version 0.3.0

changelog:

-- backdash rework

---- dash back in the last patch has exhibited the same issue that jumping backward the previous one had. it was not committal enough, and often the optimal "safe" choice. the new change focuses on making it harder to run away safely, encouraging more interesting mixups

---- All back-dashes (including cowboy walk) are no longer actionable on the opponent's turn until their first actionable frame, and a couple of them have received frame data nerfs.

---- forward dashes no longer have 1f of lag before they start moving.

-- new system: counter-hit

---- if you start a melee attack before or the same frame the opponent also begins a melee attack, and it lands, the opponent suffers more hitstun and hitlag than usual.

---- this is the same activation condition as parry.

-- new mechanic: Yomi advantage (temporary name)

---- following the theme of parry and counterhit rewarding the player who acts proactively (instead of reactively), i am reifying this concept into a real mechanic. If you start an action before or at the same time your opponent does, it may have extra buffs & properties. Conversely, if you attempt an action in reaction to your opponent, it may be less effective. For now, I am trying this out with moves that have invulnerable startup - if you use your move Yomi advantage, you keep the invulnerability. if you use your move in reaction to your opponent, you do not. Parry and counter-hit now are also conditional on this state - that shouldn't change much. When using a move that benefits from Yomi advantage, there will be a particle effect emitted over the character.

-- more work on parries

---- you are once again able to continue parrying multiple hitboxes after parrying one. that you couldn't do this was an oversight.

---- leniency for parrying projectiles increased +1f

-- new anti-"infinite" mechanic

---- each use of a melee attack vs an opponent during a combo will increase its knockback.

---- this prevents the degenerative strategy of using the same moves vs a comboed opponent over and over

-- whiff cancel changes

---- you can now only whiff cancel into moves with melee hitboxes

---- whiff cancel now uses 1/2 burst instead of 1/3

---- whiff cancel now resets your stance

-- burst cancel is now only usable on hit

-- default character distance increased (30px -> 50px)

-- character distance setting added

-- max character distance reduced (640 -> 600)

-- burst changed from frame 1 to frame 2

-- taking damage slightly fills burst meter

-- some moves have had their minimum damage output increased, bypassing combo staling.

-- grabs no longer hit knocked-down characters. this was always an oversight.

-- characters can no longer occupy the same x coordinate. this caused lots of problems.

-- default stage width has been reduced to make the corner more relevant (1500 -> 1100).

-- hopefully fixed problems with resyncing

-- switched to GLES2 which should be more compatible with older devices

-- hurtbox dimensions now change during knockdown

-- fixed grounded combo counter not resetting and characters getting popped up early

-- reintroduced experimental modloader support with more features. many thanks to Ted#0420 and ZT2wo#9157!

Ninja

-- Ninja's design comes from the early stages of development, as a way to test out the "fundamental tools" of fighting games in a new context. Observant fighting game players may note that Ninja had fit the shoto archetype, having a "fireball", an invincible uppercut, and a projectile-invulnerable flying kick. Unfortunately, this has led to Ninja's tools varying wildly in usefulness, from extremely powerful to basically useless. Additionally, the sticky bomb has proven to be a far too powerful move and led to boring, uninteractive combos based around looping it into itself. Its gimmick is unchanged - gaining a free action to force your opponent into a dangerous 50/50 - but the setup is much different.

-- Dash (backward)

---- added 3f startup before movement starts

---- first IASA frame increased (7f -> 9f)

-- Sticky bomb

---- completely reworked

---- now is a jumping command grab that attaches the bomb to the opponent or drops the bomb in place should it miss

---- much more lag and the throw knocks down, making it a combo ender (most of the time)

---- goes away if Ninja is hit

---- now automatically explodes after 120 frames, doing a bit more damage than the manual detonation

-- new move: Substitution

---- switches positions with the most recently-fired and close enough projectile belonging to Ninja

-- new move: Back Sway

---- new stance, step backward with some startup invulnerability, leads into limited but strong options

---- no invulnerability without Yomi advantage

-- new move: Palm Strike

---- only usable in Back Sway

---- high-damage high-knockback punch forward, difficult to combo out of

-- new move: Slide Kick

---- only usable in Back Sway

---- low counterpart to Palm Strike. hit-cancellable.

-- Uppercut

---- usable in Back Sway

---- moves farther forward 

---- jumps less high

---- second hit knockback adjusted

---- no invulnerability without Yomi advantage

---- startup increased (3f -> 4f)

-- Punch

---- slightly larger hitbox

-- Sweep

---- startup reduced (8f -> 7f)

---- more forward momentum (2 -> 4)

-- NunChuk

---- recovery increased +4f (both versions)

Cowboy

-- Cowboy was designed to be a simple, easy-to-understand character that relied on rushdown and honest mixups to get in and start their very good punish game, at the expense of advanced setups and space control. The latest patch, however, made it far harder for them to win neutral, and some of their moves have, while initially seeming strong, become harder and harder to use as the community figures them out. Design-wise, I think Cowboy is in a good place. They just need a few buffs to level the playing field.

-- 3 Combo

---- what makes this move unique is that it's a big commitment - if you don't land the 2nd hit, you are open to getting counter-attacked. but it wasn't very good at the thing it was supposed to be good at: chasing down opponents diagonally adjacent to you

---- moves faster

---- first two hits happen more rapidly (-2f recovery after first hit)

---- if any hitbox lands, the move slightly tracks towards the opponent

---- downward version doesn't reset momentum

-- Quick Draw

---- startup reduced (14f -> 10f)

-- Holster

---- startup reduced (6f -> 4f)

-- Ankle Cutter

---- startup reduced (12f -> 9f)

-- Horiz. Slash

---- no more looping this move

---- hitstun reduced (30f -> 14f)

-- 1000 Cuts

---- minimum damage per hit increased to 15

-- Izuna Drop

---- minimum damage increased to 60

-- Shoot

---- minimum damage increased to 30

-- Updated placeholder sprites

Wizard

-- with the last round of parry changes, Wizard has become a bit of a menace. I am making their close-up neutral mixups a bit worse to compensate for the enormous buff the new block mechanic gave them. Also, they should be inherently a little weaker now that backdash is nerfed and parries work more like they should. Wizard should be tricky to get in with, with multiple weird, niche tools, all of which are useful; but in the last patch, some of their tools were too universally good to be considered niche, and their usefulness eclipsed Wizard's intended weaknesses.

-- hover regains slower when you are in the air

-- Dash (backward)

---- added 3f startup before movement starts

---- first IASA frame increased (7f -> 9f)

-- Mana Strike

---- startup increased (5f -> 7f)

---- recovery increased +6f

---- visual FX made clearer

-- Tome Slap

---- hitstun reduced (30f -> 20f)

-- Kick

---- Hurtbox adjusted

-- Missile Form

---- startup increased (4f -> 9f)

---- speed increased (11 -> 15)

---- explosion minimum damage increased to 50

-- Updated placeholder sprites