The November build is up and ready to download. Over 90 bug fixes, updates and improvements were made to Lode Runner Online: The Mad Monks' Revenge rewrite. This month saw a combination of 22 bugs fixes and improvements reported by testers.
If you find anything at all that is wrong with the game so far or have any ideas or suggestions, please get in touch with me. Your feedback is very important to making this project as good as it can possibly be.
The next build will be at the end of the year. Can't wait until then? Just shoot me an email and I'll send you a patch to try out.
Special thanks this month to Leandro, Rick and Tua for play testing and finding bugs. Thanks, guys!
Continue reading for a summary of all the fixes, improvements and new features in the November update.
Editor
- the main world theme will now play when testing but will still favour the ambient track
- you can now add puzzles from another set into the current: read the complete post on combining puzzle sets
- if you paint a tool over the top of another buried tool, the block is no longer removed thus preserving the buried state.
- 1 new feature, 4 bugs fixed, 2 improvements
"Add puzzles from" support added to the editor
Game
- preliminary support for two extra runners - Jane Peril and Digmo - added to the game;
- names are from Lode Runner 2
- the players can only be controlled via a gamepad in LAN games
- controller input will be that of Wes Reckless
- kudos to Leandro for the video and Rick for gamepad testing
- monks can no longer eat two runners at the same time
- AI tweaks to monks to match the original closer
- AI fixes for monks that caused them to get stuck or loop on the spot
- monks now abort they climb out of a hole
The monk on the left aborting his climb
- you can now hold down the speed toggle shortcuts to alter the speed
- going from one puzzle to the next greatly improved
- 15 tweaks to the game to better match the original (8 on bombs)
- 3 bug fixes for pick-axe rubble
- 4 blast related bug fixes
- overhaul of rock pile debris
- overhaul of goo
- improved runners landing on a monks' head
- Quirk mode added to prevent runners from rapidly running through goo when tapping keys: read more about this on the week 45 update
- run animation massively overhauled - this also fixes the players ending up inside walls or the ability to run through a wall. Special thanks the Leandro in helping me track this one down.
- gamepad vibration added when being crushed
- you can no longer collect gold from a puzzle, save, reload and repeat to boost your score - this flaw was present in the original game too: read more about it in the week 47 update
- 2 new features, 33 bugs fixed, 27 improvements
LAN
- competition of gameplay
- clients can no longer join a host if they aren't running the same version
- if the host drops out or quits without saving, connected clients will save a copy of the puzzle set in the PUZZLES\WEB enabling any client to restore a game
- significant bandwidth saving measures added;
- 44% reduction in data sent from host to clients (per player)
- 49% reduction in data sent from client to the host
- these figures are averaged over 25 tests of the same puzzle before and after
- 1 new feature, 1 bug fixed, 3 improvements
General
- FNA engine update
- major upgrades to the Window Manager (handles all dialogs and UI elements)
- major upgrades to the video player
- bug fixes to the file dialog
- added support to the file dialog filter for puzzles/saves containing the input if no files found start with the filter
- toggling full-screen no longer causes the ENTER key to okay a dialog
- sound/audio mute toggles can now be used throughout the entire project (previously worked only when playing)
- save game format altered to support extra runners (and backwards compatible with previous saves)
- two tooltips enhancements to reduce being annoyed
- 6 bugs fixed, 10 improvements