Patch Notes - Build 9 (Demo version 0.1.4)

Patch version 0.1.4 for the demo is here (build 9 on itch.io)! It's a significant demo release with lots of updates since 0.1.2 (build 8 on itch.io) including map updates, reduced touch damage, a simplified Astra Call, in-game tutorials, working upgrades and more!

First of all, huge thanks to you all for playing our demo and for all the feedback you provided us, it is really helpful! We tried to integrate most of it along with our planned updates and hope you'll enjoy this updated demo release! So, without further ado, here's the list of changes from 0.1.2:

Map Updates

• New shortcuts can now be opened to significantly reduce the distance from checkpoints.
• Extra area after the final boss battle providing a small peak of the next region. The demo play-through ends as soon as the player reaches this area.
• Small room introducing a new, unique entity.
• New travel areas creating branching paths in the cave.

Gameplay Updates

• Astra Call can no longer be charged. Giving the option to charge Astra Call from the start was overwhelming and confusing for a lot of players as it wasn't really needed anywhere in the demo. Astra Call will now work on the ground the same way it works on air.
• Touch damage is now reduced to 1 star fragment for all enemies. Touching enemies when they are not attacking will no longer damage the player as much as an attack would. The purpose of touch damage is more to create a safe distance between the player and the enemies than it is to damage the player.
• Falling stones now cause less damage.
• Astra currency can now be used for updates. This makes Astra currency useful in the demo and gives players the chance to make the game easier to beat.
• Added a couple of in game tutorials. One explaining how Astra Call can be used to parry enemy attacks, another on how to climb down from thin platforms and one for upgrades. Those can be turned off from the new "Game Settings" tab for players who prefer not having them.
• Using Astra Call on floating stone lights will now spawn a small amount of Astra. This interaction was purely graphical before with no gameplay purpose causing confusion on whether something was supposed to happen at the point of the interaction or elsewhere.
• Added prompt to the elevator activators as they were easily missed.
• When visiting a region for the first time, a banner with the region's name will now appear.
• Attacking Plasmators now gives them a small knockback.
• New mechanic - use items to unlock doors.
• New mechanic - you can now offer Astra at a place if you want ;)
• New mechanic - you can now inspect places of interest.
• New mechanic - you can now break bubbles and receive 1 Astra for each!

Fixes

• Fixed a point where a player could get stuck between a platform and a wall.
• Fixed damage particles not appearing when hitting some plasma entities.
• Dark Crawler's defeated form's size is now consistent with the initial size of the Crawler.
• Defeating the boss wasn't spawning any Astra.
• Fixed an issue where the defeated Canis Ugraal would sometimes appear duplicated for a few seconds after the last attack.
• Fixed the position of some hanging grass that looked like it was floating in the boss room's left area.
• Bug fix for wide screen players: Fixed the viewport of the 2nd choice door room which limited the visible width to 1920px.

Other

• The version is now visible on the bottom left side of the Start Menu.
• Software licenses (Godot's/etc) are now available in Credits.

Thanks again to everyone for playing and providing us with feedback!