Your Only Move Is HUSTLE News

hi GAMERS! today marks one year since the first line of code for Your Only Move Is HUSTLE was written, and I've felt the desire to update everyone with how things are going on this next patch (since this is a big one and it's been a little while) so allow me to show you what i and the community are working on.

the biggest change to gameplay is a total overhaul to how defense works. experienced players have generally agreed that blocking in 1.7.0 is almost never worth doing except for on reaction, and that movement is too noncommittal to the point of detriment. what we have implemented now is a much safer form of defense that trades the enormous gamble of *parry or die* in the live stable patch with a more nuanced spectrum of advantage and reads for both players. it also allows the player to maintain offensive pressure with blockstrings. additionally, movement actions have been made a little more risky, with the standard 8-frame turn being bumped up to 10 (with a few moves being adjusted to compensate).

there are also huge performance improvements - mainly, no more harsh stuttering whenever you select a move with the prediction ghost enabled. i hope this might help a lot of players enjoy the game who were not able to play before, but we have yet to see if that's the case at a large scale.

anyway, there are a load of other changes and additions (as well as a few removals) but i'll stop yapping and just show off some of the new stuff.

check out this ninja blockstring (old vid, chip damage has been tweaked):
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

a new throw and grounded movement option for robot (see if you can spot it):
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

a new, compact UI that only shows during gameplay (is unchanged from 1.7.0 for replays):


there's a bunch more cool stuff too, and you can try it all out right now by selecting the `_unstable` beta branch on steam like so:


I recommend also visiting the discord where you can find patch notes on the current unstable version in #unstable-updates.

IVY OUT ːorganiccucumberː

Edit: I almost forgot to mention...



[h2]not really though give it a few months[/h2]

1.7.0
This patch got a little bigger than it was supposed to be (I intended this to be a 1.6.X release) but after over a dozen patches on the unstable branch i think it's appropriate to bump it up to 1.7. Main things to take a look at are Cowboy's new Rift utility and Robot's reworked Magnetize (now Gravity Field).

[h2]All Characters[/h2]

• Normal throw whiff meter gain reduced to 0
• Fixed inconsistency on landing OTG hitboxes (thanks wuffie).
• Attacks that do not increment the combo counter will no longer set combo proration.
• Added autocorrect toggle for forward dash
• Many moves in the game are coded as super moves for some reason or another but are functionally normal specials or attacks. I fixed a bug where these moves ("level-0" supers) were still scaling combo meter gain as if they were super moves.

[h2]Ninja[/h2]

• 
  Skull Shaker
  
  • Damage increased (800 -> 900)
  • Brain hemorrhage: applies a damage over time effect once per combo.
• 
  Substitute
  
  • Added sadness penalty when horizontally substituting away from the opponent. Stronger penalty the farther you teleport. Might be too steep, feedback needed

[h2]Cowboy[/h2]

• 
  Shoot
  
  • Bullet hitstun decreased (25f -> 18f)
  • Bullet no longer does self-damage until it bounces at least once
  • Reduced repeated shot startup penalty (+5f -> +3f)
• 
  Rift
  
  • Teleports all of Cowboy's bullets to its location
  • Refreshes bullet hitbox and resets bullet speed
• 
  Shift
  
  • Melee attack startup reduced by an extra frame (-1f -> -2f)
• 
  Stinger
  
  • Increased minimum hitstun frames (7f -> 10f)
  • No longer cancellable into lightning slice
• 
  Lightning Slice (combo)
  
  • IASA is now the same as the neutral version (20f i think)
  • Neutral hitstun decreased (8f -> 7f)
  • Combo hitstun reduced (18f -> 17f)
• 
  Horiz. Slash (grounded)
  
  • Proration returned to 1 (oops?)
• 
  Back Slash
  
  • Flipped version doesn't move if the last move was Impale (flipale band-aid).
• 
  Teleport
  
  • Sadness penalty removed (obsolete)
  • No longer affects meter gain in combos (bugfix).
• 
  Spot Dodge
  
  • No longer affects meter gain in combos (bugfix).
• 
  Quick Draw
  
  • Slightly updated animation.
  • No longer affects meter gain in combos (bugfix).
• 
  Draw Cancel
  
  • No longer affects meter gain in combos (bugfix).

[h2]Wizard[/h2]

• 
  Orb Portal
  
  • No longer affects meter gain in combos (bugfix).
• 
  Missile Form
  
  • backward sadness penalty is always applied properly during neutral.
• 
  Conjure Weapon
  
  • Projectile invuln starts earlier (6f -> 4f)

[h2]Robot[/h2]

• 
  Armor now starts on frame 3.
  
  • Armor startup increased by an extra 2f when whiff cancelling.
  • I bet there is some weird tech with popping armor on the last few frames of a move.
• 
  Magnetize
  
  • Another rework
  • Renamed to GRAVITY FIELD
  • Removed the toggle, activates instantly again
  • 100f active time
  • Creates a bubble around robot, pulls in opponents outside that bubble.
• 
  LOIC
  
  • Tracking accuracy increases more quickly over time.
  • Increased hitbox width
• 
  Galvanize
  
  • Is now a toggle as part of LOIC
  • Increased armor gain distance
• 
  Step
  
  • Flipped version has +2f startup lag
  • Moves farther when not flipped
• 
  Drive
  
  • Forward
    • Reverted meter gain nerf
• 
  Flame Thrower
  
  • No longer affects meter gain in combos (bugfix).

1.6.1

[h2]Cowboy[/h2]

• 
  
  Shoot
  
  
  • Fixed incorrect melee hitbox
    
  
  
  
• 
  
  Shoot Dodge
  
  
  • No longer flippable (like before).
    
  
  
  

[h2]Robot[/h2]

• 
  Magnetize
  • Pull in neutral is a little weaker.
    
  
  
  

1.6.0

• Mainly just balance updates, QOL, and a few new toys.
• Removed forward dash auto-correcting
• Normalized the cast's grounded friction during knockdown to approximately that of Ninja's.
• Melee attacks no longer cancel combo damage scaling from projectiles on the same turn
• Hitboxes that don't normally scale combo damage will still scale it on the first hit of the combo.
• Fixed hitbox meter gain modifier not actually being applied
• centered the audio a bit better (why does this keep getting reverted)
• Extra combo scaling on normal hitboxes is only applied after damage is taken.
• Removed ghost "turn ready" freeze sound
• Added option to enable the old brace mechanic from a previous unstable cycle.

[h2]Ninja[/h2]

• 
  Quick Slash
  
  • No longer moves slightly upward one frame before teleporting.
  • Buffered attacks in neutral now come out 1 frame sooner.
  • Meter gain increased (0.25 -> 1.0)
• 
  Release Momentum
  
  • IASA increased (5f -> 6f)
• 
  Stomp
  
  • Damage increased (700 -> 1000)
• 
  Whip Wave
  
  • Startup reduced (11f -> 9f)
  • Melee damage increased (800 -> 950)
  • Melee hitbox no longer hit-cancellable. Hopefully this makes it better of a DI read.
  • Projectile damage increased (400 -> 600)
  • Speed increased (19 -> 21)
  • Knockback increased (2 -> 3)
  • Projectile forces the opponent to stay in hitstun for at least 4 frames before knockdown.
  • Projectile hitstun reduced (30f -> 14f)
  • Projectile hitstop increased (4f -> 5f)
  • Projectile knockback angle sends further away.
  • Projectile DI modifier increased (1.0x -> 1.5x)
  • Projectile is now a hard knockdown.
  • Can be used out of Back Sway
• 
  Shuriken
  
  • damage increased to 600 for both air and ground versions
• 
  Summon
  
  • Slide is now unparriable.
  • Increased slide damage (650 -> 800)
• 
  Back Sway
  
  • Can be used out of chuk stance
• 
  Heavy Chuk
  
  • Projectile no longer scales combo damage.
• 
  Chuk Jump
  
  • Is now cancellable into double jump.
  • Can now jump a little farther
  • Increased knockback (5 -> 6)
  • Can now launch in the reverse direction
• 
  Chuk Spin
  
  • Can now be cancelled into grounded options when interrupted right before landing.
• 
  Sticky Bomb
  
  • Hitbox size slightly increased
• 
  Slide Kick
  
  • Low profiles a bit better

[h2]Cowboy[/h2]

• 
  I made gun fun!!! fun is finally gun!!!! i mean
  
• 
  Can once again Shift out of Quick Draw.
  
• 
  Max fall speed increased (8 -> 10)
  
• 
  Inst. Teleport
  
  • IASA increased (8f -> 10f)
  • Reduced freeze frames (5f -> 2f) (aesthetic change only)
• 
  Temporal Round
  
  • Removed framekill
• 
  Shoot
  
  • Reworked (again). Now shoots an actual bullet projectile. The projectile will ricochet off the ground and walls as well as the Foresight afterimage. Can also be swatted back with melee and projectile hitboxes. You can control the ricochet direction and speed with the DI wheel. Enormously saucy. Goodbye full-screen QD 50/50s.
  • IASA reduced (14f -> 10f)
• 
  Lightning Slice (neutral)
  
  • Hitstun increased (10f -> 12f)
  • IASA increased (15f -> 20f)
  • Proration adjusted (1 -> 0)
• 
  Lightning Slice (combo)
  
  • increased hitstun (16f -> 18f)
  • Decreased damage (900 -> 800)
• 
  Horiz. Slash (grounded)
  
  • Hitstun increased (11f -> 13f)
• 
  Vert. Slash (aerial)
  
  • proration adjusted (0 -> 1)
• 
  Back Slash
  
  • Sweetspot knockback angle raised a bit
• 
  Impale
  
  • Hurtbox size increased after teleport
• 
  Downward Cleave
  
  • Startup adjusted (11f -> 13f)
• 
  Impale
  
  • Cowboy appears a little farther away from the opponent (16px -> 28px). This hopefully prevents the flipale exploit.
  • Startup always moves toward opponent even when flipped.
• 
  Pull
  
  • increased damage (400 -> 700)
• 
  Dash
  
  • Startup invulnerability on initiative adjusted to only be projectile invulnerability.
• 
  Air Dash
  
  • Resets momentum on startup.
  • Has a straight down option.
  • Dash down is available in 1k cuts as it should be.
• 
  Reel
  
  • Now automatically leads into Izuna Drop.

[h2]Wizard[/h2]

• 
  swag renamed to gravity
  
• 
  gravity recharges while being comboed
  
• 
  Orb
  
  • 
    Lock/Unlock
    
    • Is now a free action toggle.
  • 
    Orb Tether
    
    • Effect is now stronger.
    • Removed framekill
  • 
    Swords
    
    • Combo scaling adjusted for the first 2 hits (+1 -> +0) if this attack is started while the orb is locked
  • 
    Lightning
    
    • Increased damage (900 -> 1000)
    • Is now unparriable
    • Extra damage while locked (1000 -> 1100)
  • 
    Dart
    
    • Updated sound.
    • Darts are now faster when locked and have a slightly larger hitbox.
• 
  Confusing Touch
  
  • Scales combos properly
• 
  Spark Bomb
  
  • Spark bomb explosions always apply the spark buff if they hit the opponent.
• 
  Draw Moisture
  
  • Is no longer interruptible on the opponent's turn, as it no longer needs to contest with Quick Draw.
  • Reduced IASA (14f -> 13f)
• 
  Magic Dart
  
  • Damage increased (500 -> 800)
• 
  Combustion
  
  • Does not land cancel until after the hitbox comes out.

[h2]Robot[/h2]

• 
  Robot's been a bit of a menace lately. I hope to fix some of his broken tools while making them more fun and engaging for both players. I also hope this will direct his gameplan more toward landing Command: Grab, which was the original design goal. He is also being tweaked to allow for more special mid-combo throws with meaningful extensions, emphasizing his intended role as a grappler. Plus a few buffs to moves that needed some love.
  
• 
  Increased max grounded speed (8 -> 9)
  
• 
  Magnetize
  
  • Rework. Magnet has been a terror on the neutral with no obvious solution, so for now we are going to tone it down and keep it to mainly a combo extension tool.
  • Adds a "pull" toggle that lets Robot yank the opponent toward them freely. This pull is much stronger than the prior magnet effect, but lasts for a very short time.
  • Pull strength is weakened in neutral
  • Cannot use Pull and Armor at the same time.
• 
  LOIC
  
  • Increased minimum damage (500 -> 700)
  • Combo scaling adjusted (+1 -> +3)
  • Does less damage in combos (1900 -> 1100).
    • This sounds like a lot, but note that combos are already going to be somewhat scaled, and the difference in damage points will never actually be that much. For example, if comboing Command: Grab into this move from neutral, the difference in combo damage is only 4040 -> 3530.
• 
  Command: Grab
  
  • Moves a little farther forward
  • Is now throw invulnerable for the first 5 frames.
  • Combo scaling adjusted (+1 -> +2). This also lowers the damage a bit to what it was before the melee attack scaling change.
  • Increased knockback
  • Throw IASA decreased (61f -> 60f)
  • You can choose to switch sides after landing it.
  • Reduced meter gain modifier (1.0x -> 0.5x)
• 
  Try-Catch
  
  • Now has a back version that slams the opponent back into the ground.
• 
  Bounds Check
  
  • Removed throw invulnerability on the ground (transferred to Command: Grab).
  • Damage increased (1700 -> 1800)
• 
  Thunder Clap
  
  • Deals a lot of extra hitstop to the victim (25f) once per combo.
  • Can be hit-cancelled into defensive options.
• 
  Step
  
  • Against knocked-down opponents, this move now sends airborne and is not cancellable.
  • Hitstun lasts at least 8f against OTG opponents before they are knocked down.
  • Super dash is unchanged.
  • Reduced whiff meter gain modifier (1.0x -> 0.5x)
  • Reduced velocity meter gain modifier (1.0x -> 0.5x)
• 
  Crash
  
  • Sends airborne.
  • Hitstun reduced (30f -> 18f)
• 
  Vacuum
  
  • Now sends airborne.
  • Can be hit-cancelled into defensive options.
• 
  Earthquake
  
  • Shockwave proration adjusted (3 -> 1)
  • Added close hitbox that hits both standing and OTG (but not aerial) and follows up into a new throw once per combo.
• 
  Flame Thrower
  
  • Reduced IASA (20f -> 16f)
• 
  Drive
  
  • Forward
    • Projectile invulnerability removed (moved to Drift)
    • Reduced whiff meter gain modifier (1.0x -> 0.5x)
    • Reduced velocity meter gain modifier (1.0x -> 0.5x)
  • Drift
    • Added projectile invulnerability for the first 10 frames
    • Reduced friction
    • Is now a hard knockdown.
• 
  Landing
  
  • Removed meter gain

[h2]Robot[/h2]

• Throw (air)
  • No longer leads into grounded throws