Oct 2, 2023

Mewgenics - souldescen

Q: Will famous cats or other game cameo type cats appear in game?
A: We will have stray cats that look similar to characters you might know. Heck, we may also have cameos of real-life wild animals that you might be able to crossbreed with your cats. Cameo strays will be very rare though, so keep an eye open for them!

Q: Will the cats have special death animations? Like dying of poison or being burned?

Q: Is it run-based (Isaac, Gungeon), i.e., progression affects playthroughs but the primary goal can still technically be achieved within one playthrough, or campaign-based (Darkest Dungeon, Rogue Legacy), i.e., you work towards the goal over the course of several playthroughs?
A: It's both. In Mewgenics, you will push out further from your house with specific points of interest that, when completed, will yield unlocks like Isaac. But regardless of hitting those goals, coming back to your house hub with loot/food/mutations will build up and create more of that "campaign" based long play you mentioned, like Darkest Dungeon.

Q: Can we see some background art?

a nice desert piece by HamBerry

Q: Having worked on a roguelike game before in Isaac, were there any lessons learned for how to make a good game in the genre that you're now implementing in Mew?
A: I learned a great deal from the last 10 years working on Isaac. Mew is a lot like Isaac, but where it differs is in its living world "hub" that you always return to. Allowing this hub to be unique to the player was super important and the primary focus for me when it came to taking things a giant step further. People have lived in Isaac's world for years now, but it never changes. It's always the same kid doing runs that are unique. In Mewgenics, we are trying to allow you to have control over "Isaac's downtime." We want your game to feel alive, we want the choices you make in a run to affect what you come home to, and we want you to have stories and experiences with your cats and cat families that feel as unique as a run does.

Also, we are making sure there are item and ability descriptions ;)

Q: What inspired the concept of breeding and mutating war kittens?
A: Originally, Mewgenics was inspired by having four cats and buying a few from breeders. Danielle and I, at one point, had three sphinx cats (hairless), and the whole breeding cats thing felt so odd. It seemed wrong in many ways and interesting to explore in a game. As the years went on, and the cats thinned out as we started to have kids, Mewgenics became more about genetics and what you pass down to your children. Having ADHD and dyslexia came with huge challenges, but with those challenges came strange small silver linings its those silver linings that really made me who I am. Now I'm experiencing this in third person as I watch my daughter grow up with similar experiences. It's wild, and I really wanted to bring that into the game as much as I can. Themes of nature, nurture, hardship, and perseverance interest me, and I think they come through well in Mew.

Q: Does the game have explosions?

Q: You said that Mewgenics is related to the Isaac universe. Will this be explored in depth, or will it be more low key?
A: It's something you need to play to understand and appreciate. All you need to know is it's set in the same world.

Q: Some time ago, there was a call for cat names where people could enter their cats' names. Will all of those be in the game? Or did only some of them make it?
A: We did call for cat names using an online forum, and people submitted great names. We will do another one closer to release, so keep an eye on my Twitter!

Q: Do the cats have emotions? (Like happy, sad, angry, etc.)

they have a huge range of emotions! ( they look even better when tied to animations with sound!)

Q: I don't know if this was answered, but will there be a way to set up remembrances for dead cats?
A: They will be remembered in your hearts and minds (and photos). Or maybe as zombies.

Q: Do we see the cats give birth?

Q: Were elements around from the start, or were they introduced later to provide more complexity and variation?
A: We started out with basic Pokémon elemental stuff, like fire elemental enemies being weak to water attacks. But it felt limiting. If water elements dealt more damage to fire enemies, shouldn't water also put out fires on the board? And if fire set grass ablaze, shouldn't water also help grass grow when applied? Tyler went in-depth implementing these combinations, and I think we've nearly covered all our bases when it comes to elemental logic. When you get the game, experiment with elements; I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. There's a lot more to say about this, its not a simple rock-paper-scissors, but we will elaborate more on that in a future post.

Q: Is an online mode planned? Now that we'll see an Isaac online multiplayer, I was wondering if Mewgenics would have an online versus mode or something similar.
A: Online vs isn't planned but isn't 100% off the table for something we might explore in the future.

Q: How much gore is there in the game?

Q: Can you cannibalize cats?
A: If a cat dies in your house and your other cats are hungry, cats will do what cats do. However, there will be dangers to doing so.

Q: Can you give the cats costumes?

Q: Are there weather effects/modifiers that may help/hinder the course of battle? Such as rain putting out fires or lightning setting fire to terrain.

Mewgenics features TONS of weather global modifiers that combo using the same elemental logic I talked about above.

Q: How "friendly" will the game be for newcomers to the game style? (Both roguelike and a tactics game) Will Mewgenics have a similar flow like Isaac in that regard?
A: The goal is extremely friendly. You should be able to jump into the game's intro, learn the basics, and get tossed into the full game quickly and easily. Mewgenics also has an interesting "head home" mechanic, where the cats you took on an adventure have points where they can head back to your home hub with the items and food they've collected if you feel things are going badly. This mechanic will provide beginners with softer goals and allow them to "stock up" on goodies to help them brave the harder areas further from home.

Q: How long is it to go from beginning to end when starting of a run?
A: Every run in Mewgenics start to finish lasts 1-2 hours. They span 3 chapters and it saves after every combat encounter, so you can quit and continue at almost any point you want.

Q: Will there be merchandise of Mewgenics?

10 years ago we actually made t-shirts and comics! These will definitely make a return after release. And maybe some other stuff too. We got ideas.

Q: Will the game be translated into other languages?
A: Yes, Tyler set everything up so things can be translated easily. Either at release or very shortly after, depending on how the schedule works out.

Q: How many hours is the gameplay, and how much will it cost?
A: The gameplay is infinite. I can confidently say that Mewgenics will be as replayable, if not more so, than Isaac. It's hard to put a number on the hours it takes to "finish," but there will be "endings" so you can stop and still feel accomplished.

The game will be about $30.

Q: Peashy?

Q: Can you discuss how we can acquire furniture and give examples of their effects on the world? Also, will there be something like run modifiers that apply a constant condition to all battle encounters in an adventure?
A: I'd love to dive into this topic here, but let's save it for its own post in 2 weeks!

See you next time!
-Edmund

Oct 2, 2023

Gunsmith Brings Aftermarket Parts and More to Modern Warfare III

Call of Duty® - csmedley

If you’re wanting to perfect your favorite weapon in Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III’s Gunsmith, there’s a new and innovative way to dramatically alter the function of your weapon, thanks to Conversion Kits, part of the Aftermarket Parts system coming to Gunsmith in the Modern Warfare III Beta in October and at release on November 10.

In the following Intel Drop, Sledgehammer Games’ systems designer Nick Carraro and design director Zach Hodson reveal the purpose of Aftermarket Parts and how they transform the weapons you’ve mastered into completely new experiences.

“Think of them as remixes for the guns,” Nick says. “It’s a way for players to come back to a weapon that they may have already mastered or played out and it’s going to give them an entirely new dimension to interact with the gun in a way that regular attachments can’t.”

You can choose a Conversion Kit that’s going to absolutely turn that gun’s identity on its head and give you an entirely new way to play with the weapon.”

Zach adds, “They’re nearly a new gun. [Aftermarket Parts] are powerful, meaningful changes to these weapons.”

Let’s dig a little further into the upcoming feature as well as some other enhancements coming to Gunsmith in Modern Warfare III:

New Challenges, New Playstyles

Gunsmith functions much in the same way it does in Modern Warfare II. Players still gain Weapon XP to unlock attachments for a specific weapon and its associated Weapons Platform, in addition to gaining alternative progression routes at launch. You can choose from familiar attachment options like the Barrel, Muzzle, Magazine, Optic, Laser, Rear Grip and more to create the optimal version of each weapon, depending on your playstyle.

However, for certain weapons that reach max level, players will be able to transform their design using Aftermarket Parts. At launch, Modern Warfare III will feature several sets of Aftermarket Parts, which take the form of Conversion Kits. To access these kits, you’ll need to complete in-game challenges that become available once the supported weapon obtains max level. Finish that final challenge, and the Conversion Kit is yours. Consider it the final, impressive reward for finishing a weapon’s progression path.

New Weapon, New Attachments

Pay attention to and cycle through your weapon’s attachment selection when equipping Conversion Kits. New Aftermarket Parts might become available as attachments that weren’t accessible using the base weapon, and some previously available attachments may become restricted. Because the weapon is fundamentally changed, so are the ways it can be modified.

Conversion Kit Examples: Three Aftermarket Weapons

To give you a better idea of the kinds of changes Aftermarket Parts bring to a weapon, here are three Conversion Kit examples, beginning with the bullpup LMG conversion mentioned in the video. The examples shown below also come paired with example attachments to give an idea of how you can further customize your weapon’s lethality in the field in conjunction with Aftermarket Parts.

Aftermarket Parts Loadout #1: Pulemyot LMG

Unlock Challenge at Max Level: Get 25 Kills while hip firing or using Tac-Stance.

Transform this belt-fed machine gun with the Bullpup Conversion Kit, greatly increasing the weapon’s mobility and handling, rate of fire, and recoil off the hip and when in Tac-Stance. What was once a behemoth weapon can now be used to run and gun without giving up the LMG’s deep ammo reserves.

Add some Aftermarket Parts in the form of recoil pads fitted to the Stock for greater accuracy, as well as the Aftermarket Bullpup Barrell for improved bullet velocity and damage range. This provides a solid foundation for aggressive play that can only be further improved through the use of additional attachments.

Aftermarket Parts Loadout #2: Renetti Handgun with Full-Auto Carbine

Unlock Challenge at Max Level: Get 30 Kills with five attachments equipped.

Through use of 3D-printed parts, you can convert the burst-fire Renetti into a full-auto Handgun reminiscent of an SMG. Gain increased bullet velocity, range, and rate of fire at the cost of some mobility and recoil control. The conversion also supports Tactical Stance, unavailable with the base model, offering greater options in how you approach each fight.

Pair the Conversion Kit with a larger Magazine to minimize reloads and you’ll be firmly in SMG territory. Add a Barrel to further extend your damage range, or focus on hip-firing improvements for fighting at top speed.

Aftermarket Parts Loadout #3: WSP Swarmwith Akimbo Brace Stocks

Unlock Challenge at Max Level: Unlock via weekly challenge in the preseason.

Add additional support to the weapon’s frame, allowing Operators to place one WSP Swarm in each hand for an aggressive Akimbo stance that sacrifices some damage range and mobility for the advantage of overwhelming your opponents with a rain of fire. With dual weapons, you’ll no longer be able to aim down sights, so get up close and make it count.

Complement the Akimbo Conversion Kit with a Laser that improves hip-fire accuracy; for aggressive stealth play, try equipping a Suppressor with the Hollow Point Ammunition to stagger enemies without giving up your position.

Other Gunsmith Enhancements

The new Gunsmith is bringing additional innovations to the overall weapons system. These include more shared attachments and the removal of certain penalties when equipping small Optics.

Attachment Unlocks: For new Modern Warfare III weapons, attachments such as Grips, Barrels, Magazines, and Stocks will no longer require players to use a specific weapon after they’ve already been unlocked for another one. For example, the Assault Stock attachment is available for both the AMR9 SMG (at Level 8) and the Riveter Shotgun (at Level 12). If your AMR9 is already progressed to Level 8 or higher, the Stock will be available on the Riveter immediately, and vice versa.

1x Optic Attachments: As opposed to their counterparts in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, new 1x zoom Optic attachments will no longer penalize your Operator’s Aim Down Sights speed, allowing faster target acquisition when using these sights.

Modern Warfare III Launches November 10

Lock in your preorder now and immediately receive items for Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone™ as well as items for Modern Warfare III redeemable when the game launches in November. Preorder rewards include Campaign Early Access and Open Beta Early Access for Modern Warfare III.

Both physical and digital editions of the game can be preordered on your platform of choice, with all editions detailed in our preorder guide here.

Stay frosty.

© 2023 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY WARZONE, and MODERN WARFARE are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com and www.youtube.com/callofduty, and follow @Activision and @CallofDuty on X, Instagram, and Facebook. For Call of Duty Updates, follow @CODUpdates on X.