Hey everyone, we fixed a few major and minor bugs including :

- Style mode music now doesn't suddenly cut out
- Uploaded scores are now correct
- Minor UI improvements and fixes

Huge thanks to Shiny1 on twitch for hilariously finding these bugs.
https://www.twitch.tv/theshiny1

Enjoy!

Fixed the following bugs :

• Mines no longer get less effective the longer you play in Arcade and Style.
  
• UI Score no longer jumps around.

- Fixed a bug where the whip and other visual effects were missing

It's here, it's done! We hope you enjoy Shwip. Please join our community on Discord.

https://discord.gg/zMtdKrYu9j

Again, thanks for all the support from our fans.

What's changed since early access?

• We've completely redone the input system, allowing for all types of controllers now. We used to only support xbox.
  
• Added a new Tutorial mode to help introduce mechanics.
  
• Finalized Style mode after all your wonderful feedback.
  
• Completely redid how teams work in multiplayer. You can now form even or uneven teams.
  
• Implemented various UX improvements for menus and other screens.
  
• Rejigged many new under the hood mechanics to make porting to other platforms easier.
  
• Balanced and rejigged minefield and arcade modes after player feedback.
  
• Added and adjusted visual effects like mine explosions, magnets and spawns. PLUS we made the whip look super badass!
  
• Added adjustable visual settings for particle effects.
  
• Added new sound effects and cleaned up others.
  
• Added new tracks for style mode.
  
• Fixed an insane list of over 200 bugs and small annoying items.

What took so long?

Looking back, we overestimated how long we would be in early access and after all this time, we're finally here. There is no rule book for launching and building games, it's our first go at this and we're doing the best we can. Thanks for hanging on, and we hope you enjoy Shwip!

A huge thanks to our fans and followers

Through your feedback, your videos, your laughter and undying love for the game - we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

SHWIP V2.0.5 release notes :

- Added a much needed tutorial mode for new players
- Fixed a shwipball teams bug
- Improved mine explosions and other visual tweaks
- Fixed a few audio bugs
- More bug fixes surrounding inputs

Thank for sticking with us everyone! We'll be out of Early Access in no time :D

Thanks to the awesome feedback from the Discord community, we added the following to V2.0.1.

Improvements & Additions

• Mine detonation time has been increased.
  
• Adjusted difficulty of Arcade mode.
  
• Added new spawn sounds for smaller enemy spawn events.
  
• Made Strife (purple) enemies shoot faster and more accurately.
  
• Minefield: Checkpoints no longer expire and remain at 1 second at the end of its countdown.
  
• Minefield: Checkpoint bonus gives you points instead of time now.
  
• Minefield: Increased the checkpoint damage radius.
  
• Minefield: Shows indicators for where checkpoints are located outside of players camera.
  
• Minefield: The shield is no longer spongy.
  
• Integrated Discord Rich Presence.
  
• Added UI interface sound effects.
  
• Implemented a better Keyboard/Mouse control scheme page.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed bug where the camera would lose track of the player in spectacular fashion.
  
• Target fixation achievement now works as intended.
  
• Local leaderboards now post scores properly.
  
• Quick restart now works for all connected controllers.
  
• Stats screen shows more... stats.

Join the discord community for real time feedback and discussions.

Wow! It’s been a while… Let’s get right to it.

What’s been added?

• A brand new input system
  Which means you can use a multitude of older generation controllers. We tested with OG xbox dukes on a mac – so compatibility with your devices should be great.
• Added new input styles
  Including inverted stick direction, boost control and others.
• Added new Style modeThis mode gives you a bunch of tasks to complete. When you complete enough, your ship can enter turbo mode where you gain an insane amount of points. Watch yourself though, because you have a limited amount of lives.
• New enemy behavior
  We’ve rewritten enemy AI for the wolfpack, purge and strife to make them smarter, faster and more difficult – just what you need when trying to hit those high scores.
• Revamped whip mechanic
  Eliminating an enemy with the whip now gives you a small chance to regen your health, perfect for keeping your multiplier high.
• Revamped secondary whip mechanic
  You can no longer drop the whip behind you. Players thought it was a bug, so we now allow you to shoot the whip out like a bullet.
• Revamped mines
  Mines will now automatically detonate after letting them go
• Added info screens to the beginning of each mode
  These screens give you some information about the mode and how the mechanics work, and also displays the relevant controls so you are no longer confused.
• Added Teams to multiplayer
  You can now team up with your buddies and dominate shwip-ball
• Revamped multiplayer joining
  Along with the teams addition, we reworked how players join a multiplayer game. No more accidental quitting! You can enter a lobby, fly around and choose a team.
• Added Names to multiplayer
  Players noticed it was hard to keep track of where you were on screen, so we added nametags. Never lose yourself again!
• UX/UI Enhancements overall
  From menus to info screens to gameover, we’ve made the user experience much better throughout the entire game.
• New music added!
  Our excellent audio producer Elezeid put together some insane new tracks for you to enjoy. You’ll be able to purchase the Official Shwip soundtrack soon, so stay tuned to our twitter for details and dates.
• Minefield enhancements
  We’ve made it easier for you to judge the effect radius of each checkpoint. Also added is a new indicator for how much time you get per checkpoint PLUS a new bonus mechanic that rewards faster players.
• Brand new particle and visual effects
  We’ve introduced a new lighting and particle system to triple the amount of effects we previously had. PLUS, the new system utilizes your GPU rather than CPU so the game should run even smoother while pumping out more FX.
• Added a particle amount sliderFor those who want less visual clutter, we’ve added a slider to adjust particles.
• Improved PC controls
  Keyboard & Mouse just wasn’t very good before. We introduced some new button combinations, though we still think a gamepad is the best way to experience the game, can’t leave our pc master race squad behind.
• Fixed over 300 bugs!
• Other small tweaks to weapons and backend systems you’ll never see unfortunately.

Thanks for sticking by us. We're looking for feedback so feel free to head on over to the Community hub and let us know. Shwip will officially leave early access after this patch so stay tuned for more information.

We’ve showcased Shwip at several events over the years and we’ve come across the same key messages several times. Some players will instantly grasp the control style and gameplay, and some will have trouble – ultimately ending in frustration. We want Shwip to be enjoyed by everyone possible, so we set out to create a series of enhancements to our user experience.

Shwip has a pretty complex set of controls to grasp when first getting hold of the controller or keyboard so it’s no surprise that there can be some level of frustration. Early on, we admittedly assumed players would grasp the control styles after a series of playthroughs, but we’ve changed our tone after hearing so much of the same feedback.

We’ll start with what we originally had, and move on to the new and improved screens, so get comfy!

Shwip currently has 4 distinct game modes and 4 control styles. Each mode has different elements unique to that mode. Some modes share control elements, while others remove and add others – there’s no wonder players were confused.

Our first series of enhancements was to the control layout screen.



The screenshot above shows our first attempt at a controls screen. Notice anything wrong? There’s currently no way to know what controls exist for other modes. Time to fix that.



This new controls screen will now show players the different modes and their unique controls styles. The new unity input system has certainly made it easier to create unique bindings and showcase them, so thanks for all the hard work Unity!

Let’s move on to mode enhancements.

As mentioned earlier, each game mode has a unique set of controls. Originally, we had two separate areas to let players know what they were in for.




These two screenshots show how we let users know about the game mode they’re about play. While informative, they don’t exactly go out of their way to embed themselves into the players mind. Originally, you had to dig through a series of menus to get the information, we set to change that.



Our second attempt aimed to give players more of an overview of the unique aspects of each mode. The additions seen here was a direct response to the feedback we got from players during our roadshows. These screens appear before you start a game, and give players a chance to read more about the mode. Furthermore, they can dismiss these screens so they don’t show up the next time you play ( which happens a lot 😉 ).

Unfortunately, these screens suffered from a serious flaw. They were flat images. Realistically, players will have a large variety of control types and situations. We assumed most players would use an Xbox controller, and geared our UI to that. What we forgot, and partially due to the old Unity input system being so lackluster, was a complete disregard for pc and keyboard users. So again, we set to change that.




The screenshot above is our newest game information screen. The screens now display dynamic control styles depending on which device the player is using. Awesome! We hope this new series of screens helps players grasp the game modes better, enabling them to play as we originally intended. The screens even go as far as to display BOTH keyboard and gamepad buttons in multiplayer.



The screenshot shows how the UI changes to display a pair of control styles – all dynamic and updates in real time. Those enhancements continue to the new team selection screen for multiplayer.



We’re a two person team here at Jamhammer Games with a lot to learn about game design and how it affects our players. This experience has helped us gain a new respect for our players and those who have tested Shwip for us over the years. Look forward to these improvements in our next Update due soon on Steam! Take care.

Check out a short glimpse into some alpha gameplay for Style mode. Currently we have a task system in place. Completing said tasks will give you a nice boost for your turbo-meter, and once that is full you'll be able to utilize a few new abilities including a shield and slow-motion! Stay tuned for more updates, we'll be posting minor milestones for feedback.