Exciting news! Rearmed is coming to Steam Early Access on May 28th 2015! Feast your eyes the trailer (which is totally awesome and only took me a REALLY long time to make)
Why Early Access? There are MANY reasons – let me rant:
For the Players! None of you have had a new Armed with Wings game since 2011. Some of you may have grown from teens to adults. I received a message the other day from a fan, he wrote ‘I saw the game on GreenLight, what a blast-from-the-past. I remember this from my childhood’. CHILDHOOD! Feedback! It’s difficult to get good feedback. Good feedback requires playing the whole game, and over again. Myself and everyone around me is busy like hell. Steam can provide me all the feedback I need. Updates! I’ve realized that all the changes I’m currently making to the game, you guys could experience it all in the form of updates. Exposure! I want Rearmed to succeed, and people need to know about it. Early Access is a good model for gaining exposure before launch. Community engagement! I want ya’ll involved, discussing ideas, suggesting things and united as one! Backed by Valve! Early Access is Vales program and they back it. I like the idea of being part of a supported program of a select few of games.
Considering the state of Rearmed (which is very much near completion) I think Early Access makes sense. Let the players who want this game have it now and experience it for what it’s worth. Updates to the game will be made, which the community can influence with suggestions and feedback.
Development updates
Preparing for Early Access:
Early Access needs to be done right. I don’t want players to download an update and then be wondering ‘so…. what exactly has changed?’ Now that I’m preparing the first Early Access build, I need to make sure the Interface can communicate what content is in development, and what content has been updated.
In the Level Select screen, levels that are currently being developed are cleared marked:
Same with the Equipment screen:
Major Progression Balancing
This is a big deal. I’ve made huge adjustments to… many, many things… ultimately, the balancing of the entire game has shifted. The game is now much harder than before, and getting newer weapons is KEY to managing the difficulty of later levels and enemies. The weapon stats have a huge effect of the Lone Warrios abilities, effecting health, damage, speed, attack speed and attack range. Enemies were too easy, now they are more aggressive, and have additional attacks with increased range. Also, enemies become stronger and faster with each passing level. Weapons will now unlock based on your score (more on that below). The entire game progression is now far more interesting and meaningful.
Story Mode Menu
MainMenu>StoryModeMenu>EquipmentMenu>GAME. I’ve added a Story Mode Menu to present some useful information to the player before beginning. This menu shows your best run, score, time… it even displays which weapons and items you had equipped and all the levels you’ve completed so far. Finally, it allows you to choose difficulty (Hard difficulty is in development, will be an Early Access update).
Unlock Que
Previously, weapons and items become unlocked by collecting a pickups hidden in levels. That is no longer the case. Your score contributes to score pool. Once full, an item is unlocked. The remaining score goes to the next item, and the next, and next, next….
Attack dust
Those who watch me on Twitch.tv may have seen me animating this. The Lone Warrior kicks up dust whenever he does an attack! Very pretty frame-by-frame animation!
New Perk Icons
The old perk icons… had ideas, to say the least. They where horrible, but did lay the foundation and guided the style for the SPANKING NEW icons! Take a look:
Sparks
After playing eggnogg+, I realized I needed sparks when blocking attacks! Adding sparks was pleasant and easy, and it looks great!
Save File
Flash uses SharedObject to save user data. These are basically internet cookies. While this is a great solution for browser games, Rearmed is a Windows PC game and should use save.files. Now it does! Saves are stored in Documents/My Games/Armed with Wings Rearmed.
There are TONS of little new things, updated, tweaks and fixes. A full list will be detailed in the changelog.txt included in the game directory.
Mark your calendars for the 28th people! Rearmed is coming!
Comments
Did… Did I just see Armed with Wings JUMP in that trailer? O.o
You can LEAP in this game! By running of an edge, Lone Warrior will leap forward, like in Zelda!
Totally gonna buy early access ^^.
yaaay!
Hello Dan. Early Access was a great choice, not only because we trust that this isn’t going to be one of those Early Access that will forever remain in alpha, but also because we want this game ASAP. It’s thoughtful of you to answer to the hype train of your fans with an early release. I have some FEEDBACK and a few questions:
I believe you had new dialogue in the cutscenes. Is the story more in-depth than the original? More lore?
You could have descriptions for the weapons to shape the world of Blackmist more. Item descriptions are very addicting to players, and it allows us to have a better grasp of your world, but not so much that we can’t imagine anything different. Blackmist is still very much a curious mystery.
How many bosses are there exactly? What are a few interesting challenges you must deal with in some of those boss fights? Any future bosses?
If you wanted to add bosses, you could maybe use Vandheer’s acquaintances like Eivana, Hawkin, and The Blacksmith as enemy bosses. They were under Vandheer’s rule too right? I think it fits with the storyline. The interaction between Lone Warrior and these three people could further elaborate backstory in Blackmist.
What kind of attacks does the Lone Warrior have now? He has the A attack in Culmination and the charge attack like the original.
I fully support you Daniel. Can’t wait for it to come out.
This game is going on early access day before my birthday. Wow.
Also good job and good luck. 🙂
Happy birthday!
Thanks a lot! 🙂
If this goes to steam, we need to pay to access the game? :O
Yup, the game is $7.99 USD
Hey Daniel your games are amazing I loved them all and this one it has so many small details I love what you are doing you actually are expiring me to make a game with the some art style of Armed With Wings 3 and never stop making these wonderful beautiful amazing fun games
But I’m only 12 years old and I have no idea how to animate hey maybe you should do animated teaching lessons!
Hey Elijah, If you can get your hands on Adobe Flash CC, you can learn to animate very well! Youtube has TONS of animation tutorials, just search “animation flash beginners”. Best of luck!
best of lucks to you and thank you
And I love that your talking to use
I’m so unbelievably hyped for this game. I’ve been using a Vandheer Lorde image as my phone background since I was 13 years old in 2010, it doesn’t even feel POSSIBLE to jump back in time like this.
Hey Daniel just a curious question will you be remaking Armed With Wings 2 and Armed With Wings 3 if not that’s fine because you’ve been working so hard on Armed With Wings Rearmed and we are all very proud of what you are doing and never stop be AMAZING!!!
There is a possibility of Rearmed 2 and 3. Unlikely, because I want to make THE BIG ONE! The BIG ONE will be the ultimate AwW game that will cover all story for all characters (at least that’s the plan).
Awesome
Hey just a curious question will you be remaking Armed With Wings 2 and Armed With Wings 3 if not that’s fine because you’ve been working so hard on Armed With Wings Rearmed and we are all very proud of what you are doing and never stop be AMAZING!!!
It happened … I played Armed in early childhood, when was developed AWW2, it really happy memories, and now I’m 21 and I’m looking forward to the release of new parts! Thank you! I will definitely buy this game!
You are amazing. Thank you! Thank you for sticking it our all these years – I’m honored to deliver you a new experience.
I can’t believe it ether when I saw this game I just had a bunch of memories of this game its so amazing what one man can do its so beautiful what you are doing we love everything about you your just so nice and funny and your games are amazing and thank you.
it brought tears of happiness when I saw this amazing game remade
Daniel do you make your own music or do you use another video games music like Super Smash Bros “Final Destination” in Armed with wings.
I’ve made all the music for Rearmed!
Do you have to make your own music or will you get fined?
I could hire someone to make the music, or I could use royalty free music. I do enjoy making music myself – so I just make it.
That’s really cool!
just a curious question.
How did you get the name VandHeer Lorde? does its mean any thing?
How did you get the name VandHeer Lorde and what does it mean?
Hey Poppy!
The word ‘Vand’ in Danish is Water
the word ‘Heer’ in Dutch is Lord. Together, it is Water Lord.
That’s so creative! oh and sorry for the two same messages it didn’t show when i came back to check on it, oh and never stop making wonderful games! your so creative!
How do you get the sword fighting moves?