Battle Bands News

Like a rainbow in the dark, you're listening to Riff Radio!

The Final Early Access Patch for Battle Bands includes the Shadow Band reign, a new Backstage Pass and a whole lot of metal!

[h2]Shadow Bands[/h2]

Once players have pulled out a victory in Tour Mode, they'll be able to take on the Shadow Band- a group of four shadowy figures imitating the last band you won a Tour with! The Shadow Band reign combines reign-specific moments, cards, gear and upgrades from all of the other available reigns, opening up all sorts of crazy strategies. They'll use all your best moves against you, so you'll have to be clever to win and get your hands on a sweet new van!

[h2]Metal Moon Rising[/h2]

Also in this patch is a brand-new Metal themed Backstage Pass, brought along by a strangely shiny new Moon hanging over Riff City. Along with those 50 new levels of rewards to rock through, there's also a whole host of new cosmetic items to grab in Joe's Variety Shop! The Metal Moon has also provided a terrifying new login reward for us and all of Riff City is decked out in a new hard rocking aesthetic, so go check out their killer outfits! Just don't hit any of those big spikes sticking out of the ground with your van...

[h2]Grand Royales get more Grand![/h2]

Grand Royales will now happen every 2 hours and have their own unique opening Radio Interviews, as well as Super Vendors, which are uniquely large vendors with 16 gear options for you to spend your winnings on! They also have 9 iconic bots waiting to take you on. Speaking of iconic bots, there's also 9 new ones for you to track down and win unique cosmetics from in all Royales!

[h3]Bug Fixes, Balance changes and Quality of Life:[/h3]

• Leaderboards have been reset
  
• New titles for players that rank in the top 100 for both Tour and Royale leaderboards- Founding Genius and Founding Champion respectively
  
• More "Info" buttons added throughout game for easier Guidebook access
  
• Credits screen added to Guidebook
  
• For new players, "Manual" is now the default control mode for bots
  
• Guidebook typos fixed
  
• "Snackrificial Sharing" card description fixed
  
• Sound fx added to Joe's Variety navigation arrows
  

That's all for today's broadcast! This may be our last Early Access update, but tomorrow will mark the official 1.0 release of Battle Bands, so jump in our Discord and lets get this party going for real!

Joe's Variety, also known as the cosmetic shop, is undergoing a minor remodel.

Our primary goal is to eliminate the fear of missing out (FOMO) in the game, so we've chosen to redesign Joe's Variety to showcase all available cosmetics simultaneously.

Use the filters on the right to specify the type of cosmetic you'd like to browse for. Then, using the directional arrows, flip through and purchase a ton of cosmetics for your band. From a Pineapple Head to a Dead Fish keyboard, there are tons of outfits to unlock.

This change comes just in time for the Metal Moon Rising event which adds over 45 new cosmetics to Joe's Variety, making for a grand total of over 150 outfits to collect!

We hope this update will empower players to create their ultimate band, without any FOMO!



We're also renaming in-game currency from Credits to Tokens!

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Gear Getter now has the Disruptive upgrade.
  
• Switching between Remove and Upgrade during the Tuning screen now displays correctly.
  
• Audio for all Opening Moments (Tour and Royale) fixed.
  
• "Man with a sign" Moment now has correct roll percentage.
  
• z-fighting fix on player dress mesh.
  
• in-match chat command display bug fixed.
  
• Tour Mode turn-timers are set to "Off" on default settings.
  

[h3]All Tokens used to buy cosmetics are obtained exclusively through gameplay![/h3]

FOMO! FOMO! FOMO!

You're listening to Riff Radio, and it's time to feed your head!

Early Access Patch #30: The Information Amplification Update brings Match Summary and a Guidebook to help teach players all the ins and outs of Battle Bands, as well as Rockers' Licenses! The Information Amplification Update is also full of bug fixes and balance updates as we prepare for full release!

[h3]The Guidebook[/h3]


The Guidebook comprehensively shows new and old players alike all the information needed to master Battle Bands. Become an expert in all the terms, icons and game mechanics you'll need to rock Riff City to its core!

[h3]Match Summary[/h3]


Another other big feature of this patch is the Match Summary screen, which will now pop up after every match you play! The Match Summary screen lets players learn more about their challenger and where their own weaknesses may be by breaking down key strategies of both bands on the first page, followed by a more granular break down of raw stats on the second page. Remember, the pen is mightier than the guitar (or something like that)! You can also view the Match Summary for any player bands in any ongoing Royale. When on the bracket screen just click the new "Match Summary" icon to view a completed match summary.

[h3]Rockers' Licenses[/h3]


Finally, as you may have noticed from the Match Summary screenshots, we've added customizable Rockers' Licenses! Choose your title, background and sticker to add a little flair to your proof of residence in Riff City. You can change up your license on the Player page of the Compendium.

Credits as a reward for a Tour Victory!
We wanted to add another way for players to earn credits, and decided to award them in Tour Mode. Right now, if you win a Tour run you'll earn 150 credits to spend on outfits in Joe's Variety Shop.

"Freeto's Four Piece" Changes:
"Freeto's Four Piece" has been updated so they do not rely on energy generation but instead "Snackrificial Sharing" buffs Freeto's cards, on top of that the energy levels and costs of some cards have been changed to fit the new crew and buff based Freeto's Four Piece"

Bug Fixes, Balance changes and Quality of Life:
Royale Bot gear updated removing all activatable gears and replacing with bot useable gear.
"Gear Getter" upgrade "Aggressive" replaced with "Protective"
Vendors have been updated to have more variety.
Tutorial text updates to help clarify a few things.
That's all for today's broadcast! Go get on your thinking caps, check out these illuminating new features, and be sure to drop by our discord if you have any notes!

It's time for Battle Bands to take center stage, and we want YOU in the limelight with us!

[h2]Battle Bands is leaving Early Access and going 1.0 on the 13th of November!![/h2]

[h3]The Moon Rises[/h3]
The Metal Moon Rising event will start simultaneously with the launch of Battle Bands 1.0. This ongoing event includes an all new, totally free, Metal themed Backstage Pass. We've also added 30+ new cosmetics to Joe's Variety Shop, and of course, new Metal skins for all the NPCs you'll be challenging in Riff City.



[h3]A Shadow Falls[/h3]
The Shadow Reign creeps into Riff City on release. This new Reign mixes the other Reigns together for all sorts of possible Card, Moment, and Gear combinations. Battle the Shadow-version of your band as the Final Boss.
The Shadow Reign uses your previous winning run to create a Shadow-version of your band, complete with your Cards, Gear, and style. Can you best yourself?



[h3]Grand Royale Expands[/h3]
Grand Royale will now have it's own Super Vendors, as well as unique Opening Moments at the start of the Royale. There are also 9 new Iconic Bots scattered amongst competitors in both the Grand Royale and the normal Royale. Defeating an Iconic Bot rewards players with a unique cosmetic.



Now that we're headed to the big show, we could use your help more than ever to get the word out about Battle Bands! If you like our game, tell your friends about us! Thanks to everyone who has helped us make Battle Bands the best it can be and we can't wait to share more with you all!

Now go get in your van and make sure you're all tuned up, because it's almost show time!

Okay, all our cards are on the table, it's time to listen to Riff Radio!

Early Access Patch #29 focuses on furthering stability and balance as we look towards Full Release and a new Backstage Pass! This Includes an updated card layout for added readability, a number of bug fixes and another balance pass.

[h2]Card Layout Update[/h2]
We have updated the card layout to help with readability and clarity. The changes can be seen in the image below:

The cards are a little taller now to accommodate a bigger font size in the description.

[h2]Balance Changes[/h2]
[h3]Card Changes:[/h3]

• "Calming Keys" +1 protection.
  
• "Pause For Water" +1 hype and draw 1 self.
  
• "Inside Joke" no longer takes hype from opponent based on crew, +2 hype.
  
• "Hyper Jam" now exhausts, gives 3 hype for every 3 performance cards on overwrite and no longer costs 8 hype on overwrite, Upgrades "Vindictive" and "Reactive" replaced with "Speedy" and "Maintain"
  
• "Free Style Rap Verse" renamed "Free Style Verse"
  
• "Nice Note From Mum" now has all the band draw 3 cards on draw.
  
• "Free Jammin' (Guitar and Bass) upgrade "Zen" changed to give 2 hype per 3 performance cards. "Clever" upgrade on guitar removed.
  
• "Groovin' Your Heart Out" upgrade "Aggressively" removed.
  
• "Parody Jam" no longer gives any hype on overwrite.
  
• "Grand Hook" upgrade "Vindictive" replaced with "Exploding"
  
• "Distracting Dancing" upgrade "Heavy" replaced with "Exploding"
  
• "Buddy" upgrade "Sacrificial" replaced with "Protective"
  
• "Instrumental Jam" upgrade "Protective" replaced with "Reactive"
  
• "Thought Out Prep" gained "Attractive" upgrade.
  
• "Recognition of Rubbish" added "Defensive" upgrade.
  
• "Rolling Bridge" upgrade "Clever" replaced with "Insulting"
  
• "Jazzy Hook" (Bass) upgrade "Informative" replaced with "Pensive"
  
• "Starting Taps" upgrade "Safe" replaced with "Defensive"
  
• "Quick Riff" upgrades "Mean" and "Safe" replaced with "Soft" and "Wicked"
  
• "Fingers Furious Keys" upgrade "Safe" replaced with "Protective"
  
• "Soft" upgrade adds on play draw 1.
  
• "Clever" upgrade now is -4 hype for opponent.
  

[h3]Moment Changes:[/h3]

• "Warm Bubbling" moment Speedy Soak option now gives Cards as well as morale.
  
• "Bright Lights and Quiet Music" moment options now cheaper.
  
• "The Sacrifice" no longer has option to sacrifice money.
  
• "Sad Puttering and Hot Air" moment options updated to be more balanced.
  
• "Clever Lines and Cheering Crowds" moment now can give players a "Free Style Rap Verse" card.
  
• "Cheers and Grunts" moment no longer has a "Grab a drink" option no more max morale changes.
  
• "Choreographed Shouts and Threats" moment no longer gives morale except for Star-crossed option.
  
• "The Dark Alley" moment "Run Away" now gives 1 more morale when successful.
  
• "Rumble of Machines" moment "Play a Game of Toader" results updated.
  
• "Arf Arf" moment "Cuddle with the Dog" option now gives a "Yielding Howl" and less morale.
  
• "Eyes in the Sewer Grate" option to "Run Away" no longer gives morale, options updated.
  

[h3]Gear Changes:[/h3]

• "Champion Belt" modifies all cards in hand +1 hype on use.
  
• "Big Cow Bell" now puts 1 "RELAX!" in hand on use.
  
• "Battle Bot Drum Machine" costs $20 less.
  
• "Drum Spikes" costs $20 more.
  

[h3]Bugs Fixes and Quality of Life[/h3]

• Moments now have a more consistent use of punctuation.
  
• Offline mode steam achievement issues fixed.
  
• Scroll bar added when needed for card upgrades in compendium.
  
• Music video moment added to compendium.
  
• Outro text of a run shortened to be more readable.
  
• "Yellow Submarine Ride" now gives hype for 3 shows as described.
  
• Hotkey added for end turn "Enter."
  
• Cold Snap cosmetics added to Joe's Variety.
  
• "The Final Judgement" particles fixed.
  
• "Strands Side Part" hair issues fixed.
  
• New Card offerings should now correctly include cards unlocked in higher instrument levels in all situations.
  
• Highest resolution no longer creates any black bars on Tour map screen.
  
• Pause icon updated.
  
• Low Morale flashing animation bug fix
  
• "Energy" card icon set to SRGB
  

[h2]There's something gleaming on the horizon...[/h2]

Is that the moon?? Stay tuned for more info on the new Backstage Pass, which is filled to the brim with shiny new cosmetic items for your band!

And that's all we have for today's broadcast! Thanks for listening to Riff Radio and be sure to come hang out in our discord to find bandmates and keep up with the latest news!