Description
Hey all, I know I said we weren’t releasing a patch for a couple of weeks, but we’ve decided to roll out and test what we have at the moment and get some early feedback! Today, we’re bringing you one of the biggest gameplay additions we’ve had to date: The in-match ability store!
Watch our Discord for updates, as we're looking to expand on the work put out this week in the coming weeks!
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The in-match store
We’ve really wanted players to feel like they’re progressing in a match, scaling up in power, while minimising the snowball potential you see in other games as much as possible. As such, we’re implementing our take on in-match currency and a store to spend it. You can find the store either in your base upon respawning, or in one of the ‘contested’ stores in the map itself.
We didn’t want to just go down the route of stat increases and scaling, as the pace and vibe of Super Squad is a lot faster and more zaney, and we wanted to match that. While playing the game, you will earn Shards – our in-match currency – through various means* which you can spend in the store to get class specific conditional passives. These are effectively third and fourth abilities that the player is able to trigger through meeting conditions. We’ve designed the different styles as an aid to help players understand how each class can be played in an effective manner. All of what you're playing today needs polish, balancing, etc, but let us know what you think!
* “Various Means”:
- Kills
- Assists
- Pods Destroys
- Pod Assists
- Keys Collected
- Keys at Missile Activation
- Missile Launches
- Missile Diffuses
Enough rambling though, lets get into specifics:
Damage Passives:
“Kill Shield”
Upon killing an enemy, the Trooper is rewarded with a 150-value shield. This shield is removed after 4s, or when depleted. If another kill is gained within the 4 seconds, then it is added to the remainder and the 4s window is refreshed. Shield is additional to health, so a Trooper can have more 'health' than their total.
“One-Two”
Upon casting an ability, your next basic attack gains an additional 150 damage. The charge lasts for 6 seconds and is consumed on the next basic attack and, once fired, the passive cannot proc again for 12s.
“In-n-Out”
Upon killing an enemy, the Trooper replenishes one of their dodge changes on Cooldown.
“Hunting the weak”
Whenever an enemy withing 30m is taken below 25% health the player’s Trooper gains a 25% movement speed increase as long as the “near death” Trooper is in the area.
Tank Passives:
“Berserker’s Rage”
When the Tank is either dealt 15% of their total HP within 1.5 seconds, or is taken down to 20% max HP or below, they gain 15% increase to damage dealt and 30% reduction to damage taken for 10 seconds. This effect cannot proc for 20 seconds after the initial proc ends.
“Rear Guard”
When out of combat for 5 seconds, gain 15% movement speed increase. This is cancelled either, when this Trooper fires or casts an ability (not dodges), or an enemy Trooper causes any status or health change to the Trooper (damages, CC’s, debuffs, etc.)
“Indignant”
When affected by hard CC, the tank gains 20% damage increase for 6s. This starts when the Tank is initially CC’d, so the actual up time of the damage increase varies. This cannot occur more than once every 10 seconds, and subsequent CC’s do not refresh the duration.
“Mitigate Foes”
When 2 or more enemies are within 15m of the Tank for 5 seconds, gain 12% damage reduction for 10 seconds. Cannot proc more than every 25 seconds.
Healer Passives:
“Battle Medic?”
If all abilities are off cooldown, the Healer’s gun damage is increased by 40%. Using an ability (not including dodges) immediately cancels this effect.
“Emergency Aid”
Every 3rd dodge the Healer performs causes an 5m healing pulse at the end of the dodge distance, giving the Healer and any allies in the explosion a HoT (Heal Over Time) effect; healing 25HP every second for 5 seconds.
“Healing pods”
This ability activates every 100 damage dealt to the enemy troopers. Whenever 100 damage is done, or an enemy is killed, the target drops small healing pods which either team can pick up once dropped on the floor. The healing pods heal whoever picks them up for 50 HP, however, if an enemy picks up the orb they are also slowed by 10% for 1 second. The Pod disappears after 8 seconds if not picked up by either team.
“Stun? what Stun?”
When the healer is hit by hard CC, they are given a 150 shield which lasts for 3 seconds, or until depleted. Once the ability has procced, they cannot gain the shield for 12s.
Support Passives:
“Hold the Line”
When allies are within 15m of the Support for 5 seconds the Support will activate this ability and the 2 closest allies gain a 5% reduction to damage taken and 5% increase to damage dealt for 10 seconds. This cannot occur again within 15 seconds.
“Trail Blazer”
Every 3rd dodge the Support performs leaves a DoT effect on the floor along the dodge distance. This deals 30 damage a second for any enemy effect every 0.5s for 2.5 seconds, and persists on the floor for 5 seconds. Any enemy who is affected by the DoT and re-enters the area has their duration refreshed. This does not have a cooldown, and is only determined by sequential dodges.
“Backline Carry”
Whenever the Support is awarded with an assist, give them 10% Damage increase and 10% movement speed increase for 6 seconds. This effect can stack up to 3 times if an additional assist is awarded in the 6 seconds. If the Passive ends, it cannot proc again for 15 seconds.
Further Work to Come
We do have some more things to add to the store, like the fourth Support Passive, consumables, and some Actives that players will be able to purchase; you can think of these as a third castable ability that are bound by your Class rather than your Trooper.
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New TAB/Scoreboard UI
With the new Passives (and future Actives) coming in, and the work we’re doing on the UI to help people understand how to play the game, we’re revamping the TAB screen. This now houses everyone’s kills/deaths/assists, as well as their Trooper abilities and chosen class Passives. They are also able to be hovered over to get information on how the Trooper’s in the game work, and what choices the players in your game are making.
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In-match UI reinforcement
We’re bringing the first portion of UI changes to help players understand more about the game faster. We’re adding in kill confirmation UI and we’re adding in some sounds to kills to help players know when they’re being a badass. We’re also adding in Ability hover overs, and keys to the abilities themselves to aid in understanding your Trooper faster.
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Bug Fixes:
- Changed the way that sounds are being played; they should now play at full length and dissipate correctly.
- Some background match making fixes, which should help smooth out match making.
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Known Issues:
- If a Trooper is picked in Squad select, you have to deselect them by clicking on them, rather than being able to pick a new Trooper by simply Clicking on them – this is legacy from 2 Trooper control, and will be fixed eventually.
- Sometimes the last tick of damage to a Trooper isn’t displayed properly/does too much damage – we’re looking into this.
- Sometimes when a Trooper has been knocked into a wall, you are unable to shoot them – we’re looking into this.
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Steam Build ID: 6480941
To view this go to Steam > Library > Right Click Super Squad > Properties > Updates
It's at the bottom of the small pop-up window and is a way for you to ensure that you're game is fully updated and able to play in the test.