Hey all,

Gentrieve 2 has now been published on Desura! Pick it up here: http://www.desura.com/games/gentrieve-2

- Phr00t

Hey all,

We have reached v1.0! The list of changes in this version may look small, but the new world generation option is pretty cool (and a great idea provided by Xangi).

Disabling “consecutive” maps will generate maps that are not so strict. For example, you may stumble into an area that would have otherwise required more items to access. This creates for some cool shortcuts, but be warned — you may end up overwhelmed by the strength of enemies or even find a boss that is immune to the only weapon you have! Save often, these non-consecutive maps are not for the faint of heart.

Oh, and Gentrieve 2 will be coming to Desura soon

- Phr00t

Hey all,

Gentrieve 2 is out of alpha & now considered beta software! Development for this game has gone far smoother and quicker than expected, thanks to lots of help from testers and supporters.

This milestone is marked with another update fixing some reported bugs and adding a nice touch to the visuals with randomly placed mushrooms among the grass. Along with this beta, the first Gentrieve 2 contest will be starting shortly! It will consist of posting a YouTube video of yourself completing a level as quickly as possible. I will announce the level players will use, which will assure everyone is playing the same world.

Thanks all!

- Phr00t

Hey all,

Gentrieve 2 is getting ready for its first contest! v0.82 is now available. I’ve added some statistics that will be required to be in video entries (contains stuff I will use for verification like the version number). I’ve also fixed a few nagging bugs, like bosses getting stuck in walls.

I hope to have the first Gentrieve 2 contest next week. Check out the contest rules above. The first prizes will be modest, but as things pick up, so will the prizes!

- Phr00t

Hey all,

After much research and experimentation, I’m not going to include built-in gameplay recording and playback features. This was decided for a number of reasons:

1. People prefer watching gameplay via YouTube instead of downloading a “replay” file, opening the game, and finally playing the “replay” file.
2. Storing and accurately recreating smooth playback is terribly difficult when using a non-deterministic physics engine.
3. I am unable to find a video recording library that is fast, cross-platform & has an nonrestrictive license.
4. Free & easy to use video recording software already exists, like http://camstudio.org/.

This will free up quite a bit of development time for other improvements & projects. This also means we can get to Gentrieve 2 contests sooner!

Pricing will change! There will NOT be an increase in price for the Beta version, and the final version will only be $12 instead of $15. This is because I suspect Gentrieve 2 to hit Beta much sooner than expected.

A new trailer has also been created that features the new lighting & foliage effects. A new version of Gentrieve 2 is coming shortly, and I hope with that version, we can start with some contests! I will create a new “Contests” tab above

- Phr00t

Hey all,

I was recording new trailer material when I noticed a few nasty bugs which needed to be fixed ASAP. So, I fixed them.

v0.75a is now available, and you can see the fixes on the “Version History” tab. You WILL need to start a new game to have all the new fixes be active (since there were problems in room generation & saving).

Thanks!

- Phr00t

Hey all,

A new version of Gentrieve 2 is available — v0.73a. This version introduces foliage which will populate platforms in generated rooms. Some rooms will have foliage rising up from platforms, while other rooms will have foliage hanging down from platforms. If you are looking to improve performance, you can disable foliage in the Effects Config menu option (keep in mind that new foliage settings won’t become active until entering a new room). Effects configuration will now be saved when exiting Gentrieve 2 and starting it up.

A few gameplay tweaks were made as well. bombs & explosive boxes were made more useful by increasing their explosion radius. The tethering beam has been sped up to make it easier to make quick connections in the heat of battle. Enemy spawns & homing projectiles have also been improved.

Next up will be integrating some “Speed Run” features like gameplay recording and playback. This feature might take a bit more time, but I’m going to get started on it! I also want to get up some new screenshots and a new trailer, since Gentrieve 2′s visuals have improved quite a bit!

Thanks all,

- Phr00t