The Battle of Aurinoxia News

Hey Pilots!

I've made some improvements to a few systems based on feedback from beta testers and curators who have tried the game. Most of these apply minor polish, such as updating the Stage Select buttons and menu options to better reflect choices. The biggest change is currently on the Beta branch, and adds some new weapon upgrades to the progression path. Then there's some under-the-hood groundwork I put down to enable some exciting power ups in future stages, such as speed boosts.

Here's the full change log for default and beta branches:

0.2.9.1 (live)
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* Improved under the hood movement systems to enable new speed boost power ups for future stages (TBD).
* Updated stage select buttons to reflect "coming soon' during Early Access.
* Updated controls menu to better describe auto-drift settings.
* Fixed display error on High Scores leaderboard when viewing your score.

If you'd like to check out some of the weapon upgrade changes, they are currently in the Beta branch. I will push these live in the default branch over the next couple of days once testing is complete. If you give them a try, let me know what you think!

0.2.10 (beta testing branch)
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* Added new weapon upgrades and integrated into upgrade/downgrade path.
* Rebalanced some level drops to accommodate updated weapon upgrade paths.

To enable Beta Version:

1. Open the Steam client.
   
2. Go to the "Library" tab and right-click on the game.
   
3. Select "Properties" from the context menu.
   
4. In the Properties window, navigate to the "Betas" tab.
   
5. Use the drop-down menu to select the desired beta version and close the window.
   

Steam should then download and update the game automatically. If not, follow these steps to force the download and update:

Verifying the Integrity of Installed Files:

1. Open the Steam client.
   
2. Go to the "Library" tab and right-click on the game.
   
3. Select "Properties" from the context menu.
   
4. In the Properties window, go to the "Local Files" tab.
   
5. Click "Verify integrity of game files" and wait for the process to complete.
   

Greetings, Pilots!

I’m thrilled to announce that The Battle of Aurinoxia will be available in Early Access on Steam next week! The first three stages are ready, and I’m currently integrating the first set of community features. Read on for more details!

About the Game: The Battle of Aurinoxia is a retro space shoot 'em up featuring pixel art graphics, unique enemies, tough bosses, and an original synthesizer soundtrack. As one of the first pilots in the system, your mission is to lead the counteroffensive against alien aggressors and defend The Alliance.

What’s Included in Early Access:

• 3 playable stages with unique bosses and enemies
  
• 5 difficulty levels for replayability
  
• Full Xbox controller and keyboard support
  
• Custom soundtrack by Interface Type Seven
  

Community Features (In Beta Testing):

• Leaderboards to showcase community high scores across each difficulty
  
• Initial set of stats and achievements (placeholder artwork for achievement badges while we work on designs)
  

Upcoming Features Planned:

• Additional stages and story elements
  
• New enemy types and bosses
  
• Skirmish mode for one-off battles
  
• Regular updates and bug fixes based on community feedback
  

Get Involved in the Community: Your feedback is crucial! Connect with us on the Steam forums and Discord to share your thoughts and suggestions. We want to involve the community in the development process, gather feedback, and enhance the game with your input. Early Access allows us to share our progress and make improvements based on real player experiences.

Get ready to embark on this epic space adventure. The battle begins next week!

Happy gaming,

John