Early Access Build 2017.4.11.1 of Pixel: ru² has been rolled out on Steam and with it comes something we've been talking about for quite a while...
Online Leaderboards!
Now when you play Pixel through Steam (or login with your Steam account in-game) your score will be automatically added to the online leaderboard system. The system will score every run you do, but only your best score on each level will be used on the leaderboard. This was done in case we change the scoring algorithm in the future. This way, all the runs can be updated, and if a different one is your best score, that one will be used.
Remember that Pixel is still in Early Access and the leaderboards are subject to change. As we adjust existing levels we may create new boards to help keep things fair, but we'll make sure there are ways to still play the old version too.
Also, if we see any scores that are too good to be true, we'll be removing them unless the player can validate their run.
The Holdup
This is something we've wanted since the start. We spent a long time researching the options that are out there instead of reinventing the wheel, but we just couldn't find one that worked for us. Our scoring system and the security we wanted didn't exist. This means we had to take time to develop it ourselves. It's still not 100% finished yet, but it's finished enough that we can start rolling it out for everyone to enjoy.
If you were at PAX East 2017 you may have seen our system in action. We setup a small network for testing it there. Everything went smoothly and we've spent the last month polishing it up for this release.
The Future
Now that we have an API and back-end to work with, we can continue to grow the online features of Pixel. Leaderboards are just the start. We plan on having tournaments, challenges, and eventually, online multiplayer.
We're bringing back our development stream, so you'll be able to see what we're up to and give your opinion on updates as they're developed.
We also started a Discord server that you can join by going to:
http://discord.c63.in/join
Do you have what it takes to be a zero? Play Pixel and find out!