Shield Cat (tuxdb.com)

041822 Shield Cat Patch

Howdy! Coming at you today with (hopefully) the last patch build for a while, so I can get back to implementing big things! This update focuses mainly on bug fixes and general improvements as I work on polishing up the game to be presentable for the upcoming demo. There's some important stuff in the patch notes, so please be sure to check them out!

===== IMPORTANT =====

Lance will now always go into a backwards skid state if you press the opposite direction, no matter how fast he's going.
This change was done because Lance would sometimes turn completely around and continue going the opposite direction at the same speed, making platforming really difficult.
However, this means that pressing the opposite direction to try to save yourself from accidentally spinning into a pit will no longer save you. Please be careful!
If you have a lot of issues with this version of the game in regards to spinning around pits where you didn't have issues before, please let me know.

===== Highlights =====

High-Precision analog stick support is now in! Now you can 360 no-scope with Lance.
This feature can be enabled or disabled using the Options menu (it is enabled by default.)
When enabled, this will use the existing directions that have been configured already, so you don't have to re-bind any inputs.
Please note that the default Analog Deadzone in previous versions of the game was a bit too high, so you may have to adjust the setting if you played a previous version of the game.
Several UI elements have been redrawn, improved, and adjusted to create a more consistent UI style across the game.

===== NEW =====

Lance's currently selected ability will now show above his head when you swap it using the ability quick-swap function.
Lance now has an afterimage drawn when sprinting. Hopefully this will make it more clear when he is sprinting.
A new Accessibility option has been added which allows you to use abilities without consuming magic.
A glowing red border has been added to the edge of the screen when you are at low health.

===== IMPROVED =====

Platforms that you're spinning toward will now (slightly) attempt to help you get on them better if you're off-center.
Collectibles are now more attractive than ever.
The input remapping screen is now a lot more user-friendly (hopefully.)
Magic Platforms now have sound effects.

===== CHANGED =====

The Analog Deadzone has been changed from 20% to 10%. If you've played the game at any point, you'll have to make the change yourself, as previous versions of the game will have (by default) set it to 20%.
Music will no longer start playing at 0 volume when stepping into a stage that doesn't immediately start the song. Instead, it'll wait until it's time to play the song and then play it.
Balanced the cloaked arrow shooting guys so they're not so difficult.
Changed the timing on the Mushroom Boss. Now he will always hide in the ground for the same amount of time each time, with the time being reduced at lower health.
Additionally, the time the Mushroom Boss spends in the ground has been overall reduced in general.
Magic Platforms now last for 8 seconds when activated (up from 5.)
Magic Platforms now have a wider hitbox, making it easier to activate them.
The "Reduced Animations" Accessibility Option has been renamed to the "Reduced Effects" option.
The strength of the visual effect used when Lance takes heavy damage from an enemy or defeats a major boss is now reduced when "Reduced Effects" is enabled.
"Reduced Effects" now further reduces the flashiness of the animation used for light beam puzzles.
Accessibility options that you enable for allowing infinite health/magic or changing the game speed will now persist across game sessions (but only on the save file in which the option was enabled.)
Slightly increased the hitbox on bumper objects. I checked to make sure this didn't break any puzzles, but I may have missed something so let me know if you see anything weird.

===== BUG FIXES =====

Fixed a bug where Lance wouldn't make the correct sounds when stepping on a platform (eg. no wood footstep sounds when stepping on the rotating bridges)
This bug also fixes a lack of vibration when spinning over a platform who's type allows for vibration (enhanced vibration only)
Fixed a bug where Lance wouldn't always make footstep sounds for both feet (mainly affected walking on wood)
Removed some platform snapping code designed to help you stay on the platform, as it allowed players to clip through some barriers and otherwise was generally buggy.
Fixed a bug where platforms could push Lance around even when he wasn't standing on them (it can still happen but the range in which it can happen has been reduced.)
Fixed a bug where Lance's shadow would sometimes be drawn when he's fallen into a pit (despite him having fallen already so not casting a shadow.)
Fixed a bug where, when the Analog Sprint function was enabled, Lance would quickly reverse direction instead of skidding into the new direction.
Fixed a bug where input remappings would not save if you closed the game after closing the input remapping menu, but before closing the pause menu.
Fixed a bug where the Notes pane would sometimes draw strangely (this was fixed by just rewriting how it's drawn.)
Songs should no longer fade in slightly when starting after a period of no music.
Fixed a bug where collecting Magic Vials and then pausing the game would not stop them from respawning while the game was paused.
Fixed a bug where Magic Vials would draw shadows while over pits.
Fixed a bug where some Magic Platforms would not pause when the game was paused.
Fixed an issue where the camera would "jump" to the new position after doing a screen transition when approaching the side of the screen diagonally.
Fixed an issue where clouds could appear in the cave between the Village and Abandoned Mines.
Fixed a bug where you could start a Marcus' Adventure in the River Path and then walk right out of the stage to the south.
Fixed a bug where Marcus' Crystals would ignore the player for a few frames after stepping into the screen for some reason.
Fixed a bug where you could stand on a pit in the Autumn Grove.
Fixed a bug where you could fall by a specific secret part of the Autumn Grove and be restored to your last standing position but the secret wouldn't be revealed again (obscuring Lance from view.)
Fixed a bug where you could just fly off the platform in a secret part of the Abandoned Mines to either side when trying to land on it. Now, the collision is shaped like a cup to try to catch you and prevent you from flying off (but you can still fall.)
However, I also fixed a bug in the same area where you could stand on the little platforms with the bumpers on them (which is not intended.) Now you just slide off them if you don't hit the bumper.
Fixed a bug where remapping inputs would not update the prompts shown on screen until you either removed and re-plugged in the input, or restarted the game.
Fixed a bug where sometimes Lance would appear to walk on top of entryways (mainly into caves.)
Fixed a bug that allowed some enemies to move around when the game was paused or they were offscreen.
Fixed a bug where walking into Parker's room would cause the wrong music to play.
Fixed a bug where hitting enemies with the Shield would apply the wrong amount of iframes to the enemy.
Fixed some bugs involving clouds showing in caves.
Fixed a bug where getting to the end of the River Challenge while the timer was counting down could cause the "end results" screen not to display.
Fixed a bug where getting an upgrade to a Passive Ability (for example, upgrading Magnet to Magnet+ or Magnet++) would cause it to become unequipped.
Fixed a bug where rings in the River Challenge would give you a bonus even if you were underwater (this was not intended behavior.)
Fixed a secret area not being colored as secret on the hi-res map in the Autumn Grove.
Fixed a bug where the animations on the "How to Play" screen were really, really slow.
Fixed a bug where the panels that slide to the right during the Mailbox Minigame would go too far right before despawning.
Fixed a bug where you could fall into the pit when walking between two touching platforms.
This also fixed the bug where Lance would do his wobbling animation when standing at a precise point between two extending bridges.
Fixed a bug where, when creating a new game, setting speedrun options and then changing the difficulty caused the game to crash.
Fixed a bug where some of the custom difficulty settings couldn't be changed when creating a new game.
Fixed a bug where custom difficulty information wouldn't display correct in the bottom left corner in certain circumstances.
Fixed a bug where setting a custom difficulty on a new file could reset the custom difficulty settings in certain circumstances if you reset the game.
Fixed a bug where a newly created game wouldn't actually save if you got into gameplay and closed the game without saving. (You still have to get to the part that's actually playable for it to save.)

===== KNOWN BUGS =====

There are several bugs relating to gamepad input on Linux that I'll hopefully figure out sooner rather than later (or not at all.)
Specifically, I have noted that plugging in an XBOX Series gamepad causes the game to immediately crash. If you wish to use this gamepad, or have gamepad issues otherwise, you may opt to enable Proton compatibility to play the Windows version for now.

[ 2022-04-18 23:45:16 CET ] [ Original post ]

Shield Cat
CyanSorcery

Developer

CyanSorcery

Publisher

2030

Release

Indie Adventure Singleplayer

Demo Coming Soon!

Keep an eye out for it...

Shield Cat – the Game!

Shield Cat is a game starring Lance the otter! He is a mail courier for the Cat Kingdom, delivering official letters and packages. One day, Lance wakes up and finds that the Cat Kingdom is in chaos. What's worse, his friends seem to be responsible! What dark magic could be at work here? Lance will need all the help he can get on his adventure, both to save his friends and to save the Kingdom!

Abilities

Along the way, Lance will find abilities that can help him on his quest. You can equip and upgrade these abilities to enhance Lance's strength and allow him to use more tools on his quest. Here are just some of the many Abilities you can learn:

Tubular Twister: Lance's spin attack! Use this move to get over big gaps, attack enemies, hit gears and levers, open treasure chests, and much more. Lance will never get dizzy, so use it as much as you like!
Shield: Lance can throw his shield to hit enemies from far away. He can also use it to solve puzzles, and upgrade it to give it more distance and range when he throws it.
Cards: Lance throws a continual stream of cards from a seemingly endless deck. He can use this ability to take down multiple enemies at once.
Dagger: Lance can aim this dagger and hit enemies from a great distance. This ability is good for people who like stealth – enemies wont even know what hit them!
Boomerang: Lance throws a boomerang which circles around him, protecting him from incoming enemy attacks. He can also use this to hit things around corners that he couldn't otherwise get to.
Passive Abilities: You can find and equip passive abilities which grant you bonuses as long as they're equipped, such as increased movement speed, surviving enemy combos, increasing the drop rate of goodies, and more! Be warned though – Equipping these passive abilities takes from your magic for as long as they're equipped. Watch your magic meter!
Upgrades: Lance can find upgrades to his health, magic, and attack that permanently boost his stats.

Collectibles

During your quest, you will find several types of collectibles! Here are some of the collectibles you can find:

Pretty Petals: The currency of the Cat Kingdom. Use these to buy abilities and upgrades at shops.
Fish Scales: Each stage has a fixed number of Fish Scales. Use these to access new locations by train. Can you find all of them in each stage?
LANCE Letters: Each stage has 5 LANCE letters for you to find. However, the stages are pretty big – you'll have to check every nook and cranny if you want to find these!
Cat Coin: Special currency of the Cat Kingdom. Use these to open doors and gain access to new areas.
Key: Each stage has a set of keys that are only useful for that stage. If you find a locked door, keep an eye out for a key!
Treasure Chest: Find treasure chests scattered throughout the land. It is a mystery what each one contains, but it (most likely) will aide you on your quest! If you find an ability you already have, you can sell it at the shop for Pretty Petals!

Locations

During your quest, you will visit many locations throughout the Cat Kingdom. Here are just some of the places you'll visit:

Cat Castle Town: The central town of the Cat Kingdom. Here you will find many shops with items that will help you on your journey, as well as mini-games to pass the time with.
Roo Express: The train that serves the Cat Kingdom. Ride this train to get around to different areas!
Underground Forest: A place underground with plenty of trees and views of the sky above.
Mt. Bophades: A volcanic mountain in the snowy north.

More locations are planned, but don't have official names yet.

Friends

Along the way, you'll meet many friends and make more friends. Here are just some of the people you'll meet:

Parker: Lance's partner and also lead engineer of the Roo Express. Parker is a Kangaroo/Deer with a love of trains and the power to create magic portals.
Ruby: A yee-haw beaver who has power over water, Ruby is in charge of the Aquatic Exhibit and studies marine life and liquid Metamagic.
Suzette: A stoic leopard gecko who has power over the earth, Suzette can tunnel through the earth with ease. She lives in the Underground Forest and studies rocks and other hard Metamagic. Despite being so grounded, Suzette's girlfriend Olivia is a bird who flies in the sky!
Trent: A mischievous fox with the power over fire and ice, Trent lives in Mt. Bophades and helps keep the volcano under control – a job Trent does well, despite being slightly irresponsible.
Olivia: A cockatiel who flies through the skies and has power over the wind, Olivia is the leader of the Sky Cat Airship Fleet, the Cat Kingdom's air travel service.
Claire: The leader of the Knights of the Shield Cats, Claire takes her job seriously and does whatever she can to help protect the kingdom.
King King Cat the Cat: The king of the Cat Kingdom, King King Cat the Cat was elected to rule and, despite being clumsy and forgetful, does his job well.
Willow: Willow is a magical fox that appears to some people. It is said that she can record your journey and come to you in times of trouble to give you a second chance.
Marcus: A digital fox that lives inside of the Fox Box, a small communications device that citizens of the Cat Kingdom use to talk to each other over long distances.

Game Modes

The game supports different difficulty levels and play modes, which are detailed below! Please note that achievements will only be given on the lowest difficulty used on that play file.

Difficulty – Chill: An easier mode where enemies do less damage and are less aggressive, and drop more items and whatnot to help you on your journey. For younger players or players who just want to enoy the game.
Difficulty – Regular: The intended game experience, exactly as it was designed.
Difficulty – Tough: Enemies are tougher and also tougher to defeat, and drop less items and whatnot. This mode is for people who really want to test their skills.
Difficulty – Wild: In this mode, Lance's attack is doubled, but so are enemy attacks! This mode is for people who like fast paced action and is the ultimate test of players skills.
Difficulty – Custom: Experience the game the way you like! Change Lance and enemy modifiers, drop rates, and more! Note that achievements cannot be obtained in this mode – It's just for fun!
Speedrun Options: Various options can be enabled for speedrunners, including an in-game timer, automatically skipping cutscenes, reduced scene transition times, and a quick restart button that erases your file and starts from the beginning.

Platforms

Development builds of Shield Cat are currently available on the following platforms. Please note that certain distribution channels only support specific versions of the game.

Windows: The game is supported in Windows 10. Older versions of Windows may work, but are not officially supported and no help can be given with these versions. The game supports XInput and DirectInput gamepads, as well as keyboard and mouse input.
Linux: The game is supported in Debian-based versions of Linux, such as Ubuntu and Linux Mint. It also works in Arch Linux, but may not work in Red Had Linux. Some additional dependencies may need to be installed depending on your version. The Steam version of Shield Cat only supports x64 builds of Shield Cat for Linux.

Thank you!

Thank you for checking out my game!

MINIMAL SETUPOS: Debian Based
Processor: 64Bit RequiredMemory: 2 GB RAM
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: OpenGL 2.0 Compatible
Storage: 1 GB available space

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