In the General Settings a new Display option has been added called Fullscaling. It's a bit of a mix between Fullscreen and Borderless Window so you can set a resolution for the game screen which is shown in the middle of your monitor and then any remainder space around it is filled with black. Useful for if you use an unusual monitor resolution and a cluttered desktop as it's a more immersive version of Windowed mode. When set to Fullscaling the Resolution option will also change to Resolution Scaling (which you can adjust) to guarantee that the game screen will always use pixel perfect scaling no matter your desktop resolution.

//other misc changes
- The game will now auto-pause if a gamepad is disconnected during active play.
- Tome of True Names item: This will do now +50% bonus damage in all game modes (instead of doing different damage based on the game mode).
- Selestial Jewel item: This will now instantly give +666 score in all game modes (instead of giving different scores based on the game mode and only upon game completion). The item can now also be offered in the Necrotic Colosseum and Diabolus Rush game modes.

//bug fixes
- Exalt Husk vessel: Gaining Purity Hearts would cause a crash when entering a new stage/room.
- When using a generic USB gamepad it could always count as pressing Up-Left.
- Choose Blessing screen: An item wouldn't have any attached Purity Hearts if you were the Exalt Husk or Accursed Haunt vessel.
- When using the Quick Restart option some items weren't using the correct game mode specific descriptions.
- Tome of True Names item: The bonus damage wasn't being applied if inflicted by a Familiar.

//bug fixes
- You could be hurt during some cutscenes (notably during Boss death sequences).
- The Exalt Husk vessel's final unlock sequence was a bit visually scuffed.
- The Sinned Animus vessel's unlock sequence was a bit scuffed.
- Clashful Cards game mode: Changing this game mode's options would cause a crash.
- Clashful Cards game mode: The Nascent Cherub vessel unlock card was in the wrong position.
- Diabolus Rush game mode: The Reaper enemies during cycle 2+ could still spawn even after the Boss had been killed.
- Escape Menu: The Quick Restart option wasn't working during the Clashful Cards game mode.
- Accursed Haunt vessel: They counted as having the Swift Steel relic but it wasn't added to their starting inventory.
- Accursed Haunt vessel: When benefitting from the Blade Sacrament relic the flame was in the wrong position.

Welcome back Heavenly Keepers. :]

Today's update is a very general maintenance update modernising some various QoL stuff.

The game's base resolution of 256x144 has been slightly increased to 274x154. I felt previously the game was just a little bit too zoomed in so you now have a bit of extra screen estate to spot the evildoers. It also scales much more nicely to 1080p so there's very little pixel weirdness at that resolution now.

The basic pixel font has been upgraded to be more readable, and there's now a double resolution version which is On by default. You can switch back to the pixel pure font by changing the Font Type in the settings.

The stark black pixel dithered vignette border during play has been replaced with a smoother darkness layer. The various enemies and projectiles now also show through the vignette so it's now much easier to see meanies approaching.

When choosing a game mode or vessel there's now a couple of gems to signify progression (eg completing a game mode and getting a high score). Just in case you want to play beyond the achievements.

Tweaks to the Dungeon Pilgrimage game mode...
- You now need to beat the Deamonica Hunt to unlock this game mode (just a bit of extra progression).
- You can now teleport to any rooms you have beaten via the Status Screen's Map.
- The doors of all enemy rooms will now slam shut until all enemies are killed (so they can't be cheesed by dodging in an out).
- Your Score Multiplier will now only be reduced when fighting against enemies (so you can take your time exploring).

Some improvements to Settings...
- Visuals - Resolution: Two new high resolutions have been added as options (2560x1440 and 3840x2160).
- Visuals - Display: A new Borderless Window option has been added.
- Visuals: A new 'Button Tips' setting has been added in case you wanted to specifically set it to Xbox/Playstation/Switch buttons.
- Audio: A new Master Volume setting has been added.
- You can now press Left/Right to change the setting in that direction (previously you could only effectively go right).

Other misc stuff...
- The game has been updated to the latest version of GameMaker (v2023.8.2) which might help with compatibility.
- The game's window caption no longer has the version number (since some programs were resetting their properties due to the caption changing each patch).
- The 'Pumpkin Treat' hat is now always unlocked (like the Santa hat as they're nice for the Holiday themes).
- All menus now have button tips which show what the Menu Confirm and Back buttons are.
- The Escape Menu now has a Quick Restart option (so you don't have to quit to the title screen to start a new run).
- Many of the Relic item descriptions have been changed so are less vague.
- Each game mode now has their own text on the Congratulations screen (used by Lichemancer/Deamonica Hunt and Dungeon Pilgrimage).
- Lichemancer/Deamonica Hunt: Between stages the Blessing screen now has some extra Heart pickups and has a chance of giving Purity Hearts instead of regular Hearts.
- Diabolus Rush game mode: After the first cycle it will now start spawning Reaper and Wraith Mortarch enemies during fights (each cycle increasing the amount and chance for a Wraith).
- After winning a main game mode it will now only take you to the Online Leaderboard screen if you achieved an online high score.
- Killing a Mini-Boss will now always create at least 1 Treasure Chest, and there's now a slight chance they can create 3 Chests.
- Penitence Trials game mode: The Lichemancer/Deamonica Purity Trials now only unlock once you've beaten all three variants of that boss (so you're not trapped fighting a particular variant in the trial).
- Blighted Host Vessel: Holding the Axe button will now auto-aim and fire at the nearest on-screen enemy (since his aim is fiddly when just using regular keyboard controls). When starting a run for the first time you get a tip text to explain it.
- Accursed Haunt Vessel: He now starts with the Chaotica Blessing/Sigil/Hex relics (the Vessel already counted as having them but now having them in your inventory avoids confusion).
- Exalt Husk Vessel: If you have your Head then it now shows in the HUD (in case you're using a Hat).
- Twineth Strike relic: This will now always be performed when swiping and will reset your facing at the end of the reverse swipe (previously it was very fiddly to perform).
- Thirsting Fangs relic: This can now dash you to meanies in any direction (previously it only worked with Up/Down/Left/Right).
- At the end of each stage the portal will now push you away from it if you're standing on it when it opens up (so you don't instantly teleport if you happen to be stood on it).
- Fixed wrong usage of "thou", "thee", and "thy".
- The various relic items, cards, hats, and consumables from chests and enemies can now be picked up by hitting them with your Axe (in case you can't reach them due to them being over water).
- Big Chests now behave the same way for both your own projectiles and enemy projectiles (eg opened Big Chests now won't block your projectiles, while unopened Big Chest now blocks enemy projectiles).

And some bug fixes...
- Deleting your Save Data from the Escape Menu during a run could cause issues (it will now restart the game).
- When choosing a Vessel on the title screen moving to a locked class may not refresh the typewriter text.
- Mawspiter enemy: The first time it shoots per game causes a mini-stutter.


Enjoy! :]

- Fixed a crash that can happen after completing the Colosseum Survival Trial.
- Fixed a crash when entering the Dungeon Pilgrimage secret chest room.

- Fixed a crash happening during Clashful Cards when you lose a game.

Hello again Heavenly Keepers! The Hellions stir with.. festive treats?

A Christmas mode has been added which runs through December. It's pretty much just a reskin of the Halloween mode, so instead of pumpkin headed meanies they're now snowman headed, whilst candy canes line the stage and Crimbo cakes and presents are strewn longingly. Like the Halloween mode you can turn it off in the settings if you're Scrooge, or choose to keep Christmas alive forever!

There's various other bits and bobs tweaks and changes related to feedback and improving compatibility...

- Updated the game's engine to the latest version of GameMaker so the issue some were having with fullscreen slow down should be fixed now and should generally have better compatibility.
- The game can now show sub-pixel graphics which makes movement a lot smoother (most noticeably the camera movement that follows the player).
- Darkened and slightly changed the hue of the floor so enemies stand out a bit better.
- Reduced the black border dither by default during play.
- The game now defaults to fullscreen and 1280x720 resolution (to conform with Steam Deck requirements).
- The game will now auto-update the active gamepad each time a button is pressed.
- Added Xbox and Playstation gamepad control icons. The game will now auto-update these icons based on the last button press (showing either Keyboard, Mouse, Xbox, Playstation).
- Re-organised the game mode selection menus so there's less faffing around in sub-menus. For example the Vessel selection is now made after the game mode selection and pressing Down will take you to the hat selection.
- Pressing down in the game mode selection screen will bring up the online high scores for that game mode.
- Added a Menu Confirm/Back button that all menus use and can be set to any of the action buttons in the Settings menu.
- You can now rebind the mouse buttons in the Settings menu.
- You can now delete your entire save file, or just your settings in the Settings menu.
- On the title screen the game's version and Menu Confirm/Back button tips have been added.
- If Mouse Controls are on then opening the Escape Menu or Status Screen now allows you to move the cursor offscreen.
- Pressing Menu Back on the title screen will now replay the text intro.
- Skelbomb: Increased their bomb's enemy collision mask when exploding so it's easier to blow up meanies.
- Sinned Animus vessel unlock: Blighted Host vessel bullets can now break the chains as otherwise there's no way for him to unlock it.
- Amaurotica Redeemer Trial: Changed the stark white to a more mellow pink so your eyes don't melt.
- Fixed a few bugs.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays! :]

- Added a check on the Cranium Ornaments screen to give any relevant Hat related achievements (just in case they didn't fire when you picked up the last hat).

BOO!!

Tis the season to be spooked!

A Halloween skin pack has been added which is active through October 29th till November 11th. It transforms a great many things into pumpkin-ified monstrosities such as full on gobmonster slime pumpkins or just pumpkin-hatted hell friends to trick or treat you. There's no real gameplay changes, it's just a bit of silly Halloween fun.

In the general settings you can toggle whether to always have it on or off. Setting it to seasonal will activate it on the dates above, as well as add a small chance some of the pumpkin beasties showing up whenever they feel a need to spook you.

Enjoy, and Happy Halloween! :]

Hallowed Saint Gaben hath now deemed thee smiting journeyings worthy of sanct trading cards. Hallelujah! Amen. :]