14 June 2022

Version 2.0 is now available!

Ahoy! Out of the blue appears a new version of DOG & PONY GAME™!

I took a short break from working on my next project to update this one's engine, and while I was at it, I included most of the requested features as well. Better late than never!

That said, the main objective of this update is to make the game more fun by adding variety, improving the interface, and reducing the determinism of various random elements.

Below is an exhaustive list of the noteworthy changes made, and a link to download the new version at the bottom.

Display

Increased the native resolution to 432 × 240 px, up from 400 × 225 px.
Added automatic compatibility detection for fullscreen resolution options.
Added 'Borderless' option under 'Windowed' resolutions.
Added 'Linear filter' option.
Added 'V-sync' option.

Graphics

Changed various sprites and palettes.
Added 7 new themed map palettes.
Added some visual effects upon using certain items.

Sound

Added 'Master volume' option.
Added 'Mute when unfocused' option.
Added 'Detect device change' option.
Added 7 new themed map soundtracks.
Added a sound effect when under attack.
Added a sound effect when an item breaks.
Added a sound effect when a monster is defeated.
Changed various sound effects.

Controls

Added 'Detect device change' option.
Changed the default controls to:
- Left: [A] / [Axis 1 -]
- Right: [D] / [Axis 1 +]
- Up: [W] / [Axis 0 -]
- Down: [S] / [Axis 0 +]
- Action: [Enter] / [Button 0]
- Back: [R Shift] / [Button 1]
- Look: [Q] / [Button 2]
- Menu: [Tab] / [Button 7]
- Chat: [T] / [Button 6]

Gameplay

Changed the win condition:
- Score is now 'coins' instead of 'points'.
- Once all gemstones are found, each player is awarded a bonus of coins equal to (100 × [number of gemstones found by their team] × [number of opponents]). If everyone is on the same team, then each player is awarded 200 coins instead.
- The player(s) with the highest amount of coins win(s), and is awarded a gold medal.
- Players on a winner's team are awarded a silver medal.
- Medals only serve to keep track of victories, and are lost upon leaving a game.
Developer comment: The original game's objective was unclear to a lot of players, since it involved winning as a team, rather than as a player. Furthermore, the possibility of there being no clear winner didn't sit well with everyone. This new system aims to rectify these issues, and better focus on personal performance (and luck).
Decreased cave sizes:
- Small is now 48 cells, down from 96 cells.
- Medium is now 64 cells, down from 192 cells.
- Large is now 96 cells, down from 384 cells.
Randomized the shape of caves.
- Added a short opening animation at the start of each match to preview the shape of the cave.
Digging now costs MP, and can be done multiple times per turn.
Changed the battle system:
- While on the offensive, equipped shield is ignored.
- While on the defensive, equipped weapon is ignored.
- On the battle screen, the attack and defence scores are now displayed instead of equipment.
Developer comment: The original battle system made counter-attacks too punishing to the attacker, discouraging players from initiating fights at all. This change aims to increase the viability of aggressive playstyles.
Added a shop system:
- In the lobby menu, added a 'Shop' option.
- Coins earned can now be used to purchase items between matches. All purchased items are added to the player's inventory at the start of the next match.
- Note that to encourage their usage, all items — purchased or otherwise — are still lost at the end of a match.
- Also note that while coins persist after a match, they are not added to the score of future matches, and are lost upon leaving the game.
Developer comment: While a gold medal is awarded to the highest score, it does not make any distinction between a narrow victory and a landslide. This new system aims to reward a player's performance more adequately.
While stealing, added the option to steal up to 25 coins instead of an item.
Added a 'Look' functionality, allowing players to look around the map during their turn. While looking, a spyglass icon will appear over the player's head.
The number of items and monsters per map is no longer predetermined, and may now vary between matches.
Changed computer players to each have a distinct name, appearance, and personality.

Items

Gemstones:
- Gemstones can now be stolen. Uh oh!
Treasure:
- Renamed to 'Coins'.
- Increased worth to 25 coins, up from 10.
Amulet:
- Renamed to 'Compass'.
- Using multiple compasses no longer replaces the current signal, and instead creates additional signals.
Lantern:
- No longer reveals target to all players.
- Now targets everyone on the cell (except self).
Developer comment: Revealing the lantern's target to everyone was a change introduced in version 1.2, but ultimately, it only made the user's future behaviour towards the target suspicious to everyone else. As such, that change has been reverted.
Buckler:
- Reduced damage taken reduction to 1, down from 3.
Potion:
- Added a cost of 1 HP.
Pickaxe:
- Changed to equipment. While equipped, the 'Dig' action becomes 'Mine', which digs at no cost.
Added 'Gully', which when equipped, increases damage dealt by 1.
Added 'Targe', which when equipped, reduces damage taken by 2.
Added 'Medicine', which restores 2 HP. Upon being defeated, this item is automatically used to restore 1 HP.
Added 'Bandage', which restores 1 HP to self or another non-resting player on the same cell.
Added 'Bomb', which digs a random number of cells in random directions.
Added 'Spirit', which teleports self to any walkable location.
Added treasures:

Treasures are items that have the potential to turn the tide of a match. For this reason, they cannot be found by conventional means.
- Added 'Map', which reveals the location of the nearest gemstone.
- Added 'Hook', which allows to pickpocket an item from another player on the same cell.
Lowered the chance of equipment breaking upon use to 50%, down from 100%. This includes attacking with a 'Gully' or 'Cutlass', blocking with a 'Buckler' or 'Targe', and mining with a 'Pickaxe'.

Monsters

Lesser monster:
- Renamed to 'Ghost'.
Greater monster:
- Renamed to 'Skeleton'.
Added 'Revenant', a very rare and powerful monster.
Added 'Avarice', a very rare and elusive monster.
Added loot, which is received upon defeating a monster:
- 'Ghost' and 'Skeleton' monsters have a chance to carry a 'Duffel', which awards a random item.
- 'Revenant' monsters always carry a 'Coffer', which awards 3 random items or treasures.
- 'Avarice' monsters always carry a 'Trove', which awards a random treasure.
Added a different marker for each monster type.
Added name suffixes to help distinguish monsters of the same type.
Monsters now despawn after 3 turns of being inactive.

Interface

Added 'Show item descriptions' option.
In the 'Create game', changed 'Online' to 'Public' for clarity.
Added a turn indicator on the left side of the scoreboard during matches.
Added a new icon next to defeated players on the scoreboard during matches.
Added a crown icon next to the host's name on the scoreboard between matches.
Added medal counters to the scoreboard between matches.
Added a brief flash effect to scores upon earning coins.
Changed markers to reflect their respective team colours.
Player names are now consistently team-coloured across the game.
Redesigned all character and item menus to display multiple icons at once and improve navigation.
In the 'Fight' menu:
- Reordered targets to always show monsters first.
- Changed the character card to show gemstones instead of MP.
In the host's lobby menu, combined 'Add COM' and 'Remove COM' into a new 'Computers' option, which allows to add and remove computer players from a list.
In the guest's lobby menu, added 'Ready' and 'Spectate' options. A match cannot be started until all players have selected either one.
Added some visual effects to the battle screen to get a better sense of the outcome.
Added a visual effect where the interface becomes yellow when at 1 HP, and red when at 0 HP.
Added the quantity of items on their icons when multiple.
Changed the visual indicator of an equipped item to a small 'E' instead of a yellow outline.
Added a bag icon over the player's head while browsing the inventory.
Added messages upon certain events for clarity.
Redesigned the 'Options' menu to reduce visual clutter.
Slightly increased the time that chat messages remain visible.
Added an icon to the cursor matching the current action.
Added gamepad themes for 'Xbox 360 Controller' and 'iBuffalo Classic USB Gamepad'.
Changed various texts.

Bug fixes

Fixed an issue where settings would sometimes reset improperly if the game crashed before it could finish loading.
Fixed an issue where joining a server would sometimes fail if the server browser's list was in the process of refreshing.
Fixed an issue where gemstone glimmers would sometimes not properly render for players who joined after the match had started.
Fixed an issue where if the host started chatting before the start of their turn, then the speech bubble would not appear when their turn started.
Fixed several issues related to clients joining a server during a votekick.
Fixed a bug where if a player with an active amulet signal timed out, the amulet animation would replay upon rejoining the match.
Changed inventory and score to visually update at the end of a move, instead of at the start of a move.
Fixed various conditions under which the game could potentially crash.
Greatly improved overall performance.

Other

Improved the AI of computer players and monsters.
Updated the game manual to reflect these changes.