Jul 2

Black Vultures: Prey of Greed - CM | TOQUI

Hello, Vultures!

Today, we’re taking a closer look at the battleground for Cargo Rush. Nestled deep behind the frontlines, this forgotten Eastern European town has become the backdrop for a high-stakes mission that no faction can afford to lose.

Let us take you inside SNAFU.

The Forgotten Town of Vozneansk

While tracking a missing gold transport unit, a Vultures recon team discovered signs of the lost cargo in Vozneansk, a crumbling outpost left behind in the chaos of war. As the main Vultures prepared to move in, reports came in that two other armed groups were also converging on the city.

The Vultures command believes these to be black ops teams from Luthezia and Antiviyane, both likely after the same cargo. With time running out, the Vultures move first, setting the stage for a confrontation that would decide who gets to claim the glory.

Though the full operation remains under wraps, our latest gameplay footage offers a glimpse into the desolate streets of Vozneansk and the battles to come.

The Wounds of War

SNAFU is a map designed with layers of history and tension, reflecting a town caught in the middle of a prolonged war. Its broken structures and deserted streets hold stories of survival, conflict, and loss.

At the center stands a towering sniper post, a makeshift structure that commands sightlines across the map. Inspired by a real-world stronghold where a lone marksman changed the tide of battle, this tower symbolizes the battles that once raged here and the ones still to come.

Three Distinct Combat Zones

SNAFU is divided into three areas, each offering different tactical opportunities and combat scenarios:

Zone A - Commercial District

Once the bustling heart of the town, this area is filled with small shops, cafés, and a grand hotel. Though battle damage is visible, the layout remains rich with cover and flanking routes. Narrow alleys and broken interiors create the perfect space for ambushes and close-range skirmishes.

Zone B - Residential District and Refugee Camp

The quiet remnants of daily life still linger here. Shattered furniture and old toys paint a picture of a life interrupted. Just beyond the homes lies a makeshift refugee camp, a stark reminder of the civilians who once fled for safety. This zone adds emotional weight to the environment and encourages slower, more methodical movement.

Zone C - Industrial District

A dense factory zone that once powered the town’s economy. Tall stacks of containers and scattered materials create a dynamic space for vertical and horizontal play. Be sure to make full use of elevation and cover to control this area.

SNAFU tells its story through silence, scars, and the battles yet to unfold. A place where scorched buildings, rusted barricades, and narrow paths offer countless ways to outmaneuver your enemy.

We’re looking forward to seeing how you fight, adapt, and make your mark inside its walls.

▸ The THISMEANSWAR Dev Team

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3622280/Black_Vultures_Prey_of_Greed/Black Vultures Official Discord

Jul 2

[Game Update] - 677228

Oxygen Not Included - KING LEAD HAT

Changes and Improvements

All versions
- Pokeshell molt pickupables now change their visuals depending on their mass.
- Database search now also searches entry titles and categories for a match. All sub-entries of a matched title or category are also considered matched.
- Database search speed optimizations.
- Updated Chinese, Korean, and Russian localizations.
The Prehistoric Planet Pack
- Improved Demolior victory sequence sound and visuals.
- Adjustments to Demolior damage feedback visuals.
- Prehistoric asteroids will now try to avoid placing story traits in the Demolior impact zone.
- Lumbs now periodically do a roar emote.
Blueprints
- The Prehistoric Massage Table and Inflatable Massage Table blueprints now share a new interact animation.

Fixes

All versions
- Fixed a visual glitch in the Sandstone Biome Database icon.
- Fixed a bug where an element chunk merging with another could cause the wrong animation size to show up.
The Bionic Booster Pack
- Fixed a bug preventing the Supply Teleporter and Payload Opener solid conduits from dispensing Gear Balm.
- Fixed Flydos not requesting a new power bank when they're running low.
The Prehistoric Planet Pack
- Fixed an issue where Rhexes would only emote a limited number of times per play session.
- Adjustments to Jawbo navigation to prevent accidental entombment and unexpected temperature damage.
- Fixed an issue causing Jawbos to get stuck at the Fish Release.
- Fixed a bug where critters dropping from a Critter Cargo Bay were not selectable until save load.
- Fixed a bug causing the onset of Jawbo's hunger to be delayed, making them difficult to tame.

Jul 2

Development Stories - Who is the Originator?

Path of Exile - CommunityTeam_GGG

The world building and lore introduced in Secrets of the Atlas has set us up for expansions to come! We asked our Audio and Narrative Director Kane, to delve into some of the intricacies of piecing all of its components together.

Hello! Kane here. You may know me previously as the Audio Lead at GGG… Well I’m still one of those, but now also narrative falls under my wheelhouse. I often pinch myself as a reminder that I’m not dreaming because this is quite literally a dream combination of things I love… and let me tell you, it brings me a great deal of joy! Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. Secrets of the Atlas. I should mention upfront, if you want to experience Secrets of the Atlas without spoilers, perhaps don’t read this. It is a bit tricky to discuss its narrative development without going into at least some of the details. As is the case these days, Mark (Neon) and I began with some bullet points for the basic narrative of what we’d be working towards. For Secrets of the Atlas, those were something along the lines of:

Zana.
… Brother?!
…… THREE SHAPER-ESQUE BOSSES?! OMG!

After those initial conversations, I knew we were off to a strong start and I was hyped to get started and piece together the dialogue and events for the narrative design. The initial premise here was to uncover what Zana has been doing since we lost track of her in the Atlas. That expanded into three main components to the expansion's story, with Zana’s plight at the core of it all.

The first component: Eagon

Introducing Eagon, a mysterious fellow claiming to be Zana’s brother, gave us a lot of interesting angles to explore Zana’s mission from. Like us veteran Exiles, he knows a lot about Zana and feels a connection to her, yet she is essentially a stranger to him. He believes that she simply must have all the answers to his burning questions about his heritage… and yet life is never so simple. He has spent his life trying to uncover and realize who he is and perhaps, why he is.

Working towards unraveling who Eagon is and helping him try to piece things together makes him quite relatable as a person. Despite his rather pompous sense of entitlement (we are all flawed), he just wants to understand who he is, his place in the world and to save who he believes to be his sister.

The Voice of Eagon

When casting this character, I knew we needed a voice actor who could fully embody Eagon’s unique personality and portray it correctly. One audition immediately stuck out as the right fit. Leon Wadham brought Eagon to life in a perfect way.

The second component: Zana

Interestingly for this expansion, Zana doesn’t exactly occupy screen-time a great deal. It is what she has created that we are able to explore, and trying to understand why she has done so is what drives the story forward. Eagon discovers that Zana has been experimenting with the Atlas and manifesting memories, and even ideas, into reality. But why?

We are able to see what has mattered most to her, in the very areas we traverse and the figures we fight. In many ways, this exposure to Zana is more effective than even talking to her directly.
Her memory threads are split into 3 groups of paired themes, based on Loneliness and Neglect, Trauma and Fear, and Reverence and Dread.

Loneliness and Neglect

This is first touched on by encountering a form of Sirus at a time unfamiliar to us, exploring the deeper part of their connection and her regrets with what became of a relationship she neglected.

Once we defeat this part of the thread, we can enter the ‘Moment of Loneliness’ where we witness Zana as a child, trying and failing, to get her father’s attention. This moment then transforms into the ‘Incarnation of Neglect’, where a permutation of her father is presented as a monstrous creation that we must overcome on her behalf.

Trauma and Fear

These themes are explored by her residual trauma from the Templars and how they treated her and her father, exemplified by the fight with the Cardinal of Fear.

This allows us entry into the ‘Moment of Trauma’ where we witness young Zana making her father quite cross. This moment then becomes the ‘Incarnation of Fear’, a frightening imagining of someone her father never truly was.

Reverence and Dread

This theme is shown in the form of Innocence, a God, taking the main stage as a revered but deceitful figure - yet another whose promises are to be broken. This thread line shows that even with good intentions, the grip of power can subvert even divine motivations.

After beating this form of Innocence, we can enter the ‘Moment of Reverence’ where we witness child Zana watching her father deliver a speech in Oriath. This moment is then reshaped into the ‘Incarnation of Dread’, showing just how much her fathers notoriety and influence affected her.

The Voice of Zana

Zana is back, baby! It was fantastic to have Katherine Kennard back to reprise her role, and she did so quite effortlessly. It is quite amazing how actors can return to a role after some time and immediately lock-in and become the character again.

The third component: Valdo

At the core of Zana’s plight is her father, as it has always been. But what do those memories mean to Zana? Moments that mean little to grown adults, but leave a permanent imprint on a child. Eagon construes these moments as mutations by the Atlas, overblown realisations of a child's memories - but are they? Or is this intentional on Zana’s behalf? And why? Good questions!

The Voice of Valdo

That deep and rich presence and voice… Daryl Habraken returns, but not exactly as The Shaper. This time, we hear a little more from Zana’s father, rather than who he became.

Who is the Originator?

Finally, at the end of this part of the story, we learn part of Zana’s true ambitions. We learn that Eagon’s situation remains further complicated. And most importantly: we learn that we have more to learn. And I for one, cannot wait to unravel these threads even further.

Hang on… who is the Originator again? It is Zana, right? Hmm…

Until next time, friends!

Jul 2

Year 10

Wooden Ocean - leif.ian.anderson

7/2/2025

10.0 Year 10

New Features:

Curative Forest is now in. (located

west of nameless)

Lost Island is now in. (located south

of frozen ocean)

Increased max level of Ghost Town Mines

from 11 to 15. (new dungeon at 11)

(talent crystal moved from 11 to 15)

Added 100 rare or unique weapons and

armor.

Added 1 tech door to South West Katis.

Added 2 tech doors to Northern Mines.

Added 8 new talents:

Ancient Guidance:

+1 Art Level

Art Level Added to Tech Doors

Excavator:

Triples Mining Speed

Doubles Mining Income

Self Reliant:

+25% Health and Recovery

-20% Summoning

Summoner:

+25% Summoning

Craftsman:

-75% Tool Cost for Engineering

-75% Tool Cost for Construction

Arcane Locksmith:

Triples Tech Level for Tech Doors

Advanced Mathematics:

Doubles Research and Engineering Speed

Tinkerer:

+1 Engineering Level

Engineering Level Added to Tech Doors

Balancing:

Halved weight of status formula. (easier

to apply debuffs to stronger targets)

Slightly reduced base damage of bombs.

Moderately reduced base damage of living

bombs.

Each Engineering Level now increases

Construction Speed by 10%. (this

additive increase is multiplicative to

the bonus from science level and

construction tools)

Misc:

Expanded Poetry of Blood 24.

Fixed Hunting Contract 6 from existing.

Jul 2

Update notes - July 2

Captain Firehawk and the Laser Love Situation - caviardev

Hello guys!

We’re still hard at work on Captain Firehawk, our very first title, and the one we’ve always dreamed of creating. We're fully committed and won’t give up on it! 💛

Right now, we’re focusing on key systems to ensure a solid and consistent experience. We're also constantly listening to our amazing community and doing everything we can to improve the game.

Thank you all for your continued support!

Release Notes:

Version update

Improved controller support

Preventive fixes for save system bugs

Preventive fixes for Steam integration bugs

Object tracking bug fixes

General performance improvements

Minor asset updates.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2054690/Captain_Firehawk_and_the_Laser_Love_Situation/