Galactic Thunderdome Patch Notes v1.3.1

We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone whos shared their feedback with us! We truly couldnt have done this without your input. Keep those suggestions and bug reports coming, and well continue improving and updating Galactic Thunderdome for the long haul. Heres what weve fixed in the latest patch:

Fixes & Tweaks

German Translation Fixes: Weve cleaned up several errors in the German localization. If something still seems off, let us know! Custom Game Character Selection: Previously, players had to reselect their character after every round in Custom Games. Now, the game remembers your last choice, bringing it in line with other game modes and saving you from unnecessary clicks. Marmaduke Gauntlet Boss' Healing Gas Abuse: On Brutal and Impossible difficulties, the Marmaduke Boss was using Healing Gas more than intended, making fights very frustrating. This was due to a bug that allowed the boss to spawn in extra Healing Gas with their Craft ability. Weve now added a limit to how many times the Boss can use Healing Gas, even if it somehow gets more canisters somehow. This should make fighting him feel much less frustrating.

Looking Ahead

We know many players are running the game on Linux via Proton, but were actively working on proper native Linux support. Weve started testing and making adjustments, and while theres no timeline just yet, well keep you updated as we make progress.

Thanks for Being Part of the Thunderdome!

Were always striving to make Galactic Thunderdome the best it can be, and your feedback is crucial in helping us get there. Were committed to bringing you more updates, fixes, and exciting new features as we continue to improve the game. Stay tuned, keep fighting, and well see you in the Thunderdome!

[ 2025-02-24 19:02:13 CET ] [ Original post ]

New customization options for versus game mode!

Want to battle in a high speed joust with Rocket Lances? Play a map with only dynamite and sticky glue? Or a round of high stakes tennis fighting with mines and energy rackets? We just released a new game mode that allows you to customize a deathmatch by mix and matching modular rulesets, including thematic map packs, varied item sets, player lives, hp, regen rates and an option to skip character selection phase for high speed back to back rounds. Have suggestions for more fun rulesets? Join our Discord and let us know so we can add it to the next patch!

[ 2025-01-12 23:18:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

Greetings from the Galactic Thunderdome! The v1.2 update is here, and its packing user experience changes, balance tweaks, and an all-new global leaderboard system for the Last Stand game mode! Its time to climb the ranks, show off your skills, and etch your name among the galactic elite. Were also rolling out improvements to quality of life and addressing some key frustrations reported by you, our incredible community.

Global Leaderboards

The competition just got real. With the addition of global leaderboards to the Last Stand game mode, its time to step up and prove youve got what it takes to dominate the Thunderdome. Climb the ranks, outlast the hordes, and bask in the glory of having your name etched in galactic renown.

Change Log

Balance Adjustments

Cryocase cooldown increased by ~22% (+1.5s).

Cryocase Ice Health reduced by 40% (60 36).

Reflect Shield cooldown increased by 25% (+1s).

Reflect Shield duration reduced by 25% (-0.5s). These adjustments ensure the high-impact defensive tools remain tactical choices without being overly dominant. Adapt, strategize, and embrace the challenge!

Character Ability Adjustments

We heard your feedback about how frustrating certain characters abilities were when used defensively, especially in stalling scenarios. Heres how were addressing those concerns:

Cryogenes' Cryocase Ability: Cryocases cooldown and ice health adjustments aim to prevent the ability from being overused as a stalling tool, forcing more precise timing and strategic deployment.

Omegabyte's Reflect Shield: Changes to the cooldown and duration are designed to limit its dominance, especially when chained with the shield ability. Its still powerful, but now requires better cooldown management. These changes should create a more dynamic and balanced gameplay experience while rewarding skillful play. Keep those strategies evolving!

New Features & Improvements

Saved character selection between rounds: Your selected character is now remembered when rejoining a lobby, cutting out the hassle of reselecting every time. Less frustration, more action! As always, were grateful for your support and feedback. Keep sharing your thoughts, and lets continue building the ultimate brawler experience together. See you in the Thunderdome!

[ 2024-12-13 22:13:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

As a small indie team, we want to thank you for your continued support and feedback. Every suggestion and report from our community helps us make Galactic Thunderdome the best it can be. This update addresses some key bugs, balances gameplay, and includes a major rework of the tutorial to make it more exciting and rewarding for new and returning players alike. Were committed to listening to your ideas and improving the game with each update. Stay tuned for more fixes, tweaks, and content as we continue to shape the Galactic Thunderdome experience together. Thank you for being part of our journey!

Tutorial Rework

The final tutorial room has been completely redesigned to make learning the game more fun and rewarding. Instead of the old horde-style room, which was overwhelming and outdated, its now a survival challenge with escalating waves of opponents. Each wave gets harder, introducing new mechanics and abilities in a smooth and exciting way. Players will get the chance to practice dodging, experimenting with combos, and mastering unique abilities in a fair but increasingly intense setting. Armed with a selection of ~20 powerful weapons, youll be able to test different strategies, but as the waves progress, youll face tougher opponents and more dangerous combinations. The challenge is beatable, but only the best players will make it to the end. This rework ensures the tutorial is smoother, more engaging, and gives players the tools they need to succeed while having a blast.

Change Log

Bug Fixes

Fixed an issue with AI players pathing when the whole map was blocked by ground or rubble.

Fixed a bug in the tutorial where players could walk through a door that should have been locked and accidentally trigger the next room.

Fixed various problems with German translations in some parts of the game.

Fixed an issue where enemy AI difficulty did impact their rate of fire for single-fire weapons.

Fixed a bug where the values used to determine which objects should use continuous collision detection were incorrect, causing performance and collision issues.

Optimizations

Made the game faster at updating the AI's pathing when rubble is destroyed by player spawns or special digging tools.

Changes

We've increased the dead zone for controller axes (for both movement and look axes), as some players were having trouble using abilities without having the controller thumbstick flick and change the direction they were aiming.

Reduced the maximum ammo for the Singularity Cannon from 4 to 3 to bring its balance in line with other weapons.

Adjusted the difficulty to earn medals on certain Last Stand maps to make it more fair.

[ 2024-11-20 22:29:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

Galactic Thunderdome is Officially Live!

The moment has finally arrived, and its time to unleash the chaos! Step into the Galactic Thunderdome, where cartoonish havoc and physics-based madness await! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1219800/Galactic_Thunderdome/

Why Galactic Thunderdome Will Blow Your Mind!

Galactic Thunderdome delivers an exhilarating gameplay experience across 45 unique levels, each packed with chaotic fun. Youll have access to 85 outrageous weapons, allowing you to tailor your strategy and dominate in explosive game modes. Engage in intense Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch battles, where you'll face off against friends for ultimate supremacy. If you prefer a thrilling chase, dive into Treasure Hunt, racing to escape with the coveted golden idol. For those looking to test their mettle, Last Stand offers the ultimate survival challenge against endless waves of enemies, while Single-player Gauntlets allow you to test your skills solo and conquer the chaos. What sets Galactic Thunderdome apart is its deeply engaging physics-based gameplay. No two battles are ever the same, thanks to accurate explosions, ricochets, and destructible terrain that can change the tide of combat. Prepare for intelligent bullet time mechanics and dynamic wind and gas effects, both of which enhance the strategic complexity of every confrontation. The game features a roster of unique Galactic Combatants, each with their own special abilities. This diversity adds depth to your gameplay, enabling you to mix and match characters and strategies to find the perfect combination for your style. Prepare for an unforgettable experience where the chaos reigns supreme, and only the bold can survive!

Check out the official Launch Trailer!!

Check out our official launch trailer to see the chaos in action https://youtu.be/jjvHBPSEfFY This is just the beginning! Stay tuned for future updates and new content that will keep the chaos coming. We cant wait to see you in the Galactic Thunderdome!

[ 2024-10-24 20:11:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

All of us at Pansimula have been pulling double duty, going all-in to get Galactic Thunderdome prepped and polished for Next Fest, and it's been a wild ride! With just over a week left until the big release on October 23rd, we've been running on pure adrenaline, and let's just say, things are getting a bit chaotic around here. We're beyond excited to share this with you and really hope you enjoy the madness our small, but passionate, team has cooked up! If you want to stay up to date and chat directly with us devs, come hang out in our small but awesome Discord community! We're always around to hear your suggestions, feedback, or just to talk shop. Plus, you'll get all the latest Galactic Thunderdome news right as it drops. Hit the banner below to joinwe can't wait to see you there!

Menu Overhaul

We've revamped the main menu for a more modern and user-friendly experience. It's now easier on the eyes and more intuitive to navigate. Additionally, we've included some exciting new features for you to explore below:

Multiplayer Menus

We've been burning the midnight oil to get the multiplayer menus polished and playable. The menu for Remote Play with friends is ready to roll! As for the Matchmaking menu, which will let you play with others who arent on your friends list, we're still tightening some bolts. It'll be good to go for the full launch, but unfortunately, we couldn't get it fully prepped in time for Next Fest.

Introducing Thunderpedia

This new in-game resource covers every item, ability, game mode, and the basic mechanics in detail. There's a lot going on in Galactic Thunderdome, and while we love the idea of players experimenting, we know some of you might prefer a bit more guidance. Thunderpedia is here to help! Stay tuned for the final chapter, which will dive into advanced mechanics and tacticshopefully before launch.

New Challenges and Improvements

New Gauntlet to Conquer

Prepare yourself for Omegabyte's Ordeal, a thrilling new Gauntlet that will test your skills like never before! This dynamic map is packed with exciting challenges, featuring a colossal hammer that crashes into a bubbling lava lake, a menacing arrow-flinging wacha, and a powerful barrel cannon that adds an explosive twist to your strategy. We cant wait to see if you have what it takes to conquer it!

Achievements Galore!

To give players a greater sense of progress and hint at some of our favorite mechanics, we've added 100 achievements to the game. And theres even more to come post-launch when Steam allows us to roll out additional ones!

Weapon Balancing Update

After reviewing tons of playtester footage, we realized wed been balancing weapons based on our own (the four devs) experiences. With hundreds of players diving into the game, we were inadvertently tuning for the top-tier players. This meant that those less skilled werent getting enough ammo to experiment and learn from their mistakes. So, weve decided to significantly increase the ammo for most itemsnearly doubling the previous values in many cases.

Melee Attack Improvements

Our playtesters were struggling to land melee attacks, partly due to the same issue mentioned above. We initially balanced some melee items with a very short window after fully charging them before the attack would automatically release. We realize now that its unrealistic to expect players to learn this for each item through trial and error. So, weve generally normalized the hold time for melee items after charging, making it easier for everyone to understand and engage with.

Coop Last Stand Revive Mechanic

In the last patch, we introduced a revive mechanic for the Coop Last Stand game mode, where you could bring teammates back by defeating enemies. We liked the concept, but as enemies ramped up over time, reviving teammates became easier later in the round. To properly give the sense of increasing difficulty as the round progresses, weve made the kills to revive requirement gradually increase each time you successfully revive a friend. This keeps the tension high without making the game mode feel too easy!

New Maps

Deathmatch / Team Deathmatch

Termolithics

Dive into this destructible rock cave with a lava lake below and an endless rock slide raining down from above. Its a chaotic battleground where strategy and adaptability are key!

Barrage

Another destructible rock cave, this one features a wacha and barrel cannon at one end. Players spawn on the left and must battle for control of the powerful emplacements on the right, creating an intense power dynamic.

Geodesics

Set in space, this map has three gravity-producing orbs. Players fight for dominance while managing the twisted gravity. Don't get launched into space!

Too Many Moons

Players battle on a planetoid with asteroids that periodically rain down from space, exploding on impact. Small orbiting rocks add another layer of chaos to the battlefield.

Treasure Hunt

This game mode has players racing to retrieve an idol from somewhere on the map while fighting for survival as they transport it to an extraction point. Its a battle for supremacy!

Thieves' Gambit

This new asymmetric map puts the player holding the idol in a precarious position, facing a barrel cannon, then a wacha, then finally they must survive as the gate to the exit slowly opens. Its a tough challenge, but when they die, they progress the idol closer to the finish line, allowing others to capitalize on their demise.

Holding Cell

The extraction point is hidden behind three large gates that open only when the idol is held and slam shut when its dropped. Players must hold the idol for a set amount of time to escape through the gates, making this a very challenging map to conquer!

Quality of Life Improvements

Enhanced Visibility for Buttons and Pressure Plates

We noticed that the buttons and pressure plates scattered throughout the maps werent visible enough, leading players unfamiliar with the terrain to overlook them. To fix this, we've added bright, flashing lights that make them much easier to spot. These lights turn off when the buttons are inactive, providing clear visual feedback.

Distinguishing AI from Players

The enemy AI players and bosses were often confused with human players, especially for newcomers. To address this, weve introduced new Tear Drop Aimers for AI characters, making them more distinct and recognizable on the battlefield.

Character Spawn Indicators

Players have often struggled to locate their character when spawning in. To help with this, weve added an arrow in the players color that hovers above their character during the spawn process, making it easier to identify where they are.

Fire Extinguisher Revamp

The Fire Extinguisher was feeling a bit useless, serving only to put out flames. Weve revamped its functionality so that the wispy clouds of smoke it produces now freeze players who are exposed to too much of it. This gives the fire extinguisher a much-needed boost in relevance!

Change Log

Bug Fixes

Swapped E & Q keys on the keyboard so the keys to swap items match the keys to use items.

Fixed a broken glue interaction where glue links remained after picking up an item.

Resolved bugs with Droids not shooting at players.

Fixed the Knockout Gas items color in the Item Selection Wheel.

Corrected the Merling character's head not being stained properly.

Addressed bugs relating to extinguisher/fire extinguisher particles disappearing upon item destruction.

Fixed a bug that caused the players items to be misplaced.

Fixed dynamic rocks not inheriting the velocity of the rock they broke from.

Resolved an issue with AI players spamming buttons to open doors endlessly.

Fixed the Mortar items path indicator persisting when the item was changed.

Fixed an issue where certain gravities caused infinite acceleration on some objects.

Fixed a bug with the player's animation controller mistakenly believing they were grounded.

Fixed an issue where Pocket Comets thrown before a round restart would persist into the next round.

Fixed an issue where restarting the round during a Cinematic Camera Event would cause the camera system to have incorrect information in the next round.

Fixed fullscreen settings issues.

Optimizations

Optimized Grapple Hook reeling for smoother gameplay.

Minor optimizations related to projectiles and objects.

Minor optimizations for Glue mechanics.

Minor shrapnel optimizations.

Minor optimizations for the Grapple System, reducing node counts and resource usage when multiple Entanglers are in play.

Changes

Modified the final boss in **Marmaduke's Revenge Gauntlet** to increase health, eliminate health regeneration, and introduce healing gasses for a more engaging fight.

Made the Gravity Hammer melee weapon deal more damage.

Last patch, we added stains and throbbing to the Player's Teardrop Aimer at 30% health. Weve adjusted this threshold to 50% health, so it appears sooner for better health awareness.

Adjusted Claymores to include a short immunity time upon being thrown to prevent them from sticking immediately above players' heads.

Fixed several bugs with the "Gun Controller" system managing weapon placement, sway, recoil, etc.

Reworked the mechanism for Jackel mines to prevent them from sticking and exploding prematurely, allowing for a more effective spamming experience.

[ 2024-10-14 08:31:20 CET ] [ Original post ]

A preview of gameplay, 3 devs battle it out on a variety of the deathmatch maps

[ 2024-10-05 19:39:53 CET ] [ Original post ]

We just dropped Galactic Thunderdome v0.6.0! Weve heard your feedback, and were excited to introduce a new respawn mechanic to co-op Last Stand! If your friends go down, they can now be revived by defeating a gradually increasing number of enemies. This should address the frustration of players dying early and having to wait for the round to end to jump back in. Keep the great suggestions coming! Weve spent a lot of time this patch optimizing critical areas of the game to boost your FPS! Many parts of the code have been fine-tuned to maximize performance. Optimizations

• Optimized various systems using enum strings for faster processing.
• Improved performance of enum to string conversions.
• Enhanced the input system, particularly during dazed states.
• Optimized in-game menus and HUD to reduce lag.
• Optimized the Item Selector Wheel for smoother interactions.
• Significantly improved rock graphical rendering and level elements.
• Enhanced the assignment of material types to level objects.
• Optimized background parallax for better performance.
• Optimized item factory and pooling system for faster item generation.
• Improved pickupable item collision detection.
• Enhanced player controller for smoother movement and response.
• Various system tool optimizations for overall stability and efficiency.
• Optimized the wind system for better performance.
• Overhauled the motion blur system to boost overall performance.
• Optimized the player unstuck mechanic.

Specific Optimizations

• Tweaked and optimized the protoshape system
• Enhanced system tools to ensure smooth operation across various gameplay elements.
• Distributed Stage Wave enemy spawning across multiple frames to improve performance during intense sequences.
• Optimized horde AI character and item pooling for smoother wave management.

Fixes

• Fixed issues with Steam Cloud saves not syncing correctly.
• Resolved problems with local app data saves.
• Fixed crashes related to image graphics in builds.
• Corrected batch loading and pooling issues with rocks.
• Resolved problems with fire/smoke effects disappearing when the gun is unequipped.
• Fixed material cleanup issues that caused visual inconsistencies.
• Corrected an issue with stain painters on ice surfaces.
• Fixed medals displaying incorrect particle leafs.
• Fixed graphical issues with the repulse gauntlet and its pooling system.
• Adjusted Gauntlet title position to avoid overlapping other UI elements.
• Fixed wind effects to ensure consistency in visual and gameplay experience.
• Fixed an issue where slo motion effects lasted longer than intended.
• Fixed AStar pathfinding issue related to automatic doors.
• Resolved issues with droids not firing at players.
• Fixed a bug where boss AI would drop guns with 0 ammo.
• Fixed the issue of reviving a player shortly after they die (in Last Stand).
• Most special abilities are now refunded if they fail to activate due to interruptions like being stunned.

Additions & Changes

• Added instructions for "invite non-friend" in the troubleshoot menu with a quick access button in the online play section.
• Introduced a "Fix network lag" page in the pause menu to facilitate troubleshooting.
• Replaced the language icon for better clarity.
• Added a new effect to the player aimer that indicates remaining health, featuring both sound and visual cues.
• Removed broken confirmation popups from the host lobby menu.
• Swapped Q & E keybindings (open item selection wheel) to match left & right click (use melee/ranged item).
• Balanced the pickaxe, claymore, gravity hammer, and bone sword to ensure appropriate damage output and weight.
• Balanced various items to correct damage output and weight discrepancies.
• Tweaked troubleshoot text for clarity and better guidance.

[ 2024-08-20 18:08:35 CET ] [ Original post ]

Greetings, Galactic Contestants! Welcome back, Galactic Contestants! Thanks to all our dedicated playtesters for your invaluable feedback. Version 0.5.0 introduces thrilling new features, gameplay tweaks, and essential bug fixes to enhance your brawling experience. Join our Discord community to become a playtester and access the full version! Here's what's new in version 0.5.0: Features

• New Emotes: Emotes with sound added for more expressive gameplay.
• Last Stand Mode: Prepare for the ultimate test of endurance and strategy in our brand-new game mode: **Last Stand**! In this thrilling survival challenge, you can play solo or team up with friends as you face waves of relentless enemies in a highly defensible position. Your objective is simple: survive as long as you can. Enemies will spawn endlessly, testing your skills and tactics to the limit. Each wave will become more challenging, pushing you to adapt and strategize on the fly. Use your surroundings, manage your resources wisely, and hold your ground against the onslaught. Compete for medals that denote your achievements based on the number of kills and how far you progress. With 8 unique maps, each featuring different defensive positions and strategic opportunities, every Last Stand experience will offer a new challenge. Do you have what it takes to make your Last Stand? Jump in solo or with friends, and prove your mettle in this intense, action-packed survival mode!
• New Last Stand Levels:
  • Added 7 new levels: Barbican, Hedgehog, Brawl Vault, Slaughterhouse Delight, Juggernaut Defence, Tectonics, and Caldera.

Game Modes

• Gauntlet Mode:
  • Easy mode now has 60% more lives.
  • Special weapons bug fixed (not fully replenished on revive).
  • Medal display in the menu fixed.
• Treasure Hunt:
  • Added new level: Heist.
• New Level Elements:
  • Created several new elements: lava lakes, meteor showers, railguns, sliding machinegun batteries, murder holes, portcullises, gas roulettes, spinny turrets, deployable fans, hwachas, punchy bricks.

Gameplay Changes

• General:
  • Arrow projectiles now become physical objects if they slow down enough.
  • Decreased player rotation in low-gravity environments by 1/3.
  • Item pickups now disappear after 60s if not collected and after 5-10s if stuck in the ground.
  • Bees drop from the air at the end of their lifespan and die upon ground collision.
  • Removed daze effect from bees.
  • Removed underhand throws, simplifying the throw mechanic to prevent confusion and misuse of grenades and mines.
• AI Improvements:
  • AI players now face the direction they move when they cannot see their target.
  • Ability to override AI player smooth damp time for movement vector.

User Interface and Quality of Life Improvements

• Menus and UI:
  • "How to play" in the main menu now shows controls.
  • Language selection includes flag images for easy identification.
  • Game Over screen displays winner's color and name (if online), or just color (if AI).
  • Returning to the main menu from an online game injects the lobby into menu history.
  • Loadout menu level name buffer moved to the right side, no longer visible when exiting or layered in front of the pause menu.
  • Fixed loadout menu showing wrong name.
  • AppData saved on Steam Remote Storage for cross-computer awards.
  • Visible controls in the loadout menu appear only when clickable.
  • "Enable UI" setting now works in Last Stand mode.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed shot arrows not connecting to the proper object.
• Fixed a sound bug having to do with Gauntlet mode's item prizes.
• Fixed a placement bug with UI arrows.
• Added yellow UI arrow in Stage Mode after 40s making it more clear that players need to choose an item.
• Fixed sorting order of player character sprites.
• Fixed stains and spawn effect being misplaced on the Merling character.
• Fixed special weapons fully replenished on revive in Gauntlet.
• Fixed Haelstrom ice ball line trim and layer.
• Fixed Game Over winner picture not shown.
• Fixed rock destruction optimization.
• Fixed remote play host losing privileges during flash disconnect/reconnect.
• Fixed remote play allowing re-invites after decline.
• Fixed Game Over edge case.
• Fixed sorting order of player character sprites.
• Fixed fire and gas visuals passing through the sides of wind tubes.
• Fixed dynamite fuse sparks going erratic when blown by wind.
• Fixed crushers dealing unreliable damage to crushed players and other related issues.
• Fixed blood stains flickering on the edges of walls.
• Adjusted blood effects from shotguns for improved visual clarity.
• Increased corpse burn rate to prevent infinite corpse accumulation.
• Fixed bullet smoke trails appearing incorrectly in certain situations.
• Improved the Locksmith mechanism to start slow and gradually increase speed without manual control buttons.
• Adjusted Gauntlet camera zoom for better visibility.
• Balanced gravjelly gun and bomb deployment for faster action.

General Improvements

• Troubleshoot page now shows remote play info as the primary page.
• Added more tips to the loading menu.

Keep the feedback coming, and together, we'll continue to refine and perfect this cosmic showdown! Thank you for being part of the Galactic Thunderdome community!

[ 2024-06-20 01:33:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

Greetings, Galactic Contestants! Closed Beta Playtest - Version 0.4.0 Welcome back, Galactic Contestants! Thanks again to all our diligent playtesters who have contributed their valuable feedback. Version 0.4.0 brings a bunch of exciting changes, including new maps and extensive improvements to the user interface. Join our Discord community to become a playtester and gain access to the full version! Discord Link Here's what's we've gotten done for version 0.4.0: Gameplay Changes:

• Added a new map called "Junk Chute" to the rotation.
• Reworked the blood system.
• Tutorial rework and speed-up for smoother player experience.
• Player corpses are now flammable post-death.
• AI now throw items with less accuracy at lower difficulties.
• Increased the amount of flaming methanol the Fire Bow releases by 50% (12 -> 18).

User Interface and Quality of Life Improvements:

• Modified player color to clearly indicate team affiliation.
• Fixed player teams not being conserved between rounds.
• Fixed issue with item selector displaying incorrect player colors.
• Added map images to the main menu for improved visual navigation.
• Default opening page in settings changed to Game, language option.
• Language detection bug fixed for correct language loading.
• Added warnings in loadout menu to guide new players regarding AI count.
• Simplified online lobby and renamed buttons for clarity.
• Renamed the exit button in the pause menu to "Exit to Desktop" for clarity.
• Added shake effect to loadout menu during player selection stage to indicate impatience.
• Improved clarity in game intro menu by adding "Enter" as an alternative key prompt.
• Added "A / Enter" prompt to player loadout menus as an alternative key prompt.
• Player Join Menu's "A / Enter" button now transforms to just an "A" button when a keyboard player joins.
• Loadout menu now displays the name of the selected map.
• Changed "Game Over" to "Victory" in the menu after completing Gauntlet mode.
• Game over menu now displays the winner.
• Users closing Steam overlay with the escape key will no longer exit the online lobby menu.
• Keyboard controls are now shown as default in-game loadout tips if no controllers are plugged in (controller shown otherwise).

Keep the feedback coming, and together, we'll continue to refine and perfect this cosmic showdown! Thank you for being part of the Galactic Thunderdome community!

[ 2024-05-09 18:59:13 CET ] [ Original post ]

Greetings, Galactic Contestants! Closed Beta Playtest - Version 0.3.0 We're thrilled to unveil the latest installment of Galactic Thunderdome! Your ongoing support and feedback have been invaluable in shaping the evolution of our cosmic arena. For those just joining us, welcome aboard! Dive into the action-packed Closed Beta experience by joining our Discord server. Discord Link Here's what's in store for version 0.3.0: New Feature:

• Added Steam Remote Play lobby system, allowing you to easily invite friends to play with you online!

Gameplay and Balance Changes:

• Atmo's special ability, Stasis Field, can now slow down or stop map hazards such as pistons, gears, and crushers.

New Maps:

• Loose Cargo: a zero-g level with floating crates, girders, and barrels. There's also an airlock you can use to eject your enemies!
• Klein Valve: a medium-sized map with gears that modify the center of the map, periodically changing the routes players can take.

Bug Fixes:

• The fog emitted by ice was sometimes broken.
• The Gravity Hammer's explosion was sometimes not being triggered.

Your passion fuels Galactic Thunderdome's journey to greatness. Join us as we continue to refine and perfect this cosmic showdown! Thank you for being part of the Galactic Thunderdome community!

[ 2024-04-08 17:21:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

Greetings, Galactic Contestants! Closed Beta Playtest - Version 0.2.0 Thank you for continuing to support Galactic Thunderdome and contributing to the ongoing refinement of our cosmic arena. Your feedback has been instrumental in shaping the evolution of the game. For those who have yet to join, don't hesitate to hop onto our Discord server to become part of the action-packed Closed Beta experience. Here's a comprehensive breakdown of the latest changes and improvements in version 0.2.0: Gameplay and Balance Changes:

• Added two new maps: Cosmic Flywheel and Drillco Mines.
• Reworked items and spawn points in the "Square Dance" map for enhanced strategic depth.
• Projectiles now properly interact with pickup-able items, preventing premature termination upon collision.
• AI Players added via the loadout menu will now persist between rounds.
• Pickup-able items will no longer obstruct teleportation, ensuring seamless movement across the battlefield.
• The Mobius ability has been enhanced for increased reliability.
• Items in the item selection wheel are now properly sorted alphabetically.
• Players will now cough when dying due to the effects of gas.
• The Slo-Mo trigger for the Plasma Rifle's laser has been adjusted to activate at 80 HP instead of 50 HP.
• Factory's piston have had their speed reduced, as it was killing too many new players.
• Decreased the Death Gas' damage for better balance.
• Beehives now agros players within a 5-meter radius and bees behave more franticly when on fire.
• Energy Racket now emits sound upon hitting bees and creates sparks.
• Fire Extinguisher temporarily nullifies bee damage, prevents agro near beehives, and prompts bees to return to their hive.
• Fixed enemy pathfinding issues for the Gauntlet map "Marmaduke's Revenge" around the volcano.
• Camera's initial position has been corrected for a smoother start.
• Droid now take fire damage.
• Crushers now interact more reliably with live explosives and pickupable items.
• Fired Singularities have had the gravity distortion effect synchronized with black hole duration, with significant buffs to black hole implosion force and a changed the Singularity Cannon's red light to blue.
• Barrels take increased damage from item impacts.
• Power Fist damage against non-players has been increased.
• Rocket Hammer upgraded to utilize the new Power Fist system and adjusted to how it interacts with destructible ground.
• Fixed bunker and pressure chamber item spawn timers.
• Controller confirmation alignment adjusted for clarity.
• Default refresh rate set to the highest for optimal performance.
• Stage difficulty names have been clarified.
• Buried items in "BuriedAlive" stage now stand out clearly.
• Yellow and Purple player colors have swapped their associated team alignments.
• Added language support for Russian, Simplified Chinese, and French.

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed issue with rapid fire weapons no displaying their cooldown lights properly.
• Resolved bug with the magic wand's glow effect blinking repeatedly.
• Grav hammer had a broken collider, causing nearly no damage on collisions.
• Tutorial and Discord join pop-ups now display correctly.
• Various other minor bug fixes and optimizations.

Your dedication and enthusiasm are driving Galactic Thunderdome towards greater heights. We deeply appreciate your involvement in this exhilarating journey. Keep the feedback coming, and together, we'll continue to refine and perfect this cosmic showdown! Thank you for being part of the Galactic Thunderdome community!

[ 2024-02-18 17:23:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

Greetings, Galactic Contestants! Closed Beta Playtest Thank you for joining us in the Galactic Thunderdome Closed Beta! Your participation is crucial in shaping the future of the game. If you haven't already, jump into our Discord server to get all the details on how to join the closed beta and be part of the epic battles ahead. We've been hard at work fine-tuning Galactic Thunderdome based on your valuable feedback from the playtest so far. Here's a summary of the changes in version 0.1.1: Gameplay and Balance Changes:

• A new map called "Square Dance" has been added
• We've reintroduced the Team Deathmatch game mode! Choose your team before the round starts!
• Mortar was challenging to aim, so it now has an indicator showing where the mortar shell will land.
• Decreased the damage dealt to the player when they are on fire. We also made oil less sticky when on fire, making it moderately less deadly.
• Grapple hooks (like those shot by the Entangler) weaken over time and with excessive force, allowing players to more easily escape.
• Grapple hooks can no longer grapple glue pellets.
• Ionic Laser, Singularity Cannon, and the Rocket Lance have updated lights indicating how much longer the player must charge them before firing.
• The Power Fist has had a minor rework, making it more reliable and satisfying to land a full-charged hit.
• The Singularity Cannon has been buffed. The lifespan of the micro-blackhole projectile lasts 2 seconds longer and dislodges rocks from a further distance.
• The Grenade Launcher was a little too oppressive, so we've decreased its damage slightly (70 -> 60) and decreased the muzzle velocity of the grenade (48 -> 30 m/s). It also now triggers a Slo-Mo event when it's about to collide with a player to give them some time to react.
• The Bone Sword did way too much damage. We've decreased the base damage (from 28 -> 22) and decreased the scaling based on force (30 -> 15).
• The Lumitar was also imbalanced. We've decreased its max damage (from 35 -> 25) as well as its minimum damage (20 -> 18).
• Both the Inductor and the Battle Prod were capable of stunning players regardless of if they were shielding, which didn't feel very fair.
• A player's color is now conserved between rounds.
• Balanced the volume of the Rock thrown item.

Bug Fixes:

• AI Players joined in through the menu weren't assigned the right difficulty.
• Squashed some bugs that might soft lock the player in the tutorial.
• Fixed a bug where growing ice would stop growing when it encountered wind.
• Fixed a bug where forces were not being transferred properly from player to corpse, post-death.
• Fixed a bug with the position of the player's Jetpack.
• Fixed a bug where some map elements were not making sounds.
• Fixed a bug where arrows would pop out of players as they died.
• Fixed a bug where players would spawn beside their opponents.
• Fixed a bug in Marmaduke's Gauntlet where an indicator arrow would remain forever.
• Reworked item spawn points to behave more consistently.

We appreciate your dedication and feedback. Together, we're creating an even more thrilling Galactic Thunderdome experience. Thank you for being part of this exciting journey!

[ 2024-01-27 07:58:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

Greetings, Galactic Contestants! Closed Beta Playtest Exciting news from our 4-man dev team: the closed beta for Galactic Thunderdome is officially underway! We've been burning the midnight oil to fine-tune every aspect of the game, and we can't wait for you to dive in. To get in on the action, swing by our Discord server, where all the playtest magic is happening. We're actively looking for enthusiastic playtesters to join the fray, so don't hesitategrab your spot now before the keys run out! Changes since the Alpha Playtest Galactic Thunderdome has undergone a notable transformation since our closed alpha playtest. We've not only addressed your valuable feedback, but also added a plethora of polish and exciting features that take the gameplay to a whole new level. It's been a labor of love, and we're excited to see what you think! Changelog:

• We've finally finished adding sound to the game! Every item, ability, collision, and interaction has an associated sound effect.
• Added 21 new levels, containing various new hazards and objects (volcanoes, oil barrels, etc.).
• Introduced AI players with adjustable difficulty settings, opening up the single-player side of the game!
• Added a single-player game mode called Gauntlet, with 5 difficulty settings. Fight your way through increasingly difficult waves in a huge dynamic arena! Can you beat the boss?
• Improved the tutorial.
• Improved the grappling hook system.
• Made more objects flammable, and improved the way fire behaves and looks.
• Improved the balance and feel of many items and abilities.
• Added dozens of new visual effects and upgraded many old ones.
• Added a "Spectate" option to the menu that allows you to watch AI players fight to the death for your enjoyment!
• Improved much of our menu flow, including new settings pages and level selection.
• Too many optimizations to list.
• And many, many more changes...

Thanks for being a part of our journey. Let's make Galactic Thunderdome's beta an epic experience together! See you in the arena! Here's to epic battles ahead, -The Pansimula Team

[ 2024-01-20 23:57:12 CET ] [ Original post ]

We're a small development team of four people who are really excited to share our gory physics brawler with you! We'll be broadcasting from 7pm EDT to 1am EDT, where we'll be answering chat questions, showcasing gameplay features, and trying to kill each other in the Galactic Thunderdome! Galactic Thunderdome is a physics brawler currently in pre-alpha playtesting stage! Galactic Thunderdome takes place in a far-future dystopian gladiation gameshow that is broadcast all around the galaxy. The contestants of the show are criminals from all corners and epochs of the cosmos who are forced to live out countless life sentences by being repeatedly mind-transferred into clones of ten gladiator bodies to duke it out for the entertainment of the galaxy. Galactic Thunderdome has:

• Various game modes like 1v1, Free-for-All, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Escape with the Treasure, King of the Hill, Thunderball (soccer with a twist), Survival, and more...
• 10 characters, each with a unique special ability
• Over 70 unique weapons. Galactic Thunderdome features a two-hand weapon wielding system, allowing you to use any ranged weapon in one hand and any melee weapon in the other hand simultaneously, for over 800 weapon combinations.
• An ever-growing number of dynamic and interactive arenas
• Up to 8 players
• Local couch games and private online multiplayer matches Galactic Thunderdome is deeply physics-based, with forces, impacts, and velocities calculated procedurally in real time. Don't expect static damage values, linear trajectories, or fixed attack animations. Instead, you can count on:
• Accurate explosions, ricochets, collisions, forces, and crushing physics
• Simulated rope dynamics
• Destructible terrain
• Sticky and stretchy adhesives
• Simulated wind and gas dynamics
• A robust custom gravity system
• Smart bullet time Additionally, we can offer you:
• Excessive cartoon gore
• Chaos
• Emergent gameplay
• A nearly unlimited skill ceiling
• Tears of joy and anguish
• Features that used to be bugs

[ 2021-06-15 20:23:16 CET ] [ Original post ]

Weapon Reworks / Balance:

• Shockgun - The Shockgun finally found its identity as a rapid fire arc lightning dispenser! Every 0.2 seconds an arc is shot in front of the barrel, and any player hit will be promptly electrocuted.
• SFL Rifle - The "Single Fire Laser" Rifle fires an accelerating plasma bolt that can kill a player in two shots, and even explodes on impact. I used to also stun, but that was causing it to have too little counter play.
• Explosive Spear - The Explosive Spear also suffered from the same problem as the SFL. We've toned down the daze damage it deals, so it'll less reliably result in easy two shot kills.
• Gauss Cannon - The Gauss Cannon is supposed to be an intimidating weapon that pierces everything, leaving shrapnel explosions as it goes. The problem is it wasn't killing players in one hit, so we've resolved that.
• Energy Racket & Bees - Reddit user u/NatoRawr made the remark that the Energy Racket looks like a "bug zapper Tennis racket." We were so taken with the idea that we've made the Energy Racket kill Bees, sending them spiraling down to their death.
• Explosive Bow - The Explosive Bow was in "too good" of a place. It had good ammo, and could reliable two shot an opponent at mid range fairly quickly. We've toned it down a notch by making it fall more quickly and triggering a SloMo event when a low health player is about to be hit.
• Bouncy Bow - The Bouncy Bow's projectile was dying too quickly and not reliably dazing when it hit a player. We've increased it's ricochet chance and daze amounts.
• Ammo balance - Various weapons still had too much ammo, and were leading to a little too much "weapon creep" (where surviving player has increasing weapon advantage over opponents). Extremely strong weapons had their ammo tuned slightly to make them less oppressively to play against.

Gameplay Changes / Fixes:

• Etno Ability - Etno's special ability Lockdown was supposed to make him temporarily invulnerable. We've fixed issues where another player jumping off his head (head jumps usually daze) stunning him and the taser still stunning. Lockdown also make Etno's suit deflect all projectiles, but this caused a bug where projectiles that usually die on impact would both survive impact and produce some effect. An example of this is the Explosive Arrow, that would both leave an explosive arrow lodged in Etno and deflect away...
• Shield Ability Rework - The Shield ability deflects all projectiles and thrown items, but it was missing a certain feedback to make it complete. We've made it so that each projectile that collides with the Shield will apply a little bit of force. This gives it much needed oomph!
• Fixed Thunder Ball - The piston chute goal zones on the Thunder Ball map where kind of broken. The Thunder Ball could get stuck behind them, which was not intentional. We've fixed their one way colliders.
• Vibration Update - Updated the controller vibration system and toned down the vibrations.
• Dash Ability Bug - Fixed a bug with the Dash ability where if a player dashed and got dazed, they would have the dash's force subtracted twice, causing shenanigans...
• Glue & Melee Weapons - Melee weapons used to get stuck to our adhesive objects (Glue, Honey, Oil, Anti-Glue), causing the links to remain when the weapon stopped being physical. We've solved this by making Melee weapons not get stuck to adhesives.
• Turret Update - Turrets have always been our problem child. We've finished up a slight refractor making them more consistent and less overpowered. We also gave them a temporary laser sight to show where they are aiming more clearly (better solution to come).
• Wind optimizations - Further optimization to the wind system.

Graphical Updates / Fixes

• "Min Charge Req." - We were seeing a lot of newer playing having trouble with the idea of holding down the trigger keys to charge weapons up. We've added a temporary popup reading "Min Charge Req." when a player releases the trigger key before their weapon is charged enough to release. Better solution to come in the future.
• Character Animation Tidying - Slight tweaking to the player animator. Player character now leans more forward / back when looking up / down. Player character's feet look more rooted on the surface when idle.
• Projectile Trails - Projectile trails where not placed properly 50% of the time during projectile collision events. This has been fixed, but the current implementation has the unfortunate side effect of making the trail longer each time there is a ricochet event. To be resolved in the future.

Engine Changes / Fixes:

• Parsec Integration - We are part way through our integration of Parsec into GTD. We've pushed some crucial changed, but it will only be ready in the next update.
• Input System Refractor - We needed to refractor our input management system to be able to pass it through Parsec generically. No gameplay implications...
• Gore/Glue Unstucker - Small glue and gore objects were getting stuck between colliders they shouldn't be able to fit between. This is just an artifact of Unity's physics system and their unstucking procedure. We've added a supplemental system that should deal with this ugly edge case, as well as stop most cases of gore getting stuck in each other's colliders.
• Still working on Particle System Refactor - Our particle pooling system is also still in the works. No major changes this update, but many more frames to be had in future updates!
• Localization Preparation - A lot of localization preparations...
• Cleanup of unused systems... - Removed a lot of old systems and files.

[ 2021-04-21 03:55:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

Thank you all for participating in the Galactic Thunderdome's pre-alpha open playtest. We have reached our target number of participants for this time, but we will be considering accepting more playtesters in the months leading up to the GTD's official launch. If you wish to be added to the pool of potential playtesters, follow the link to our Steam Page and navigate to the "Play the Galactic Thunderdome Playtest Now" section and click "Request Access"! From all of us at Pansimula, thanks again!

[ 2021-04-09 13:47:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

4 New Maps:

• Oubliette - A "Cyberpunk" themed survival map with 4 difficulty modes. Oubliette on Nightmare has a 100% mortality rate...
• Popshot - An "Ancient Earthling" themed close quarters versus map, built entirely of suspended destructible platforms, crates, and explosive barrels. With limited jetpacks not falling to your death could be quite the challenge!
• Stone Bridge - An "Ancient Earthling" themed versus map built entirely from a destructible stone bridge.
• Small Cave - An "Ancient Earthling" themed versus map where players must fight each other in a claustrophobic cave. Some passage ways may need a tight squeeze!

2 New Game Modes:

• Timed Item Score - We've added a single and multiplayer game mode where the objective is to carry a valuable item to multiple checkpoint zones in the least time possible.
• Survival Checkpoints - We've added a single and multiplayer game mode where you must visit multiple checkpoints while surviving deadly hazards. Survive as long as you can!

Weapon Reworks:

• Minigun - The Minigun was running on some pretty ancient code. We've given it a slight rework and corresponding spinning barrel animation. The Minigun's barrel now speeds up as you fire (to correspond to the rate of fire increase), and gradually slows down when you stop shooting.
• Gasjack - The Gasjack used to be a small contact triggered gas mine, but that didn't quite lend itself to being useful. We've given it a general rework, and it's now equipped with a laser trigger and a larger gas cloud upon activation.
• Explosive Spear - The Explosive Spear was in an unreliable state, where it would either annihilate someone or do very little. We've given it a minor rework to bring the explosive damage and physical damage in line and both scaling with charge time.
• Auto Grenade Launcher - The Auto Grenade Launcher was just a little too powerful, so we've decrease the damage it deals, and made its shockwave less likely to render players unconscious.

Gameplay Changes:

• Explosion Bug Fix - Fixed a bug where explosions were applying multiple damage instances on some objects resulting in really unreliable quantities of damage...
• Barrel Overheating Balance - General rebalance to all items with the barrel overheat mechanic.
• Jetpack Visual Update - On maps with limited Jetpack fuel, the Jetpack will visually retracts and stop producing flames when the player has depleted their supply.
• Main Menu Controller Layout and Meta Tags - We've added a control map to the main menu, as well as meta tags to our "Quickplay Cards".

Graphical Updates

• Glue Visual Update - All our types of glue were using outdated art, so we've given each kind of glue a visual update, which includes new art on the pellets and strands of glue, as well as a new sheen!
• Zone Shader Improvements - The zone shaders we use to represent objectives (like goal zones, or checkpoints) wasn't playing nice with some of the masking we were doing. We've fixed those graphical glitches and given the zones a graphical update for good measure!

Engine Changes / Fixes:

• Keyboard Support Added - We finally have keyboard support for those of you without controllers.
• Minor Particle System Optimization - We've found and squashed various hierarchy leaks in our particle system. Wind was also needlessly affecting obscene amounts of particles, which we have minimized.
• Various Pooling System Optimizations / Fixes - Various pooling optimizations, related mostly to inactive pooled objects. Some pooling systems weren't clearing properly when the game restarted.
• Stain Painters - Slight improvements to the way bullet holes and laser stains are added to every object.
• Door Collider Fix - Fixed issue with door colliders sometimes being misplaced.

[ 2021-01-28 19:58:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

Pansimula is happy to announce that Galactic Thunderdome is ready for pre-alpha testing! Starting the evening of January 13th, players from around the world will be able to try Galactic Thunderdome's local coop and versus game modes. With no set end date or tester capacity, the Galactic Thunderdome Beta will be available to anyone who is interested in helping us test and improve gameplay! To join in on the fun, follow the link to our Steam Page and navigate to the "Play the Galactic Thunderdome Playtest Now" section and click "Play Now"! Any bugs, comments, or suggestions can be directed to the Galactic Thunderdome Discord Channel. We really appreciate your feedback, and will do everything in our power to create the best physics brawler imaginable. We encourage you to stream, record, post screenshots and share the ridiculous carnage you experience while in the Thunderdome. If you wish to play with a friend online, we encourage you to use Parsec, as it is one of the the only ways to play Galactic Thunderdome online. From all the Pansimula team, please enjoy Galactic Thunderdome Pre-Alpha V0.0.1!

[ 2021-01-14 01:20:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

New Map:

• Old Warehouse - A "Modern Earthling" themed map filled with destructible crates, explosive barrels, heavy scaffolding, and piston powered platforms. Old Warehouse sports deathmatch and team deathmatch modes.

New Weapons:

• Illegal Space Bee Hive - The beehive does minimal damage itself when thrown, but the aggressive illegal space bees that live inside can flay a humanoid alive in seconds.
• Repulse Gauntlet - The Repulse Gauntlet can be charged to fire a repulsive shockwave, which applies tremendous forces to the objects and projectiles stuck inside the shockwave.

Weapon Reworks / Updates

• Taser and Electric Bow - The Taser and Electric Bow now electrocute players (rather than just dazing them). This should make it more apparent why the player is suddenly unconscious. The Electric Bow fires an electrified arrow that stuns on impact, and 2.5s after impact in a large AOE. The Taser just zaps people you stab with it...
• Healing Gas Grenade - The Healing Gas Grenade was intended to be used on friendlies and yourself, but due to the long time it took to start producing gas was fairly ineffective. We've change it to immediately produce the fragrant pink gas the moment you start cooking it, and we've buffed the gas to make it heal even faster. Hopefully this will make healing gas a little more useful.
• Black Hole Gun - The black hole has been changed to move very slowly and gradually growing in mass for 10 seconds until it explodes. The black holes no longer bounces off terrain, but instead stops at the first impassable surface. The maximum mass of the black hole has been increased and a small damage zone at the center has been added for the last 2.5 seconds of its lifespan.
• Grenade Light Update - Various Grenades have had visual updates to improve visibility and indicate their state.
• Rocket Hammer Lights Update - The Rocket Hammer now has lights indicating its state (cooldown, charge state, etc.)

Gameplay Changes:

• Official Character Names and Lore
  
• Weapons Overheating - Many of our automatic weapons were balanced around their limited ammunition, but we found this to be anti-fun. Instead we've decided to implement an overheating system on all our automatic weapons (Browning, Assault Rifle, Laser Rifle, Minigun, Uzi, Impact Saw, and Auto Shotgun). Firing too many rounds will result in the barrel of these weapons getting red hot, smoking, and being unable to fire until it cools down.
• Shield Ability Improvements - The shield ability used to only deflect projectiles that were moving towards the player.. This could result in a player moving into a projectile while having their shield up and dying. The shield ability now reliably protects the player regardless of the projectile's speed and attack vector, and can even accelerates slow projectiles away from the player.
• Destructible Crates - Wooden crates can now be broken down into smaller chunks of wood when destroyed.
• Explosive Barrel Shrapnel - Barrels have always exploded, but felt a little lackluster when doing so. We've added shrapnel to barrel explosions which can cut a humanoid in two rather easily.

Engine Changes / Fixes:

• "Quick Play Card" Rework - Major rework of our internal system for creating round parameters, like available weapons, characters, map, and win condition. This makes our job easier when creating "Quick Play Cards" and will be essential when we eventually implement user generated round parameters.
• Camera Tracking Improvements - The camera tracking algorithm for gore and players has been revamped to ensure important information is visible on screen.
• Slow Motion / Focus Improvements - A slight rework of the slow motion / focus systems was done to minimize some inconsistent behavior during slow motion events.
• Input System Refractor - Paving the way for keyboard/mouse support, and online multiplayer.
• Minor Particle System Optimization - Some rather unideal code has been optimized, which should make some particle effects less demanding.

[ 2021-01-13 23:03:50 CET ] [ Original post ]