As you all know, in the middle of March the old dev team decided to release their last update to PQ. Ever since then a new team of developers have been hard at work to bring us a new update and we are excited to announce that it is finally here!
RandomityGuy took the time to make sure this update worked for Mac users as well as managing all the backend stuff to get the update built and pushed to everyone, this update would not have been possible without him.
daniel741852 made all the new Marble Blast Ultra graphics and fixed some other graphical inconsistencies across the game.
main_gi fixed a ton of bugs including the gem madness bug, the teleport respawn exploit, the flair bug, and lots more, as well as adding the new experimental multiplayer modes.
Blasted made all the leaderboards levels accessible offline and added some new offline levels from Marble Blast Mobile.
Connie, along with daniel, created brand new camera paths and level previews of every single custom level on the leaderboards as well as updating all the ones for the MBU levels to show the new graphical changes. She also made multiplayer levels accessible offline.
Each of these people did so much more than that quick summary, the full changelog is listed below. Thank you to each and every single one of you for everything you’re doing to continue to keep this game alive. We hope you enjoy this new update!
The full Changelog:
[RandomityGuy]
- .rrecs are now compressed by being saved in .zip files.
- Changes in the MBExtender plugins to optimize slower functions, especially interpolation on rotating objects.
- MBU Gravity Modifiers and Ultra Blasts use a bloom shader to better match their MBU appearance.
- Did almost all the backend work to get the update built and pushed.
[main_gi]
- Powerup Timers feature, similar to the powerup timers in Marble Blast Fubar, showing how much time you have left on powerups and teleporters. This is on by default, but can be turned off.
- The radar now doesn't show Gravity Modifiers on the same gravity as you.
- Option: "Powerups Always On Radar".
- New "MBG Timer" texture pack which also includes classic MBG help triggers.
- Time Travel timer on the right side of the timer. (This can be hidden by setting "$pref::HideTimeTravelTimer = 1;" in the "platinum/client/mbpPrefs.cs" in the game files.)
- - Removed the Time Travel timer in PlatinumQuest level "Dependency" because of this.
- When you pause, most sound effects, like Time Travel/Tornado/Fan effects are paused.
- Gem Collection levels show the number of gems required in the level select, such as "Pick up 4 gems, and then get to the finish!".
- Going back into a level you just exited out of is much faster (it won't unload the level when you leave).
- Restarting levels involving lots of parented objects (mostly, iceshards and rotating objects) should be much faster on most levels (the old code unparented and reparented all the objects).
- The end-of-level screen now shows how many good Time Travels you've collected in the level. Does not apply for Hunt.
- The Score Predictor works for Singleplayer but does not use the same UI, and it is now no longer shown next to every player in MP even if turned on.
- Double Spawns now no longer sends the score to the server if it was ever on.
- Gem popup texts are slightly brighter in color.
- The gem counter has a rainbow effect upon getting 100% quota.
- Blast defaulted to Right Click (E still remains a secondary trigger).
- "Top 5 Scores" now reads "LEVELNAME, Top 5" to distinguish end-of-level screenshots.
- Stacked popups in PlatinumQuest level "Arctic Inferno". If you fireblast and hit multiple gems, it shows one popup totalling the gems instead of a mess of "+1" and "+2".
- The level select now has "Options" in the bottom-right.
- On the Multiplayer overview screen (the popup where everyone has to "Ready") there is also now an "Options" button in the bottom-right. The Host also has a "Server Settings" button on that screen.
- You can change your marble on the pause screen by clicking the marble when paused. The visuals for this are subpar.
- In Multiplayer, the random map select now broadcasts to other players which random map you picked, to confirm it was legitimate.
- In Multiplayer, queued messages are correctly cleared when entering a game.
- In Multiplayer, players who join games in progress do not have to go through "Ready-Set-Go".
- Frightfest levels are brighter.
- The "Seaside" track from MBP has been added to the tracks.
- Changed the music for the two final levels in MBP (Space Station -> Flanked, Battlecube Finale -> Halloween Trance).
- Going into "Options" no longer resets the music unless you specifically messed with it.
- Bubble and Mega Marble now have new distinct SFX instead of reusing Super Bounce and Super Jump respectively.
- Classic Vibe loops better.
- Added "Traps", by Frostfire, to the Co-op level section.
- The Spectator menu in Multiplayer is no longer in Arial.
- There is now an option in the settings to hide the spectator keybind info ("Minimal Spectate UI").
- On the Multiplayer overview screen (the popup where everyone has to "Ready") it now more clearly shows players who are set to [Spectate].
- Some Spectate HUD elements are removed (the gem counter and the powerup box when in fly mode).
- Multiplayer has a new Competitive Mode, where:
- - After picking up the first gem in a spawn, a 20 second timer that autorespawns the gems will start.
- - If 3/2/1 gems remain in the spawn, the timer reduces to 15/10/5 seconds, respectively.
- - When the timer hits 0, a new spawn happens and the previous gem spawns become "left-behind". They are still collectible and stay on the map, but do not count as part of the 'current' spawn.
- - The timer gets +1 second when you collect a left-behind gem.
- - Mega Marbles last 5 seconds.
- - Quickspawn is disabled.
- - Regular blasting does not push other players.
The reasoning for these changes, line-by-line:
- - A timer puts a cap on the leading player being able to abandon the gems to stall.
- - When few gems are left, it's possible for the losing player to be 'forced' into getting them and leaving themselves in a worse position. This allows the losing player to also not pick up the last gems, and the timer is low enough that it doesn't stall the game significantly for not doing so.
- - This is a moderately experimental change, as left-behind gems are also an incentive to not stall, because they provide other gems to pick up. A change that would be more in line with the traditional gameplay would be making these left-behind gems disappear if another spawn happens.
- - If players are going for left-behind gems, +1 second will delay the autorespawn.
- - Mega Marbles are usually overpowered and are a camping incentive due to how long it lasts as a positive benefit.
- - Quickspawn is luck-based and has many (though rare) situations where it puts players next to the gems. It should be only a feature to save players who get legitimately stuck.
- - Regular blasts have such a small range and effect that they usually do not push other players, but the few times it does happen feels luck and ping based.
- Multiplayer has a new Party Spawns mode, where:
- - New gems appear with different effects.
- - There is more gem variety (a blue gem in the original map could be any color).
- - Gems become (on average) more higher-valued over time.
- - Red gems give you a Super Speed.
- Multiplayer has a Training toggle, which is identical to the mode in MP Training but is more convenient to play.
- Added Mew to the console.
- Very minor change: Multiplayer levels that use variant scores (they have different challenge scores depending on if you're playing singleplayer or with others) appear properly if the level is ported offline.
- Bugfix: In Multiplayer, restarting correctly refreshes your quickspawn cooldown.
- Bugfix: In Multiplayer, disconnected users will now show display name instead of changing to their login username.
- "Bubble Powerup" capitalization inconsistency changed to "Bubble PowerUp".
- Spellingfix: Fixed "press the E" or "press the the Right Mouse Button" in MBU level Marble Melee Primer.
- Bugfix: The frame-perfect teleport exploit is gone.
- Bugfix: The "flair bug" (where you can't see your own flair in chat) is fixed.
- Bugfix: The snoring visual effect now won't play if your marble is simply frozen and you restarted (like in Gravity Tower).
- Bugfix: Fixed a custom code problem in an already-existing leaderboards level (Ultimate Flight) where you could change the green bubble friction.
- Bugfix: The GemChange trigger (added in the previous update) had a visual bug which is now fixed.
- Bugfix: Fixed a teleport error popup in Leaderboards level "Brown Ascention".
- Bugfix: Fixed a Gem Madness bug where after getting all gems in a run, the next run made a time get sent instead of a score. This incidentally also fixes the finish pad code.
- Bugfix: The timer GUI now overlaps properly (someone in the old PQ development arranged it too hard and made it inconsistent from MBG).
There are new 'preferences' you can add (by going to "platinum/client/mbpPrefs.cs" in your game files and adding these lines inside)
- "$pref::GemCounterAlwaysThreeDigits = 1;" to revert the gem counter to old versions that had leading zeroes.
- "$pref::GemCounterAlwaysTwoDigits = 1;" mostly to resemble MBG/old MBP versions.
- "$pref::AltTildeForConsole = 1;" for the console to also require holding Alt to show.
- "$pref::EnableRadarEvenIfUIOff = 1;" to enable the radar even when the rest of the UI is set to be off.
- "$pref::DisableHighScoreNamePopup = 1;" to disable having to type in your name (or press "Enter") after finishing.
[daniel741852]
- Levels that had an MBG skybox now have their items look like MBG instead of MBP, such as the trapdoors, Time Travels (the MBP time travel looks more sandy, the MBG time travel looks more green), and the start and finish pad.
- Ultra levels have been significantly visually overhauled to match their MBU appearance where possible, such as the skyboxes, gems, and powerups. (This also applies to MBU-themed levels that are not in the MBU pack.)
- MBU items with hitboxes match their MBG ones (meaning the Gyrocopter has a much smaller hitbox than it appears) and custom visuals have been used when they don't match MBU (such as the bumpers).
- Some MBU levels have had their "ice shaders" fixed (MBU levels where ice appears dark due to skybox settings).
- Some MBU levels have had their "beam shaders" fixed (the wooden beams now shine).
- Optimized datablocks (an engine limit that is a cap on objects defined), turning 100 ghost datablocks into 1.
- MBU levels show MBU gems on the gem counter in MBU levels, showing MBU gems on the gem counter in MBU levels so that the MBU gem can display in the top-left of the gem counter in MBU levels.
- New "Automatic Audio Swap" Option that changes the audio depending on the MB game that's played.
- Bugfix: The level "Work in Progress" in PlatinumQuest now has its bumpers correctly reset when the level is reset.
- MBU's Hypercube level now uses MBU Gravity Modifiers.
- Negative time travels in MBP and MBG are now distinguished by appearing slightly redder.
- Added Music and Sound triggers.
[Blasted]
- MBP's Director's Cut level category has been relocated to "Bonus" in Platinum, which is now accessible offline. It also contains the old MBP level Rube Goldberg Course.
- The Leaderboards levels are now accessible offline.
- Now accessible offline, MBU now has a "Bonus" level category, containing 8 levels from Marble Blast Mobile. Tri Twist, Tornado, Spork in the Road, Gem Crossroads, Half Pipe Extreme, Thrill Ride, Skate Battle Park, and Marble Playground.
- In Multiplayer, Marbleland's hazards are changed to PQ counterparts.
- In the editor, "F" to focus on selection is now "Ctrl + F" so players who use F as a movement key can use the editor without that binding being overwritten.
- Added three special gem skins.
- Fixed a spelling error in Training Wheels ("The Shock Absorber prevent you from bouncing" -> "The Shock Absorber prevents you from bouncing").
- Added versions of music from old versions of MBP.
- Fixed and updated a few hints and trivia.
[Connie]
- MBP audio pack (featuring the original audio from MBP, specifically gems/powerup voicelines).
- Fixed non-MBG sounds from MBG audio pack.
- Multiplayer Hunt levels are now accessible offline. This includes Frightfest and Winterfest.
- Experimental Hunt levels are now accessible offline that showcase modifiers to the Hunt mode.
- Thousandths are enabled by default.
- In Multiplayer, MBP-themed levels now have correct skyboxes instead of the mist.
- You can change your marble on the Multiplayer overview screen (the popup where everyone has to "Ready").
- Worked on remaking the previews for the new MBU visual overhaul, and the previews for Collection and Mega War.
- Some levels in Multiplayer Collection now have fixed skyboxes.
- Some skybox fixes to King of the Hill (currently not available) and Custom Hunt levels.
- 9 new levels in Multiplayer Collection (3 in each difficulty).
- 3 new levels in Multiplayer Mega War.
- Added an "Always Show Speedometer" option.
- Improved ease of ability to set skins for Pink gems and the adorned variant of the PQ gems.
- Added a White gem skin.
- Level previews and camera paths for all levels in the Leaderboards section have been updated by daniel741852 and Connie.