Howdy, everyone!
A new patch for DF CONNECTED, v2.7.11, has released!
The main focus of this patch is to help reduce the impact of the DDoS attacks that the game has been facing, which have been ongoing since last month.
If you haven't heard about these attacks, then unfortunately the situation is that for the past few weeks, an attacker has been targeting the service that DFC uses for its multiplayer, GameMaker Server, with frequent DDoS attacks.
If you aren't familiar with the term, then a DDoS attack (short for "Distributed Denial of Service") is a type of cyber-attack which aims to severely disrupt an online service by flooding the bandwidth/resources of a targeted system.
If you've been experiencing frequent disconnects for the past few weeks, or have been having trouble logging into the game at all, this is unfortunately the result of these attacks.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by these outages, and we are committed to minimizing the impact of these attacks as much as possible.
To combat these attacks, v2.7.11 does two things:
The game has updated to the latest version of the GMServer extension. This version features a new system which can help to reduce the downtime caused by the attacks. A huge thanks to the owner of GMServer, Size43, for his support throughout this situation.
A new "auto-reconnect" feature has been added. When you get disconnected from the server, there is now an option to continue playing offline while you wait for the game to automatically reconnect to the server for you. This way, you aren't forced to stop playing because of the attacks, and any progress you made during the downtime can be saved once you've reconnected.
We'll continue to keep an eye on the situation, and keep you updated if anything changes. For now, we hope that this patch will help to decrease the disruption for everyone!
Now then, before we take a look at the changelog for v2.7.11, I'd like to share some more information with you.
First, v2.7.11 adds more than new measures to deal with the attacks - there are a few additions and QoL improvements, too! But the most notable addition is...
DF EDITOR 2.0 is available now!
Surprise, the new-and-improved DF Editor has been added!
The DF Editor is a built-in tool that enables players to create their very own custom areas for DF CONNECTED, which can be shared and played in Offline Mode! We were planning to release DF Editor 2.0 as part of v2.8.0, but to help with the wait, we decided to release it early!
Version 2.0 of the DF Editor features:
A redesigned interface, now with mouse controls!
A new toolbar with nine slots for objects and tiles!
New objects to use in your maps, like slopes, conveyors, and vents!
The ability to select and place multiple tiles at once, instead of only one tile at at time!
Improved support for custom tilesets, custom backgrounds, and custom music!
We can't wait to see what you guys can make with this new editor! We're eager to hear your feedback as well, so let us know if there's anything you'd like to see added or changed in future versions of the DF Editor!
Now then, before we take a look at the changelog for v2.7.11, I'd like to share some new information regarding our plans for the "end-of-service" for DF CONNECTED.
When is the End-of-Service?
Throughout the past few weeks, the topic of DF CONNECTED's end-of-service (EoS) period has been brought up on numerous occasions, with some players expressing their concerns that the recent DDoS attacks could cause the EoS to happen earlier than planned.
As such, I'd like to provide an update on our plans for the EoS going forward, and when players can expect it to happen.
I want to assure everyone that we are still committed to running DF CONNECTED's official server until the release of v2.9.0, as planned. The owner of GameMaker Server, Size43, is also committed to keeping the service running for as long as he can, which we are very appreciative of.
In regards to v2.9.0's planned release, and by extension the start of the EoS, it's still too early to give an exact date. However, our intentions are to give v2.8.0 at least half a year of life before the EoS begins. We may be able to support 2.8 for even longer than that, but for now, we can confirm there will be a minimum of six months of support for 2.8, regardless of when it releases.
If you aren't already familiar with the "end-of-service", then the EoS is when we will officially shut down DF CONNECTED's official server. To take its place, community servers will become the main way to play online. With this system, anyone will be able to create their very own server for the game - either a private server for you and your friends, or a public server for anyone to join!
Although the game will eventually no longer be an MMO, we're still very excited about the future of DF's multiplayer! We've already been working to adapt the gameplay towards the new community server system, with a focus on co-operative multiplayer gameplay.
From 2.9 onwards, DF's multiplayer will gradually evolve into a co-operative experience. To achieve this, here's what you can expect as development continues:
MAIN QUESTS
The old "Trial Quests" will be replaced with an all-new main questline, the "Main Quests"!
The main questline will follow a brand-new storyline set within the DF continuity. While this story will have connections to the plot of DF's singleplayer Story Mode, it can still be enjoyed as a standalone adventure!
On this quest, players will explore new and returning areas from Undertale, Deltarune, and DF Story Mode, where they can face off against new bosses, discover new routes, and experience multiple endings!
THREE-PLAYER PARTIES
In v2.8.0, you may recall that we're adding a new party member system where you can equip two of your partners to join you in battles - but that's not all we're planning for this feature!
In v2.9.0, we plan to make it possible to invite other players to become your party members! Up to three players can be in the same party together!
With parties, you can play the main questline together with your friends! You'll battle your foes co-operatively, with each player getting their own turn to FIGHT, ACT, or cast MAGIC, and all of you will have your own SOULs you'll need to control during enemy attacks!
We hope you'll look forward to the future of DF's multiplayer, as well as the upcoming singleplayer Story Mode!
Now then, let's check out the changelog for v2.7.11!
Changelog for DF CONNECTED v2.7.11
Added the new "DF EDITOR v2.0"! From the Play Offline menu, you can now access the revamped DF Map Editor, rewritten with an improved interface, a toolbar with nine slots, new objects to use, smoother controls, and more! It will receive more updates with new tools and assets as development continues! (Note: this feature is only available on the PC version!)
Added a new AUTO RECONNECT option on the Connection Lost screen. By selecting this option, the game will automatically attempt to reconnect and login to the server using a login token, rather than requiring players to manually re-enter their credentials each time. This option also enables the player to continue playing their current game OFFLINE while waiting to reconnect to the server! You can still walk around and get enemy encounters while the game is reconnecting, and this progress can be saved once you've reconnected!
Added a new BANK option in Undernet. From now on, you can access the bank from anywhere in the game using Undernet, rather than the bank building in Snowdin Town (which is now closed for renovations). You can deposit G into your bank, withdraw G into your wallet, transfer G to another player, or convert G into Undercoins using the bank anytime, anywhere!
Added overworld corruption battles for Asriel, Noelle, and Berdly.
Added a critical slash sound that plays when landing a perfect hit with a single-reticle weapon.
There is now a "Join Community Server" option in the Play Online menu, but it can't be selected yet. It has been added so that players who don't keep up with the progress reports can still be made aware that community servers are coming in v2.8.0!
Options in the main menu that are meant to open a webpage in the browser will now show a message when selected, "(Opening in browser...)", to make it clearer what these options do.
In addition to the above change, options in the main menu that open a webpage will now copy the link to the clipboard, so that if the player's device blocks the game from opening the webpage, the player can still just paste the link into their browser.
It is now possible to press [ESC] to exit the login screen if the server is not responding.
The login screen will now tell you if the server is not responding or has no connection, and now prevents you from logging in unless there is a connection.
The color of the player's outline during overworld dodging segments now matches the color of their SOUL.
Rewrote one of Astigmatism's attacks that previously had to be removed due to a YYC bug.
Updated the "Server Status" link in the Play Online menu, which previously linked to an older status page.
The "Respawn" option on the file start menu now transitions to the hub room much quicker.
The layout of the mini stat box in the game menu has been adjusted to be more accurate to UNDERTALE, and the LV icon now matches the color of your own SOUL.
Replaced Migosp's overworld sprite with a new sprite.
Fixed a bug where the FIGHT reticle could be misaligned with the center of the target in certain setups.
Fixed a bug where the game could crash after reconnecting if the player was previously in a guild before they disconnected.
Fixed a bug where the TP bar would change to a brighter color at 99% TP rather than at MAX.
Fixed a bug where it was possible to change the vessel's costume while holding ESC to quit the game, causing unintended effects.
Fixed an oversight where the "Professional Spelunker" trial quest didn't take into account the new Hometown and CORE warps.
Fixed a typo in Follower 1's dialogue in Lost World 2.
Fixed the origin points of the Golden Frisk sprites which previously didn't match the default Frisk sprites.
Fixed Hatless Ralsei's sad expression looking out of place compared to the other expressions.
Updated to the latest version of GameMaker Server.
Conclusion
Well, that's all for now! Now that v2.7.11 is out, we'll continue to monitor the situation and release any patches as needed. However, rest assured that our priority is still to wrap up the development of v2.8.0 as soon as we can. We hope to give you some more information on its release soon!
Anyway, thanks for reading, and as always, stay determined!
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