G'day friends, I've been hard at work porting Witch Thief over to the Nintendo Switch! Which is very exciting. I've just this week sent off a build to Nintendo for checking. But wait you ask, why are you posting about this on steam? Many of the fixes, improvements and optimisations I've introduced for the Nintendo Switch roll over to the PC build and make it even better! So lets get into that!

• Object Pooling! What does that mean? Pooling allows us to reuse many of the bullets and objects in the game that have already ran their course, instead of creating literally thousands of bullets within the first fight you get into, now only about 30 bullets need be created and can be reused again and again. Wow that sounds cool but what does it mean for me? Well the fun thing about pooling is that it brings big optimisations! Especially for CPU bound systems. This makes Witch Thief run better on lower end machines!
• Dungeon mode fixes! Gone should be the days that your dungeon run ends abruptly when a room does not spawn.
• New loading screen tips and indicator screen This one isn't actually too exciting, but you will see a new screen as you open the game up
• Removed trailer enemies I've determined they just weren't fun and dragged out the fights they were in, so now they are replaced with more interesting enemies.
• And more! Many more little fixes across the board!

Cheers! Timothy

[ 2019-01-20 22:27:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

Witch Thief Content Patch

In this patch for Witch Thief I have resolved many of the little pains you, our players have reported. These quality of life improvements make the game much smoother to play and easier to understand. Also here in this patch is Dungeon Mode, a whole new way to experience the game, find out more below.

Dungeon Mode

Dungeon Mode introduces hours of fun and challenge. It leverages procedurally generated content to build entire Witch Thief levels with a boss at the end. To unlock more Dungeon Mode content you will need to defeat bosses in Story Mode. If you enjoy dungeon mode please let me know! I have plans to add more level permutations and archetypes if it is popular enough.

Patch Notes

• Added Dungeon mode
• New icons for weapon pickups
• Slightly increased cam shake (you can also turn it off in options)
• Added "Are you sure" menu when pressing go back to main menu in game (This should resolve accidentally exiting the game when you die!)
• Added slight delay before "Return to Menu" option shows on death menu
• Added better support for PS3 and PS4 controllers
• Mouse cursor now disables when using gamepad on main menu
• Added new opening messages to the game
• Tuned and improved the checkpoint system
• Resolved some achievement bugs
• Added option to disable bloom

Hope you all have a blast!

[ 2018-11-07 01:02:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

G'day Friends, It was great to catch up with so many of you over the weekend at PAX AUS, Got a heap of feedback and chatting with you all about Witch Thief and Cardboard Keep's other games. If you guys haven't seen them, check out Warden Melody of the Undergrowth: Trapped in an ancient forest, a young prince searches for a lost god. Here he befriends the spirit of a young girl and a volatile child, and they quickly find their destinies intertwined. Third-person action-adventure inspired by genre classics of the N64-era. Puzzle Puppers: Stretch out cute dogs to their food bowls! Easy to learn, difficult to master with deceptively simple puzzles and mechanics. Attrition: Tactical Fronts: Attrition: Tactical Fronts is a quick play, turn-based strategy game for 1-2 players. Matches can take as little as 5 minutes while offering strategic variety and depth. Hope to see you all at future conventions too! Later this week I hope to have the content patch ready! it's really close, just putting on the finishing touches as well as a collection of quality of life improvements you have all asked for!

[ 2018-10-29 01:29:42 CET ] [ Original post ]

G'day friends, It's been a little while since I last posted but I wanted to make a post before the October content patch comes out. This build should be much more stable than previous builds and introduces a few quality of life fixes for you! Mainly, Checkpoints! A lot of feedback I've recieved is that levels feel too long and dying at the end on the stage boss just to have to do it all again is really depressing so now every level has a Mid stage checkpoint! Checkpoints are located roughly in the middle of each stage, generally after the midboss and will allow you to retry a stage from that point instead of the very beginning! Retrying a stage after reaching the checkpoint will wipe your current score so you will need to survive the whole stage if you want to ace a stage but it will make it a lot easier to progress through the game. Alongside the checkpoints, I've also updated the underlying engine to a more stable version and we should see many little pains disappear alongside this update! Most importantly here is a fix for the strange bug that caused the game to lock up when you went to exit it! Content patch news: The content patch coming later this month is coming together nicely! It will bring a lot of new gameplay and replayability to the entire game as well as a robust game loop that we can keep iterating over to make it better together! I'm keen to show it off to you all! Patch Notes:

• Updating Underlying engine, overall stability improved
• Fixed crash on exiting game
• Added checkpoints to levels
• Added suction power to pickups so if they get trapped on a table you can still get them
• Many smaller little issues resolved (such as collision and the like)

Cheers!

[ 2018-10-15 02:26:09 CET ] [ Original post ]

This patch introduces a new menu for rebinding controls for all the input methods you use, controllers, keyboards and mice. It's bound to have some issues with it but for now it's a huge improvement on the old system. Let us know how it goes! Also in this patch is some under the hood improvements that should make both input more stable and the post processing FX more performant. Cheers!

[ 2018-09-26 06:58:23 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hiya friends, Release has been a whirlwind and it's been great to hear feedback from you all on Witch Thief. I'm happy to let you all know that many fixes have now been applied and balances tweaked! Here is a list of changes! Balance Fixes

• Added option to disable screen flashes
• Added option to visualise the player hit box
• Added option to reset all game data
• Adjusted player voice sounds
• Doubled time between player gasp (grazing) sounds
• Doubled time between boss hurt sounds
• Added 8BitDo controller support
• Added Xbone controller support
• Added PS4 controller support
• Reduced player hitbox size to be a bit more forgiving
• Added powerup suction, now they will draw towards you if close enough, allowing you to get them if they land on a table, or just out of reach.
• Added new Eyeballs in last level

Bug Fixes

• Applying resolution without changing the resolution no longer gives you a resolution of 0, preventing the game from being playable. This fix should be backwards compatible and thus anyone suffering from this should have the fix applied
• Improved menu flow with a controller so it should be more stable now
• Fix for end stage not flowing correctly
• Fix for some objects lacking collision (Rocks mainly) as well as some areas where you could get out of bounds and softlock

Keep letting me know what features you need or what things are irking you about Witch Thief, I can act fast, but only if I know what's not working!

[ 2018-09-24 04:02:25 CET ] [ Original post ]

G'day friends and all! Witch Thief is now released! This is just step on of the road map and we have more content coming down the line! Witch Thief has been the last year and a half of my life so it is very exciting to finally get it out to the people to play! After showing at PAX Aus and doing the convention circuit in Australia it has been excellently received and I'm really looking forward to seeing more people internationally playing the game! So jump on in friends! Give the game a go, leave a review and let me know what you think!

[ 2018-09-21 00:42:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

G'day friends, on the road to release, I thought it would be a good idea to draw up a roadmap for Witch Thief and the future of it. This way you will know what to expect with the future of Witch Thief as well as look forward to some new content down the line :D

• In less than a week we'll have Witch Thief release! for the whole world to play
• The next month will be chockablocks full of fixes and improvements for players responding to the reception of Witch Thief
• Come November, a brand new game mode will come out! Dungeon mode will make use of Witch Thief assets and the power of procedural content to create brand new levels for you to explore and combat through!
• In early 2019 we hope to release Witch Thief onto consoles!

Let me know in the comments below what you are looking forward too! Or if you have any questions <3

[ 2018-09-16 23:18:46 CET ] [ Original post ]

Witch Thief is coming out on Steam on the 21st of September!

It's been a good year and a half of development from me but Witch Thief is good to go! Lets take a moment to talk about what's left to do! Firstly, I hope to just shy of release, put out a road map so you all know what I'm planning for the game post release. I can tell you I intend to port it over to the Nintendo Switch and the Playstation 4, that will pose its own challenges but will also cause a lot of fixes and bugs to be resolved which will be reflected in the PC version as well Likewise on the roadmap I have new game mode in the works that should shape up the game and add a lot of replayability and interest into the game. Thirdly, the roadmap will include a section for Witch Thief to pivot slightly and reflect what you as the users would like to see from it, Maybe you want a boss rush mode, maybe more player characters! I'll be reading the reviews and keeping my ear out for all the feedback I can get! If you'd like to be first to hear about Witch Thief or want to chat with me directly, share your thoughts you can join our Discord Server to stay in the loop! https://discord.gg/MWVTnBb
And remember, wishlist Witch Thief to make sure you get the launch discount! Tell your friends too! :D

[ 2018-09-05 22:26:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

Progress is coming along swiftly! Witch Thief is now pretty much 99% complete, I am now playtesting the heck out of it, tweaking values, balancing and adding in the last little bits of polish. As the title suggests we now have achievements in Witch Thief, so all you hunters out there can get your fix, and for everyone else we can get a giggle when we get achievements for whacky things. Likewise, Steam Cloudsave is fully implemented! Stay tuned for an update in the next week! Might be releasing the release date :P

[ 2018-08-29 02:50:44 CET ] [ Original post ]

I'm incredibly excited to announce to you all that Witch Thief will be coming out really soon, like within the next month soon! We'll have a firmer date in the near future! While we are talking about the future, I'm hoping to get a roadmap setup to help you all know what the future of Witch Thief will be after launch! Don't worry I'm going to keep on working on it to make it better with some new features and lots of fixes as they come up. Make sure you tell your friends and even better get everyone to wishlist Witch Thief so you can get the launch discount that will be coming along with it!

[ 2018-08-15 14:02:38 CET ] [ Original post ]

Con season must be in the air! If you're in Canberra and looking for a blast this weekend, come visit our booth at GammaCon! We'll be showcasing Witch Thief there alongside Cardboard Keep's other products! In addition we'll have Witch Thief TShirts for sale along side steam keys! So come on down if you can and say hi :D

[ 2018-07-30 08:20:49 CET ] [ Original post ]

Good news everyone! Witch Thief will be showcasing alongside Cardboard Keeps entire suite of games this weekend at AvCon! So if you're in Australia and Adelaide this weekend come on over to the convention. It's taking place at the Adelaide Convention Centre, play the game meet the team (The whole whopping one of me) and give me your feedback! I'd love to hear it. Also we'll have some Witch Thief shirts, keys for the game that maybe will grant you early access :D I hope to see you there!

[ 2018-07-17 13:08:26 CET ] [ Original post ]

G'day friends! It's been a while since I last posted but fear not I've been working away the past month to get a lot more content in engine. You may also notice a brand new trailer is uploaded to the steam page now. This one with music! Key points:

• Three new Playable characters!
• Each character with their own spell and passive abilities.
• Story and writing finished!
• New Corridor Events to keep moving between key rooms more interesting.
• UI updates and improvements!
• Stat tracking so you can know how many thousands of bullets you have fired!

It's coming along great! I hope you guys are getting excited because we are getting close to being ready for release!

[ 2018-06-25 06:47:20 CET ] [ Original post ]

More work completed and getting even closer to release! Added Doll Maker Art Adjusted pickups not spreading out enough Added fix for in builds, the incorrect spawnpoint being used. Added cheat codes to main menu New slide in for main menu Adjusted turn speed of arcane missile. Still playing with it Weapon drops are now weighted to NOT give you the same weapon, making it slightly harder to get high tier weapons You now lose one grade of weapon power when dying. You still drop any other grades you had (So if you have grade 3, you only drop two powerups) Fixed the bouncy scale of the player weapon indicator Increased dodge duration and speed Added art for upgrading weapons Applied a fix for shooting when facing a different direction. Should be more accurate now. If only one enemy remains, it now gets a new attack that targets the player, so you won't ever have the last enemy looking dumb and shooting a corner. Massively adjusted enemy hit boxes, they should all be hittable now with all weapons Adjusted trigger zone for L2R3 Sword summon attacks now have a drop shadow L2R6W1 book enemies swapped with swords Added a muzzle flash for the player (Also a unity bug exists here which made it A LOT harder) Player respawn should now not destroy long lasers Enemy lasers should now fade out nicer All dolls that target the player should be coloured correctly now Disabled score popups from pickups on players position Steal Spell now does more damage and fires bullets faster Steal Spell now has a max number of bullets, destroying extras. This prevents too much damage and prevents heavy lag when 200+ bullets are overlapping. Added new tool tips All level ends now have a 5 seconds "collect stuff" phase before going to end level screen Corrected a bad optimization zone in the Cathedral. Rocks no longer drop pickups Library level boss laser is now slower Main menu Magic ring adjusted Player movement now pushes the UI around, making it feel juicier

[ 2018-05-17 06:50:00 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello friends. I'm going to try out posting my commit notes and occasionally how things are going as announcements here. Should help let you know how I'm going with release for WT, it's getting close! Without further ado.

• Many bug fixes
• Most importantly, fixed pumpkin bug that killed the game at the very beginning.
• Added more FX to UI for shooting.
• Adjusted score and weapon drops for kamikaze enemies.

Cheers, Timothy.

[ 2018-05-03 06:47:13 CET ] [ Original post ]

Play as the snarky Witch Thief, on her quest to steal all the magic she possibly can! Naturally those who have the magic don't want to give it up so she does what she does best.
That is, kicking in the front door and taking it all anyway!

Dodge duck and weave through terrifyingly intricate patterns of magical projectiles as you seek the greatest treasure of all. The Ancient and powerful Grimoire!

Features:

Unique Bullet-Hell Perspective

Unlike other Shmups, Witch Thief gives you control of a full 3D camera. Rather than the classic birds eye view, you will witness bullet hell from a whole new perspective!

Dodge intricate bullet patterns

Terrifyingly intricate storms of bullets will rain down as you journey on your quest. Study, learn and apply your dodging skills to outmaneuver the incoming perils.
Touching even one bullet will kill you - so beware!

Unlock a range of quirky playable characters

Choose to play one of many Witches. Experience fresh new dialogue, different bosses and unique spells to achieve their goals.
Each character has unique spells and dialogue, and may encounter different and challenging bosses on their path to the Grimoire.

Musical tracks

A fully original soundtrack, accompanying you on your perilous journey to the Grimoire.
Each character and stage has a unique theme that captures and plays upon their essence.

Battle Relentless Bosses

Your path is not an easy one. Face insane bosses, wielding great magical power and unleashing torrents of complex bullet patterns. They will stop at nothing to protect the Grimoire.

Unravel a world of mystery

As you explore and overcome every stage of the game learning more about the world first from the perspective of the Witch Thief, but later as many other unlockable characters you will experience new perspectives of the story.

Accessibility options

Everyone should be able to have fun and play games. We’re always striving to help people play and include these features into Witch Thief to help out. If there are any features you’d like to see please shoot us an email and we’ll see what we can do!

• Rebindable keys: Nothing is worse than a control scheme that doesn’t work for you! Witch Thief’s controls can be rebound across keyboard, mouse and controller.
  
• Dyslexic font option: We love our stylized fonts, but we want you to know what’s going on. A dyslexic font option is available for all in-game text.
  
• Difficulty ranges: Not everyone wants the hardest difficulty. Witch Thief ranges from practically no combat “Chill” mode to the extreme “Insanity” mode which increases both bullet counts and speed. Oh you only get one life there too.

Disclaimer:

• Bright Colours
  
• Flashing Lights
  
• Camera Shake

If you encounter something in Witch Thief that you feel should be in this Disclaimer, please reach out!

Check out Cardboard Keeps entire catalog of games for more amazing experiences!