Hello Tavern Dwellers,

We have been keeping our cards close to our chest as of late—but this is for good reason! We have some huge news and hope you are as excited about it as we are...

Firstly we are thrilled to announce we have an undergone complete art overhaul over the past few months and we are very happy with the results! We have kept all the pixel art charm of the original game we all know and love, but have given it a ton of personality. The game now looks very grimy and dank fitting in with the darker narrative tone and setting. This art has been created by Yogscast artists Harry, Nina-Serena, and Jack. This and an updated soundtrack by Element 27[element27.carrd.co] really puts the finishing touches on the game!

Which brings us onto our next exciting announcement! We have signed a publishing agreement with Yogscast Games who will be partnering with us to launch Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers later this year! We will still remain in full control of the game's direction but partnering with Yogscast Games has enabled us to overhaul the art in game as well as freeing up additional time by taking on some of the responsibilities we would have otherwise needed to handle ourselves. They also bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the table.

We also have a brand new trailer showcasing all the new art and some new content! Check it out below!

TRAILER!

If you want to check out the new version for yourself, you can! We have updated the previous demo with a brand new demo complete with the new art and a host of other improvements ahead of Steam Next Fest! So please do check by the tavern for a few rounds of Blackjack from now all the way through to Steam Next Fest!

To keep up to date with the latest news and how the game is progressing join us on our official Discord! HERE[discord.gg]

and consider wishlisting the game on Steam, this helps us out a lot! Look forward to seeing you all in the tavern again soon!

I am beyond excited to share the latest update of Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers with you!

The 21st version of the demo had to be a special update, so me, the Yogscast artists (Jack, Nina-Serena, and Harry), and our composer (Element27) have been spending the necessary time in the tavern's kitchen cooking up the best and biggest update to the demo ever. So, without further ado, here is what is new:

Highlights:

• A complete art overhaul that preserves the pixel art aesthetic, but with a grimier, dank twist
  
• A brand new, dynamic soundtrack that changes with each game of blackjack
  
• A whole bunch of new cards, including a big set of Face cards
  
• Reworks of lots of existing cards, including some of the weaker Tarot cards
  
• A new card type: Foil cards
  
• New encounters
  
• A collection for tracking the cards you have added to your deck
  
• Customisable ID Card portrait
  
• Loads of bug fixes and QoL improvements
  
• Support for Simplified and Traditional Chinese

Art changes

• New backgrounds for every floor
  
• New UI and font for displaying card name, value, suit, and description
  
• Keyword highlighting and explanation
  
• New Hit and Stand buttons
  
• New ID Card and portraits for both player and opponents
  
• New art and animations for chips and Advantage
  
• New art for every Unique Chip
  
• New art and animations for gaining/losing health and shields
  
• New damage and grime on the cards themselves, which is randomised for each run
  
• Base resolution increased to 640x360 (was previously 480x270)

Music changes

• A whole new soundtrack, with a unique track for each floor
  
• A new track is added to the current track during each encounter, keeping the soundtrack fresh for every run

Keywords

• Several common effects have been changed to use keywords:
  
• On click -> Exploit
  
• +1 value if this doesn't cause a bust -> Rounds up
  
• Set your score to match your bust limit -> Instant blackjack
  
• Set your score to match opponent's score -> Instant draw
  
• Permanently remove card from your deck -> Shred
  
• View the next X cards in your draw pile -> Foresight X
  
• Adds to your hand -> Handy
  
• Discard without enacting 'on discard' effects -> Quick discard
  
• Worth 11 unless that busts, then worth 1 -> Flexible (11 or 1)

New cards

• Jackhammer of Clubs - Exploit: deal 5 damage, then burn.
  
• Jumping Jack - On hit or Exploit: move to opponents play pile.
  
• Jack and the Beanstalk - On stand: rounds up 4 times. On bust limit exceeded: take 5 damage and halve the value of this card.
  
• Monterey Jack - Exploit: heal 2 HP and burn. On stand: heals for 3 more HP this encounter.
  
• Jackpot - On stand: create 3 random Jacks, then put them in your draw pile. On discard: burn.
  
• Queen of Music - The next card you play this round becomes a Queen of Music for the rest of the encounter.
  
• Queen of Chess - Exploit: move to opponents play pile, then lock. At the start of next round: unlock.
  
• Queen of Wonderland - On play: choose another card currently in play and halve its value for the rest of this encounter.
  
• Killer Queen - On play: choose a card in your opponents play pile and burn it, then +2 value to this card.
  
• Queen of the Stone Age - Whenever you play a card worth 3 or 7: deal 3 damage.
  
• Dancing Queen - On hit or Exploit: changes card value in the order 10, 11, 10, 9, 10.
  
• Queen of Drag - On play: create a random Queen, add her to your hand, and set her value to 11.
  
• King of Gold - The next card played becomes a random Diamonds card for the rest of the encounter.
  
• King of the Hill - On play: instant blackjack if this is the only Face card currently in your deck.
  
• King of Kings - On play: burn all currently played Kings, then take 1 damage and gain 10 chips for each King burned.
  
• King Cobra - On play: take 3 damage, then deal 2 damage for every King currently in your deck.
  
• King of Space and Time - Handy. On play: move all your other played cards to your opponent's side, then stand. Can only be played if you have a Jack in play.
  
• Kingmaker - Handy. On play: choose another one of your played cards to turn into a random King.
  
• King of the World - On play: burn ALL other Face cards.
  
• Wild Card - Handy. On play: change the value of this card to match the top card in your discard pile.
  
• Ace in the Hole - Handy. Flexible (-1 or 1). Can only be played while exactly 1 above or below bust limit. On stand: if this card is in your hand, take 1 damage.
  
• Lucky Seven - On stand: if you have at least three cards with a value of 7 in play, gain 77 chips.
  
• Priceco Membership Card - On play: set value to 12, then create a 12 of a random suit then put it into your hand. Exploit: -3 value.
  
• Communist Party Card - On play: instant draw. On discard: discards to opponent's discard pile.
  
• Non-Fungible Card - On hit: set value to a random value between 1 and current value - 1.
  
• AI Generated Card - On play: randomly selects value and suit. Exploit: create a copy of this card, then move it to your opponent's play pile.
  
• Report Card - On play: gain 5 shield. If you have at least 11 shield, create an Ace of Spades, then put it into your hand. If you have at least 21 shield, make it a Foil.
  
• Rorschach Card - On stand: your opponent stands.
  
• Misprinted Card - On play: set value to 6, then create a Seven of Spades and put it in your hand. On stand: rounds up.
  
• Spade of Fives - On hit: if you already have a score of at least 16, gain 5 shield.
  
• Club of Fours - On hit: if you already have a score of at least 17, deal 4 damage.
  
• Diamond of Sixes - On hit: if you already have a score of at least 15, gain 6 chips.
  
• Heart of Threes - On hit: if you already have a score of at least 18, heal 3 HP.
  
• Plate of Escardgot - On stand: rounds up 2 times, then grant shield equal to card value. Exploit: lock. At the start of next round: unlock.
  
• Throwing Card - Flexible (11 or 1). On play: deal damage equal to your shield, then move this card to your opponent's play pile.
  
• Suit Yourself - Exploit: choose a card in your draw pile, then choose a suit to change it into for the rest of this encounter.
  
• Diamond in the Rough - On play: remove up to 10 shield from both players, then grant 2 chips per shield removed.
  
• Fingerprint Card - On play and stand: Exploit a random one of your played cards that has Exploit (does not cost Advantage).
  
• Master of One - On hit: create and play a One of a random suit.
  
• Zero of Spades
  
• Zero of Clubs
  
• Zero of Diamonds
  
• Zero of Clubs
  
• Negative One of Spades
  
• Negative One of Clubs
  
• Negative One of Diamonds
  
• Negative One of Clubs
  
• Ace of Nothings
  
• Jack of Nothings
  
• Queen of Nothings
  
• King of Nothings

Card reworks

• Booster Pack - On play: create five random cards and put them in your hand. One will be a Foil. On discard: burn.
  
• Get Well Soon - On play: lock. On taking damage 3 more times: heal 10 HP and burn.
  
• Reverse Card - On play: swap who hits first.
  
• Time Card - Exploit while you have a card worth 9 or 5 in play: gain 10 chips.
  
• Kanban Card - On play: choose one card from the bottom 3 cards in your draw pile to move into your hand.
  
• XI Strength - Exploit while busted: hit button becomes re-enabled for one hit. Take 1 damage (increases by 1).
  
• XII The Hanged Man - On play: foresight 2, then choose one to quick discard.
  
• XIII Death - On play: choose a card from 1 of 3 currently in your deck to shred. On discard: burn.
  
• XIV Temperance - On play: gain 1 chip per card currently in your deck. On discard: burn.
  
• XVI The Tower - On play: lock your other played unlocked cards and unlock your other played locked cards.
  
• XVII The Star - On heal: deal damage equal to the amount healed.
  
• XX Judgment - On play: choose one of your burned cards to create a copy of, then move it to your draw pile.

Card changes

• Jack in the Box - now starts open (so is worth 10 by default)
  
• Glitched Card - now copies ALL kinds of effects, not just on play effects
  
• Glitched Card - is even more visually glitchy
  
• Glitched Card - can now copy from a wider range of cards
  
• +2 Card - now plays the on play effect of the played cards
  
• Baseball Card - created cards are now quick discarded instead of being put in play
  
• Hall Pass - increases foresight to 3
  
• II The High Priestess - increases foresight to 9
  
• VI The Lovers - cards created by this card now burn on discard
  
• VIII Justice - now transforms Jacks into Jackpots instead of Jack of all Trades
  
• VIII Justice - Jack transformation now lasts only for this encounter
  
• XVIII The Moon - can now be Exploited to remove the shroud for this round.
  
• 0 The Fool - no longer burns on discard
  
• Magic Trick Card - changes choices Queen of Diamonds and Seven of Spades instead of Queen of Hearts and Seven of Clubs
  
• Terminate the Tower - value changed from 0 to 4
  
• Break Limits - value changed from 0 to 1
  
• Sweep the Leg - value changed from 0 to 3
  
• Scratch - value changed from 0 to 2
  
• Old Baseball Card - now burns on discard
  
• Green Card - now moves the chosen card to the top of the opponent's draw pile
  
• Memory Card - now creates a copy of the remembered card on stand instead of on play

Foil cards

• Foil cards are a new card type added in this update
  
• Foil cards are added to your hand at the start of every encounter, and can be played from your hand without spending Advantage
  
• Foil cards are offered as a reward after defeating Alucard or Bouncer, and can also be created by some cards

New encounters and events

• Squire - a new Tavern encounter
  
• Thief - a new Lounge encounter
  
• Shop: Lost & Found - a new shop that gives a choice of cards that were previously skipped during this run

Balance changes

• Chip On Your Shoulder - can now only trigger once per round
  
• Alucard - has a Foil Blood Donor Card
  
• Alucard - has an additional Scratch
  
• Bouncer - has a Foil Twenty One of Spades
  
• Bouncer - one of his Ten of Nothings is now a Ten of Clubs
  
• Knight of Cardonia - has a stronger deck, but has moved to the Basement
  
• Fortune Teller - is now after the Manager encounter
  
• Teacher - now has a Report Card
  
• Luck Pusher - now has a 0 The Fool

Collection

• Adds a Collection book that tracks which cards you have added to your deck in a run

Customisable ID Card

• You can now customise your portrait using the ID Card on the title screen
  
• More customisations will be coming in the full release!

New settings and pause menu

• Adds a brand new settings screen, with a few new options
  
• Animation speed - defaults to 1
  
• Language (currently English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese are available, but more will be added) - defaults to Steam language, falls back to English
  
• Glitched Card visual effect intensity - defaults to 3
  
• Smoking allowed/no smoking - defaults to no smoking
  
• Settings screen is now accessible during a run from the pause menu
  
• The pause menu is now accessible at any point during a run (instead of just during encounters) by clicking the Escape key, or clicking the logo of the current floor

Quality of Life improvements

• Basic rules of the game are now displayed on the table of the tavern
  
• Several interactable elements (such as viewing your discard pile) have a red exclamation mark if you have never used them, to help new players discover them
  
• Adds a party animation to the Score Card when you have a blackjack
  
• Adds an error message and plays a failure sound effect when a card effect has no valid targets (e.g. Business Card played when opponent has no cards in play)
  
• Better controller and keyboard navigation on some interfaces
  
• If running in windowed mode, the window is now centred to the centre of the screen on start up
  
• The win and loss screens have both been reworked to make starting another run easier
  
• You can now view your deck on the loss screen
  
• Removes the lock icon from the mystery reward card

Other improvements

• Adds the "of Nothings" starting deck
  
• Hovering cards is much snappier
  
• Unhovering cards is much bouncier
  
• Better deck/pile preview that allows for more cards to be displayed at once
  
• Deck/draw pile previews are now sorted by order in the Collection book, which improves grouping of similar cards
  
• Adds a fancy unfurling animation to the Fortune Teller event
  
• Optimisation on cards so that they can be loaded quicker, this greatly improves game performance when playing with decks with 100s of cards
  
• Lots of changes to card descriptions to reduce the length and complexity of the effect descriptions
  
• Lots of improvements to story text
  
• Makes the whole ID Card hoverable and clickable
  
• Adds new sound effect for Slot Machine shop

Bug fixes

• fixes a bug where Transit Card was adding to the end of the opponent's draw pile instead of a random position
  
• fixes a bug where the card hover 'tick' sound could play too often
  
• fixes a bug where cards that had a condition before they could be played from hand (i.e. Dark Mage) would use up 1 Advantage even if that condition meant that they weren't played
  
• fixes a bug where Glitched Card would remember values from previously copied cards, leading to strange behaviour when the new card needed to access those values
  
• fixes a bug where cards created by Four Mana Seven Seven were not triggering 'bust limit exceeded' effects
  
• fixes a bug where you could deal lower than expected damage with a low base damage but high damage multiplier