u6.0.0!
Changes to the scoring system:
Combos are now added before chips. Previously it was the other way around; in fact, the 3 types of combos had their own animations, which I'm now removing. This allows chips that can multiply base or multi.
I've also added a visualizer showing the sum of the 3 combos. This was highly requested and makes sense.
I removed the text below the score goal that indicated the step (e.g. "MODS", "CARDS") because it caused visual clutter. I also plan to keep making visual changes to the scoring.
I added clarifications to each sticker tooltip indicating whether their effects can be retriggered or not.
New content:
10 NEW STICKERS.
8 NEW CHIPS.
New sticker colors!
Ocean / Stack / Killshot / Burst / Priority
New sticker shapes!
Saw / Hourglass / Parallelepiped / Stagnant / Cross
New chip colors!
Violet / Red / Starlight
New chip shapes!
Boomerang / Real Hexagon / Star
I reworked the Shapeless chip. It now accumulates extra base in more ways.
New chip numbers!
Ultranumber / Numberless
There are now new independent stickers (only shape/color). These stickers change only one trait and don't overwrite the others.
I also added clarification in their tooltips: they no longer replace other sticker attributes.
Changed all sticker shop stock logic and pricing.
Changed all sticker acquisition logic from packs, cards, etc.
Changed all chip shop stock logic.
Reworked the Tray Shape Pack: it now gives more chip variety and guarantees a special sticker.
Chip tooltips are now longer, so in the Pocket Visualizer, if a tooltip would collide with the top edge, its position shifts to the right.
That's all.
I still need to keep balancing things: score goal scaling, item prices, etc. The game can be a bit difficult, but I'm gradually making it easier. Several systems are being buffed over time.
The game usually suffocates players who are trying to build strong setups. I'm designing new systems to reward players for taking risks.
I want you to understand something important: the internal mechanics are hidden (at least for now, since they change a lot every patch). Explaining exactly what's happening under the hood would ruin the fun. Maybe in the future I'll document every system, but for now, with such volatility in design, I prefer to keep testing quietly.
What I want to avoid is players always using the same build or forcing a single strategy. That's when I make adjustments. For example, I had to nerf score goal reduction mechanics (like Green Tube), because spamming reduction broke the experience and made everything too easy. Some mechanics can put the game in a very fragile state, so I need to be careful when tuning them.
I don't have many players tackling high difficulties yet. Please be patient. balance improves with every patch, but I can't guarantee perfection. Every new content update shifts the meta, and with so few people testing new builds, it's hard to draw conclusions. I'm almost alone in this.
Coming soon: new consumables, mods, pockets, and whatever else is needed to make the game feel complete. Once there's no lack of content in any area, I'll move on to releasing many small QoL patches and other improvements that enhance the player experience, especially visually. My current priority is filling the game with new items to increase variety. After that, I'll focus on everything else.