6.3 GB - RECOMPRESSED JUST FOR YOU

OKAY BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? Compression is a big part of ever day computing. Images take up large amounts of memory and disk space, so we use compression techniques to store them when they're not being viewed. For example ".png" and ".jpg" are ways to store much larger information, just packed up neatly. Particularly 2D games like Broken Sword 5, will contain tons of large graphical data and audio files that would take up obscene amounts of space without compression. To us it's important to keep an eye on the latest techniques and pass on those benefits to all of you! FUN FACTS SIDEBAR: Back when we finalised the frame of Broken Sword 5 the method of compression we used for such big files was z-lib, which is an industry standard super stable and quick default compression technique. But then (dramatic music) a contender, a lone ranger, a rouge, open-source Zstandard appeared!!! FILE SIZE REDUCED BY 10% On mobile, as you might know, Broken Sword 5 was split into 2 parts. And even then both parts are still MASSIVE!!! Especially for phones... So we're always looking at the development of reliable compression, and Zstandard was used in our most recent overhaul-update of Broken Sword 5 on the Google Play Store. It's only fair that Steam should reap the benefits too. Therefore Broken Sword 5 now takes up 10% less hard drive space than it used to!

NATIVE APPLE SILICON SUPPORT

Apple have released their own CPUs known as Apple Silicon, or M1 chips. This means Broken Sword 5 will now run natively rather than emulated! It might not feel much different to you, but your Mac is LOVING this efficiency, and who knows, there might be a few more minutes of battery life in it for you too! We felt like you deserved a little treat.

IMPROVED FULL SCREEN SUPPORT

There were a two things we felt the need to improve on in this matter: SWITCHING BETWEEN FULL SCREEN AND WINDOWED MODE Broken Sword 5 comes packaged with 2 completely different asset resolutions: 1080p (Full HD) and 720p (Regular HD). Which assets are displayed depends on the resolution of your monitor and whether or not you run the game in full screen, or windowed mode. However when switching between full screen and windowed mode the game was previously allowed to switch between asset resolutions as well. This incurred a full tear down of the engine and a reload of ALL game assets. Not ideal!!! This resulted in the game going black and pausing for up to 10 seconds before displaying correctly. Imagine your computer just frantically recollecting every single asset like "Oh no, no. nonono I didn't know there was gonna be a test!?" while you get to stare into a black square! Many of you probably felt like the game was crashing - we don't blame you! But we do blame us!!!!!!! When switching to windowed mode now, you get a single appropriate graphics solution. So if your monitor is 1080p, the assets will remain in 1080p, even if displayed smaller in windowed mode. WIDE-SCREEN MONITORS When using wide-screen monitors some of you experienced cropping issues with the game. We've now made sure more aspect ratios are supported so the game displays without any cropping or stretching issues! It will now utilize black bar spacers when needed. BLACK BARS EXPLAINED Sometimes the question comes up, and we think it's super interesting to talk about... Broken Sword 5 is a 2D game; It contains tons of hand drawn artwork, and the characters while modelled in 3D, were processed and exported as 2D sprites. The actual game engine in Broken Sword 5 only ever deals with 2D assets! It's a true 2D point-and-click adventure. This was a stylistic choice, and combined the charm of a hand drawn game we wanted, with the character flexibility we needed. In 3D games there is the luxury of assets in a scene with environment and geometry, and while it still takes a lot of work, the "camera" in this engine can be tweaked, and view ports can be altered to accommodate different aspect ratios. But in 2D, there is no "bit to the side" - the art was made to fit the game exactly. This leaves us (and other games in our position) with 3 options: cropping issues that can get players stuck big stretch to fit stop everything, fund a huge overhaul, re-do the whole game, work years to finish, find out a new ultra ultra wide monitor dropped, cry, rise, and repeat display black borders

MORE IN THE WORKS FOR OUR GAMES

We hope this sheds a little light onto how we make some of these decisions, and that it's not because we don't love you. We care so much about what you think and how you experience our games. Many of you reach out to us to tell us how much we changed your lives, well! You changed ours too!! We think about your experiences all the time, and we really want you to feel appreciated, loved, and cared for. Currently our plan is to look at our games all across the platforms they are currently on, and give them a spruce up, so if you're wondering if we're getting to the other games, we absolutely are. Is there a timeline for that? Absolutely not! We don't want to overpromise. We're an indie studio with a tiny core team supporting our existing titles, which can mean that when things pop up it can affect our timeline. But the important part is that we want you to know it's happening, and we're actively, right now, working on it And last, but not least:

STEAM DECK

STEAM DECK, STEAM DECK, STEAM DECK!!! Broken Sword 5 is Steam Deck compatible, and it looks STUNNING
We added a handy function which lets the code know if you're running on a Steam Deck or not, which helps to natively adapt to the system once booted. This should assure a seamless experience of enjoying Broken Sword 5 on the Steam Deck
Shoutout to LowSpecGamer for making these pictures! Check out his channel for fun and informative videos surrounding the early journeys of the games industry. We honestly think you all would love it, especially the retrogamers amongst you! Wait, one more! Last one, promise
Send us pictures of how it looks on your device, and let us know if you're happy with it! Your feedback means the world to us. Be vigilant, but stay kind. Lots of love from all of us at Revolution

[ 2022-05-19 12:59:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

Official Merch is now available! Currently only available in the UK! It's finally here, our official merch! We're starting off with a smaller range of things until we get more confident in how things work, and with the help of your feedback will improve our services over time GET YOUR HOLIDAY JUMPERS NOW As in yesterday, as in actually as soon as you can if you want it in time for the 25th! We tried to launch this last week to give you all more time, but it's been A Week and we hope you understand. These very special, limited edition Holiday Jumpers are made on demand, once you place your order, before they get shipped out to you, so please plan at the very least 9 days for them to arrive. Our Holiday Collection is available to order until end of January 2021 and features 2 Holiday Jumpers in: Merry George Green: https://revolution.co.uk/merch/holiday-jumper-george Jolly Nico red: https://revolution.co.uk/merch/holiday-jumper-nico and we designed them with a focus on winter, not *just* the holidays to let you get away with wearing them for more than just the festive months!

THE CLASSIC LINE A line of t-shirts focusing on the iconic box art from beloved Revolution Software games! Available in pitch black, and some even feature prints reminiscent of the original, and slightly distressed look of the official box art of Broken Swords first ever physical release. We hope it sparks some memories..
WHY ONLY IN THE UK??? Because there is a lot of legal stuff to sort out selling to the EU right now, and it's all constantly changing. Currently we can only get it set up to ship and charge within the UK, and trying to figure this out was part of our delay in launching this, but we decided it's best to launch it now, and continue to try and see how things develop, then delay any further! We hope you understand. WHAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON More merch, once we know what sells and what doesn't Cooler packaging Super special limited edition runs??? MAYBE??? Reappearance of some old faves??? Making sure everything runs smoothly, this is a brand new way to do merch for us and it will come with a learning curve! PLEASE READ OUR SHOP POLICY We made sure it's short, easy to understand, and very readable. We're a little strict with refunds & exchanges, and we want to be super transparent about it before you purchase: https://revolution.co.uk/terms-of-service-and-policies WE HOPE YOU'LL LIKE IT This has been in the works for a long time, and we really hope you'll love everything on our merch store! If you have any questions you can email us at merch@revolution.co.uk or chat with us on here Thank you for always supporting us, and being so kind about everything we do. We push ourselves very hard, but seeing how happy it makes you all makes it so worth it. We hope you know how much we appreciate each and every one of you. Lots of love from all of us at Revolution

[ 2021-12-08 16:27:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

We teamed up with Steam to secure an extra 10% discount on top of our 20% release discount! This means anyone who has Broken Sword 5 in their Steam library will see Beyond A Steel Sky launching with a 30% discount for the entire first week! Making Beyond A Steel Sky has been a dream of ours for quite some time, but it would have never happened without the amazing love and support for our Broken Sword games. This exclusive Steam offer reflects how grateful we are to those of you who have been with us through all these years. We know you all want to see more Broken Sword content, and were desperately excited to see where this release will take us to. So hang in tight, thank you for everyone who has wishlisted so far, and all of those wishlisting today still - It has helped more than you could ever imagine. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1146310/Beyond_a_Steel_Sky/ The Broken Sword community is full of creativity, passion, and curiosity, and we couldnt be more humbled by all of you, so we hope that this shows just how much you mean to us. All the best from all of us at Revolution

[ 2020-07-15 18:28:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello Everyone! Beyond a Steel Sky is well and truly on it's way, and the team here are working like crazy to deliver the best game we possibly can. With everything we're trying to fit in to the game, and a well as keeping quality high, development is beginning to take a little longer than initially scheduled. There's no need to worry, and this isn't a bad thing at all! Some of you may have spotted on our initial announcement press release that Beyond a Steel Sky would be coming out in 2019. We can now confirm that it will be releasing a few months later in 2020.
We still can't say exactly what the date will be yet, and we'll have updates for you on that in the new year. You can head over to our website for a more detailed update. There's also a PC Gamer article sharing the information, as well as some more lovely Beyond a Steel Sky goodness, which we strongly recommend checking out when you get the chance! Be Vigilant everyone!

[ 2019-12-05 17:59:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone! At EGX London last week we had our first hands on demo for Beyond a Steel Sky available for you all to play. We had such a blast, and the feedback couldn't have been better - a shame it all had to come to an end! For those of you who came along to play, we really hope enjoyed it! For those of you who couldn't make it, there'll be other opportunities soon! Amongst all the fun and excitement, Charles Cecil (who you may know as the Director of the Broken Sword series and co-founder of Revolution Software) also gave a talk about Redefining the Rules of Adventure Writing. Covering all of our games (Lure of the Temptress, Beneath a Steel Sky, the Broken Swords series) and our current work in Beyond a Steel Sky. How better to learn about what goes into a classic Revolution Adventure game! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9igYz1lzv8 As always, if you want to keep up to date with the latest developments for Beyond a Steel Sky, then follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Discord - and adding the game to your wishlist doesn't hurt either! Be Vigilant!

[ 2019-10-23 14:47:14 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone! Its been a while since we last posted any updates here, and we hope you're still enjoying Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse! We really wanted to take this opportunity to tell you all about the latest adventure weve been working on. If you havent seen already, weve been working on Beyond a Steel Sky, the sequel to one of our first games: Beneath a Steel Sky, and theres now a Steam page Live and ready for you to have a look at! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1146310/Beyond_a_Steel_Sky/ Things are still in development right now, so please add the game to your Wishlist to keep up to date with all the latest news and updates on how its all coming along. Wed also love to hear what you think! And if youre hungry for some more information on the game, you can check out IGNs First Look at Beyond a Steel Sky for lots of juicy info.

[ 2019-09-10 14:21:03 CET ] [ Original post ]

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of George and Nico’s first adventures, we’ve made a few enhancements and added some new content to each of the Broken Sword games. For the Serpent’s Curse, we’re pleased to let you know our latest update includes: - Full Steam Controller support - Additional animations and sound effects - Unlockable Character Gallery feature - Polish language (subtitles) - Improved UI and menus - Preloading optimisation - Tap-to-continue speech option - Numerous bug fixes We’re also thrilled to announce that the iconic soundtrack to the game is available for the first time on Steam – featured as DLC. Furthermore, we have a brand new Broken Sword: 20th Anniversary Collection, containing all Broken Sword games, soundtracks, and a fascinating documentary looking at the history of Revolution and the making of Broken Sword. Complete the saga with a 30% discount!

[ 2017-03-10 20:57:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of George and Nicos first adventures, weve made a few enhancements and added some new content to each of the Broken Sword games. For the Serpents Curse, were pleased to let you know our latest update includes: - Full Steam Controller support - Additional animations and sound effects - Unlockable Character Gallery feature - Polish language (subtitles) - Improved UI and menus - Preloading optimisation - Tap-to-continue speech option - Numerous bug fixes Were also thrilled to announce that the iconic soundtrack to the game is available for the first time on Steam featured as DLC. Furthermore, we have a brand new Broken Sword: 20th Anniversary Collection, containing all Broken Sword games, soundtracks, and a fascinating documentary looking at the history of Revolution and the making of Broken Sword. Complete the saga with a 30% discount!

[ 2017-03-10 20:57:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

Today's Deal: Save 50% on Broken Sword Series!*

Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

*Offer ends Monday at 10AM Pacific Time

[ 2016-04-03 17:05:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

In this second episode, you will burst out from Paris and London, going on to stunning locations throughout Spanish Catalonia and to deepest Iraq, the birthplace of civilisation. This episode ramps up the drama, as well as the difficulty and concludes the themes set up in the first episode.

[ 2014-04-17 16:58:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

In this second episode, you will burst out from Paris and London, going on to stunning locations throughout Spanish Catalonia and to deepest Iraq, the birthplace of civilisation. This episode ramps up the drama, as well as the difficulty – and concludes the themes set up in the first episode.

[ 2014-04-17 16:58:04 CET ] [ Original post ]

**** FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS GET 50% OFF BROKEN SWORD 1, 2, 3, AND 5 **** Offer ends Sunday at 10am Pacific Time

[ 2014-04-04 17:12:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

**** FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS GET 50% OFF BROKEN SWORD 1, 2, 3, AND 5 **** Offer ends Sunday at 10am Pacific Time

[ 2014-04-04 17:12:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

Today's Deal: Save 50% on Broken Sword 5 - the Serpent's Curse!*


Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are!

*Offer ends Sunday at 10AM Pacific Time

[ 2014-04-04 17:00:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

Broken Sword 5 - the Serpent's Curse is Now Available on Steam and is 20% off!*
Paris in the spring. Shots ring out from a gallery…

A robbery… a murder… and the beginning of another epic, original Broken Sword adventure.

From multi-award winning Revolution Software comes the latest explosive episode in this classic series. Playing as intrepid American George Stobbart and sassy French journalist Nico Collard, you find yourself on the trail of a stolen painting – and a murderous conspiracy. A conspiracy whose roots lie in mysteries older than the written word...

Armed only with logic, integrity and a wry sense of humour - can George and Nico save mankind from disaster?

Can you solve the secret of the Serpent’s Curse? A curse forged by the Devil himself...

The game will be released in two Episodes with Episode 1 releasing on 4th December. Episode 2 will be delivered as a free update to Episode 1 in Q1 2014.

*Offer ends December 11 at 10AM Pacific Time

[ 2013-12-04 17:42:00 CET ] [ Original post ]