiled since the first match. The game balance came with awesome community support during Steam Early Access, sharing impressions and ideas for the next steps... and I tried to find a common ground for different expectations.
The game is complete, and I keep resetting and playing it again, something is really really right with this title... and I thank you a lot, for it!
Version 1.0 is online, enjoy.
https://store.steampowered.com/developer/waltermachado
6/6
It started Steam Early Access with 3 characters, aiming to get the next 3 before May/2019 and check for the final balance before release.
How hard is, to make in a few months, the game this amazing community deserves?
Santicide. I can say that it would not be possible without your fantastic feedback, shared impressions and on-point suggestions. Not all ideas can enter on the release version, but lots of it were tested. Colorblind mode works, Square maps don't (inconsistent difficulty for randomly shaped arenas). Autofire Class works, Miniboss class don't (impossible to dodge). A Kensai class works, ...Gunner class too...
Version 0.6 is very very close to how the final version will look like.
It is time to get your achievements!
Many many thanks, it is hard to describe how proud I am for this community support during the development journey.
Reviews, hub threads, videos, score screenshots... it helps a lot!
https://store.steampowered.com/developer/waltermachado
FEEDBACK
How did they come? Due to the Beauty and Toughness of Steam Early Access, "Blademaster Q" came from the "give us a Kensai" feedback. The gameplay is a mix of defensive-double-sword-bullet-cutting, double-melter-spinning and the Pink Brainclap (Aia has the classic "KO triggered" Red Brainclap that goes denser thru Ascension, Wanderer has the Green Brainclap, that triggers a bit faster and like Red, goes denser thru Ascension. The Pink Brainclap is always very dense, but the KOs needed to trigger it is related to how ascended the character is).
"Gunner Kore" was deeply inspired by flying drones FPV (one of my non-game related activities and, I tried to transfer that feeling to this character). When flying acro, sometimes you have to split your attention, Kore has autofire and extra guns that can increase wideness of gun spread or fire 180 degrees of your aiming direction... plus the Pink Brainclap. Making a six characters UBERMOSH is very complex and a true development challenge because of the balancing of the ASCENSION steps.
Wook was nerfed a bit, the game got some performance and AI tweaks, and with this amazing community support, the development can go in the direction players deserve. Many many thanks!
If you like the game progress, please review it. I am all ears to hear your suggestions via Steam Hub and there are lots of threads for you to express your impressions, ideas and, suggestions.
More stuff soon!
https://store.steampowered.com/developer/waltermachado