Hey guys,

Lots to update you on.

First we'll talk about Vita. I've been talking to several developers about getting it running better on Vita and they have all said the same thing "it needs to be reprogrammed". So I'm stepping up to fix the game myself - though I had very little to do with the programming of the game until the middle of last year (I started bug fixing) I no longer have the lead developer as he left in May so there is no choice. Luckily I should be able to do it:

I've started on a new game - totally solo and separate from CBG. One I showed off as a prototype way back when this kickstarter was live. Within a month I've already successfully written the platformer code, split screen, co-op... enemy ai, you name it. I'll be showing that off in November! But that's beside the point. I was getting ready to pull the plug on Vita when I decided to see if the new engine I was coding myself would run on Vita.

It does - at 60fps!!!

So then I thought, maybe I can fix this myself. So over the next few months I'll be converting the player scripts, main game scripts and the enemy AI scripts over from my new game and into BPM. So please bare with me as I do this - I already have a lot on my plate since I'm doing everything else myself. Of course if you don't want to wait you can request a code for another system or a refund. How long will it take? Not sure. The original code is a bit of a mess. I have to dissect what is needed from the old code and transfer it into my own new scripts and there is a lot of interaction between tons of scripts and the player especially, so it's not going to be an easy task. First I'm going to just make sure the player object itself works the same and then start separating things from there.

***NEXT***

People are asking where the physicals are. They are coming. We have been assured they will be sent out before the pre ordered versions go out. Which was just announced today by LRG.

***AND NOW....***

WHAT IS ROYAL EDITION?!? AND CAN I HAVE IT INSTEAD OF THE REGULAR VERSION?!?

First off - I did Royal Edition on my own time, alone (aside of audio/design/testing). I wanted a version that was closer to my vision of the game before there was talk of CMA or Kickstarter Funding at all - just me and Maddi working on the game. If you may recall the original kickstarter design had both modes of the game played in the same levels. But I ended up needing way more room for NPCS and their quests. But before that it was just a flat out arcade game with minor dialog - the prototype I was making with Maddi originally. There were only a few things missing from the prototype but they were ditched for design reasons while working on the actual game. Being able to carry only two weapons is pointless when you have a whole inventory of things for example. So that was never added to the final hud or coded.

Anyhow - this has nothing to do with me hating the game or "oh you just gave us the beta"... This game (the one you backed)is what the Kickstarter is supposed to be. It's just not what I wanted it to be originally. The PS4 Version that LRG is doing is the Kickstarter version, which they'll be sending you with different artwork.

The Royal Edition exists because:

A) I wanted to see what my version of the game would have been like.

B)I can code the additional bits for Switch myself and there are no extra hoops to jump through with controllers, users profiles, rich presence, and achievements - this was all done out of house for ps4 and xbox one. And it costs a lot of money to have people code for you. I did the Royal Edition with my own time and my own money.

C) Aside of physical (and japan version in general) I've had to do all of the digital publishing stuff on my own and it is A LOT of work. Nintendo is the easiest one to deal with as well.

Here is the official statement I did for LRG:

"Part way through development, it became clear that the game was straying from it's originally intended roots. The game was intended to be Story Mode and Arcade mode in the same level set. But with all of the added extras of the Kickstarter and story additions added to appease the CMF funding we never ended up getting, the levels needed to be made much bigger and the flow no longer worked for the arcade. It became more "fetch quest" and less of an action adventure game that was originally designed, this was due to accommodating all of the backer NPCs. We continued on this path and I separated the Levels into two sets: One designed for story mode - the original levels and one designed just for arcade mode. And while we were happy with the way the game turned out in the long run - it wasn't the game *I* had originally set out to make. So I pulled out my old designs from before Kickstarter and CMA funding application, which required us to alter and add certain story bits to meet their criteria for submission. I began to change things to be the way they were before either mode existed and more like my prototype. My partner/lead developer of CBG had also left at the time to pursue another career, therefore I had personally reprogrammed a lot of different things for this version of the game. You'll see the movement for skeletons resembles the movement of my prototype as it was originally intended. Little things such as this will have changed as well.

The long winded story mode was cut completely. This was never meant to last more than two hours, but you could easily spend 10 in it if you wanted to for story mode. I redesigned all of the arcade levels from scratch working with a few other designers to make sure I got it greatly fine tuned. I’ve also added new art, new enemies and bosses, and even had Gryzor87 to whip up some new tunes.  I truly went to town on a full arcade experience. Cutting the in game dialog out completely but keeping the opening and ending cinematics intact. The King Daddy mode has also been polished for the more veteran player and you'll have to complete the game twice to get his ending!

The controls have changed - Fritzy becomes your sword. The sword is now an auto Melee attack when an enemy gets too close to the player, and pressing down and attack when above an enemy will always pogo now.

The player has two weapons in a similar fashion to Contra (in Maddi mode only) so you can change up your play style for bosses. Lobbed weapons are more powerful and straight throw weapons have better range but not as much power. Having one of each when you get to a boss fight is always the best way to go!

The game is also now in 4:3 mode with a few wallpapers to select from. One of them being Madelyn's original art for boss fight and enemy designs. I decided to go with this mode as a lot of people have been making mini arcade machines out of their switches to play the game and the smaller screen gives it a much more authentic feel and doesn't take away from the game at all.

So in short, Royal Edition is a director's cut of arcade mode. It's a few levels longer and much more diverse than the original game’s arcade mode with many changes to the play style. 10 Levels of Action 11 bosses to fight including 3 of them being completely new.

Like an original arcade game - it's short but very challenging. The way it should be. Seasoned players will find all of the purposeful speed run short-cuts in the game, while new players will find the controls and movement much more forgiving than the original.

King Daddy mode is double the length but no throwable weapons to up the challenge. He also has no armor - just pants, so he takes less hits than Maddi. Using his pogo ability will find you making your way through the game with far more ease!

Madelyn and I are very proud of this Nintendo Switch exclusive of the game and we're very happy that Limited Run has given us a chance to show it off!"

***

The long winded bit is referring to all of the NPC dialog. This is what reviewers referred to as "the pointless fetch quests". I don't mind them and you don't have to do them. But a lot of non backers didn't like it. But I had some personal emails sent to me about "please please please don't put us all in one room in a bar or something." So I gave in and wrote dialog and made objects for you to collect so Maddi would directly interact with you in the game instead of just "hello my name is XXX". And I didn't mind doing any of it at all and I thought it was a nice personal touch. I love the original game the way it is.

People are asking if I can do this Royal Edition as an update. That is impossible as I rewrote parts of the game. The controls are partially rewritten, bits of the camera, at least 60-70% of the savegame code, The hud has changed, Fritzy is your melee weapon permanently so you can't get those melee weapons that were in the original game - this changes the Fritzy code. The chomp was removed too in favor of the sword. Power ups have been changed etc etc. Bits of the loading have been changed too. All of these changes will completely wreck story mode and the original engine overall.

So Royal Edition is by design a simple arcade game and not the game you backed. The original game is exactly the game that was intended for Kickstarter. You did not get "our beta", you were not "our beta testers". The kickstarter game was designed for the kickstarter in the long run. And I do wholeheartedly apologize for the bugs when the game launched.

Since there were no Switch physicals offered we can't simply switch you over as they cost more than PS4 and PC to produce.  When I set a date for digital sales I will look into getting a discount code just for backers - but Switch keys are not free for us. This is something I found out the hard way after we had done the Kickstarter - we do have to pay for them.

It's also been almost a year since the original game came out. We're at about 10 months now I believe. And we've done tons of bug fixes and updates to make the game better. And with the lead developer gone, It's just me.

So to sum it up:

- I'm still working on the Vita version, which won't even remotely pay for itself at this point but I want to see it through and it will require heavy reprogramming of the player and AI. I am using my own solo project code to reprogram the bad code in BPM for Vita. I'm also extremely bummed about the Wii U version but the final Unity update for Wii U broke the game.

- I'm still making sure everything for Kickstarter is getting done, and it is!

- The LRG backer version with all the goodies will be shipped out before the pre order versions of Switch and PS4.

- The Royal Edition is an Alternate Edition of Arcade Mode Only, there is no story mode. It was made solely on my time and my dime. It is only coming out on Switch for now because there is no magic porting button and our PS4/XB1 ports were done out of house (I can code the extra bits for switch). It probably won't come out on PC because the original was pirated a little too much. Aside of the boss fights (with the exception of 3 new ones) and the opening and ending sequences and fonts, things have changed a lot. It is its own game. Not better, not worse - just a lot of my original designs implemented that were cut for CMF or Kickstarter. It's just different. Nothing to get offended over! No one is forcing you to buy it. And again it's different from the original - not better or worse.

I will think about doing Royal Edition for PS4 but it will require bringing someone in to code the achievements again and make sure all of the extra PS4 bits are intact as I was solely focused on Switch and may have wiped something out redoing old code. So if there is demand for it I'll see what I can do.

As for timelines - don't ask. I've literally had one decent break in 5 years (2 weeks this summer!). I've worked almost every holiday to get this stuff done and I am beyond burnt out. I've still been doing patches etc for PS4 so the disc could be finalized while doing the new version of the game, while doing all of the digital publishing work alone. All of this, while getting through the crazy hoops to get PS4 EU completed as well. And old bugs thought fixed in the original game because there was no way to trigger them anymore were exposed while doing the Royal Edition, so I've been fixing those bugs as they come along on top of it all. Then there is coding my new game on my own :) while also designing the layouts for the boxes for all of the NA physical versions because I really enjoy doing that stuff, and did a few other surprises.

My days are insane most of the time. And I have a three year old I've barely seen since she was born because I've been locked to my pc working. So I will be slowing down a little bit :)

Limited Run Games has been awesome to us too! I've been working closely with them to get the new version of the game out as well as the PC and PS4 originals for backers. And they've been helping with and handling every aspect of not only the PS4 Physical copies but also the Switch one. So thank you guys for not giving up on us when a lot of other people did. And I will of course never stop praising Gryzor87! His work ethic and talent are beyond godly!

If you are interested in my my solo projects you can follow me on Twitter here:

https://twitter.com/ChrisObritsch

And on that note - I'm going to check on the Canadian Elections because I've been sitting here typing and editing this update for a few hours now.


- Chris