Chair Racing Simulator 0.2.0.x: one big update & lots of bugfixes!

It is done!

After months of development and posting little updates on Chair Racing Simulator in the social media networks it's finally released:

Version 0.2.0.x! 💪😲

This version brings some big and required changes and additions to the game, which also pave the way for all future updates!

Let's start with the UI:

I have observed many players to just press play, choose a character, play for 3 rounds on Marvin's Home, the first track, wondering about why the AI opponents are so fast... and never try all the other tracks that are available!

Tp address this problem, I have separated the character and track selection, so you always have to go through character selection, then through track selection (where you can now see the track and round records!) - and then through chair selection!

Choosing between more chairs is one of the big additions to the game that came with the new update! It was about time to bring in more variety to the gameplay and this is the first step: Having the possibility to choose between different chairs with different stats and compete against AI opponents with random chairs makes every new race a new experience and challenge! 

The next big addition is the new track Anthony's Home which was growing bigger and bigger over time because I as well as my friend Anthony (who has been protrayed in the game and whose actual house was the model for the level!) came up with more and more funny ideas, like having his BBQ smoker standing in his garden where you can actually check the meat, or adding the fast food restaurant down the road where you can actually order food and many more details that made this level kinda massive! There's totally much to explore here!

Besides the obvious additions, a new game mechanic found its way to the game: slipstream! Stay for a second behind someone and get a 3s slipstream boost! Overtaking opponents has never been that easy! 

With Version 0.2 I also got rid of the game over screen that appeared when you ran out of energy! Instead, you will see now a red flashing screen and get a slow down until you can refill your energy! 

With many changes come many bugs... and this was also the case here: From game breaking bugs when collecting the wheel shield power up, to bad UI behaviour in 2-player modes, to funny bugs where characters suddenly appear 4 times the size! - I made the last one a feature: The "Big Chair Mode", where every character appears double the  normal size! 😁

But this could all be fixed in the meantime!

Of course, there are also new secrets like the "Kung Fu Tortoise" character or the Turbo Toilet™ chair that you can unlock with the following secret codes:

Kung Fu Tortoise: Type in the character selection menu ninja (Player1) or turtle (Player2)

Turbo Toilet™: Type in the chair selection menu takeadump to unlock it permanently.

Big Chair Mode: Type bigdaddywheels in the title menu and activate it in the options!

Ok, enough said! Jump into the game, buckle up and GO!

Have fun & enjoy your ride!

Until next time,

Robert

Changelog:

0.2.0.6a:

- fixed a bug where the players couldn't order food & drinks at the McFood restaurant on Anthony's Home when in 2-player mode

0.2.0.6:

- Added "Big Chair Mode": activate it with a secret code and have characters DOUBLE the size! 😄

(Look for #ChairRacingSecrets on Twitter/X and TikTok to find it 😉)

- some smaller bugfixes 

0.2.0.5b:

- fixed a bug where the player gets teleported into a wall after standing up from the "lonely couch" on Betty's Home and Anthony's Home tracks

0.2.0.5a:

- fixed a bug where the screen flashes red when AI difficulty is set to casual

- fixed touch controls not responding on iOS when unpausing the game after the virtual joystick has been moved to the edge

- some smaller bugfixes 

0.2.0.5:

- fixed Marvin's Home showing a black screen in 2-player-modes

- fixed game over screen showing up instead of slow down when players run out of energy in 2-player-mode

- fixed menu navigation in the options menu

- fixed energy bar turning black instead of yellow and red in the HTML version 

- added an optional glow effect that can be turned on in the options menu

0.2.0.4a:

- fixed a bug where a race would not finish when it has been reset or quit through the pause menu

0.2.0.4:

- added separate chair selection for both players when a 2-player mode has been selected

- fixed menu navigation with a keyboard/controller

- fixed 2-player-splitscreen on Anthony's Home, which was loading Betty's Home instead

- fixed 2-player Egghunt mode not starting countdown

- fixed records on track-select-screen not showing when Easter Edition was active and not showing "Eggs collected" records when egghunt modes were selected

- fixed vibration pattern when wheel shield is active

- fixed seasonal decorations showing up when "Swinger's Club" mode was selected

- track and round records will now be carried over from the previous version

- giant Valeria on Home Racer chair fixed

- some smaller bugfixes 

0.2.0.1a:

- fixed missing vibrations in the character & chair selection screens

- fixed default animations of the Kung Fu Tortoise & Cthulhu in the character selection screen

0.2.0.1:

- fixed game crash when collecting the wheel shield power up while vibrations are turned on

- Android version added after fixing some bugs with the character selection screen

- some more smaller bugs fixed

0.2.0.0:

- New track "Anthony's Home": Race around in Australia! Fear the monsters in the toilet and the trash bin, escape the giant spider, dive into the pool, check the meat on the BBQ smoker, cross the busy road and get some fast food at the McFood drive-through in this fantastic new track!

- More chairs: Choose from 5 different chairs with different driving behaviours - and unlock the secret Turbo Toilet! (Look for #ChairRacingSecrets on Twitter for the secret codes!)

- Slipstream: Got stuck behind an opponent? Don't worry! You'll overtake them in no time with the new slipstream mechanic!

- New secret character: The Kung Fu Tortoise! Look for #ChairRacingSecrets on Twitter to find the secret code - or can you guess? ;)

- Optimized UI: 

     - choose the AI difficulty directly after pressing play

     - choose the tracks in a separate menu and see the current records and an overview of the track's course

     - choose from 5 (+1) different chairs and see the different stats at a glance

     - optimized touch buttons

     - new title background

- Improved UX: 

     - get an overview and identify your character before the race starts

     - improved energy management system: the energy bar at the bottom changes its color to yellow and red when it depletes; The higher the difficulty, the more energy is being used when moving!

     - 0 energy will no longer result in a game over! Instead, the screen flashes red & you'll slow down until the energy has been refilled

     - the controls-animation in the title menu now also shows controller buttons

- Vibrations: Feel the game through vibrations on your smartphone, tablet or force feedback controller 📳🎮 (can be turned off in the options)

- New 'casual' difficulty: The AI opponents are slower than on 'easy' and there's no energy!

- reworked AI behaviour

- The seasons will now be set automatically depending on the device's date (they can still be changed in the options)

- It's no longer possible to choose 2-player-modes when touch controls are active

- the Turbo Toilet & the Swinger's Club mode will stay unlocked now when they have been activated with a secret code and can be chosen like everything else

- many smaller bugfixes