Well guys, the time has come for the release of v1.4.0 patch for Tall Poppy!

It's available for download now! 

This was a much needed patch to fix up the 2019 released version of Tall Poppy.  Patch v1.4.0 is the 2021 version of Tall Poppy! Hopefully you guys enjoy this version. 

I (Chris), did some much needed code cleanup and rewrote some key mechanics to make it more optimized and have more functionality / ease of use for future usability. After all, we are going to make a Steam build and release with new areas, spooks and updated environments. Oh, and a VR mode as well! :) 

Mike did a few artistic additions, however he is working full time for a different company so his time is limited. So he did what he could in the time he has. 

There was a few weeks spent going through the code as best as I could and I'm confident I fixed most bugs. Hopefully, in 2021,  I learned how to program better and be able to fix these issues that some players were having. I'm still growing as a programmer, so if you do see a bug, report it via the company Discord server here. That said, I would comfortably say that most people who played the 2019 version didn't find many bugs or any at all. Some did, and when they did, it was painful to watch them hit these bugs live.  Visualize me sinking in my computer chair with every bug someone hit, facepalming until I slithered under my desk to lay motionless in the fetal position for hours. 

Just kidding haha. But it was pretty embarrassing on my end to see. I apologize for that and am kicking myself for not fixing these bugs earlier. That said, we're making up for it by making the best version of Tall Poppy we can.

Programming updates

• Main menu music wasn't looping, now it does. 
• Put FPS limited (60) so mechanics would fire properly, helps low end machines. 
• Disabled VR Plugins like Steam and Oculus, this was causing audio issues for players. 
• Disabled casting shadows from players hand material, so no more floating arm shadow
• Stopped having multiple Tall Poppy's in the crypts if you get killed
• Added random spawn points for Poppy in the crypts
• Fixed Death widget system so we don't get stuck on the death screen on load
• Text has black outline so we can see it better when we have our flashlight on
• Death loop to main menu fixed
• Added better audio systems for spooks
• Fixed navigation mesh issues
• Remake checkpoint system, so now we don't get stuck in geometry and are facing the right direction needed
• Remake save system
• Remake the key mechanics
• Remake the door mechanics
• Remake scare system 
• Remake note system
• Fixed the purse UI text to indicate that the player collected the purse AND gate key
• Added a loading screen to respawn
• Fixed wife's voicemail message being heard of we exit to main menu
• Better audio fading in and out during loading, pause and death
• Made a New Game system for players to restart the game (deletes save)
• Took out visual effect on scare, it was pretty intense, might add it back in later updates
• Took out scare meter. It was an unused mechanic that was not taken out before the launch in 2019. 
• Took out drawer mechanics, it was another unused mechanic that was broken
• Took out the float spook in the office. It will come back in a future update, just needs to be reworked
• Adjusted flashlight to use new flashlight material
• Fixed grammar errors in notes
• Remade the options widget adding better functionality including VSync and the buttons are colored correctly
• Remade the credits system
• Added end credit scene
• Add "Continue" or "Play" in the main menu based on if you played already or not. 
• Adjusted volume of the graveyard and church after people were saying it was to loud. 

Art & Environment

• Parking lot textures & meshes
• Replaced blocking meshes with blocking volumes
• New streetlight material
• New parking lot painting decals, plane meshes
• Curb & grass textures
• New decal master material
• Disabled shading on moon
• New  iron fences around the grave yard
• Changed image of Jesus on the church main door
  
• New flashlight light material
• Arranged scares in different spots
• Adjusted large church wall textures
• New voice lines for end credits
• End credits art

Known issues: The final chase, if we get killed the music won't stop in the build. I thought I fixed it in engine, but builds have a way of making bugs come to life. I'm working on a way to fix it. 

So that's what we got up to in the last few weeks of Sept and Oct 2021. I have been setting down the foundation to make a decent Steam build for the Steam release (release date to be announced at a later date). Itch will have the same version, so don't worry. We've never released anything on Steam before so this is all a good learning experience. We'd like for you guys to come on this journey with us and see the Tall Poppy game franchise grow!

Thanks for playing the game and streaming, TikToking and making awesome VOD YouTube vids of your game play sessions! Be sure to use #TallPoppy #TallPoppyGame to spread the word! Also, be sure to join Attainable Entertainment's Discord to keep up to date with what we're making and hang out!. Also here is our linktree so if you want to follow along on other platforms, you have a gateway to do so, it helps a lot!

I also have been doing lots of live streams while working on Tall Poppy or even gaming, so come hang out and watch the process unfold! 

Thanks for giving us a chance to entertain you!

Chris Larue