Hello again!
It's nearing that time again! With Update 3 nearing completion, I am now able to give everyone a more accurate date of when U3 can be expected to hit the experimental branch, as well as exactly what can be expected to be present in both the experimental phase and early access phase.
I am also excited to share a new feature not previously talked about coming post update 3 that will arguably be Vectorio's most ambitious feature to date.
Update 3 - Release Date
Although there's still some work left to be done with engineering, I can say with almost 100% certainty that Update 3 will be out on November 20th. I know I've been bad with release dates in the past, but I am confident that I can have the early access build ready by that time.
In the case there are any unexpected delays, I will make sure to let everyone know as soon as possible. But I don't see the update being postponed any longer then 24 hours at most.
Update 3 - Experimental vs. Early Access
With the release date out of the way, I can now talk about what's going to be and what's not going to be in the experimental phase of Update 3. For your convenience, I've put them in a list format below. Please keep in mind that some of the features may not be fully implemented at first, and will be expanded on throughout Update 3 with help and feedback from the community.
Experimental Features
- Engineering (turret modification)
- Creative mode (refactor branch)
- New research system (essence pumping)
- Fixer drones and new drone options
- New phantom guardian, The Atlas
- Two new enemies and three new turrets
- Balance changes to heat and power
- Possibly early version of Multiplayer
- and More!
Early Access Features
- Multiplayer (via Steam)
- More new buildings / turrets
- Hub super weapon (border growth)
- All experimental features
- and More!
IMPORTANT: Please keep in mind that Update 3 is running on an entirely new setup. I basically scrapped almost the entirety of Update 2's core mechanics, and redid them. So expect the game to feel a bit "different" at first, as it's basically been redone from the ground up.
Turret Labs
Earlier this week, I released a sneak peek of the in-game menu for Update 3. For those of you that have not yet seen it, here's a picture of it below.
Some people spotted out that the modding tab has been replaced with Labs, and so I think now is a good time to talk about what labs is, and how it's gonna be the most ambitious and arguably most important feature Vectorio will have moving forward.
Essentially, Turret Labs (at it's core) is an in-game modding tool. It allows you to create your own buildings using an extensive in-game editor, and then easily add them to the game to create your own unique Vectorio experience. Here's a VERY early screenshot of it below.
At first, the tool will only support creating turrets, but the plan is to eventually expand it to allow for the creation of new buildings, enemies, and guardians. The goal is to allow for anyone to create their own version of the game without any sort of programming knowledge, and share it with others to play. All of this will be done through the Steam workshop with just a few clicks!
Vectorio Pricing Update
So with all that out of the way, I wanted to loop back around to the very frequently asked question, "What is the game going to cost after Early Access?". This is probably the toughest question to answer as I'm still unsure of it myself, but I think I've come to a decision that best suits the game...
The game will remain free post early access, with Turret Labs being a paid DLC. The reason I think this is the best decision moving forward is it allows anyone to experience the full game for free. None of the main content will be locked behind any sort of paywall, and you can invite your friends to play with you whenever you want without worrying about them not being able to afford it.
For those that really enjoy the main game and want more, however, can purchase Turret Labs and get access to all of it's features, which is essentially just unlimited content fueled by the community.
This decision still isn't final, but it is the one I'm leaning towards. Let me know what you think below!
That's it for now! As per usual, I strongly encourage anyone not in our Discord to come and join it. If you're a fan of the game and want to get more of a glimpse on what's going on behind the scenes, our server is the best place to find all that.
Discord: https://discord.gg/auDgRJqtT9
Thanks for reading!
~ Ben