Western Press cover
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Genre: Indie

Western Press

Surprise Attack Games is now Fellow Traveller



Today our publisher, Surprise Attack Games, is relaunching as Fellow Traveller.

To celebrate, Western Press is on sale along with the rest of their catalogue. Check out their publisher sale page for all the details - https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/fellowtraveller.

Here’s some more from the team at Fellow Traveller on what the change is all about:

Wyatt and Vocabulary (1.3.5 Update)

Hey everyone!

Just put up an update that addresses a few things players have mentioned or requested in the forums. Let us know what you think! Both about this update, and anything else you want to get off your chest. How are you?

We've cut the game's vocabulary quite a bit. But there still might be some strange words in the mix. So feel free to head to the forum post below and point out any doozies so we can stop them from bothering you:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/377360/discussions/0/1842367319510663467/

1.3.5 Changelog



  • KeypadEnter now works wherever Return does
  • Added controller vibration option in Game Settings menu
  • Added plain WASD and coloured WASD keyboard options
  • Bots in grand final now have doubled start delay at the beginning of the match to make them more human
  • Substantially reduced 10 letter word list

Readability Fix!



Hi all!

We had a number of complaints both in reviews and via email about the readability of our choice of font for typists. As a result, we've swapped it out with something we hope is a bit quicker to get a read on! Let us know what you think!

As always, if you're having any issues with the game, e.g. latency in your controller/keyboard, games stopping etc., get in touch via email and we'll get it sorted for you! You can email us directly here: info@walkwithkings.com.au

P.S. Both the word in the screenshot above and in the keyboard screenshot replacement on the store page were both entirely randomly selected by the game. Maybe it, too, yearned to be understood more easily?

Omegathon and Native Input (1.3.0 Update)



Howdy all!

We were very excited to have Western Press featured as round 3 of PAX Australia's Omegathon! It's always fun to watch people leap around on dance mats, and Omegathon was no exception. So thanks very much to all the contestants, and of course PAX themselves!



We've brought the game and accompanying dance mats to a number of events this year, and people seem to have a blast playing the game this way. As a result, we've just pushed a patch live that changes the way Western Press detects and polls devices. What this means is that it's now much easier (and more reliable) to get new devices running in the game. So if you have a PC dance mat (or controller) that the game doesn't get along with, send us an email to info@walkwithkings.com.au and we should be able to get it working!

Finally, don't forget that Western Press supports custom characters and environments via Steam Workshop! With thanks to the folks at DrinkBox Studios, we created Guacamelee's Juan Aguacate as an example. So if you've got an itch to see your own pixel creations duke it out, jump on over to the tutorial on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/qhmBq9WP7xM
And our follow up guide for adding animation and sound variants:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=679243918
And now, for the changelog!

1.3.0 Changelog



  • Now using native input polling - much easier to get additional controllers and dance mats working
  • Added some new device profiles - Get in touch if you have a controller or dance mat that isn't being detected! info@walkwithkings.com.au
  • Fixed issue when game path had a hash (#) character in it
  • Fixed rare issue with character unlocking in the Skill Tester

Introducing - The Heavy!



Duelists!

We're excited to release a very special piece of DLC today. Working with our friends at Valve, The Heavy from Team Fortress 2 is now an official part of the Western Press line up! The best news is, the DLC is 100% free!

The update is now live, so click here to find the download link, and everyone's favourite sandvich-eating, chaingun toting Heavy will be available in your character roster.

The Heavy has found himself 2Far west of 2Fort. Armed only with a minigun and a (never ending) ‘sandvich’, his only way back to the war on BLU is through the cowfolk he’s surrounded by.

Fully animated by Western Press developer Bandit-1, the Heavy character comes with his iconic minigun, trusty sandvich, and is loaded with both TF2 quotes and sound effects.

See you on the frontier, and don't forget, the dual always abides!

Shoot Quickly! (1.2.3 Update)

Hey all!

Just a little update containing some alternate shoots. Huckleberry, Sharon and everyone's favourite, Ping now have a shoot alternative! (Though it's just a shorter version of their longer version.)

Be sure keep an eye out on Thursday, because we've got a little treat coming!

1.2.3 Changelog



  • Fixed issue where characters with long death or shoot sounds in the Grand Final would have their volume turned back up before it was complete.
  • Added additional shoot animations/sounds for Huckleberry, Ping and Sharon.

Keyboarded! (1.2.2)



Howdy gang!

We've just updated the game with a number of improvements for keyboard users! (And a number of bug fixes for all users.) If you've had the itch to use the breadth of your alphabetical keys, games can now be played in either 'Word' or 'Gibberish' mode with a keyboard (in addition to the previous 'Directions' mode).

'Word' mode gives the player a ten letter word to type out as quickly as they can. Selected from over 20,000 random words, you can increase your vocabulary, learn to type ten letter words faster, and​ shoot an opponent, all in the one game! 'Gibberish' mode gives the player ten random letters. Though, just like infinite monkeys with infinite typewriters, we can't guarantee these won't result in real-life words. The cosmos might formulate a legible locution from this chaos, and for that, we take no responsibility. Though we are sorry you saw words in your gibberish!



In 'Memory' mode, you can now remember an ever increasing string of random letters from all across the keyboard (that you can attempt to pronounce to help you remember ​harder​!)

And of course, if you loved the old WASD and arrows input method (now called 'Directions'), we've updated the button prompts! It, along with 'Word' and 'Gibberish' can be selected in the game's settings!



Go to Settings -> Game Settings -> Keyboard Mode to choose how you'd like to play!

Finally, text input in the game now also supports typing on your keyboard! So there's no more staring longingly at your hardware keys while you navigate around a software keyboard with your arrows. Which was mental!



1.2.2 Changelog



    <*> Fixed users seeing different match results or competition pairings online.
    <*> Escape now opens the menu in a match, and acts as 'back/cancel' while in menus
    <*> In progress servers are now displayed in the server browser, so people know to hold on for it to come back around.
    <*> Fixed controller assignment issue when two local players were playing a match online.
    <*> Players now see a proper message when trying to join full and/or in progress servers.
    <*> Added 'Word' and 'Gibberish' typing modes to Fastest Time.
    <*> Added 'Gibberish' typing mode to Memory.
    <*> Players can now type in text input menus instead of using the on screen keyboard.
    <*> Environment manager now correctly stores last used environment, to avoid repeats on unassigned refresh.
    <*> Fixed loser's card returning to the wrong position on the competition table after a match.
    <*> Ambience is now stopped correctly when exiting the skill tester from the lose menu.
    <*> Ambience is now stopped correctly when exiting a duel online.
    <*> Fixed an issue where host could send multiple 'start countdown' commands in the lobby.
    <*> Fixed bug where server information was hidden after seeing a message or the text input screen.
    <*> Fixed tests for bots when showing prompts in memory mode, players were seeing strange things when versing a remote bot online.
    <*> Device limits are now properly enforced in matches online.
    <*> Updated 'directions' keyboard mode sprites.
    <*> Fixed issue where pausing before a duel would add phantom rounds, causing weird UI values or sometimes freezes.

      Animation (and Sound) Variants and the 1.0.6 Update

      Hi all!

      A new patch is up that fixes a few things and adds some other things. One of which is character animation and sound variations!

      Characters now support variants of each animation type. So you can make 50 different shoot animations, with 50 different soundscapes (provided you're within the 5 megabyte file size limit) and one will be selected randomly each time your character skins their smoke wagon!

      We've fashioned a quick guide to explain how to utilise this, check that out here:

      http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=679243918
      The rest of the aforementioned things are listed below:

      1.0.6 Changelog



      • Added non-Photoshop card templates to Western Press/workshop/templates/card/.
      • Added a target framerate (60). This should stop computers sounding like they're taking off while running the game without VSync on. (It will likely run higher than 60, but try its little heart out to hang out around there.)
      • Characters now properly support having animation variants.
      • Characters now support having sound variants.
      • List of unused taunts and animations are now reset when entering or creating an online lobby. This will hopefully fix some desyncs people have reported.
      • Fixed issue where no more than 8 different connections could join a lobby.
      • Players are now renamed to BOT [name] when they disconnect from a server and are replaced by automatons.

      First Update, Workshop Tutorial & PJ Saltan highlights!



      Howdy Folks!

      The launch of Western Press has been a long and crazy adventure. Less than 24 hours after the game was live on Steam, the lovely folks over at Twitch were featuring it during their insane PJ Saltan of Stream comp, live at PAX East in Boston. Over 30,000 people tuned in to see the saltiest competitors in Twitch history battle it out, culminating in a hilarious dance mats only tournament. With Melbourne-based streamer DYoshiiTV taking out the first Western Press tournament, maybe the fastest hands in the west are all down under? You can check out the highlights below:

      https://www.twitch.tv/twitch/v/62225803

      Alongside the awesome Twitch event, we also had a great couple of videos come from YouTube creator iHasCupquake, which are both fun to watch, and show off the fun and excitement of Western Press! Check them out here:

      https://youtu.be/8PvP1BH5PPM
      https://youtu.be/AFLYhAaD9Ew

      Now that you've all have had the game in your hands for a week, the guys at Bandit-1 have put together a handy dandy tutorial for creating your very own characters and environments for use in the game. And, thanks to Steam Workshop, you can easily share your creations with the community! We can't wait to see what you guys come up with. Thanks to DrinkBox Studios, Adam shows you how we put Guacamelee's Juan into the game, from sprite sheet to dueling. Juan Aguacate is available for everyone to download themselves via Steam Workshop!

      https://youtu.be/qhmBq9WP7xM

      Finally, we have a minor patch rolling out later today that fixes some minor bugs, and makes a few balance changes, the changelog is below. Stay tuned for a community Western Press tournament in the coming weeks, and, as always, keep the feedback rolling in!

      Steve - Community Manager

      1.0.3 Changelog



      • Added vastly more detailed (in that, there is some now) error reporting when loading assets into the game.
      • Fixed bug where if the animationAction frame was undefined (or 0) characters would just stare at each other after a duel was completed. A+ for tension. F for progression.
      • Fixed oversight that allowed cheeky monkeys to select Cans in Memory mode and break the entire game.
      • Quitting a lobby during countdown no longer sees you pulled back into the match when the game starts. ("Just when I thought I was out...") Also, you can no longer quit a lobby during countdown, you scallywag.
      • Button prompts can only be changed if using a controller now, and can only be switched between Xbox and PlayStation. Our prior arrangement led to understandable confusion.
      • Fixed bug where you could move the DuelComplete/DuelLose menu up and down when you had it hidden. This was silly.
      • Removed ability to close DuelLose menu after losing to Wyatt in the skill tester. The black screen wasn't particularly picturesque.
      • Added a default grave to the workshop/templates directory.
      • Fixed up a half finished taunt by the Mayor.
      • Added some new line characters to a few poorly formatted (but expertly written) taunts.
      • Fixed sorting order when tournament cards were collected up. The level numbers went over other cards. It was gross.
      • The ghosts of former opponents no longer sneak out when entering a new lobby after having been in another. It should be empty, ready for your rule.
      • Fixed missing slug when you're booted from a server. You're sad enough you were booted, then there's no dark, semi-transparent overlay to keep you company. When does it end?