“Can I sit next to the window? I get no frakking light in there. Look, I know why you’re here. You ditched her upside down, so the first thing to go was the nose. Armour all gets stripped away, but the ribbing stays put. The collar gets destroyed; those quarters are gone. The spine gets ripped back, severed the arms. It’s basically done from the snout along the head, all down the neck and the spine. Except the engines. They stayed intact, I’m guessing.
“And now you want to know how I can fix her.”

Sinon Quade, interview from 16B4, Virgon Administrative Maximum Facility

First, a warm welcome to all of the new players that have joined the Battlestar Galactica Deadlock community lately. We have had an influx of new players resulting from the recent Steam Summer Sale - it’s good to have you aboard in the ongoing fight against the toasters.

Since the release of Sin & Sacrifice, the development team has been hard at work developing the Command Update, the first feature update for Season Two currently in closed beta. We’ve previously talked about the changes to the interface to streamline giving orders to your ships. In this post, we’ll take a look at how we run betas, and the progress we’ve made in recent months.

Since putting out the call for beta testers, 117 players have signed up and assisted with testing the latest improvements. Combined, these testers have reported over 150 bugs and made dozens of suggestions.
When a bug is submitted, it’s given a priority based on the impact it has on players. An issue that prevents playing the game is more important to address than a minor graphical glitch.
We then work through the list, fixing the most important/impactful issues first.



“PCMs” by SirWagglepussIII


We also ask beta testers for feedback and suggestions for improvements - both for new features and the changes we make to existing functionality. As developers, we spend all day every day looking at the game, so getting an outside perspective can be really helpful. Whilst we have plenty of ideas for the game, where possible, we also want to fulfil community requests.

An example is a new search feature we’re adding to the fleet builder screen. Commanders that play a lot of skirmishes or multiplayer tend to make a lot of fleets. One of our testers made a request to add a search feature to the fleet list to help with this. As part of developing the Command Update, we assessed this request and its impact as a QoL improvement. Once we decided we’d like to pursue the feature, we wrote up a design spec for the addition, and spent some time creating the component and adjusting the appropriate UIs. Not all requests are as easy to implement, but we are proud of the improvements we
have made, and continue to strive to make this the best Battlestar Galactica experience possible.



“Viper Flyby” by TeacherGalante

We’ll let you know when the Command Update will be available as soon as we can!
Good hunting.

As you might have read in this dev diary, we are working on new exciting content for Battlestar Galactica Deadlock.

A new expansion is in the works, alongside a massive update, opening the much anticipated Season 2. We are in need of beta testers willing to work with us in improving the game. If you'd like to contribute you can sign up to the beta here.

So say we all!

The Ministry of Defense needs you!

Your wits, your bravery, and your humanity can help us beat the Cylon threat.

New recruitment slots have opened for Colonial Defense Army and Colonial Fleet Shore roles. Aptitude tests are available for prior colonial service.

You aren’t just another number in the system. Show the toasters you’re alive. Visit your local Ministry of Defense recruitment center today!

In the last Dev Diary, we discussed some of the changes we are looking to make in Season Two of Battlestar Galactica Deadlock. In particular, we introduced some of the ideas we have around improvements to the user experience when giving your fleet orders. In this Dev Diary, we’ll go into a bit more detail about some of the changes we are working on.

A feature that we’ve seen requested a number of times is the ability to select multiple ships at once and give them all orders simultaneously. In the not-too-distant future, you will be able to do exactly that.

Either by shift-clicking or drag-selecting multiple ships, any common orders will be available to multiple ships. Want a formation to focus fire on a single enemy target? No problem, just select the ships in the formation and give them a single focus fire command.

Want to quickly launch every fighter squadron in your fleet? Soon, you’ll be able to press Ctrl+A to select the entire fleet and issue a single Launch All Squadrons command...then watch the battlefield fill up with fighters.

Commands like firing missiles will be applied to any ships that have missiles.

You will also be able to move a single projection from a selection group and have all of the selected ships projections move at the same time. This will make moving formations a lot easier and faster.



Work on the first update for Season Two is advancing well, so we are putting out a call for beta testers. If you’d like to help us test the new interface enhancements, and some other stuff we haven’t announced yet, you can sign up here.

Until next time. So say we all!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/544610/Battlestar_Galactica_Deadlock/

“Private.” The First Sergeant grimaced as the explosion rocked the narrow interior. “Medes once posited that if you discarded a single grain of sand for every dollar of bad debt created by this godsforsaken city, Canceron would run out of beaches within ten years.”

Walls groaned, and fine concrete dust fell in gentle spirals to the floor. Sandstone concrete creaked, but the church interior held firm.

The private was young, local, and shuffled uncomfortably. “Illumination has tagged toasters three blocks to the south. The trajectories match.”

“How many?” asked the Sergeant, not looking up from the map. He flicked to the left, causing the fuzzy 3D meshes of the city skyline to jolt sideways.

The private licked his lower lip. Nervous. “Eighty percent. We still can’t account for every fifth shell.”

“Then we don’t move.” The Sergeant tapped a confirmation notification that came through from Civ.Eng.14423B. They’d picked up a dozen civil workers four weeks ago, people who knew the underhive of cable tunnels and mouseholes that infested the subsurface of Psammos. They guided the engie units through the subterranean mazes, were handy with a spanner themselves, some even with a gun. This city was pockmarked with their work; fortifications in some places, sabotage in others.

The only thing that stopped the Sergeant from sending his unit to a building rigged to collapse from a single shell was this map, and their job notifications.

Another explosion, direct hit. The private picked himself up off the table, shook his head. The reinforcement work once more held the chapel walls up.

“You want to keep your hearing, private, I recommend you go tell illumination to find that last mortar crew. Until you have a tag, we continue to abuse the hospitality here of the Lord Apollo.”

“Sir.” The private ran out. The stone gazes of the Lords watched him retreat from their advantage above.


It’s been well over a month since the launch of Sin & Sacrifice and the Veterancy Update, and we hope you have been enjoying the new campaign, fleet chatter, crew veterancy system, and other new features.





You might have seen it mentioned that Sin & Sacrifice closed off Season One of Battlestar Galactica Deadlock. As we prepare for Season Two, the development team here Black Lab Games have been hard at work on more feature enhancements and improvements to the game. In this dev diary, we’ll talk about some of what we’ve been working on lately.

A common bit of feedback we’ve seen since launch is that for some users, the user interface for Battlestar Galactica Deadlock can be a barrier. Some players find it takes more time than they’d like to give orders to their ships.

When we started designing this game (over 3 years ago now!), we modelled it as a digital version of a tabletop miniatures game. The way units are controlled, and the way orders are given to your ships, were all designed with this paradigm in mind.

The game has changed a lot since those early days. Whilst the miniatures paradigm was a good starting point, it doesn’t completely reflect the game as it stands now.

With that in mind, we’ve taken a step back to look at what improvements we can make to the user experience, and how we can streamline the most common actions players use. Work is on-going, and we feel we are making some great improvements that will make commanding to your ships less work. We’ll share more details as these changes are further tested and developed.

Another change we are looking at is the handling of bullets at the end of the Simulation Phase. If you’ve ever watched a full battle replay, you’ve probably noticed that a ship’s guns will stop firing periodically. This happens because the combat model of the game doesn’t support having “live” bullets in play between rounds. That will change with the next major feature update.

We are overhauling the projectile system, and it will soon be able to handle bullets being “live” during the phase while you give your ships new orders. The result of this change is that there will be more bullets flying, and replays will look more natural as the periodic pause in firing will be eliminated.

These are just two of the upgrades we have in the works...we’ve got some really exciting additions to the game in the pipeline. Whether it’s delivering on long-time fan requests or new twists in the journey of the Galactica as the Cylon War progresses, we can’t wait to share them with you.

Until next time. So say we all!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/544610/Battlestar_Galactica_Deadlock/

Battlestar Galactica Deadlock is a deep game.

With its many different types of ships, squadrons, weaponry and a tough AI, it can be a very challenging experience.

That's the reason why, in collaboration with the Gamepedia staff, we are putting a Battlestar Galactica Deadlock Wiki page online.

Hopefully it will become a place where all info about the game can be found, a guide which can be used as reference. Anyone can fill in the pages, so feel free to contribute and leave your mark on the Deadlock Wiki!

So say we all!

Following the rescue of Operation Anabasis, the war between the Cylons and the Twelve Colonies is about to reach its peak.
There are rumours of a renewed Cylon offensive, of a change in leadership. The war toll climbs, and the Colonial Fleet holds fast. Soon it will be time to face their greatest threat yet.

Battlestar Galactica Deadlock Sin and Sacrifice is out!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttr9Iq1K9zc

The new expansion for Battlestar Galactica Deadlock marks the end of Season One: it introduces a brand-new story campaign with 11 story missions set after the original Deadlock campaign and Operation Anabasis. Telling the story of a pivotal point of the First Cylon War, the new campaign is a must-have for all Deadlock players. It will be the culmination of years of war for Lucinda Cain, the Agathon sisters and all the other members of the Daidalos crew. Will they endure the coming storm?

Sin and Sacrifice also adds a new Colonial Fleet radio chatter voice pack featuring over 1100 unique recordings. Its goal is to inject more drama and tension into the tactical battles, bringing your knife-edge encounters to life. Radio chatter is present both in combat, and during your cinematic replays, making your Battlestar Galactica fleet experience even more immersive.

On top of that, the expansion adds two new ships. On the Colonial side, you get the new Heracles Heavy gunship, dating back to the Imperial Wars, a heavy warship which emphasizes power over finesse. The Cylons get the new Gorgon, a mobile support carrier with advanced squadron repair and support functions.

You can read more about Sin and Sacrifice on its product page.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1001150/Battlestar_Galactica_Deadlock_Sin_and_Sacrifice/


Sin and Sacrifice is being released alongside a new massive free update, called the Veterancy Update.

It includes a new option for single player campaigns, the Veterancy system for ships. You will get now the option to have ships gain experience as they fight and their crews become more efficient. The Veterancy Update also revamps the Ship inspector screen, adds a new music player (letting you listen to any track you unlocked, any time you want) and brings a plethora of new balance tweaks and improvements. You can read the full changelog here.

That's not all. We have a neat new sale on the Battlestar Galactica Deadlock franchise!
Starting today and lasting 24 hours, you can get a 60% off discount on the base game, and 25% off on all DLCs minus Sin and Sacrifice. Sin and Sacrifice is getting a 10% off discount launch, so take advantage of it while you can!

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/7364/Battlestar_Galactica_Deadlock_Season_One/

Last but not least, admiral DasTactic will be leading the Colonial Fleet live on Twitch later today. Don't miss the Sin and Sacrifice release stream at 6 pm GMT on our Twitch channel.

So say we all!

Tomorrow we are going to release the fourth DLC for Battlestar Galactica Deadlock called Sin and Sacrifice.

It will be released alongside a new free update introducing new features, such as the ships Veterancy option and the music player. This new update is named after its main feature: the Veterancy Update.

Together, Sin and Sacrifice and the Veterancy Update mark the end of Season One for Battlestar Galactica Deadlock.

Back when the game was first released, the team had no idea yet that it would keep growing as much as it did. After four DLCs and plenty new free updates, the game has been constantly improved by Black Lab Games, always eager to listen to feedback from players.

The game was extremely well received at launch, but there was always room for further improvement. Thanks to all the suggestions and ideas players gave them Black Lab kept working on the game, expanding on existing concepts and implementing new ones. The game saw improvements in pretty much every aspect: visual, audio, AI, UI, in the strategy and the tactical layer alike.

We have prepared infographics to showcase the type of work which was put into Season One.







We're really thankful for all the support and feedback players gave us. It is also thanks to you that Deadlock kept growing.

But what happens after tomorrow? Well, there can't be a Season One without a Season Two! Black Lab have already started working on new content and new features, and you can expect some really nice surprises for Season Two! I bet you can't wait.

So say we all!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1001150/Battlestar_Galactica_Deadlock_Sin_and_Sacrifice/

Among the new features coming with Sin and Sacrifice, the new expansion for Battlestar Galactica Deadlock, there is one which we are very excited about: the new Colonial Fleet Chatter.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMtitkGit8g


This new feature has been added as part of the development team's effort to keep increasing the immersion value of the game. The goal is to make you feel inside the Battlestar Galactica universe, as if you were inside an episode of the show. Now your pilots and fleet officers will react and speak, chat among themselves, comment on what will be happening during a battle.

With over 1100 unique recordings there is a lot of variety, which truly brings the world of Battlestar Galactica Deadlock to a level of immersion never seen before.

We are really glad with how it works out in game, as all the barks are very characterful and flavourful and are exactly what a Colonial fleet officer might say in a particular situation.

Sin and Sacrifice is releasing on Tuesday on March 19! We are looking forward to hearing what you think. Let us know in our forum!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1001150/Battlestar_Galactica_Deadlock_Sin_and_Sacrifice/

“Ayeh, I know who this guy is!”The old man dragged the vowels out, his Virgon drawl slurring his speech. He spat at Sinon’s feet. “Big time traitor. Sold us out to the chrome domes. Imagine you’ll be rotting in here for a while longer.”

Sinon refused to look up, and instead stared at his hands, dirty, bruised. He didn’t ask for the yard time out amongst general population. But here he was, as always, making friends.

“How much money did you make off’a them robots, eh? A million cubits? Two?”

The slap stung his cheek.

“Was it worth it, fella?”

Sinon kept his head down. None of this was worth it.

“I hear they still kill traitors on Caprica. Reckon you’ll get bundled up and taken away for the firing squad soon enough. Couple of shots right in that pudgy mass ought to do it.”

The insolence was grating. “They use injections.”

“Oh ho! Is that a fact! Maybe they’ll make a special case for you.”

The kick to the stomach made Sinon double over. Each kick after just dulled into background pain. It wasn’t until the guards came and picked him up that he really felt the damage to his ribs, his shoulder, his knee. Each step of the way back to solitary was a reminder of his sins.

The guards laughed, one of them counting the cubits he’d made from the bet. This pain was a penance he had to pay, one of many. He hoped, and he calculated, but he could never know if it would be enough.


By now, you’ve probably seen the announcement for the next Battlestar Galactica Deadlock expansion, Sin & Sacrifice. In this developer diary, we wanted to talk about some of the new goodies in this new expansion.


Fleet Chatter

A common request we’ve seen on the forums is to have Colonial crew members across the fleet talking (and shouting!) to each other more in the heat of battle. A combat ship during a pitched battle with the Cylons is a pretty intense place to be, and the aim of this system is to bring some of that into gameplay.

We’ve recorded over 1100 separate samples from a number of voice actors. Dozens of events in the battle trigger the system to play the new chatter lines. Battlestar Galactica has a very distinct radio effect sound that we’ve emulated for this system, so it really enhances the atmosphere of the game.

The system is used in campaigns (including the base game campaign, if you were in the mood to replay it) and any skirmish that includes Colonial fleets. Fleet chatter is also played back during post-battle replays!


A New Campaign

The main feature of the expansion is the Sin & Sacrifice campaign. It’s comprised of 11 new story missions and is set a few months after the Anabasis expedition.

Whereas The Broken Alliance was integrated into the base campaign, Sin & Sacrifice is a separate, standalone story, and a new slice of the Cylon War. It features a number of newmission objectives and a new audio log system that enhances the storytelling between missions. The new campaign also features new soundtracks by composer Ash Gibson Greig.

We’ve run the largest beta test for this campaign since the base game was first released, and the feedback from the testers has been incredibly positive. The stakes for Colonial Fleet have never been higher, and we can’t wait for you all to experience the latest chapter in the First Cylon War.

The Sin & Sacrifice campaign brings Season One of Battlestar Galactica Deadlock to a close. We’ll talk more about Season Two in future Dev Diaries.


More Ships!

The Sin & Sacrifice campaign comes with two new ships.

Colonial Fleet will receive access to the Heracles -class heavy gunship, an Imperial War-era vessel, armed to the teeth and heavily armoured. We wanted to add a ship that sits somewhere between a Battlestar, such as the Jupiter, and gunships like the Minotaur . The Heracles features flak projecting PDCs, so it can also be used as a screen against missile barrages. When you need a sledgehammer to subdue the Cylons, this ship is the tool to use.

Cylon Command has access to the Gorgon -class squadron support ship. The Gorgon is designed to boost Cylon fighters, with a number of innovations. It can quickly repair fighters from any ship in the fleet with its turnaround repair bay, but potentially even more potent is the Machine Learning Matrix. This system uses data gathered during combat to enhance the defensive evasion of a single Cylon squadron. The longer the fighters can stay in the fight, the “smarter” they get, increasing their ability to evade hostile weapons fire.


That’s a look at the new features in the Sin & Sacrifice expansion. It will be launched alongside the free Veterency Update, which includes a number of additions we’ve mentioned in previous diaries, including the new Crew Veterancy system, the music player, updated blueprint screen with model viewer, and other quality of life improvements.

Sin & Sacrifice and the Veterancy Update will be available on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on March 19.

Battlestar Galactica Deadlock fans were surprised by our announcement, last week, of the new DLC, Sin and Sacrifice.

The new expansion will continue the story of Deadlock, bringing a conclusion to Season One, as well as adding new ships and a brand new fleet chatter system!

For all those eager to see the new expansion, look no further. A real veteran of sci-fi and Battlestar Galactica Deadlock expert, Spacedock, will be streaming Sin and Sacrifice live on Twitch for an exclusive first look.

Tune in on our Twitch channel on Wednesday March 13th 8pm GMT! It will be a great occasion to look at the new features and scenarios.

See you there! So say we all!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1001150/Battlestar_Galactica_Deadlock_Sin_and_Sacrifice/