Battle for Asciion News

[h2]Ship Selection Is Here[/h2][p]You can now select between three different ship designs before starting your run.[/p][p]This change is purely cosmetic — all ships share the exact same weaponry and gameplay balance — but now you can pilot the ASCII fighter that best matches your style.[/p][p]And there’s more…[/p][p][/p][h2]Design the 4th Ship – Community Contest[/h2][p]You’ll notice a mysterious fourth slot marked with “??”.[/p][p]That slot will be filled by a community-designed ASCII ship.[/p][p]We’re running a small design contest, and the winning entry will be implemented in-game as the fourth selectable ship.[/p][p]If you’d like to participate, check the rules and submission details here:
👉 https://steamcommunity.com/app/4327720/discussions/0/764060301067000448/[/p][p]We can’t wait to see what you come up with.[/p][p][/p][h2]Gameplay & Quality Improvements[/h2][h3]Autofire Enabled by Default[/h3][p]For new players, Autofire is now enabled by default, making the experience smoother from the very first run.[/p][p](You can still toggle it anytime in Pause → Options.)[/p][p][/p][h3]More Forgiving Collisions[/h3][p]Ship collision detection has been adjusted.[/p][p]Now only the two central characters of the ship register damage, making movement feel fairer and more precise — especially in tight bullet patterns.[/p][p][/p][h3]Improved HUD & Menu Feedback[/h3]

• [p]The floating “Pause/Options” button has been redesigned to better match the game’s ASCII aesthetic.[/p]
• [p]New sound effects have been added to the main menu and the ship selection screen.[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Additional Fixes & Tweaks[/h2][p]This update also includes multiple small fixes, refinements, and polish improvements across the game.[/p][p]Thank you again for the support since launch.
More updates to come 🚀[/p]

[p]Hello pilots![/p][p]Our first community update for Battle for Asciion is now live, and it brings the most requested feature since launch: autofire.[/p][p]This patch is mainly focused on quality of life improvements based directly on player feedback, plus a few small fixes across the game.[/p][h3]New Feature: Autofire (Most Requested!)[/h3][p]You can now fire continuously by holding the shoot button.[/p][p]This was by far the most requested feature from players, and we’re very happy to finally include it. Autofire can be enabled or disabled at any time from the Pause / Options menu, so you can play the way you prefer.[/p][h3]New Option: Low Sensitivity for Gamepad[/h3][p]We’ve added a low sensitivity option for ship movement, especially useful when playing with a controller.[/p][p]This setting slightly moderates the ship’s speed to allow for more controlled movement. That said, keyboard is still strongly recommended for maximum precision and for the intended “arcade/terminal” feel of the game.[/p][h3]Improved Continue Behavior[/h3][p]If the game detects that you can continue a run, the Continue option in the menu will now appear enabled by default.
This helps prevent accidentally starting a new game when you actually meant to continue your progress.[/p][h3]General Fixes & Polish[/h3][p]This update also includes several small fixes and minor polish improvements across the game to make the overall experience smoother and more consistent.[/p][h3]Thank You for the Support[/h3][p]Thank you so much for the warm reception and for all the feedback, comments, and messages since launch.[/p][p]Battle for Asciion is a small and unusual game, and seeing the community engage with it, request features, and help us improve it means a lot to us. More updates and refinements will come as we keep listening to your feedback.[/p][p]See you in Asciion.[/p]

[h3]Hidden secrets in plain sight[/h3][p]Battle for Asciion includes hidden secrets scattered across its stages. They’re not collectibles you pick up - they’re sensitive zones embedded into the environments.[/p][p]Some areas may look empty or transparent at first, but if you fly your ship through the right spot, you’ll trigger a secret:[/p]

• [p]A floating “SECRET!” message appears[/p]
• [p]The hidden zone is revealed with a small ASCII marker so you know where you found it[/p]
• [p]And from that moment on, you’ve uncovered something that wasn’t obvious at all[/p]

[p]Early on, we make sure you encounter one of these secrets naturally — so you understand how they work. From there on, the rest are up to you.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Risk, curiosity, and replayability[/h3][p]Most secrets are placed off the usual path:[/p]

• [p]Between meteor fields[/p]
• [p]In risky areas you wouldn’t normally cross[/p]
• [p]Or in places that require you to momentarily give up safety to explore[/p]

[p]Finish the game and the ending will tell you exactly how deep you went:
X / 10 SECRETS FOUND[/p][p]Finding all of them rewards you with a bonus ending focused on score, made especially for players who like to push the game a bit further.[/p][p][/p][h3]A hidden Hardcore Mode[/h3][p]There’s also something else… but the game doesn’t advertise it.[/p][p]If you manage to finish Battle for Asciion without using CONTINUE - one full run, start to finish - the game reveals the existence of a Hardcore Mode.[/p][p]This mode isn’t selected from a menu.
It’s unlocked the old-school way:[/p]

• [p]A secret button combination[/p]
• [p]Entered directly on the main menu[/p]
• [p]Very much in the spirit of classic arcade cheats[/p]

[p]Once you know it, you can access Hardcore Mode from the start.
But first… you have to earn that knowledge.[/p][p][/p][p]Battle for Asciion doesn’t explain everything on purpose.
Some things are meant to be found, not told.[/p][p]See you in Asciion.[/p]

[p]Battle for Asciion began its life in 2012 as a small experiment. We weren’t trying to chase trends or build something flashy - we were simply curious: what if a shoot ’em up could be made entirely out of text, not as an aesthetic, but as the actual game world?[/p][p]That question shaped everything.[/p][p]Every ship, enemy, bullet, explosion and boss you see in Battle for Asciion is made of real ASCII characters. There are no sprites pretending to look like text - the text is the game. It moves, collides, animates and fights back.[/p][p]Over the years, we decided to revisit that original experiment and give it a proper modern release, without betraying its spirit. The result is a small but very deliberate game, designed around the idea that text can be expressive, dynamic and playable.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]One example of this philosophy is Textshot. At any moment during gameplay, you can capture what’s happening on screen and save it as a plain [c].txt[/c] file. Not an image - an actual text file you can open, edit, share or archive. It’s a tiny feature, but it perfectly represents what Battle for Asciion is about: treating text as something tangible, not decorative.[/p][p]In terms of controls, the game supports keyboard and controller input. A controller configuration is available via Steam Input, and the game is fully compatible with Steam Deck. That said, keyboard controls are strongly recommended for precision and for that old-school “terminal” feeling that inspired the project in the first place.[/p][p]Battle for Asciion is not a big game, and it doesn’t try to be. It’s a focused, slightly weird, text-driven shoot ’em up made with a lot of care, revisiting an idea we still find exciting after all these years.[/p][p]Thanks for taking a look - and see you in Asciion.[/p]

[p]Good news for Steam Deck players![/p][p]Battle for Asciion is fully compatible with Steam Deck and has been tested to ensure a smooth and complete experience on Valve’s handheld.[/p][p]Steam Deck Compatibility[/p]

• [p]✅ Fully playable on Steam Deck[/p]
• [p]✅ All gameplay and menus accessible using a controller[/p]
• [p]✅ Stable performance[/p]
• [p]✅ Textshots can be saved normally, even on Steam Deck[/p]

[p]Yes — even on Steam Deck, you can still save your screenshots as real [c].txt[/c] files using the in-game Textshot feature.[/p][p]Controls & Steam Input[/p][p]The game includes full controller support via Steam Input.[/p]

• [p]An official default Steam Input configuration is available[/p]
• [p]All actions and menus are fully mapped[/p]
• [p]The entire game can be played using only a controller, both on Steam Deck and PC[/p]

[p]That said…[/p][p]👉 Keyboard play is strongly recommended for the best experience.
It offers higher movement precision and preserves the nostalgic “terminal shooter” feel that defines the game.[/p][p]Both control methods are fully supported — play the way you prefer.[/p][p][/p][p]See you in Asciion.[/p][p]— Relevo[/p]