Note: If you downloaded one of the earlier test builds released a few days ago (0.8.0, 0.8.1, 0.8.1b 0.8.1c) please start a new game using this version if you experienced a crash. An error screen encountered right after mission completion was due to an outdated global stats table in the save, generated only if the player failed the first mission or quit to the overworld map after starting.

What's new:

• Proper settings menu with separate option tabs now implemented.
• Key rebinding for AZERTY / ZQSD and other keyboard layouts added.
• Aim assist laser line now available.
• Different grenade launch functions now available.
• Melee plasma whip/slash attack binded to F key. You can now do takedowns when you have no ammo and are really close to enemies.  You can even slash bullets in mid-air.
• Missions now unlock as you play through them (second mission can be skipped since it may be frustrating and still uses a placeholder map)
• Main in-game UI has been overhauled to be clearer and more aesthetically pleasing. It can also be hidden by pressing "1" on your keyboard.
• Save system has been rewritten so it no longer replaces old scores and now compares kills, hits taken, and time.
• Mission end screen has been redone and also shows "New best!" when previous rank is beaten.
• Three new primary weapons: A 120mm smoothbore cannon, a high energy laser, and a stackgun inspired by the Metal Storm gun system.
• Two new secondary weapons: Landmines and Spider remote-controlled bombs.
• Grub enemies have improved blood and gore effects as well as further optimization.
• Two new missions, with the second being an underground test level featuring a different mission objective from the others.
• Large explosions and blood bursts show a screen dirt effect for added impact.
• Two new enemies: airborne turret platforms and Minotaur LOSAT missile carriers.
• Overworld now has a new skeuomorphic menu system which opens from the side of the screen. Global game stats are now saved and can be viewed through that menu.
• A very early, very rushed intel section with artwork that unlocks as missions are beaten. Most of the art and the general layout is going to be redone, but I really didn't want the intel button on the main menu to do nothing.
• Camera now rotates view on level start during fade-in.
• Enemy AI has become slightly smarter using a breadcrumb system to chase the player down.
• Small buildings under 22 pixels in width can now be pushed over by the player driving into them.

Miscellaneous:

• Further optimization of building drawing code, bullet collision checks, and large debris chunks. Performance when things get hectic should be smoother.
• Font in hangar for descriptions has been updated to be larger and more easily readable.
• Enemy tanks leave behind burnt wreckage which can be used as cover.
• Slowed down map rotation while hovering over mission icons.
• All trees now get torn out of the ground when you drive over them, no longer instantly disappearing into pieces.
• Weapon loadouts are now automatically saved and loaded when booting the game up.
• Added separate pilot dialogue for different weapons when notifying the player is out of secondary ammo.
• Added crosshair to grenade UI for better visual indication when in underground areas.
• Slight damage buff to rotary cannon weapon.
• Ammo crates now give more ammunition and also clamp their display number to the empty amount in the player's magazine (e.g. 490 rounds will display +10 if your max is 500)
• Water has been updated to have more detailed particle effects as well as not spawn trees outside of the view.
• Enemy tanks eject spent shells after they fire and leave behind discarded SABOT casings.
• Buffed flamethrower weapon and fixed flames flying further than aim reticle distance during rapid movement.
• Buffed scattergun firing speed and lowered ammo consumption.
• Enemies leave burnt explosion marks on the ground when they die.
• Gun UI now shows different small text depending on which weapon you're using (e.g. flamethrower now shows fuel instead of rounds on HUD)
• Boats now slowly sink into the water if they got hit.
• Player mech sprite changes to show open missile bay when using secondary weapons.
• Tires squeal when holding down the boost and not moving, leaving burnt rubber on the ground.
• Added additional vertical flying particles to explosions.
• Pause menu has been overhauled to match rest of UI alongside mission failure screen.
• Text indicator showing whether ammo/armor/secondary weapon ammo is full is shown above player sprite when running into pickups.
• Explosions now push the player around slightly when causing damage.
• Added WASD and arrow key input to pause menus.
• Added slight vignette to edges of view in-game.
• Radar malfunctions momentarily when taking heavy damage.
• Added dry fire sounds to primary and secondary weapons when clicking and there's no ammo.
• Added new foliage and details to Mission 3 and 4's maps.
• Holding boost now speeds up the navigator on the overworld map.
• Dropship leaves burn marks on ground when it drops the player.
• Mission 5's spawn is now randomized and will pick between three different areas.
• Replaced illustration of quadtank on main menu. Eventually the whole screen will be redone completely, but for the time being the design reflects the current version.

Bug fixes:

• Fixed problem with save data becoming corrupted on the first mission if you die or quit to the overworld map.
• Fixed main menu link not working and added link to Steam page. 
• Fixed crash where grenade fails to detect object if the reticule is directly over an enemy and they die.
• Fixed player mech drawing shadow while being transported by dropship.
• Fixed enemy mortar carrier grenades drawing a flat sprite underneath the object.
• Fixed explosions always blowing objects to the right.
• Changed ammunition bars on weapon UI to adjust relative to maximum ammo, previously they would only start decreasing below 500 rounds.
• Fixed bullets fired by flying objects sometimes going off screen instead of hitting the ground.
• Optimized mission fail screen effects. Originally the scanlines were being continuously drawn in the background using an unexpectedly intensive method even after the screen faded to black and displayed the "mission failure" text.
• Cars and crate pickups should no longer phase into buildings when being pushed against them.
• Slight optimization to game audio. Framerate can drop if tons of sounds are playing at once, so some objects such as explosions now have caps on the maximum amount that can be played when spawned. Hopefully unnoticeable when compared to older builds.
• Fixed issue where firing downwards while pressed up against buildings would lead to bullets hitting them on spawn.

Some thoughts

I consider this update to be mostly a much needed quality of life improvement rather than a major gameplay update, as a lot of these settings features have been requested and promised in the comments for a while now. A third mission that would've had the first boss in the game ended up being cut due to time restrictions and a few of the drawing effects it needs requiring further work. Without spoiling too much, I also feel it needs a bit more time to fit into the narrative of the story and some side characters to converse with the player via radio.

On the previous post I stated my dislike of the newer GMS2 engine, but it does have some special features such as draw buffer control that legacy GMS1.4 lacks. I don't want to do it, but I'll probably have to bite the bullet and port the game soon since without those new commands certain seamless things I'd like to do with the visuals in the game are simply impossible.

I also mentioned gamepad implementation previously, but due to a few issues conflicting with settings menu navigation, I ended up pulling it due to time constraints. I apologize greatly to those who were looking forward to playing with a controller on this build.

Saving system

What roughly four months of game testing looks like.

The overworld map now has a place to view the total combined gameplay stats, and each of the mission points should now replace scores only if you beat your previous one. 

Intel section

I really wanted to redo the second mission's map entirely, but due to the approaching deadline for the testing jam on itch.io I had to choose between either making the intel section or doing new assets for the second mission. I ended up choosing the intel section, and so nearly all of the art for it was created over the course of five days. It's pretty crude at the moment, but I think it gives a decent idea of what I have planned to put in the game and how I want to expand on the worldbuilding. I'll probably double the amount of files in each folder to be twenty instead of ten, and since some of the entries will include two or even three different images to click through, it's going to come out to roughly a hundred unique illustrations I'll have to draw.

I'd like to have some full color artwork in addition to the gray lineart, but due to time restrictions I had to keep all of them monochrome with basic or just flat color shading.

What's next?

There's still much to do and add. You'll note you now receive some currency when you complete a mission, but there's nowhere to spend it yet. Eventually you'll be purchasing the parts and weapons from arms dealers with it, and I also think it'd be funny if occasionally you had to pay for damages, get into debt, or even visit some sort of hub area where you can gamble your money on sports or slot machines. Just some extra gameplay and minigames on the side.

Sorry to those who were also looking forward to unlocking different armor and powerplant options, they still haven't been implemented yet. I realize I'm going to have to change the hangar screen at this point to a separate loadout configuration room since it's already quite cluttered. As nice as the artwork is to look at, it'll probably have to be relegated to the backdrop of a cutscene or when you're speaking to one of the mechanics back at the base. I want to have the ability to pick different melee options, countermeasure/ECM, and maybe even an extra in-level support option, so fitting all of that on one screen with the current layout is difficult.

As a reward for scrolling all the way down, here's some renders of Val's low poly reference model. I feel the arms and kit on the vest need further work, but it should give you a good idea of what a typical crawler pilot wears.

Have fun!

Also if you have any cool screenshots, feel free to share them below.