We just pushed a small maintenance update. This build includes the following:

• Upgraded our MonoGame-SDL2 branch to the latest code (FNA). This should fix a rendering issue that one user was having.
  
• Upgraded to the latest version of the Steam SDK. This just fixes an occasional bug that made the Steam avatars too big on Linux sometimes.
  
• Fixed the granting of Ladybug achievements. They were sometimes granting even if the Ladybug wasn't the piece that moved.
  
• Made the Online Games menu screen not flicker when it updates the list of games.

We just pushed a small maintenance update. This build includes the following:

• Upgraded our MonoGame-SDL2 branch to the latest code (FNA). This should fix a rendering issue that one user was having.
  
• Upgraded to the latest version of the Steam SDK. This just fixes an occasional bug that made the Steam avatars too big on Linux sometimes.
  
• Fixed the granting of Ladybug achievements. They were sometimes granting even if the Ladybug wasn't the piece that moved.
  
• Made the Online Games menu screen not flicker when it updates the list of games.

Tonight we released an update (on Windows, Mac, and Linux simultaneously) which add a handful of new, fun features.

== Elo Ratings & Steam Leaderboards ==
First off are "Elo Ratings" - the same rating system used to rate professional Chess players. These Ratings will be used for the Steam Leaderboards.

The very simple overview is that you'll be rated starting at 1200. If you beat someone at a game of Hive online, their rating will go down and yours will go up. If they're rated much higher than you, the amount you gain is higher. So if you beat someone rated 1400, your score goes up more than if you'd only beaten someone rated 1250. Similarly, if you lose to someone with a very low score, your score would drop more than if you lost to someone with a very high score.

One thing to be aware of is that for this system to work, everyone starts out with a "Provisional" rating until they've played 30 games. If you see someone with a rating with "P" at the end (eg: "1200P") that means that they're still starting out. If you're fully rated, playing against a newbie will NOT affect your score. This makes it easy for you to play new people without worrying that they are really good & their artificially-low score could affect you.

Until you have played 30 rated games, your Elo Rating will NOT be submitted to the Steam Leaderboard since it's not considered to be a highly scientific rating until you've played a decent number of games.

== Private Lobbies ==
If you want to play an online game with a specific friend, now you can create a Private Lobby. If you create a game with a Private Lobby, then your game won't be listed in the list of games in the Online Main Menu. This way, you don't have to worry about strangers joining the game and having to explain to them that you're waiting for someone else.

Since Private Lobbies aren't listed, to get your friend into the game you must use the "Invite Friend" button to invite them in.

== Bugfix ==
We were also made aware of a bug that placing certain pieces after a certain string of events could cause the game to crash. We believe we have this fixed, and this fix is why we rushed this build out without better documentation about the new Elo Ratings ^_^ ...don't tell anyone. But if you saw that bug before, we're sorry: you shouldn't be seeing it again. If you ever see this or any other bugs, please let us know! :)



Alrighty... so get out there and play some online games! Since all players have to play 30 rated games to make it on the Leaderboard, it's going to be a race for the top spots! :D

Tonight we released an update (on Windows, Mac, and Linux simultaneously) which add a handful of new, fun features.

== Elo Ratings & Steam Leaderboards ==
First off are "Elo Ratings" - the same rating system used to rate professional Chess players. These Ratings will be used for the Steam Leaderboards.

The very simple overview is that you'll be rated starting at 1200. If you beat someone at a game of Hive online, their rating will go down and yours will go up. If they're rated much higher than you, the amount you gain is higher. So if you beat someone rated 1400, your score goes up more than if you'd only beaten someone rated 1250. Similarly, if you lose to someone with a very low score, your score would drop more than if you lost to someone with a very high score.

One thing to be aware of is that for this system to work, everyone starts out with a "Provisional" rating until they've played 30 games. If you see someone with a rating with "P" at the end (eg: "1200P") that means that they're still starting out. If you're fully rated, playing against a newbie will NOT affect your score. This makes it easy for you to play new people without worrying that they are really good & their artificially-low score could affect you.

Until you have played 30 rated games, your Elo Rating will NOT be submitted to the Steam Leaderboard since it's not considered to be a highly scientific rating until you've played a decent number of games.

== Private Lobbies ==
If you want to play an online game with a specific friend, now you can create a Private Lobby. If you create a game with a Private Lobby, then your game won't be listed in the list of games in the Online Main Menu. This way, you don't have to worry about strangers joining the game and having to explain to them that you're waiting for someone else.

Since Private Lobbies aren't listed, to get your friend into the game you must use the "Invite Friend" button to invite them in.

== Bugfix ==
We were also made aware of a bug that placing certain pieces after a certain string of events could cause the game to crash. We believe we have this fixed, and this fix is why we rushed this build out without better documentation about the new Elo Ratings ^_^ ...don't tell anyone. But if you saw that bug before, we're sorry: you shouldn't be seeing it again. If you ever see this or any other bugs, please let us know! :)



Alrighty... so get out there and play some online games! Since all players have to play 30 rated games to make it on the Leaderboard, it's going to be a race for the top spots! :D

Today, both the Mac and Linux versions of Hive are released! This means that you can play from any major OS against your friends on any major OS!

If you're not familiar w/the process: you buy the game once and it works on all of the platforms... they're not really different "products".

Please spread the word to any of your friends who run OSX or Linux, and we can continue to build up the online community!

PS: To celebrate the release, the game will be 20% off for the next week! For technical reasons the two-pack can't start its discount until tomorrow, but it looks like all of the other discounts are live right now!

Today, both the Mac and Linux versions of Hive are released! This means that you can play from any major OS against your friends on any major OS!

If you're not familiar w/the process: you buy the game once and it works on all of the platforms... they're not really different "products".

Please spread the word to any of your friends who run OSX or Linux, and we can continue to build up the online community!

PS: To celebrate the release, the game will be 20% off for the next week! For technical reasons the two-pack can't start its discount until tomorrow, but it looks like all of the other discounts are live right now!

Today is awesome.

First off... the Mosquito DLC is now released, so now you can get every expansion for Hive on Steam that exists for the table top version! There are also packages that allow players to buy the entire set at once for a discount from the full price.

Mosquito expansion on Steam[/img]

Secondly... we know it was a long wait for more than a month to get the expansions out, and we really appreciate everyone sticking with us during that time. To show our appreciation, we gave a "gift copy" of Hive to everyone who bought a copy of Hive before yesterday!


Please note that this apparently takes a while for the gift-copies to roll out. They should automatically show up in your Inventory at some point. We've had many reports of people who have the gift-copies already, as well as many reports of users who haven't gotten them yet. Hang in there! If you still don't have it in a few days, please let us know so we can investigate.

Third and finally... there are now Steam Cards and emoticons! Start collecting, crafting, and emoting! I can't wait to get my hands on the :meeple: emoticon!

Today is awesome.

First off... the Mosquito DLC is now released, so now you can get every expansion for Hive on Steam that exists for the table top version! There are also packages that allow players to buy the entire set at once for a discount from the full price.

Mosquito expansion on Steam[/img]

Secondly... we know it was a long wait for more than a month to get the expansions out, and we really appreciate everyone sticking with us during that time. To show our appreciation, we gave a "gift copy" of Hive to everyone who bought a copy of Hive before yesterday!


Please note that this apparently takes a while for the gift-copies to roll out. They should automatically show up in your Inventory at some point. We've had many reports of people who have the gift-copies already, as well as many reports of users who haven't gotten them yet. Hang in there! If you still don't have it in a few days, please let us know so we can investigate.

Third and finally... there are now Steam Cards and emoticons! Start collecting, crafting, and emoting! I can't wait to get my hands on the :meeple: emoticon!

The Ladybug DLC is now available for Hive! If you have the Ladybug, you can host a game with the Ladybug in it even if your guest hasn't unlocked the Ladybug yet.

The Ladybug's full price is $2.99 but will be on a launch discount at $1.97 for the first week!


Ladybug expansion on Steam

We want to be very transparent with our pricing plans, so check out this pricing post for exact details on how we expect everything to be priced. In short: if you buy the expansions as they come out, you will get almost the exact same discount as if you bought all three expansions bundled with the game.

If you have the table top version of the game, you also may want to consider buying the Ladybug expansion pieces (UK) for that as well :)

Enjoy the Ladybug! Please let us know if you find any issues with it.

We'll keep working on the Mosquito and hope to have it out at the end of this month or in the first half of May. :)

The Ladybug DLC is now available for Hive! If you have the Ladybug, you can host a game with the Ladybug in it even if your guest hasn't unlocked the Ladybug yet.

The Ladybug's full price is $2.99 but will be on a launch discount at $1.97 for the first week!


Ladybug expansion on Steam

We want to be very transparent with our pricing plans, so check out this pricing post for exact details on how we expect everything to be priced. In short: if you buy the expansions as they come out, you will get almost the exact same discount as if you bought all three expansions bundled with the game.

If you have the table top version of the game, you also may want to consider buying the Ladybug expansion pieces (UK) for that as well :)

Enjoy the Ladybug! Please let us know if you find any issues with it.

We'll keep working on the Mosquito and hope to have it out at the end of this month or in the first half of May. :)