AMA Recap – January 29, 2025
The latest AMA brought significant updates for Pixels, marking a pivotal step forward. The development team addressed major changes to game balance, player feedback, future features, and the state of the economy. Here’s everything you need to know from this information-packed session:
Chapter 2 Rewritten — What Changed?
Chapter 2 has undergone a full rewrite, focusing heavily on game balance. Here’s why this update was critical:
- Economy Overhaul: Item inflation was hurting the game economy. Players didn’t feel their efforts were valued, and the balance was skewed.
- Growth Potential: Fixing the core economy was necessary before expanding the game. "You can't grow an unhealthy game economy," the team emphasized.
- Long-Term Impact: Although the update initially ruffled some feathers, it was crucial for Pixels' future growth and sustainability.
Community Feedback & Developer Insights
The update sparked player questions, praise, and concerns. Here are the key responses from the Q&A:
General Feedback
- Positive Reception: Many players understood the importance of these long-term balance changes.
- Economy Shock: The gameplay will evolve over the next week as the changes settle. Some tweaks are expected to fine-tune the balance.
Gameplay Adjustments
- Tighter Timers: Some players found limits too tight, but the team stressed the need to wait and see how things balance out. "The game was too easy before," making it fast to reach high levels (80-90).
- High-Level Concerns: New features like the Smart Task Board will reward players based on more than just levels.
- Merchant Ships & QoL Updates: Coming in Q1, along with improvements to the new player experience during the first 30 days.
Hot Topics Addressed
Pet Availability: 25 pets are currently available in envelopes. The snake pets will be released in batches of approximately five per day to ensure fair distribution across time zones.
Crafting & Resource Gathering: The system needs a middle ground—hopping between 30 lands isn’t casual-friendly. Bookmarks and teleport systems will be improved.
Stove Controversy: The new T3 purple stoves are divisive. "Some love it, some hate it," but they're here to stay.
Grace Period Changes: After the grace period, if producers on a land exceed 100%, they will stop working until the limit is corrected.
Pixel Dungeons: More dungeon time with missions added. Check it out!
Player Engagement: Public lands, PvP, and guild-related activities are becoming more social again. Guild features are being reworked for better connections.
Mobile Game: Expected launch in Q1. Inspired by apps like Sush and Pengu, it will integrate with Pixels Login.
Moderation & Community Culture
- Moderation Update: The team plans to implement stricter moderation policies to maintain a respectful atmosphere while encouraging constructive feedback.
- Pro-Free Speech (with Kindness): Negative feedback is welcomed if presented politely. Players like CyberImplant and NatureBean were highlighted as examples of constructive critics.
- New Players: Moderation will focus on guiding newcomers and making the game community-friendly again.
Economy & $PIXEL Updates
- Earnings Distribution: Previously limited to high-level players, $PIXEL will now reach a broader percentage of users.
- Staking Plans: Staking for $PIXEL with potential boosts and build limit increases is being developed. The whitepaper rewrite is underway, with a target launch by mid-March.
- Marketplace Reputation: The devs acknowledge that gaining reputation to access advanced features is challenging and are working on adjustments to fix this.
Quality of Life Improvements Coming Soon
- Task Board Evolution: A more data-driven task board is on the horizon, promising dynamic and engaging tasks for players.
- UGC Resurgence: A backlog of 300+ user submissions is being processed. Expect faster reviews and more vibrant player creations soon.
- Land Use: Players requested multi-use permissions for LO items on lands, and this is being considered.
- Speed Boosts & Crafting: Systems like speed-ups and boost statues will help reduce crafting and cooldown times.
Miscellaneous Highlights
- Lunar Event: Yes, it grants reputation points by default.
- Snake Pets: Roughly five released daily, distributed fairly.
- Soil Adjustments: High priority for improvement—soil should release when crops mature.
- Wine Energy Patch: A recent issue where wine required over 1,000 energy was swiftly patched.
- Guild Expansion: More guild features and land connections are in development.
- Weekly Updates: The devs are pushing hard to maintain a weekly update cadence.
That wraps up this week's AMA for Pixels! Big changes are happening, and the team is committed to improving Pixels with weekly updates, player-focused features, and economy fixes. Stay tuned for more exciting developments—see you in the game!
