New PC Kodu Build Available (Version 1.0.34.0)

Okay, maybe not new new (it's been out since 3/9/2010) but it's new-ish, sorta.

If you have a PC, download it here:

http://fuse.microsoft.com/kodu/

Here are the changes:

· Automatic updates: When installing the new version you have the option to opt-in to have Kodu check for updates each time it starts up.

· Usage information: When installing the new version you have the option to opt-in to having Kodu send anonymous usage information to help us make Kodu better.

· New privacy statement.

· Add support for Cyrillic characters.

· Added mouse control buttons to help screens.

· Allow the ‘Home’ key to take you directly from the MainMenu to the HomeMenu. Note that this only works if you already have a level loaded, ie you’ve either loaded a level or resumed since starting.

· Allow going from paused mode straight to the HomeMenu. This is great for creating nice thumbnails since you can pause the game, move the camera to where it looks best and then go straight into the HomeMenu to save the game.

· New Hint system. When toast pops up you can either press on the gamepad, or F1 on the keyboard or left click with the mouse to bring up the modal version of the dialog. Created a handful of hints that work with the new system. Always looking for more ideas.

· Fixed bugs with ToolTips being rendered underneath AddItem menu and over text editor.

· Fixed bug where dragging a character with the mouse across the bottom of the screen would drop the character and activate the ToolBar.

· Added HelpOverlay information for tag editing on LoadLevel and SaveLevel menus.

· Fixed help overlay information for paused mode. BTW To get into paused mode, on the keyboard just hit the ‘pause’ key. With the GamePad you have to press both triggers AND boh stick-buttons at the same time. J

· Fixed end of game display so you can just click on the buttons on the screen as well as pressing them on the keyboard.

· Fixed bug caused by transitioning between gamepad and keyboard/mouse modes while the AddItem menu is active.

· Fixed a bug in the radio button UI element which was causing its value to be ignored.

· Fixed a bug in the text editor’s handling of key caps.

· Tuned the physics behavior of the apple, rock and soccer ball to be less infinitely bouncy. This should not affect already created levels.

· Fixed a bug with how the SaveLevelMenu handles mouse input.

· Modified more built-in levels to be keyboard/mouse friendly.

More about the release here:

http://community.research.microsoft.com/blogs/kodu/default.aspx