Hello everyone, this is the Troubleshooter development team.
We beg to inform you that the game contents update and system maintenance.
During the maintenance, players who use the Online mode can't play the game.
Please end the game normally before the maintenance begins.
During the maintenance, players who use the Offline mode can play the game.
Maintenance Schedule
Daylight saving time is not applied.
Date: February 26th, 2024
Monday 09:00 ~ 11:00 CET
Monday 17:00 ~ 19:00 JST
Monday 00:00 ~ 02:00 PST
Monday 08:00 ~ 10:00 UTC
Update Details:
Added teams of Poachers, Red Mining District Gangster to the Joint Training.
Added a tab for drone to the Help. You can check the masteries that come with each OS.
Added a function that download the image from Gallery.
Added a filter to the Mission Control that sorts missions by their level.
Usage number of an ability and Availability number of an ability are going to be indicated separately. - In case of Availability number of consumable items like grenade, it looks the same as it does now. - In case of Wind Chain, Traps and etc, you can check the blue max usage number on its top right corner.
Fixed a bug that Emergency Rescue System was activated when a wielder was in a state of cannot move.
Fixed a bug that Pincer Movement, Jet Stream Attack and The Wrathful Vengeance were activated when a wielder was in cannot act.
Hello, everyone. It's Kou from FLYHIGH WORKS. Today, we would like to present part #2 of an in-depth interview with Quang, the original creator of “Phoenotopia.” The interviewer is Ochoko, "Phoenotopia Strategy Memo. ( フェノトピア攻略メモ。)" blogger who is also considered to be a representative of the Japanese Phoenotopia fans.
Ochoko I didn’t know that. By the way, this is a bit off-topic, but in the dungeon that is at the midpoint of the game, there is something on display in a glass case. It’s an NES, right?
(Is that an NES (originally known in Japan as Famicom)?)
We also find something similar to “Space Invaders” and “Donkey Kong” that appears in the game, showing respect and honor towards those classic games. Aside from the “Zelda series,” are you a fanatic of other games?
Quang Regarding the screenshot, that is indeed a NES! In the same room, there is also a "PC-98". That never made it to the United States, but the games for it look so fascinating, that I asked my artist to put it in there. And now that you mention it, I did have an homage to "Space Invaders" and "Donkey Kong" as well. Enough time is starting to pass that I'm starting to forget what I put in the game. One day, when I've really forgotten Phoenotopia, then I can really play my game, haha.
There are a lot of other games I like, and depending on when you ask me, my answer will likely change. When I was really young for example, I really liked Megaman! However, my top #3 picks have stabilized and they haven't changed for years. They are:
Zelda: Ocarina of Time
Skies of Arcadia
Resident Evil 4
So I really love JRPGs! When I was a kid, I had a Playstation and I had a shelf full of nothing but JRPG games. It was a point of pride for me that the only genre I had was RPGs and nothing else, haha. I'd like to create a JRPG one day too, but right now, my artist and I are sticking with what we know, which is something similar to Phoenotopia.
Ochoko I love the Resident Evil series. I have never played Skies of Arcadia…I will check it out soon!
Quang I hope you enjoy Skies of Arcadia! It might not have aged as well due to the prevalence of random battles. The story and characters are timeless however!
Ochoko By the way, this may be a little off-topic again, but at the beginning of Phoenotopia, there is a scene in which Gail wakes up and yawns. When I first played it, I was surprised by her movements' beautiful animation.
Also, for example, There are three types of movements prepared: slowly walking, walking normally, and dashing when moving around. Can you please elaborate on how you were able to add details to the animation and motion? These kinds of details of the animation are eye-catching everywhere. Also, can you please tell me if you have a favorite animation (movement) of Gail?
Quang Yes, the animation is very good! The artist Clement Swennes drew most of Gail's animations as well as most of the big bosses and enemies you see in the game. I'll pass him your compliments ^^
As for why Gail has 3 movement speeds, to me, I thought of it as a necessity! I was influenced by both Zelda and the Dark Souls at the time and in those games, the character will walk or jog depending on how far you push the control stick. They then have an additional run button to make your character move even faster. So I thought it was required to support those kinds of movement options.
However, I later realized that this was a little unusual for 2D games. Hollow Knight for instance only has one walk speed, and the character does not accelerate, but hits full speed right away! And this is actually preferred by speedrunners and some players because until the last moment before you get hit by an enemy you have full control.
Later, when I did the PC port, I also ran into some difficulties mapping the full range of controls possible to the keyboard and mouse. The keyboard doesn't have a variable input like the control stick, so Gail can't walk if using the keyboard only. From Steam data, I also know that 50% of PC players use keyboard only, so it's actually a large group!
So movement is something I'm thinking about simplifying for our future games.
As for my favorite Gail animation, I think it would have to be her crawl. She looks so cute while doing it and the crawl sound is amusing as well.
Ochoko The animation for Gale 「crawling along」 is cute. By the way, I also like the motion of the recoil when shooting with the blaster gun.
One of the charms of Phoenotopia is the excellent text that pops up. Did you create all that text by yourself? I would like to know how did you come up with that idea.
Each area/region of the game has its unique characteristics and features, and reading the texts was one of the fun aspects I enjoyed while playing. Also, I was surprised by the variety of healing/recovery items. Do you have a 「food specialty」 that you like to eat to recover health?
Quang I did write most of the text myself, but I also had a lot of help from one of the artists, Anna Klimkovic. She proofread everything and input her own ideas too. There was also a brief period where I sought outside help from two other writers. If you like the script, that means that the translation and localization team did a good job! You can thank Kou Seigai here for that, as well as Toshie Somiya and Chie Koizumi!
As for where the ideas came from... Hmm... In Phoenotopia's case, I remember wanting to tell a story about a humble farmer like in a fairy tale. I used to love reading fairy tales! And I tried to capture the image I have of towns in fairy tales with quaint villagers, simple living, and idyllic music. At the time, I thought every story needed to have a twist, so I added extra elements to the game world so that everything wasn't as it appeared. Over time, Phoenotopia's world took shape. There were probably a lot of other small influences that I'm not aware of. For example, the Phoenixes are a lot like Saiyans from 『Dragon Ball Z』, aren't they? Haha.
As for food recovery items, I think I like fish the most. When I look at the raw fish graphics, I immediately get a real-life craving for 「Sushi」!
Ochoko I didn’t think Dragon Ball Z would turn up…it's true that the pause after beating the final boss looks like a Saiyan when it flies around (Haha).
It just suddenly occurred to me while being on the subject of Japanese anime…
The part where Prof. Fran turns into ash after the warp transfer towards the end, or the parts when characters enter in is like something that appears in Japanese skits.
Are you well versed with Japanese culture, Quang?
Quang To answer your question, most of what I know about Japanese culture comes from watching Japanese anime. And I watch a LOT of anime. Relatively, 90% of what I watch is anime - I watch very little Western shows. So I guess you could call me an expert on Japanese culture!
Haha, just kidding. I remember my Japanese teacher told me that anime isn't like real life - that the way characters talk in anime is more theatrical. I also like to watch some Japanese youtubers, like "Nobita from Japan", who covers a lot of Japanese culture.
A new hot girl, spicy adventures in the Land of Mu and unmissable deals await you in your favorite kinky kingdom. Make sure you keep an eye out for surprises, so you don’t miss out on the fun!
LüBu is here, and she’s ready to rock your world. Win this naughty star’s heart, and she’ll have your back in all your epic battles, helping you come out on top.
Rock Devil - LüBu Valhalla period: February 26th, 05:00 ~ March 25th, 05:00 EDT
New adventures and challenges are popping up in the mysterious Land of Mu. Lucky for you, your robotic assistant is here to lend a hand. Pump up your harem’s power with Epsilon!
Land of Mu - Meet with Epsilon Pack period: February 29th, 05:00 ~ March 29th, 05:00 EDT
Last but not least, if you’re still looking for that special power boost, check out the Shop. We’ve got event-exclusive bundles and limited packs up for grabs. Don’t let them slip through your fingers!
Genesis’s Costume Pack period: February 25th, 05:00 ~ March 5th, 05:00 EDT
Vehicles tuned up, added a UI to show keybinds. Fixed Building plan UI not being removed when put away. Fixed Skylight, allowing visibility in buildings. Fixed some buildings being too small to enter. Added a compass for navigation at top of screen, working both on foot and in vehicle. Fixed weather being mostly overcast/snow/rain/thunderstorms to be sunnier. Added Cold climate zone (North Side of map). Fixed Loading screen being "Basic" (Images need fixed). Added Low Beams and High Beams for vehicles. Fixed craftable lamp light color from white to a yellow and adjusted brightness/spread. Added Vehicle Saving for position and inventory. Added a key to enter vehicle (hitbox is around door handle) Adjusted but never completed credits
The brand-new update Connect-X: Silver Star is now LIVE on Steam! After updating, the game should now have ten new levels of mathematical action featuring the new silver product gadget!
On Monday, February 26, S325-S333 will clean up inactive accounts from time to time, and each cleanup will last for 10-20 minutes. Inactive accounts refer to: 1. Land not occupied above level 10. 2. It has not been online for three consecutive days. 3. No recharge has been carried out. At the same time, the above three points are inactive accounts and will be cleaned up. The full server will be maintained from 10:00 to 12:00 on Thursday, February 29. After maintenance, S325-S333 will enter the third season. For the specific season, please refer to the season description in the world trend. The new server S342 will be opened at 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 24. On February 29, the return activity of old players began. The return activity of old players begins: The activity time is from 0:00 on February 29, 2024 to 23:59 p.m. on March 6, 2024. Return player definition: Calculated from the first login at the beginning of the activity. Players who have not logged in for 7 consecutive days will be judged to return to the player after the first login during the activity time, and the status will not be modified after that. Returning players can bind a non-returning player with the same server. Non-returning player definition: Players who do not meet the definition of returning players will be judged as non-returning players when they log in for the first time during the activity time. The intermediate state will not be modified. New characters created during the event are also non-returning players. Non-returning players can be bound by three returning players of the same server. During the activity: Returning players will issue corresponding resources and ingot rewards according to the loss of time when they log in for the first time. During the activity, all players can receive daily login rewards every day. During the activity, returning players and non-returning players can receive the corresponding reward after the recharge reaches the corresponding amount. Issuance of additional rewards: When receiving single-day and continuous recharge benefits in the return activity, the players bound to it will also receive the corresponding reward by email. If you want to receive multiple rewards, go to your former comrades-in-arms and let them return to fight together. Remember to let them log in to the game and bind you! The new version of the system is in production, please stay tuned.
Hello everyone! Welcome to the Fossilfuel 2 Speed Run Contest!
Final Due Date: March 2nd, 2024 3:00 pm EST/ 12 PT
Ready to put your gaming skills to the ultimate test? Join the Fossilfuel 2 Speed Run Contest and compete for a chance to win $200 USD! Please see the rules below:
(Recommend using Live Split for your timer, otherwise will be using the Youtube time. )
RULES:
Must post a Youtube video in the comments of this post before the deadline.
Post your video with your time. The run itself has to be UNEDITED!
Must be on Brutal Difficulty of the main game.
Show end rank screen so we know the diff is set to Brutal.
Timer starts once the first level begins after the main menu.
REAL WORLD TIME / NOT IN GAME TIME. The in-game timer resets on deaths, so this will be real time.
PC or Xbox version allowed.
You are allowed to exploit in-game glitches, but no messing with the source code.
You are allowed to memorize in-game codes, like key pad codes.
Any of the games ending paths is allowed.
The timer stops the moment the end-game cutscene starts.
Submissions end, on March 2nd at 3pm est / 12 pt.
Please ask if you have questions.
I reserve the right to reject a submission if I feel unfair activity, or rule-breaking is at play or just something doesn't smell right in general.
【Important】 I am deeply sorry, folks. I'd like to express my sincere apology here. The disaster-related content from the last update was released by mistake. It was supposed to be part of a major update in June, but it was released prematurely.
Since it's still unstable and has some bugs, we've decided to move it to the alpha version. Players who have created new profiles in the stable version can switch to the alpha version to continue experiencing this content. Here's how to switch:
Right-click Survival Settlement in the Steam LIBRARY, select 👉Properties - 👉BETAS, and choose the game version👉（alpha） you want to participate. No need to fill in any code and the game will switch to the version of your choice after closing the window. (In some cases the game may need update and Steam restart.)
Over the past weekend, I unfortunately caught a cold, so needless to say, it wasn't a great weekend for me. This morning, dragging my weary body into the office, I received a "surprise"! I was informed that the disaster update had been accidentally pushed to the stable version ahead of schedule. The modifications related to disasters were indeed fully developed and are currently undergoing final testing. They are part of a subsequent major update, and some survivors got wind of us developing new content. I can tell everyone that the new version update is named "Natural Disasters & Man-Made Calamities." Regardless, now everyone knows about the first half of the content—the disaster update. Since it's no longer a secret, let me elaborate on what this update entails:
The new version of disasters is no longer a completely random concept; the occurrence of disasters is influenced by three factors: air humidity, wind speed, and temperature. This means that specific disasters are more likely to occur during particular seasons.
As players develop the natural environment, the scale of their towns expands, leading to more severe environmental damage. Consequently, the factors affecting the environment may become more extreme, ultimately resulting in more serious disasters. (We have categorized disasters by levels; the same type of disaster can vary greatly in impact between low and high levels.)
Of course, we've also prepared some measures to deal with disasters, to prevent or mitigate losses.
Here are the specific updates in detail:
Disaster Rework:
Reworked the weather disaster triggering mechanism; most disasters have been categorized under new disasters, triggered by extreme climate factors.
Weather disasters are no longer predicted by churches; we've moved from theology to science. (However, this still doesn't guarantee the accuracy of predictions.)
Disasters now have levels; the disaster effects are varied from higher-level disasters to lower-level disasters for the same type of disasters.
The disaster content is only available in new saves (currently only in the alpha version).
New/Reset Weather Disasters (new triggering mechanisms and effects):
Typhoons can knock down trees and cause lightning strikes.
Tornadoes can destroy trees and buildings in their path.
Floods can submerge parts of buildings, rendering them inaccessible and causing drowning incidents.
Droughts can strand ships and affect the production of water-powered buildings.
Blizzards continuously lower temperatures, reducing the efficiency of citizens.
Sandstorms can cause caravans to get lost, leading to tracheitis.
Ice storms can freeze rivers and roads, hindering ship traffic and causing slip and fall accidents.
Fires can set buildings ablaze and spread rapidly.
Old Version Random Disasters (we haven't adjusted the triggering mechanisms, but we've modified the effects of disasters and added levels):
Earthquakes can destroy housing, causing collapse incidents.
Plagues can infect citizens; densely populated areas can experience more severe outbreaks.
Animal plagues can infect animals and spread to livestock herders.
New Buildings:
Flood Control Reservoirs can shorten the duration of flood disasters.
Earthquake-Resistant Tiles can protect houses from being destroyed by earthquakes; higher-quality materials can withstand stronger quakes.
New Diseases:
Tracheitis, which workers in ore-processing buildings can contract.
Avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease, which can infect livestock workers when animal plagues occur, are contagious.
Burns, which citizens can suffer while fighting fires; burned citizens cannot participate in firefighting.
New Policies:
Firefighting Policy, which can adjust how citizens extinguish fires.
Evacuation Policy, which can control whether citizens proactively go to shelters during disasters.
Feature Adjustments:
Removed administration Abbott: +10℉ temperature effect.
The Stock Center has added reinforcement upgrades.
The durability of Siheyuan has been reduced: 1200 → 600.
The durability of Luxury Houses has been reduced: 800 → 600.
The durability of Small Warehouses has been increased: 100 → 150.
Required Brick Road material adjustment: Brick *1 → Brick *3.
The Great Harvest event now includes a 30% increase in output for orchard-type buildings.
Earthquake disasters now include the effect of destroying floor tiles.
The options of Disaster preset have been changed to On/Off.
Temperature preset options have been changed to Temperature and Wind Force preset options, allowing adjustment of their variability through options.
That's pretty much all there is to the update. For a more detailed experience of the effects, we hope everyone will try them out in the game. We hope you like them, and stay tuned as the next major update is also in development.
Thanks for playing the Steam Demo during NextFest! If you'd like to continue to help with testing please sign up for the playtest and join Discord
From the roadmap we can see what's left to do. I think we're a little over halfway there though a lot of the artwork will take time.
The three most important features that still need to be completed are:
1. Diplomacy and War Players should be able to forge alliances and work to spread their ideology across the known world. It also means that there might be foreign threats that have to be handled. I plan to have at least one large rival Empire and a variable amount of small kingdoms that can be gobbled up. Players won't always have control over diplomacy, they'll still have to make proposals and the President will have a lot of diplomatic power. Armies of the Republic may also be more loyal to their preferred political party rather than the President. Players will have to influence and scheme to get their favorite general into powerful positions, either by getting the current general demoted, assassinated, or have their divisions transferred, all while trying to fight off external enemies. Most generals won't go away without a fight though. Anger the wrong general and you may see them march toward the senate at the head of a column of their troops. Roman history will play a big role in influencing how I develop armies and generals.
Some have asked me why I'd include foreign diplomacy and war in a game about simulating a fantasy senate. I believe it's necessary in order to add external factors that create another dimension to the balance of power in the senate. Map painting is also fun and I find that the fantasy theme really comes through when there is military conflict. Lastly expanding the game to the world scope gives the opportunity to have world crisis like they have in Stellaris and further cement the fantasy theme.
2. Character Traits and Actions I want to avoid having events feel random. I'm a big fan of how games in Rimworld tend to naturally develop stories through how the characters and their traits interact with each other and the world. In FFS a character might have the party animal trait and occasionally make themselves and all their friends drunk in the senate and fist fighting with their enemies leading to the senate be completely derailed for that turn.
This system might take a lot of work so I may add it as a free expansion after official release but I think it would be fun and remove some of the random feeling that pulling from a deck of events sometimes gives.
3. Sprites and Art For the world map I'll need to make a lot of sprites as I want armies to be animated. I'd also like world locations to be animated with smoke rising from chimneys or light glowing from a magic tower. More character portraits and components will be needed as well as updates to the senate map.
