Hello Ectypes!
Here comes Dev Stream Highlights - Major Update.
The session was soooo co-op chaos fun and action packed - playing with Special Guest: YouTube Creator - CAPTAIN JACK !
Q&A - Community questions
We answered lots of questions from the chat, both on Update 5 feedback and how we are addressing, aaaand what other stuff we are cooking for the next exciting Update.
We've compiled a Highlights video, summing up answers to much of the feedback and questions.
Go waaaaatch... if you are curious about…
- Endless Mode and shorter runs, how are we addressing ?
- Rewarding players who leave the session before it ends
- Alloy Auto-recycling
- Solo Improvements
- Ship System Upgrader no longer requiring a perk to be crafted
- Improvements to the Grappling Hook - ...carryables
- Fabricator Tiers and Crafting Improvements
- 8-player ships and mods
...listen in on Laurids (Lead Game Designer, Partner) and Javier (Game Engineer, Partner) give their answers and perspectives!
If you want to hear all the answers - we've also updated the video description of the full VOD:
Dev Stream #13 - With Chapters >>
Make sure to check out the video !
If you prefer to read the answerw, below we'we added a written version of answers from the stream.
Endless Mode and shorter runs, how are we addressing ?
Before Update 5, we considered a lot internally. We were aware that moving to only-endless could feel annoying for some players, for good reason.
...further, we have discovered unintended shortcomings in the implementation, that we are working on implementing. These changes we believe will improve the experience, especially for those liking to play shorter runs.
[Laurids - Lead Game Designer]: The short story... we agree the game is not as rewarding as it was prior to the short runs being changed. Because we wanted to set the milestones that you need to achieve in the Pilgrimage, around actually beating the Bosses and getting through more than just the initial set of objectives.
But... for the next update, we're revisiting how we hand out rewards, to make sure that you will also be rewarded for playing shorter sessions.
Overall - We are committed to the endless runs, as that was the vision for the game from the beginning. It was what we wanted to do with the game.
We were trying out objectives early on,
...but we fully recognized that players would like to just be able to play for 30 minutes and feel like they came away with something which is both ranking up and XP - also actually getting that dopamine rush of opening a few boxes and seeing if anything good was in there.
Rewarding players who leave the session before it ends
[Laurids - Lead Game Designer]: It is actually not intended that the objectives don't pay out the rewards at the moment of completion.
The current way objectives work is that if you're there when the objective completes, that doesn't super matter. It's only if you're there at the end of the session.
So we're moving that point back.
Meaning, if you're there, when the objective completes, you get the reward for doing so.
It'll still be presented on the tally screen, but the tally screen, it's just a tally of stuff that you've managed to achieve during the run.
We agree - There's no reason that you should be cut out of getting your rewards because you had to leave early. So when you see it pop up, you're going to get it.
NB!
The only thing that you're missing out on, of course, is that we still have some completion bonuses.
And if you're not there when the run completes, you're not going to get the bonus.
But I mean, people probably gonna blow up anyways, in which case the bonus would have been forfeit.
Spoiler Altert
[Javier]: And spoiler alert, we will bring more rewards, early on in the run.
So, actually having completed two objectives will actually feel very rewarding.
Alloy Auto-recycling
Another new thing we are bringing in the next update: Auto-recycling in Fabricator
[Laurids - Lead Game Designer]: Yes. I mean, this was such a good idea from the modding community. Players are already doing this through mods.
But, in next Update we are adding upgrade steps to the Fabricator, which will give you access to better stuff without increasing the cost.
If you paid the upfront cost of upgrading the Fabricator, of course.
This also makes the Fabricator faster and adds the Auto-Recycle function for Alloys.
Solo Improvements
[Javier]: We just looted an Auto-Turret (B.R.A.I.N.), but an energy variant!
This is new for Update 5, and one of the new Solo improvements/ or Duo improvements.
...the one you can see is released in the game right now. It deals energy damage so that you can better deal with the shields.
Besides this, we also added the powerful Solo-only BRAIN-buffing Relic.
... in addition, we have many other things cooking on Solo improvements for the next Update:
- Improving Solo balancing,
- improve one of the biggest annoyances for Solo (Ship Maintenance) - and indirectly buff it, by giving you the option to craft any weapon... including more BRAIN Turrets!
As we are a small indie Studio, it is hard to do everything we want to do.
But... we want to do more for Solo (although still being co-op first). We want to make the game fun and playable also for solo. ...more specifics to follow...later...
Ship System Upgrader no longer requiring a perk to be crafted
[Javier]: In the current update, Engineers get access to a Perk allowing to buy the Upgrades.
With the next Update, we are moving that out of the Perks, to make every class be able to do it without having to invest perk points.
We believe this will make the game better to play
- when you are in the early levels
- and also to make it better to play Solo
...more specifics on next Update later.
Improvements to the Grappling Hook - ...carryables
[Javier]: For the next Update, we’re working on a Supreme Cersion of the Grappling Hook - the one that you unlock as a last Perk in the Perk tree.
It will be able to pull Carriables (items) to you. I can tell you already...it's so fun. I made the prorotype :)
...buuuut we’re not going to allow pulling another players - because it would be too prone to griefing, so we’ll be not doing that. It’d also be a bit awkward and the physics would probably not like it.
… but we will be doing that with items. We will post sneak peek soon on our Discord.
Fabricator Tiers and Crafting Improvements
[Javier]: Laurids, now you having to craft Mark I Bullet Crates
[Laurids]: Yeah and I hate it so much! Haha...
[Javier]: In the next update, when we have the Fabricator Tiers, you will be able for sure to craft better ones, right?
[Laurids]: Stuff like the weapon mods, which will be available to everyone, and also the Bullet Crates and the Power Cells will UP in tier, as you upgrade the Fabricator.
So without the cost increasing, you’ll be able to make the better versions of these.
It was always a little bit awkward in the existing design, but it feels much better now with the upgradeable Fabricator.
8-player ships and mods
[Javier]: We dont have plans on allowing more players than 4 in the game. We are a small Indie Studio, and we have to prioritize and pick our battles.
But... something I want to talk about this, is modding in Void Crew!
We have a great modding Community, that does some really cool stuff. Shoutout to our modders !
For that reason, In Update 5 we introduced guidelines to make it better for both modders and those players wanting to play without mods.
Our modding community has responded well to that them, something we really appreciate.
Now they are working on completely adapted all the mods to those new guidelines.
One of the mods is actually playing 8-players!
So...it is actually possible to play 8-players in Void Crew, if you use mods, which again - is now officially supported.
Highlights of the Major Update:
- Challenging Boss Fights
- Powerful Relics
- Blaming Emotes (sooo much fun...)
- Solo improvements
- QoL bugfixes and more...
And of course, join our Discord to interact with the community and with the team, see some sneak peeks, and more!
Metem preserve you!
May you be blessed with Sacred Relics and exciting Bosses.
Hutlihut Games Crew