Changed in 0.8.0

This update is mostly to focus on issues that have been in the game for a long time and generally to try to make the experience of playing the game nicer.

UNIT UPDATES: Sniper Unit Rework

For a long time, the sniper units have not really been as great as they could be and there has been a lot of feedback about that, which I agree with.

Luckily now there was a good spot to rework the Sniper unit and I think it's a lot better now.

• Make Sniper rate of fire twice as fast
• Added sounds
• Green laser sight is now "always on"
• Updates on how the laser sight movement is animated
• Bigger and faster bullets
• Bullets now can pierce multiple enemies at once
• Snipers now do more damage than previously

NEW FEATURE: Tips

On the objectives list, there are now "tips" about different aspects of the game.

It has been great to see players figuring out this information themselves. But hopefully the tips will make especially new players familiar with the game quicker.

DIFFICULTY RELATED UPDATES

The difficulty that previously was called "easy" is now called normal and the harder difficulty is now called "hard".

I think it was a mistake to previously call the now-hard difficulty "normal", since in hindsight I think players expect the normal difficulty to be "beginner friendly" (which it wasn't).

The hard difficulty is now unlocked by reaching level 11 on normal difficulty.

The concern is that players "accidentally" choose the hard difficulty and make no progress during their first runs. Although now that the hard difficulty is actually called "hard", players probably will choose it less likely "by accident".

• Simplified difficulty descriptions
• Make Hard difficulty unlock when level 11 is reached on normal difficulty
• Rename difficulties: Easy -> Normal. Normal -> Hard
• Add a separate difficulty select button to the main menu to set the "default difficulty"
• Changed the "New Run" button in the main menu to start a new run automatically with the default difficulty

OTHER UPDATES

• Add separate ambient volume settings for the Wind
• Pause the game and show the settings dialog when a gamepad is disconnected while in a level
• Pause the game and show the settings dialog when Steam Overlay is opened while the game is running
• Added workaround for an issue, where UI elements might lose focus and the UI would become non-navigatable with Gamepad
• Hide the mouse cursor automatically when switched to gamepad mode
• Made the dropdown ui elements in settings taller, to work better with the gamepads
• Fixes for the item list in HUD, now it should have fewer glitches (the item counts showing -1 for example)
• [Community Feedback] The big "item info notification" that appears when you pick items is now immediately hidden when enemies appear or when a dialog is opened, also no notifications are shown while enemies are on screen
• [Community Feedback] Units inside the green dome are now protected from damage, even if enemies jump on them for example
• [Community Feedback] Make the back of the mountains darker, so they stand out better from the ground