Hello everyone!
Welcome to another Development Update on the changes we are implementing for Warsaw: Homecoming.
Before we begin, please consider joining our official Discord channel, which has a shiny brand-new section dedicated to Warsaw. If you feel an urge to discuss (or contest!) any of the following design choices directly with us devs, then you can do so there.
Now, today we're going to be taking an in-depth look at some of the changes planned for our battle system. As we have previously discussed last month the plan is to significantly up the tempo, remove the awkward pauses, increase lethality, and streamline some of the mechanics. Let's see how we're proposing to do that:
Changes TL:DR;
- New lane system with a single, long lane
- New cover system (with heavy and light variants)
- New activation system with individual action points
- New range system
- Streamlined ammunition
- Revamped UI
So, firstly, we are removing the two lane (4x2) system from the game. We anticipate that this decision might prove controversial for some of you, but we strongly believe that this is the correct way forward. When we started creating Warsaw we had two possible plans in mind: either a single lane, or a 3x3 grid. The 4x2 arrangement we ended up with was a bad compromise, and while it has some benefits, it also brings a lot of problems.
The new single lane will be 6 spots wide on each side, and it will not collapse in on itself when there is an empty spot available. This will allow us to retain tactical movement (such as that which we had in the original game) while also introducing big improvements. It will allow us to create a better combatant UI, more intuitive skill ranges, and generally a better visual arrangement of elements on the screen.
Cover will work in a different way in Homecoming. The barricades will now become a part of a cell (or a cell modifier, if you will), rather than taking up their own place. They will be split into two categories: heavy and light, each with distinct bonuses. In addition, the penalty of getting shot while out of cover will be much harsher, increasing the importance of keeping your head low.
Activation points are now individual instead of being shared. Each character will be able to store up to 3 AP, and will regenerate 2 AP each round. Actions mostly cost 1 AP, which means you'll be able to perform more than one action in an activation. However, some (usually destructive) skills or manoeuvres can cost more... leading to some interesting choices.
The range system has been completely revamped. Range will be relative to the position the character is standing in. For example, you may have a pistol skill with range 1, which can only be used from the first spot. Meanwhile, a weapon with range 2 can hit up to two spaces forward, so you can either shoot at the second enemy from the first spot, or shoot at the first enemy from the second spot (and so on). All of the usual features (like area of effect and minimal ranges) remain.
Ammunition is being streamlined into a single, unified resource. Ultimately, we decided that the split into three types didn't produce anything meaningful enough to justify its inclusion, and the same effect can be achieved by scaling the amount of ammo you have to use accordingly. The new system will be more readable and easier to understand. Less inventory mess too!
Finally, we will be completely reorganising the UI. Important character information such as health, AP, debuffs, etc, will be now displayed next to the character. This will allow for a little more breathing space at the sides of the screen, and the challenges will be integrated at the top instead of sitting awkwardly in the middle. We are also looking at improving the bottom section of the battle UI thanks to the new ammunition system, but we are not ready to share any of the visuals yet.
Well, that's it for this month, folks! We very much look forward to hearing your feedback on the proposed changes. Let us know what you think, either in the comments here, or on our Discord!