Early Access version 29

MAIN CHANGES

Content-wise, the main change is the addition of three new chicken breeds (Slob, Toxic, and Coward). Each has its own unique mechanics. I won’t spoil anything here – you’re welcome to comment on them after you’ve encountered them in the game (they start appearing in difficulties >40%).

In terms of mechanics, key boosts for several mission types have been scaled back to 100%. They’ll be adjusted back to reasonable values in the coming week.

Technically, the major addition is “borderless” mode (which is in fact the default now). The whole Graphics -> Advanced options screen has been redesigned. Let me know of any weird graphical behaviour.

In other news, Noob October has been postponed for now. In fact, due to unforeseen circumstances, development might slow down or even be halted completely for the upcoming weeks. We’ll be back to our regular programming (literally) as soon as humanly possible.

COMPATIBILITY

You will lose:

  • any in-mission progress
  • any menu options you have configured

CHANGELOG

:new: New features – :bulb: Tweaks – :bug: Bug fixes – :gear: Internal changes

  • :gear: Deleted users that haven’t logged in in the past 4 weeks and have less than an hour of playtime.
  • :bug: Boss Crab B is now strong against bio instead of fire (to match Crabs A and C). (@anon27929001 :medal_sports: Bug)
  • :new: Graphics options now support window, borderless, or fullscreen (@Rimik13 :medal_sports: Idea)
  • :bulb: “Smaller explosions and screen shakes” has been renamed to “Tone down effects”, and it now also affects whether upon-death power-ups are raised above explosions (@Traveller :medal_sports: Idea)
  • :bulb: Space Race missions: Starfield scrolls faster (even in boss waves) (@Sammarald :medal_sports: Idea)
  • :bug: “Most active recruit” is now sorted by waves (as usual) and then by decreasing time taken (new) (@Traveller :medal_sports: Bug)
  • :bug: The number of keys that non-Invasion mission types drop in between waves now depends on difficulty (was previously constant) (@anon27929001 :medal_sports: Bug)
  • :gear: Callsigns with too many emoji are now disallowed.
  • :gear: Increased zap sounds simultaneous limit from 2 to 4 (to assist with sound cut-off in all-Chickenaut waves)
  • :bug: Increased screen edge margins for all waves so that larger enemies enter/leave the screen completely.
  • :gear: Randomized pulsation phase of “interdimensional portals” (GroupSpawner) – only apparent in “Magic Flute” wave.
  • :new: Added “Slob” chicken breed.
  • :new: Added “Toxic” chicken breed.
  • :new: Added “Coward” chicken breed.
  • :bulb: Key boosts for Comet/Supernova/Droid/Meteor/Retro are temporarily reduced to 100%

BACKUPS

You are reminded that during Early Access you are responsible for backing up your own progress. Make a copy of everything under C:\ProgramData\InterAction studios\CIU (including all sub-folders).

19 Likes

Let’s see the new chickens!

2 Likes

I found 2 already, though I’m not sure what one is exactly.

SPOILER

Summary

It’s small and blue and shoots waste instead of eggs
I guess is the slob one.

Those toxic chickens might be a bit problematic if they were to spawn on waves like Pulsating Grid.

1 Like

We had the same thought.
The first time I saw them I developed an instant phobia. They haven’t gotten me yet, but the will be problematic indeed.

They are prevented from spawning in certain waves (Pulsating Grid included)

13 Likes

You sure? I believe they start appearing on difficulties higher than 40%

But…that’s exactly what they said.
Or that’s what they meant,at least

That’s the “less than” symbol. I interpreted as they stop appearing over 40%.

Edited my post because i just noticed that,but I’m pretty sure they used it the right way. Try putting any number on the left. Like 41%>40%. You’ll see that’s actually correct

1 Like

That’s the “greater than” symbol. It means they appear at 40% or higher.

Which is not to say that you’ll definitely encounter them on all waves greater than 40%… the randomizer comes into play as well.

I’m dumb. Thanks.

If you’re in doubt,you can always add a number on the other side.
Try for example 45%>40%. You can see that it makes sense.

Yeah, just… I don’t know what I was thinking.

You are drunk, neutral swiss. Go home, neutral swiss.

Okay, found toxic and one I will guess it’s the coward. I need to find the third.

Jokes on you, I’m currently sick in bed.

1 Like

I’m excited to see ver 29

Ouch. Borderless 1920x1080 window.

Oh! Get well soon my friend.

2 Likes

I encountered all three of them. I first encountered the ‘coward’ chickens (quotes because I encountered the 3 by 3 wave and these chickens were firing coordinated barrages of waste, even though they weren’t a real problem, I brought it up because cowards are generally not as well coordinated when firing than other other people.)
Then the toxic chicken came (by far the easiest to identify), in Terminator chickens they complicated things a little bit but still got out alive.
Finally I saw the slob, but I killed it before it could do anything :frowning.

And this all happened in one mission, and I died twice, one willingly because I wanted to know the effect of entering the toxic cloud that forms after those toxic chickens die, and second, the Henterprise’s secondary lasers got me.

1 Like