Dear captains,

There is a new patch ready for 2024.1 beta.

- Portuguese localization update by AlexShuma.
- Italian localization update by BeeTLe BeTHLeHeM.
- Russian localization update by Hard.
- German localization update by Ruby.

- Added an option in the control settings to disable a confirmation popup that appears when attempting to swap between diesel and electric engines.
- Added an explanation on a crew list why a sailor was hospitalized, in case that he was hospitalized long-term with an unknown duration (currently it's the case only with tuberculosis).
- Fix: The cooldown for alarm and silent run in the TAB menu was counted only when the TAB menu was open.
- Fix: Item names weren't translated, when they were appearing as a requirement to select one of the options during an external interaction.
- Fix: Skill names that appear as a requirement to select one of the options during an external interaction, now have a suffix telling specifically that they are skills to avoid misunderstandings.
- Fix: Headquarters task details window wasn't always reliably disappearing after a click on the background.

- Fix (regression of Preview 22): The cook could stop to work in the game states saved in previous versions of the game. For game states already affected by this problem, please turn on/off the alarm or a silent run to make it work.
- Fix: If a sailor assigned to radioman with a Medical Coordinator skill has treated a wounded crew member and he had wounds requiring hospitalization, there were several issues present afterwards - the exclamation above the sailor's head wasn't disappearing and he was moving away instead of sitting on the wounded crew member's bunk.
- Fix: Lock marker was appearing in a wrong position, if a periscope view was zoomed in using a control key.
- Fix: During a high time compression, wounded sailors could fall out of the boat's interior and drown.

- Fix: After reaching a patrol target area and sinking at least a one ship, the GRT displayed among the objectives was having counted in all ships sunk before reaching the destination.

- Fix: It wasn't possible to open/close the hatch between the control room and the conning tower from FPP, while being in the control room.

- Fix: Argentinian Escape achievement was impossible to obtain.

- Added a possibility to open Uboatopedia from the main menu (currently it's only partial, full document will be added before the full release).

- Fix: Citizens could still walk on water in Bergen.

- Fix: The view was stopping to be updated and there were render pipeline errors present in the log, when looking from a certain spot in the bow torpedo room on Type VII U-boat towards the stern of the boat.
- Fix: Volumetric lighting emitted by flars could have some artifacts when observed in FPP or in a gun manual mode view.

- Fix: It was possible to undock from a port, even when there were goods loaded onto the U-boat, after switching to electric engines on the surface.
- Fix: On a first use under the water after starting a new campaign, the ventilation system wasn't refreshing the air. This issue may persist for one use in older game states.
- Fix: After loading a saved game state, it was possible to start in a FPP mode of a different character than the one which was being controlled when the game state was saved.
- Fix: If a periscope was fully extended at a periscope depth and then officer who was using it, was unassigned from it, the periscope visibility penalty was stopping to be updated and the periscope could be spotted even when the U-boat was deep under the water.
- Fix: Enemy aircraft could indefinitely circle around the port after an air raid. There was a similar fix in Preview 14, but it was happening in different circumstances.

Yours,
DWS

Hey!
A bit of an unscheduled update today - we've fixed a multiplayer desync issue that could happen within 1-2 minutes after starting a multiplayer session and wanted to get the fix out as soon as possible instead of waiting for the usual patch day in ~3 weeks.

Have fun :)

Version 1.10d:

• multiplayer: fixed a desync that could happen shortly after starting a multiplayer session
  
• fixed sometimes not being able to open a boat ride despite being built in a way where it should work
  
• fixed UI for synchronized stations displaying too many synchronization entries after switching tabs

Welcome to a series of dev blogs called Darktide 101. We’re interviewing different devs working on Darktide to share what it’s like to create the game. These dev blogs will include topics like level design and cinematics, voice acting and audio, and more (based on your suggestions)!

For today’s blog, we’re starting with level design and cinematics for Darktide. This is currently an introduction to these topics, because there is truly so much to talk about. If players are interested, we’d love to talk more about taking a mission to functional, adding in the art and audio cues, lighting and iteration, etc. Let us know!


While creating a level in Darktide always follows a well established production process - a production blueprint if you will - each new level brings its own set of challenges and creative opportunities. We think of ways to innovate and improve within the experience players have come to expect, for the sake of consistency. You may also have noticed we sometimes make changes to previously released levels after looking at how players interact with them.

Before we begin laying the foundation for a level, we take a step back and define the backstory and narrative for a mission. We ask questions like: What kind of location was it before current-day events? Is there a specific reason for Chaos forces to be there now? What is the Warbands’ (or other parties..) interest in it? One typical question we always try to justify is: why couldn't Masozi simply fly us to the end of the level from the get-go?
After answering these questions, we begin with a paper design of the mission, known as the Mission Design Document (MDD). The MDD becomes the blueprint for the mission, outlining how we envision it playing out. It includes detailed descriptions of every part of the mission, ensuring everyone on the team has a clear idea of the mission's flow.

The MDD details:

• The Plot: A short summary of the plot of the mission.
  
• The Setting: A detailed description of which part of the Hive the mission takes place and the different areas we intend the players to go through.
  
• Game Mechanics: The types of game mechanics we intend to use during the mission. Particularly how we envision the event in the mission to play and how we intend to challenge the players during the events.
  
• Mission Areas: Descriptions of different areas within the mission, which we call “chunks.”

We use the term “chunks” to refer to different sections of a mission. Each chunk varies in gameplay to keep the experience fresh and engaging. A mission in Darktide is typically split into several chunks with distinct topologies that blend seamlessly together. (Note: Comparing each chunk to a battlefield in the tabletop form of Warhammer 40,000 is not a stretch.)

When thinking of a chunk, envision a maze, street, or open plaza within a level. Designing in chunks allows us to offer variety, opportunities, and challenges tailored to different player archetypes.
What makes a level fun depends on your playstyle, so we try to vary the gameplay spaces in a mission to give each playstyle its moment to shine and to provide interesting challenges. Since Darktide is primarily a co-op game, if you find yourself in a chunk that doesn't suit your playstyle, you’ll ideally have a teammate with a build that's better suited for that environment.

Once we're happy with the MDD and everyone on the team has signed off on the ideas based on their expertise, we start building the mission in the editor. It takes a group effort to create a mission, involving not just level designers but also environment artists, level artists, sound designers, gameplay coders, lighting artists, writers, and more. This is where the fun really begins!

Note: Below you’ll find some early design notes for different chunks within missions. As these are from initial planning, they may not represent the final versions of the levels you play today! But we thought they’d be interesting for players to see.


Chasm Logistratum - Chunk 2

Chasm Logistratum - Chunk 3

Chunk 1 - Relay Station TRS-150

Chunk 4 - Relay Station TRS-150

When we start building a level in our engine, we use very simple geometry, a phase commonly known as gray box, white box, or blockout. This approach allows for quick design iteration until we're satisfied with the experience. Building the base of a level is similar to traditional painting or sculpting – we begin with broad strokes and large shapes to get the scale right and do Warhammer 40,000 justice.

Once the blockout of the mission is in place and everything works as intended, we start playtesting. Initially, team members who are working on the mission test it. This helps us understand how the mission plays out and how the enemies behave. We often iterate a lot during this step, refining areas that don't play as intended. It's much easier and faster to make changes during the blockout phase than after adding the final art.

When we're happy with the basic layout, we add all the logic and smaller details to the mission. This includes pickup spawners, enemy spawners, and climb edges for enemy traversal. We also set up the logic for player characters, such as hang ledges, respawn locations, and health stations. Covers are added for both players and enemies to create engaging combat spaces. At this point, the mission should be fully playable from start to finish with all the necessary elements in place. We then playtest it with a larger group from the team, gather feedback, and iterate as much as possible.

The events in missions typically require the most time and iteration to perfect. These segments are complex because they must deliver both engaging combat encounters and clear narrative progression. Ensuring that players grasp the storyline amid intense combat is a significant challenge that demands the collective expertise of the entire team.

Moreover, these events are particularly challenging to block out successfully. They heavily rely on integrating various mission elements—such as art, lighting, effects, and voiceover—to effectively convey the unfolding narrative.

Chasm Logistratum Blockout

Chasm Logistratum Final

Relay Station TRS-150 Blockout

Relay Station TRS-150 Final

Excise Vault Spireside-13 Blockout

Excise Vault Spireside-13 Final

We take the events as far as we can during block out and pray to the game developer gods that it will all work out in the end, worst case we will have to go back to the drawing board and come up with some other solution, and sometimes this might force us into rethinking the narrative of the mission completely which is something we try to avoid as much as possible but it did happen a few times during the development of Darktide.

This is the end of Part 1 to Level Design for Darktide. We’d like to discuss it in more detail in another 101 dev blog! Let us know if you’re interested.


Hi everyone, I’m Tim. I worked with cinematics during the development of Darktide. I’m here to write a small rundown of how we make cinematics in Darktide!
Of course, every cutscene starts with a bunch of planning, but I’ll skip that part for the sake of brevity.

After planning, the first step we do in-engine is prototyping; we make a really ugly prototype to test out how things flow and if the script fits our planned shots. Once we have a prototype we feel okay with, we iterate on it. We add VFX, animations, character art, finetune the cameras and add audio (though not necessarily in that order).

Here’s an early prototype we made for the first cutscene in the Prologue (it’s very WIP to show you what the first iteration looks like for cinematics):

https://youtu.be/TOQM-bxNE_c

Since Darktide was still in the middle of being developed when creating this prototype, some things were gradually added as they were finished for other parts of the game. For example, we didn’t have the unit for the Poxburster until a bit further into production, so we used a WIP Poxwalker as a stand-in for this first prototype.

We use a visual programming system, called Flow, for most of the VFX and audio triggers. Essentially, we set up a sequence of animations and position keys, with some pretty simple scripting to trigger VFX and audio throughout a cutscene.

Here’s a quick example of what a part of the first cutscene in the prologue looks like within our editor (see the screenshot) as well as outside the editor (see the video). (Note: This prototype is without the VFX we added later).

First Cutscene in Prologue in our Flow Editor

https://youtu.be/CCuCTf6p4CY

This is the end of Part 1 to Cinematics for Darktide. We’d like to discuss more details about the planning that goes into cinematics, and / or to share more examples.



OK! That’s the end of our first Darktide 101 dev blog. Let us know what you think and if you’d like to see more behind the scenes stuff like this. We’d be happy to share other similar topics with everyone. If you have any further questions for the teams working on level design and cinematics regarding what it’s like to develop, let us know in the comments.

Until next time!

修改非1920*1080分辨率下的屏幕显示问题

We recently joined forces with TogeProductions and TouchDImensions to create a unique bundle for all fans of tactical squad-based games.

This bundle contains our original "Chromosome Evil" alongside the awesome "Strain Tactics" and the famous "Infectonator Survivors"

You can check it out here:

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/33948/Tactical_Squad_Creations/

Also ...

Our old title TAURONOS joined forces with Equinox Hunt to create "The Thrill of Escape" bundle for the ones of you who enjoy top-down thriller games

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/43174/The_Thrill_of_Escape/



To celebrate all these events & milestones we are doing one BIG giveaway.

We have 2 main goals during this campaign:
1. to reward our audience and engage them in a fun challenge
2. to receive some help with the game exposure - we are indie devs so our marketing funds are basically 0 and we rely on the community for that exposure boost.


1st place: 1 Steam key for Chromosome Evil 2
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2529770/Chromosome_Evil_2/

2nd place: 2 Steam keys for Chromosome Evil so that you may gift your friends
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1035660/Chromosome_Evil/

3rd place: 3 Steam Keys for Strain Tactics
https://store.steampowered.com/app/621810/Strain_Tactics/

4th place: 3 Steam Keys for Infectonator Survivors
https://store.steampowered.com/app/269310/Infectonator_Survivors/

5th place: 3 Steam Keys for Equinox Hunt
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1154300/The_Equinox_Hunt/

6th place: 3 Steam keys for Flesh Eaters
https://store.steampowered.com/app/383580/Flesh_Eaters/

7th place: 3 Steam keys for TAURONOS
https://store.steampowered.com/app/676240/TAURONOS/


STEP 1
Go to Twitter(X) and re-tweet this tweet with the quote: "I want this game"
https://x.com/16bitnights/status/1812836313306919270

STEP 2
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/yGWETWznm5 And post the link to your quoted re-tweet

STEP 3
Winners will receive the prizes this Saturday, 20th of July,
We are going to send the prizes via Discord private message so make sure you have private messages enabled on Discord.
Winners will pe picked randomly.


Good luck!

We would also like to thank TogeProductions, TouchDImensions, and EvilStar studio for their donations!



As some of you know we also work on a new game "Welcome Back, Commander" which is the last installment from the "Chromosome Evil" franchise and will mark the end of our trilogy.

Also, its a prequel.

How can you help ?
SMASH that WISHLIST button Commander!


https://store.steampowered.com/app/3015620/Welcome_Back_Commander/






Regards,
Cristi P. - 16 BIT NIGHTS

This should be the final update for the Terrain Streaming Beta.

1. Added options in "Video Settings" to control both the density and draw distance of terrain grass. Trees are uneffected by this setting as they must always be rendered out to 12km to ensure vehicles remain obscured even at long range.

2. AH-64 '88 can now carry AGM-65B missiles while the AH-64D & Longbow can carry AGM-65D missiles. While these missiles are not particularly useful at the moment they will have their uses against hardened structures such as bunkers etc in the future.

Hellfires will also be re-balanced shortly so that their maximum range is more inline with real life i.e. around 8km fro the radar and 10-11km for the laser (weather permitting). This means the Maverick will provide a longer range missile capability for attacking things like Tor SAMs at a lower technology level than the Brimstone.

Mavericks work slightly differently to other missiles as they are IRTV homing. This means the target must have a valid heat signature i.e. a vehicle or building. They cannot lock on to the ground. Once fired they are self homing and do not require constant designation by the T-POD allowing you to quickly engage multiple targets.

I just woke up so I don't really feel like writing a whole thingy, But pickup some trash and have fun.

Today we are excited to share more about the stunning real-world locations that the story of Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Purgatory is set in. Our game takes you on a journey through some of Poland's most captivating places, blending reality with fiction. Here’s a glimpse into the key settings:

Welcome to Warsaw, the vibrant capital of Poland! Known for its rich history, diverse architecture, and bustling cultural scene, Warsaw is where modernity meets tradition. As you navigate through the game, you'll explore iconic landmarks and hidden gems of this dynamic city, immersing yourself in its unique atmosphere. Follow Samira to Łazienki Park, admire the architecture of the Old Town, and join the sept's secret meetings in the ruins of the Wola Gas Factory.

Heart of the Forest fans will already be familiar with this setting. Step into the ancient Białowieża Forest, one of the last and largest remaining parts of the primeval forest that once stretched across the European Plain. Spanning the border between Poland and Belarus, this UNESCO World Heritage site is home to diverse flora and fauna, including the majestic European bison. In Purgatory, the forest's mystical ambiance and untamed beauty play a crucial role in the unfolding narrative.

We can't wait for you to experience these incredible locations and see how they bring Samira's story to life.
Play the Demo to experience the settings yourself, and don't forget to wishlist Purgatory!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2463980/Werewolf_The_Apocalypse__Purgatory/

Today we are excited to share more about the stunning real-world locations that the story of Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Purgatory is set in. Our game takes you on a journey through some of Poland's most captivating places, blending reality with fiction. Here’s a glimpse into the key settings:

Welcome to Warsaw, the vibrant capital of Poland! Known for its rich history, diverse architecture, and bustling cultural scene, Warsaw is where modernity meets tradition. As you navigate through the game, you'll explore iconic landmarks and hidden gems of this dynamic city, immersing yourself in its unique atmosphere. Follow Samira to Łazienki Park, admire the architecture of the Old Town, and join the sept's secret meetings in the ruins of the Wola Gas Factory.

Heart of the Forest fans will already be familiar with this setting. Step into the ancient Białowieża Forest, one of the last and largest remaining parts of the primeval forest that once stretched across the European Plain. Spanning the border between Poland and Belarus, this UNESCO World Heritage site is home to diverse flora and fauna, including the majestic European bison. In Purgatory, the forest's mystical ambiance and untamed beauty play a crucial role in the unfolding narrative.

We can't wait for you to experience these incredible locations and see how they bring Samira's story to life.
Play the Demo to experience the settings yourself, and don't forget to wishlist Purgatory!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2463980/Werewolf_The_Apocalypse__Purgatory/

We recently joined forces with TogeProductions and TouchDImensions to create a unique bundle for all fans of tactical squad-based games.

This bundle contains our original "Chromosome Evil" alongside the awesome "Strain Tactics" and the famous "Infectonator Survivors"

You can check it out here:

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/33948/Tactical_Squad_Creations/

Also ...

Our old title TAURONOS joined forces with Equinox Hunt to create "The Thrill of Escape" bundle for the ones of you who enjoy top-down thriller games

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/43174/The_Thrill_of_Escape/



To celebrate all these events & milestones we are doing one BIG giveaway.

We have 2 main goals during this campaign:
1. to reward our audience and engage them in a fun challenge
2. to receive some help with the game exposure - we are indie devs so our marketing funds are basically 0 and we rely on the community for that exposure boost.


1st place: 1 Steam key for Chromosome Evil 2
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2529770/Chromosome_Evil_2/

2nd place: 2 Steam keys for Chromosome Evil so that you may gift your friends
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1035660/Chromosome_Evil/

3rd place: 3 Steam Keys for Strain Tactics
https://store.steampowered.com/app/621810/Strain_Tactics/

4th place: 3 Steam Keys for Infectonator Survivors
https://store.steampowered.com/app/269310/Infectonator_Survivors/

5th place: 3 Steam Keys for Equinox Hunt
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1154300/The_Equinox_Hunt/

6th place: 3 Steam keys for Flesh Eaters
https://store.steampowered.com/app/383580/Flesh_Eaters/

7th place: 3 Steam keys for TAURONOS
https://store.steampowered.com/app/676240/TAURONOS/


STEP 1
Go to Twitter(X) and re-tweet this tweet with the quote: "I want this game"
https://x.com/16bitnights/status/1812836313306919270

STEP 2
Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/yGWETWznm5 And post the link to your quoted re-tweet

STEP 3
Winners will receive the prizes this Saturday, 20th of July,
We are going to send the prizes via Discord private message so make sure you have private messages enabled on Discord.
Winners will pe picked randomly.


Good luck!

We would also like to thank TogeProductions, TouchDImensions, and EvilStar studio for their donations!



As some of you know we also work on a new game "Welcome Back, Commander" which is the last installment from the "Chromosome Evil" franchise and will mark the end of our trilogy.

Also, its a prequel.

How can you help ?
SMASH that WISHLIST button Commander!


https://store.steampowered.com/app/3015620/Welcome_Back_Commander/






Regards,
Cristi P. - 16 BIT NIGHTS