Hey everyone,
It’s been a month already! And it's been AMAZING. First off, thank you so much for playing the game, giving reviews and feedback, this is how we will improve the game. We did have way more fires to extinguish than what we had anticipated but overall we are really stoked that so many of you have been playing and giving feedback. That's why we went into Early Access after all.
We now want to give you better visibility into what changes and additions we’re planning.
Since launch, we’ve addressed major issues: networking, crashes, performance, etc. We’ll keep working on optimization and bug fixing, but we’re getting ready to move into the second phase now: reworking some systems to address major points you’ve brought up as feedback. Before the beginning of this second phase, the next patch will be a big push for stability.
Once that’s rounded off, we’ll be able to start focusing on the third phase: adding new content. There will be new content peppered throughout the second phase too, but any major additions, like the Plague Doctor (!!), will be coming later.
Second Phase: build crafting / agency / meta-progression
In the last month, we’ve combed through feedback and identified systems in the game that deserve some love and improvement. Our biggest takeaways are:
Build crafting agency: give more control over the build crafting process, and give more distinction in-between different build direction. (Emblems / Charms / Allies)
Make Emblems more meaningful: re-iterate on the Emblem families, increase and improve synergies between different Emblems, other elements, and powers.
Improve and rebalance the meta-progression: reduce grindiness.
There’s more feedback we will iterate on, but these are the broader themes we want to focus on in the immediate future. Our goal is that by addressing these points, runs will feel less repetitive thanks to expanded build crafting possibilities for players.
Beta Branch
We’re considering a new Beta Branch on Steam where we’d release and test in-progress content patches like the aforementioned system reworks, before we release them on the default main branch. This would leave the main branch in a more stable state and let us experiment more freely on the Beta Branch for those who are willing to partake in our testing grounds.
The changes we’ve discussed in this devlog would be gradually pushed to the Beta Branch, which would be optionally accessible through Steam to anyone who’d like to help experiment with us.
In Conclusion
Thanks for playing, for the feedback and for sticking with us through Early Access. Your feedback will shape where Tears of Metal goes next.
P.S. We gotta shout out jihichan's for the sick thumbnails they made for CaRtOoNz's videos on Tears of Metal! Check this out:
Now get back out there!