Stuff Under the Header

6/29/2017

The Big DT3 Update Is Here

Edit: (7/7/2017) Version 1.5.0.7 hotfix. ------------------------------
Ayeee another one. This one fixes up some issues that slipped in with the new swap methods. They should be working as intended now. Thanks for the bug reports on that you guys. This might be the last update to this blog post. Gonna just make a new post in the event that we need another patch.

 - Precisely 3 birds were added into a map somewhere.
 - A potential fix for the massive frame rate loss issues that some people have. If you suffered from this issue and were unable to play the game prior, this version may work for you, just be sure gamepad support is off. Found under Options - Controls. (Should be the default submenu under Options.)
 - For those that do use the gamepad support, if you attempted to use a Switch Pro Controller, you probably found it behaved badly. A new option for that controller was added to the Gamepad Setup menu. That option should help for those that have gamepads that don't have analog L2/R2 buttons, but want to try DT3's internal gamepad support. (This was mostly added cause NZZ wanted to use the Pro Controller, he kept asking.)

Edit: (7/6/2017) Version 1.5.0.6 hotfix. ------------------------------
Don't mind the version skip, it happens. This is primarily a quality of life patch. Some of these are from player suggestions that I liked.

 - When firing up or down while pressed against a wall with Claire, the shots are no longer eaten by the wall. (The walls will go hungry though.)
 - A certain boss has had some edits.
 - Under Options - Controls. There is a new option called 'Swap Type' that will allow you to change how the ability and character swap buttons behave.
   - Standard: How we have it currently.
   - Dedicated: Each character has their own button. For example, Jerry is assigned to character swap, pressing this button will switch to Jerry if he is not active. If he is active, his ability set will change. The ability swap button will do the same for Claire.
   - Hold: This is closer to a DMC styled set up. When the ability swap button is held, pressing one of the four directions will swap to a specific ability set. If the ability set is on another character, that character will then become active. (Note that the slight cooldown on character swapping is still in effect with this.) For this set up, the character swap button functions as it does on Standard except in certain cases like a certain chapter 16 minigame that has its own ability set.
 - And yes, a bird has been added. If you find it, you'll game over. (This is the best patch note in this update.)

Edit: (7/4/2017) Version 1.5.0.3 hotfix. ------------------------------
- Fixes a crash bug with the story variant of the Decimator boss fight.
- Like all updates, more birds were added. Note the previous versions did have birds added to the world, but was not noted. If the game continues to be patched in this manner, the world will be overrun with birds.

Edit: (7/3/2017) Version 1.5.0.2 hotfix. ------------------------------
- Fixes a silly bug with Gate 3. Apologies for any hold ups that caused.

Edit: (7/1/2017) Version 1.5.0.1 hotfix. ------------------------------
- Fixes a bug with one of the super bosses.
- Changed the option 'Turn off Static Bitrate Explosion' to 'Game Over Settings.' This now has 3 options.
   - Normal: Standard Game Over.
   - Reduce Static: Same as turning off the bitrate explosion.
   - Auto Skip: Skips the Game Over screen and auto selects the default option. For example, if you're on a boss, "Retry Boss" is auto selected. You can still force a Game Over to get to the Game Over screen if you need to leave a boss fight. This setting was added in primarily for Achilles mode players or repeat players.

You're not dreaming, it's finally here! Better super late than... anyway, here are some patch notes.

Patch Notes
- New Content
- A new set of events is available. The epilogue scene will give clues on how to start these new events.

- Ending sequence changes -
  - Game Over no longer occurs when falling off during the final escape sequence. Instead, Chao brings the player back to a nearby stable platform.
  - All ending cutscenes, including the credits, can be skipped.

- New Ability -
  - Spring ball is now an optional item found in Gate 5 - Main Hub.
  - Morph ball can no longer be canceled with the jump button.

- New options -
  - Chao will give an audio alert when an item is in the area if the Item Finder is found. (Default: On)
  - An option to turn off pressing up to unmorph. (Default: On)

- Misc -
  - Contact(Direct) and Trap damage is now shown to the player via an icon when it occurs.
  - Air dashing will now cancel Mario bumper momentum completely just like the double jump does.
  - Bird Swarm and Chainblade Storm now have consistent patterns.
  - The Gate 6 parry will feel a bit more reliable.
  - Blackmore will no longer rise above the level.
  - Jerry and Claire's snap back dash issue has been fixed.
  - Death's Eye in Gate 3 should now properly stay in the player inventory after obtaining it. The eye really liked its prior home.
  - New pointless achievements.
  - Various misc. fixes all over the game.

- New Feature -
A command line argument can now be passed to the game indicating which save file to save/load. If you have multiple saves, this is for you. If, for example, you have a save file called "DT3data_Nightmare.dts" you can pass that as an argument through the command line to save/load to that file instead of the normal "DT3data.dts" file. This is helpful for those that use multiple saves, but don't want to have to rename files constantly. I may make or link to a tutorial on command line usage later.

Shut Up Zephyr, Where Do I Get The Update?
On the side links as usual. There are two download links.

If you are here downloading the game for the first time, use the full game download link. (Or if you had the game but deleted it.)

If you're here simply getting the update and already have the game on your computer, use that link and follow the readme instructions within. It'll have the new executable as well as the new resources.

What Took So Long?
Lots of reasons. Life got in the way many times. Other times, big games came out that I wanted to play on their release. A large reason though is that the update was going to be smaller in scale. The original release was set to be out last year as some of you may recall. But as development went on, I continued to find things in the existing content to tweak and improve, including fixing some persistent bugs and oddities. Another is the update began to scale up a bit bigger than originally planned. (This is the theme for DT3 it seems.) Many things were added in these last couple months that weren't originally planned and those took some time to test and prepare for release. The result turned out nice though. Without spoiling, some of the additions will please the more hardcore players that want more of that kind of content.

Anyway, I'll be playing games and streaming games as well in the future. And of course, hope you all enjoy the game. Have fun, get many more game overs... many more, and eventually come out the winner!

Thanks for sticking with my delays for so long and remaining so patient.

35 comments:

Herbethe said...

Nice ending, Zephyr! I have to restart to see the extra boss?

ZephyrBurst said...

What's another way to do what you're possibly thinking?

Herbethe said...

I've found it, thanks Zephyr.

Jaimers said...

droggeljug

FrogInABox said...

Thanks for the update and amazing ending, Zephyr!
On a related note, any hints for finding those optional superbosses?

ZephyrBurst said...

There was a twitter thread with some clues given. Scroll up for the start: https://twitter.com/WhattayaBrian/status/880489404489322496

Anonymous said...

Decided to play through again after seeing this update and Gate 3 (Castlevania) seems to be a little messed up.

A variety of things are activated/cleared when they aren't supposed to be. When the player is suppose to obtain the blue and green gems to get the dash boots the blue gem is not in it's room (nor the salem witch that is suppose to spawn it) and the green gem does not get collected when you pick it up (it does the fanfare and shows the message but the gem respawns when you leave the room). When I visit the room with the dash boots it shows I have the blue gem (even though I didn't pick it up) but I don't have the green gem (even though I picked it up multiple times).

As for things that are activated, the green switch for deactivating a wall in the room to the right and below the green gem room has already been activated and certain enemy kill rooms aren't triggering or have already been cleared.

Since I can't get the dash boots in this state I'm currently stuck, hope this gets fixed soon.

ZephyrBurst said...

Will definitely fix this tonight. I think I know what's up with it.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for updating so quickly.

Unfortunately I don't think this has fixed this for me. I suspect since I saved before this new version my game is stuck like this. The green gem is still uncollectable and and the blue gem is simply not there.

Perhaps I might have to start again to fix this? I'll have a look into it later.

ZephyrBurst said...

Nah, open up notepad and drag your save file into it.
You'll see a bunch of key=value down the file.
The key is the left side the equation and the value is the right side.
Find the key 123 and set its value to 1360.
Then find the key 123iB and set the first digit of its value to 3. (Keep the other digits the same.)
This will set both gems as obtained, then you'll be able to grab the boots.

Audrian said...

I think there's a bug on the dash, if you try to dash backwards while holding foward, you dash foward, instead of making a slight backard jump with invincibility frames, I'm not sure if that's intentional, but I do remember clearly using that jump to make some fancy avoids.

That happens in any situation, using dash buttons, d-pad, or "Right is foward" option.

Unknown said...

I've also noticed what might be a minor bug, Idunno if it's intentional or not, or if anyone else has the problem. Playing with a controller using the gamepad enabled setting and not a third party program, whenever I push the "J" button equivalent on my controller to close out of an enemy scan, it makes the character jump immediately after. Nothing too crazy or game breaking, but it has gotten me hit a couple times while trying to scan an enemy cuz of a projectile or trap right above me.

ZephyrBurst said...

That dash behavior has been in since the beginning. Claire's forward dash overpowers if you're holding forward.

And yeah, I'm not a fan of that with the gamepad. It handles input just slightly different than using keyboard (or third party software emulating keyboard commands) Even clearing the input/output on enemy scan close still causes that.

Audrian said...

But I... oh wow, I think that I somehow managed to mess up and remembered the dash cancel mechanic from DT1 instead.
There's even a sign stating that difference.
Sorry. :x

ZephyrBurst said...

Between all the different versions and changes these games have had after their initial public release, it's understandable.

lordalexander74 said...

Warship D: Is there a reason why the barrier at the end won't go down when I have both characters in the sparkly box?

ZephyrBurst said...

Open your save file and look at the key 123.
If its value is less than 5130, change it to that and reopen the game. I'll make an edit to the game to make sure this can't happen again. I think I know what you did. (If that value is indeed not that value when you enter that map.)

lordalexander74 said...

That worked, thanks Zephyr

ZephyrBurst said...

Good, then it was indeed what I thought. Was the value 5110 by any chance?

lordalexander74 said...

Yeah it was

Cryum said...

Typo when receiving Death's Rib. It says prossess instead of possess

ZephyrBurst said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feUP1Bp0NCc

lordalexander74 said...

So regarding the optional bosses, found one of them after reading that twitter thread. Figured out part of the thing whatever hints in the optional area gave out, I can't think of what I'm missing.

Tried a couple ideas, nothing obvious happened. I'm assuming when I do it correctly, I'll know.

Keeping in mind that I'm not too good at figuring out this kind of puzzle, any hints on the part of the thing I'm missing?

ZephyrBurst said...

Yeah, when you do it right, you'll definitely know. Go back to the last room after the boss and check what they said again. You can revisit all those scenes in that place.

lordalexander74 said...

Still got nothing. Tried just about every word mentioned in the clues/headers. I know the first half, can't figure out what else to do.

ZephyrBurst said...

Curious, what have you done so far?

Unknown said...

I actually figured it out pretty quickly, after beating the first boss. I'm actually kinda surprised I managed to figure it out cuz I'm usually a dumb.

Unknown said...

I guess all I'm curious about right now is if the boss at the end of the spooky dark place (avoiding spoilers) is supposed to be able to be defeated legitimately and it's super difficult or if there's a trick, cuz my attacks do like no damage to him and it's super hard to dodge his stuff

ano0maly said...

By the way, lordalexander74, did you ever resolve that problem you had at the CHAOS Facility where you were trapped?

I tried to contact you multiple times but I haven't heard back.

lordalexander74 said...

Anomaly: don't think I have an account with this BLogger site, either way I didn't see any notifications/emails.
Had to email Zephyr about that issue, he told me how to edit the save file to trigger the brain bot fight, which wouldn't spawn cause I somehow skipped an event on the way through the snowy mountain area. Been a while, don't remember exactly waht I did.

Zephyr: Are you ok with discussing potential spoilers to the puzzle here, or would you rather me email you?

lordalexander74 said...

Scratch that, I had the clues in the wrong order. Working on the new content now.

cousinoer5 said...

Last night I beat the second secret boss, what an incredible fight that was! My hands were shaking afterwards, after 8+ hours and 250+ tries, I did it, and it felt like an amazing accomplishment! Not many games nowadays test a players skill to the absolute limit like this game does, and fewer still manage to be fun throughout. I never felt like I died to a BS thing out of nowhere, I could easily identify where I dun goofed, and learn for future tries. I went from hardly landing a hit to blazing through half the healthbar even on the worst attempt. That's the mark of a great boss fight, kudos to Zephyr for making it, and this whole crazy 50+ hour adventure, and adding a hugeass patch full of goodies to further extend the gameplay. A job well done, I'll be keeping an eye out for future games from you for sure!

lordalexander74 said...

Regarding the extra-detailed door on the very top of the boss gallery, does it have anything to do with the secret final boss? Only part of the encounter is available so far, and there seems to be two extra lines on the scoreboard for two more bosses.

And does the Stay Gold achievement require gold medals on all bosses, or just one like the Onion achievement?

ZephyrBurst said...

The very end part of that final encounter is not available in the boss gallery. As for the other 2 doors and 2 entries on the scoreboard, there's 2 hidden bosses accessible through... means that you now know how to do. I won't spoil entirely how to do it.

lordalexander74 said...

eh, reckon I'll try a few things once and a while. Tried names of DT3 LPers, even the password to unlock the debug menu in DT1.

Great game Zephyr, thanks for all the fun