Prison City News

Note: If you would like to enjoy these bugs for yourself, I suggest holding off on updating until your curiosity is quenched.
Just make sure you read through the changelog to know the severity of the bug before you try to replicate it!

[h3]2023-9-8 (Post PAX West)[/h3]



[h3][Steam Specific][/h3]

• Auto-Cloud has been enabled- meaning your saves will be saved/loaded to the cloud. Note: Your settings are carried over with this file.
  

[h3][Gameplay Adjustments][/h3]

• You no longer fall off of hanging rails when you're at the edge of them.
  
• "Modern" mode now has "Respawn from Pits" on by default, as this is a "modern" feature to have.
  
• Pickups now appear over your head when you grab them. This may have a toggle in options in the future.
  
• Boss doors now show a "LOCK/OPEN" indicator that changes when you meet the requirements to open the door.
  
• Setting all of the bombs now plays a sound to let you know you can get to the boss.
  
• You can expedite the bomb placement animation by pressing or holding the Skip Dialog action button.
  
• The pause screen now has a "Resume" button, and will no longer accept inputs until the Up and Down buttons are in the neutral state. This should minimize the accidental "Return to Title" or "Level Select" presses that occur.
  --> An additional note on this: Localization may be rough on "Resume". This is mostly a stopgap until I can have localization for an "Are you Sure?" prompt on returning to title or level select. Spicy game dev tip for anyone interested! When dealing with multiple languages, it's hard to update things that require new strings.
  

[h3][Level Changes][/h3]
[h3][Train][/h3]

• Train/Intro level has some minor adjustments in Normal mode. Bomb mode is unchanged.
  
• Ground spike enemy in the room with the slide/rail segment has been removed. It was causing too many problems for people who didn't quite understand how grappling works, in that you don't need to time a press or hold the button while grappling.
  

[h3][Rooftops][/h3]

• There's a little platform to the right of the boss door in Normal mode. Too many people jumping over there thinking there's something there. (there's not until Bomb mode)
  
• Some background elements have been reduced in colors to prevent people from thinking they can interact with them.
  
• Caution indicators have been added to the spot to the right of where the contact is, because people kept jumping down there instead of using the ladder they have to pass just before that.
  

[h3][Cold Storage][/h3]

• Cold Storage level has an additional solid floor part in the upper right most room, so the player doesn't have to fight with ice to turn around and grab a ledge.
  
• Additionally, some Cold Storage enemy placement has been adjusted slightly.
  

[h3][Freeway][/h3]

• There is now a ladder to get back up from the first dropping freeway section to prevent backtracking if the player struggles with the hang bar platforming.
  
• The upper path of the room just past the boss door screen now has some freeway overhang that you have to slide under. This is to prevent an out-of-bounds glitch allowing the player to jump over the room transition trigger.
  
• You can now walk past the 2nd Toilet Tank segment, as the 1st one is build to be skipped if you're skilled. Having a solid wall trigger for the 2nd one didn't make sense.
  
• The rails over the 1st Toilet Tank have been reduced from 4 to 2.
  

[h3][General Bugfoolery][/h3]

• Fixed issue in the 2nd to last level where Jump Yoku Blocks would go out of sync if you jumped on a specific frame, causing them to either be ON or OFF, not mixed between the two, until the player dies or reloads the level.
  
• Fixed an issue where you can grab a wall you shouldn't be able to grab in Cold Storage
  

[h3][Upcoming/Planned Update Preview][/h3]

• Removing the tutorial tips from the Train level, and replacing it with an entire training segment on first run.
  --> This will be optional after first run, but will need to be started (and can be skipped) on a fresh game.
  --> The train will serve as a "use what you've learned" level.
  --> This is directly in response to hanging/grappling mechanics not being as clear as they should be, and players brute forcing their way through the train without fully understanding how grappling works. It's easy to assume the game is clunky vs realizing you only need to "hold grapple or up until you're grappling, then release the button" (instead of trying to time the press for some reason or holding the grapple/up button the whole time on a rail, which would be absurd)
  --> This may not be the specific change that happens, but it's the current thought.
  
• Select minigames directly from the level select if you've completed the level they belong to.
  --> Just select the level they're attached to and a new menu pops up! You can use this to get some extra lives/power chakram upgrades (on Easy) if you beat the minigame.
  --> As a result of this, new graphics have been made to support the minigame level cards~
  

Get a behind-the-scenes look into Prison City's marketing process with Joe, our lead video editor!

[h2]1. Please introduce yourself and your role in the development of Prison City.[/h2]

Joe: My name is Joe La Scola and I’m a video producer, content creator, and live-action concept designer for Prison City.


[h2]2. When you first heard about Prison City, what were your initial thoughts on what the game could possibly be/look like?[/h2]

Joe: When I first heard about Prison City I was like “Oh, man. We’re getting Escape from New York The Game!” I was excited for an honest, good, retro action-based platformer that felt like it was a lost game I could add to my NES collection. I was even more excited at the prospect of creating retro-inspired ads and videos like the ones we grew up with.


[h2]3. Can you describe what the process is like behind-the-scenes when making videos and/or shorts for the game? How do you come up with ideas, and how do you determine what to show and what not to show both pre-launch and post-launch?[/h2]

Joe: When it comes to creating content, there are different strategies depending on the social media platform. In general, our goal is always to have the game reach as many people as we can—appealing to both the veteran retro-gamer and the younger gaming audience alike. It’s a little tougher with an indie game. You want to show all the cool stuff that’s been worked on, but you also don’t want to give it all away at once—all while still conveying why someone should play this property they’ve never heard of.

Joe: So there’s a bit of a balancing act to making compelling content that will get people initially interested. We try our best to show just enough so you want to learn more about the games, and then post launch, all of the bits we’ve been keeping in-pocket come out to play—the secrets, the power up locations, the levels and boss strategies, and all kinds of little surprises. You can pull out all the stops post-launch, and it feels good to have that creative freedom to do so.


[h2]4. What’s it like working alongside other game disciplines like Art, Design, Writing, and QA Testing? How do you think these game disciplines meld together to influence the work you produce?[/h2]

Joe: Working alongside the other game disciplines is essential for creating the content to sell the game. From art and design, to writing, QA, and testing—everyone involved is integral to making the end product be the very best it can be. And it helps when you have a great team to work with like I do. I’m always impressed with everyone’s work—not just on Prison City, but Retroware as a whole. It’s great to be able to create in a space with other artists who share the same passion and interest— all working together to accomplish a common goal. I’m lucky to be able to share ideas and create with a team of not only extremely talented, but also really great people.


Stay tuned for more updates!

You can wishlist and play Prison City--available NOW!

Hal continues his infiltration into Prison City at the Preserve security zone! Get a glimpse at what to expect!


[h2]Techno-Terrorists[/h2]
Like the Rooftops zone, you’ll find a host of Grenaders positioned throughout the Preserve, in addition to Shieldnaders, Mobsters, and Shield Drones!




[h2]Mutated Plant Overgrowth[/h2]
This former zoo and nature preserve has now become overgrown with mutated plant life! Climb past vines and thorns, and watch out for blossoming Killer Plants!




[h2]Artificial Winds[/h2]
Although this security zone was once a nature preserve, it has several areas where the Techno-Terrorists have experimented with generating artificial weather! Be wary of navigating these rainy sections, as the wind may flow from either the right or left. Depending on which direction the wind blows, you may find yourself encountering wind resistance!


[h2]A…Dolphin?![/h2]
Nothing to see here! Just a normal dolphin providing you with the Warden’s Key Card! Surely this is normal, yes?


[h2]The Most Mutated of All Mutants[/h2]
Waiting in the bowels of the security zone is Mistress Drosera–one of Doc Diver’s mutated creations!


You can begin your infiltration of the Preserve security in Prison City–available NOW!

Sim Sanders, the leader of the criminal gang of athletes stationed throughout the Stadium security zone, pilots his Jumbotron against Hal! Check out all of its attacks here!


[h2]1. Detroit Tigers[/h2]
The Tiger Head shoots out pink orbs of energy that will track and follow Hal! Slide away or jump over them as they descend towards the ground!


[h2]2. Detroit Red Wings[/h2]
The Red Wing head tosses out batches of mini embers that’ll burn up the ground they land on! Watch your step and keep attacking the Warden amid the flames!


[h2]3. Detroit Lions[/h2]
The Lion Head will drop to the ground and fire energy orbs similar to the ones launched by Dodgeballers! Time your jumps and try to attack the head as it falls from the Jumbotron or while it’s firing at you!


[h2]4. Detroit Pistons[/h2]
The Piston Head launches several floating electro-cannons that will both follow Hal and increase in number by one each time they fire lightning bolts! Stay alert and keep moving until the pistons return to the head!


Eager to face Sim Sanders’ mechanized god in the Stadium?

You can jump into Prison City available NOW!

[h2]Athletes? No. Criminal Athletes? Yes![/h2]
Sim Sanders has ordered his gang of criminal athletes to guard the Stadium security zone against any and all intruders! To start off, Hal will face a bunch of Footballers–tough guys who will charge at Hal as soon as he enters their view! The quickest and easiest way to dispatch them would be to slide INTO them, rather than attack them with the chakram!


Then there’s the threat of the basketballers and dodgeballers–the former will throw large basketballs that bounce off surfaces, while the latter can throw energized dodgeballs that will rapidly ricochet off walls and the ground!


Next come the Hockeymen–skilled athletes who will lay pucks on any flat surface and hit them towards Hal! Jump over the pucks to get close up and attack them before they can launch another one!


[h2]Sports Ball Launcher[/h2]
As Hal makes his way through the Stadium zone, he’ll come across a Sports Ball Launcher. These machines will charge up and fire out multiple types of sports balls as soon as Hal enters the room it’s stationed in!


[h2]An Obstacle Course of Death[/h2]
Midway through the security zone, Hal will have to navigate through an obstacle course type of area that features all of the criminal athlete types, except for a Dodgeballer. Players will need to rely on their timing skills to slide away from hockey pucks, jump onto hanging pipelines, and evade a Basketballer’s attacks at the very end!


[h2]The Main Event: Facing the Jumbotron![/h2]
At the very end of the Stadium security zone, Hal will face the Jumbotron–Sim Sanders’ mechanized god that features multiple attacks that–like the obstacle course–will test players’ skills, and perhaps their patience, too…



Infiltrate the Stadium zone in Prison City–AVAILABLE NOW!