# Replays can drift when visual effect settings differ

- Page: https://blockadebrigade.com/discuss/bugs/59-replays-can-drift-when-visual-effect-settings-differ
- Site: Blockade Brigade, a tower defense game for Windows PC (https://blockadebrigade.com/)
- Last updated: 2026-10-19
- Text generated: 2026-11-02 08:31 UTC

Board: [Bugs](https://blockadebrigade.com/discuss/bugs)
Status: Fixed

## dman, 2026-10-19

Status: Pending

Reported: Oct 19, 2026, 8:04 PM (Eastern)
Seen in version: 0.1.8.4 and earlier

What happened: Some visual effects (impacts, muzzle flashes, explosions and a few others) used the same random numbers the game uses for the battle itself. Because these effects only play when they are switched on in the visual effects settings, a replay watched with different settings than the game was played with could slowly drift and play out differently.

What was expected: A replay plays back exactly the same, whatever your visual effect settings.

How often: Only when the settings differ between playing and watching, and only in longer games.

Where it stands: Being fixed. Effects get their own random numbers, so they can no longer change the battle, and a new check plays a game back with effects on and off to make sure both end the same. Replays recorded before the fix may not play back exactly.

## dman, 2026-10-19

Checked: not a bug, nothing to fix (Oct 19, 2026, 8:08 PM Eastern).

A closer look showed replays do not re-run the battle from random numbers. They play back what was recorded: every enemy that came, your exact gold and lives, the wave number and the cards you were offered. Visual effects cannot change any of that, so a replay ends the same whatever your effect settings, and older replays are fine.

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