Baby Dino Adventures News

Happy New Year everyone!
I wish you all the best for this new year. ːsteamhappyː

It has been months that I did not release an update for the game so I thought it was finally time for me to do so, and what a better time than right now to start this new year correctly?

Well, this update doesn't contain any additional content as I have been fixing issues reported by players on our Discord server for the past months and added some small enhancements on existing features here and there.

The gaming experience should feel better, and especially for you playing in local multiplayer or online via the Steam Remote Play Together feature. Lots of bug fixes are mostly related to issues found while more than 2 players are playing together.

Thanks a lot for playing Baby Dino and your help!

I'll now continue working on this World 3 content update.
So far 5 levels of 10 are already done.

See you later,
Antoine G.

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Below you can find a complete list of all changes included in this patch note:

• All moving objects (players, enemies, npcs, collectibles, etc) are now paused accordingly when you pause the game;
  
• Replaced overworld map tileset and sprites color palette with default one used by the game: ENDESGA64. Previously it was ENDESGA16 so there were less colors available which leaded us with less possibilities;
  
• This stars vfx when a player is damaged is now following its related player position accordingly;
  
• In local coop, if a player was dead because of water and then pop out of a bubble, this player would remain rotated. Now fixed;
  
• Dino’s were not falling asleep anymore. Now fixed. Code was commented because a rework was needed. “isSleeping” variable is now on “playerCollision” object and not on “playerSprite” object as previously done;
  
• Sometimes hearts weren’t positioned correctly on their related player position;
  
• Do not show heart count of player on start screen;
  
• Seaguls weren’t triggered with other players than player 1. Added a “pick nearest player to seagul” condition to make it work;
  
• Disabled player collisions with water if a player is inside a bubble;
  
• Added missing translation to texts on character select screen;
  
• On player select screen, only player 1 was shown if we already selected players at least once;
  
• Disabled collisions for bubbled players when they collide with a boss. This could lead to unintended boss or player damages;
  
• Food icon was always showing ‘meat’ regardless of food chosen. Now fixed;
  
• Some levels (like Beach - Level 15) did have a wrong total amount of boxes. So I added a function that counts automatically the total amount of breakable boxes in a level;
  
• Some metal boxes that were supposed to surround the heart box on a platform in roughly the middle of the level did not spawn in correctly;
  
• Input helper sprites position for doors and npcs dialog fixed. Sometimes these were shown completly off screen;
  
• Triceratops attack will now only trigger when it is visible on screen to avoid having surprising attacks;
  
• Triceratops should no longer start attacking while in a dialog;
  

Here we go for yet another update full of bug fixes and enhancements.

The co-op feature should now be stable enough for you to enjoy it up to 4 players as I have been carefully debugging and testing each bugs you sent me.

I can't say how much your help means a lot to me. Baby Dino couldn't be the game it is today without your help.. So.. Thank you again, and I hope you’ll enjoy these changes.

If you find any issues, please keep reporting them here on our Steam Community forum or on our Discord server.

I’ll now get back to World 3 stuff, and continue working on these 10 new levels for the next content update - which is Cave.

Talk to you soon,
Antoine G.

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Find below a complete list of all changes included in this update.

[h2]Improvements[/h2]

[h3]Bubble behavior[/h3]
I reworked bubble behavior entirely, and fixed couple of major issues.
Playing in co-op should now be stable.

Level will restart only if all players are bubbled. If at least one player is alive, then others will pop in a bubble. It is possible to pop out of a bubble while jumping or if a player is on the ground on a safe area.
It is also possible to move faster near the closest alive player while you’re bubbled by holding down the jump button.

[h3]Climb ability[/h3]
I also reworked the climbing behavior, and fixed a few issues related to the recent addition of local co-op.

Player will automatically climb a ladder/vine if he/she is falling/jumping and overlapping a ladder/vine.
If player is on the ground, idle or moving, and is overlapping a ladder/vine he/she won’t climb automatically unless he/she presses up or down buttons;

[h3]Bees behavior[/h3]
Enhanced bees behavior as they were not mean to work in local co-op.

Bees will spawn every 4 seconds (might change it later after some tests or players feedback) and follow closest player. Apart from that bees behavior remains the same: face them to prevent them from moving, jump on their head to stun them and send them back to the hive they came from.

[h3]Pea Plants[/h3]
Some players reported me they had difficulties seeing pea plant projectiles so that's why I changed their color to yellow (instead of green previously). I hope this way it will be easier for these players to identify them.

[h2]Bug fixes[/h2]

[h3]Player Select screen[/h3]

• Some dinos were not appearing once players join the game;
  
• Players can no longer move their dinos around the screen. Dino controls are disabled on this screen;
  
• Game will no longer start unless all players are ready;
  

[h3]Overworld Map[/h3]

• Fixed an issue where the bottom bar would not show that a player collected an egg in last level played;
  
• Sometimes camera on overworld map was not updated depending on player progression;
  

[h3]NPC changes[/h3]

• If a level has been completed already, first npc dialog sentence is no longer skipped;
  
• Sometimes NPC avatar was misplaced. Now fixed;
  

[h3]Level changes:[/h3]

• Level 2 (Forest):
  
  • Replaced that crate making a weird song (thanks to Alex from Reality Blind for reporting this);
    
  • Added an info panel to explain players how to run at the beginning of the level;
    
• Level 3 (Forest):
  
  • Reworked the entry level to avoid messy situations in co-op;
    
  • That TNT and Nitro wall was supposed to be destroyed when a thwomp collides with the closest TNT, now fixed;
    
• Level 4 (Forest): optimized level for local co-op with a few changes;
  
• Level 9 (Forest): reworked some level platforms so that players don’t fall through them accidentally;
  
• Level 11 (Beach): Modified level a bit. Mostly added background elements and decorations when zooming out in local co-op;
  
• Level 12 (Beach):
  
  • Replaced that heart crate making a weird song, redesigned some parts of the level for easier cooperation (thanks to Alex from Reality Blind and to our composer Mickael for reporting these issues);
    
  • Once crabs enter in collision, it now changes their respective direction to the opposite. End of level should be easier this way;
    
• Level 14 (Beach): optimized level for local co-op with a few changes;
  
• Level 15 (Beach): optimized level for local co-op with a few changes, and made some changes also on how to access secret areas;
  
• Level 18 (Beach): fixed a couple of tile issues here and there in the level;
  
• Level 19 (Beach): Fixed an issue where players couldn’t complete the octopus quest if they first collect the sunglasses;
  

[h3]Other changes[/h3]

• Removed player thwomp ability as it was causing lots of issues such as randomly blocking players from moving;
  
• Green, yellow, blue, and pink baby dinos where missing a color parameter while climbing. Added;
  
• Fixed water height sprite when zooming out (in co-op);
  
• Fixed issues where crates that are floating on water could push solid objects around;
  
• Fixed a few issues where only player 1 could use doors. Now any player can use them. Also, it is now possible to enter doors using gamepad analog stick when pushing it up (thank you Michael from Festival LaBD for this suggestion);
  
• Fixed trap platform (as seen in Beach levels) issues where sometimes other players than player 1 could simply not land on trap platform and just fall through it;
  

Following your feedbacks with the recent local co-op update release, I decided to postpone the next devlog post and focus on following bugfixes/enhancements that you reported/asked for.

No new content again, but these changes should make your overall gaming experience (solo or co-op) much better.

Here is a complete list of what to expect with this update.

[h2]New features[/h2]

[h3]Coyote Time[/h3]

Following lots of players request, I added a coyote time feature to Baby Dino. Once Dino starts falling, players will still have 0,15 seconds left to jump. This should prevent to accidentally fall or miss a platform in lots of situations.



[h3]Bounce on other players[/h3]

Jump on other players head to bounce in the air. Also added the possibility to jump and bounce on bubbled players;

[h3]Windowed Mode[/h3]

From the Options menu, players can now switch between “Fullscreen” and “Windowed” mode. Game is fullscreen by default. In windowed mode it is possible to move the game window around your computer screen but also to upscale or downscale it. Pixel ratio is kept so you may see black spaces depending on how you downscaled/upscaled your game window.



[h2]Enhancements[/h2]

[h3]No more fall damage[/h3]

Previously if a player was falling for at least 2 seconds, that player would lose one heart when landing on a platform. Lots of players complained about it so I decided to remove it.

[h3]Smooth camera[/h3]

When playing in local co-op, camera will now zoom out/zoom in smoothly (depending on distance between players - max range set at 16 tiles) before popping furthest players into bubbles.



[h2]Translations[/h2]

New terms ready for translations related to the Windowed mode option:

• fullscreen
• windowed

[h2]Bug fixes[/h2]

• If a player jump on a metal crate with an arrow up icon, all players were jumping as well. Now fixed. Big thanks to @lilou_cormic for reporting this bug;
  
• Fixed a bug where in local co-op if a player enters in collision with a seagull, it will make other players collide as well. Big thanks to @lilou_cormic again for this bug report;
  
• Fixed several issues where sometimes in local co-op, players could fall through moving platforms;
  
• Fixed several issues where players weren’t able to pop-out bubbles of other players in local co-op;
  

That’s it for today.

Thank you very much for playing the game, and for sharing your feedbacks with us. This really helps us understand what you guys are expecting for, and helps us shape a better game. There is still tons to do, so I’m going back to my (huge) task list for this 3rd world.

Talk to you soon,
Antoine G.

What a ride since the last stable release and patch notes back in April last year.. I got a new full-time job, 2nd son was born in August 2021, and we - my wife & our children - finally moved to our new house beginning this year.

Well, I’m not really here to talk about my IRL events (unless you want to know more?), but more to announce that this new stable release brings a lot of bug fixes and enhancements that I have been carefully working on last year.

See all changes list at the bottom of this post to learn more.

The most important news is indeed that the local co-operation mode is now out of beta and available to all players. No new content, but a devlog showing what’s next this year will follow in a couple of weeks.



So, this local co-op mode will allow up to 4 players to play locally on the same screen, or using the Remote Play Together feature from Steam. Full gamepad support, but player 1 may use the keyboard instead if prefered while others must play using gamepads.

Another important thing to mention is that I reworked entirely the game camera to make it flexible enough for what’s next. Currently the camera will stick to a random player that is alive (normally the most advanced one in the current level). Players who die or fall will pop into a bubble. Bubbles should pop-out once they overlay another non-bubbled players around safe areas. Anyway it is possible to remain bubbled the whole level. If no players are alive, current level will restart and current progression in that level will be reset.



Additionally this update brings a lot of bug fixes, enhancements, and non visible changes that should enhance your gaming experience. This was also a good opportunity to prepare lots of stuff for what’s next, but I'll talk about that specifically in a separate post.

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[h2]Update installation insctructions[/h2]
Before updating the game, please make sure to uninstall the existing version of the game you have.
Then reinstall the game with the latest available version.

Please, notice that you'll loose your current progression.
This is temporary. I will workt on a solution in the next updates. In the meantime, I'll keep providing save game files that you can manually add to the game files. See section below.

[h2]Using an archive save file[/h2]
I have created a post Save Files Archive in the General Discussions sub-forum with instructions on how to restore save files.
Plus I added a download list of save files that you can use to unlock the Forest and/or Beach environments.
You're free to use these save files in case you lost your progression, and don't want to start from zero.
Anyway, please, be aware that it won't unlock achievements automatically. More info on what each save game file does directly within the forum post.

If you run into issues or would like to share some feedbacks, please make sure to create a new post on related sub-forums:

• Bugs & Issues (link to sub-forum)
• Feedbacks & Ideas (link to sub-forum)

You can also join our friendly Discord server if you prefer and use according channels depending on your request.

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[h2]Changes list[/h2]
Find below a detailed list of all changes included in this new stable version.
This is a copy of my devlog notes I updated daily through last year while developing these changes.

[h3]New features[/h3]

• Local co-op feature up to 4 players out of beta!
• Characters selection screen - It is also possibilite to select different food type: currently steak, chicken leg, carrot, and brocoli are available;
  
• New camera system - Reworked the camera entirely. Added lerp functions to smooth camera moves and avoid eye sicknesses. In local coop, camera will always target the player with the highest X position value. This local coop camera is a temporary solution for now and will evolve depending on players feedback;
  

[h3]Enhancements[/h3]

• Controls - Player 1 can play using a keyboard or gamepad, while others (player 2, 3, and 4) must play using gamepads;
  
• Level HUDs - Now invisible by default. Steak and crate counts are shown for a few seconds when you collect them, and then disappear. You can see them anytime while pausing the game;
  
• Crates - Added Squash & Stretch animations to all crates (wood, metal, metal wood, TNT, and Nitro);
  
• Player Lifes - If a player takes a damage and has no heart left, Dino won't rise up, and level will restart;
  
• Overworld map - One cloud chosen randomly will pull out his tongue for a few seconds - as suggested by @EighthRikks during his Twitch stream - Thanks for this funny idea!
  
• Level updates:
  
  • Level 5 (Forest): Moved a hive further to avoid a very complex situation where too much bees spawn at the same time (see screenshot below);
    
  • Level 8 (Forest): Added one non breakable crate at the beginning of the level to give players an alternative path to climb for these who struggle with bridges and bridge posts (see screenshot below);
    
  • Level 19 (Beach): Monkeys should no longer attack players while speaking to octopus;
    

[h3]Bug fixes[/h3]

• Overworld Map:
  
  • Fixed a couple of issues related to the bottom bar showing inappropriate tiles in a few cases;
    
  • Removed unused enemies count on bottom bar;
    
• HUDs - Food icon will now match your food preference set on the character select screen;
  
• Bees - Fixed a bug where bees sometimes got stuck;
  
• Crates:
  
  • Fixed a bug while sometimes players can't destroy or jump on a crate;
    
  • Fixed another bug while player 2, 3, or 4 couldn't bounce on bouncing crates;
    
  • Metal jump crates - spawned via transparent crates - weren't making player jump anymore (as seen in screenshot below). This was a regression issue due to a rework on transparent crates behavior. Now fixed;
    
• Level bug fixes:
  
  • Level 13 (Beach): Heart animation wasn't starting automatically;
    
  • Level 15 (Beach): Fixed a bug where a heart could be stuck between metal crates in some cases. Thanks @Dark_Lake89 for the bug report!;
    

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That's it for today!
Thank you for your time, and support.

Talk to you soon,
Antoine G.

A very big thanks to our patrons for their amazing support:

• @alexdumont
• @bloodyspasm
• @D4ddyRazzy
• @Dark_Lake89
• @DevillersJerome
• @CharlesIsat
• @harpie_be
• @kindeyegames

And also to our Discord community for their precious help!

Here are a few ways to get in touch:

• Discord: discord.gg/A8DGFx5
• Twitter: @__sleepingpanda
• Instagram: instagram.com/_sleepingpandagames
• YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC2QgF84ZA-iBa6mlQQuF8Jg
• Facebook: facebook.com/sleepingpandagames
• Patreon: patreon.com/sleepingpanda
• Website: sleepingpanda.games

That's it. That's the news.
I have been working on this local co-op feature for months last year, and I'm really excited to announce that it is ready. In beta.

We had to optimize lots of things for local co-op including existing mechanics.
I won't dive in into too much details for now.
I'll post a detailed devlog later and a list of what you may expect next this year.


[h2]Opt-in Instructions[/h2]

In the meantime, here is how you can opt-in for the beta:

1. Go to your Steam library;
   
2. Right-click on the game title on the game list, and click on "Properties";
   
3. Under the "Betas" section, select the "development - Test" branch;
   

If you already installed the game, uninstall it first. Once it is uninstalled, proceed to the steps above to make sure you have a clean installation of the game.


[h2]Additional notes[/h2]

The beta branch is a stable development version. This means you will see some additional debug information/hud. You'll also notice that in this specific version all levels are unlocked by default on the overworld map. You may experience a few bugs/glitches so feedbacks are very much appreciated!


Thank you for your time, and support.

Talk to you soon,
Antoine G.

A very big thanks to our patrons for their amazing support:

• @alexdumont
• @bloodyspasm
• @D4ddyRazzy
• @Dark_Lake89
• @DevillersJerome
• @CharlesIsat
• @harpie_be
• @kindeyegames

And also to our Discord community for their precious help!

Here are a few ways to get in touch:

• Discord: discord.gg/A8DGFx5
• Twitter: @__sleepingpanda
• Instagram: instagram.com/_sleepingpandagames
• YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC2QgF84ZA-iBa6mlQQuF8Jg
• Facebook: facebook.com/sleepingpandagames
• Patreon: patreon.com/sleepingpanda
• Website: sleepingpanda.games