Test 7 add a ton on top of test 6. This is copied from our official post in our forums:

• An updated Play Now menu that has a look consistent across all menues.
• Added achievements.
• An achievements browser, that allows you to scroll through all achievements in the game and to see which ones you have done, and when.
• An in-game achievement notification. In fact, we’ve added a general notification system that will give you tips and other information as the game progresses (these can be turned off, of course).
• Improved line sounds. As you get more and more line chains, the line sound increases by a semi-tone. It’s quite exciting.
• An improved tile dropping algorithm. You now get fewer random drop-in lines, so that the game no longer feels like it plays itself.
• An improved, peripheral timer. When you get up to level 10 like the big boys, you need to have a better idea of how much time you have. Our new timer does just that.
• An Options Menu.
• The ability to turn off tutorials (once you’ve played them once of course!)
• An new, more intuitive music selector.
• A piece previewer (up in the top corner) as well as an overlayed piece previewer (check the Options Menu from the Main Menu).
• You may now pre-rotate pieces in the queue by right-clicking during a tile drop-in.
• A Windows installer that’ll automatically install Java if needed. Works on 32-bit and 64-bit Windows (including Vista).
• Added new rotation tutorial to Level 2.

If you would like to play Wezzle test 7 (or any of the tests) and you are not currently on the email list, just send me an email and we can get that fixed right away.

Welcome to my blog!

We are just getting this whole blog thing started so the format might change a bunch over the coming weeks. You should check out Cam’s blog as well as he is a much better writer than I am and I think you will all enjoy it. You can find it at http://couchware.ca/blogs/cam.

What I’m looking to get out of this blog is really twofold. First, I would like to improve my writing skills, and what better way to do so, then to actually write! (Other than, you know… taking a course on writing or whatnot).

Second and most important, I would like to share some of the stuff I’ve been working on, thinking about, toying with, venting about etc. with you all in the community. I think it’s beneficial to everyone who likes our games to know a little bit about we, the programmers. Things like why we made certain decisions, what kinds of new and cool things we are working on, things we are thinking about adding to the game, what we had for breakfast, etc. I hope that this will be a good way for us all to interact and for you guys to get a view into the design decisions and process of Couchware games.

So please don’t hesitate to write and respond or email me! Let the fun begin!

-Kev