Oct 4, 2023

Deep Freeze In-depth: Polar Dome Preview!

Megaquarium - Twice Circled

In case you weren't aware, Megaquarium is getting a new expansion: Deep Freeze.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2574770/Megaquarium_Deep_Freeze__Deluxe_Expansion/

This time we are focusing on the polar dome, a brand new tank with a whole lot going on.

Keep a lid on it

Polar domes are the first tanks in Megaquarium to have roofs (strictly speaking the abyssal tanks from last week's post share this honour). This deceptively simple addition opens multiple possibilities.

For starters we can keep seabirds. You might not think of these as aquatic creatures but the Atlantic Puffin spends most of its life at sea and only needs land to breed!

From a gameplay perspective, there are two new quantities to track:

Air Volume - Required for "active flyers" who need plenty of space to swoop.
Perch Capacity - This works similarly to Land Capacity, giving a place for your flying friends to perch between dips in the water.

The other feature of an enclosed tank is that it can be air conditioned. This is necessary for the polar animals who spend some of their time out of the water and are used to chilly conditions!

Air conditioners can be located remotely from your tanks using compressors. These act like pumps but for air instead of water.

An enriching experience

Polar animals also introduce a brand new type of aquascaping - enrichment! These objects provide mental stimulation so your animals don't get bored.

Enrichment has unique mechanics compared to other aquascaping: the first object of each type is worth more than subsequent objects of the same type. In other words, variety is key when it comes to meeting enrichment needs.

Each enrichment object is a different size and shape, so there's never a 'one size fits all solution'. In summary: the tank design puzzle just got even more satisfying!

The return of breeding

I'm sure many of you will be delighted to read that breeding makes a return in Deep Freeze. This time the focus is on polar mammals and birds.

As you might expect, breeding these animals has its own feel compared to the breeding in Freshwater Frenzy. For example, many of these animals lay just one or two eggs; so it's really important to ensure the tank parameters stay on point.

On the other hand, predation is easier to avoid because the eggs are out of the water limiting the number of hungry animals that have access to them!

Ice ice baby

Enrichment is not the only aquascaping requirement in Deep Freeze to break with convention. Some of your animals like ice floes to sit on. The only way to create these is to cool the air down to freezing temperatures using extra air conditioning!

But don't worry, there is an unexpected upside! Freezing the floes creates additional land capacity allowing you to create even more stunning polar dome exhibits!

Polar party

One of my constant goals when designing Megaquarium is to give players as much creative freedom as possible, but with plenty of interesting mechanics to shape that creativity.

With this in mind, I'm really pleased with how polar domes have come together for Deep Freeze. They are the most flexible tank yet - with scope for land, sea and air animals to all live together. Within that flexibility comes so many interesting decisions:

Will I freeze the ice to create extra land capacity?
Will I build the tank big enough so that flyers have adequate air volume?
But that will increase the air conditioning needs - especially if I'm freezing the ice floes...
And what mix of aquascaping will I spread across the substrate to fulfil the needs of the various fish, mammals and birds I include in the tank?

While the abyssal animals we learned about last week demand a lot of attention from your aquarists and staff management skills, the polar animals demand it from your design skills! My hope is that, together, they'll combine to create a gameplay experience you will really enjoy!

Until next time,

Tim Twice Circled

Oct 4, 2023

Update Notes 4 Oct 2023 - Promotion Wars, Achievements, Stable Images & Indies!

Pro Wrestling Sim - ProWresSim

Promotion Wars - Each Monday, rival promotions will be compared in a variety of topics, and the loser will take a hit to their popularity
Added stats to My Title screen to show the youngest/oldest champions and longest/shortest reigns
Added Steam Achievements into the game
Added Stable Images
Added random chance each day that an indy wrestling event will occur. This is so that workers not signed to contracts can get some bookings in-game
Updated style for tabs
New game now shows Workshop and Local Files together
Fixed bug where managers could be in Wrestler of the Year
Fixed new worker generation so they had a base country and region
Added ability to select titles from outside your promotion when a worker with that title is in your match
Bug Fixes for movesets

Oct 4, 2023

"Winds of Change" DLC Page Live

Regiments - Soundwolf776

The "Winds of Change" DLC now has a page on Steam!
Take an early look at the screenshots that feature some of the implemented new units.

Link: Regiments - Winds of Change DLC

Experience twisting, procedural campaigns in the new Warfare mode
Fight alongside or against new units from French, Dutch, Canadian, and Czechoslovak regiments, all ready to bring their own style of fighting to the battlefield
Strike from the sky with new tactical possibilities heralded by the addition of heliborne troops and fighter jets!
Command more than 50 new vehicles and weapon systems, all meticulously modelled with the kind of detail you've come to expect from us in the base game

The release date remains "To Be Announced" and will be detailed as we get closer to the release - the same applies to the price.
Wishlist the DLC early! You won't miss status updates - and it'll help with the page's visibility a ton.

Oct 4, 2023

A Menacing Mech Emerges from the Shadows!

Prison City - ryan.rasing

As Hal Bruzer continues his infiltration into each of the eight security zones, he comes across an unusual, mechanized Warden--the MOD LOADER! Learn about this Warden's attacks before taking it on!

1. Missile Barrage!

Mod Loader's signature attack will be a barrage of six missiles launched into the air! These will drop one after the other in quick succession, so be sure to dodge them if you're on the ground or hanging on one of the horizontal pipelines!

You can also tell where each missile will land by noticing the incoming impact icons on the ground! You can even stun the Mod Loader with its own missiles landing on it! Use this opportunity to attack the angry pilot at the center!

2. Mechanized Leap!

Following every Missile Barrage will be one or two Mechanized Leaps! The Mod Loader will tuck its robotic legs together and jump really high! Watch out if you're hanging from the pipes, and time your jumps well to avoid being hit!

HINT: You Can Attack from Below!

This isn't an attack by the Warden, just us giving you a hint! Did you know you can attack the Mod Loader from underneath it? For those willing to take on a challenge, you can slide underneath the Mod Loader either when it stays still to fire off missiles, or after it leaps into the air!

Just...be sure not to get crushed by one of its mechanized legs or its body!

You can take on the Mod Loader deep in the Factory security zone of Prison City--available NOW!

Follow the Retroware publisher page to keep up-to-date with all our games, news, and more!

https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/retroware

Oct 4, 2023

Update 0.3.0 is now available for content creators

Hellwatch - Gleb Tumaschyk

Hello there! We have some exciting news for you in this update. We've made several significant changes to make your battle against demonic horrors even more captivating. Here's what you can expect:

New Hero - Lila
We introduce a new hero - Lila. Her unique skills and abilities will allow you and your friends to be more effective in fighting the invasion. Include Lila in your team and feel the power of celestial protection.

Improved Invasion Indication
Now you'll have a clearer view of the approaching invasion. Don't miss a moment - every second is precious, and this indication will help you prepare for battle in advance.

Redesigned Loading Screen
We've revamped the loading screen to provide you with more detailed information about the game's basics. Even newcomers will find it easy to understand what they need to do.

Enhanced Tips
We've made in-game tips more colorful and noticeable. Now you won't miss important moments and can quickly respond to threats.

Russian Localization
Hellwatch is now available in Russian! We've also laid the groundwork for localization in other languages, giving players from around the world the opportunity to redeem their sins.

Stronger Enemies
Our demonic enemies haven't been idle. We've introduced enhanced versions of adversaries, making battles more intense and challenging.

Bug Fixes
We've also addressed a significant number of bugs because your gaming experience and comfort are our top priorities.

Are you ready for this battle? Success depends on your skill and teamwork. Rise above the darkness, protect the Forge of Souls, and prove that you can endure as long as possible.