Hey y'all! We've got a really big playtest dropping today, and heads up, this is gonna be our last playtest build for a while, so we're extra excited to get everyone's feedback on it.
Quick note before you jump in: I know I've been hyping up the new levels, but this build is actually pared down to even fewer contracts on purpose. I want focused feedback on some of the bigger mechanical changes we've made this round, and plenty more levels are still coming.
Want to keep checking out the Grass and not lose access? Come hang in the Discord and make sure you're signed up for our beta program. That's how you keep Grass with us going forward.
Not in any particular order, just gonna run through 'em:
Y'all talked a lot about not loving the trip back to the van every time you wanted to swap your active tool. So we added a new radial selection tool, and now you can switch tools on the go, wherever you are. The one exception: if you're mowing or picking up trash, you'll still need to head back to the van to empty your hopper before switching. Everything else, swap freely. Way fewer back-and-forth van trips.
The flamethrower, water cannon, and vacuum are no longer press-and-hold. They're just toggle on/off now. Really want your reactions here: does this feel more intuitive and comfortable? It was especially rough with the vacuum. Getting to your spot while holding the button and flipping it on and off was tedious. Now you flip it on and drive. Let me know how the toggle feels.
There's a new upgrades tab in here. It's very much a work in progress, with lots more UI/UX coming, but you can start messing with some new upgrades:
Curious what folks think about these.
The van got a big overhaul, including a new service bay. That's where you'll go to complete contracts, repair your van, and do things like changing the cut height on your blades. There aren't any contracts in this playtest, but future builds will have clients requesting different cut heights. In the meantime, it's fun to check out the visual differences between cut heights, and you can make some fun drawings with 'em.
We've been working to make more of the level interactable, so you should be able to tip things over, and use the vacuum to pick up and move around bigger objects.
The gnomes, and some other things, are now burnable. Go nuts. You can also try burning the goose. I wouldn't recommend it, but you can try.
Added a few more companions. Really excited to see everyone's reactions to these.
The vacuum now has a carry-weight aspect, so your van moves a little slower while you're hauling objects around.
A ton of new audio: the mower, the blade, the van, the goose, plus audio occlusion. Definitely let us know how everything's sounding.
Big one: I redid the tutorial, so it's shorter and more focused now. Really curious how new folks experience it. A lot of it'll change once we launch with the story updates, but hopefully it's a clearer time. Even if you've played before, give it a look and tell me your thoughts.
That's the rundown! Jump in, break stuff, burn a gnome (maybe leave the goose alone), and drop your feedback in the Discord.