We have released the latest version of the game, available now as a free download via the "Get the Game" button on the left. This version allows numbers in multiplayer usernames and fixes about a dozen bugs and tweaks affecting gameplay, which should make for a much smoother and more enjoyable game experience. We appreciate all the bug reports we've received in the past few weeks. They really helped us identify the critical bugs to fix in this release.
I apologize for the ever-receding launch date for this version (and, for that matter, for the original release). What happened in this case? Last Friday we were about ready to go, but at the last minute found an unreported bug that was critical enough to require a fix. The fix took two solid days of work.
Regarding multiplayer: This version fixes a bug with the "Start" button in multiplayer, so you shouldn't see that one anymore. However, we know that many players are having other troubles getting into multiplayer games. We are unable to replicate those problems and are, at the moment, baffled about the problem. We know that this is a significant issue for many people, and so we will be turning our attention to it, but it will require a substantial amount of investigation, so we have no forecast for a fix on that. Unfortunately, the output log does not give any clues, so there is no need to send those to us until we have some idea of what we're looking for.
BUGFIXES
Multiplayer:
- Usernames are not filtered, and numbers are allowed in usernames.
- Start button should work reliably.
- Long usernames are not truncated in Chat.
- List of Private Games is not displayed; players must type in both game name and password.
- Player wolf no longer gets stuck in animation loop when feeding or walking.
- Saved game data is loaded reliably. All previous saved games should work now. (The bug was in reloading game data, not in saving data.)
- Territory marking minimap fixed so markers and percentage should always be displayed.
- The mate is smarter: helping protect puppies from predators, not carrying pups through deep sections of river, not getting stuck in animation loops, and other improvements.
- Predators will not attack when player wolf is in a stranger wolf encounter.
- Territory markings fade more slowly.
- Pack Affinity declines more slowly.
- Puppies are shown on World Map as small blue circles.
- Coyotes and grizzles appear less frequently.
- Predator Camera is faster, smoother and less glitchy. Press SPACEBAR to cancel PredatorCam and return to player-wolf camera.
- Predators will not attack pups when you are more than 50 meters away from the den, looking for food, marking, etc.
- In the Journey to Rendezvous mission, the eagle is more aggressive.