Version alpha 1.1 is here, and with it a big helping of quality-of-life changes to all parts of the game! It seems like just 3 minutes ago we launched Apocalypse Approaches on Steam, and we’re thrilled at all the amazing feedback we’ve been receiving. The game is changing every day, but we’d like to give a big thank you to all our early-bird testers, past and present, for being a part of that metamorphosis!

At any rate, here are the broad-strokes patch notes this time around

• Changed timer visuals and other HUD elements to be more readable
  
• Added dynamic button prompts for controls
  
• Improved combat VFX and made dealing/receiving damage more obvious

• Increased max level of all modifiers to V
  
• Time is now paused in shops
  
• Added Tutorial section to the first run
  
• Removed dual-wielding: only one weapon can now be held at a time
  
• Accordingly, improved the quality of dropped weapons
  
• Spells are now cast by holding down the “focus” key and attacking as normal
  
• Added descriptive tooltips to weapon upgrades and shop items
  
• Modified intro dialogue and fixed controller navigation bugs
  
• Fixed bug involving stackable, infinite Big Laser

• Player controls are now rebindable on both keyboard and controller
  
• Added a pause menu to runs
  
• Added a settings menu with some visual, gameplay, and audio options
  
• Improved controller navigation, as well as UI selection visuals

Players expect this sort of user settings stuff by default, so it’s great having it all (mostly) out of the way so we can set our sights on developing the world, setting, and combat feel of Apocalypse Approaches. We hope you’re as excited as we are to get your hands on the next patch, and many more to come!

Cheers,
ideo ame

Dear's
We present to your attention an event that has been launched, so that each player has a chance to get more bonuses to all other bonuses that can be obtained when recharging.

Bring to your attention the following:

The event starts for a period of one month, when you recharge, a mark appears on the event in the form (R-Medal)

and as soon as a sufficient number of R-medals accumulate, you will receive additional time-limited gold coins to your in-game mail.

For example:
If you recharge 7 days in a row for 100 gold coins, can immediately get the first reward +400 temporary gold coins.



ːsteamthisː Also remember about the Monthly Bonus.

Now you have a unique opportunity to get up to 300% benefits.
BUT it is important to remember that the amount of the bonus received expires after 48 hours and the received coins disappear, have time to get and have time to spend them.
*Cannot be used in Flash Sale!


Good luck!


Best regards, JTGGame Team!

A great event that will allow you to get points for the spent gold coins, which can be exchanged for excellent items.
Features of this event

• If Score Exchange is launched in parallel with Lucky Draw, then 1 spent gold coin is equal to 2 points.
  
• These accumulated points can be used both in the Score Exchange event itself and in the Lucky Draw event (points spent are displayed exactly in both events and if spend points in Score Exchange, they will disappear from the Lucky Draw event and vice versa.)
  
• IMPORTANT! If the points are not spent by the end of this event, the points can be reset to zero if one of the related events - ends (Lucky Draw or Score Exchange)

• The current launch of the event does not include the parallel start of the Lucky Draw event, therefore 1 coin spent = 1 points.
  
• The number of exchange points for items in the event has been reduced.

[/b]
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Best regards JTGgame Team!

The missions in chapter two are now published!

Update Notes

• Slightly reduced the size of the button bag
  
• Adjusted the position of the ally/support max label
  
• Fixed an issue where the tutorial could freeze
  
• Fixed a bug where Mia Martinez’s action skill did not function correctly
  
• Fixed an issue allowing characters to use actions even with zero stamina
  
• Fixed a bug where, after using an equipment card, hand cards sometimes couldn’t be selected
  
• Fixed certain condition cards not working as intended
  
• Fixed an issue where the main character could still attack with zero stamina
  
• Fixed Sedative being usable even when the character was not in "used" mode
  
• Fixed incorrect trigger behavior for ally (interrupt) during event scenes
  
• Pop Panel: all buttons are now properly hidden when displayed

• NEW Week2 Foundry Gauntlet stage (frg0-tw2) !;
  
• GRD for 3bit majority function and for frg0-tw2;
  
• GRD Advanced grade for 4to2 priority encoder;
  
• UI fgr0 event temporary indications;
  
• MI Links for the gauntlet's leaderboard;
  
• MI Improve handling of generic (hypothetical) crash;
  
• MI Improve crash logic;
  
• FIX Potential crash on camera not ready;
  
• FIX Potential crash due to video playback error;
  
• FIX Add step when no step in CSE, duplicate 1 otherwise;
  
• FIX gauntlet's leaderboard id logic;
  
• FIX hotfix crash on challenge start;

-Adjusted difficulty, focusing on the EX Area
-Changed terrain-placed instant-death spikes to high-damage spikes
-Fixed a bug where Koishi's Third Eye would stretch infinitely under certain conditions
-Fixed some areas where the background was displaying incorrectly
-Other minor tweaks and adjustments

This post is all about good news, don’t worry!

Just like many people said in my Discord server, I really needed to make a big post for all my social media about what’s been going on with the game since the last update.


First, here’s the very VERY short version in a message I wrote recently:



Then the more detailed answer:

I’ve actually been “”very”” active on my Discord and posted many small updates about the progress and what was my goal with the game and my life situation etc, but I never took the time to properly make posts on my other socials because I felt guilty of not posting any BIG update about the game itself.
So I’m truly sorry to all the people who weren’t on the Discord and were expecting any news this whole time.

I’m gonna try to explain what’s been going on for the last 2 years with the game and my life. Just know that you can read the older and more detailed posts on my Discord server (in ‘big info’)!


A lot of people believe that this is a multiple people project, which is a HUGE compliment to me, but no, I’m a solo dev who’s too passionate about this game and story. With this info, I think you can guess why it is very difficult to work on it and post updates regularly. This is not a book or a webcomic, it’s a game, with programming, music, art, some animations, etc. AND I also have to do the promoting/marketing all alone.

FINANCIAL STRUGGLES

I believe that most people reading this know the struggles of indie creators online, whatever the media is, you either do it in your spare time by sacrificing other things in your life, or you do it full time when you have financial stability from somewhere (whether by making money with the project itself, or a partner, etc).

Currently I don’t gain ‘anything’ from this project. (It's a free game)
2 years ago I had to come to the realization that I cannot continue FSOP without trying to have a better financial situation (at least on the side) so that I can work on it more “regularly”. And I also realized that I probably needed to focus more on the marketing/promoting side of the game, to grow a bigger audience so that maybe I could make it a sustainable project. Which is, on itself, A LOT of work… And it also meant NOT working on the game/story at all… Which sucks a lot.

Many of you predicted that this was going to be like the majority of episodic games where the first chapter is free and the next ones are not, yes that was the plan, but I’m still not sure if it’s a good idea, free stuff attracts more people, but yeah it’s a tricky subject. I don't like talking about it.
But I really need to point out how much I don't care about the money part, I just wished I could work on it full time like any other creator.
You have no idea how much this project means to me, I have every intention to finish it and work on it my whole life if I have to. If I could do it for free while being able to live with ‘enough’ I’d do it, but that’s not how it works lmao.

So for the last 2 years I tried to find a better financial stability with my other jobs and stuff, so that I can MAYBE pay for advertisements or do marketing stuff etc. Or just be able to live off from a guaranteed job and work on the game in my spare time. But I was not so successful at it.



At the very end of 2024 I had to question myself about the future of FSOP. I was terrified at the idea that I was going to struggle my whole life and NEVER work on the game ever again, just imagining that situation almost made me go back to dark places mentally. There is no way I'll EVER give up on it, that thought never crossed my mind once.
I don’t want to live with regrets. And I’m too passionate for this story.
(I’m much more frustrated about the wait than the players lmao)

So in short, I basically ‘had enough’ of waiting, waiting to have a better financial situation is really awful, I can't fully control my future… so I decided to find ways to be able to work on it REGULARLY and post big updates. That means sacrificing more stuff about my private life that I won’t talk about, I don’t want to promote unhealthy stuff here, but that’s how it is. That’s a sad reality but I’m still optimistic at the idea that one day I might be able to live off of these projects.



So with that decision in place, I’ve been very serious about doing two things:

1- Improving the 2 parts that’s already out! By deleting some stuff, updating art, and improving the pacing and length of the whole project, so that new players discovering the game can experience the meat of the story and the ending twist sooner and quicker.

2- Actually post a REAL BIG UPDATE of the next part (or parts!) of the game/story in the coming months (in 2025!). Like an actual chapter update!

I’m not giving specific dates for many obvious reasons. But I have every intention to do these two things in 2025! (or at least early 2026)

You need to understand that in the years I haven’t updated, I became a better artist but also a better writer. And just like any normal writer, even if I couldn’t work on the game itself, I could still write notes, add stuff, change things here and there, so the story improved in a lot of ways! Like, I’m genuinely so proud of its new version, I’m so excited to let you experience it!
But also, If I want to finish this project with my current situation, I had to work on shortening the length of the story/project and all the work around it. I don’t want to insinuate that the quality will decrease, but I’ve been working really hard on making it “”easier”” for me, it’s difficult to explain without details… I still want you to experience it in the best way possible, but I’ll have to make some choices.


PROMOTING

And after ‘the true demo’ is out, I’ll probably have to work on promoting the game more. If I want to live off from it it’s important that I grow the visibility of the game.
So, to every player who talked about FSOP to their friends and stuff, online or elsewhere, thank you so so much, I do hope you realize how powerful the players are at promoting games on their own on the Internet. That’s how most of us discovered our favorite games, whether it’s let’s plays, talk/discussion on social media, fanart, shares etc!
And thank you SO MUCH to all the people who left reviews! Seriously, you help me in so many ways!
If you genuinely want to help, you can leave reviews on Steam and itchio, talk about it to people, share stuff about it, anything really. It’s so helpful you have no idea.


THANK YOU

I’m so sorry for all the wait. As you can see, it’s even more frustrating for me.
Thank you SO MUCH to all the people who enjoyed the first parts and have been waiting for any news this whole time. This post is already so long lmao, but it’s impossible to make it shorter.

Thank you also to the people who actually supported me on Patreon! It’s seriously really awesome, you have all my thanks!
I’ll have to find ways to make this game more sustainable in the future, but for now like I said, I just want to work on it and… just do it. Whatever the cost.

Thank you for reading, I hope to see you soon with real updates!

I post more stuff on the Discord server if you are interested!
You can also follow me on Twitter!

• Fixed money glitch related to fuses
  
• Added safeguards for vehicle selling during the main story
  
• Improved exhaust highlighting in repair mode
  
• Fixed bugged fuse in repair mode
  
• Foam is now visible on vehicle windows in first-person camera
  
• Fixed confetti effect in the main quest
  
• Improved PIN display during vehicle pickup quest
  
• Fixed scaling of HUD text
  
• Added several improvements to vehicle sounds, including:
  - Updated general vehicle audio:
  - Added wind sound at higher speeds
  - Added surface-based sound variation
  
• Fixed localization issues

As for the sounds - we’re still working on them and reading your feedback. More fixes are already on the way.