Clicker Arena News

Hi everyone,

I'm excited to announce a significant update to Clicker Arena that introduces an entirely new way to play the game—Challenge Mode. This mode is designed to keep the gameplay challenging and rewarding, pushing you to play with strategy and pace, all while preserving the essence of what I truly believe makes Clicker Arena unique.

[h2]Introducing Challenge Mode[/h2]

Clicker Arena is at its best when it’s difficult. When your heroes have to struggle against enemies, and when every reward and dig feels meaningful. Unfortunately, in the current game, that difficulty evaporates if the player simply AFKs. With Challenge Mode, I'm addressing that.

Challenge Mode puts you on a clock, asking you to play at a pace that keeps the game engaging and intense. It is my original vision for the game, and true to how I've designed it. However, as a solo dev without anyone else to act as a sounding board, I've found that it can be hard to stick to your vision. I questioned whether the game would be too difficult and inaccessible, and I ultimately released without it. That is being corrected today.

[h2]New Content and Game Rebalance[/h2]

Along with Challenge Mode, I'm introducing a variety of new upgrades and content that can only be earned by playing in this mode. Additionally, I've also rebalanced the game overall to be slightly more difficult, with an emphasis on the bosses leading up to the final boss (which previously were not much of a threat).

I'm also adding 10 new artifacts, bringing the total number of unique artifacts to over 120. Finally, I've made numerous bug fixes and added a robust autosave system.

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[h3]Detailed Patch Notes[/h3]

Challenge Mode is now unlocked after beating the game for the first time. Earn Challenge Medals by defeating bosses. Tarbull, the Challenge Master, is waiting in town to sell you new upgrades, including:

• Dual Class - Select a second class and receive its signature ability.
  
• Bigger Bleachers - You can now fit 40 more audience members into the stands.
  
• Arena Coin card - Add this card to your starting deck. You get an Arena Coin whenever you select it!
  

[h3]Dig for 10 new artifacts, including:[/h3]

• Magic Shovel - You gain the Magic Shovel ability, which allows you to dig for treasure with a 7-minute cooldown.
  
• Witch’s Brew - Produce a random potion every 5 minutes.
  
• Golden Plaque - A random hero receives their next 3 skills.
  

[h3]There have been numerous balance changes in response to player feedback.[/h3]

• The overall difficulty of the game has been increased with an emphasis on the boss fights leading up to the final boss. You’ll be using consumables more often, which is why the shop now stocks an extra Elixir - skip it at your own peril!
  
• The Ratfolk, Goblin, and Bandit bonuses have been altered. Goblins were previously the only tribe with a bonus that directly influenced combat (Lifehack). Ratfolk and Bandit now have their own combat-influencing bonuses.
  
• The Goblin tribe’s experience bonus was a bit too much. It has now been tuned down to 20%.
  
• Class abilities were giving a bit too much gold at 4 draws. They’ve been tuned down to 3.
  
• The High Roller’s Discard has been buffed to always pull the next 4 cards from the deck, up from 3.
  
• Wizbang’s upgrade costs have been adjusted upward, to reflect that Triumphs are now easier and faster to obtain through Challenge Mode.
  
• Achievements have been adjusted to reflect the latest changes. You will keep any achievements you have already unlocked.
  
• The chance of gold stars from the Rush Bonus has been lowered.
  
• I need a hero: Recruiting heroes is now always free.
  

[h3]Bug fixes:[/h3]

• Goblin sprockets are fixed for good.
  
• Added redundancy to the autosave system to prevent system crashes from corrupting save files.
  
• There is now a very brief grace period after your heroes have been KO’d before the game ends. Click fast on those Fenix Feathers!
  
• Various other glitches reported by players - thank you.
  

Hi everyone,

As a solo developer launching my first game, I wanted to be sure to let all of you know that I am continuing to learn every day and am listening to your feedback. The community as a whole has been very vocal about a few key points so it’s my goal to address them as quickly as possible. Although some of the commentary has been hard to read, I want to thank all of you for your invaluable feedback since launch.

One of the biggest points you have brought up is the nature of idle games. I didn’t realize at first how many intricate differences there were between what is expected of an idle game versus an autobattler or clicker game. I am currently in the process of updating the description of the game so the mechanics and gameplay of what I envision for Clicker Arena are more clear for players when checking it out.

I do want to apologize for setting a false expectation about the gameplay. I designed Clicker Arena to be a new type of clicker game - one where the player did not have to click on a single button or enemy repeatedly, ad nauseum, in order to progress. Instead, I wanted to create a game where you were constantly clicking, but with purpose, strategy, and thought behind it. I also wanted to hone in on the essence that makes clickers and games in the idler genre fun - the speed of which progression occurs the more you play and the more “rounds” you complete.

For that reason, Clicker Arena is not an idle game in the sense that it expects you to buy a few upgrades and then leave it running while you afk. It is an active, clicker game. It can be played in an idle fashion, but it is not designed for it and it is not really a fun way to play the game. I recognize that the first run, before any unlocks have happened, helps contribute to this confusion and I am rectifying that today with the first update.

I have also heard your feedback that the full game does not add enough content compared to the beta and the demo. I am working hard behind the scenes to bring more content, replayability, and progression to the game which you will see appear in future updates.

For today, to mark the very first update addressing community feedback and concerns, I have added Steam achievements, a new class, and made several bug fixes which you can read about below.

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New Features / Additions:

• Added the Craftsman class to the game. The Craftsman class is introduced right after the tutorial. It’s a fun and unique class for those who enjoy digging, try it out for your next run.
  
• Added Steam achievements. These are retroactive. If you’ve previously earned achievements in the game, you will receive these achievements automatically when you next play the game.
  

Bug Fixes:

• Goblin Sprockets sometimes did not award exp.
  
• After all the spell slots were maxed out, players could not select the final spell.
  
• The Priestess’s heal is now muted.
  
• Very rarely players got stuck in the tutorial.
  
• Sharkey's dialog didn't look right in 720p.
  

Thank you so much for your support so far.

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https://store.steampowered.com/app/2658030/Clicker_Arena/

[h2]Clicker Arena is out now![/h2]

Although it technically launched yesterday, I wanted to share my heartfelt thanks to everyone in the community who has supported the game. I appreciate every single one of you so much. Your reviews, feedback, and continued support mean the world to me.

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[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]🧬 Evolving Gameplay[/h3]
Your team of four heroes starts out weak, as expected, but develops quickly, unlocking endless customization options. Every monster drops gold, spent on unlocking levels, skill tree branches, new classes reflecting your playstyle, new enemies to face, new cards to experiment with…

[h3]🏆 All About Victory[/h3]
Everything you do between bouts of heroically bloody fighting in the arena matters. Your heroes earn you Glory. You can then spend Glory to get more heroes to throw into the meat grinder, unlock new spells, cards, and change the dynamic of the game. Then, it’s back to the arena for them to fight (or, if you're daring, dig up artifacts while under fire). Victory or death!

[h3]🕖 Every Run is Unique[/h3]
Play your own way, combining classes, party compositions, factions, skills, and decks for an endless variety of playthroughs. And if you fail? Lather, rinse, and repeat, with a different roster of heroes and an entirely unique set of challenges tailored to them and their party.

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https://store.steampowered.com/app/2658030/Clicker_Arena/

[h3]💰 Celebrate & Save During Launch[/h3]
To celebrate the game's launch, Clicker Arena will be 10% off until April 22nd!

[h3]💞 Supporting Indie Games[/h3]

• If you buy the game, please consider leaving an honest review on Steam! Reviews have a massive impact on indie games and we'd love to see your thoughts and experiences through a review.
  
• Sharing the game through word of mouth with family and friends or on social media with your followers can really help spread the word and give others a chance to discover their next favorite indie game. So many indies are discovered with a simple share or casual discussion.
  

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[h2]Clicker Arena is set to launch April 15th![/h2]

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[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]🧬 Evolving Gameplay[/h3]
Your team of four heroes starts out weak, as expected, but develops quickly, unlocking endless customization options. Every monster drops gold, spent on unlocking levels, skill tree branches, new classes reflecting your playstyle, new enemies to face, new cards to experiment with…

[h3]🏆 All About Victory[/h3]
Everything you do between bouts of heroically bloody fighting in the arena matters. Your heroes earn you Glory. You can then spend Glory to get more heroes to throw into the meat grinder, unlock new spells, cards, and change the dynamic of the game. Then, it’s back to the arena for them to fight (or, if you're daring, dig up artifacts while under fire). Victory or death!

[h3]🕖 Every Run is Unique[/h3]
Play your own way, combining classes, party compositions, factions, skills, and decks for an endless variety of playthroughs. And if you fail? Lather, rinse, and repeat, with a different roster of heroes and an entirely unique set of challenges tailored to them and their party.

[h3]⏳ Join the Countdown[/h3]
Don't forget to wishlist the game and join the amazing community in the Discord to begin counting down to launch day! I am beyond excited to share this major milestone with you!


See you at launch!
- James Sun


https://store.steampowered.com/app/2658030/Clicker_Arena/

I have some great news to share today -

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[h3]Clicker Arena is officially joining forces with Freedom Games![/h3]

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For those of you who may not know, having a game publisher like Freedom Games greatly helps indie devs like myself focus on game development while they handle all the behind-the-scenes magic. From helping manage store pages to crafting marketing campaigns and even helping the game shine at both digital and live events, publishers help in all the aspects that indie developers often struggle with.

As a solo developer with a demanding career and a young family, Freedom Games lets me do what I love: making games. I knew I had something special in Clicker Arena, but in today’s indie scene having a good game alone is not enough. After spending 3 years designing, building, and tuning Clicker Arena into a fun and unique experience, I couldn’t surmount the last challenge - getting the word out to players - by myself.

Freedom Games discovered Clicker Arena from obscurity. They played the game, thought it was great fun, and reached out. At that point I had already been approached by 3 other publishers, but I never felt comfortable enough with any of them to move forward. However, after meeting Freedom Games’ co-founder, I knew they were the right publisher for me. Having now worked with the team at Freedom Games as we prepare for launch, my confidence in them has only grown. I’m very grateful for the opportunity, without which hardly anyone would ever know about my game.

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https://store.steampowered.com/app/2658030/Clicker_Arena/