Beetle Uprising News

We have promoted the most recent build to Beta. We added two new areas, Achievements, Gene Splicing, and Decorations. It also has lots of other new things to try out.

• We have created 19 Steam Achievements. Of which, 17 are available. We'll make these visible when the build hits general release.
  
• Steam Cloud saves are working. This is a bit tricky to test in a Beta build. Let me know if you want to participate in that, and I'll work up the instructions. But this is definitely coming in the next general release.
  
• Enter The Beetle (map 11) map area is now complete, along with its mission.
  
• Toads of Obliteration map area is now complete. It is an always-hostile area with no combat mission. But the tasks have tasty rewards, including some interesting eggs.
  
• Beetle visuals can now be saved to flasks and applied to any other Beetle on the Beetle Inspector (just double-click a Beetle). This is useful if you want to preserve a look that you like, or want to make all Beetles with one attack type look the same. We call this Gene Splicing, since the change can then be inherited by this Beetle's offspring.
  
• Added decoration objects for your Nest. Beetles don't use them, but they make the place look nice.
  
• Your Beetles are awarded a trophy for each mission they win at 3 stars. These can be used to decorate your Nest.
  
• The Game Manual now shows up in the Steam Overlay browser, instead of trying to open a PDF reader. And you can click through hyperlinks there.
  
• We are now a little more generous with Regeneration genetics in eggs from earlier missions.
  
• Made some lighting improvements in Beetle Inventory mug shots and Beetle Inspector vanity scenes.
  
• Tweaked a few visual effects and sound effects.
  
• Fixed a genetics bug that prevented cross-over in the first two genes. Should be a bit easier to get the maximum allele there, now.
  

We have promoted the most recent build to Beta. We added two new areas, Achievements, Gene Splicing, and Decorations. It also has lots of other new things to try out.

• We have created 19 Steam Achievements. Of which, 17 are available. We'll make these visible when the build hits general release.
  
• Steam Cloud saves are working. This is a bit tricky to test in a Beta build. Let me know if you want to participate in that, and I'll work up the instructions. But this is definitely coming in the next general release.
  
• Enter The Beetle (map 11) map area is now complete, along with its mission.
  
• Toads of Obliteration map area is now complete. It is an always-hostile area with no combat mission. But the tasks have tasty rewards, including some interesting eggs.
  
• Beetle visuals can now be saved to flasks and applied to any other Beetle on the Beetle Inspector (just double-click a Beetle). This is useful if you want to preserve a look that you like, or want to make all Beetles with one attack type look the same. We call this Gene Splicing, since the change can then be inherited by this Beetle's offspring.
  
• Added decoration objects for your Nest. Beetles don't use them, but they make the place look nice.
  
• Your Beetles are awarded a trophy for each mission they win at 3 stars. These can be used to decorate your Nest.
  
• The Game Manual now shows up in the Steam Overlay browser, instead of trying to open a PDF reader. And you can click through hyperlinks there.
  
• We are now a little more generous with Regeneration genetics in eggs from earlier missions.
  
• Made some lighting improvements in Beetle Inventory mug shots and Beetle Inspector vanity scenes.
  
• Tweaked a few visual effects and sound effects.
  
• Fixed a genetics bug that prevented cross-over in the first two genes. Should be a bit easier to get the maximum allele there, now.
  

I wanted to let you guys know, that we just updated our store image (in case you missed that):


It used to look like:


Thoughts?

Darrin

I wanted to let you guys know, that we just updated our store image (in case you missed that):


It used to look like:


Thoughts?

Darrin

We are up to 10 game areas on the Lot Map. There have been quite a few UI and feature additions since we launched into Early Access, and the game has been very stable. So we are inviting as many people as possible to try out this new build.



Most recent improvements/features:

• Genetic Visualizer for stats genes allows you to know whether you're passing on the very best to your offspring. You can see this on the Vanity screen by double-click a Beetle in your collection or in the offspring grid. Also, try holding the key to see genes for multiple Beetles at once.
  
• Beetle Needs are displayed on the Vanity screen, so you can figure out more about what Beetles are thinking in the Nest.
  
• The Asphalt Anger area and mission are available. This is the first 4 swam combat mission. It does get hectic! And you'll need some pretty advanced genetics to get the stats needed to succeed. So collect eggs from previous missions and tasks.
  
• You can click and drag items off the inventory list. Or you can continue to use double-click.
  
• Use -wheel to scroll through Beetles on the Vanity screen, and while hovering over the Beetle inventory. This also works for inventory items.
  
• You can now change the name of newly hatched Beetles right away, instead of having to find them in the Beetle Inventory.
  
• The Lot Map was updated so new players must play the Red Rock mission first. This should make the learning curve a little easier.
  
• Your Beetles should find a few more beds when going on tasks.
  
• Cool water animation added to the mission in the Puddle of Tears area.
  

Bug fixes (heheh):

• Beetle inventory doesn't jump around when you select parent slots on the breeding screen or swarm slots when going on combat missions. This should make it easier to slot in the top Beetles from whatever sort you have selected.
  
• Transparent albedo textures now show up properly in combat. So your combat Beetles should look a little more like your Nest Beetles.
  
• Beetles returning from missions (if they survive), walk in from the door, instead of teleporting to where they started.
  

As always, please let us know if you have problems, or have ideas for changes.

Darrin