CHANGE LOG

Default Controls Reminder (Keyboard):
Arrow Keys - <Move>
Z - <Jump>
X - <Action>
Space - <Start>
Shift - <Select>
Esc - <Back>
Reset Controls - <Ctrl> (Hold)

Before you begin playing please be sure to configure your gamepads and controls properly!
Press <Select> on the title menu to configure your settings.

Joylancer supports a large variety of controllers now by working in support for legacy game pads (registered as joysticks). If you find yourself
having any issues with gamepad support still, please be sure to let us know at @TRONMAXIMUM / @SuperBlizzard / @_a6productions on Twitter, or
contact@a6productions.com via e-mail.


--


Whenever JOYLANCER updates to a new major release (1.x -> 1.y), there are often deep system changes that we have to make within the profile system of the game.
After updating your game, please be sure to empty out your JOYLANCER data folder before running the game again.
Unfortunately, this means that your custom key binds will be reset as well as color choices, high scores and game completion.
Please keep in mind that this game is in Early Access, and sometimes major resets like this are necessary.
Once the game leaves Early Access, this won't be a problem!

HOW TO CLEAR YOUR APPDATA FOLDER:
* Make sure that you have your Folder Settings configured so you can see hidden files and folders.
1) Go to C:/(or your drive's letter)/Users/(You)/AppData/Local/JOYLANCER
2) Delete the folder
3) Run the game

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LABEL LEGEND
[Button] | <Action / Technique> | ~(Enemy / Actor)~ | >Hit Effect< | 'Item / Weapon' | {Equipment}
+ Addition, fix, or increase
~ Adjustment
- Nerf, removal, or reduction
(Grunt.x) Grunt Soldiers (Weak Enemies)
(4th.x) 4th Battalion (Enemies)
(3rd.x) 3rd Battalion (Strong Enemies)
(2nd.x) 2nd Battalion (Mini-Bosses / Extra-Strong Enemies)
(1st.x) 1st Battalion (Bosses)

v1.10 (itch.io Beta Update) JAN 16 2016
=================================
Big updates to older stages! Updated impact system, more Drive-Counters, and new enemies.
the World Map has been completely overhauled and streamlined; please be sure to empty out your JOYLANCER data folder before starting!

[ GENERAL ]
+ We added a brand new "challenge multiplier" system before you start a stage; you can now set the "enemy rank", and rules like Divine-Life & checkpoints to be on or off to increase / decrease the overall score you earn in a stage
	+ The lowest your point multiplier can get to is "x1.0" now, previously "x0.5"
+ Performed further optimizations to graphic drawing system, particularly in the particle effects
~ Individual ranks are now calculated slightly differently
	~ Many ranks have had their time requirements more difficult to achieve
	+ Ranks now scale properly based on both time and whether or not you take damage
+ Additional powerups and unique status effects have been added into the game!
+ The <Attack> button now also functions as "Proceed" in the final rank screen after each stage!
+ Added an internal clock system to Arcade Mode that can be enabled with [F6] -- perfect for speedrunners *wink*
+ The combo system has been majorly updated and now displays on the HUD
+ You can now perform special sequences of techniques to perform special tricks and get extra point bonuses!
+ Fixed a glitch where unlockable characters couldn't open doors
~ Crystals no longer add a multiplier when picked up unless you don't have a combo going -- otherwise, only rewards more points in your combo
~ Picking up items is now done using the "Interact" command instead of the "Taunt" command 
~ Adjusted functionality of "Keys" to now unlock paths and passageways in stages
~ The Arcade Shop is still being worked on but the assortment of items has been altered, including some *very risky* secrets~
- The on-rails mini-game before the 1-3 Centaureon boss fight stopped working properly, so it has been removed from the game for now (and is in the process of being re-made) 
	
[ CHARACTERS & ENEMIES ]
~ (System Change) Performing a <Rev-Up!> block on an unblockable attack no longer damages the player, but does leave the player open to be struck by another attack
~ (System Change) <Burst-Counter> attack now detects when it's colliding with attacks and registers a <Clash-Counter>
	+ This allows the player to reset and perform another <Burst-Counter> and gain additional invulnerable time
	~ Players must now pay attention during <Burst-Counters> and press <Attack> accordingly during each individual <Clash-Counter>
+ (System Change) There is now a Motor Knight-wide "OVERCHARGE" system that grants unlimited motor and special effects based on the Overcharge type
- (System Change) Removed the "survived with 1 HP left" knockback effect as it caused more weird problems than anything else
+ (System Change) The Grinding System has been totally revamped and is capable of faster travel
~ (System Change) Thrown enemies now deal damage equal to their max HP value when they slam into other enemies; throwing more powerful enemies results in more damage to surrounding enemies, and vice-versa
+ (Motor Knights) Added a <Spring-Burst>; perform a <Drop> attack then cancel into a <Burst-Jump> when you hit the ground to launch up even higher
+ (Motor Knights) All <Drive-Counters> now do a set amount of damage and are augmented by the player's attack stat, so <Drive-Counters> will always do difficulty no matter how low your attack is
+ (Joylancer) Added ability to briefly aim <Drive-Counter> throws when mashing <Attack> (please note that it does cause some framerate dip right now)
+ (Joylancer) There are now two different effects for the <Helmbit Drive-Counter> based on how you counter
+ (Joylancer) <Helmar Drive-Counter> now has 3 different special throws: Up+Attack <Sky-Launcher>, Forward+Attack <Power-Throw>, and Down+Attack <Giant-Spin>
+ (Joylancer) <Rosello Lancer Drive-Counter> and <Pakratt Drive-Counter> have been unified into a singular technique
+ (Joylancer) <Rosello Lancer Drive-Counter> has a new technique; press <Jump> mid-spin and hold a direction to spike the opponent in that direction
+ (Joylancer) Many new weapon throws have been added and old ones have been revised
+ (Joylancer) <Axe-Toss> has been revamped; 
	~ Mash <Attack> to aim your trajectory & build meter
	~ Press no buttons to begin spinning
	~ Press <Attack> while spinning to cancel the spin and throw the axe
	~ Hold a direction to aim what direction the thrown axe goes
~ (Grace-Lightning & Arkblade) Can perform all of Joy's Drive-Counters (temporarily)
~ (Fortyfive) Total control revamp, still a hefty work in progress -- switch between different shot types with <Select>
~ (Arkblade) Controls work slightly differently now & have been streamlined; now immediately performs <2nd> attacks when at full meter
~ (Arkblade) Projectile element type changed from "Magic" to "Slash"
~ (Grunt.Cannodon) Infinite with <Bit-Shot> has been fixed
~ (4th.Helmbit) Default Helmbit type color is now "grass" colored (previously green) in order to make the enemy stand out more in green and foresty areas
~ A few enemies have had their stats slightly altered in order to compensate for increased <Drive-Counter> damage;
	+ (3rd.Rosello Lancer) Health buff (base 40 - base 50)
	+ (3rd.Axe-Knight) Health buff (base 40 - base 70)
	+ (3rd.Hawk-Knight) Health buff (base 60 - base 100)
	+ (2nd.Armuros) Slight health buff (base 75 - base 80)
	+ (1st.Centaureon) Health buff (base 100 - base 125)

[ THE WORLD ]
+ As mentioned above, the World Map system has been given a complete overhaul and has been streamlined for faster and smoother travel
+ Stage 3-2 has been added
+ Stage 3-3 has been added
+ New version of stage 1-1
+ New version of stage 1-2
- All key squares have been removed, as the World Map system is getting ready for a significant upgrade

[ VISUAL & AUDIO ADJUSTMENTS ]
+ The HUD has been updated again; now displays a detailed combo trick system and an "air time" meter that will be used for cool stuff soon ;)
+ Palettes have had their colors adjusted slightly in order to give the game a more vibrant look


v1.9.1 (Beta Patch: Bugfix + Balance Adjustments) DEC 2 2015
=================================
Big Arkblade patch! refinements to the drop system! also fixed some goofy bugs that you may or may not have seen already, and finished some stuff that we didn't finish before the update.
the demo version is updated too!

[ GENERAL ]
+ Demo / shareware version has been updated to v1.9.1
+ Fixed a rather embarrassing memory leak that we'd rather not talk about right now
+ Fixed a bug where scores after beating bosses wouldn't carry over properly
~ Shop prompts in Arcade Mode are now unique based on Arcade Mode progress; also, placement of each Merchant in Arcade Mode is different between each run
~ Shop now provides randomized items sectioned off into categories; raw buffs (expensive), mix-ups (inexpensive), and raw nerfs (point bonuses)
+ Increased Focus Time slowdown effect for 'ARS-Armor' (50% -> 10%)
+ Increased Focus Time slowdown effect for 'Umbra's Eye' (50% -> 10%)
+ Increased Focus Time slowdown effect for 'Fencer-Drive' (50% -> 10%)
+ We stuffed some secrets in

[ CHARACTERS & ENEMIES ]
- There is a glitch that we are still working on involving the (Grunt.Cannodon), where <Bit-Shot> projectiles will trap the player in an infinite
+ Holding <Down> while performing Drop attacks will now make you go through platforms automatically
	+ This also affects certain <Drive-Counters> like the Izuna Drop (3rd.Rosello Lancer) and the Tornado Bodyslam (4th.Diggoon)!
+ Larger & powerful version of enemies have been given more "weight" which makes infinite juggles more difficult
+ Added a new <Up+Attack> dismounting attack to the (3rd.Hydraling) mount; MAX level meter performs a super dropkick
~ All enemy AI has improved "below" player detection
~ Fixed some bugs with attack collisions and "solid" enemies

+ (Joylancer) Improved attack's effectiveness on "solid" enemies

~ (Arkblade) Chain attack animation speeds and chain-frames have been adjusted
+ (Arkblade) Increased forward movement on all attacks
- (Arkblade) Slight attack power decrease
+ (Arkblade) Improved reliability of <Clash-Counters> on attacks
- (Arkblade) Slight nerf to attack damage increase when using meter (base x1 -> base x.5)
- (Arkblade) Damage nerf to MAX level projectile (x1 -> x0.2)
- (Arkblade) Pressing <Attack> after <Super-Jump> (Burst-Jump) performs a new upward boost attack that shoots multiple projectiles as the attack goes upwards
~ (Arkblade) <Rising-Slash> modifications:
	- Reduced damage of <Rising-Slash> 1st (x1 -> x.75)
	- Reduced damage of <Rising-Slash> 2nd (x1.25 -> x1)
	+ Increased upward movement on <Rising-Slash> 2nd
~ (Arkblade) <Charge-Slash> modifications:
	+ Forward momentum boost increased
	+ Added mid-air momentum boost
	+ Creates 2 explosions that cover a larger radius
	- Explosive damage reduced (x4 - x3)
	+ Slash hitbox expanded
	~ Adjusted placement of explosions to go farther in front
	~ Adjusted which animation frames speed up during the swing (quicker response)
~ (Arkblade) <Drop-Slash> modifications:
	- Speed of vertical drop greatly increased
	- Damage of vertical drop increased (x0.5 -> x2)
	- Vertical drop now spikes targets downward
	
- (Grunt.Archom) HP nerfed from 5 to 1 to prevent the player getting hit mid-attack
+ (3rd.Rosello-Lancer) Buffed attack of first swing  (x.5 -> x1)
~ (3rd.Rosello-Lancer) Adjustments to variants:
	~ Lv0 (Orange): No changes
	+ Lv1 (Rose-Red): Health buff (base x2.5 -> base x2.75) | Attack buff (x1 -> x1.25)
	+ Lv2 (Red): Health buff (x2 -> x2.25) | Attack buff (x1.25 -> x1.5)
	+ Lv3 (Amber): Health buff (x3 -> x3.2) | Defense buff (x2 -> x2.25)
	- Lv4 (Platinum): Attack nerf (x2 -> x1.75)
	- Lv5 (Gold): Attack nerf (x2.5 -> x2)
- (3rd.Hawk-Knight) Nerfed <Shockwave-Slash> projectile attack strength multiplier (2 -> 1)
- (3rd.Hawk-Knight) <Shockwave-Slash> projectile can now be deflected

+ (2nd.Armuros) Increased resistance stat (25 -> 50)
+ (2nd.Armuros) Slight health buff (base 70 -> base 75)
+ (2nd.Wulfussa) Lv1 (Hornet) Slight attack nerf (x1.5-> x1.25)
~ (2nd.Jyadarra) Fixed a rare bug that would cause the dive kick to loop infinitely, creating a sea of unlimited projectiles

+ (1st.Centaureon) Slight HP + defense buff (base 90 -> base 100)
+ (1st.Centaureon) Resistance scale for stun states has been adjusted to be closer to other idle and attack states (.8 -> .9)
+ (1st.Centaureon) Slight defense boost (base 2 -> base 3)
- (1st.Centaureon) Lowered attack strength multiplier of <Wide-Slash> (1 -> .75)
- (1st.Centaureon) Lowered attack strength multiplier of <Mustang-Kick> (1.25 -> 1)
- (1st.Centaureon) Lowered attack strength multiplier of <Reverse-Kick> (1 -> .75)
- (1st.Centaureon) Increased attack strength multiplier of <Saw-Slash> (1 -> 1.25)

+ A new Second Battalion opponent ~(Armapaladin)~ has been added

[ THE WORLD ]
+ Fixed an issue where you fall through the floor in floors 6 through 9 of Dark Palace A, let's not talk about it
+ Fixed a bug where the (2nd.Jyadarra) in 4-2 would occasionally fly just outside of the challenge boundary, prematurely ending the fight
+ Dark Palace 3 (Lebranto Station) has a proper set of floors now
+ Dark Palace 4 (Noxza Forest) has been added

[ VISUAL & AUDIO ADJUSTMENTS ]
+ Added a slight slowdown effect when performing <CLASH-COUNTERS>, being guard-broken, and when Saving-Grace activates



v1.9 (Beta Release) NOV 25 2015
=================================
!! Please read this log thoroughly -- this is a big update! Please clear your AppData folders accordingly. !!

[ SHORT VERSION ]
+ All difficulties have been rebalanced!
+ New custom difficulty option!
+ Players now gain meter upon landing attacks!
+ A variety of new enemies and adjustments to previous foes!
+ New levels!
+ AI opponents in Motor Combat! 

[ GENERAL ]
+ You can now restart rooms in Arcade Mode (previously you could only restart in Adventure Mode)
+ Slowdown system has been swapped out with a hit freeze system, so the game no longer forces a lower framerate during intense combat and combos, resulting in a smoother overall experience
+ MOTOR COMBAT Mode now has AI opponents! (Joylancer / Grace-Lightning only for now)
+ A new "Custom Difficulty" option has been added to the game, allowing you to create a difficulty of your own choice
+ Difficulties have been slightly rebalanced 
	~ TRAINEE difficulty was made slightly harder in order to differentiate it further from Student
	~ All higher difficulties have been made slightly easier
	+ All difficulties have had invincibility periods increased to at least 60 frames (1 second real time) in order to better reward players who perform counter techniques and enable easier escape from high tension situations
	- <Motor-Cancel> boost in NO MORE JOY and EVEN LESS JOY difficulties has been reduced
	+ <Motor-Cancel> boost in MOTOR KNIGHT and LEGENDARY MOTOR KNIGHT difficulties has been increased
	+ Checkpoints were added to NO MORE JOY difficulty
	- EZ-Drive (MAX level attacks always perform <Drive-Counters>) has been removed from TRAINEE difficulty
	+ Power-Drive (always deals CRITICAL damage for Drive-Counters) has been added to NO MORE JOY difficulty to encourage more <Clash-Counter> and <Drive-Counter> usage
	+ <Burst-Counter> input window during a <Clash-Counter> has been increased in all difficulties
	+ Amount of time enemies spend in stun states has been slightly increased in all difficulties
	+ Speed of enemies in higher difficulties has been slightly decreased
+ "Blunt" attacks now ignore defense when striking opponents that are in vulnerable states (such as taking damage, falling, tripping)
+ "Magic" and "Blast" attacks deal extra damage by only taking half of the opponent's defense into account
+ 'Auto-Charger' Speed of automatic meter gain doubled
+ 'Sports Shoes' equipment added
+ 'Auto-Charger mk.II' automatic charge speed increased
+ Certain challenges now freeze the action and then go to the next room automatically 

[ CHARACTERS & ENEMIES ]
+ All characters are now rewarded with meter when their attacks collide with enemies (varies by difficulty)
+ Counter deflections (attempting to parry a powerful attack) now grants invincibility on the very first frame in order to enable slightly easier escapes in dangerous situations
+ Attacks with "Piercing" properties now throw the player in a stunned state when they're defending, rather than just outright doing damage

- (Joylancer) Normal jump height reduced slightly
+ (Joylancer) Jump height during <Speed> increased
+ (Joylancer) Can now attack out of stun state slightly easier
+ (Joylancer / Grace-Lightning) Hitting with <Drop-Kick> meter increased (1 -> 2.5)
+ (Joylancer) Pressing [Jump] while sliding now performs a <Motor-Dash> dodge instead of a <Burst-Jump> -- this can be turned off and on in the Play Style menu
+ (Joylancer) Expanded size of Cobrahusk <Drive-Counter> hitboxes
+ (Joylancer) Can now jump during the Cobrahusk <Drive-Counter>

+ (Grace-Lightning) Jump height during <Speed> increased

+ (Arkblade) Jump height during <Speed> increased
+ (Arkblade) Running speed during <Speed> increased

+ (Fortyfive) Jump height during <Speed> greatly increased

+ (1st.Fengyor) Animations have been completely re-done, and new actions have been added
+ (1st.Fengyor) Now has a <Clash-Counter>-able right claw swing 
+ (1st.Fengyor) Has a new projectile attack

+ (3rd.Rosello Lancer) New move; <Back-Hop> xx <Air-Slash> -- performs a (blockable) air attack when hopping backwards after the first combo 
+ (3rd.Hydraling) Totally overhauled with a new move set
- (3rd.Hydraling) Jump height decreased

+ (4th.Cobrahusk) HP, movement speed, and Attack power buff to all Cobrahusk types. Adjustments to variants:
	- Lv0 (Orange): Increase in movement speed
	- Lv1 (Pink): Increase in movement speed | Decrease in jump height | Now has resistance stat like Armuros, Rosello Lancer, etc.
	- Lv2 (Purple): Increase in movement speed | No longer has resistance stat, instead is now a Solid enemy
	- Lv3 (Green): Increase in movement speed and attack power | Slight decrease in defense
	- Lv4 (Shadow): Increase in movement speed
	- Lv5 (Gold): Increase in movement speed
+ (4th.Diggoon) New move <Ground-Strike> creates a spike up from the ground where the target is located
	
~ (Grunt.Cannodon) Now shoots (Grunt.Bit) enemies as shots instead of a badly-coded projectile

+ A new Second Battalion opponent has been added ~(Pscilovoid)~
+ A new Third Battalion opponent has been added ~(Wulfussa)~
+ ~(Kerrapedes)~ have been added

[ THE WORLD ]
+ A new Area has been added (4 -- Noxza Forest [it's pronounced "No-Shuh"] )
+ Stage 4-1 now available
+ Stage 4-2 now available
~ Many older stages have had their challenges slightly adjusted or revised, enemy placements & choices modified, some terrain changes
+ All Dark Palaces have had their maps and enemy arrangements slightly altered or revised

[ VISUAL & AUDIO ADJUSTMENTS ]
+ HUD has received some updates to the challenge menu
+ New HUD icons have been added to indicate whether an attack deals "Slash" "Blunt" "Magic" or "Blast"
~ Adjustments to how text spacing works
~ Sound engine now uses a limited channel system to stop SFX from layering over each other and secretly injecting messages into your mind
- Overworld maps have been given a minor facelift



v1.8.4 (Beta Patch) SEP 28 2015
=================================
[ GENERAL ]
+ Fixed tutorial again
+ Fixed a bug where control settings weren't always saving properly, causing players to have to re-bind their keys upon closing the game 
+ Many changes and additions under the hood, which we'll reveal next update

[ CHARACTERS & ENEMIES ]
+ (All) Sliding up or down a ramp now keeps you sliding until you reach flat ground or ramp off
+ (4th.Rosello Knight) Fixed an issue where breaking off a Knight Shield would convert the Knight to the basic knight for all ranks
~ (2nd.Armuros) Lowered animation speed of Armuros's <Fury-Slash> unblockable attack, to make it more identifiable from the others


v1.8.3 (Beta Release) SEP 24 2015
=================================
[ GENERAL ]
+ Items (Interact-Type) have been added to the game! 
	o Pick up with [Taunt / Select]
	o Use with [Attack]
	o Performing special techniques drops the item
+ New equipment added
	
[ CHARACTERS & ENEMIES ]
+ (4th.Rosello Knight) Added shieldless variant
+ (4th.Rosello Knight) 'Knight Shields' can now be knocked off with a MAX Level attack
+ (4th.Cobrahusk) New technique: <Flame-Shot>
+ (3rd.Rosello Lancer) Now drops 'Rosello Lance' when defeated by a <Drive-Counter>
+ (2nd.Jyadarra) Boosted max HP
+ (2nd.Jyadarra) Now reacts to being hit with its own projectiles
+ (2nd.Armuros) Animation speed now properly scales with difficulty
+ (Joylancer) Added ability to use and throw 'Knight Shields'
+ (Joylancer) Added ability to use and throw 'Rosello Lances'
+ Fixed an issue where mashing <Attack> on the ~(Armuros)~ <Drive-Finish> was making the animation longer instead of shorter
+ A new Grunt Soldier enemy has been added ~(Drillbit)~
+ A new Third Battalion enemy has been added ~(Hawk-Knight)~
~ Fixed an oversight where players could perform <Clash-Counters> on >Unblockable< / >No-Counter< attacks
	~ Most heavily affected:
		Rosello Lancer, Armuros, Centaureon, King Rosell(1), Fengyor
	DIRECTOR'S NOTE: >No-Counter< techniques now put the player in a "deflected" state that can be canceled out of by dodging, sliding, or charging.
	
[ VISUAL ADJUSTMENTS ]
+ Some buildings in Area 1 and 2 have been adjusted for better overall readability
+ A new "STEEL" palette has been added


v1.8.2 (itch.io Beta Release) SEP 16 2015
=================================
[ GENERAL ]
+ Demo has been updated to latest version 
+ Brand new title screen!
~ Cheat codes are now entered on the logo screen; unsuccessful code attempts simply open the title menu
~ When confirming a code with (Start), if successful, the game logo will change color!
+ Managing profiles is now done in the title screen, eliminating the need for the clunky profile menu of olde
~ Changing key binds and character options is now done in the Pause Menu, which can be opened from the title screen now
+ Each individual character can now have their commands customized
+ A new "default difficulty" option has been added to the title screen
+ Top ranks and equipment unlocks can now be viewed in the "Knight Profiles" screen on the title menu
+ Issues with the tutorial not working properly have been fixed
+ Six hotkeys are available (previously four)

[ CHARACTERS & ENEMIES ]
+ (System-Wide Change) Holding the <Rev-Up!> command during <Drive-Clash>, grinding states, etc. will automatically charge every 1/10sec, for players that don't like mashing
+ (Joylancer) Reliability & ease of <Clash-Counters> has been increased greatly by checking if the player is attacking, instead of just if they have a hitbox out
+ (Joylancer vs. Helmar) Performing a MAX attack while enemy is preparing to attack will instantly initiate a <Drive-Clash> now
+ (Joylancer vs. Pakratt) Attack sped up slightly
+ (Centaureon / Armuros) Armor recovery when taking damage slightly increased, making armor breaking into an infinite combo harder to do (but still possible)
+ (Fengyor) Increased maximum HP

[ THE WORLD ]
+ A new Continent has been added to the overworld (Antynne)
+ A new Area has been added (3 -- Lebranto Transit Station)
+ Stage 3-1 now available


v1.8.1 (Beta Release) AUG 29 2015
=================================
+ All background art has been replaced with the new system


v1.8-u2 ("Unstable" Beta Release) AUG 26 2015
=================================
- All background art has been temporarily disabled, as we found a memory leak in our background art system
	- We are currently in the process of writing a simpler and nicer background system to replace them
	- The really good news is that this should give every single person who plays this game a HUGE speed boost!
+ A wide variety of tiny bugs have been fixed
+ Helmbit + Rosello Knight Drive-Counters can now have their angles adjusted on ground and air by holding Up / Down
+ A bunch of visual effect calls have been linked to the effect options in the pause menu




v1.8-u ("Unstable" Beta Release) AUG 24 2015
=================================
!! Please read this log thoroughly -- this is a big update! Please clear your AppData folders accordingly. !!
- ! PLEASE NOTE: We're currently investigating some crashing issues that occasionally happen when going between rooms.
	If you wish to minimize these issues, try turning off the backgrounds with F3. 
	(See [UI & PLAYER SETTINGS] for more info.)

[ GENERAL ]
+ MOTOR COMBAT HAS RETURNED! Play intense and fast-paced multiplayer matches with up to 4 players
+ ARCADE MODE has been added! Play straight through the main levels in the game, no world map necessary!
+ MULTIPLAYER has been added to Arcade Mode! Tag in up to 4 players and play through your favorite Joylancer stages
	-- Players 2-4 press Start to jump in
	-- Players 2-4 can press Start at any time to instantly jump to P1's position
	-- Players 2-4 cannot activate challenges or go through off-screen exits (but can open doors)
+ A new emblem "Treasure Hunter" has been added for when you find all equipment & keys in a stage
~ A game-wide difficulty update has been applied that modifies enemies' start-up attack speeds based on difficulty
~ Some stages and challenges have been adjusted for difficulty
+ The soundtrack has been revised to give off more of a super-powered Game Gear-ish aesthetic
+ We fixed a problem where one of the damage sound effects was playing over 70% of the sound calls in the game
+ Pressing buttons and directions on the startup screen toggles different colors when you start the game, just like a Game Boy Color!
~ Cheat codes have been added to the startup screen -- we'll reveal these slowly over time, if you can't find out how to do them ;)
~ Incoming Attack Alert system has been updated slightly
+ Fixed a bug where projectile damage wasn't being tracked by the game
+ Fixed a bug where times knocked out weren't displaying correctly in higher difficulties
~ A couple more things have been slightly more optimized
+ New equipment has been added

[ UI & PLAYER SETTINGS ]
+ Profile menu character selection fixed, and now sets your "default" character in Multiplayer modes
+ F1-5 keys now toggle various in-game options
	-- F1 - Scroll through Aspect Ratio modes
	-- F2 - Fullscreen
	-- F3 - Toggle "Tileset Dimming" (lowers colors of backgrounds to make characters more pronounced)
		- Press once: Dim
		- Press twice: Blank (Dark) [increases performance]
		- Press three times: Blank (White) [increases performance]
		- Press one more time: Default
	-- F4 - Switch between 30/60 FPS
	-- F5 - Toggle high-color DX Mode on or off 
+ Sub-menus have been added to the new pause menu, where zoom, HUD and other options can be adjusted
+ You can now modify the game's color style during the splash screens, using the ARROW KEYS and LANCE/JUMP
~ Removed pausing when receiving a rank after completing a challenge

[ CHARACTERS & ENEMIES ]
+ The return of GRACE! Grace-Lightning has been re-added to the game!
	-- Grace has a playstyle similar to Joy, but her attacks are focused on linear movement, speed, piercing and mix-ups.
	-- Grace's running speed is slightly faster than Joy's, and she has a bigger jump
	-- Grace's <Blast-Cyclone> ( Up+A /Rev->A ) and <Saw-Blade> ( Down+A in air ) attacks have a large circular range
	-- Grace's Lv3 and Lv4 mid-air <Attacks> can be curved up or down by holding that direction after pressing the button
	-- Performing a <Burst-Counter> lets loose a lightning-fast circular strike! Curve it up or down w/ Up+Down.
	-- Her hair is big and powerful
+ Two new Motor Knights have been added to the game (Fortyfive, Arkblade)
	-- Fortyfive uses the BURST-CANNON, a motorized revolver-rifle-skateboard
		-- Fortyfive's primary method of attacking is <Shooting> projectiles. Each shot uses .5 meter
		-- If Fortyfive has no meter, pressing <Attack> performs a <Spin-Guard> that can <Clash-Counter> enemy attacks and projectiles
		-- The sixth shot of your cycle fires an extremely powerful <Six-Shot>! Use it wisely!
			-- <Reloading> (Down+Attack) resets your <Six-Shot> but you can collect crystals or perform <Clash-Counters> to charge up and fire another
		-- Fortyfive can perform <Dashing> dodge maneuvers by double-tapping a direction
		-- His hat is cool 
	-- Arkblade uses the SPARK-SWORD, a powerful motorized sword!
		-- Arkblade's fighting style is heavily dependent on fast and powerful melee strikes, slicing and dicing!
		-- Arkblade can perform <Clash-Counters> by pressing <DOWN+ATTACK> or <FORWARD+ATTACK> with good timing
		-- Arkblade's techniques depend on the direction you press the D-Pad / Stick and use a chaining-and-canceling system
			-- Neutral Attack: <Rapid-Slash (infinite)
			-- Forward Attack: <Lunge-Slash> up to 2 times; 2nd attack deals extra damage
			-- Up Attack: <Lift-Slash> up to 2 times; 2nd attack has jump effect  
			-- Down Attack: <Rev-Up!>; Charge at the exact frame you get hit to perform <Perfect-Counters>!
			-- Down Attack (Hold): <Charge-Slash>; Perform a massively powerful explosive attack
			-- Down Attack (Air): <Falling-Slash>; Fall blade-first on your opponents; mash Attack while falling to deal bonus damage
		-- Arkblade's attack can shoot short range projectiles when he has meter, but every attack spends 1 meter
		-- Arkblade can perform <Dashing> dodge maneuvers by double-tapping a direction
		-- He has big dorky goggles and he's a loser when he's not in his suit
~ The 3 new characters are temporarily using a couple of Joy's sprites while they're worked on
+ Added brief invulnerability period to some techniques to minimize unsafeness of counter techniques (only on low difficulties)
+ (Joylancer) can now perform Down+Attack <Clash-Counters> like Arkblade, but her timing is much stricter
+ (Joylancer) <Lance-Drop> Shortened time between landing on the ground and performing the explosive finisher
+ (Joylancer) <Drop-Kick> has been given a chunky damage boost (about 2x stronger)
+ (Joylancer) Attack power boosted moderately
+ (Joylancer) All enemies thrown with a <Drive-Counter> boosted up to Lv4 now explode on impact 
+ (Joylancer) <Drive-Clash> scenarios between Joy and enemies now create active hitboxes between the point of battle to damage other enemies
+ 'Gravity-Drive' motor equipment now has an added Quake effect to Lv4 <Lance-Drop> that destroys all breakable blocks on screen 
+ Players can now use the Grip system mid-technique
+ Many enemies now have unique "voice" sounds associated with their different attacks and actions
+ Enemies have been rebalanced again
+ Many enemy types have been given armored properties similar to the Armuros (this adjustment makes <Burst-Counters> much more effective than before)
+ A new First Battalion boss has been added (Fengyor)
+ Rosello Lancer <Drive-Counter> can now be "floated" by mashing <Attack> during the suplex
+ Diggoon <Drive-Counter> can now be floated by mashing <Attack> during the spin
+ Diggoon <Drive-Counter> now bounces off of walls
+ The Pakratt can now be <Drive-Countered> by attacking it with a Lv4 attack right before it throws a weapon at you
	-- Direction of throw can be adjusted by holding Down or Up
+ You can perform jumps while performing <Drive-Counters> on the Helmbit and Rosello Knight
+ Rosello Knight + Helmbit <Drive-Counters> now have slightly different effects if you're in the air when the enemy is thrown
+ You can jump when counter-throwing projectiles


[ THE WORLD ]
+ The overworld has been given a visual update and the continent of Antoria been rearranged slightly
+ The platforming section of Stage 1-3 has been removed and replaced with an on-rails shooter section
	o HOW TO PLAY:
		- <Jump> - Jump
		- <Down>+<Jump> - Ram Attack
		- <Attack> - Shoot
		- <Select> - Switch between manual (A) and semi-auto (B) aiming styles
+ A cutscene has been added before the 1-3 boss fight
+ Stage 1-3A now available
+ Stage 2-2B now available 
+ Stage 2-3 now available
+ Encounter Battle 01 has been added to the overworld 
+ Encounter Battle 02 has been added to the overworld
+ Emerald City has been added to the overworld
+ A secret has been added to Dark Palace 1

[ VISUAL ADJUSTMENTS ]
+ A variety of colorful new palettes are available
+ Explosion effects have been enhanced
~ The final rankings have been re-centered on the screen in order to accomodate the Dark Palace stages
~ The color of the transitions between screens is now changed based on the color you assign to your profile




v1.7.2 (Beta Release) JUL 14 2015
=================================
+ Dark Palace 2 added in the Underground (Area 2)
+ Stage N-2 now available
+ Stage 2-2 now available
+ Stage A-3 now available
+ A new Second Battalion boss has been added (Jyadarra)
+ A new Third Battalion enemy type has been added (Hydraling)
+ New equipment added
+ Further optimizations applied to increase performance
~ Levels missing music have been given BGMs
~ Overall "IMPACT SLOW" effect toned down across the board
- We are still investigating the issue with low quality sound effects / popping


v1.7.1 (Beta Release) JUL 9 2015
=================================
+ Dark Palaces 1 (Area 1) and 3 (Area A) added back in
+ Stage 1-3A now available
+ Stage A-2 now available
+ New equipment added to game, including some pieces added in old levels -- try to find them all!
+ Additonal key locations added to some levels
+ Fixed a bug where King Rosell was drawing in monochrome instead of red
+ A new 3rd Battalion enemy has been added
~ Fixed(?) a game crashing bug that would occasionally happen on first run


v1.7u (Unstable Test Release) JUL 3 2015
=================================
!!! This build has NOT been fully tested yet and may be prone to instability. Please keep this in mind when lancing.
!!! We will be updating again very soon with a much cleaner release. Until then, enjoy!
!!! This is a MAJOR systems update -- please clear your AppData folders before running the update for the first time!

+ Huge variety of system & graphic optimizations to improve overall game speed on lower-end PCs
+ Profile menu has been modified slightly in order to be less unruly
+ Countering system revised, expanded and greatly improved
+ New technique <BURST-COUNTER> added (press <ATTACK> after a successful <CLASH-COUNTER>)
  + High speed defensive-piercing attack; stuns weak enemies!
  + Press <ATTACK> again while hitting an enemy you want to throw to instantly <DRIVE-COUNTER>!
+ Difficulty system is back and majorly improved
+ New pieces of equipment added to the game
+ CENTAUREON now has a powered up "unarmed" form when its D-Tank count reaches 0
+ A huge selection of "variants" are now available for most enemy types
+ New ranking system added; rewards letter grades and bonus scores for beating battles
+ Stage N-1 now available
+ Tutorials are back; currently divided into 3 courses
~ Major rebalancing and improvement of both players and enemies
~ We did a bunch of other things that we can't even fully recall
- Dark Palace stages temporarily removed


v1.6.2 (Early Beta Release) APR 26 2015
=================================
Tutorial + more equipment planned for next update!

+ Fixed a bug that caused Centaureon to occasionally disappear when <Saw-Slash> is countered
+ Fixed a bug that caused the Helmar to get stuck in Drive-Clash state
+ Slightly modified Dark Palace (Antoria Woods) waves to lower their difficulty
+ Demo version of game updated to latest version
~ Added speed resistance to lance attacks when hitting strong / armored enemies
~ <Speed-Slide> no longer registers on strong / armored enemies (caused bugs)
~ Greatly increased how much damage a thrown enemy inflicts on other enemies
~ Lance-Drop's "explosion" effect now triggers on all Lance-Drop attacks (Lv3 & 4 have visual effects too)
~ Slightly increased damage of Lv1 lance attack


v1.6.1 (Early Beta) APR 23 2015
=================================
+ Fixed a bug that caused the game to hang on the loading screen when starting the game
+ Fixed a bug that caused world map data to be loaded incorrectly when exiting to the title screen
+ Various bug fixes on previous version
+ HELMAR, ARMUROS and CENTAUREON now have "Drive-Clash" properties; mash attack button during these attacks to perform instant Drive-Counters
+ Temp music assigned to extra areas
+ Demo version of game updated to latest version
+ A bunch of small changes done under the hood


v1.6u (Early Beta Release) APR 22 2015
=================================
!!! This build has NOT been fully tested yet and may be prone to instability. Please keep this in mind when lancing.
!!! We will be updating again very soon with a much cleaner release. Until then, enjoy!

+ The Control Wizard is Back! Custom key binding is now available
+ Controller support has been expanded

+ World Map has been re-enabled
+ A few new levels have been added
+ The Dark Palace has returned; amount of palaces increased to 2 (each one has 10 waves)

+ Parry / Counter system has been massively updated and is far more precise
+ "Perfect-Counter" now available; perform a counter attack with perfect timing to automatically perform a Drive-Counter
+ Projectile deflection has been massively improved

+ A new 1st Battalion boss has been added
+ Multiple new enemies have been added

+ General system improvements & optimizations for speed
+ New "FPS" switch that can drop the game into 30FPS and maintain proper game speed; try this out if you're experiencing slowdown
+ All enemies have been massively updated
+ Hitbox system has been completely re-worked

- Tutorials are in need of overhaul again; we're working on it
- Pscilovoid enemy has been temporarily taken out (currently being re-animated)
- Difficulties have been pulled out of this release while we re-write the system
- Motor Combat is still unavailable at the moment, cleaning out bugs and making sure the systems are balanced



v1.5.2u (Early Beta) MAR 6 2015
=================================
+ Bugs with tutorial rooms not loading properly has been fixed
+ Burst-Jump given curving; can now slightly adjust movement mid-technique
+ Move list function fixed
+ Some music cues were in the wrong place; this has been fixed
+ Difficulty system has been updated
+ First Run menu updated with additional information
+ "Type E" control type added -- mirrors a more portable-inspired control type
+ Some menu bugs fixed 
+ Scores were carrying over and saving incorrectly; this has been fixed
+ A couple enemy encounters have been rearranged


v1.5.1u (Unpolished Beta) MAR 2 2015
=================================
+ Welcome Back To Antoria! -- v1.5 Unstable Release: Updating Again Very Soon!
+ Brand-New Palette Rendering System! (replaces RGB-style color system)
+ Profile system given major update
	* NOTE: Profile System is still in heavy work-in-progress
+ Controller Binding menu added to Profile menu; press Select on Player 1 (SELECT on Pad, Shift on Keyboard) to configure all players' proper pad / keyboard setup

+ Area 1 maps have been overhauled again -- level layouts, arrangements, and enemy placements are still not final
+ Tutorial has been rehauled
+ Soundtrack has been updated

+ CONTROLS: New technique "Quick-Burst" has been added; press Up+Jump OR Up+Attack to perform a Burst-Jump
+ Up+Jump / Up+Attack inputs can now be used to fire off a Burst-Jump mid-charge; currently balancing out equipment pieces to replace Quick-Burst with Burst-Jump
+ New animations have been added for Drive-Counters
+ Effects of some techniques have been altered slightly
+ Holding Down+Attack will now continuously perform Rev-Ups!
+ Taunt function moved to Select button
- Final taunt causing game crash 

+ BOSSES: A new boss has entered the land of Antoria! Challenge the PSCILOVOID! (beta version)
+ BOSSES: Can you survive the onslaught of the Ultimate Mage King? KING ROSELL THE INVINCIBLE accepts your challenge! (beta version; survival match)
+ ENEMIES: Rosello Lancer given immunity to Clash-Counter on 1st swing; counter the 2nd swing to score the grab!
+ Rosello Knight has additional armored form (purple armor)
+ Rosello Lancer has additional un-armored form (orange armor)
- Axe Knight needs a bit more work on hitboxes + axe throw; will be hotfixing soon
- Dark Palace Mode temporarily disabled; will be hotfixing soon
- World Map temporarily disabled; will be hotfixing soon
- Motor Combat temporarily disabled; will be hotfixing soon
- Damage values are unbalanced at the moment; will be hotfixing soon
- Some goofy options menu selections haven't been updated or fixed up yet; we're working on it!

~ Various other tweaks and adjustments have been made and some other features that were in the previous build may be missing from this one.
~ Mac versions of Joylancer are going to be coming very soon!
~ this build was exported while i (tj) was running on no sleep, so there may be a few bugs / glitches; we plan on fixing these problems within the week. we just wanted to make sure you guys got this build on time!


~ tj & Jesse -- alpha six productions