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@HybridEidolon HybridEidolon released this 26 Apr 22:36
· 413 commits to master since this release
v2.1
2eae5b2

This is a minor patch to clean up some of the most pervasive launch issues. We've prioritized the biggest problems and the simplest solutions, to make sure everyone can get back to racing quickly---but we've still got plenty on the to-do list.

Tutorial

TL;DR: If you're overwhelmed by the Tutorial, you can get racing much quicker.

  • You can now exit to the full game after completing the "Rings", "Brakes", or "Drifting" instead of just at "Springs".
    • This allows for you to start the game proper at your own pace if you feel confident to take on races.
  • The "Tutorial Challenge" trial race is now available in every Tutorial stage, instead of only at the start, and is more clearly marked.
    • As you progress through the tutorial, players get a chance to try the challenge at the start of each level.
  • The "Tutorial Challenge" will now use the character selected in your profile, rather than the character you entered the stage with.
  • Dramatically reduced CPU difficulty during the "Tutorial Challenge" trial race.
    • The new difficulty should roughly match the difficulty of the average Grand Prix run. If you can beat them, you can hold your own in single-player.

Unlocks

TL;DR: Important things unlock faster, and we've added passwords to skip certain categories of unlock entirely.

  • Playing Online can now also unlock when winning the "Tutorial Challenge" trial race.
    • We believe that the existing Online requirement is in the right spot that it needs to be (though see below!). However, players that are able to complete the optional challenge race have already proven themselves, and don't need any additional road-blocks for Online.
  • Playing with Addons now unlocks at the same time as Playing Online.
    • We've been pretty cautious about add-ons---we've all heard horror stories from new SRB2Kart players getting overwhelmed by tough custom courses or complex gameplay mods. This time, though, we were a bit too cautious; changes to other parts of the game have reduced this risk a lot, and there's no need to treat everyone with kid gloves. If you've got the basics of racing, you're already ready to play it your way.
  • Time Attack now unlocks after completing your first race, or when winning the "Tutorial Challenge" trial race (previously was a late-game unlock).
    • Time Attack is Gear 3 racing with tons of extra resources; it's the fastest that Ring Racers can get without a Drop Target involved, and it can be pretty unfriendly to new players. However, people were a little confused without a dedicated practice space, and Staff Ghosts can be great references for advanced handling techniques---so it's better to show it off early.
  • Prison Break now unlocks after completing your first Bonus Stage (was 4).
    • Not a massive change, but we decided to lower it to bring it in-line with the new Time Attack requirement.
  • Chao Keys are given every 5 matches (from 14), and you now start a save file with 10 (from 3). Existing save files will be granted 7 Chao Keys accordingly.
    • We want to encourage people to spend more on unlocking new things for participating, and Ring Racers will never mark your save file for doing so the easier way. We noticed that players weren’t using them as often as we’d like. Starting players at 10 Chao Keys should hopefully make the board less daunting on its first viewing, and generating them more often rewards players for playing the game however they like.
  • New unlock passwords have been added.
  • Almost all progression passwords are now included with the game - check PASSWORDS.txt for the "Tournament Mode" temporary-unlock password, category-unlock passwords for specific rewards, and quick ways to jump into online play.
    • We get it---some people want their favorite color early, some want to play a quick round with some friends, and some people just want to dive into the deep end and handle the consequences on their own. We wanted to keep the lid pretty tight at launch, and let all the secret-hunters experience the game at their own pace before handing out the keys: in the whirlwind of release, combined with some other issues, it ended up sending the wrong message. All of the progression-related changes, plus passwords as a safety valve, should make it much easier to quickly boot up and play with friends at your own pace. Sorry we missed the mark on this one!

Profiles

  • Lite Steer is now disabled by default. Existing profiles will have it switched off when upgrading.
    • Lite Steer is an advanced input feature that allows digital inputs, like D-Pads and keyboards, to input shallow turns like an analog stick can. It's a valuable tool for advanced players, but it's missing feedback and conveyance at the moment, and players were unknowingly activating it with messy inputs or loose D-Pads. If your steering felt unresponsive or inconsistent, this might be why!
  • Default gameplay Field of View raised to 100 (was 90). Existing profiles with 90 FOV will be raised to 100.
    • Most players who knew about this option have already changed it. Ring Racers is a busy game, and a little peripheral vision goes a long way, especially when orienting yourself on tight corners or searching for that elusive third switch.
  • Added a default keybind (T) for "Open Chat". Profiles that have already bound Open Chat won't be affected.
    • Oops.

Gameplay

  • Dramatically reduced the effect of CPU rubberbanding while using speed items and rings.
    • We'd like the AI to put up a good fight, but the way they combined power items and rubberband potential made them feel pretty capricious and unpredictable. We'll keep tuning this, but this should go a long way towards making them more consistent opponents---and easier to catch when they slingshot ahead.

Fixes

  • Fixed objects becoming invisible on certain maps when draw distance was set to "Penultimate".
  • Fixed a typo in the item toggle menu.
  • Reduced the likelihood of the "check your clocks" error appearing when joining netgames.
    • This error should never appear if both the host and client have their time set correctly, but it's been made more lenient in 2.1.
  • Fixed an issue where a debug print in certain maps was being displayed.
  • Replaced the music in Darkvile Castle Act 2, per musician request.
  • Fixed the Challenge Board glass areas in widescreen Legacy GL.
  • Compilation when using CMake 3.16, the version packaged in Ubuntu 20.04 and Linux Mint 20.3, now works.
  • Added cmake option SRB2_CONFIG_ENABLE_DISCORDRPC, defaulted on, to disable Discord RPC features. This is a stop-gap to fix issues with compilation on some Linux distros.

Online

  • Dedicated servers can now access all cups, not just the first 7.
    • Spoiler window's over. Let's see what you've got!

Modding

  • The Windows installer now includes the Ring Racers version of "Kartmaker", a set of tools and templates for creating your own custom racers easily. This is currently Windows only, but the adventurous types may find the source code at our Gitlab.

Special thanks to MelonadeM for helping provide us with the replacement track for Darkvile Castle Act 2, "Stage 70", an arrange of an original track by HertzDevil.

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