MAJOR UPDATE - Accessibility, Steam Cloud and the Teaspoon Telegraph.

[p]Hey Folks! [/p][p]Thank you for your patience in awaiting updates on MORSE, I've taken the last few weeks to rest after launch. I have much to share.[/p][p][/p][h3]MORSE is currently on discount at 20% for the Steam Winter Sale[/h3][p]If you've been waiting, now is the time to get it for yourself or as a last minute Christmas gift (possibly with a telegraph key) for a loved one curious about amateur radio. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]New! Dedicated Easy Mode[/h3][p]Novice Mode is now 5 waves shorter than the standard campaign (reaching 7 vertical rows). [/p][p]The trickier blackout mode and the larger U-Boat are saved for Telegraphist and Expert. [/p][p]I think this creates a nicer flow to the difficulty, with Telegraphist having partial blackout and Expert having full, unbroken blackout. This should hopefully make MORSE more approachable to folks less familiar with video games. Modifiers can also set all ships to be visible and move slower). [/p][h3][/h3][h3]New! Steam Cloud Support[/h3][p]MORSE now has Steam Cloud Support for PC and Steamdeck, thanks for your patience whilst this feature was added, clearing this roadblock should make updates easier. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Introducing... The Teaspoon Telegraph![/h3][p]One of my most cherished outcomes from MORSE over the last month has been seeing the incredible homebrew telegraphs many of you have been contributing, as an educator it's such a joy to see all these different innovations and experiments manifest. [/p][p]That's why I am so excited to announce the Teaspoon Telegraph, a beautiful 3D printed telegraph designed by my producer and good friend David Hayward, featuring a metal teaspoon at it's heart. It blend of traditional telegraphy, industrial manufacturing and modern, amateur fabrication. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]David has lovingly crafted and documented extensively how to print, assemble and care for your own. The print and guide together are truly a staggering achievement and a perfect pairing for MORSE. [/p][p]As an installation designer, I've long dreamed of finding a way for independent artists to distribute "Alternative Controllers" in a way that isn't massively wasteful or cost prohibitive. We hope the Teaspoon Telegraph will encourage more people to engage with engineering and electronics, foster interest in tactile, interactive design, create an affordable yet stylish telegraph design which is customisable (I am very excited to see custom designs with various novelty teaspoons) and for it to exist as a cultural artefact that permeates ham radio and far outlasts the legacy of MORSE. [/p][p][/p][h3]The best part? The 3D files and instructions are entirely free to download and print.[/h3][p]Consider it an early Christmas present to the Amateur Radio Community and a heartfelt thank you to those who've supported MORSE so far. [/p][p]Learn more about the Teaspoon Telegraph here: https://ympt.co.uk/teaspoontx.html [/p][p]Here's some footage of the Teaspoon Telegraph in action: MORSE - A strategy game playable with a glowing telegraph![/p][p]You can share your telegraph designs and ask questions in the Steam Discussions: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1976860/discussions/0/689741058327776126/ [/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Other improvements and fixes [/h3][p]+ Overhaul of Modifiers: Now only some modifiers disable achievements.[/p][p]+ Letters are now the default for the Y axis (instead of numbers).[/p][p]+ Added a modifier to turn off tutorials (requested). [/p][p]+ Added a modifier to enable using Morse to fire with = (-...-), so the game can be entirely controlled fully with a telegraph. (requested) [/p][p]+ Telegraphist starts with 2 rows unlocked rather than one (requested). [/p][p]+ Death Flash Improvement: The screen flash on losing a life now reveals the silhouettes of hidden ships (pictured above). [/p][p]+ Fixed issue around Y row not spawning in (reported bug) [/p][p]+ Achievement graphics display fixed. [/p][p]This is the last major update before the end of the year, other than bug fixing for the new update.[/p][p][/p][p]I'm very proud to have finished MORSE before the end of the year and I'm so excited for what is to come.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Thanks again and to sign off, I want to share the footage from MORSE at EGX with the words of Ross Keniston (pictured above) of the Finger Guns podcast with some very nice words about the project when he saw it at the event. This is particularly poignant because his grandfather who was proficient in telegraphy used to write him Christmas cards in Morse Code. [/p][p][/p][p]-- . .-. .-. -.-- / -.-. .-. .. … - -- .- … 73, Alex [/p]