hi everyone! pluto here, just wanted to give a brief update before the holidays on what we're working on behind the scenes, as well as provide a very small patch for CPU difficulty. enjoy!
## PATCH 1.6.3, EASIER CPU SETTINGS ##
this is a quick patch to include a difficulty setting for CPU's. you can now select easy or hard after adding them to your match. the "easy" CPU setting should provide a nicer training method for newer players. the "hard" CPU's are the same ones that were already implemented in the game.
this was cooked up pretty quickly just to give new players a way to practice without needing to go online and fight players who are more experienced. in the future, we would like to add more difficulty settings for CPU's, but we wanted to push this update as quickly as possible to give newer players a better experience.
# WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON #
## mods / workshop support ##
this remains our #1 goal for AFQM, as we feel it really adds to the longevity and replayablity of the game. also, i just really want to see what you guys come up with!
as stated in previous updates, fully custom stages are implemented, but now we need the ability for stages to load custom scripts and spawn custom objects, because characters will need the ability to create these objects. there are still a lot of things that need added, like proper integration with steam workshop, modding documentation, and testing online to ensure everything runs smoothly, but the most difficult part (actually getting custom characters to load properly without the need of the game engine) is almost finished!
## in-game tutorial ##
while modding/workshop is a top priority for plaguye at the moment, i plan on contracting an additional developer (most likely after the holdays) to whip up a long overdue in-game tutorial, to better explain the mechanics of this game. while i originally created this game as a fun way to just do cool combos, it's obviously taken on a life of its own, and a step-by-step, in depth guide is very needed for newcomers. this was always planned, but needing to rework the online infrastructure, as well as fixing in-game bugs and balance issues, took priority for many months.
## character #5 ##
our 5th character is also actively being worked on! this is essentially my only task at the moment, so i'm hoping their development will go quickly. i will not be giving a hard date for their release though, because something bad happens every single time i do that and i miss the date lol.
anyway, character 5's weapon of choice will be a lengthy spear! his gameplay will be focused on keeping you at specific distances to maximize their damage output. (no, they are not a marth clone, i promise). they will also have 2 special moves i'm particularly excited about, because i haven't quite seen it done before in a platfighter, but i will keep it a secret until i make sure it's actually going to work. i don't want to keep their entire development a secret though, so once i have some concrete footage, i'll share it with you all, and maybe even livestream working on them towards the end!
## thank you for a great 2025 ##
i'm still blown away by the reception this game received. halfway through this year i had no idea what i was going to do with my life. i was out of money and out of time, and instead of getting a regular 9 to 5, i doubled down, worked 18 hours a day for 2 months straight alongside plaguye, and created/released A FEW QUICK MATCHES hoping it would sell just enough copies to get me out of debt. now, over 130,000 people have downloaded this little game, and i have enough resources to fund this game to its endpoint, as well as stickfigurez, and even future games. i know a huge part of it is luck, but i'm still proud of this game and the team that helped bring it to life! thank you all for playing A FEW QUICK MATCHES!