Version 0.4 is finally here, and brings with it the beginning of our planned content updates! This update is a little later than the others, in part because we launched a new website for Two Bit Studio! Check it out at http://twobit.studio - it will be a companion to our itch storefront and twitter, serving as a place to find our games, see what's up with us, and maybe play with some experimental new content in the future.

Website aside, we're pretty happy about this update. There are two new level previews you can play on, each a bit different than the original map, and focusing on different things. These levels are previews - they are early prototypes we want to share with the community to grow and mature together. They are not polished, but they are playable, and with your feedback we'll make them great. We plan on developing 3-5 additional levels for the current game mode, after which we will try out a couple of new multiplayer game modes, like a battle arena. As always, you can check out our Trello board to see planned content and vote on what you want to see next!

So, enough dev talk, how about a quick overview of the two new levels?

New Level! - Hedge Maze Prototype

The sun is setting, the perfect time for an evening stroll through the castle gardens with the princess - unfortunately, you weren't the only one with the idea! Wind your way through a maze of hedges to surprise the princess with beautiful flowers, and out-maneuver your rivals take the princess to her favorite spots in the gardens.

Our plan for this level is to reward players who move tactically and can change their plans on the fly. Tight quarters with multiple paths mean that players can play cat-and-mouse with each other throughout the match. We've put all the date locations in the bottom half of the map, and the gifts in the top half - we hope this adds an element of risk to giving the princess a gift - you may not be close by when a date is announced. We'll be playtesting and releasing an improved version of this map in version 0.5, so give us your thoughts on how to make it better.

New Level! - Mountain Hike Prototype

It's a beautiful day in the mountains at the outskirts of the kingdom. The sun is shining, the waterfall is shimmering ... what's that, the princess wants to go on a hike?! Race with your friends on an extended hike with the princess, carrying her to see the sights on a walk around the mountains. Pretty gifts aren't common on the trail, so you'd better focus on the princess!

This level is pretty, but it's gameplay is very rough. We're working on some custom camera movement and scripted events so the players actually "go on a hike" and move around the level with the princess. That's not in yet, but we wanted to share where we were on the set design and level idea. This level should be fairly fast-paced and full of fighting, as there aren't a lot of way to score points. Right now, the level is set up with the same logic as the normal level, so the gameplay is a bit lacking, but we'd love your opinions on the level construction and the parts that are fun to move around in. This level will be undergoing some significant changes, so stay tuned!

What Else is New in Version 0.4? Look Below!

• Added new level select functionality to the Game mode options. Click on the left and right arrows to cycle through levels available for that game mode
• Renamed the 'Play' option in the main menu to 'Battle'
• Added a 'Credits' page to the main menu. Nothing special, but we wanted to make sure to credit our free music.
• AI Improvements to handle new level setups. Current feedback is that the AI is too brutal, we'll look into that in an upcoming release
• Adjusted player run animation to better sync character motion with movement speed.
• Updated the water shader as part of the mountain level design, adding transparency and shore foam effects.
• Added colored outlines for player characters. This should help with identifying your character in the middle of a hectic match. Also, when part of your character goes behind scenery, the hidden parts will be highlighted with your player color to keep from being lost.
• What's this, a placeholder for a "Story Mode"? What could that be.? Hmm...