This is the big one. Finally we have online multiplayer! Not only that, we also have single player. Internet connection down? Only have one friend to play with? Fear not, fill the session with Monkeys! On top of that, we have the brand new "Kids Match" – where game modes have been made significantly simpler and therefore easier to play with your children, grandparents, non-gaming significant other etc.
So what exactly does this all mean? Well, you can now join and host online multiplayer sessions. You can choose between playing with friends or go full on public and play against people from around the world. You can also hit servers with your friends and let random folks join in on the party. This should be really handy for people who want to be able to take a quick match in YamaYama, even without being around all your friends.
Another, and more unexcpected feature, are the Monkeys we added. They are our very own dumb version of AI bots, that got born unexpectedly and added into the game even though it was never on our to do list. So if you want to train yourself or get the hang of things by yourself you can always create a match with 1-3 Monkeys. Now you can even play the game if you‘re without friends and internet! You can even mix up the match and use Monkeys as fillers if you want to have four players, but don‘t have enough humans. The possiblities are endless!
Basically we‘ve been working on the online multiplayer for the past few months. It‘s been a tough process with lots of bugs. Then everytime we‘d squash a bug, two new ones would appear. Just as we thought we had it completely polished and ready for public, we wanted to test the hell out of it to be sure nothing would go wrong as soon as we‘d launch it. Endless testing was kinda tiring and time consuming so one of the programmers decided to create dummies that would play the game for us while we could focus on other things.
We were surprised with how well rounded he was able to make them with minimal effort and with just a few minor tweaks we were able to play with them and enjoy it. So we decided to put some work into it and make it polished enough to offer it to our players.
The Kids Match mode simplifies all the game modes that it has on offer. All deathzones have been elminated where possible, so lava spots have been replaced with green colliders. We noticed while watching young children and non-gamers that they often ran straight into deathzones and got frustrated. By offering this mode, those players can get the hang of the game on their own pace.
The Kids Match mode was always an idea floating around the office, as YamaYama was always built with the intention of being the perfect pick-up party game. You should be able to play it as an avid gamer or pick it up as someone who rarely or never play video games – and actually compete with each other!
So where do we go from here? How long is it until we set YamaYama out for full release? Our feeling is that we‘re pretty much ready to go! Now we just want the update to stay up for a few weeks and be sure there are no problems and as soon as that‘s clear we‘ll give out the word on our final release date. We can however say that the price will not be lower than it is today – so if you‘ve been waiting for the right time to get YamaYama, this would be it!
Update 0.3.2
In case you missed it, Update 0.3.2 went live on Friday. This time we added a new character, overhauled a game mode and more:
* Meet Donna Martin, the newest member of the YamaYama crew!
* The game mode formerly known as Jello in my Belly has now received a graphical overhaul and is called Diaper Duty. Players but race to collect their diapers before their opponents get them - if an opponents gets it first, the diapers content gets poored over your head.
* Graphics updated in end-round screen.
* Graphics for plus and minus (points) signs upgraded.
* Other minor fixes.
Let us know what you think!
Update 0.3.1
Update 0.3.1 is now up and running. We updated a bunch of graphics, changed game modes and tidied up the tutorials. All the new stuff:
* Afterdeath items now affect the buttons in game modes played in King of the Mouth map:
If you put the afterdeath item on top of the button the bridge will open, as if the button was pushed - more mayhem!
* New graphics and animations for every power-up when picked up, instead of simple icons above the player.
* The game mode previously known as Rainbow Jello is know I Like Big Bears, And I Cannot Lie as players seek to catch the pretty bear:
* Defend the Jello is now known as Houston, We Have a Penguin. You must fight to free the penguin in your color, that is tied to a rocket headed for space:
* All tutorial graphics are up to date with new game modes.
* Minor fixes.
Let us know what you think :)!
Update 0.3 - New map & more
Update 0.3 is officially live and ready for the weekend! This is a big one, with a new map that drastically changes a few game modes. Here are all the features of the update:
* King of the Mouth is a brand new map that features interactive buttons that collapse bridges or roll out slow zones.
* The new map allows you to play three of the older game modes in it - Last Man Standing (now Last Man Skating), It's A Bad Day (It's A Sad Day) and Yes, it's a Platypus! (Yes, it's a Breidnefur!). The game modes have new names in the King of the Mouth map, as they feel very different in this new environment with the interactive buttons.
* The flamingo in Pretty in Pink has been improved with animations.
* Now the game supports all resolutions, but forces them 16:9 scale.
* Comeback Kid achievement has been removed but 6 new achievements have been added.
* Other minor fixes.
We're really excited for the new map and looking forward to hearing what you think!
Update 0.2.2 is up!
Newest update is out with new animation for the speedboost ability and a game mode about holding on to a flamingo!
* New speedboost animation.
* Pretty in Pink game mode - where you hold on to a flamingo until someone fatsuits you in to lava.
* Minor fixes.
We were previously hoping to add a new layout/level in this update, but it took a bit longer than we had planned. We're working on putting it up in the next update, coming next Friday!
Meet the newest game mode - Electric Feel!
We added one new game mode in our latest update, last Friday. It's called Electric Feel and takes place on the Dancefloor level. It's very simple and easy to learn. Basically there are rows of electric tiles that move over the floor and players must stay away from them or they get electrocuted and lose a point. Players start with 7 points - so the winner is either the last survivor or the one with the most points at the end of the timer. Below are links to gifs that will give a better idea of how it works. Let the games begin!
Our second post-release update is now up and running so here's what we were able to implement:
* New graphics for the portals in Islands level.
* Barrel explosions in A Day at the Beach.
* Fade in/out animations for castles in King of the Castle.
* Move cycle for the platypus in Yes, it's a Platypus!
* Animations for dash and impact.
* Vibration/rumble for controllers.
*** An all new game mode called Electric Feel!
Also some minor fixes were implemented. Now let us know in comments or in the discussions what you want for our next update that is coming in two weeks!
Update 0.2.1 coming Friday April 29th
Our second post-release update is coming on Friday and here's what you can expect to see:
* New graphics for the portals in Islands level.
* Barrel explosions in A Day at the Beach.
* Fade in/out animations for castles in King of the Castle.
* Move cycle for the platypus in Yes, it's a Platypus!
* Animations for speedboost, dash and impact.
* Vibration/rumble for controllers.
And again there are some minor fixes.
Update 0.2 is out!
Update 0.2 is officially live and ready - just in time for the weekend parties! Here's what it features:
* Tap to Explode is now called Bee 'em Up, where you have a beehive on your head as you try to get the bees to sting your enemies.
* A Day at the Beach has a cow with a dolphin head, sitting on a sun chair, shooting laser rays at anyone that comes to close to the waterfall.
* Animations put on monsters in all Dancefloor levels, where they start with an open mouth and then close it - so players cannot re-enter.
* Tutorials received an overhaul with regards to new graphics and text was simplified in some cases.
Our next update is scheduled for Friday 29th of April. Let us know what YOU want us to work on for that update, either here in comments or in the discussion forum!
Update 0.2 coming April 15th
It's time for our first real post-release update - coming on Friday, April 15th. Just in time for the weekend! Here's what you can expect:
* Tap to Explode will receive a graphics overhaul, dumping temp assets.
* A Day at the Beach will receive new graphics to death scene.
* Animations applied to backgrounds.
* Tutorials will become easier to understand.
* Tutorials will receive updated videos, to reflect new art.
All this will be accompanied with minor fixes - stuff we've come across after release. Please let us know what YOU want us to work on for the next update with comments and the discussions forums!
