Hello pilots!
We've been awfully quiet these past few weeks, but not without good reason: we have some big things in store for Azure Domain! We've been working hard to integrate feedback with our game systems, as well as introduce some fun new things for players to get their hands on. Let's start with the simplest changes and work our way up.
First off, there have been a TON of tweaks to the energy system. Planes now regenerate energy MUCH faster, and weapons and planes both have shorter windows to begin regenerating energy. This means that players can be more aggressive and have less downtime on attacking enemy units. In addition, weapons now tax your plane's power plant, reducing the amount of energy your plane regenerates per second. The sum of all weapons in your fire group will determine how much strain your plane takes when regenerating. This also means that if your plane runs out of energy, it could take longer to get back to max maneuverability and speed, so be careful!
Another big change is that enemies now have weaknesses and resistances to certain damage types. One enemy may be weak to explosion damage and resist bullets, while another may not handle laser damage particularly well but shrug off explosions. There is now a damage indicator system to show which enemies are weak/resistant to what damage type to reflect this change. When you shoot an enemy, a colored flash will show to indicate how effective the damage was; red flashes indicate resistance, blue flashes show weakness, and neutral damage is indicated by yellow flashes.
Finally, we have a new demo mission in the works for the playtest. This mission will test your mettle against bizarre and enigmatic new enemies. It is not known what they are, and where exactly they came from, but it is certain that these new enemies are not at all human. Be on your guard pilots!
Well, that about wraps up this announcement. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!
Best regards,
Gordon Whaley
Lead Programmer, PCMG