Hello all. Tonight DOGMAN 1.0.7 has been released. 1.0.7 is DOGMAN's biggest update yet, so lets dive right in and see what's new.
First off, DOGMAN has received a brand new map: Highway 22. Highway 22 is a swampy bayou landscape that runs through southern Louisiana. While this is a day time map, you will be navigating through thick fog and dirty swamp water. Highway 22 is unlike the other DOGMAN maps in multiple ways. So lets take a look at what has changed!
First off, you're not looking for missing people in Highway 22. Your car has broken down, and you need to get a radio working
to get back to civilization. There are 8 parts within the swamp, and you need 7 of them.
The issue however, is that you're being hunted. The Dogmen of Highway 22 are strange creatures, but savage nonetheless. The Swamp Dogmen are blind, and cannot see an inch in front of them. Don't let this setback decieve you though, with heightened hearing, and quiet footsteps, these Dogmen are more than capable killers. If you hear ragged breathing in the swamp, stop moving immediately. Moving while a Dogman is within hearing range will be almost sure to get you killed. You can still hide from these Dogmen, but beware, they're capable of extremely fast speeds. To change things up a little bit, Highway 22 has a dynamic amount of Dogmen. This means you can play the map with a minimum of 3 Dogmen, but can also have a maximum of 7. This is all dependent on where you go within the map. When another Dogman enters the area, you will hear an eerie sound cue to let you know trouble has arrived. Lastly, grass foliage actors have been reduced from the norm to allow for better framerate, and may be adjusted based on player feedback.
Next up, DOGMAN has received it's first ever "Map Introduction".
Highway 22 has a brief, yet intense playable cinematic introduction to help
the player understand the context a little more. If feedback is positive on this addition, more may be added.
Another BIG change that has come in DOGMAN 1.0.7 is a brand new "How To Play" guide.
The "How To Play" button was released in 1.0.6, but only had a brief overview of the game. The new and much improved version will give players an overview of objectives, controls, types of Dogmen they'll be dealing with, things to keep an eye out for, and a little extra information to give players an edge. A Community Page button has also been added within the "How to play" guide to bring players to the steam community pages to learn more about the ongoing development of DOGMAN, news, and sneak peaks on upcoming features.
DOGMAN has received some negative feedback in the recent weeks, and this feedback was taken seriously and appropriate changes have been made, and are being worked on currently. Here are some things I felt that needed be immediately taken care of:
"Gameplay is complemented by an absolutely empty area, lonely houses in which there is nothing but trees growing through them."
The last thing I want for my game is "Unremarkable gameplay" and empty areas. This feedback was correct however. When DOGMAN released, the maps were very empty and not too remarkable. Since then, I have made cabins explorable, created item pickups, park maps, and easter eggs to be found. Deer, and Fox AI has been added to the maps as well to add a little more life to the game.
With Highway 22, the absolute last thing I wanted was "Empty Areas". You will find a higher amount of structures and interesting locations in Highway 22, as well as more fine details such as fireflies or references to other DOGMAN locations. You may even find some clues of an individual who caught onto the horror that dwelled in the swamp.
"Much to loud noises for example in the main menu or if u found a body"
Sound balance was a big must for DOGMAN 1.0.7, and many changes were made to both music, and sound effects. Volume balancing was also a big priority, and has been addressed in 1.0.7. A functional graphics options menu with a save feature has been added as well as major flashlight changes. (You can read about this in DOGMAN 1.0.6 patch notes.)
Finally, park names have been changed to fit real world locations. (The in-game locations may not be accurate to the real world counterpart, such as a state park in Hopkins Michigan)
DOGMAN 1.0.7 Patch Notes:
- Added New Map Highway 22
- Added Map Introduction Playable Cinematic for Highway 22
- Added Game Version To Main Menu Screen
- Added Extensive How To Play Guide In Main Menu (Updated from 1.0.6's version)
- Changed Main Menu Music
- Increased Number Of Flashlight Batteries on Hopkins State Park
- Re-Added The "Play Again" Button To The Player's Death Screen
- Blueprint Layouts of Amberg Industrial Park Can Now Be Found Throughout The Map
To Help Players Find The Missing Bodies.
- A Threat Level Indicator Has Been Added To Level Loading Screens
- Added New "Find Radio Parts Objective" To Highway 22
- Removed Background Music That Played When All Objectives (Bodies, Radio Parts) Were Found.
- Added Sounds For Main Menu Buttons
Thank you all so much for playing DOGMAN, and I really hope you all like this update. If you have any recommendations, please don't hesitate to let me know! I love hearing from you all, and listening to your ideas. Stay safe in the swamp.
- Daniel, Developer of DOGMAN