Woho!

18th of June. That's it! That's the Steam Early Access release!

After all of those long years, it's finally time! Xuhivan's Autonomous Cube is coming to the big stage!

To celebrate this, here comes: Another massive update, including some requested reworks and lots of QoL!

Listening to player feedback, the unit movement has been reworked: Your units now take priority when moving, such that blocking and units getting stuck is now much rarer. On a technical level, this means that your units move first, and the opponent units thereafter. Yet a unit can always do its own movement, and will only die after all teams have finished their movement-so enemies can still retaliate, beware!

For reference, this was old behaviour:

On the same note, the Orb of Love Mechanic was removed, all units now always turn when they hit an obstacle. You guys just seem too stupid to play the game the way I designed it. -,- What can I do. Maybe those mechanics will return in some format or another???? (Yes, this is a threat)

To make the game even easier (Ha!), there now also exists a thing called Déjà-Vu Potion:

You will automatically gain this relic after beating the first boss, Tasanzang. It allows you to restart one cube, while keeping all permanent changes such as clock and used relic charges as they are, so it's like a one-time get out of jail card when you have run into a roadblock, or a bad enemy spawn.

Completely reworked enemy unit spawns. There are now three variants for each cube, secretly unlocked along with the other stuff!

Also, the Overworld got partly reworked, and completely refurbished in act 2 and 3. Some nasty lighting bugs haven been fixed, especially noticeable before on the roof of act 3. A plattform on the water/ice for the event before the Act 2 Boss (Aranthos) was added: it is now just a random event like any other, instead of always being the breaking ice event.

All lights spawned by events are removed, making their looks more consistent. All cutscenes have been improved, especially making the movement speed of the camera more consistent.

The HP Shield of Bosses now have a different color instead of plain red, with a custom one for each boss! The overhead UI of immortal units was darkened to make it more clear that they are immortal, and added an FX to bosses when they block hits because they are not the last unit yet:

The the hair and attack of Lung of Mythenmetz now have a purple touch to make it visually clearer that his attacks do not use the fire damage or ground inflaming mechanic. Slightly modified the Fire Phenomenon attack particle system for the same reason.

And a long list of smaller but no less important changes:

• Added an automatic save and load system for runs!
  
• Added an effect for the Demon Totem after rotation that shows which tiles of the cube need yet to be solved
  
• Added a counter how many units still have to be defeated in the top right. Can be clicked to mark all units that still have to be defeated (i.e., the effect ignores immortal enemies)
  
• Improved unit placing UI such that units no longer "get lost" above the screen with the need to scroll down to see them
  
• Added Earth Wyrm and Phoenix to the possible starting units (if unlocked)
  
• Made Earth Wyrm darker and more brownish to improve glance value (tm) versus Elder Wyrm
  
• Clarified in the unbound status that it only applies to kills during unit movement
  
• Fixed the scale and spinning wheel events sometimes incorrectly rotating the units offered
  
• Fixed Burial Urn never being actually offered in events despite being unlocked
  
• Esc and Backspace now close the small Esc-Menu, the Settings Menu and the Manual (instead of opening Esc-Menu over them or doing nothing)
  
• Clarified in Isabella's description that she does not drown
  
• Fixed Krios the Martyr triggering his attack on own units
  
• Made the 4th cube requirement unlock level 6 (that of Earth Wyrm) instead of depending on the unlock score (so that the level does not get unlocked in the middle of a run)
  
• Made the keyword hovering UI fade out faster the further away the mouse is from the border of the UI
  
• Fixed restarting a run while in an event unit selection breaking unit placement visuals for the following run
  
• Clarified and streamlined lots of relic and unit texts, especially whether their effects are permanent or just for the current cube, and whether a count is resetted after a cube

And as a little concluding easteregg, if you enjoy a little bit of "how the sausage is made", I(and ChatGPT) also created a nice system that samples and plots the new spawn patterns!

It shows a sample of some random spawns, and for each the total sum of all hitpoints of opponents on a cube, the total sum of all hitpoints of non-invincible units, the number of units and and the number of invincible units of a spawn pattern. (Difficulty means the act: act 1 (left), act 2(middle) and act 3 (right), and the three colors show the three different patterns per cube).


That's it! The secret is out! See you on June 18th!!

Another Update got pushed, with some smaller improvements:

• Reduced the on disk size of the game by 40% by being less dumb when packaging
  
• Fixed cube rotation sometimes skipping the current song
  
• Background music playlist system should be more reliable in general now
  
• Fallen Deluder now ignores immortality and boss block
  
• Fixed Drunk Demon of Sand not blocking other Demon placement
  
• Fixed Deja-Vu Potion incorrectly showing its cork after save&load when used

(This means all bugs from the current pre-recorded stream are fixed now lol)

Also, there is now a pretty FX when one demon blocks another from placing:

Wassup!

A quick node: There are now Steam Achievements! I heard you guys really like such things. Right now, there are 12, including three secret ones! If you have any ideas for cool other ones, let me know! (Note that only the full game on Steam has achievements for the time being)

Also: Watch this space! You guys might now really soon the date for the Early Access Release of this very game...

Ho, ho, ho! Santa's here. Or the easter bunny or who cares.

This little fellow brings you a completely redone game win experience!
Now, there are two dozen different variants of the ending cutscene! (Wait! This means we have an ending cutscene now?!?) Expect more to come. Try to find out the conditions for each variant, and let me know in the discord if you think you found some, he!

This update also contains some visual sugar, and various quality of life improvements. See, exempli gratia, this shiny effect to the Overhead UI of invincible units:
Or this visual effect when Iron Knights or Lead Knights push something:
Added a marker in the tutorial at the "Cube Face Turns II" Stage for units that were not killed after a rotation:
Added help tips when all your units are dead, all units are stuck or the player has been playing the same cube for a very long time, to clarify that the game is not immediately lost, but that the player has to decide when it is considered hopeless to continue.

And some other things:

• Winning a game now grants you 5 extra unlock score points
  
• Fixed Spinning Wheel event beeing able to be clicked while wheel is spining.
  
• Removed one frame of lag when winning a cube (hopefully)
  
• Fixed Aranthos and Xuhivan Levels spawning units that were not yet unlocked instead of substituting them with unlocked units
  
• Fixed a bit of unit jittering on the first cube of act 2 (Cow Dome)
  
• Greatly increased sized of click hitboxes in the following events (all have no choice that needs to be made): Magic Portal, Ice Blocks, Magic Mirror, Dragon Statue, Shrine of Theris, Upgrade Unit Event.

Guten Tag,

contrary to what I said last time, I packed a lot of stuff into this update again! Life also got in the way, and not exactly in a positive way. So, sorry, for taking my time with this rather late christmas present.

A doubling of 10 to 21 Events, two new demon units, and 1 (in numbers ONE) new relic are accompanied by a new smooth (Skyrim-Style, in case you remember that, ha!) log system, and multiple QoL adjustments especially in the unlock system.

There is now a purple something to more clearly mark curse relics:
Demon_Totem
Demon. Immortal. Inert. Does not move or attack. You cannot win a cube unless the side the totem demon is standing upon is solved.

Krampus
Demon. Aquatic. Immortal. Seeks only own units. Attacks in a cone before him. Only hits units of the same team.

In this update we get quite a lot of new events. They are now unique per run, instead of just always a random one at each event location.
There are also two new events that only unlock later:
Since they are now introduced and we have some, expect a couple more events interacting with demons!


(Hope you like it!)

This also shows you the new and exciting System which allows you to right click zoom into stuff you unlocked! Unlocking multiple unlock levels at once now also show directly after each other, instead of requiring a restart, and using the escape menu to go into the main menu now always shows the unlock screen, even though the next unlock level is not reached.

• Fixed Demon Prince ignoring block
  
• The telescope event now also removes all statuses instead of just giving the pure status (the actual difference in behaviour is very minuscule, but this is more consistent)
  
• Fixed regular relic list not beeing shuffled
  
• Fixed a rare bug with boss music where two songs could be played simultaneously

Hey Hey!

Long has it been. This time I took a bit of a different approach, and packed lots and lots of content into this update. It contains 4 new units, 2 new events, and 25 (TWENTY-FIVE (if I have not miscounted, I am not good at that stuff)) new relics!

Take it as a christmas present that came early (I am very sorry for reminding you that it is only 51 days untill christmas). For example, there now are more sophisticated inside material for cubes! So there is no longer plain white gleaming at you:

Other small and not so small changes and bugfixes include (demo and full game):

• Fixed mouse position for the visual rotation of a cube or relic not beeing polled every tick (massive difference in perceived responsibility)
  
• Bump collision FX on the ground now lingers way longer (to make it clearer when a collision occured)
  
• Made the bumping collision FX more consistent with 2x2 units: Now always plays the FX on the tiles that were actually part of a collision and on no others
  
• Fixed a bug with wrong relic placement on non-16:9 screen ratios, and 3rd column of units not beeing visible on 4:3 screens
  
• Made The GroundHelpTip Makrer Marker on the cube more visible and linger longer
  
• Added a sound to fire on ground hitting a unit
  
• Fixed DisarmFX beeing broken for unplaced units
  
• Fixed a rare bug where the facing direction of 2x2 units would be sometimes rotated twice when rotating a cube face
  
• Fixed the new cube added in the last update trying to spawn in demo, and sometimes spawning over bosses
  
• Fixed that cube sometimes spawning phoenixes out of bounds (was visual only)
  
• Fixed Orb of Love mentioning some guy called Ramnik (who is that???)
  
• Guardian of Love is now replaced by Guardian of Light on Very Easy in events instead of just beeing blocked from the spawn list
  
• Jade Soldiers of the first boss fight no longer spawn in the tutorial (to avoid very often showing 2 help tips there)
  
• The spinning wheel event now places random cursed relics (see below) instead of always Hand of Brass (stays Hand of Brass in Demo)

Rainbow Sentinel
Before units move, apply Disarm to all units on the cube side the sentinel is standing on. Does not seek or attack. Four Rainbow Sentinel fuse into one Rainbow Sergeant.

Rainbow Sergeant
Hovering. Before units move, apply Immortal to all units on the cube that are disarmed (Works immediately on disarm triggered by Rainbow Sentinel). Does not seek or attack. May float over water.

Orb of Light
Before units move, apply Immortal to all units on the cube that are disarmed. (Note: This is applied before unit effects, so it will take an additional turn to apply when units trigger a disarm)

Liquid Love
Disarms all units on the targeted cube side. One Charge.

These units and relics are connected: Since immortal units do not have to be defeated, these in combination provide another way to clear a cube besides brute force. It's just a tad more complicated. (Don't worry: This stuff is unlocked later, so as to not overstrain the last brain cells you have left after reading this).

Drunk Demon of Sand
Demon. Immortal. Aquatic. Turns on obstacle collision. Starts with the status Sand of Time, which cannot be removed. Does not seek or attack.


This update introduces the concept of demon units. There may only be one demon (of any type) placed on a cube side, so if you get to many, you will automatically lose the cube. Additionally, each demon has a special (negative) effect: In the case of the Drunk Demon of Sand this means that each rotation that affects her cost you an additional turn on the clock!
You get demons by special events, and not by the regular unit events (don't tempt me!). For example by the event seen in the background:
It let's you either turn back the time by 3, or by 10, but gives you a Drunk Demon of Sand in the latter case!

Starship's Wheel
For every four (own or enemy) units drowned, turn the time back by one.

Captain's Wheel
Cursed. For every six (own or enemy) units drowned, turn the time forward by two.

Cursed Anchor
Cursed. Drowned units no longer respawn.

Pirate's Skull
If your clock exceeds 33 rotations (two thirds of maximum rotations), get a random potion every time you win a cube.

As there are demon units, there are cursed relics: You do not really want them, but sometimes there is just no way around! They are given to you in various events, for example, the spinning wheel event now places them sometimes instead of always a Hand of Brass.

Demon Prince
Demon. Massive. Immortal. Attacks the four tiles in front of him. For each demon besides this one, he attacks two more rows of four in front of him.

Did I just say that you do not really want demons? Well, that's not always true, the Demon Prince is a regular unit, and it gets stronger with all demons you have! But be careful: The placing constraint still holds

Burial Urn
Whenver you gain a cursed relic, turn the clock back by 3.

This is also to give an exception to the rule that curse relics are supposed to be bad (I hope you like how I design games?)

Undo Potion
Unplace all your units on the current cube, and place them again.

Heroine's Effigy
Your units no longer fuse when you own the required amount of a unit type.

Contrary to what you might think, this relic is actually good for you: Most upgrades are indeed better than the base unit, but since it often takes you three or more of the base unit to fuse, this is still a net positive.

Trinket Box
Adds one Treasure Chest to the enemies randomly spawned on each cube.

Treasure Chest(unit)
Immortal. Aquatic. Inert. Does not attack. When first attacked, turn the clock back by 1.

Staff of the Seraphim
Your units no longer fuse when you own the required amount of a unit type.

Ink and Quill
On pickup, gain three random potions. Every rotation rotates the cube twice (180°).

Old Emblem
Turn the clock back by 20. Every rotation rotates the cube twice (180°).

Tree Seal
Turn the clock back by 20. Cube faces can only be rotated clockwise.

These three relics are heavy stuff, for those of you who feel their brain has not been tortured enough. They sit at the very end of the unlock list, completely transforming how the game works.

The other new event, this telescope thing there, lets you choose between the following things:
(Left): Pick one of your units to permanently apply Pure to it. (Middle): Add an Ancient Knowledge to your relics. (Right): Upgrade one of your units.
Right or Left Click to choose.

Ancient Knowledge
At the start of each cube, apply the status Immortal to all units of type ???. (Unit type varies per run)

You already know the Phoenix! Yet, the two relics are new, and give you yet another way to win: By improving how good fire is! (And since the phoenix is one of the units that sets stuff on fire, maybe you get why they are grouped with it)

Eastern Fire
Fire may now also spread onto water.

Detective's Pipe
Fire kills hit units instantly instead of damaging them.


Leather Hat
Every time you win a cube in one rotation, get a random potion.

Helm of Quarhodron
If you use a potion, gain a new one of the same type. Two charges.

Beckoning Bell
Cursed. Adds two ??? to the enemies randomly spawned on each cube. (Unit type varies per run)

Demon Mask
Cursed. Whenever you use a potion, turn the clock forward by 1.

Cast Satan
Cursed. On pickup, turn the clock forward by 5.

These are the three basic curse relics. Hand of Brass is now unlocked later (as it felt rather complicated).

Bent Spoon
Every third of your unbound units does not get removed on death.

Liquid Fire
If the targeted unit has an upgrade, upgrade it for this cube, if not, make it take one Fire Damage and inflame the ground the unit is standing on. Target must be standing on cube. One Charge.

Reorder Elixir
Unplace all enemy units on the current cube, and place them again. (Unlocked actually pretty late lol)




This is it for now, hope you even read to the end, lol? Up to next adventures, I'll try to keep up the pace! I will probably return to updates sized a bit smaller and more frequently though for the foreseeable future.

Wassup!

Some of you guys will probably remember the tease, and here it is now, playable for the full version: A new cube to grind your gears against!
The cube will not be available right at the start, you will have to do some unlocks first. I plan on adding some more cubes soon, and I have not decided on how best to put them into the game, so if you have any ideas just let me know!
Bugfixes:

• Fixed units with inherent Statuses (High King of Love) not getting them when spawned on a cube instead of being placed by the player (this could not happen in the game before, but can happen on the new cube!).
  
• Fixed Elder Wyrm (Upgrade of Earth Wyrm) always beeing unlocked

I heard some of you guys still had problems finishing the demo (or the tutorial, lol), so I made the game even simpler, ha! No shaming here (No, no, not at all)

The following simplifications were made (all apply to the demo and the full game).

Tutorial:

• Reduced the amount of units spawned on the second tutorial cube
  
• Made the third and fourth cube be always the same

Added a new unit, the Guardian of Light

• Replaces the Guardian of Love on the Very Easy difficulty and in the tutorial
  
• Has the same attack pattern, but does not seek own units, or gains hitpoints on kills
  
• Does not upgrade into the High King of Love or anything else
  
• Guardians of Love no longer spawn on the forest side of one of the three starter cubes on Very Easy
  

Tutorial and Very Easy:

• Reduced the random starting units and gave you more of the simpler to use units (Guardian of Light and Krios. You have now more units in total)

Tutorial, Easy, and Very Easy:

• Units now turn when they run into an obstacle, just as they always do when reaching the edge of the cube.
  

Normal:

• You now start with the relic Orb of Elemental Love: It reverts the above change such that units now get stuck at blocked obstacles again (Massive units still as before).
  

(Also, I moved help tip /tutorial windows closer to the edge of the screen)

Salvete Lusores!

The new update is coming, making your life easier, and this game hopefully easier to understand!

• Fixed a rare bug with Telkas projectile in strange cases not showing the intense glow at its edge correctly when it is ready to explode
  
• Added a system to show the attack pattern of units you placed. This should also make it easier to see the rotation of units you are placing
  
• The pattern will also be shown if you hover over units already placed on the cube.
  
• Not that it is no simulation of a move though, it does not take into account damage block, attacks that ignore blocks, hitpoints, or friendly fire.
  
• Also, and this was way more work than it probably seemed, added a new "Bumping" System for units to show when they were trying to move to the same location, thus blocking themselves, with movement of the units, FX and sound
  
• A smaller version also plays when units try to move into obstacles
  
• Previously they were just standing still, which seemed to confuse some of you
  

Hey folks!

A new update is coming today! Sorry I haven't posted in over a week, and new content gets pushed only now!

• Fixed Spectral Phenomenon and Fire Phenomenon sometimes not showing their attack (Hopefully the last time I have to write this lol)

• Readded the promised Phoenix unit! A rare scaled bird held by the senators of Ko, with a ranged attack that enflames the ground on units it hits:
  
• The Phoenix loses one hit point every turn, but on dying its body does not get removed, but instead revives three turns after beeing killed:
  
• Also, the Earth Wyrm now has an Upgrade, the Elder Wyrm! It works very similar to the Earth Wyrm, turning hit units into brass, but attacks all tiles in front of him in a straight line:
  
• On the events side of things, first there is this strange thing here:
  
• And the Magic Mirror:
  

Have fun with the new update! Lots of nearly finished stuff (teased in this update for example) is coming very soon!