Rhythm Towers Demo Updates

The Rhythm Towers Demo launched on Steam at the end of July 2024, and since then it has been updated 35 times. The features, improvements, and bug fixes from those updates have been documented exactly zero times, so this post aims to fix that - and will be updated alongside future demo updates.

A huge thank you to everyone who has played the demo, and an even bigger thank you to those who shared feedback. Whether that came in person at events, via email, on Discord, or in reviews, your feedback and suggestions have directly helped us prioritize features, fixes, and update focus.

Why the Demo Is Updated So Often

We treat the demo like a free early-access version of Rhythm Towers: a place to iterate quickly, fix issues before they ever reach the full release, and keep improving the experience in response to real player feedback. Every update helps us build a better final game while also building a community of players who can see their suggestions turn into real changes, and as this is our first game, that fast feedback loop has been invaluable while we continue learning and improving.

Platforms

• The Rhythm Towers Demo is now also available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S the Epic Games Store and receives the same updates.
• PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions include a Balanced/60FPS and a Fast/120FPS mode, and PS5 Pro includes enhanced lighting/shadows and a higher resolution mode.
• The demo has been optimized for Steam Deck, with a new default performance profile targeting 60fps throughout. More visual optimizations are planned.
• The Steam Demo is playable via GeForce Now through the "Install to Play" feature, so it can be played on nearly any screen with a GeForce Now Ultimate membership.
• Cloud saves have been enabled on all supported platforms.

Performance

• Optimized loading times, drastically reduced shader compilation stutters through multiple pre-compilation steps, and preloaded assets before they are needed.
• The demo was originally 3.8GB and has been reduced to 1.8GB, with a download size of about 1.5GB.
• Performance has been improved across the demo so players with older hardware can still play below the listed minimum spec.
• The demo launched with a simple DLSS implementation and has since been updated to include the latest DLSS with Frame Generation and Reflex, AMD FSR and Intel XeSS.
• File and network operations are now fully asynchronous, removing hitches at level start and end.

Audio

• Music stem synchronization was completely rewritten to prevent desynchronization.
• Added a latency adjustment slider in the options menu.
• Added randomized pitch variation to player/creep footsteps and hit sounds.

Visuals

• The demo launched with many placeholder assets and an incomplete style. Since then, a major visual overhaul has been implemented to match the original art direction.
• The style now includes a bold, stylized look with light line-art in close/mid range and a painterly brush-stroke effect in the distance.
• Updated the main menu with a real-time version of the key art.
• Added Motion Blur and HDR toggles.
• Added toggles for cloth physics and foliage interaction on PC, alongside cloth physics performance improvements.

User Interface

• Updated the mini-map to a cleaner visual style with refreshed icons.
• Added the highly requested vertical mode for Rhythm Matching (notes can from scroll top-to-bottom instead of left-to-right).
• In split-screen, vertical Rhythm Matching also switches split orientation to vertical.
• Rewrote the Rhythm Matching UI as a proper overlay instead of a world-projected UI to prevent world-interference issues.
• Added creep path visualization while holding Ctrl / D-Pad Up, showing an overlay from creep spawn to the AlgoRhythm.

Modes

• Added multiple difficulty modes that adjust creep/tower stats, scoring, rhythm timing strictness, and required inputs.
• Added split-screen multiplayer with drop-in/drop-out support at any point in a level.
• PC players with one controller can assign the second player to controller while player 1 uses mouse/keyboard.
• Added a new level, "Glacial Mirage," featuring a Tech House track, new dance moves, slippery ice, and branching creep paths.
• Added Photo Mode, accessible from the pause menu or by pressing P.

Bug Fixes

• Rewrote creep pathfinding/movement. Original implementation could occasionally cause permanent creep stalls that blocked level completion.
• New pathing implementation also supports significantly more creeps on screen with no performance penalty.
• Rewrote tower projectile and collectible Note handling to fix collision and pickup edge cases.
• Fixed tower menu becoming janky/unresponsive when multiple players interact with their menu at the same time.
• Fixed bug allowing tower build/upgrade without enough Notes, resulting in negative Note balance.
• Fixed split-screen issue where Exponential Height Fog caused the second view to render black.
• Fixed bug where player could jump out of their clothes by dashing while entering Photo Mode.
• Canceling tower build/upgrade now restores the previous channel music loop and tower state correctly.
• Fixed ghost notes appearing before Rhythm Match starts.
• Made tutorial properly fail if every creep gets through.
• Fixed mini-map issue where creep spawner pulse could repeat indefinitely.
• Fixed player 2 built towers disappearing if player 2 leaves mid-level.
• Disabled PSSR on PS5 Pro because shimmering artifacts were too distracting.

Other

• Tuned walk/run/dash speeds, jump/fall distance, and player air control feel.
• Improved dash distance, smear effect, and timing windows to allow matching to previous or next beat.
• Balanced tower damage/range/speed and projectile impact behavior.
• Tweaked creep spawn rates, movement speed, damage, and impact effects.
• Added native DualShock/DualSense support on PC (no DS4Windows workaround needed).
• Players now lose only a portion of Notes on creep collision instead of all Notes at once.
• In split-screen on normal+ difficulty, creeps/towers/waves no longer pause during Rhythm Matching unless both players are matching simultaneously.
• Added an "Exit to Desktop" button on the PC pause menu.
• Added and then removed FSR/XeSS Frame Generation due to video playback issues.
• Added GPU name and free/total VRAM display in PC visuals settings.
• Mini-map is now shared by both players in split-screen.
• HUD can now be fully hidden by double-tapping / or the right thumbstick.
• Removed fixed Rhythm Match camera; camera can now be controlled independently during Rhythm Matching.
• Added player 2 options menu in split-screen for independent gamepad preferences, controller icon set, and deadzone settings.

Thanks again to everyone helping shape the Rhythm Towers Demo. We will continue iterating, improving, and documenting updates more consistently going forward.