Some users have reported trouble running Slipstream, the game crashes at startup and never runs properly. It affects especially people on laptops with core i3 processors, and seems to be related to a bug in the JVM being used by the game.

Slipstream requires a java runtime environment to run, and it includes its own customized (reduced) JVM for this purpose. The version I was using previously was pretty old (JRE 8), and the problem seemed to be related to that particular version, so I updated the underlying system to the latest version, JRE 10.

The practical effects: if the game was running fine, hopefully it will continue running fine. If the game crashes at startup, hopefully it won't anymore.

However, there is a small compromise: JRE 10 doesn't seem to support 32-bit systems, so the game will only run on 64 bit systems from now on. I don't think this will be a big problem, most people are running 64-bit OSes by now, but IF there is significant demand for 32-bit compatibility, I will revert back to JRE 8. If not, I'll leave it as it is now.

If this goes well, it will fix THE #1 most reported problem with the game, and I'll be free to work on new features from now on.

If you find any problems, get in touch with me via email. Thanks.

The Slipstream 1.0.2 patch is now live.

Changelog:
- The #1 most requested feature is now implemented: fully customizable keybindings for both keyboard and gamepads. (NOTE: Slipstream only has *official* support for Xbox Controllers, both 360 and One. I can't guarantee that any other type of controller will work, but they may).

- The AI system has been pretty much completely rewritten, the AI should feel more "real" now. This is a lot of new code and it may get small updates/patches over the next weeks.

- The car collision physics have also been rewritten.

- Quick Race mode can now be customized. You can choose between 1 (racing alone) to 30 racers on the track, and also the number of laps.

- A cumulative timer has been added to Grand Prix mode.

- Various parts of the main menu have been changed. Most notably, now you can see a more detailed view of your save file's progress.

- Various bugfixes and small tweaks

That's all.

The latest update to Slipstream has been published, and it brings the minimum requirements down to the lowest possible versions of OpenGL and related libraries. Hopefully this will fix compatibility issues some users have been reporting. There were also small changes to the gameplay, mainly reducing the amount of traffic on arcade mode, which has been an issue for some people.

Some users have raised the topic of key mapping, since Slipstream doesn't allow it yet. I have taken note and will try to add this feature on the next update. If the compatibility problems are fixed, I'm gonna start working on the 1.1 version ASAP, which will include a local multiplayer mode. That's all for now.