Another update mostly about fixes but there are some other changes as well.
The most important change is proper preparation of play-area size that is based on boundary points. It works now on SteamVR/OpenVR and OculusAPI. I will be investigating OpenXR as well.
Other non-fix changes are related to some gameplay mechanics.
Hitting (melee) is now easier as the speeds were lowered. You can get health and ammo from hitting small robots to make it consistent with hitting other objects. If the last hit is a kill and you have appropriate EXM installed, it won't give extra bonus for a normal hit. Also, melee kills provide loot now (same as other kills).
During the game, some people may encounter strange devices on walls that have a running circular pattern or just red lights. The read lights are "dead end" but the running pattern is an indicator that the world is being generated. I've seen players trying to interact with the device - this was not implemented and nothing happens when you touch or shoot it. To lessen the confusion about the device, I added "please wait" text displayed when you are close. Ideally, they should be never visible but the level generation may take more time in some cases and also if the game guesses where the player is going incorrectly, it will generate other places first.
I also added a small feature: you can customise weapon sights colour and outer ring's radius (set to 0 to make it disappear).
The other fixes:
fixed "mean machine" modifier
fixed some game scripts running when exiting game and starting new (or loading game state)
fixed bringing permanent EXMs through "another chance" chapter
fixed metal pilgrims in burial scene to move based on location, not time
fixed flashing door to repair hangar in "prelude"
fixed horizontal scaling preview
That's it for this week. The roadmap remains almost the same:
Short-term goals:
Fixing bugs. There are less and less of them but still some work is required.
Port to PICO and Vive. It still requires some work to bring the performance to a proper level. Also, my attempts at Quest Pro are failed ones. I will need to get the device as otherwise I can't really tell what's going on there.
Achievements.
Endless/tasks mode with three different maps and three types of missions.
Add chapters that were not made for 1.0.0.
Long-term goals:
More maps and types of missions for endless mode.
Short stories that will be unlocking new stuff for endless mode.
Greetings, fellow adventurers! Today, we embark on an exhilarating expedition into the heart of UI/UX design and development, unearthing the treasures that await both in-game interactions and menu experiences within our forthcoming masterpiece.
Our journey into UI design began with a clear vision in mind – a harmonious convergence of functionality and elegance, all wrapped within the embrace of minimalistic aesthetics. A touch of innovation adds a delightful twist – instead of the customary Main Menu, we welcome you to our dynamic Home screen, a living nexus pulsating with uncharted possibilities and immersive engagements.
Accessibility has been a cornerstone of our design philosophy. We've painstakingly crafted an interface that's harmoniously navigable using a keyboard or controller, with the mouse taking a backseat. This choice empowers players to effortlessly immerse themselves in our world, regardless of their preferred input medium. But this is merely the beginning of our creative journey.
Consistency is the lifeblood of an exceptional UI, and our game is no exception. To seamlessly blend the UI with the gameplay experience, we've woven the concept of 'wisps' into our design language. These ethereal beings serve as both creators and concealers of our UI elements, further immersing players into the game's mystique.
Smooth animations are the secret ingredient that elevates our UI from functional to delightful. By striking a balance between fluidity and speed, we've ensured that interacting with UI elements is a seamless experience. No more waiting on tedious animations to finish before tweaking settings or interacting with the UI HUD – we're all about keeping the frustration at bay.
Transitioning to mobile devices required innovation. Each control was meticulously optimized for touch interaction, without compromising the immersive gameplay our users deserve. It was a brainstorming journey where every tap and swipe was scrutinized to harmonize with the mobile experience, maintaining the magic intact.
Thank you for your continued support, and we'll see you next week! Keep following us on social media! See you next week!
Patch 0.5a: - The winning army continues next round is now the default mode. It now also starts with 1vs1 battles (eg. 17 Archers vs 9 Ghouls) and every 7 levels increases to 2vs2 and then 3vs3.
- Added speed up/slow down buttons and zoom in/out buttons ingame.
- Many improvements to the simulator: You can now see the food cost of each unit, and see the strength of each army you make. It also remembers the last armies you have made, and restores them after each battle.
🕇 The “Holy Terror” Update is live now on console and PC!
⛪ Introducing a new Horde Mode XL map, Rome! Grab your defenses, bank those points, and prepare to face down a massive horde of Zekes!
“Holy Terror” also features:
🗐 9 New perks for classes!
☢️ 12 New mutators for Challenge Horde mode!
🔫 2 New weapons!
🔧 New premium weapon skins!
🎁 Free trinkets!
New Content
New Paid DLC - Victory Lap Weapon Skins Pack.
New Horde Mode XL Map - Rome.
New primary weapon - Repeating Rifle.
New heavy weapon - Multi-Shot Rocket Launcher.
New perks for specific weapons.
4 New trinkets for characters.
9 New perks for each player class.
12 New Mutators in Horde Mode Challenge:
Airstrike (the mortar shell can land in three random locations).
Healing Explosions (device and heavy weapon explosions restore health).
Drone Army (each player receives a temporary drone).
Free Meds (free medicine becomes available in the main shop).
The Pursuers (players can encounter slow, more resilient zombies during the wave that can revive and pursue players until the end of the wave).
Free Supply (free gear bags become available in the main shop).
Sell-Out (defense kits start having a discount).
Taxes (defense kits start costing more).
Leg Day (the player loses health and stamina when climbing).
Hot-Tempered Bull (each Bull’s ground smash causes an explosion).
My Chainsaw and Me (a random player gets an infinite ammo chainsaw without being able to use other weapons).
Primary Weakness (primary weapon damage gets reduced by 75%).
General
Mutators from Horde Mode Challenge can now be used in private lobbies.
Added Quick Match search option for Horde Mode and Horde Mode XL.
Tokyo Horde Mode XL map is now available in the Horde Mode Challenge.
Fixed a bug when the player with the "Judo" or "Rage Mode" perk could become invincible.
Fixed a bug when respawning a Vanguard class player with the "Stronger Together" perk would heal all players to full HP.
Fixed a bug when the Grenade Launcher with the "Incendiary Grenades" weapon perk and "High Voltage" Slasher class perk could inflict unexpectedly high damage.
Classes (Gunslinger, Fixer, Medic, Slasher) can now be assigned to the bots, and they can use the abilities of these classes.
PC
Added the FSR 2.2 support.
Added new DualSense Haptic Feedback effects.
Fixed the Dead Sea Stroll level crashes on the MS Store game version.
Consoles
Added new DualSense Haptic Feedback effects on PlayStation 5.
Fixed crashes in Horde Mode XL on PlayStation 5.
Slightly improved performance on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
◽ Added Steam Achievements that can now be unlocked in-game
◽ Force Feedback has been expanded and improved.
◽ Added default button/axis mappings for the Logitech G920
◽ Radio stations "Flashbass.fm" and "Double Bass FM" have been added
◽ Modding ▫️the rotation direction of the vehicle wheels can now be inverted ▫️The wheel friction value can now be configured which is used during braking
▶️ Changes ◽ During transport missions, the parking options available in the vehicle are now displayed using a UI element when loading the packages
◽ There are now various force feedback customization options in the settings under "Advanced Controls".
◽ In the settings under "HUD and Gameplay" you can now adjust the wheel adhesion value of the vehicles to fine-tune the handling
◽ Brake and wheel grip values have been adjusted for all vehicles so that braking distances are now more realistic
◽ With the default key binding of the Logitech G29, the radio menu can now be closed with the same key that opened it
◽ Interiors of all vehicles have been brightened (only affects "High" and "Ultra" graphics presets)
◽ The warning lights on the dashboards of the vehicles are now always sharp
◽ The engine sound of the Alvarez-Lenz BPW C64 has been revised and improved
◽ The vehicle mirrors can now be adjusted so that they are displayed without stuttering (Warning: this setting reduces overall performance!)
◽ The rear camera views of the Alvarez-Lenz Marathon and Ferdinand Habanero Turbo have been improved
◽ After completing a quest, new quests are now offered even after a while
◽ The Alvarez-Lenz BPW C64 is now in Sport mode by default
◽ The appearance of Chrome materials has been revised
▶️ Bug Fixes ◽ The radio now also works correctly in mission vehicles
◽ Driving vehicles now works correctly even after abandoning missions
◽ The correct joystick button icons are now displayed for the Filters on the World Map
◽ Correct joystick axis icons are now displayed for World Map Zoom
◽ After changing a vehicle the radio now works correctly again
◽ Radio playback can now always be started correctly
◽ Collisions with pedestrians will now correctly reset, so the collision message will not reappear immediately after a collision
◽ Pedestrians are now not on the road at intersections while waiting
◽ When driving on the road, the speed limit display in the UI now works more reliably
◽ Pause menu navigation calculation now works more reliably so the game no longer crashes
◽ The Pedastrian Collision Message can now also be properly dismissed by pressing the "B" key on gamepads
◽ The Engine RPM Needle no longer appears twice on the Habanero Turbo
◽ The AI marathon transporter the turn signals now work correctly
◽ In the pause menu, the force feedback effects are now correctly stopped
We will temporarily maintain the game "Steel Ocean: Wolves of Deep Sea" from 18:30-19:30 Pacific Time on Aug 10, 2023 (09:30-10:30 Beijing Time on Aug 11, 2023). Captains, please be ready to go offline.
This is once again a patch on the smaller side of things but brings a change I've wanted to introduce for a while as a response to the difficulties some players have been experiencing getting into the game; Auto Steer.
Auto Steer
Similar to the Auto Steer included in the Mario Kart games, Auto Steer is now available as an option in the game (enabled by default). Auto Steer automatically steers your vehicle into the right direction when you are about to collide with a wall. This feature works in unison with the already present "slide wall hugging" to drastically assist players learning the controls, reducing awkward moments where you get stuck hugging a wall due to mixing up left/right for a moment.
This change should make the game a lot more accessible, as maneuvering the road should be more doable, letting you focus more on combat.
Auto Steer is not a "win for you" option for those concerned. It really only kicks in when you are about to drive into a wall, and does not steer for you in some kind of optimal path. This is still up to you to do. In addition, Auto-Steer is completely absent when boosting, so it should really never come to a situation where auto-steer will mess you up or something.
This patch also comes with a couple other minor QOL.
Full Changelog:
General/System Changes:
Added "Auto Steer" option, letting the game steer for you when you are about to run into a wall. Enabled by default.
Added Reticle graphic in the Upgrade Shop to more clearly communicate what upgrade is selected.
Added "Objective" tip. This tip is displayed as the first tip of the run for every run. This tip has been added due to some players being confused about what the objective of the game is, resulting in them doing things like only destroying cops, etc. .
Increased default camera overhead distance (100% > 110%). This change only applies to new save files and when reseting the settings to default.
Limited NPC boost behavior in the Desert Zone, Level 1.
Changed John Carma's starting Upgrade Order. Spinning Top is now 1st.
Bug Fixes:
Fixed destruction by chain-elites being recorded as "unknown".