Hi everyone!

The past two months since our last update were fruitful. We visited Game Daily Connect 2019 in the USA. Distant flights, packed event days, and heaps of feedback! However, this doesn’t mean that we put the work on Lost in Sky on halt. Quite the opposite! We never stopped to work, and now we’d like to share the latest news with you.

Color and lighting

This was the biggest change in the recent weeks. We completely change the level color scheme and lighting. We’re also implementing new interior objects with parallax effect. The picture has become less “colorful” but acquired depth and distinctive atmosphere. And we’re being serious! Full stop.







Rage mode

If follow us on social media, you should’ve seen the presentation of this new feature. In fact, it’s very simple yet effective. You will find a new bar in the character interface. This is the rage bar, and the rate of rage accumulation will depend on several factors: damage done, damage received, and special rage flasks consumed.

When the bar is full, the rage mode activates. This is where the hardships are relieved: you gain endless endurance and increased damage, while the effect lasts. You only need to find more enemies—but no worries, we’ll take care of it 😉



Bot improvement

We’re well aware that it one can’t always find a loyal friend to play co-op Lost in Sky with. We’re trying to teach our AI character if not to replace but at least resemble a living human being and imitate normal human behavior. We made a step toward the ultimate goal.



Random cues

We focus on bubbles with cues that should replace big dialog windows covering your screen. Now players will receive incoming information non-stop along the course of action.
Characters can react with a cue to an enemy or a situation.



Minor fixes

With the latest reviews and suggestions from Game Daily Connect 2019, we’ve already started working on some new things:

- When a partner character dies in a co-op, your half of the screen expands full-screen. It’s simply too cruel to make you stare at your dead partner. And not very comfy, either.

- The enemies! Some thought they were sloppy. Others thought they were tough. We decided to give them some balance and ended up making them tough for everyone! Just joking. In fact, we’re following up on it, looking to find the right balance that every player would be okay with.

And that’s where the summer ends for the Lost in Sky team. We expect autumn to be no less eventful and rewarding.

Here’s a little something for you right from the development workshop. This is the redesigned Worm Boss location, creepy and depressing



We’ll see you soon!

Hi all!

Since our last article we added a few cool features to Lost in Sky we'd like to share with you. We're really excited about them!

Parallax effect

We added a frontal layer that moves past slower than the foreground layers, which adds depths to the scene. However weird this might sound, in fact, it's a very cool feature. Well, a picture's worth a thousand words!



Upgraded levers

Levers got a new look, now they're easier to be seen. It takes just one glance to tell an enabled lever from a warden, an elevator, or a health kit. And from a disabled lever as well. Just in case: green means ON, red means OFF.



Langoliers' new attack

We decided that a repulsive look of a langolier isn't enough to show how much it is, in fact, hostile toward players. Now langoliers swell and become bright red just before they attack. There must be no doubt as to what is happening.



Ally resurrection

Lost in Sky's main feature is a two-character action. If one of them died, we had to restart the whole level. We thought that the survivor deserves a chance to go on on its own. Now, if one of the characters mistakes a langolier for a lever and dies, the other can find a resurrection point and bring their buddy back to life.



Stamina visuals

We mentioned changes in Stamina system in one of our recent posts, so here are some quick facts. When you're about to run out of Stamina, here's what you see:

- the stamina bar blinks;
- Stamina level moves beyond the tick that indicates a low stamina warning;
- a white screen border appears.

Just a few minor things that might allow you to quickly notice that something's wrong. It's supposed to work like an insurance against situations, where you're surrounded by crowds of enemies—and you suddenly run out of Stamina. We hope it helps.



Critical damage visualization

It's easy. Old-school shooter style. When you character is almost dying, a red screen border appears, and your health bar starts blinking like crazy. Just like the Stamina thing, only red ¯\_(ツ)_/¯



That's all for today! We'll come back to you with more cool stuff! Stay tuned!

Hi all!

We received tons of feedback after DevGamm and Casual Connect, the gaming conferences we took part in. A lot of your comments come down to saying, "We want the co-op mode!" This is why we dedicated all our time and energy to co-op mode development—and we've got something to show you. Dear players, we're happy to give you the Lost in Sky local co-op play mode!



The best way to implement it is the split screen, a thing you're pretty familiar with. The first iteration offers you a vertical split, where each player plays on their own side of the screen. We'll give a try to other options until we find a solution that works for everyone.



Lost in Sky was intended as a game for two: whilst one player is fighting the enemy, the other supports them by pulling levers and pressing buttons. Basic game mechanics remain untouched, but now that you can play with your friend, it's more fun!

Now, let's see how the local co-op mode can help you and your friend boost your gameplay.

A sword fighter chops off some scorpion's legs, protected by an arrow shooter from random spiders coming from behind.



Classic: a character presses a button to open a trap door, while the other shoots off the attackers.



Eileen runs across the top to activate the elevator, otherwise unavailable to Roy.



The arrow shooter drops a health kit for Roy, who got badly hurt in a battle.



These are just a few examples of Lost in Sky teamplay. There's still room for perfection, so we're still working on many things here.

One of them is dynamic split screen, where the two sides of the screen become whole when both characters meet and split into two when they're apart. Who likes to see a double set of characters on the screen, right? The dynamic split screen makes the whole thing look much better! As you may probably have noticed, this feature is already working but could use some more polishing.



We can't wait for you to try out the power of team co-op play! That's why we're working on it as fast as we only can. Stay tuned! See you in the upcoming updates!

Hey y'all!

We've been off radar for a while, and for a good reason! We showcased our game on DevGAMM Moscow 2019 last week, and the upcoming week will give us another great opportunity. Casual Connect London will also see Lost in Sky! So as you can imagine, the whole team has been fixing bugs, hunting glitches, polishing things, and improving the demo version.

Here's the list of major fixes and improvements:

• Suicidal enemies now blow up if hit by an arrow
  
  
  
  
• We improved the looks of the Sewers
  
  
  
  
• Double-checked if avatars grab and hold as intended;
  
• Fixed the situation when characters failed to detect a cage platform;
  
• Improved the AI bot's movements (previously it ended up falling off platforms instead of landing on a higher one; it also fell off the moving platforms while following the player);
  
• Fixed the controls in accordance with your feedback to the demo version.

Today we're working on the feedback we received during DevGAMM in Moscow. We're also putting your previous vision to good use!

New updates are coming very soon!

Hi all!

Today we're going to tell you about Lost in Sky's new mechanics and visual updates. Let's start with the visuals.

User Interface

The UI has faced the most notable changes:

• we overhauled the character panel:
  
• we brought out the active character;

• HP and armor bars are now larger and better readable;
  
• we also moved the stamina bar to the character panel and changed its appearance.

Shortcuts

We added a tooltip in the lower left-hand corner. Now you can see the control keys (or gamepad shortcuts if you're playing on a console):

• tab — switch between the characters;
  
• Q — order the partner to follow the active character;
  
• H — use health kit;
  
• G — drop a health kit for the partner.

We're refining all game visual effects and animations. Eileen the archer received a few upgrades.

Upgraded arrows

She shoots faster, sharper, and the arrows leave a clear bright "trail" behind them.



Fan shot

With the new animation this shot looks even more spectacular, and its lethality is beyond any doubt.



Power shot

Since we're on the subject, let's talk about the new mechanics. Eileen's power shots are now able to pierce through targets. The new ability allows you to shoot a pack of monsters, unfortunate enough to stand too close to each other.



Grenades

Normally they would bounce off the walls and explode with a short delay. We've made them smarter than that. If you aim carefully and throw it precisely into a cocoon, it'll go off right away! Leave nothing to chance!



That's all for today. We'll see you again soon!

Hi all!

Today we are going to tell you about our work on the combat system in Lost in Sky.

In this update, we stuck to several basic ideas:

• Making the combat more realistic and spectacular;
  
• Making the battles more dynamic and aggressive;
  
• Encouraging player's quick reaction and turning down the reluctant playstyle.

Here's what we implemented:

Characters' basic and power blows

The new animations made the combat even more realistic. Roy puts all his bodyweight in a sword blow, and Eileen bends her bow with all the might. Attacks look sharper, swifter, and more threatening than before.



However, we wouldn't want to turn the game into one big hack-and-slash no-brainer. Characters stop after dealing a blow or shooting an arrow. This encourages the player to watch the attack timers and choose the exact moment to deal another blow. We'll be monitoring this mechanic and fixing it if needed.



Stamina

We had to redesign the stamina system to support the rapid combat. Now characters consume stamina very quickly, but it restores in no time.

Dash

Each character now has a unique, specific blow:

Roy makes a short dash to zip between the targets in combat



Eileen's dash has become longer. Now she can jump forward and shoot the enemy that's following her.



In addition, all dashes now consume less stamina, and you can use them more often.

Monsters

We speeded up the gameplay and the characters, so we couldn't leave the monsters behind. Their cooldowns and behavior were upgraded and enhanced. Now they can run faster and hit more accurately.



Moving is living. With the new rapid gameplay, our players have a real reason to live up to this slogan!

We'll see you soon!

Hi all!

We're currently working on another big update. In the meantime, here are a few small but significant changes we made.

New main menu

Let's start from the main menu screen. We completely redesigned it.



Improved visual effect of suicidal worm explosion

The new animation reflects the impact of the explosion: chunks of monster's body fly in all directions, and a poisonous cloud appears to affect everyone in the area.



Redesigned flying fish

We also overhauled the fish from the Sewers. Previously they aimed at biting the characters. Now they prefer attack from a distance, darting caviar that explodes and deals damage.



New grenade explosion animation

We've already told you about Roy's new weapon, the grenade that bounces off on impact and explodes with a short delay. The explosion now comes with a bright blue flare and a handful of shrapnel scattering everywhere.



New control levers

We completely redesigned them and highlighted their indicators in color (ON/OFF).



Item pickup visuals

Previously you could miss how a character picks up an item. Now when an item is picked up, its icon bounces and gets highlighted in the inventory.



Armor

We placed pieces of armor throughout the levels: you can loot single plates (1 Armor point) from monsters and cocoons, whereas full sets are stored in lockers and boxes.



These are the most glowing examples of the latest changes. The complete list is way longer and a whole lot more interesting! Stay tuned for our superbosses in the upcoming news!

Hi all!

Our protagonists are descending deeper into Ark's underlying structures to understand how massive the damage was. Today we'll have a look at a location called the Sewers, with the new scenery, new mechanics, and, of course, enemies.

The Sewers. The undercity. It has never seen a lot of visitors, apart from patrols and maintenance staff. This influenced the way the location looks. Unlike Barracks, it doesn't have much gore or dead bodies. A complex structure of pipes, pools and puddles in the corridors, flooded rooms—that's what the characters see when they first get to this location.



Water is a great basis for some new mechanics.

Puddles on the floor.

They're pretty shallow, ankle-deep, but they slow down the characters' movement speed, making them more exposed to danger.



Flooded rooms.

Whole sectors were flooded after the mutant attack, and life-support systems went out of order. Such rooms are impossible to walk through without special equipment. First you must drain them with special pumps. Sometimes the obstacle is too big, and you need to drain it in several rounds to be able to pass.



The sewers collected excess water and ARK's sewage. Water purification system allowed to filter out clear water and waste and reuse them. The attack put the purification system out of order, and contagious water flooded the premises. All this affected the monsters that dwell in the Sewers.

Flying fish.

Large specimen, whose fins mutated into some sort of tentacles.



Exploding bugs and worms.

Toxic liquid had an unexpected impact on bugs and worms. The survival mechanism was replaced with uncontrollable rage and an urge to kill. As soon as a mutant spots an enemy, it goes berserk and makes a suicidal attack, its toxic blood explodes and contaminates everything in the area.



As you see, water isn't only a source of life, but it also may cause big trouble. Can it get any nastier on ARK? Stay tuned, and you will find out! See you soon.

Hi all!

Today we'll tell you about a place that used to belong to a caste of brave warriors. These days this place is good for shooting a horror movie. You might have guessed that the place is the Barracks.

Before the mutant onslaught, Barracks were a training camp and a campus for brave soldiers, defenders of Ark. One of the Lost in Sky's main characters Roy also spent quite a bit of time here, together with his fellow soldiers. Long training sessions and warcraft studies have done their job. The Ark warriors are rightfully considered the elite unit.



Today the Barracks look menacing. There's blood, and gore, and human bodies, and pools of slime, and cocoons, dangling from the ceiling. The mutants damaged some life-support system energy generators during their attack. The electricity cuts are only making the dark picture worse.



The spacious and now gloomy rooms are a great place for langoliers and giant hornets to dwell. In case some of you forgot, langoliers are flying creatures that look like fish. They live and attack in packs. The mutants nosedive on characters, emitting clouds of deadly gas and inflicting huge damage over the area.



Hornets are dangerous because of their enormous size and rapid onset. A flyer attacks, ramming you with a poisonous stinger in the rear part of their body.



You might find something useful in the Barracks. Don't forget that warriors used to live here, after all. You will discover grenades as you walk through the level. They are metal spheres that can be thrown from a short distance and rebounded from a wall. They explode a few seconds after a throw and deal damage over the area. They're very efficient against packs of enemies.



Barracks is the place where Roy's hearth and home used to be. He spent almost his entire life here, and now he hopes to find survivors. The question is, are there any survivors at all?

We'll see you again in two weeks!

Hi all!

Here's something brand new for the brand new year! Today we'll have a look at some new levels with curious game mechanics.

First and foremost, it's conveyor belts, that are moving continuously in a specified direction. If you move along with the belt, your movement speed significantly increases, and you'll get past this area very quickly.



Should you choose to move in the opposite direction, your character will slow down and struggle to walk. It's less efficient, but sometimes you must do it to find a better way or survive.



The belts look welcoming and almost safe, except for one thing. The hydraulic presses. They're horizontal. They're vertical. They're fast. They're slow. They're big and deadly. We have one for every taste.

Combinations of the moving belt and presses confront you with a choice: try and slide under the press at full speed or step backwards and wait for a good moment to dash.



If you aren't a fan of risky and reckless solutions, we have the third major option for you: teamplay. You can easily find pressure platforms and levers that switch the deadly pillars' frequency. While one character is standing on a pressure platform or gripping on a lever, the other may pass. Nevertheless, it's not a walk in the park. One successful hit of a press, and you're pancaked. Think twice before you leap.



We also thought you can use a friendly support of enemies, breathing down your neck, to help you take your decisions faster. Since we have new mechanics and new levels, it's only natural to introduce a couple of new enemies. Ladies and gents, we give you...

The Spider



This mutant jumps on your head out of the blue just when you are standing on a very important pressure button. While you deal with it, your partner still has a chance to make it to the end of the conveyor belt—but not in the same shape as you last saw them. Shooting them before going out may save the day.

The Worm



A very stubborn thing. It will ram you with its jaws time and again until it kills you. They usually attack in packs, and they'll do everything to prevent you from getting somewhere you're dying to get (pun intended). Roy's swing against them looks especially stunning.

We added a lot of secret shortcuts for those who like leaving things to chance. Some of them will help you bypass a hot spot. Others will lead you straight into an ambush. Is it worth the risk? It's up to you to decide.



And so we turn the first page of the year 2019! How do you like it? Share your feedback and opinions!

See you in two weeks!