0.91 Optimize on the Prize

This week's update brings significant adjustments to optimization, balance,and game flow, raising the quality of play across the board. No new content this week, but lots of bug fixes, and updates to visual effects, code, balance, gems, and leveling should help create a much smoother late-game experience (results will vary). Because of the significant amount of updated code, it's more likely than ever I missed a few newly introduced bugs, but I'll be keeping an eye on things as I work on the final updates.

Speaking of the final updates! Gunlocked will officially launch out of Early Access on December 6th. There will be one major patch before 1.0, with some new Symbionics, and then a large content update that will drop on release day.

The Symbionic patch should arrive late next week. I'll have more to say when those things happen, but for now, I hope you enjoy the smoother, more polished gameplay.

And as always, please leave a review if you're enjoying the game!

Patch Notes

Balance Changes

• Increased pace of action at the start of all modes
  
• Added randomized gem drops at start of Annelus Void
  
• Enemy shields increase by 5% of base shields every minute after 15 minutes in Endless
  
• Enemy collision damage increases by 10% of base damage every minute after 20 in Endless (impact damage ranges from 5-8 for most things at normal levels)
  
• Mega Asteroid frequency has been slightly decreased
  
• Mega Asteroids can no longer be pushed by force weapons, and their base shields have been reduced from 750 -> 650
  
• Burn effects can now stack up to 3 times
  
• Eburnity now makes burn effects last 300% longer instead of forever
  
• Leveling post-15 minutes has been slowed down, but it does pick up around the 18 minute mark. Reaching 8 aftermods should feel more rare/special
  
• Longlegs ships now have a hitbox more favorable to the player
  
• Hive Queen attack patterns for fights 1/2 have been updated to use the projectile attack more often (some fights were happening where they never used this attack which was quite boring even for a first boss/zone)
  

Quality of Life

• Gems have been updated
  - New smaller sprites for all gem values
  - Reduced opacity so they aren't as bright and distracting
  - Consistent gem sizing and coloration to indicate increasing value
  - New gem values for smoother scaling late game using fewer gems
  - New sound effect that is quieter and quicker
  
• The Easy Mode and Endless Mode popups now default to the exit button, so you can quickly close the menu when using keyboard/gamepad
  
• Made the leymines louder, as the previous sfx adjustments left them silent
  
• Aftermod slots will no longer appear on the UI unless in endless mode
  
• The opacity on the Proximitaze radius has been reduced
  

Optimization

• Significant portions of code and visuals have been optimized
  
• Electric abilities have gotten slight optimization when triggering
  
• Fire abilities have been significantly improved when triggering, and during ongoing effects
  
• Gas Trap visuals have been streamlined and provide much better performance in Endless when there are many of them on screen at once
  
• Gems have been significantly optimized for movement and interaction
  
• Enemy behaviors (only noticeable in Endless Mode) have been updated.
  
• Some particle effects have been replaced by key animations that affect performance less
  

Bugs

• Fixed a major bug preventing the 3rd Monarch fight from entering its final phase, ending early (and making the fight much easier)
  
• Retrofit should no longer fail to select a functional weapon in rare instances
  
• Certain enemies that were not selected for your current run in Endless Mode will no longer randomly spawn in
  
• Hail Mary tooltip no longer says it doesn't target overshielded enemies
  
• Spy Satellite description typo fixed
  
• Powerup counter no longer resets at 4 digits
  
• If the Adamanteroid trial is on but you're not playing a Trial game, the starter asteroids will no longer incorrectly have extra shields/health
  
• Gems no longer continue to fall off the screen when the game ends (death/victory)