March 10 is the first anniversary of this game!
This weekend there is a discount

A week ago I was working with a group of 32 semi-active alpha testers, now over 2000 beta testers have signed up to try Robo Instructus. I've already received a lot of great feedback that will help improve the game. Thanks very much to everyone that sent in their thoughts!

One main theme that's coming through is the learning difficulty spike that happens at the 5th level. Improving this, then, is the main objective of beta-1.2. This version adds new levels & reworks some to spread out the cognitive load of learning the new concepts. It also better explains variable scoping which becomes quite important around this point.

So please try out these new levels and features and let me know what you think. Steam should update the game automatically.

• Add new usable tile "power switch" and new level designed to better introduce the robo_use() function in isolation from other new concepts.
  
• Rework (previously 6th) level to incorporate power switches and location data stores.
  
• Add "Scope" primer explaining variable scope rules.
  
• Rework the first level with direction data stores, try to simplify the necessary concepts used here.
  
• Reorder code reference primer sections to be less confusing.

• Rework first level tutorial. Remove initial code which can cause confusion.
  
• Move game speed tutorial to during 2nd level.
  
• Don't auto increase from speed 1 -> speed 2 after completing first level.
  
• Fix error sound triggering twice in some cases when the robot falls.
  
• Fix render bug in title screen after viewing the code reference.
  
• Linux: Build with older glibc to support Ubuntu 16.04.
  
• Replace message images with actual in-game renders.
  
• Fix quoted message display issue.
  
• Avoid mipmapping where possible to lower VRAM usage.
  
• Improve company message wording.
  
• Move loop-III tutorial one level earlier.

• Support more languages #120
  
• Tutorial about alternate debugging keys #121
  
• Auto-correct capitalisation errors #122
  
• Change flow so unlocks happen after scores #123
  
• Improve hint explaining the program restarts at each level-variant? #125
  
• Add copy/paste from code reference #126
  
• buttons clicks sometimes not working #128
  
• Improve pause code-phase highlight #129
  
• Investigate jerky performance (texture vram usage?) #130
  
• Allow custom color themes #131
  
• Add profile deletion #133
  
• `if robo_scan() is 1 or 2` error message missing suggestion #134
  
• Name levels #136
  
• Intel shadow image render bug #137
  
• Index for code-reference primer sections #138

Early Access Patch #12 03/08/19 is now live on steam so if you haven't yet, restart your games and pixel lobby servers to receive it. Verify your files to get the update instantly.

As we get closer to 1.0, you're gonna start seeing some big pushes for polish while we continue to work on story mode. This patch brings some much-desired combat HUD enhancements as well as further animation/balance updates.

Also, as a reminder, Oreo of our QA team will be hosting a Post-Patch Stream on Monday March 11 at 3pm PT. Same place as always: https://www.twitch.tv/manesix

Read on...

The JD Bar now has an animation when filled and changes color as JDG is tightened.

• Yellow is the beginning of JDG
  
• Orange is Average JDG
  
• Red is high JDG (Time to wrap up that combo!)
  
• Pink is insane JDG (How are you not done yet? CALM DOWN)

An 'invalid' combo is a combo that could have been teched out of at a certain point.

• The combo number will change color if at any point your opponent could have teched out of your combo
  
• Another number will show up underneath the color change to display on which hit of the current combo the opponent could have gotten out of it
  
• Up to 3 failure points can be displayed at once (at which point how and why are they still letting you get away with this? HIT SOME BUTTONS, NEVER GIVE UP)

Expressions are context sensitive, for example "in hitstun", "performing super", "low health", etc.



Characters now strike a pose when chosen in character select! These are still a bit of a work in progress. We hope to finalize the animations by next patch. (it's still Early Access, after all)



JDG value is now displayed in advanced data. This number is only ever affected after JD is filled



Frame data in Advanced Training mode now display division lines every 5 frames. This was long overdue and we apologize to all the lab monsters out there



We've applied a layer of polish to Oleander and Fred's portraits in the tutorial. Fred is now much more pointy

• The Gas Mask accessory is now a face slot item. It was formerly a head slot item
  
• Shadow characters in the Salt Mines now have proper in-fight palettes
  
• There is now an icon in the server select menu that tells you which map it's hosting (though only Velvet's lobby is officially supported until next patch)

• Replaced Oleander's Intermediate 5 combo trial
  
• You can no longer block during backdash -> jump startup

• Fixed an issue that caused Trample's recovery to prematurely disable counterhit, including on block
  
• 6B hurtbox no longer totally clears the average height of an A
  
• Running now continues if you pass your opponent
  
• Trample animation updated
  
• Trample startup no longer slides forward before launching
  
• Fixed several cases where Trample could be cancelled into Level 2, even if the opponent has not been hit directly
  
• 2C now has a new animation

• Velvet now has several new animations for casting ice missiles and snowballs for air and ground
  
• 214A and C have new ice animations. B's ice animation now crumbles
  
• 623(ATK) ice animations now crumble
  
• 214A and C no longer work strangely when Velvet is under the effects of another Velvet's level 2 frost effect (...finally)

• Teleport C can now properly be counterhit
  
• Running now continues if you pass your opponent

• Can crouch cancel forward dashes again
  
• The first backdash of the match no longer has 1 additional frame of invulnerability (...yep!)

• Air normals can no longer be cancelled into specials on whiff
  
• B animation updated

Original article by XOOM here

The highly anticipated 1.36 "Hybrid Supply" (the mixture of moveable supply and town based garrisons) is rapidly approaching Closed Beta! We expect a full release this April once we complete a two week open beta "burn-in" process to educate players of how 1.36 works and of course help us refine any last little tweaks so that we can have a very successful launch. This has been an extraordinary project and will dramatically improve the way the campaign is played. Please continue reading to learn a bit more about the software release process involved with this major update.

We're getting awfully close to 1.36 Hybrid Supply coming to CLOSED BETA. We'll be inviting our Builders and High Command officers simultaneously to try it out, for up to a week, and we have a hopeful goal to be in CLOSED BETA of 1.36 by the end of this month, March. Barring any major item popping up, we reserve the right to be in April if required on this. But that's our goal, end of this month - YES it is getting closer!

Our developers and testers have been working on this hardcore and understand how urgent it is to stabilize the WWII Online Campaign experience. So this should be wonderful news to you all.

OPEN BETA / SOFT RELEASE

We'll be going into Open Beta immediately following Closed Beta / any fixes required during that time. Open Beta will be 1.36 deployment on the LIVE CAMPAIGN SERVER and will require a full-stop interruption of the Campaign. Regardless of the Campaign's state, when Open Beta is ready for deployment, we will be calling the Campaign to a DRAW. So be ready, you've got the heads up.

The decision to place 1.36 on the Campaign server comes from me directly. Not to upset anyone, but to ensure maximum play-testing and getting you all up to speed with what is happening.

Open Beta should be considered a "soft-release," and after that two week "burn-in" period, we'll be calling 1.36 officially live and run it alongside a Campaign.

I need everyone to understand how important this is and be excited about what's before us. This is the most anticipated release of WWII Online in a very longtime, as it impacts the way the Campaign is played out. So we need maximum activity and positive / collaborative feedback rolling throughout. Everyone should be stoked who has been looking for this.

RELEASE

Once we've passed Open Beta and our team has knocked out any last things that creeped up, we will go into the regular Campaign. We will run a "Welcome Back Soldier" so that all of our players can come back in and check things out, alongside our new product plan offers (which will be announced shortly).

I hope you're ready - it's almost here!



We engaged heavily with the community and even our people internally about our original plans for 1.36, and we've made some changes that we think are going to do better to meet the best of both worlds, that being town based supply and what we know today with TOE's / Brigades. We know that there are some issues with High Command officers and players have to do to keep the current system running, for those of you stepping up to HC and holding the line (we salute you big time!). But it's our duty to make some changes and do the very best we can so that we set you up for success. So here are some short notes about what 1.36 will be about (now) and why this will have a very big impact on game play. It should be noted that several of our goals as announced last year still remain, so while this may be a bit redundant (and obvious to some of you vets) we're going to be sure to list them out again so everyone knows what we're trying to do.

Primary Goals Include:

• Stabilizing the Campaign map during ALL time zones.
• Providing more supply for the players throughout the entire theatre of operations.
• Redeploying High Command's focus on cultivating great community relations and massive coordinated battles.
• Providing greater opportunity for organization via planned operations.
  
  • We're looking to incorporate a newer version of web HC tools to connect with web Squad tools as well.
• Bring the value back to squads by incorporating them as part of the HC structure.
• Completely revitalize the approach with HC by enabling voting brigade leadership and upwards (minus central command).
• MASSIVE overhaul of the user interface so that it is easier to follow, with a better design to direct users into action and more user friendly.
• Restoring rear line re-supply and interdiction operations.
• Continuing to give HC a role that can lead the player base
• Reduce the pressure HC officers with workload, and reduce blowback from community
• Continue to have move-able supply to maintain diverse game play

This will be achieved by:

• Enabling garrison supply across the frontlines, and one town to its rear.
• Enabling the continuation of move-able flags that are supplemental (not the standard).
• Refactor how players spawn in to simplify the user interface.
• Make the movement of garrison supply based on automatic conditions according to map outcomes.
• There will always be a frontline with garrison supply, regardless of how the lines are presented on the map.
• There will always be a rear town with garrison supply behind and adjacent to the frontline town.
• Allied forces will be capable of changing ownership of their towns (US / FR / UK) via HC options commands

• 1，开局的基础新手指引更加简单直观。
  
• 2，在集市出售货物时，背包里数量大于0的物品会和数量等于0的物品区分颜色。出售按钮改为在售。
  
• 3，窗口模式改为1280*720，全屏对非宽屏更加友好，之前非宽屏出门按钮容易被UI遮挡，还有一些UI的小问题，现在已经改进了。在剧情介绍时候下一页都在一个位置了。
  
• 4，任务介绍对新手更加友好。（之前是需要什么，现在会告诉你怎么获得有什么用。）
  
• 5，招聘员工以后也会自动存档，之前是强化，打造，加载，每个月自动存档或者手动存档。

Hey everyone,

So our early access IS FINALLY OUT, but unfortunately you can't play it at the moment... yikes..... Apparently the download link is broken and once you click it, it refreshes the store page. We are aware of this and will try to work with Valve to resolve this issue.

We deeply apologize. Hopefully, it'll be resolved as soon as possible.

Martin


UPDATE: Our happy little accident is resolved! Early access is now live and downloadable, for real! Goodnight Zzz

0.16.14 (Testing branch)
- Added Force Feedback effects for gamepad
- Mouse Wheel up and down now switch tools
- Fixed landscape getting all flat when your FOV is over 110. Can now go to 120 without making the landscape look bad
- Fixed problems with cube stomp not activating shot buttons sometimes
- Added hint for harddisk puzzle (hint is in front of rattle hag arena)
- Improved languages
- Added Finnish translation
- Fixed being able to get stuck in chest top
- Added trading cards etc (awaiting valve approval)
- Supraball Pitch guy now leaves his store when you bought all things
- If you color yourself your gun now also gets colored for a moment, to make it more obvious what happened to you
- "Full!" sign when you cannot pickup anymore coins is now much bigger, because people kept missing it
- Fixed that there is no more music if you die during the endboss puzzle and respawn
- Small improvements

PST (UTC -8): Saturday, March 9, 2019 4:00 PM – Sunday, March 10, 2019 4:59 PM (PDT)
EST (UTC -5): Saturday, March 9, 2019 7:00 PM – Sunday, March 10, 2019 7:59 PM (EDT)
CET (UTC +1): Sunday, March 10, 2019 1:00 AM – Monday, March 11, 2019 12:59 AM
AEDT (UTC +11): Sunday, March 10, 2019 11:00 AM – Monday, March 11, 2019 10:59 AM

Join us on Sunday (UTC) for some special perks! All day long, you can enjoy the following benefits:

• Receive Arcane Symbol x5 Selector Coupon (x4): Tradeable within account, 14-day duration.
  
• The chance to receive new monsters for your Monster Collection is doubled.
  
• Receive Monster Collection Mysterious Monsterbloom (x3)! (Tradeable within account)
  
• Receive twice as many Retro Coins from Retro World events!
  
• The daily limit for Retro Coins earned from Retro World events is doubled.

Make sure to log in and take advantage of these perks!

We are back with another round of our weekly MVP challenge! Join our Discord to participate. For the next 24 hours we will be accepting your best MVP scores in the #clips channel. Take a screenshot of your best scores and post it there, the highest single MVP score after the 24 hours will be crowned MVP of the week. This week we are accepting scores from both survivors and traitors, so you will have a chance to compete no matter what! As usual, the prizes for the winner are a FREE copy of the game to give to a friend and 20,000 survivor points! This will be the LAST week for the foreseeable future that we will be giving out a free key of the game, so get your games in and try to win!

Hi everyone,

We have finally released version 0.80. So lets sum up the differences between the last build the current one.

1. Improved combat AI: AI units looking for covers and high-grounds, more sneaky and can flank you from all sides. We are still working to make combat more tactical.

2. Improved graphics. More detailed textures, lighting, better detailed environments, etc.

3. Remade all maps to fit the new combat system and graphic style.

4. Remade all squads and soldiers. And redefined their loadouts and stats.

5. More in-depth city management system.

6. Better city siege/defence mechanism: You need to capture flags during siege and defend your flags during defence.

7. Added interactive locations on the map such as villages, bandit camps, mines and etc.

8. Event system that can trigger many game events such as random bandit camps appear on the world map.

9. Deeper diplomacy system that allows AI factions to dynamically wage war on each other, bribe you or ask you for tribute.

10. Ability to join combat.

11. Added new weapons, clothes and items.

12. Remade UI.

13. Improved sound effects.

14. New faction: Valkyrie Female Army.




Many systems are totally new and still need to go through significant amount of tests. And we will keep working on that.