Melody's Escape 2 News

This update features many improvements to the audio analysis algorithm, and elevates the maximum obstacle density once again to support very high tempo songs!
It also features a revamped color pattern progression that is more fun and rhythmic.

Please join our Discord or the Discussions Forum to share your feedback about this new patch!

[h2]Music Analysis Improvements[/h2]

• Upgraded the maximum supported tempo from 180 to 220 BPM as an experimental feature (but only if certain strict conditions are met, to avoid mistakenly doubling songs in the range of 91 to 110 BPM, which are vastly more common)
  
• The obstacle density in Relaxing and Medium now supports up to 200BPM
  
• Added a new "Extreme" obstacle density for Intense, supporting up to 220BPM, and with higher density in general. If you would like to experience this density with lower difficulty levels, you can use the "Custom" Difficulty menu to create your own set of rules!
  
• Improved peak detection in the audio signal, to solve many cases of "missing" obstacles that felt like they should have been placed on the track, by making the algorithm more sensitive over multiple different frequencies (as a downside, the increased sensitivity may result in sometimes spawning obstacles that feel like they don't belong, but hopefully this is a rare occurrence)
  
• Fixed a rare occurrence where a song would detect the correct tempo but sync obstacles with a half-beat offset. This was a problem specific to high tempo bass-heavy songs, with a drum pattern that would constantly switch between bass and snares, and the algorithm would favor the snares instead of the bass.
  
• Added a new color pattern progression that is simplified but also much more fun and rhythmic, by alternating colors on circles. While the previous one was more difficult, it also felt completely random and didn't fit the new upgraded density. The previous pattern is still available in Custom difficulty under the name "Diverse".
  

[h2]Bug Fixes / Small Changes[/h2]

• Fixed a bug with bubble color patterns generation that was still using a clockwise pattern
  
• Removed "Movement Speed" from the Custom Difficulty menu options, as this value is now inherently tied to the "Obstacle Density" value
  
• Added "75" as a "FPS limit" choice
  
• Fixed a bug where the new High Obstacle density setting wasn't respected for obstacles placed just before a held note
  
• Fixed a bug with gamepad navigation in the Settings menu when trying to select an element featuring a button
  
• Adjusted accuracy timing in the Calibration Menu
  
• Changed the calibration test button to "Q" on Keyboard to avoid a bug with UI navigation
  

Due to music algorithm changes, all previously cached tracks will be re-analyzed again the next time that you play them.

This update adds support for Audio and Video latency compensation, and features multiple improvements to the File Selection menu.

Please join our Discord or the Discussions Forum to share your feedback about this new patch!

[h2]Gameplay Changes[/h2]

• Added Audio and Video latency compensation settings (useful for players using unconventional hardware like Bluetooth headsets, HDTVs or delayed input methods)
  
• Added more diversity to Walking-mode's bubble color patterns
  
• The hitbox for a "Too Early" error is now bigger (this does not impact the size of the hitbox for a successful input)
  
• Lowered the blur amount in the Pause Menu
  
• Slightly changed the Green obstacle color to be greener
  

[h2]Interface Changes[/h2]

• Split the "General" settings panel into two separate panels: "Interface" and "Gameplay"
  
• Added a "Default Folder" option to choose the default folder when you first enter File Selection
  
• Added a "Refresh Files" functionality to the File Selection menu (F5 on keyboard and Select on gamepad)
  
• For quick access to custom folders, files marked as favorite now also add their parent folder to a new "Favorite Folders" list (in the "Favorites" section)
  
• Added a "Show file extensions" option
  
• Added a "Hide Music Streaming warning" option
  
• The Folders panel in the File Section menu is now slightly larger
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed mouse scrolling speed in the File Selection lists to be much larger
  
• Fixed a bug with input position lines not scaling with the new size of ground indicators
  
• Fixed an uncommon bug with two very close obstacles that would both fail with a "Too Early" error if you pressed too late on the first obstacle
  
• Fixed an uncommon case with two close obstacles not registering input errors made over the hitbox of the first obstacle
  
• Fixed a bug where the FPS counter would oscillate between 74 and 76 when the game was running at 75Hz
  
• Fixed iTunes XML playlist loading not working if a playlist was empty
  

Due to music algorithm changes, all previously cached tracks will be re-analyzed again the next time that you play them.

v0.4.9.1:

• Fixed a bug with Music Volume not reverting to the correct settings value after using the Calibration tool
  
• Fixed a bug with Melody being in idle pose instead of walking in the Customization menu
  

This update changes the color pattern progression of circle notes, for a vastly more diverse type of pattern. This will make the game more difficult in Medium and Intense. If you would like to keep using the previous "clockwise" progression, you can find it in the "Custom" difficulty menu.
As the feedback from the community about the speed changes was unanimously positive, I've decided to roll out the 20% speed in Relaxing and Medium too, making it the new baseline speed, and then made Intense even faster!

Please join our Discord or the Discussions Forum to share your feedback about this new patch!

[h2]Gameplay Changes[/h2]

• The default color pattern progression of inputs is now vastly more diverse
  
• Added a brand new input method: "Duo Color", accessible in "Custom" difficulty. This new take on Mono-Color constantly alternates between two colors, which provides a nice middle-ground between Relaxing and Medium difficulty
  
• The movement speed is now 20% higher than the previous base in both Relaxing and Medium. It has been upped to 30% in Intense difficulty (from 20%)
  
• The obstacle density in Relaxing is now also set to High
  
• A transition from Walking to Running intensity will now also trigger the "boosting" jump animation, just like when going from Walking to Sprinting
  
• Added the BPM value on the UI during a track
  

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• The displayed BPM on the track loading screen is now doubled when appropriate (this is purely cosmetic, it had no impact on the track's actual density and tempo)
  
• Coming back to the File Selection screen (after a track or by leaving that menu) now refreshes the content of the last opened folder. The last selected track is also automatically selected again when using non-mouse input navigation.
  
• Fixed a bug which distorted the length of slow-motion jumps areas due to the new movement speed
  
• Fixed a very rare bug where ground indicators and the ocean could sometimes stop being rendered for a portion of the track
  
• The mouse cursor is now instantly hidden when switching to gamepad or arrow navigation on keyboard
  
• Fixed Covert Art of music files not being displayed anymore in the music info panel since the previous patch
  
• Fixed a bug with the "3/4 time signature" flag not being saved correctly in track cache and thus not displayed in follow-up playthroughs. This had no impact on gameplay.
  
• Optimized held voices' start time position in some cases for 3/4 and 6/8 time signature music.
  
• The "favorite" icon in music info panel is now golden
  
• Forced the "Confirm" action in UI menus to the "South" button on gamepads, to fix an issue with Switch gamepads (behavior unchanged on other gamepads)
  

Due to music algorithm changes, all previously cached tracks will be re-analyzed again the next time that you play them.

Patch v0.4.8.1: Fixed a small bug in the new pattern generation that could sometimes result in a long serie of identical colors

The focus of this patch is to address the maximum obstacle density of high tempo songs (140+ BPM), that often felt like you were playing them half the rate, which didn't feel great and also made the game too easy.

I've also tried to improve the feeling of speed in the game in higher difficulties, and to make the Sprinting (red) intensity a bit more common.

Those changes mostly impact Medium and Intense difficulty, but please note that if you would like to revert to previous levels of density and difficulty, you can use the "Custom Difficulty" option to create your very own mix of game rules!

In the next patch, I will tackle the issue of note patterns color progression that make the current patterns not engaging enough, as well as addressing arrow visibility issues.

Please join our Discord our the Discussions Forum to share your feedback about this new patch!

[h2]Gameplay Changes[/h2]

• The music algorithm now handles tempo up to 180 BPM (from 140 BPM)
  
• Significantly increased the maximum obstacle density in Medium and Intense difficulty. This will be very noticeable if you are using songs above 140 BPM, in some cases it can up to double the density.
  
• Melody's movement speed is now 10% faster in Medium difficulty, and 20% faster in Intense difficulty (except during Walking sections)
  
• Lowered the intensity thresholds required for Melody to both start Running or Sprinting
  
• Increased the input hitbox timing size in all difficulties.
  
• Ground indicators are now larger (increasing their arrow visibility too) and grow in size with the new speed variable (to respect the hitboxes)
  
• Bubbles from Walking intensity are now slightly larger
  
• Lowered the timing before obstacles can spawn again after a slow-motion jump that ends in Jogging intensity and above
  

[h2]Bug fixes[/h2]

• Fixed a bug with regards to obstacle input priority when two obstacles were too close together.
  
• Fixed the hearts score sprites not being centered in the Music Info preview panel.
  
• Fixed held solid obstacles in Intense difficulty not being fully purple.
  

Due to music algorithm changes, all previously cached tracks will be re-analyzed again the next time that you play them.

This patch addresses the few bugs reported by the community as well as some suggested features.

• Added an option to toggle the "Error Popup" for input errors in-game.
  
• Added a "Gamepad Type" option in the "Gamepad Settings" menu to be able to force a specific brand of controllers icons and in-game colors (so that you can get pink obstacles for PSX DualShock controllers that aren't auto-detected properly)
  
• You can now press Esc / B on the Track Loading screen to cancel and go back to the previous menu (but only when a track has finished loading)
  
• The mouse cursor will not hide from idle anymore while a tooltip is visible. Also increased the idle value to 3 seconds.
  
• Fixed a bug where the game wouldn't run correctly while using a Thai calendar in Windows.
  

I would like to thank you all for the very valuable feedback on the forums and our Discord, it's been incredibly helpful! ːmelogoldː
Your feedback will shape the direction that the game will take in the following weeks, so please keep it coming and get involved! ːmeloblueː
One of the changes I would like to experiment with first will be increasing the Obstacles Density in Intense, as well as adding variation in the inputs color patterns. ːmelohpː