We realize how important transparency is, especially for an early access game like Surrounded. It’s been a while since our last update so we figured it would be a good time to share what we’ve been working on and what we have got planned for the next update.

First of all we would like to thank you for the patience you’ve had so far. This really means a lot to us.
Ever since launch day we have been looking through each and every review. We kept working on updating the game and fixing bugs, but always felt like something was missing. Later on we came to the conclusion that the issue did not lie in band-aid solutions, but rather in the foundation of the game.
This is why, in order to achieve the vision we have for Surrounded, we have decided to rebuild the game from the ground up. While doing this we’re taking into account all -yes all- feedback, reviews and bug reports we have received from you.

• We are not only rebuilding the game itself, but also the design behind it. We are heavily upgrading the way Surrounded is played. You can expect a lot more than just collecting 6 fuses and running through the endgame.
  
• In game item shop. No, do not worry, we’re not talking about microtransactions. We’re adding an in game shop where you can buy equipment with currency that is obtainable only by playing the game. You can bring the equipment you buy with you, sell it, or store it in the storage locker for use in later runs. This also means we’re adding some items you can find in the world which you can bring back with you to the lobby to then sell, store, or take back with you into a next run!
  
• Complete overhaul of the lobby system. Instead of the current static lobby system where you join and then look at your own character, you will now join the lobby with your own character and be able to walk around. You join lobbies not through a 2d menu, but through an in-world whiteboard.
  
• Character customization. Instead of being assigned a random character, you will now be able to make your character your own. Customize it with different clothes etc.
  
• Case files. You will be able to find case files that delve deeper into the story. When found, these will then be stored in your personal account and are accessible through the laptop in the lobby. Maybe these case files will also help you progress through the game?
  
• Completely new map. We are completely redesigning the map, and the way you progress through the map. While keeping the open world feeling intact, we are building in a certain feeling of progression to the map itself.
  
• Revamped AI. The current AI is not in a very solid state. The design feels unalive and at certain times also unfair. We are completely redesigning how most of the AI work and behave in order to make them feel extremely alive, a lot more interactive and scary, and much more fair to play against. You can expect to see the new AI really integrate with the world around it.
  
• Deeper story. For the story diehards among us (including ourselves!) we are deepening the story. We are making sure everything in the world has meaning and has a reason to exist. Lots of questions can and will be asked. It’s up to you to find the answers.

This is not all we have planned for the next update. Please understand that above points are subject to change and still in early works.

As you might have noticed, this will be an update that is many orders of magnitude larger than any and all of our previous updates combined. This means that this update will take more time to develop than our previous update pace. We will make sure to keep you updated on development as much as possible during the process.

Again, thank you all so much for the patience, support and for playing the game! Please enjoy some screenshots of early prototypes of some of the new features mentioned earlier at the bottom of this message.
With that said, thanks for reading and we’ll see you in the next development update!

Cheers,
Nightmare Studios.

It was brought to my attention that there were some errors that made the game unplayable for some players, especially the players using the german translation.
These issues should now be fixed.

• Fixed Errors in the german translation.
  
• Clearer UI
  
• Spell checks

Thank you for playing and if there are any other issues or problems, no not hesitate to write an Email to: cimex404@gmail.com

FIXES

• Timeworn Volumes Academic Study choice that provides Almanacs now only rewards 2 rather than 4
  
• Updated VFX for when you open your Flame Vitrine entry completion
  
• Adjusted decay timer for Tutorial toast notification
  
• Added additional polish to Working Fields Inventory Grants mode
  
• Fixed an issue where hero ribbons would freeze when dropped while a character sheet was open
  
• Gamepad: Fixed the last few spots where there was no default selection defined
  
• Fixed an error that would appear with a work-in-progress version of an unlockable

- Fixed various lighting issues
- Fixed issues with triggers
- Fixed world geometry issue

Spin the Wheel of Destiny in the shop and get fantastic prizes.

Period: 4.04. (00:01 AM CET) until 26.04. (11:59 PM CEST)


You can increase your chances of landing a Jackpot by collecting keys to reach the next level on the wheel: here there’s not just one but two Jackpot segments waiting for you.

The following are just some of the items that are waiting for you:

* Flying Mailbox Pet Egg (7 Days)
* Golden Bream Pet Egg
* Snowflake Festival Wabbit Mount (Permanent)

Spin and win now!

Today, we’d like to introduce you to the new direction that we’re taking with Creep Camps in Stormgate–let’s call it Creeps 2.0.

We’ll start with a definition, as many modern RTS games don’t have Creep Camps; they are a game mechanic that WarCraft III players are more likely to recognize. A Creep Camp is a group of neutral minions that our level designers can place on a map using our in-game editor to provide players with an optional challenge resulting in a reward. Creep Camps provide players with powerful incentives to leave home base and encourage more active play. In Stormgate’s case, that reward can vary from additional resources, to map vision, to a speed boost, or healing.

Each of Stormgate’s highly asymmetric factions also has a unique attribute that provides the player with an added incentive to control Creep Camps. Vanguard players, for example, can benefit from Unit Veterancy and earn valuable experience to level up their key units. Infernal Host players, on the other hand, can Infest Creeps and bring them back from the dead as additional Fiend units. Our upcoming third faction also has its own mechanics revolving around Creep Camps as well.

With Creeps 2.0, Creep Camps will incorporate capture points. When the last Creep in a Camp dies, a circular capture point will be activated. Keeping friendly units within that radius for a certain amount of time will 'capture' that camp, giving its benefit to your army or team. Once captured, this point can be recaptured or 'back-capped' by an opponent which will change the allegiance of the camp, making them dynamic points of interest on the map at any given time. Enemies can contest control of a capture point with their own uncloaked land and air units. However, Sentry Posts, Shroudstones, and other structures are unable to take or contest a capture point. Capture points, we believe, will make for exciting skirmishes over their control, versus the current winner-take-all result of dealing the killing blow on the last surviving Creep minion.

When a capture point is captured, it will often provide a combination of local and global benefits to the player. Local benefits ensure that battles that take place near the capture point will have a twist while global benefits allow for capture points that are off the beaten path to impact gameplay. For example, capturing a health camp might grant the capturing player greatly increased health regeneration near the camp but a minor health regeneration bonus no matter where they are on the map.

We also like the idea of capture points triggering an immediate effect once claimed. That can include spawning a powerful neutral minion (we’ve been using a placeholder catapult in our playtests so far), or one of our other Creep Camp rewards, like map vision, health regeneration, or movement speed boost. After a certain amount of time, the Creep Camp units will respawn, but at a higher level that increases both their difficulty and the quality of their reward. All players in a game will be able to see the current level of any Creep Camp so that they can gauge how actively they’re being used, and choose whether to contest them appropriately.

We believe this new version of Creep Camps will more greatly encourage players to contest territory across the entire map throughout the entire game. Previously, Creep Camp locations were only important to contest when the creeps were alive. But with these new changes, players are encouraged to contest and hold all of the Creep Camp locations no matter what state they’re in. Even as a player with a smaller army, you can maneuver your forces around the map in a way such that you’re able to hold a significant proportion of capture points on the map.

Until recently, our Creep Camps have featured temporary art (like our Viking Chickens) while we worked with a legendary artist to shape the future look of these neutral minions. While we will miss our fine-feathered fill-ins, we are excited to see how our new neutral minions, designed to fit into the lore and worldbuilding of Stormgate’s future Earth, will help make our game feel that much more immersive and fun.

We are excited to share a behind-the-scenes look at the concept art for these new Creep Camps with a video narrated by none other than our friend Samwise Didier. Sammy worked with many of us as the Art Director on the Warcraft and StarCraft RTS games back at Blizzard Entertainment. We are honored to share that he’s been contributing his unique talents and artistic vision to Stormgate. Sammy put together this killer video sharing a walkthrough of his process for creating the concept art behind the first of our three new Creep Camp families, the Scavengers. Watch it here:



So who are the Scavengers? The Vanguard are Earth’s best hope for survival. As the player-controlled human faction, they represent humanity at the height of technological prowess and scientific knowledge. But other survivors of the Infernal onslaught that nearly wiped out mankind can still be found in the wastes around the world. Nomadic tribes, some more violent than others, seek out unpopulated corners of the Earth and have reverted to barbarism and plunder. Players will encounter various bands of dangerous foes as they fight for control of territory, including the savage mechanically-enhanced Scavengers. In the future, we’ll share a look at our other Creep Camp families: the Cultists and the Cannibals.

Closed beta players will get their hands on some of the changes coming to our new Creep Camps in the upcoming Frigate playtest. If you haven’t already become a Stormgate Founder, you can purchase a Founder’s Pack via Indiegogo here and take part in the final round of closed beta playtesting. The upcoming closed beta (kicking off at the end of April) will also be our playtesters’ first opportunity to get their hands on Stormgate’s unannounced third faction–which . . . may or may not be a race of magical anime cat girls.*

*The third faction will not be a race of magical anime cat girls. Or will they?

Continuation on the features showcased in the "Ember" Devlog entry. Helicopter Camo can now be changed, select between 14 variants, and two new ordnace items; EMP Grenade and Incendiary Grenade.



v0.8.75 Changelog:

• Bugfix: Dialogue visibility being disrupted while pausing game
  
• Produced more decorative assets (Mission 2: Operation Scimitar)
  
• Changes to Drone UI
  
• Bugfix: Prevented player from throwing ordnance while piloting drone
  
• Optimized technical object responsible for toggling transparent layer (hidden paths)
  
• A lot of work on assets and design to levels still inaccessible in demo/alpha
  
• New ceiling light variant (Bunker-themed)
  
• Made flame particles emit light-sphere (subtract layer)
  
• Improvements to Breaching Mechanic
  
• Enemies within close range to door is instantly killed
  
• Overhaul to Dispatch Helicopter
  
  • Dispatch helicopter-sprite has been improved
    
  • A suite of camo variants has been added to Dispatch Helicopter
    
  • Player can now choose Dispatch camo on Weapon Loadout Screen
• Improvements to Mission 1/Snotikia scenery
  
  • Distant Ice Glacier and Mountain
    
  • Garage entrance walls
    
  • Medium-sized crates (Garage)
    
  • Hangar & Garage catwalks
    
  • More navigation signs (Hangar-to-Sub Pen)
• Made unaffected UI elements fade during Player Death/Extraction
  
• Updated Enemy Tank Sprite
  
• Visual improvements
  
• Made modular for camo variants
  
• Changes to Zargasso in-game sprite
  
• Added more dev tools for recording cinematics & quickly accessing levels
  
• Converted Collectible Keycard objects into instance based ID'ing (optimization)
  
• Further work on Flame Particles
  
• Player / enemy will ignite on collision and spread flame
  
• Tweaked Scaling/offset parameters for better visuals
  
• Two new Ordnance items
  
  • EMP Grenade (Disables CCTV & Lasers without triggering alarm)
    
  • Incendiary Grenade (Explodes as Frag Grenade + Creates a wall of flames)
• Further work on in-game character animations (inaccessible in Demo/Alpha)
  
• SFX: Walkie-Talkie reinforcement announcement on detection
  
• Changes to screen effects
  
  • Optimization
    
  • Textured Vignette added to Red Flash (Taking Damage)
    
  • White Flash (from explosions and flash grenade) shading mode changed from Normal to ADD
• Revised and updated visuals for guns
  
  • AH-9 Ripper (AA-12)
• QoL: Ordnance index automatically skips empty selection
  
• More data for Contextual UI
  
• Drone instructions
  
• Mission 2: Linked areas: 11_quarters & 7_tsa; wide shaft, carries over X position
  
• Mission 2: Positioned main elevator unit to upper floor when player enters from 11_quarters (LVL2_desertia12_base_logistics)
  
• Rewired Drone Stun Input from Right Mouse to Left Mouse, and Gamepad alternative
  
• Adaptations to Dust VFX; Glass Shards
  
• Breakable Windows (Early Prototype)
  
• Bugfix: Ledge Grab-offset while loading last save
  
• Bugfix: Player Input turned off when entering water while consuming health item
  
• Corrected title screen credentials 2023 to 2024

I finally figured out (thanks to some fantastic player feedback) how to utilize the Rolodex in a meaningful way. I have added names and information about each team member. You now have to choose which team members to send. The specialists will also appear hear, and they will be limited to one per type of aberration per day. So if you send a vampire specialist and he gets killed by a Wendigo, you will have to wait until the next day to send another one...



Currently using the mouse wheel to scroll up and down through the cards ... I will also probably add navigation buttons of some kind.

If you notice, the green color has been modified from the previous build (see in the store page screenshots) and it is a bit softer to look at and hopefully easier on people's eyes. I'm not 100% settled on the color, but I think it is getting closer.

I made a small dungeon crawler for the Dungeon Crawler Jam 2024. In it I tried to go for the same visual aesthetic, to see the reactions.

Overall, feedback has been positive, but having the stark green against black was troubling some players. This prompted me to adopt the softer light green against darker green approach. You can watch a video of that game here: https://youtu.be/c9U9Z6Y0BNA?si=B3wbM6Y8LazrXxh8

Unleash the beast within with the $19.99 Blanka Pack! This pack is loaded with electrifying content, from the Blanka Ducky and his home stage Cardback, the Amazon River Basin, experience Blanka in all his glory. Plus, equip his legendary Manacles and oni-inspired Mask, and make an entrance with his Electric Thunder Entrance/Exit Effects. Finally, unleash the beast within as you wield Blanka’s Fists to slash through the air. And don’t forget, you’ll also be topped up with 300k Chips to ramp up your game.



Command the battlefield with M. Bison’s $19.99 Pack. Arm yourself with the M. Bison Ducky, his Peaked Cap, M. Bison Epaulettes, and the menacing Shadaloo Badge. Equip M. Bison’s Cardback, displaying his Temple Hideout home stage, and Psycho Crush your way onto the tables with M. Bison’s Entrance/Exit Effects. Finally, embrace the Psycho Power by clenching your fists with M. Bison’s Gauntlets equipped. All this, plus 300k Chips added to the mix!



M. Bison clashes with Blanka in the next round of the Street Fighter VS Challenge, this Friday, April 5th. The stakes are higher than ever with brand-new Champion Belts awarded to the top 10 players on the winning team! We’ve also simplified the rules for everyone. Earning points for your team now requires wearing only one piece of your chosen fighter’s apparel - making every match count towards clinching the win for your side. Note: both fighter’s Alternate Color Pack prizes will not be sold immediately after this leaderboard event ends. Choose your fighter and fight it out for exclusive rewards!


- NEW M. Bison Pack!
- NEW Blanka Pack!
- Street Fighter VS Challenge: Round 2!
- The Craps Pack is back!
- Upcoming Event Content
- Upcoming Store Content

- Fixed ability to filter tables to friends only.
- Fixed instances of VOIP not working on PC platforms.
- Fixed folded cards not being shown on the Watch UI.
- Fixed Filter options not being saved in the Watch UI.
- Fixed drop-down menu for Sit & Go getting obscured by table listings.
- Fixed Royal Flush necklaces being reversed when equipped.
- Fixed inability to redeem Sportsbook tickets if self-excluded from Sports.
- UI Social page now shows green/grey markers for online status.
- Fixed ability to identify game lobbies that include friends.
- Added store refresh timer to new UI
- Your stash will now remember which page you were on last.
- Improved visual quality of the Avatar Preview.
- Various other UI improvements and fixes.
- Multiple Slot Machine visual fixes.
- Various other fixes

- Our team is actively investigating and addressing known MTT issues. We encourage you to continue to report any issues to the Vegas Infinite Support Center. Your insights and feedback are invaluable to us, and we’re committed to delivering the best possible experience for our players.
- We’re continuing to enhance our watch UI with new features and fixes in upcoming releases. Club profile borders will also be making a return in an upcoming patch.
- Apparel items are currently being mirrored when applied.

• Adjusted shield positions
• Added info screen at start of arenas with brief description of the arena
• Combat arenas now shoot lasers at you and your opponents when time is up
• Added exploding barrels
• Added upgrade that auto collects mined items. Sold by Roland
• Added fire sword. As with most things, Roland has a chance to sell the recipe
• Armor upgrade table is now just the upgrade table