Oct 4, 2023

The End of Phase 1 is here! - ZONERS v0.34

ZONERS - allin.indie

Greetings all,

v0.34
Today v0.34 of ZONERS goes live and with it we officially reach the end of Phase 1 of Early Access development. This is a smaller patch focused on animating the training mode character (Dum-E), adding two new advanced tutorial missions and tweaking/fixing a few gameplay and other issues.

Dum-E will become fully unlockable and playable at some point in the future, complete with a very unique gimmick that you can't see in the training mode! But you'll have to wait for this, as their gimmick is effected by the other characters... ooo the mystery!

UPDATED ROADMAP
So with Phase 1 complete, it's time to update the road map to better reflect the current status of the game and goals going forward. If you take a look at the image below, you'll see a number of things have been moved around, combined and even added.

As always, these are subject to change. Currently the only thing taken away from v1.0 is the Trials, which I am now aiming to add after launch, provided there is enough demand. In this same vein, it is quite possible 1 or 2 of those extra characters in Phase 3 get pushed to post launch too. We will have to see how fast development goes on the remaining tasks.

For now, the focus is on adding new ways to play with Stage Variants, a special 2v2 mode & New Match types, as well as generally improving the other aspects of what's in the game to make everything as intuitive and clear as possible.

INCREASED PRICE DELAY
It's a constant point of deliberation in my own mind whether the price should actually go up as the game becomes more feature rich and complete. Looking at the state of the game, I've decided the price of the game will NOT be going up until the end of Phase 2. At this point, the game will be really quite polished, with a lot of fun to be had, and the final Phase being some pretty hefty additions that round the entire package out. I feel like this is a fair tradeoff.

Well I best get cracking on with Phase 2. As mentioned in previous posts, this isn't going to be such a long dev time to get complete relative to both the content and personal issues I had during Phase 1. But do expect the same undulations in terms of larger patches and smaller ones as I work to increase the game's options and modes of play, and make the whole thing from start to finish feel extremely polished.

Peace & Love
Paris

V0.34 Patch Notes

ADDITIONS

Dum-E's Idle, Move, Melee, Shoot, Super, Hyper, Hit, Stun, Wallstun, Quick Recover, Electric & Daze animations added
Added Parry & Clash Advanced Tutorials
Added Disable Melees & Disable Projectiles options to custom match settings

FIXES & CHANGES
GAMEPLAY
Fixed bug with Ringressa's projectile where dashing through it would cause it to get removed instantly
Ringressa projectile laser now has a fading effect after completing so it doesn't instantly visually disappear
Ringressa projectile laser now updates visual distance properly depending on whats its path & calculates this in a more optimised manner
Fixed bug where when exiting a match during Crabhammers' Hyper move the ball gravity would not be reset
Dum-E base moveset Super move adjusted to have narrower spread, faster projectile speeds and shooter life span, making it more similar to a shotgun
Drawing in a Clash no longer stuns both players, it just knocks them back
Fixed issue where any situation with a ball gravity modifier would not account for pauses/slow downs in game speed
Fixed bug in main tutorial where holding the Super move before releasing it would trigger multiple "ticks"
Fixed crash in Ball Aura Advanced Tutorial when ball hit the projectiles
Fixed bug where currently selected Advanced tutorial rank requirements were dependent on the one you started with if you chose "Next Training" at the end
Fixed crash at start of King boss match
Fixed and improved darken background accessibility setting and updated the default value. Your profiles will need to be remade after this patch
Improved & optimised desaturate background accessibility setting

MENUS
In the custom match settings screen, moved the Disable Supers and Disable Hypers buttons to the Player category
Fixed bug on advance tutorial select when holding the analogue in a direction that would stop the cursor from moving

MISC
Updated the way character draw angles are handled when going from a moving to a idle state

Oct 4, 2023

Development Update #4: The full list of vehicles

AirportSim - Hola👋🏻

In today's Development Update, we're spotlighting our vehicles. While there haven't been significant changes since our inaugural demo, this is the first time we're unveiling the comprehensive list. Discover detailed descriptions of each vehicle below and check out our new YouTube series showcasing the specific tasks each one can handle in our AirportSim Game. Ready to explore? Let's dive in!

Refueling Truck

Refueling trucks are specialized vehicles crucial for maintaining efficient and secure airport operations. Recognizing the substantial fuel needs of aircraft, these powerful machines facilitate the prompt and convenient delivery of fuel, eliminating the necessity to move aircraft to specific refueling areas.

Read more here:

Refueling Truck Blog
How to refuel an aircraft?

Pushback: Bison D1000

The Bison D1000 Pushback vehicle, soon available in our AirportSim game, excels in performing pushback operations and managing aircraft repositioning on the tarmac. It ensures efficient taxiing procedures, particularly in challenging operational conditions. Part of the versatile "BISON" family, the D1000 can handle aircraft from 50 t to 600 t MTOW.

Pushback: TLD TMX-150

The TMX-150 aircraft towing tractor is meticulously engineered to execute push and pull operations on narrow and medium-bodied aircraft with a robust maximum draw bar pull of up to 12,000 daN (27,000 lbs). Its innovative design prioritizes both agility and visibility, ensuring precise and efficient operations. Upholding TLD's esteemed standards of build and component quality, the TMX-150 stands as a paragon of durability and reliability. This All Wheel Drive and All Wheel Steer aircraft tow tractor seamlessly undertake pushback and towing tasks in all weather conditions, reinforcing its role as a trusted and indispensable asset in aircraft ground handling operations.

Belt Loader: TLD NBL

The NBL Belt Loader stands out as a highly modular equipment, compatible with various engines and transmissions (powershift or hydrostatic). Its design prioritizes reliability and minimal maintenance costs, incorporating the latest technology and straightforward electric and hydraulic circuits for effortless servicing. The innovative boom design enables the NBL to access the lowest aircraft doorsill heights in the industry, with diverse boom dimensions available for multiple applications. Ergonomically designed, the NBL ensures optimal driving comfort, intuitive controls, and superior visibility, solidifying its position as a market leader in efficiency and convenience.

Belt Loader: TG 660

The TUG 660 Belt Loader is built for reliability and performance, with a robust chassis designed for demanding ramp conditions. Its centrally mounted conveyor, adjustable at both ends, operates at varied heights for flexibility. Ensuring user-friendly operation, belt controls are accessible from both conveyor ends, and an interlock system enhances safety. The unit also features retractable conveyor guides, a collapsible safety rail, and a standard emergency hydraulic pump, underscoring its commitment to operational efficiency and safety.

Ground Power Unit - GPU

A "Ground Power Unit" (GPU) is a specialized electrical device crafted to provide power to aircraft while on the ground. Although aircraft generally rely on onboard engine generators during flight or an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) when grounded for power, these methods expend valuable jet fuel and require manned operation. The GPU emerges as a more economical and environmentally friendly alternative, proving particularly beneficial during extended aircraft parking, like overnight stays or between rotations. By using a GPU, airports can significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions, making it a sustainable choice for ground power supply.

Shuttle Bus

In AirportSim, you'll have the chance to navigate the role of operating a Shuttle Bus, a key vehicle ensuring passenger contentment. This role invites you to master the art of timely and efficient passenger pickups and drop-offs. Tasked with transporting passengers to their desired destinations within the airport, your aim is to ensure a smooth, safe, and satisfactory transit experience for every traveler, enhancing overall passenger satisfaction within the airport's ecosystem. Your skill in managing these intricate responsibilities contributes significantly to the seamless operation of the entire airport, underlining the critical role of the shuttle bus in airport logistics.

Read more here:

AirportSim Mechanics Guide: Shuttle Bus

Tractor: TLD Jet-16

The Jet-16 stands out as an electric-powered tractor meticulously designed to amplify speed and comfort in airport operations. Its creators have triumphed in focusing not just on exceptional performance but also on unparalleled comfort, a claim we've had the honor to validate firsthand. Recognizing the extensive hours airport workers spend daily within this vehicle, utmost priority has been given to its interior design. The Jet-16 ensures it offers optimal comfort and ergonomic support, epitomizing a perfect blend of efficiency, comfort, and thoughtful design, ensuring it is not just a vehicle but a comprehensive experience for its operators.

Read more here:

Jet - 16: The Universal Soldier

Tractor: TG MT

The TG MT Tractor (TUG MT) is a robust and reliable solution for efficient aircraft towing and maneuvering within airport environments. Designed for optimum performance and operator comfort, it ensures swift, smooth, and safe handling of various aircraft types, enhancing overall ground support operations and ensuring timely flight schedules.

TLD JCT-60 “Mulag”

The JCT-60 TLD Tractors are robust 6-ton GVW tow tractors designed for optimal cargo handling and pushback in demanding industrial environments. With a substantial drawbar pull of 4500 daN (10,116 lbf), they ensure powerful performance. The heavy-duty single-piece chassis guarantees durability and resistance to harsh conditions. The tractors prioritize operator comfort with a spacious, ergonomic driver’s station and efficient suspension, ensuring excellent maneuverability and ease of use. The JCT-60 tractors stand out for their blend of high performance and low maintenance, reflecting a commitment to reliability and operational efficiency.

Jetway

Embarking on an aerial journey is a thrilling experience, further enhanced by the use of jetways. These engineering masterpieces, also known as aerobridges or passenger boarding bridges, have transformed the process of boarding and deplaning from aircraft, elevating the overall travel experience. The integration of jetways into airport infrastructure signifies an unwavering commitment to passenger convenience, safety, and accessibility, underscoring their indispensable role in modern aviation.

Warsaw Chopin Jetway

Keflavik Airport Jetway

Catering Truck

A hungry passenger is often an unhappy passenger. ;) In the game, the catering truck plays a vital role in ensuring passengers are satisfied and well-fed during their flights. It is efficiently used for swift and seamless delivery of food onboard the aircraft. In the bustling environment of a busy airport with stringent schedules, the catering truck's expedited and efficient service is paramount. Its elevated container feature facilitates direct loading to the aircraft, eliminating the need and time for manual carriage up the stairs, thus ensuring timely and effective service.

Read more here:

AirportSim Mechanics Guide: Catering truck

Follow Me Car

Have you spotted a brightly colored car, adorned in vibrant yellow or orange, navigating the apron of a bustling airport, bearing a prominent "Follow Me" sign? These indispensable vehicles serve a crucial role in guiding aircraft throughout the taxiways, leading them safely from the runway to their designated parking spots. Essential to seamless airport operations, Follow Me cars ensure the safe and efficient maneuvering of aircraft on the ground, minimizing delays and enhancing overall operational flow. Dive into this article to explore the vital role and intricacies of Follow Me cars in the orchestration of safe and efficient airport functionality.

Towbar

Aircraft towbars and tugs are essential for executing efficient towing and pushback operations at airports. These vital tools empower tug operators with the ability to skillfully maneuver grounded aircraft to any desired location on the tarmac. With an aircraft towbar, ensure smooth, independent, and precise repositioning of aircraft, enhancing the overall efficacy and safety of airport operations.

TLD ABS-580 Stairs Truck

The Passenger Stair Truck ensures seamless and safe boarding for all aircraft types. Its telescopic design maintains a steady stair pitch, ensuring safe passage for passengers. With extended stair and platform width, it enhances operational safety and ease. Controls are centrally located for efficient operation, while the stair’s adaptable swiveling and tilting ensure precise alignment with the aircraft doorsill. The ample top platform boasts a self-adjusting feature for secure and automatic aircraft docking. All contact points are reinforced with rubber or bumpers for added aircraft protection, making the Passenger Stair Truck a paragon of safety, efficiency, and protective design in aircraft access solutions.

It was a good lecture, wasn't it? We hope you now know everything about our AirportSim vehicles and are even more excited about the upcoming release! Only 15 days left! Are you counting down with us?

One more thing... Have you seen our social media accounts?

🔹 Instagram
🔹 TikTok
🔹 Facebook
🔹 YouTube
🔹 Twitch
🔹 Twitter

See you on our live stream today (Every Wednesday) at 8 PM CET on our Twitch channel!

Oct 4, 2023

Devlog #2 and Poznań Game Arena

Everwarder - Kyusus

Hello Warders.

we are dropping devlog with lots of new features, crucial mechanics changes and great news. Upcoming weekend Everwarder will be featured at Poznań Game Arena in Poland.

📣 Poznań Game Arena 📣

Great news for everyone who’s going to visit Poznań Game Arena. You will be able to test the game with new changes at our booth. Not sure if you should go? There will be prizes to be won, so come, visit us at hall 5A, play the game and share your ideas with us!

⚙️ Update ⚙️

New stuff:

Now crystals with 1 neighbor can be moved and connected to other crystals. This change will provide you with new gameplay options.
Increased initial unit tier to 2. Now newly unlocked unit in Limbo will be of tier 2 right away.
Added unclearable darkness regions and their random generation. They have dark purple color and cannot be destroyed, therefore giving more "shape" to the world and forcing the player to act accordingly.
Added darkness to map
Added menu with all discovered mini tutorials. You can access them from pause menu.
Added beacons glow to make them easier to spot

Reworks/rebalancing:

Reworked enemy spawning logic
Core logic stays the same. “Director” uses credits to spawn enemies, which means the more credits “director” has, the stronger are enemies
Old system: enemies were being spawned by "director" from random bordering darkness cell every X seconds. Every second "director" received X credits, which it used to spawn enemies.
New system: Now when darkness cell is cleared "director" gets X credits. When darkness cell is cleared, the “director” will spawn enemies based on credits amount. This change will allow players to control enemy flow size.
Rebalanced enemy health in accordance to new spawning system.
Huge rebalancing of artifact system
- Decreased the gap between artifact rarities
- Now common artifacts are 2.5x more powerful
- Decreased artifact prices in shops
Improved structure generation consistency.
Crystals can only attack cells within their line of sight.
Optimized unit targeting.
Added lighter background to buttons and sliders in options in main menu.
Changed color design of options menu.

Fixes:

Huge optimizations for enemies, UI and physics.
Much smoother darkness expansion.
Fixed structures spawning inside of unreachable zones.
Fixed structures failing to generate.
Fixed stats displaying as upgrade even if they decrease.
Fixed main lag issue on 15+ minutes. The problem was with the way enemies interact with each other(e.g. healing/buffing nearby enemies). After moving from colliders to manual search for enemies within certain range FPS almost quadrupled.
Fixed world sometimes failing to generate due to invalid structure placement.
Other minor bug fixes

Oct 4, 2023

Narrative Atmosphere and Themes

Vampire: The Masquerade® - Bloodlines™ 2 - Feeona_PDX

Hello! I’m Sarah Longthorne, Senior Narrative Designer and Writer. Today, we’re discussing the narrative in Bloodlines 2 from a sky-high perspective. What are the conflicts and challenges in Seattle’s Court and, how will they affect you?

Samson In Chains

The story of Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 2 is, at its cold, unbeating heart, about control: the amount and kind of control you have over others, the control they exert over you in turn, and the control you lose—and slowly regain—over yourself… and your fate.

You wake trapped in Seattle, the full extent of your power artificially suppressed—diminished to a mere pawn, to be used and exploited. After all, what are others if not our most disposable assets?

And what better asset than a leashed and muzzled Elder?

Our main NPC characters like Lou, Ryong, and Tolly all have their own agenda that your involvement could greatly advance.

It might not be in your best interest to bite every hand that seeks to bring you to heel, but to pick and choose, to play along—to bide your time. Or not. That much, darling, is down to you.

Neo-Noir

Neo-Noir blurs the lines of morality and explores themes like revenge, paranoia, alienation. All of which perfectly encapsulate a Kindred’s existence, especially when you consider that neo-noir stories are often driven by nihilistic, morally gray antiheroes. Hello, Kindred!

We love Tolly. There is nothing sinister about this man.

We focus on character, who knows what and who has the power in any given situation, and how the player can use that to their advantage. No one in Bloodlines 2 knows everything about everything, as much as they might pretend. So, how the player navigates these alliances and goes about learning new information makes the player feel like they are investigating a complex web of lies. We try to ensure that the player feels in control of the information that they know, who they share those secrets with, and why.

What happens to an Elder?

One of our early design decisions was to make the player character into an Elder Kindred. This was interesting to us because it means that we can play with how this established vampire knows things about being a Kindred already and how we can create gaps to let the player learn this type of information firsthand. Balancing the opportunity and the history it entails with the desire to allow players to still roleplay and make the character their own. It was extremely challenging but fun!

Kindred do not relate to each other the way that we do, especially extremely old Kindred, like our protagonist. They don’t have ‘friends’, for instance – everything is about power and possession, which are the antithesis of any genuine connection. It’s a challenge to try and disconnect from how we might view a thing and step into that mindset in order to properly represent it. You have to lean first on making that character interesting to learn about and spend time with – you cannot expect players to initially identify with them, or maybe even like them. It takes finesse to balance that, to zoom out and find the broader, more universal entry points that might encourage players to feel like they can identify with that character.

Humanity is something distant, so what does that make humans to you? Centuries of existence can be tough on a person who can only feed on others. Are they just something to be consumed, or is it possible to have trust and kinship? Is everyone just a chess piece or a trophy?

All these questions and more are what we’re asking about your character and the NPCs that star in Bloodlines 2.

We’ll see you back in two weeks for our next Dev Diary when we’ll explore the Neo-Noir art style.