v2.99.0 - Tons More Fixes Before our next Big Update!

Hi D20 Fans!

We're prepping for our next big update (the Abalon 3.0 release) with another round of essential fixes and improvements. The planned release is for September 14th and the major new addition will be async + realtime multiplayer!

Hope you enjoy!

~Ross

Steam Account Links

In anticipation of potentially managing async games across both your Steam account and mobile devices, I've overhauled how the Steam account link works to ensure no one's multiplayer games or leaderboard scores get orphaned between your various accounts. The merge update was largely successful (you'd have seen an in-game message from me if you were affected) but I did note a few players had account save issues (which I'm actively fixing) so please reach out direct if you need help recovering progress and I'll get it taken care of asap.

Also a reminder if you're considering linking your Steam to your mobile Abalon, please review our FAQ for expectations regarding what is/is not supported via cross-platform saves.

Multiplayer Early Access

If you just can't wait until the 3.0 release, you can pilot test the async multiplayer beta via the Abalon Arena demo. If you previously participated in the multiplayer beta (or would like early access for your mobile device) fill out the form in our Discord #multiplayer channel and I'll get you set up.

v2.99.0 Release Notes

1. Fixed Bug where the Summoner XP screen could appear at the start of a session with no XP to grant, or after leaving a battle, for the wrong summoner.
2. Fixed Bug where multiplayer room-list rows could remain visible after switching to Survival or Fast Adventure.
3. Improved startup performance by eliminating a several-second delay when building map playlists (direct query instead of constructing full map definition objects).
4. Faster, tighter text and bitmap rasterization (including avatars), with less wasted BitmapData.
5. Memory: Menu key art BitmapData is now disposed correctly, and avatar caches are cleared only when the list is actually cleared (avoids empty slots and leftover bitmaps).
6. Fixed Bug where the loading screen could show a black gap or missing key art, render at 2K instead of 4K, or distort the background after a texture restore.
7. Fixed Bug where opening Settings or Language from the title screen still allowed clicks through the scrim onto buttons underneath.
8. Fixed Bug where the Deck Builder always used the landscape layout on desktop.
9. Fixed Bug where custom deck names could store font/HTML markup, vanish on hover, or pick up another deck’s name; deck-name character restrictions are also applied correctly.
10. Player names, deck names, and leaderboard rows with unsupported glyphs (emoji, CJK, and similar) now fall back to system fonts so they still display, while the rest of the UI keeps the game fonts.
11. Localization: Time and date formatting is now localized on the leaderboard, My Standing, and similar screens.
12. Localization: The Random map name now updates when the language changes.
13. Visual polish: buttons and text are sharper (textures snapped to whole-pixel positions). Glow filters no longer over-scale into a thicker, darker glow.
14. Fixed Bug where single-line dynamic text (and GPU glyph rendering) could crop names and labels that already fit.
15. Fixed Bug where lowercase letters such as “y” and “j” were cut off at the bottom of text input fields, and the last line of scrollable text could fail to show.
16. Fixed Bug where desktop Card Collection tabs could leave a gap from the panel, and keyboard/gamepad tab switching could play map SFX even when the map was not on stage. Tab switch SFX now play in Card Collection.
17. Fixed Bug where mouse-wheel scrolling did not work in portrait on desktop.
18. Fixed Bug where switching Google Play accounts, then exiting and relaunching, still loaded the previous account.
19. Fixed Bug where launching Abalon or Abalon Arena from the .app instead of Steam hung forever at “Loading assets 100%”.
20. Fixed Bug where starting the game and closing immediately could throw an uncaught Steam notification-launch error and look like a quit. (Thanks Wesley)
21. Fixed Bug where Steam showed “Exit to Login” and “Switch Account” (Abalon Arena). Those options are removed on Steam.
22. Fixed Bug where Steam Abalon Arena could fail sign-in / stay on Sign-In Required with a stuck red light while Steam auth was still in flight.
23. Fixed Bug where release builds of Abalon Arena did not show room-list rows until the window was resized.
24. Fixed Bug where the Title Screen Multiplayer item could be missing until a resize, because Steam auth had not finished yet.
25. PlayerIO (our realtime multiplayer game service) is no longer connected on every login. Booting into campaign/Tortoise no longer shows PlayerIO connection errors. If both D20Studios and PlayerIO are unreachable, the D20Studios connection message is shown first.
26. Fixed Bug where a Context3D restore could throw Invalid BitmapData (#2015) after returning from background or losing GPU context.
27. Smoother scrolling on the multiplayer room list (especially mobile), and list-row data is prepared once instead of during every scroll tick.
28. Fixed Bug where changing a bot’s team in the lobby also changed your own team after leaving.
29. Fixed Bug where changing your team in a real-time lobby, then returning, kicked you back to Custom Game.
30. Fixed Bug where backing out of a real-time custom lobby required two Back presses on the hub to reach the title screen, or could bounce you back into the lobby.
31. Fixed Bug where the turn timer did not start for the second player in a real-time game (unlimited time), and reconnect did not resume the timer correctly.
32. Fixed Bug where a player still in a live real-time game received “new turn” notifications for that same match.
33. Fixed Bug where an illegal or unentitled selected deck was left selected; the default deck is now chosen instead. Team/deck selection is also kept in sync instead of being wiped by settings.
34. Fixed Bug where leaving a lobby and creating a different mode could keep a map that the new mode does not support.
35. Fixed Bug where resizing on the multiplayer screen switched Arena music back to the default track.
36. Fixed Bug where Abalon Arena failed to orient in portrait (no dragon in the Arena logo).
37. Fixed Bug where the satchel icon appeared for spectators in portrait.
38. Fixed Bug where Sandpit Arena could end after the second wave because a wave win was treated as a full victory and dropped the fight into explore mode.
39. Fixed Bug where retreating could throw a null error after a battle ended. (Thanks tors10)
40. Fixed Bug where the AI wait countdown could throw an exception after the HUD was torn down. (Thanks BEAST)
41. Fixed Bug where combo box labels drifted outside their intended bounds from the dropdown (Game Options and similar screens).
42. Fixed Bug where lore prompts after Victory Continue (and similar path pickups) could bounce in invisible and lock explore. (Thanks Wesley)
43. Fixed Bug where rotating the device (or losing GPU context) could throw an empty texture error (#3694) while rebuilding list cell chrome.
44. Fixed Bug where multiplayer bug reports were attaching the player's full cloud save instead of the match command log.
45. Fixed Bug where Steam could create camp from a leftover tutorial Steam save before D20 login finished, making the campaign look reset (Continue missing). (Thanks icezorg)
46. Fixed Bug where a pending campaign unlock ceremony (cards / tower / summoner XP) could freeze a newly started multiplayer battle so no actions appeared until the buried prompt was confirmed. (Thanks Arianna)
47. Fixed Bug where the promotion prompt after Fast Adventure could appear buried under the Tortoise Fast Adventure UI with dead Continue/View controls. (Thanks Kelly)

Showing Your Support

Many of our players have asked me for a way to help support the continued development of Abalon, so I setup a "Buy Me a Coffee" page where you can make one-time or recurring contributions.

Reviews

If you have a moment, leave a Steam review and tell me what you like and where I can keep improving. You can also share feedback in-game via Menu → Share Feedback.

Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and ongoing support :)

~Ross