This update adds some new features, changes to basic gameplay, and an assortment of other changes and fixes.

New Map System

A new map system has been added to the equipment screen, highlighting various points of interest (and more after you've obtained the visor upgrade), your location, and basic stage progress. By default, the map will show your location, all transfer points, and the boss door. After finding the visor upgrade, it will also display powerup locations, and will mark ones you've collected.

Coyote Time

You now have an additional window of time to jump when running off ledges accidentally, making leaps a bit more forgiving.

Dashing and Melee

While you could both move while attacking and jump to cancel melee attacks before, you can now dash to cancel melee both on foot and in the air (when air dashing) with most melee weapons.

Additionally, there's a long list of other more minor updates!

• The game now defaults to medium graphics when booted on Steam Deck.
• The game now shows your stage time and total playtime in the equipment screen. Additionally, the loading screen has been reformatted to show more info. (old files might display strange info here sometimes, but newer files should fix this).
• Nerfs to some mob types.
• Platforming windows in some stages have been made more forgiving.
• Cameras made slightly smoother, and some camera zones have been made simpler for less camera movement.
• Spear now always has full range from the start.
• Hospital beds spawn faster.
• Changes to preloading for less pop-in.
• Stage timer no longer runs while the game is paused.
• Stage time rank thresholds made easier.
• Hit rank thresholds have been increased.
• Most interactable characters now have a rim lighting effect.
• The Giga Meter is now a radial meter, instead of a spinning wheel.

On the Horizon

There are a few other changes I'd like to get to in future updates, such as more stat displays on the loading screen, showing a collectible count on the stage select screen so you don't have to enter one and open the map, a few more camera tweaks, and a weapon wheel (which was alluded to in 1.1, the game is designed so all of your abilities and inputs fit on a basic Xbox controller layout, but there are some cases like melee weapon switching that don't factor in). For the time being, I've been trying to address comments about responsiveness by bringing combat and movement blending up to parity with other similar titles, adding things like coyote time, and addressing some of the game's challenges to make sure they aren't overly difficult with a default moveset (contained in the previously mentioned stage platforming changes). As always, I'd like to make changes based on feedback, so feel free to leave a comment on the discussion forum if you run into any issues or something you'd like changed!

[ 2024-04-01 23:13:05 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hi all! This one is a smaller update, mostly intended to fix issues with loot from the previous update. Here's a list of most of the changes.

• Loot tables have been fixed, easy mode will now rain hp.
• A couple powerups have been made easier to access. (ladder added to hospital bat icup, wuste buster upgrade changed to pots only, cameras altered on harbor hpup 2).
• Transitioning between areas at the hub should be slightly quicker.
• Su-Z should telegraph her phantoms better, her phantom form now deals impact during all attacks.
• Blackrabbit's portals are reworked and moving and attacking through them should be a lot smoother (their use is per object now, rather than a portal cd).
• All boss opening scenes are now skippable without needing to use the autoskip option.
• Stages now show your best time on the selection screen.
• You will now have a small invulnerability period after respawning on a ledge.

[ 2024-01-25 22:11:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hi all! Wanted to post an update on changes to GIGABUSTER of recent! Most notably, the game is now compatible with Steam Deck, and has some gameplay changes that should shuffle around melee use.

Platform Changes

• The game now has a Steam Deck build, along with a Linux build, along with an additional graphics setting to tweak performance.

Gameplay Changes

• You can now move freely while attacking on the ground, instead of nudging forward.
• Enemy HP has been shifted around to allow smoother play with melee weapons.
• You can now pogo-bounce with the saber.
• You now start with the saber instead of the bat. The bat is now a free item at your apartment in the hub.
• Double jumping is now an upgrade instead of a default ability. Default jump height has been increased.
• The grenade now does a circular AOE.

Content Changes

• Some bosses now have additional moves, and tweaks to old ones.
• Bosses will no longer use the same moves twice in a row (excluding Bjorn).
• Many sections of stages have had their camera bounds and layouts changed, along with enemy changes.
• Icecream Factory has been sped up, blocks now spawn at a predictable rate and behave normally.

System Changes

• There is now a rewards system upon defeating bosses that will rank you according to your stage performance. Boss performance won't factor in to the bonuses, however.
• There's a new graphics option for more lightweight use.
• Text can now be auto-completed by pressing the jump button. You can also press the shoot button or left face button (X) to speed up text completion.
• Performance and load times should be slightly faster with new compression.

On the Horizon

• Weapon wheel option for the right stick. This will likely be a way to quickly modify the Y button. I'm still exploring options for it.
• Additional areas to stages. Some stages will be made a bit wider to allow for additional content. Areas where checkpoints at boss hallways should be reduced to allow for more stuff.
• More settings. I'd like to rearrange the settings menu a bit and add a few more options.
• Skill changes. Looking into modifying a couple of the game's abilities to be a bit more complex.
• There's an extra skill slot in the game, which may or may not get filled!

Thanks for looking, and as always I'll be watching the community hub and trying to address any bugs that crop up!

HOTFIXES:

Changes to the reward system when transfers are used.

Stats will now display properly when no bonuses are gained.

Rabbit effects fix.

Small change to the Hospital's maid section layout.

The white screen during the intro has been changed.

Time bonus will only reward you for getting a B or above (with some wiggle room).

Some enemy HP tweaks.

[ 2023-12-21 20:26:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

Streaming GIGABUSTER for Steam Next Fest!

[ 2022-06-13 18:21:43 CET ] [ Original post ]

Liz must stop mergers with the GEC, a monopoly funding "Happiness."

• 9 companies to break into, delivered in sets of 3 that you can tackle in any order, including a hub world linking them all together.
  
• A lot of movement options, both classic and new. Dashing, dash jumping, wall jumping, dash wall jumping. Along with a grappling hook, free climbing fences, grabbing ceilings, dive kicking, rail grinding, and more!
  
• Special abilities that are either tied to button combinations or have their own dedicated buttons.
  
• A combo meter to shoot big lasers, dash through enemies, and overall look very cool with.
  
• Shop for upgrades and find armor that displays visually, including heroic scarves and very red neckties.
  
• Cool weapons like baseball bats, spears, and halberds.
  
• Lots of powerups and exploring!
  
• A colorful cast of very normal well-adjusted everyday CEO's to argue with.

GIGABUSTER will get you in and out of the action as fast as possible. All dialogue and cinematics are skippable, including the intro stage for repeat playthroughs. You start the game with an array of abilities, including airdashing, double jumping, auto-charging, etc. The movement will let you toss yourself around levels as fast as you like. Upgrades will only expand your basic abilities further.