Hello Runners,
Last week, you joined the community across the globe to participate in the first ever, Runner Weekend. During this event, we welcomed 14550 players, and a total number of 3986 matches were played. As the development team, we want to say thank you for playing and for all of your valuable feedback. It has been well received, and we are taking that feedback seriously and applying it make the game the very best it can be.
But before talking about actions, we’d like to shine some lights on how we designed Nerva Run mode, and all the important decisions that have gone into developing it.
From the beginning, we wanted to create a PvP mode that not only welcomed PvP players, but also appealed to PvE players and more casual PvP players as well. To help create this appeal, we added a couple of systems which would provide more PvE combat experiences, and a luck-based system, as the Exchange Loop where players can roll the dice for random Perks and Mods. Honestly, we weren’t sure how well this would translate to PvP environments, since this has never been seen in PvP-centric games or game modes. After all, it provides a situation where luck could greatly influence who wins at the end, but for more casual players, this also means they have a better shot when facing high-skill PvP players.
While we still believe in this premise, an important issue appears immediately. This system creates some significant down time during matches, causing some parts of the match to be slower and less engaging than we, or the community, would like. So, as we are addressing some further iterations on gunplay, the SYNC system, and other mechanics, we think that it’s important to create a mode which is more focused on the PVP aspects of the gameplay. It needs to be faster, tighter, and more engaging, yet highly tactical. Thus, we are bringing back the “mini” version of the Nerva Run. It has only 2 phases of Harvester Drones, a much smaller map (only a quarter the size of the big map), and only 4 teams in total (which allows for much quicker matchmaking as a result). But don't let the term "mini" fool you. It IS smaller, sure, but that doesn’t mean less action! In fact, the internal playtests we are having already suggest a much more heated battleground, with much higher combat rate between players.
Another thing we are tackling in this version, is reducing the RNG factors of your in-game progression. You're still going to need to collect Radia as you go from loot and Nanos, but you could find more stable ways to improve your weapons and gear. Another big part of reducing the RNG is to entirely remove all the PvE-oriented Runner Mods from Exchange. It’s a big decision, but we think this will let players focus more on their individual skills and less on the game functions that are more random in nature. Simpler is better, especially in this scenario.
Along with the iteration of game mode itself, the team here is also busy tweaking other aspects of the gameplay. Here are a few examples:
First, we are adding an ADS Reloading System. We heard feedback from you guys that, while in ADS view, reloading exits the ADS view automatically, resulting in the removal of the weapon's reticule from the target. In the next version, reloading will NOT automatically exit ADS view. You will still be able to focus on the target while reloading you weapon. However, you still have the choice to manually exit ADS view at anytime. So, if you want to take the time to relocate while reloading, you still have that capability.
Next, we are removing the 2nd revivable stage in PvP. In the CBT and Runner Weekend build, once you were downed, you could still fight back with your pistol as "stage 1". After that, you would enter "stage 2" where you cannot move and shoot anymore, but teammates could still revive you. This sounds great for your own team, but it creates problems for the attacking side, since the 2nd revivable stage has no hit register. This only serves to slow down the pacing of fire fights, since there is an extra step to fully eliminate your target. As of right now, you shoot, you kill, you eliminate, and loot will drop directly from the target. It’s much simpler and tighter.
Finally, regarding SYNC system, some quality of life changes are being made as well. Before, once your Nano was dead, you would need to find a new Prime Nano (or go to the shop) to SYNC a new one. This is not optimal especially for the ending phase of a match where time is everything. Now, you still need to initially tame a Prime Nano to acquire your Companion Nano, but once it’s downed, it will automatically retreat to your arm and start the recovery process. Furthermore, during redeployment of your Runner, your Companion Nano will also be with you, so taming a new one will no longer be necessary. Another big change to the SYNC system also worth noting, is that if you have 2 Core Chips in your possession, you'll be able to just hold a button to switch Companion Nano types on the fly -- it’s easy and simple. So now, when to use which Companion Nano will be key to your team tactics and strategy.
Okay, this letter is getting too long, and still not long enough to address all the changes we are working on, since every piece of feedback from you guys matters to us. The truth is, it’s not only us who is building this game, it’s you guys as well. We believe working with you all -- the community -- is key. Especially for something new and unique, like SYNCED. Runner Weekend taught us a lot, but there's more we can learn from you all. To that end, we are aiming to have similar events in the future -- bringing in new features and changes each time, so you can let us know if we're on the right track.
Again, thanks, Runners. Thank you for believing in us and thank you for believing in SYNCED.
#SYNCED