For a little context, we originally pushed the release to September to give us enough time to do a major system overhaul after the feedback we received during Steam Next Fest. However, we were able to make the updates and get the game back up to a playable state and more importantly to a point where feedback can shape the game.
Based on the feedback below are a few major things we updated.
Updated Controls - This was a big part of the update and something we were working on before the demo. The original controls worked great for the team and many others but were hard coded and left no option for those who want to play using different keys. Now the controls are fully customizable.
QTE System - We are still keeping this system on stand-by, but many players disliked this system for multiple reasons. We have moved back to a timer-based system currently which is working well but we wanted to keep the QTE system on standby in case we get more feedback wanting it. We may go with a hybrid approach later.
Player Controller - More of an update here, the controller is a bit more fluid and faster. We also removed the need for stamina and tweaked the walk and run speeds to compensate for the change.
Networking - We decided to go with a different networking solution which has decreased a good amount of latency issues we were having. With this change, the main menu, and host/join menus were updated.
Creatures & Levels - During the update, we also changed to a different version of Unity and with it a different render pipeline. Some bosses were demoted to basic enemies while others were promoted. All levels were created from scratch to accommodate the new enemies and summoning mechanics.
Summon System - We scraped the timed spawn system and instead went for a more hands-on approach. Several factors led to this change, one being the ability to bypass the investigation part by just summoning the boss and grabbing the right ammo. So now you need to find 5 relics before you can attempt to summon the boss, and 2 failed attempts after will result in a mission failure. Once you complete the investigation you will have 3 clues that will point you to the right creature to summon, and then you can check in which order you need to place the relics. We have a few more ideas for this system but are waiting for player feedback.
There were many other updates but those above were the biggest. We wanted to thank everyone who played the demo or were testers before launch, your feedback was great.
No one last thing, on to the release, the game is coming to early access for a reason. We want feedback to shape the game into something as many people as possible enjoy.
Thanks