Hard Time III news & patch notes

- Nervous breakdowns once again cause you to "lose control" of your character. - Fixed an issue that prevented backpacks being worn from scene to scene. - The map transitions between scenes are now optional (but remain strongly recommended if your spec cannot load scenes instantly!). - New female flesh at #16-18 and new male flesh at #22-23. - New head shave at #18. - Robots feel the cold 50% less than a human. - Surviving as a cyborg cop is rarer. - Fights can no longer end from exhausting yourself after your own move. - Cannot catch objects while handcuffed. - Improved delivery of a rare betrayal storyline. - Improved AI is better at finding alternate routes. - Being underwater makes you 25% colder. - Cars are parked properly in Fight Scenes. - Selecting the wrestling arena for a Fight Scene now shows the ring. - Adapted the timing of floods for 60fps. - Ironically, the game console prop is available on every platform except Switch.

- You can increase the "Population" to 200% for twice as much content in Fight Scenes! Characters are added/removed as quickly as you can tap the button - whereas holding it now takes you to a screen where you can hand-pick all characters by name. This function can be accessed instantly with a middle mouse click, and right clicks instantly remove a specific character. - Fight Scene camera preferences are saved & restored for next time. - New "Extended" particle FX option takes longer to remove splatters or eliminated opponents. - Character outlines are now optional under "Display". - Fixed an issue that may have caused extra controllers to not have their meters displayed. - More intuitive target selection is more interested in those nearby (in the direction you hold) instead of randomly browsing through every single character, and dead opponents are more likely to be disregarded. - More assertive AI is better at judging ranges in combat (especially with weapons), and considers jumping more often to get around furniture. - Swinging weapons can become entangled (relative to the "Skill" and timing of the defender). - New falling animations include slumping forwards or backwards against a wall. - Lots of new gestures. - New Middle Eastern headwear at #46. - New female singlets at flesh #14-15. - Slightly improved camera logic to peer in/out the police station car park. - Alternate left-handed slap and lower slaps with either hand. - Dropping objects from a crouching state no longer attempts to hand them over. - Furniture can no longer be thrown through the far sides of a window without smashing it. - Needing the toilet distracts you from attacking/grappling. - The hands you attack with can be scarred with less risk of actually being severed. - People with no arms favour kicks, etc. - Having no arms makes it harder (but not impossible) to get back up to your feet. - Missing arm limbs increase the chances of falling while climbing. - No shivering animation while sleeping. - Joining a gang changes your costume in real-time. - Water is bluer and less transparent. - Flame throwers render better at shorter distances and withdraw more slowly. - The jury reacts to the prosecution & defence as well as the verdict.

- New "Partner" relationship status follows you from scene to scene wherever possible. You can approach anybody about partnering with you if they don't ask you. - Cold outdoor weather damages your health more rapidly, as indicated by a discoloured health meter and a shivering animation. This can be offset by the heat of fire, which also scores a health bonus when sleeping! - The command for deliberately starting fires has switched to PICK-UP + ATTACK, and you can deliberately set fire to ANY flammable object nearby instead of just the one you were aiming for (including large furniture!). - Chains can be used to tug the other person closer to you if they are too far away to grapple! Spamming it can backfire depending on how much stronger your opponent is. - Lying grapples are more likely to continue to the head or legs when holding a direction, and only ever trigger an instant hold WITHOUT a direction. - Holds are more likely to fall apart if the necessary limbs are missing! - Skateboard impacts risk falling over. - Guns can't be blindly fired by grapplers where the attack command is reserved for moves. - Slightly improved logic when deciding whether to shoot or swing a weapon at close range. - Surviving death in hospital halves your bank balance. - You are only charged for objects you walk out with if you have enough money. - Fixing your own bed/toilet is not a virtue you can be paid for. - Improved AI doesn't risk following a friend if they are driving vehicle! - Improved camera logic either side of the fence in the prison yard and T-junction. - Improved landings when jumping on scenery. - Robotic sound FX are slightly quieter. - Inheriting an existing character leaves their stats intact. - Lots of new gestures. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45041768/336880b876c4d3743302cf6de387c335e2ab3151.jpg

v1.1.1 - New electric taser has a short range but is good for stunning opponents instead of killing them! - Batteries can be used to reload tasers - or inserted into any other gun to fire electricity! - Improved flame thrower and fire extinguisher effect. - Costumes change in real-time instead of waiting for the next scene. - Characters are highlighted by outlines when casting fight scenes or changing controls. - Slightly improved automatic aiming when looking up or down. - The camera only assists aiming in single player mode. - Moving away doesn't disengage from a target while aiming. - Offspring from the same mother/father are correctly identified as siblings. - Correct dialogue for cancelling a conversation you started. - Missing limbs are not restored every time you start a new career. - Missing limbs reduce a character's weight. - Objects can be stacked on the shelves of more lockers. - Right clicks can be used to quickly browse options backwards on PC. - Middle clicks can be used to instantly reset an option. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45041768/b2344b3a3e07949a0b2aaeb1eb491bbe4c1f1ffc.jpg

- The amber health drain is now optional (and turned off by default), so you're more responsible for making yourself tired enough to sleep through the night. - Vacant gang leaders are replaced by another member, but your active reign is less likely to be replaced without warning. - Correct dialogue for denying you're part of a gang, and leaving risks criticism from other members. - Defeated opponents can be offered a chance to survive by joining a gang. - Gang members can be questioned about their affiliation. - Syringe liquid is drained correctly. - Objects in your cell are more likely to be considered your property instead of disappearing for no reason. - Non-existent moves cannot be "fashionable". - Prevented illogical move transitions during an arrest. - Wanted criminals are more likely to resist arrest upon being grabbed. - Improved logic when copying costumes between genders. - Improved consistency in how severed limbs heal. - Weight missions are not set if your stats leave no room for improvement. - Backing out of restarting no longer confuses the game in progress. - Missing limbs reduce a character's weight.

- Less passive health drain making you tired towards the end of the day, and an additional amber meter makes the limit visible. - Medical kits and syringes help you restore health/spirit more quickly. - New crafting recipes include combining liquids with blades/tissue to create syringes/medikits. - New "Trailer Park" residential area east of the junction offers an alternative address to stay! This is automatically assigned to anybody who is out of prison. - The existing house interior now has more posters, a phone on the wall, and a sink in the bathroom to wash away scars. - Improved logic distributes vehicles around the map more evenly. - "Fight Scene" prop options now include a random selection of guns, food, or sports. - Lots of new costumes include "hi viz" work gear. - New headwear includes a firefighter helmet, wizard/witch hat, and an alternate crown/tiara. - The new "Transparent 4" hairstyle is now affected by variations. - New family of moves at the front includes various "Alabama" slams and "Dead Head". - New family of moves at the rear includes various "Wheelbarrow" slams. - New flying front move includes "Block Buster". - New "Head Snap" move at the ground. - Wider variety of handshakes that you can choose in the "Gestures" section to make gang greetings even more unique (although your choice may not always override the choice of the other person). - Slight changes to the default characters reintroduces the "Suns Of God" gang. - New storylines include conspiring about who the leader of a gang should be! Only this individual may change the name of the gang or its other unique qualities such as greetings and dress codes. They cannot be set missions by other members, but have an increased chance of success when demanding money from them. - Gangs can form alliances or declare war on each other! - Pregnancies can be hinted at by other characters before they happen. - Mysteries are only solved when the star character grabs the suspect (not a CPU!). - Important announcements (such as arrest warrants) can be heard anywhere in the city, and any such announcements wait a little longer after previous dialogue has finished. - Different dialogue for describing "getting rid of" people who aren't dead. - Increased chance of surviving death as a cyborg cop if it has never happened to you before (including paying mobile users who started as a cop instead of being promoted). - Robotic parts are not bulletproof vs water or other liquids. - Improved collision detection on stomps or ground grapples from taller people. - Tied arms don't transition into a Tiger Suplex if the victim is supposed to be under arrest. - Seated grabs don't snatch from other people. - Restoring default or back-up characters no longer spawns civilians inside the prison. - Intruders are more likely to tunnel up through the ground - especially when breaking into or out of prison! - The controller button you use to unpause is disregarded in the game itself. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45041768/a93f93a87c72a919474a65ac229d1fdec4dcf75e.jpg

- Additional dialogue to explain how you survived death - including dead police officers coming back as cyborgs! Upon unlocking this privilege, new costumes include robotic metals which are bulletproof. - New "Robogun" weapon. - Mysteries can be triggered when you answer the phone, where "Guess Who?" style clues help you figure out who to confront (by grappling and then taunting like an arrest). - New major incidents include bomb threats! - In rare situations, crime can become legal for one day under a Purge style "Immune System"! - Body Pattern #41 now includes a police badge, which is also available on the shoulder at Elbow Pad #24. - New taunts include "Goosebumps" and the "Milk America Great Again" dance. - New "Transparent 4" hairstyle works as a toupee. - Improved consistency in the colouring of transparent hair length and fringes. - Parents are called "Mum" or "Dad" by their children. - Prevented an issue that caused prisoners to return to their cell at the wrong level in the new North Block. - Fewer cops descend on you at the same time to avenge a colleague's death. - Changing the venue in Fight Scenes only resets "Standard" furniture/prop selections, so unique settings remain intact. - Prison cells aren't favoured so heavily for weapon locations in larger blocks like the North or South. - Cops are less likely to cite their ever-present colleagues as a reason to be afraid in fights. - Offspring cost you a maximum of $100, which is only ever paid to mothers you are in a good relationship with. - Slight changes to the default characters. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45041768/0250ecca5c44e9630980fc3a9fbc0d9e90a9d01b.jpg

- Alternate designs for each prison block include the classic tiers in the north and more of an open-plan square in the south! - Improved camera logic works harder to prevent getting stuck in one cell while trying to see inside another. - Bribed officers release their hold properly as well as cancelling the warrant. - Prevented a rare issue that may have caused the game to crash when an object is thrown at someone and blocked. - Louder thud when landing from a height. - Jumping has a lower failure rate at lower heights. - Prevented glitching through scenery by jumping or rolling. - You don't automatically sleep on a bed if you're angry/hyperactive or pressing any other command. - CPU characters stay asleep during the night regardless of their energy levels. - Nervous breakdowns can no longer occur at the editor screen! - Wearing multiple prison tops paints the prison number onto the correct one. - Hammerlocks don't transition into a Tiger Suplex if the victim is supposed to be under arrest. - Using a chainsaw still damages your mental health but half as quickly. - You can't fire a rifle in a missing right hand, or a slingshot in a missing left hand, etc. - Fight Scene exits are optional under the "Rules" tab. - Fight Scene combatants can start anywhere in an arena instead of clustered together, and humans aren't automatically assigned an opponent. - Only Fight Scenes let you take control of a CPU character by touching their meter. - The default Fight Scene camera remains more like the roaming camera in single player mode. - Prison blocks default to "slightly dark" lighting in Fight Scenes, and with more props. - Slight changes to the default characters. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45041768/7c58c635ee890ded046062a5c400679f822b7a62.jpg

- New "Riot Shield" weapon allows you to block 95% of attacks! Other large objects are also better for defence. - Helmets and bullet-proof vests offer up to 90% protection from bullets, and wearing such a vest is considered to be "impersonating" a police officer. - New headwear includes a combat helmet and an improved beret, which doesn't lose its black base when the colour is changed. - Wider range of improved gun shot sounds. - Prevented a rare issue where installations somehow start with NONE of the characters unlocked to use?! The game no longer fails to "Play" in such instances. - The "Fight Scene" and "Editor" options are hidden from players who have not yet unlocked those privileges to prevent any accusations of it being a "bug". - Your chosen water level never drains away in Fight Scenes. - The lockdown schedule can change over time! - The frequency of dialogue & arrests is now optional. - Dialogue is less likely to be delivered in a violent situation. - Asking to restore a limb works properly. - Using somebody else's cell as a toilet risks their criticism! - You can be questioned about what's hidden in your cell or a backpack. - There's a chance that sleeping next to someone will be well received. - Other people can ask you to take the blame for their crimes (and vice versa) - especially within gangs. - Fatalities you're already wanted for aren't announced as if they're a mystery. - Dying while wanted is considered a sufficient punishment. - Fewer police on the scene at the same time for no reason, and fewer visitors to your home except family. - Stats are harder to improve by scoring baskets. - Prisoners are forbidden to be released while they still have debts or outstanding warrants. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45041768/2686f4dfdade8f13383d43498f82766dc43aefd4.jpg

For the 1st time in Hard Time's long history, modding is officially supported and baked right into the launch options on Steam! I wasn't expecting a prison game to involve much modding, but there are so many philosophical differences that it's good for fans to have their own pressure valves instead of me making everything optional. It starts humbly with making things more or less likely, as well as importing classics from wrestling, but will no doubt grow from here with your input and support. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45041768/a1076d5e5acf3b7582b817f3b29ade7e6ae52161.jpg

Thanks to some of the more constructive feedback, we were already able to iron out a lot of teething problems: - New missions involve delivering furniture, smashing furniture, and gaining/losing weight. - Missions may ask that something be delivered to a specific cell. - An extreme punishment involves having your limbs cut off! - People with no legs are encouraged to go to hospital to restore them. - Dying fades more gradually into the Hall Of Fame with melancholy music. - Headless people are always assumed to be dead (and are properly eliminated from fight scenes). - Gun fatalities are correctly attributed to the shooter. - Discovered dead bodies are less likely to result in your arrest unless they were witnessed at the time. - Deceased characters can no longer appear as jurors (and therefore no longer get revived!). - Only changing a character's role from "Deceased" restores their missing limbs in the editor. - The game no longer crashes when somebody wears multiple layers that could have prison numbers written on them. Only the top layer qualifies while the underneath layer can be painted any colour. - Prison costume overrides can be previewed in the editor as soon as you navigate away from the "Costumes" tab or change their home block. - Abusing the wristband layer to access an upper arm sleeve still paints it the correct prison colour. - Hypocritical arrests are no longer criticized repeatedly. - Wardens are less likely to be accused of "assaulting" or "robbing" a wanted criminal (although it's not impossible to be accused of going too far). - "Assault" charges are escalated to "Murder" if the victim dies later. - Arresting officers no longer lose the weapons they were carrying after a court case. - Detentions are longer and enforced more strictly, but detained prisoners aren't asked to go anywhere else. - Nobody knows where people in parts unknown ("Location 0") are when asked. - You cannot spam sleep to fast-forward time when you're full of energy. - It's forbidden to change your facial structure if you don't have hundreds of dollars to pay for the surgery. - Flying/falling over the prison lockers is more likely to land you back into the middle. - Phones vibrate more to be visible from a distance. - Wardens can be criticized for sleeping at work instead of at home! - Computers can reveal the personal information of other characters depending on the hacker's "Skill"! - Civilians that get stuck inside the prison (i.e. fired officers) are no longer prevented from leaving (access is only blocked from the outside). - Jumping (or stepping) into the police station windows no longer glitches through them. - Looking at a prisoner helps to chase them out of a location (or into their cell) to lock it down. - New arcade cabinet design. - Objects don't always return to the exact same place they were taken from. - Slight changes to the default characters (with more realistic ages). - Washing in a sink cleans all limbs instead of just the hands (but half as quickly as a shower would). - Restored the risk of a bad reaction to alcohol. - Adrenaline rushes boost your health. - Generated characters reset any lost limbs instead of inheriting them.