July 2024 Dev Update

Hello everyone! We’re back for the July Dev Update!

:gift: Funding/ Makeship Campaigns

kalleiraplush2alt pinsmakeship

First off, since you guys are awesome and funded our previous campaigns, we were able to start two Makeship campaigns on June 28th!

This time the campaigns are for a 3-pack of pins and a Kalleira (+ Cosmic Catsack) plushie. You can order them in a bundle, so you can save, if you want to do that!

The campaigns will be running for a limited time, so be sure to keep an eye on them if you want to snag them for yourself!

Buying this merch seriously helps us with funding TU’s development, and we can’t thank you enough for supporting us in any way you have already.

Also, to those of you who bought the Cornelius Plush: keep an eye out! Those should be shipping out later this month!

:mag: Updates Overview

So far this year we released:

The updates next in line are:

  • Minigolf / Ball Race Map Editors
  • Plaza Optimizations
  • Dedicated Condos
  • Workshop Rig 3.0

Other updates we’re planning are:

  • Arcade Update
  • SDNL Update (Voice Lines, Map Updates, etc.)
  • New Minigolf Map

JUNE PROGRESS

:golf: Minigolf Map Editor

The Minigolf map editor is planned to be the next update now that Eruption is out! During June, progress was made on the Base Height Settings and S-Bend tool. These are tools that will help with the shape and style of courses players make.

Features still in progress include the Ramp tool and the Holes tool. For the Ramp tool, progress has been made on Steepness settings and Ramp Type variations. We’re still working on Curve Tightness settings, the Flat Base setting, Base Height setting , Wall Variations, and Wall Height settings. For the Holes tool, we’ve been working on the Hole Type setting and the Dip setting.

:checkered_flag: Ball Race Map Editor

Lots of progress has been made on the Ball Race map editor! We’ve completed options to hide Bumpers and Trampolines, we’ve made a spline mesh for platforms, and we’ve finished making Start Tubes, Arrows, Spikes, Buttons, and a tool to test the ball. We’ve added Tubes, a Ball Launcher, Drums, Gongs, and Boost Volumes as well.

:hammer: Plaza Optimizations

In the mean time, progress was made on Plaza Optimizations. We’ve finished up work on the art pass and optimization of the Transit Station and have moved on to optimizing stores (and doing some art improvements)!

These optimizations will not only help with performance inside these locations, but they will also help with performance in the surrounding areas in the Plaza, so we’re excited to get them all out to you.

These changes will be included in an upcoming update.

:safety_vest: Moderation Tools

We’ve implemented a new ban appeals system which will greatly streamline ban appeals.

In short, you will now use this ticket system for appealing bans and will no longer appeal bans through our email.

This will allow for easier resolutions of appeals as well as informing appealing users of the status of their appeal in a more timely fashion.

For more info on how to appeal bans now, visit the How to Appeal Bans page.

Future Updates:

After the Minigolf and Ball Race SDK are out, we plan to release an update for Dedicated Condos, the Workshop 3.0 Rig, SDNL, and some more new maps!

:person_cartwheeling: Workshop Rig 3.0 Preparations

In regard to Workshop Rig 3.0, right now we are preparing the SDK Importer and creating a tutorial for the rig. Once that’s done, we’ll release another update where this new rig will be usable.

:boom: SDNL Update

In June, progress has been made on the SDNL update we’ve mentioned this year.

We’ve been organizing and implementing the Announcer voice lines that were recorded last summer by the voice actor Gianni Matragrano, along with getting work done on some additional sound effects!

If you don’t remember, the SDNL update will include Announcer voice lines as well as changes to Container Ship and the release of SDNL: Lookout. Lookout is a rework of Zombie Massacre: Acrophobia for SDNL, giving you an opportunity to see that map from a whole new perspective!

:houses: Dedicated Condos

Due to Canvas and Workshop issues, there hasn’t been more progress on Dedicated Condos this month, but it’s still in the plan. We should be able to get to work on this in full swing in the coming months, so keep an eye out for updates.

We have also had some discussions this month on how to better advertise Dedicated Condos so more people can understand the concept by giving it a flashier name. Community Worlds was one we came up with, and we’re still brainstorming others.

For reference, our current progress on Dedicated Condos can be viewed here.

:joystick: Arcade Update

We love the Arcade as much as you all do, and we’re always itching to get back to it. We have a fun Arcade update planned for the future that will bring in some new games. We’ll be getting to work on this very soon. Like Dedicated Condos, just keep an eye out for this in the future.

:building_construction: Map Work

In the world of Game World maps, progress has been made on a new Minigolf map! We aren’t ready to dive into the details of it yet, but know that more than half the holes have been completed!

:goggles: VR Support

We also wanted to share that we recently had a breakthrough with getting motion controllers working again! With that issue out of the way, work can continue on VR Support.

:calendar: July Calendar


Here is the calendar for July events! If you want notifications, we have the events set up on our Discord here. If you would like to make a suggestion for events, do so here.

That’s gonna do it for this Dev Update! Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next time.

<3 PixelTail Games

18 Likes

I personally cannot wait for the updated tutorial video on workshop rig 3.0 stuff!! Current one is very outdated so I’ve been waiting patiently before i can start uploading stuff for tower unite ^o^

also very excited for a new mini golf map; always excited for new maps on mini golf and ball race honestly; i love eruption map btw!!

also i am curious; with optimized changes coming to plaza; would larger server size (more than 64 players) becomes possible or nah? i do know casino will have their own sub servers eventually :slight_smile:

edit: with dedicated condos coming soon; maybe we as community should organize a megathread gathering all of condo bugs? there’s still a handful of desync bugs that needs to be addressed before then

7 Likes

Lotta stuff to look forward to!

I do like Community Worlds over Community Condos, seeing as how you’re taking your condo into a dedicated bubble of sorts.

5 Likes

Very happy that custom Minigolf and Ball Race maps are almost here, it’s been something I’ve wanted since I started playing around 5 years ago. Looking forward to everything else planned for the future as well, very exciting.

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Oh yo??? Gianni’s voice work is gonna be in TU? That’s SO swag!

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Really excited to see more VR support! Almost all of my friends that I regularly play TU with have headsets and are excited to see it further implemented.

9 Likes

The variety in updates has been pretty fantastic recently.

Condo tools have expanded so much its incredible to see Condos become more dynamic and feel more interactive. Condo Logic and Workshop sounds are a godsend. IO Logic is a little confusing to get into from my end, but from what others have created I think its already been proven we have an insanely versatile toolset. The one thing I’m most excited for on this front is those AI NPCs.

Also glad to see Map Editors making headway, the community is so talented and providing more tools for user generated content gives us more content while the Devs work on future updates.

As for the Arcade I REALLY hope the 2D games make some headway in the future, this was the part I was most excited for originally. Specifically the Arcade Tool to create our own games. Even with the prototype that was distributed people were making insane things. Tower is already a huge reason I got into creating 2D and 3D art with canvas support and workshop, I’d love for it to be another big reason I get better at coding/game dev. (I will say the Arcade does already feel like a complete and polished experience. The atmosphere alone was nailed from day 1.)

Keep up the great work!

4 Likes

I’m most excited for the custom minigolf maps. I’m just hoping it’s intuitive to use, like clicking an edge of a straight and extending it that way.

1 Like

I’m excited for a lot

Quoting on the VR side of things, This will be a massive massive gain in terms of people who really want to have that immersion! I’m up for it all the way!

I’m supporting this game as much as I can and I am looking forward to the future of Tower Unite!

@EvKem will be someone I join in on the action for sure!

5 Likes

but when are we coming back to dueling arena >.<
and also accelerate milestones…

Don’t get me wrong, these all are great updates. I just often pay attention to things that have been overlooked for a loong time, so it feels like it would be nice to finish them first

5 Likes

Woohoo, rig news!! We’ve got a lot to look forward to in the future by the sounds of it. Thank you all for your continued work!

True, there was a lot of talk about Dueling releasing after SDNL was released, and we’ve got no word on it. Didn’t the arena map get made a while back as well? Dueling was one of my favorite ways to interact with people in the Plaza back in the day, especially wagering to make it interesting. Really looking forward to it.

1 Like

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