Major update v4 just went live. The main feature is a completely new map called [h2][i]Map 2: The Monolith Of Perseverance[/i].[/h2] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34023786/f24857a87f33199d3355aa59fde1a31b3a4014ab.png[/img] You wake up in a comfy bed, surrounded by considerate sunflowers and the calming sound of nature's serenity. A sudden urge to pogo overcomes you, and the only way to go is up. Climb your way up a mysterious 1000 meters deep chasm, overcome unprecedented obstacles and dangers and show the Monolith who's boss! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34023786/5de64b38227e188e9b3976cf16f4fc7585f8c976.png[/img] I encourage you and anyone to try and get as far up the 1000m climb as you can, on your own or with friends or strangers in the rubber band co-op mode. Be warned though, this level is harder and longer than map 1 and will pose a formidable challenge to everyone, including the very best. It's the definitive [b]master challenge[/b] of playing pogo. If the difficulty is too much or you just want some variety you can try your luck at one of the [b]extra modes[/b] instead. In those you will either have a [i]double jump[/i] ability (similar to the one in the loot mode) or have super powered boost jumps in the [i]720° boosts[/i] mode. Both modes are easier than playing map 2 normally - they will however unlock only on July 10th, after the first 2 weeks have passed. Until then replays for map 2 will be unavailable as well. (The third extra mode, an experimental [i]puzzle[/i] mode where the player does not jump automatically and you can load up super jumps each time, might be up for removal, depending on how it works it.) [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34023786/0500c2c83c1fbaf120418fcab69f74933b8748a2.png[/img] If you play the regular map 2 mode you will have the chance of getting [b]10 new unlockable items[/b]/ cosmetics, 6 hats, 2 pogo sticks, one piece of clothing (the doctor's outfit is not related to current events) and a new boost effect. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34023786/21b77b0ed1f10fdd403f679b8bb391e9a074f257.png[/img] You get the final item, the master crown, for beating map 2. The player who finishes map 2 first as well as the current world record holders of map 1 and map 2 will get a special colored crown each with a stronger animated glow compared to the regular master crown. The differentiation between those and the implementation will be improved in an upcoming minor update. The other 9 new items you get by collecting them in the level this time, instead of leveling up as you did in map 1: [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34023786/2da7cc1ed503d3d0099ee4f5f13e3914a5d29ede.png[/img] Given the severity of this update and on popular demand, I've added 14 new achievements to the game. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34023786/3507d397a37e4cd256645bc2a9184500f18fe8be.png[/img] My apologies to people who had 100%'ed the game previously on the old achievement count and don't feel like doing it again, to all the others I say good luck! If you manage to unlock all but the final achievement, unlock all cosmetic items and reach at least level 200 you will be added to the new [i]Hall Of Fame[/i] leaderboard. Your progress on that path is tracked via the new pogo [b]Mastery[/b] rating, to be found in the Wardrobe menu: [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34023786/9e2dae690d14f62787621dd418b1f4f222b02454.png[/img] Become a pogo master, unlock the final achievement and you will be granted a special pink nameplate. Furthermore the update includes various [b]technical improvements[/b] such as character animation processing being done on the GPU, notably increasing the performance with multiple characters on screen. The game now uses a new save file system with greater flexibility, allowing you to resume non-standard modes from where you left off (for example playing the map 1 invisible mode). Saving of progress and menu settings is now done [i]asynchronously (multithreaded)[/i], removing harddrive related hiccups/ stuttering during play. (Note: The folder [i]AppData[/i] is no longer being used, instead files are written to the [i]userdata (688130 / remote)[/i] subfolder of your Steam installation. If you need to change some options in settings.txt look there from now on.) Some additional notes: During the 5 months long development (actual production, not including planning and sketching) I iterated over the map constantly, not only polishing assets but jumps as well (in the sense of obstacles and their angles and slopes). While the improved flow felt good at times, it also became somewhat boring. Therefore I took a step back in that regard, undid some of my obstacle geometry refinement and in parts even made it more.... [i]interesting[/i] on purpose. As a result, some jumps are left intentionally awkward, forcing you to adapt. Although I hope I will not have to change anything regarding the level design I reserve myself the right to make minor adjustments to the map for the next 2 weeks, in particular 550m and onward. If someone discovers a way to skip the left side of 715m and go straight up instead I may alter the level, no matter how much time has passed since launch. This is in respect of the so called [i]anvil skip[/i] in map 1, a mandatory skip when going for best times which I wish I had fixed after launch. There are a few small skips in this new level, one of them I created intentionally. They are fine and will stay the way they are. Special thanks to izumi for the Japanese translation, Julien "UULaCrevette" Petoux & Francys "Cuttyflame" Gaudin for the revised and new French translation and Fernando Alvarez Salgado for the Spanish translation! Also thanks to Valmerix for an MS Paint sketch of the Coconut area! Thank you for reading! Although the difficulty of the new map might be off the charts I hope you will enjoy your time playing. Good luck, believe in yourself and remember, [i]perseverance[/i] is key! Superku [i]Stuck, looking for help or someone to play with? Join JediJake's discord channel: [url=https://discord.gg/jKaA7EX]https://discord.gg/jKaA7EX[/url] For tech support please visit the Steam discussions.[/i]