It's finally here! After six months of hard work, the 2.0.0 update for Slashers has been released. This update includes a refactor of 80% of the code, making it easier for us to continue developing the game and more accurately detect and fix errors.
One of the most exciting new features is the completely redesigned interface, which includes a feature that allows players to view a list of other players in the game and their connection quality. We've also introduced a brand new feature called the newspaper, which would replace the regular diary and includes information about the current murderer, collectables, tasks, map history, and keys.
In addition to these updates, players can now create public games and specify the region in which they will be played, as well as the maximum number of players allowed. For new players, there's a tutorial to help them learn the ropes, and for everyone, there are map and character changes to keep things interesting.
Last but not least, the game has been fully migrated to Unreal Engine 5, bringing improved graphics and performance. We hope you enjoy all the new features and improvements in the 2.0.0 update.
Happy gaming!
In this update, we have added new features:
- Refactor
- New interface
- Newspaper
- Public games
- Tutorial
- Map changes
- Character changes
- Full migration to Unreal Engine 5
New interface
The new interface has made Slashers look like a completely different game. Here are some of the improvements compared to version 1.1.5.
TAB
We have included a feature that allows users to view a list of the players currently in their game, along with an indication of their connection quality (referred to as 'ping'). This allows users to easily see the members of their party and check the stability of their connection to each player."
Ping refers to the time it takes for a small data packet to be sent from a device and received by a server, and is often used as a measure of connection quality in online games. A lower ping value generally indicates a better connection, while a higher ping value can indicate a slower or more unstable connection.
Newspaper
Notes can no longer be read, brackets can no longer be viewed with the K key, and the current task is no longer visible on the HUD.
From now on, keys, tasks, map history, and many other things can be accessed through the newspaper using the default N key.
We wanted to create a newspaper instead of the usual diary to represent various elements of the game and the classic mode. Now there will always be information about the current murderer, the collectible and necessary fragments to complete the level, a "TO-DO" list to see the tasks you need to complete and those you have already finished (you will always see the next two tasks and not all of them), and the locksmith (located in the last photo) shows what keys you have (based on the keys you picked up for the first time).
The survivor testimonies are a small section that tells the story of each survivor. In the future, there will be more survivors and they will also have their own stories.
In the map section, you will find information about the place, its history, and the decline of the location.
Finally, there is an area that is not yet available called "More missing people." Those who have played Slashers before will know about the lost posters scattered throughout the game. In this case, we want to develop a feature that allows players to collect all of the individual lost posters (60 in total). Once all of them are collected, there will be an achievement. In the "More missing people" section, you can see the number of posters you have collected and how many you have left.
Public games
It is now possible to create public games and specify the region in which the game will be played, as well as the maximum number of players allowed. However, once the game has begun, it will not be possible for any additional users to join.
Additionally, the "Play now" menu allows for quicker access to the game and allows for the option to play alone or with others. If playing alone, the user will be able to choose the map, character, and start the game in a private lobby. If choosing to play with others, the game will search for any available games.
There is also a ban system in place for both the lobby and the in-game chat, in the event that an unpleasant user is present in the game.
To clarify, the "Friends only" mode will allow only the user's Steam friends to join their game, and the game will not appear in the server list when searched for by other users.
Tutorial
The tutorial is intended for those people who are new to the game or find it difficult to understand how it works.
The tutorial is designed to provide a clear and comprehensive explanation of the game's mechanics and features. It is intended to help users learn how the game works in a fast and straightforward manner.
The tutorial covers a range of topics, including:
- Retrieving items from the floor or shelves.
- Being caught by the clown and rescuing others from the clown.
- The jail system.
- Among others
By following the tutorial, users will gain a thorough understanding of these and other aspects of the game.
Map changes
Several modifications have been made to the Lobby and Little Circus map. The Lobby now includes more foliage, as shown in the previous photograph.
In addition, players can now use the map selector to switch between maps on certain map (*ignore Bryan)
We have returned to the initial phase of the Clowny character, where he is hanging from the main tree in the Circus map. When the power is turned on, he will wake up (some of you may remember this from the first version of Circus). In the previous version, Clowny was awake in his area.
We attempted to add a day map, but we had to remove it at the last minute due to poor performance.
Other changes include the addition of new scares and sounds, the expansion of foliage throughout the entire map, and the modification of the steps to be more realistic in relation to the ground surface.
Character changes
The characters in the photos have been altered using Unreal Engine's metahuman technology. In addition, we have modified the level of detail (LOD) settings to optimize performance. These changes are evident in the final product."
Metahuman technology is a tool within Unreal Engine, a software platform for creating 3D graphics, that allows users to generate realistic human characters and animations. The level of detail (LOD) refers to the complexity of an object or character in a 3D environment. LOD settings can be adjusted to optimize performance, meaning that the graphics will run smoothly without causing strain on the computer's processing power.
Kira
Selma
Luke
Bryan
The characters in the game have varying heights, which affects the perspective and viewpoint of the character in the game. For example, Kira, who is shorter in height compared to Luke, will have a different camera angle and view during gameplay.
The difference in height between the characters will also impact the way they move and interact within the game world. This can change the gameplay mechanics and the strategies that players need to use when controlling each character.
Full migration to Unreal Engine 5
We are pleased to announce that we have successfully completed the full migration to Unreal Engine 5. This was not an easy task, and we encountered various challenges along the way, but we are pleased to have finally achieved it.
Migrating to Unreal Engine 5 brings a number of benefits to the game. Unreal Engine 5 provides a range of new tools and features that allow for improved graphics and visual effects, more realistic physics and simulations, and better performance on a wide range of hardware.
As a result of the migration, you may notice that the game is now 4.42GB larger. This is due to the improved graphics and visual effects of Unreal Engine 5, which require more storage space. The improved graphics may also result in higher system requirements for the game, as it may require more processing power and memory to run smoothly.
To address potential performance issues, we have also added DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology to the game. DLSS is available for NVIDIA RTX graphics cards and uses artificial intelligence to process and render images, improving performance and allowing the game to run smoothly on a wider range of hardware.
We hope that these changes will enhance your gaming experience and look forward to your feedback on the updated game. Thank you for your patience and understanding during the migration process.
Other details
We are excited to share that there have been a number of updates and improvements to the game, including the addition of player names above their characters, changes to the flashlight brightness and the sanity system, improvements to the sound quality, and modifications to the user interface. These updates have been made possible by the full migration to Unreal Engine 5, and we hope that they will enhance your gaming experience.
In particular, the flashlight now shines with less intensity, the fragments now have progress bars to track your progress, the sanity system is more prominent and takes less time to activate, and the sound has been enhanced thanks to Unreal Engine 5. The user interface has also been modified, including the addition of a spectator mode and a small frame to allow you to press E and exit cells.
Trello
The Trello board can still be accessed by anyone, but we no longer publicly share updates on our progress since we switched to working internally. However, we typically keep the Discord dev channel active for communication.
Issues we know
We want to let our users know that we are aware of the following issues and are working hard to fix them or find a workaround as soon as possible. Please note that these errors only affect a small number of users in specific edge cases, and are largely related to the early development stage of Unreal Engine 5.
- If a user has a mask and leaves the game, the mask may not be dropped and may disappear.
- There is a strange effect when a user is released from a cell (they go to the cell and come back).
- It may not be possible to turn on a generator when it has 2% remaining, and gasoline may need to be picked up.
- Some titles and texts may appear outside of their designated boxes in certain interfaces for certain languages.
- When a user hits someone, the animation may not be a sequence and may quickly return to its original position, almost like a teleport.
- In the tutorial, when a user hits a clown carrying Bryan, Bryan may still be on the ground.
- In the tutorial, when a user releases a bot, everything may work correctly except for the bot not being taken out of the cell.
- It is currently not possible to mute other players.
- When a user collects all of the collectables, they may not receive the achievement.
- Clowny may not chase a user when they talk (this may be a problem with Unreal Engine 5.1).
- Settings may not be saved when a user re-enters the game.
- A user may be able to see their own tag above their character.
We would also like to acknowledge that we are a small indie development team of just two people. Despite this, we are committed to providing the best experience possible for our users and appreciate your patience as we work to resolve these issues.
If you encounter an error that is not listed here, please do not hesitate to report it to us on our Discord server. Your help in identifying and bringing these issues to our attention is greatly appreciated, and we are grateful for your support.
Upcoming developments.
- Xmas Event (only a map).
- Add animations to all actions that require progress, including when clowny interacts with gates or the generator.
- TP system for enemies (to make them travel the map more quickly).
- Restart game button in the menu.
- Animation system for sanity (instead of static elements).
- Add a free camera to the spectator mode.
- Add (again) that clowny follows footsteps when they are heard.
- Create a town map.
- Many other goals that we are still keeping secret :D
Thank you very much for continuing to wait 🙏
We are very grateful for your patience and we will continue to update our game to achieve our proposed goal 🎯
Thanks again from the HeadArrow team! 🙌
