Aug 4, 2023

Interview to Félix Habert, Creative Director at Steel Balalaika

Broken Arrow - Death

Hi everyone!

It's been a while since we gave news about Broken Arrow, but rest assured, the team has been working hard.

You're probably wondering what the current development status is: the team is working on the version that will become the beta; this version of the game will also contain multiplayer, unlike the demo back in February. We want to provide a polished and refined experience from the get go, so currently we're doing a lot of internal testing, ironing out a few details and, obviously, putting together the server infrastructure to accomodate many thousands of players at the same time.

Communication wise, we decided to break silence by releasing this interview to Félix Habert, Creative Director at Steel Balalaika, who will talk of the design choices behind Broken Arrow. The interview is accompanied by new screenshots: they were previously released privately to Patreon members and those will be new to everyone else.

We're looking forward to a very heated autumn, there will be tons of Broken Arrow news coming, so stay tuned, and enjoy the interview.

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Steel Balalaika as a new team is working on their first new game. Could you tell us why you decided to make Broken Arrow? How was that decision taken and why?

Félix Habert: Broken Arrow is born from our love of strategy games and Steel Balalaika from the dream to make our own game and make it our job instead of being simple consumers.

This is a dream of freedom: creative freedom, economic freedom, freedom to work when we want and not like assembly-line workers.

Of course, with freedom come responsibilities and “when we want” rapidly becomes “all the time” but we believe that our efforts will not be in vain and that they will be rewarded in the end. That’s why our motivation never failed and is even reinforced by the very positive feedback we have received after the Steam Next Fest's demo.

What are the goals you aim to accomplish with Broken Arrow?

Félix Habert: Our first goal is to make sure at 100% that we deliver the game in the end. It sounds unambitious but this is our first game as a team, which means we cannot afford a failure.

Our second goal is more ambitious: create a new reference.

World in Conflict released 16 years ago in 2007 is a big inspiration in terms of atmosphere for us. We have the feeling that no game since WiC has managed to reach that level of immersion without sacrificing the scale of the battle.

But World in Conflict's gameplay was too simplistic in our view with its limited number of units and clear counters. We wanted something different that would feel more like a wargame with a huge number of units with statistics inspired by their real-life characteristics and the gameplay adapted around this constraint and not the other way around.

Another downside of World in Conflict was that the size of the battlefield that was too small to make planes controllable. The size of our battlefield was dictated by the fact we wanted controllable aircrafts.

In summary Broken Arrow is this: a mix between World in Conflict and a wargame.

What has been the hardest obstacle while developing Broken Arrow so far?

Félix Habert: This is the first game of the studio so we started from nothing, everything has to be made so it’s not the kind of obstacle like a cliff that you can blow up with dynamite or avoid, it is rather a very long and smooth slope that you must continue to climb every day for multiple years.

Was there a specific feature you definitely wanted in Broken Arrow?

Félix Habert: There are definitely 3 main things we wanted:

1) We want to include all the most impressive military equipment and techniques in existance or that are being developed. The logic we follow is “if it’s cool, we want it!”.

So you name it: airdrop, helicopter heavy lift, swarms of cruise and ballistic missiles, heavy bombers, all types of bombs and missiles including nuclear, AC-130 gunships, A-10 making gun runs…

2) Customization of the equipment. We wanted players to select which missiles and bombs they want for their planes, then we extended the principle to all units. Vehicles have armor upgrades, different weapon packages, infantry weapons can be swapped.

3) Give tools to the players to create and share content. Since we had to create everything from scratch including our own tools to create missions, we have decided to hit two birds with one stone and develop these tools as part of the game instead of a separate software. That way players will be able to create their own scenarios with dialogues, music, cinematics etc.

Once the game is released, do you envision expanding the game with new factions, maps and campaigns?

Félix Habert: Yes, of course! We have started with USA and Russia because they are the most documented armies providing obvious opponents for the game but we intend to add more factions to the game.

We also intend to add new maps with new biomes and new solo campaigns.

We also intend to develop new game mechanics and provide more tools for the players like the ability to create their own campaigns.

Aug 4, 2023

Dysplaced Developer Diary 1 - The Shape Of Things To Come

DYSPLACED - Hazamuth

Hello! I’m Arttu “Hazamuth” Laurila, the game and level designer for Dysplaced. This is the first in a series of developer diaries, aiming to share how the project is going and give some interesting information, insights, and tidbits about the game's inner workings. For the first installment, we will look at the world of ..uh.. world-building on a technical level.

As some of you know, we utilize our in-house game engine for all our projects. The engine's lineage can be traced back to when we started twenty years ago! However, it was only during the development of one of our earlier titles, Neon Chrome, in 2014 that it turned into the current 3D engine we use today. Since then, we have added new features and tools with every new project to help us achieve our goals more quickly and efficiently. Dysplaced builds explicitly on top of the existing features and tools we used to make our last open-world title Dysmantle. As such, I will be comparing the two in this diary.

Note that all screenshots in this diary are taken in the editor, using default lighting without time-of-day simulation. While they might not look as cool as some of the shots on our store page, it should help to compare and contrast the shots.

Sanding off the edges

So let’s start the deep dive. First, we have in-editor screenshots of Dysmantle. As you can see, the terrain is separated by a clear cliff line in places with significant differences in terrain height and where the water starts. The cliff pieces and water hide the fact that the terrain is not connected vertically but consists of little “islets.” If you’d take those obscuring elements away, you’d see straight into the black void of the editor.

While this approach does offer some benefits, mainly visual clarity, it dramatically limits the player's interactions with the terrain. You cannot climb hills except in a few specific places; dropping into water is always deadly.

So enter Dysplaced. One of the more significant changes to how terrain works now is that it is, in essence, an interconnected mesh without holes. We have tools to shape, carve, and level that mesh however we want. As you'd expect, beaches now gently slope into the water. You might notice from the screenshot that the water looks better now as we updated the shader and added screen space reflections. There is now a visual difference between shallow and deep water, with shallow being navigable by the player. Expect to find river crossings, shallow ponds, and swamps (poisonous or otherwise).

The other significant improvement with the new terrain tools is the ability to make all sorts of hills, cliffs, and ridgelines that the player can traverse. While we have new chunky cliff pieces, those are only used to denote areas where the terrain height change is too steep for the player to climb. All in all, there should be more variety in terrain features and new avenues of exploration for the player. New approaches in underlying design will also allow us to tailor the terrain features and overall geography per biome basis, meaning that a verdant leafy forest with rolling hills should be immediately distinguishable from a dry canyon with jagged rocks and sparse vegetation.

Ground Control

Speaking of vegetation and, more overtly, fine details on the ground, there are some cool new things there as well. Let’s start with a shot from Dysmantle again.

This is a side-by-side shot with “decals” off and on. Decals are essentially flat 2D images. On the left, you see how “terrain painting” worked before. You painted an approximation of how you wanted the terrain to look in squares, and then you added decals on top to hide the seams between different types of terrain. While this system worked well for our old titles, as many were set in urban environments, adding large chunks of nature pushed the system to its limits.

While we had tools to automate the positioning and orientation of the decals, these weren’t perfect, and there were vast swathes of land where things needed to be fixed by hand later on. Decals also introduced some optimization issues in places where too many were loaded into memory simultaneously.

We built a modern brush-based solution this time around. As the screenshot above demonstrates, you can paint with different brush sizes, and the system is organized into layers that can contain different textures. Not too far removed from the actual art of painting. The amount of fine detail and, above all, the control afforded by the system is miles above what it was before. Rounded shapes, such as winding footpaths in a forest, are now a breeze to make. Overall, things won’t end up being so square-shaped as before.

There is still one crucial new thing that we need to discuss, and for this one, we’ll use a couple of screenshots from other biomes just for variety's sake.

The huge change is in how we generate grass, plants, and other undergrowth. If you go back to the Dysmantle screenshots above, you might notice that the patches of grass and other small plant life came in conspicuous shapes. This is because they all were singular objects, or in engine terms, “actors,” which we use for objects, rocks, NPCs, enemies, etc. While not as heavy in performance cost as an enemy creature due to these plant features being static and usually not having a hitbox, there was still a slight performance cost associated, and it was sometimes unwieldy to handle in the editor.

This time we have included a foliage system, which allows us to place small plants both automatically on a per biome basis and by painting them manually, like with ground brushes. Distinct undergrowth helps to tie every biome together in an immersive way. Performance-wise, foliage is relegated from an “actor” to another object class rendered in batches. Without getting too technical, while there is a lot more on the screen, it should still be less performance intensive than before.

Final thoughts

So, what does this all add up to? These engine upgrades mean that we can do our job even better, creating visually excellent terrain and nature in a much more efficient way than we were able to before. It means that the time saved on busywork can instead be used to create captivating content. Finally, it means you'll be getting a banger of a game when we finally plan to start Early Access late next year.

That's it for today, see you next time!

Aug 4, 2023

Thank you!

Thronefall - Paul

Fellow Kings and Queens!

Just a few words from us right after releasing Thronefall into Early Access. Thank you all for this absolutely crazy response to our little game. We’re overwhelmed with joy – to see so many of you having fun with what started out as a tiny idea in our heads many months ago is just mind blowing. Here is a brief overview of how we plan to proceed with the development of Thronefall:

The weeks leading up to the release have been incredibly intense. To be honest, we desperately need a few days off – otherwise our brains will probably burst into flames. We hope you understand!

During this time we’ll start to sort the massive amounts of feedback we received on our Discord and the Steam Forums. We are so grateful for all the thoughtful suggestions, bug reports, feature ideas and kind words. Be sure that we do our best to keep up with it! At this point also a shoutout to our community manager Sacha (Sdaan) who makes sure that everything reaches us and nothing gets lost. Please be friendly to him, he did one hell of a job the last couple of days.

After we assessed all the feedback we’ll update you with a more elaborate roadmap.
We are aware that Early Access can often be a mixed bag, and since we’re only a team of two things can sometimes take a little while. There’s just *a lot* to do and we can only do one thing at a time.

However, we are determined to make Thronefall the best game it can be in the coming months. Thank you all so much for participating in the development of Thronefall! Never could we have dreamed of such an amazing and active community. We’re beyond excited for the journey that lies ahead!

Cheers
Jonas & Paul

Aug 4, 2023

Dev Blog 1 - Steam Next Fest Recap & Optimizations

Reverse Collapse: Code Name Bakery - 小丢丢萌萌哒

Dear agents,

Time has elapsed since our participation in the Steam Next Fest, from the closed beta back in March to the recent public demo, we’ve had a bunch of you dived into the Bakery Operation and tossed us many valuable feedback.

In this interval, we received an official recap of the June event, unveiling that Reverse Collapse secured 15th spot in the most played demo list. This accomplishment has taken us aback, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering participation and support across all phase ; achieving this milestone wouldn't have been possible without your involvement.

While we’re eager to learn about your experience with our Steam Next Fest Demo, we believe it's more important to fully understand every players’ thoughts and develop corresponding optimization plans before initiating further engagement.

Analzying thousands of questionnaires could have posed a challenge, but seeing all your enthusiasic feedback have been our driving force! Our team had identified key areas for optimization based on your concerns. Seizing this opportunity, we also aim to provide insights into our recent development endeavors and future plans for the game.

【Enhancing Early Game Instruction System】

Reflecting on our March closed-beta, we recognized opportunities for refining our instruction and UI systems For the Steam Next Fest demo, we’ve adopted a comprehensive approach to bolster the existing instruction system.

Considering the diverse demands of players in the public demo, we've taken steps to address this complexity. For instance, many experienced strategy gamers found the step-by-step instructins uncomfortable, and the need to re-watch instructions upon restarting a campaign hindered the overall experience. In response, we have introduced two new features to tackle this issue: the option to "Disable New Player Turtorial" (which can be reactivated through settings) and the option to "Skip Tutorial”.

Of course, we’re dedicated to aiding newcomers to the strategy game genre. We’re refining the “Help” and “Tips” functions to facilitate a swift grasp of the game for everyone.

【Adjustments to Repetitive Missions in Campaign】

Following the Steam Next Fest Demo feedback, one theme stood out - the repetition of missions in a campaign.

Whether it’s experimenting with strategies or aiming for the S-rank, we noticed that replayling campaigns was a frequent practice among many of you.

To address this insight, we're refining our save system. In "Casual" and "Standard" modes, we're implementing an automatic turn-start save function, while transforming the "Restart Stage" feature into the more intuitive "Restart Turn" command. For those who prefer manual saves, a simple one-click option is in the works as well.

Additionally, in response to concerns about “unintended movements”, we're honing the experience. This involves refining default path selection methods, enhancing movement previews, and more.

We understand that it’s part of the “game” and pursuit for some agents to attain the S-Rank status, so we will be adapting the "Replay Mode," previously accessible only upon completion of all campaigns, to become available after concluding each major chapter (temporarily closed upon entering the next chapter). This approach allows you to freely choose between revisiting past battles or embracing new challenges without compromising your exposure to the narrative of stage chapters.

As for the design of bonus objectives within the campaign, we'll be continuously assessing and fine-tuning them in the times ahead.

【Gameplay approach and Character Focus】

"Reverse Collapse" isn't a grand-scale tactical game with multiple units battling it out. Instead, our focus lies on a few key characters, letting you experience the entire Bakery Operation through their perspectives and each mission features special combat designs intertwined with narrative moments.

In the first chapter's plot, Mendo becomes isolated and under attack, needing to stealthily navigate to avoid unfavorable odds. However, the slow-paced crawling experience didn't quite capture the thrill we aimed for. Therefore, we’ve made the 【tranquilizer darts】 item available earlier in the first chapter. While this might increase the learning curve initially, mastering stealth gameplay will become more engaging, potentially allowing you to turn the tide in dire situations by utilizing this crucial item.

【Thoughts on Narrative Pacing】

As previously mentioned, the post-reset storyline has expanded to over 300,000 words, resulting in a relatively extended gameplay duration. The first climax of the story was designed to unfold after the "first" mission failure. However, this occurs relatively late in the Steam Next Fest demo version, preventing some players from fully experiencing the game's charm early on.

We'll be exploring the option to add key plot elements earlier in the game, offering more interested players a glimpse into core plot thread. this approach aims to captivate the interest of both dedicated fans of Reverse Collapse and newcomers alike, inviting them to delve into the alluring mysteries that lie beneath the futuristic veneer of the game's science fiction narrative.

Beyond the aspects mention aboved, we’ll continue to polish music, sound effects, keyboard/mouse and controller gameplay experiences, copywriting, UI, and more. . Once again, a sincere thank you to all who have been with us on this journey.

Lastly, we're excited to share that we'll be participating in the upcoming Steam Strategy Fest at the end of August, showcasing an optimized demo. If you missed out on the Steam Next Fest, fret not—stay tuned for detailed updates through upcoming announcements via our Discord and Twitter.

Join our Discord community and connect with fellow agents: https://discord.gg/reversecollapse

Follow us on Twitter to stay in the loop: https://twitter.com/Re_Collapse_EN