This is literally the biggest update. Here's what's new:

Contains an alternate "cartoon" art style, selectable from the main menu. Changes the look of all minions to a simpler and more expressive style.



Swarm Queen finally has Steam achievements! (55 of them, to be precise.)



Did you know that the enemy does not (usually) cheat? She collects nectar and mutates her eggs just like you. She has to evaluate the situation to determine what to spend her resources on. But this wasn't very obvious to the player.. until now!

You can now see the enemy Queen's "opinion" about her economy (Harvesters), army size, and egg mutation level.



While we're at it, I noticed a lot of players spending time counting the enemy Harvesters to compare with your own. So this number is now also visible to the player.

The new "Easy" difficulty setting is available after level 2, and it functions as the opposite of "Hard"; instead of upgrading the enemy Harvesters to provide +1 nectar, it upgrades yours.


(BUT you can't get "3 stars" on a level unless you complete it on "Normal" or higher.)

The game has now been professionally translated into several languages!
(简体中文, Español, Português do Brasil, Deutsch, Русский)



If you're reading this (in English), it's probably not a huge deal. But I think it's cool.


All menu screens have gone through an additional art pass, and they look a bit more spiffy.


Some of the unit animations have always annoyed me, so the worst offenders have been redone or improved. For example:


Neurotoxin now clearly shows the max range, and after firing Neurotoxin or Bio-Nuke, they now show where they will hit.

Minions:
• Waddle Rocket area damage increased to 25 (from 20)
  
• Smartbug Launcher armor increased to 1 (from 0)
  
• Sky Queen health lowered to 180 (from 225)
  
• Sky Queen rate of Zapper production lowered slightly
  Levels:
  
• Level 15: enemy no longer has Neurotoxin or Bio-Nuke
  
• Level 18: enemy no longer has flying minions

Swarm Queen is a one-man indie project that was released with no publisher or publicity, and not much attention initially. However, thanks to 🙂players like you🙂, and a few gaming YouTubers who liked the game, Swarm Queen has been gradually increasing in popularity ever since release. This is the opposite of the pattern that most games see, where they get most of their new players in the first few months, and then it calms down.

For my first commercial release, this steady increase in new players has been pretty encouraging, and it has encouraged continued updates, such as this "biggest" one.

So, thanks for your support and feedback!
-Helmi

A big update is coming soon to Swarm Queen, including Steam achievements, an alternate art style, translations (Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German, and Russian), and a bunch more features and improvements to be revealed later.

I’d love feedback from anyone who wants to try it early. To access the beta, right-click on Swarm Queen in your Steam library, hit "properties", go to “BETAS”, and enter the password “testingupdate”.

UPDATE JUNE 6th 2022:
Thanks for the feedback! The beta test is complete, and this update is now live!



I really appreciate feedback, especially if you find a bug or a translation mistake!

-----------------------------
BETA PATCHES:
April 21st: Performance optimization, and fixed a bug identified by a player.
April 25th: Returned the sky, which was broken in the previous update.
June 5th: A few minor graphics updates/fixes.

• NEW MODE: NEW GAME PLUS! (more info below)
  
• Swarm Queen now has Steam trading cards and badges!
  
• Now includes a "Swarmpedia" (on the map screen) with info on unlocked minions and basic game mechanics.

Each level now shows which minions are unlocked for that level. This is a much-requested feature that should help with replaying previously-completed levels. (also shows in the "Escape" menu in-game)

• The "REVENGE" upgrades used to only trigger when your Queen fell below 25% health, making them useless if you want to 3-star a level. They now all trigger when EITHER Queen falls below 50% health.
  
• The upgrades menu has been redone.
  

• Level 11: Enemy no longer has access to Spewers, Neurotoxin or Bio-Nuke.

• Various minor menu/map/settings screen visual improvements.
  
• The Twitch.tv gimmick that nobody uses should look less cluttered (names are half the size, and only for your own minions)
  
• The "Challenge Levels" screen has been redone.
  

• Challenge level: "Survival": Enemy wasn't actually getting extra nectar.
  
• Challenge level: "Super Wormy": Wormy-speed carried over into regular levels.
  
• Challenge level: "Infinite Nectar" (hard mode): Slow mutations carried over into regular levels.
  
• Challenge level: "Silly Speed": The enemy Swarm Queen would randomly become unable to take damage.
  
• All levels: Wormy was doing extra damage to you on "Hard" difficulty (unintended).

If you have a save file with the campaign completed (level 21), you can now start a "NEW GAME PLUS". Play through the campaign again with:

• Lots of extra nectar for both Swarm Queens.
  
• This applies to (most) challenge levels, too.
  
• Skip level 1.

A lot of people's favorite level is "Infinite Nectar". I think it highlights the best part about Swarm Queen; big battles with tons of minions, projectiles, and particles flying everything. So that's exactly what this New Game Plus mode allows, while keeping the core gameplay; more nectar equals more stuff on the battlefield.

Hey! There's a decent-sized patch coming to Swarm Queen next week, with a "new game plus" mode, Steam trading cards, a "Swarmpedia" with minion-info on the map screen, and various small menu improvements and bug fixes. (Details will be in full patch notes on release.)

If you want to test it early (except trading cards which won't be active until next week), you can right-click on the game in your Steam library, and then in properties -> betas, enter the code "testing12345".

-Helmi

BIG UPDATES:
> Swarm Queen now contains an "evolution" upgrades tree! Customize your Queen by spending the stars that you get from completing levels!
> 3 additional challenge levels have been added!
> Hat. HAT. THERE'S A HAT. THERE'S A F***ING HAT!!!

MISC CHANGES:
> The "challenge levels" menu has been redesigned.

BALANCE CHANGES:
> Neurotoxin deals +2 damage, but it won't make ground minions run away for nearly as long.
> Skitterbug cost reverted back to 30 from 33.
> Smartbug Launchers and Siege Caterpillars have slightly shorter range.
> The enemy should be slightly better at dealing with "smartbug"-shooting minions
> Level 5: Enemy no longer has access to Neurotoxin.
> Level 6: Enemy no longer has access to Spewers.
> Level 7: Enemy no longer has access to Skitterbugs.
> Level 8: Enemy no longer has access to Bio-Nuke.

BUG FIXES:
> The extra nectar granted in certain Challenge Levels will no longer carry over into regular levels.
> The extra nectar gathered by enemy harvesters in hard mode will no longer apply to challenge levels.
> Goop Slug and the Nuke organ will now properly "purple-out" when you can't afford to mutate eggs into them.
> Changed "less minions" to "fewer minions" because that's how to language the words more good like.

> stealth update v1.1.00b
> Tank damage reduced by 1, and attack speed increased slightly. (They should be slightly better countered by melee minions, as they should be.)
> Neurotoxin damage cap increased slightly. (It's slightly better against large minions, such as Tanks and Sky Queen)
> Waddle Rockets will look further for a large target, such as Sky Queens.
> Fixed a visual bug with 2-star hard-mode-completed levels on the map.

Previous patches:
http://steamcommunity.com/games/701870/announcements/detail/1598081006386279861
http://steamcommunity.com/games/701870/announcements/detail/1598081006356965900

BIG UPDATES:
> Swarm Queen now contains an "evolution" upgrades tree! Customize your Queen by spending the stars that you get from completing levels!
> 3 additional challenge levels have been added!
> Hat. HAT. THERE'S A HAT. THERE'S A F***ING HAT!!!

MISC CHANGES:
> The "challenge levels" menu has been redesigned.

BALANCE CHANGES:
> Neurotoxin deals +2 damage, but it won't make ground minions run away for nearly as long.
> Skitterbug cost reverted back to 30 from 33.
> Smartbug Launchers and Siege Caterpillars have slightly shorter range.
> The enemy should be slightly better at dealing with "smartbug"-shooting minions
> Level 5: Enemy no longer has access to Neurotoxin.
> Level 6: Enemy no longer has access to Spewers.
> Level 7: Enemy no longer has access to Skitterbugs.
> Level 8: Enemy no longer has access to Bio-Nuke.

BUG FIXES:
> The extra nectar granted in certain Challenge Levels will no longer carry over into regular levels.
> The extra nectar gathered by enemy harvesters in hard mode will no longer apply to challenge levels.
> Goop Slug and the Nuke organ will now properly "purple-out" when you can't afford to mutate eggs into them.
> Changed "less minions" to "fewer minions" because that's how to language the words more good like.

> stealth update v1.1.00b
> Tank damage reduced by 1, and attack speed increased slightly. (They should be slightly better countered by melee minions, as they should be.)
> Neurotoxin damage cap increased slightly. (It's slightly better against large minions, such as Tanks and Sky Queen)
> Waddle Rockets will look further for a large target, such as Sky Queens.
> Fixed a visual bug with 2-star hard-mode-completed levels on the map.

Previous patches:
http://steamcommunity.com/games/701870/announcements/detail/1598081006386279861
http://steamcommunity.com/games/701870/announcements/detail/1598081006356965900

NEW THINGS:

> You can now skip the intro dialogue using the mouse.

BALANCE CHANGES:

> Tank attack speed lowered from 1.5 seconds to 1.75 seconds.
> Tanks are slightly better at shooting down Smartbugs. (bees)
> "Squid"-type air unit attack speed lowered from 2.4 to 2.75 second, and they can no longer get critical hits (1-hit kills).
> Sky Queen health lowered from 250 to 225.
> Skitterbug damage reduced from 15 to 13.
> Skitterbug and Stinger mutation time increased.
> Skitterbug mutate cost increased from 50 to 75.
> Skitterbug cost increased from 30 to 33.
> "Charge" speed bonus reduced slightly.
> Swarm Queen natural resistance to poison increased from 50% to 60%.
> Enemy queen is now smarter about using her nuke; she's less likely to waste it, and less likely to hold on to it while losing.

BUG FIXES:

> The end screen would often tell you that you achieved the requirements to get certain stars, even though you didn't.
> Skipping dialogue while the map is scrolling should no longer get the camera stuck.

update: 1.0.02c:
> Bug fix: Goop Slug is available in level 16.
> Level 10: The enemy can now build Spitters instead of Tanks, because Tanks were anti-fun on that level.
______
Previous patch: 1.0.01 http://steamcommunity.com/games/701870/announcements/detail/1598081006356965900

NEW THINGS:

> You can now skip the intro dialogue using the mouse.

BALANCE CHANGES:

> Tank attack speed lowered from 1.5 seconds to 1.75 seconds.
> Tanks are slightly better at shooting down Smartbugs. (bees)
> "Squid"-type air unit attack speed lowered from 2.4 to 2.75 second, and they can no longer get critical hits (1-hit kills).
> Sky Queen health lowered from 250 to 225.
> Skitterbug damage reduced from 15 to 13.
> Skitterbug and Stinger mutation time increased.
> Skitterbug mutate cost increased from 50 to 75.
> Skitterbug cost increased from 30 to 33.
> "Charge" speed bonus reduced slightly.
> Swarm Queen natural resistance to poison increased from 50% to 60%.
> Enemy queen is now smarter about using her nuke; she's less likely to waste it, and less likely to hold on to it while losing.

BUG FIXES:

> The end screen would often tell you that you achieved the requirements to get certain stars, even though you didn't.
> Skipping dialogue while the map is scrolling should no longer get the camera stuck.

update: 1.0.02c:
> Bug fix: Goop Slug is available in level 16.
> Level 10: The enemy can now build Spitters instead of Tanks, because Tanks were anti-fun on that level.
______
Previous patch: 1.0.01 http://steamcommunity.com/games/701870/announcements/detail/1598081006356965900

NEW THINGS:

> Twitch integration: It is now possible to have your minions "named" after random people in the chat room of a selected Twitch channel.
> Added sounds for: flying minions ground impact, Zappers being birthed by Sky Queen, harvester death, Swarm Queen death.
> Projectiles now have shadows!
> Bomber shadows are now animated!
> "Wormy" countdown timer looks better and is better optimized.

BALANCE CHANGES:

> Groups of Goop Slugs are a bit smarter and are less likely to just heal each other.
> The enemy is better at countering your Sky Queens.
> Bombers now prefer to bomb anti-air minions.
> Smartbug Launchers and Siege Caterpillars are better at selecting targets (instead of over-killing the same target), and are more likely to target special units (Goop Slugs and Waddle Rockets).
> Smartbug Launchers and Siege Caterpillars have slightly less health to account for the higher damage output.
> The enemy is more likely to actually spawn Smartbug Launchers and Siege Caterpillars.
> Tanks are better at shooting down Smartbugs.

MINOR CHANGES:

> Harvester button now "greys out" when you have max.
> The downgrade/cancel button looks less like a "back" button.
> End screen now shows which stars you did or didn't get, and why.
> End screen shows on what difficulty you just lost at.

BUG FIXES:

> The final campaign level is no longer impossible to finish if your Queen almost dies.
> Extra organs no longer disable themselves if you drag them up.
> Losing no longer counts as a 3-star win. O.o

NEW THINGS:

> Twitch integration: It is now possible to have your minions "named" after random people in the chat room of a selected Twitch channel.
> Added sounds for: flying minions ground impact, Zappers being birthed by Sky Queen, harvester death, Swarm Queen death.
> Projectiles now have shadows!
> Bomber shadows are now animated!
> "Wormy" countdown timer looks better and is better optimized.

BALANCE CHANGES:

> Groups of Goop Slugs are a bit smarter and are less likely to just heal each other.
> The enemy is better at countering your Sky Queens.
> Bombers now prefer to bomb anti-air minions.
> Smartbug Launchers and Siege Caterpillars are better at selecting targets (instead of over-killing the same target), and are more likely to target special units (Goop Slugs and Waddle Rockets).
> Smartbug Launchers and Siege Caterpillars have slightly less health to account for the higher damage output.
> The enemy is more likely to actually spawn Smartbug Launchers and Siege Caterpillars.
> Tanks are better at shooting down Smartbugs.

MINOR CHANGES:

> Harvester button now "greys out" when you have max.
> The downgrade/cancel button looks less like a "back" button.
> End screen now shows which stars you did or didn't get, and why.
> End screen shows on what difficulty you just lost at.

BUG FIXES:

> The final campaign level is no longer impossible to finish if your Queen almost dies.
> Extra organs no longer disable themselves if you drag them up.
> Losing no longer counts as a 3-star win. O.o