GAME DIFFICULTY & PLAYER FREEDOM UPDATE

Hey everyone,

The Game Difficulty and Player Freedom update is finally here. This update adds a plethora of game improvements, including 2 new difficulty modes, mission specific balance changes, fewer hero specific optional objectives, improvements to stealth, the ability to fast forward during the player’s turn (incl. ultimates!) and much, much more!

With this in mind we have endeavoured to maintain the core game experience we intended to make and a large portion of players are really enjoying, while also addressing the criticisms raised about the game.

This is a large update and we’ve tried to include as much information and context as possible to be as transparent about our goals and approach.

So without further ado let’s get into the big changes!

Best Regards,
Spitfire Interactive & Daedalic Entertainment

Since Steam Blogposts have a word-limit, we had to post the "short" version here.
If you are interested to see the detailed explanations for the changes, CLICK HERE

GAME DIFFICULTY
New Difficulty Settings

These settings are:

• Hardcore - For the ultimate problem solvers and tacticians. Missions fail if a hero is KOed.
• Challenging - Recommended for players experienced with tactics games. (Formerly Normal)
• Normal - Recommended for players familiar with tactics games.
• Easy - For players new to tactics games.
• Casual - For players wanting to experience the story. Missions cannot be failed.

OTHER FEATURES

This update also brings a slew of quality of life improvements to the game.

Fast Forward Player Turns (incl. Ultimates)
Added fast forward during player turns.

Challenge in Combat
Added Challenges option to Pause Menu.

Initiative Preview
Added Initiative values and changes on Turn Order when previewing actions that affect Initiative.

GENERAL BALANCE CHANGES

Stealth

• Updated Rebound's Shadow Blitz ultimate so that it does not alert enemies if they're KOed during the attack sequence.
• Removed exit cell from enemy perception area in Acquaintance to reduce confusion about if they are seen by another enemy or not, i.e. it was ambiguous if a red square was shown on an enemy’s space was from their own perception or another enemy’s. This should now be more clear.
• Defeated Enhanced no longer alert Unaware enemies with their explosion.
• Added info and stat to Explosive Barrels and Security Bots to note that they alert Unaware enemies in range when they explode.
• Reduced Security Bot Alert Range from 7 to 5.

Optional Objectives

• Updated Ledge KOs objective to be more generous. Defeating an enemy with damage that would otherwise be KOed by a ledge, now counts towards the objective. This includes defeating Security Bots with Disarm.

Experience (XP)

• Increased the XP rewards on some missions.
• Updated Mercurial's XP requirement to reach Hero Level 5 to be consistent with the other heroes (from 100 to 140XP). Note that this will result in all players who had levelled up Mercurial to level 5 to drop back to level 4. All purchased upgrades from level 5 will remain unlocked and usable.

Other UI updates

• Added a disable Camera Shake option to the Accessibility menu.
• Moved Load Quicksave, Load Checkpoint and Restart options to the main Pause menu for more visibility.
• Add a Random team option to the Team Select screen.
• Updated Missions screen to display remaining SP for each mission entry.

Abilities and Upgrade Costs (SP)

• Adjusted Facet's Shield Shard ability cost to 3SP (from 1SP).
• Adjusted Rebound's Teleport Spin Backstab Damage upgrade cost to 6SP (from 5SP).
• Adjusted Rebound's Strike Damage upgrade cost to 6SP (from 5SP).
• Adjusted Mindfire's Focus ability cost to 6SP (from 5SP).

Ability Balance

• Adjusted Chain Lightning | Hyde Team Up to cause a maximum of 2 Delay to any affected target. Note that this ability is still very powerful, able to reduce Initiative more than any other ability in the game, but it is less powerful against single enemies which was never its intended use.

Challenges

• Challenges for the current team can be viewed in combat from the Pause Menu.
• Reduced Mercurial's Running Tally Challenge requirement from 10 to 6.

Enemy Balance

• Updated Tech Android and Tech Missiler Cannon Blast range from 7 to 5.

General Game Info Improvements

• Added additional info about reduced Chain Lightning Arc Range to various breakables’ descriptions.
• Added info to Primax and Androids to explain that they attempt to Upgrade every second turn.
• Updated Energy Baton's Stun status details to include that it affects Move points.
• Bug: Fixed Energy Baton’s Stun status to last until the end of the affected hero’s turn so that it is present when the Player is unsure why their hero has fewer Action and Move points.
• Updated Energy Baton’s Stun status details to be more clear.
• Updated Opportunist trait description to note that it will trigger if an opponent moves away or through the specified spaces.
• Added details to Facet's Shard Lockdown Bind upgrade that it does not affect Next Turn actions (Upgrade’s UI only).
• Added Immovable status details to Wildstar while he’s preparing to use his Deception ability.
• Added more explicit details to Primax’s Shield details to make it more clear that she should not be attacked at all.

MISSION SPECIFIC CHANGES

Hero Work

• Bug: Fixed a soft-lock when tutorial messages were skipped too quickly during the Use Growth tutorial.
• Bug: Fixed Agent rifles being visible when Agents were not.
• Bug: Fixed a group of Thugs that could be seen disappearing before a camera cut at the end of the intro.

Fire in the Head

• Reduced the Disarm objective in Fire in the Head on lower difficulties.
• Updated Skill Points tutorial to mention 'completing missions'.

Acquaintance

• [General] Rebound's Shadow Blitz ultimate does not alert enemies if they're KOed during the attack sequence. (see above).
• Reduced the number of enemies in Easy and Casual.
• Bug: Fixed issue where an Agent could see the escape region but it was hard to tell, resulting in being spotted without clear warning.
• Bug: Fixed an issue where the gameplay camera could get stuck outside the warehouse when reloading Checkpoints/Quick Saves after the tutorial.

Crossed Lines

• Added Optional Objectives tutorial to Crossed Lines. Does not appear when played through Simulator.
• Hostage’s Health Points scale based on difficulty.
• Reduced Use Shield Shard objective and scaled based on difficulty.

Hitting the Gym

• Adjusted the Speedster’s Health Points based on difficulty.
• Prevented the Speedster from being KOed in Casual.

Mugging

• Updated Mugging objectives to non hero specific objectives to allow any team composition to be valid.
• Replaced Use Rebound's Backstab objective with Use an Ultimate.
• Replaced Use Facet's Growth optional objective with Avoid Brawler damage.
• Replaced Defeat with Mindfire's Telekinesis objective with Avoid Pistol damage.

Which Way the Wind Blows

• Changed ‘Use Mindfire’s Disarm’ optional objective to a generic ‘Disarm the Enemy’ objective.
• Adjusted new Disarm objective based on difficulty.
• Reduced the number of enemies based on difficulty.
• Bug: Fixed an issue where some props in the middle of the arena blocked line of sight for hero abilities. Allows for more gameplay possibilities.

Unusual Sighting

• Reduced the ‘Disarm the enemy’ optional objective requirement from 4 to 3.

Double Damage

• Updated Weathervane tutorial so that it doesn’t repeat after you’ve completed it once.
• Moved two of the initial Thugs to the second phase of Double Damage.
• Added Phase counter and Checkpoint.
• Reduced Chain Lightning optional objective from 6 to 5.
• Adjusted Chain Lightning optional objective based on difficulty.
• Reduced the ‘Disarm Crashdamage’ objective from 3 to 2.
• Adjusted the Speedster's Health Points based on difficulty.
• Reduced Crashdamage's Health Points on Easy and Casual.
• Removed some enemies from the final wave for Normal.
• Removed the final wave of enemies for Easy and Casual.
• Bug: Fixed an issue where Mercurial would not animate in the outro of Double Damage if the Protect the Speedster objective is failed.

Homecoming

• [General] Updated Ledge KOs objective to be more generous. (see above)
• Repositioned a lamp post that was preventing Ledge KO opportunities.
• Adjusted the number of reinforcements based on difficulty.
• Reduced the spawn threshold for reinforcements on Easy and Casual.

Tech Support

• Replaced Disarm Upgrading Android optional objective with generic 'Disarm Tech enemies' optional objective.
• Reduced the Use Ultimate optional objective from 3 to 2.
• Bug: Fixed soft-lock that would occur if a Security Bot is destroyed at the same time as they are spawned.

Heard on the News

• [General] Tech Androids Cannon Blast range reduced from 7 to 5. (see above)
• [General] Ledge KOs are more generous. (see above)
• Reduced the number of initial Tech Androids from 4 to 2.
• Adjusted the Super's Health Points based on difficulty.
• Updated the Super's explosive attack to no longer destroy Facet's Growths.
• Adjusted Ledge KO and Team Up objectives based on difficulty.
• Adjusted the number of initial Sentinels (turrets) based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Sentinel Health Points based on difficulty.
• Adjusted the threshold at which Tech Androids spawn in the final phase based on difficulty.
• Allowed more Tech Androids to spawn if they're continually defeated. Quantity adjusted based on difficulty.
• Removed the round limit to revive the Super on Casual.
• Prevented Super from being killed on Casual.
• Bug: Ensure the Super is KOed if the player prevents the Tech Androids from KOing her.

Rooftop Hostage

• [General] Ledge KOs are more generous. (see above)
• Added an additional primary objective that notes; 'Reinforcements arrive at round: (x / y)'.
• Added camera transition and warning light to the lift that reinforcements will come from next.
• Added an additional fire escape near the starting area to give players more options when starting the level.
• Updated breakable skylight visuals to make it more clear they can be used for Ledge KOs.
• Adjusted Hostage’s Health Points scale based on difficulty.
• Adjusted optional objective targets based on difficulty.
• Reduced the number of initial enemies and reinforcement on Easy and Casual.
• Applied Delay status effect to initial reinforcements on Casual difficulty so that they take longer to act after they arrive.

Hero in Trouble

• Adjusted the Use Rebound's Ultimate objective based on difficulty.

Greater Powers

• Adjusted Stealth KOs objective based on difficulty.

Nose to the Grindstone

• Ended active heroes turn to reset action and move points before reinforcements arrive to ensure all heroes act first.
• Adjusted the number of enemies at the start of the second Phase based on difficulty.
• Reduced the number of Enhanced Sergeants on Easy and Casual.
• Reduced the number of enemies in the first Phase on Easy and Casual.
• Removed the final wave of reinforcements for lower difficulties.
• Updated 'Avoid setting off the alarm' objective string to be consistent with Acquaintance for clarity.

Friend or Foe

• Updated Wildstar to release his influence on all targets when he's defeated
• Reduced the number of civilians that can be affected by Wildstar’s Influence at any one time, based on difficulty. Includes civilian's Influenced at the start of each phase.
• Reduced the Disarm Wildstar's Distortion optional objective requirement from 5 to 3. Allows for more freedom of how you tackle the mission.
• Adjusted the Disarm Civilians objective requirement based on difficulty.
• Fail Disarm Civilians and Disarm Wildstar objectives when Wildstar is KOed if incomplete.
• Added Cartoon visuals to lodge monitor during intro scene with Facet.
• Bug: Fixed soft-lock that could occur when Wildstar relocated uses Deception or Psychic Blast on a hero.

Fire Report

• No balance changes.

Never Meet Your Heroes

• [General] Enhanced detonation no longer alerts Unaware enemies. (see above)
• [General] Rebound's Shadow Blitz ultimate does not alert enemies if they're KOed during the attack sequence. (see above).
• Reduced the number of enemies and reinforcements based on difficulty.
• Updated optional objective requirements based on difficulty.

Tech Advantage

• [General] Updated Primax’s Shield description to be more clear that she is unkillable. (see above)
• Adjusted the number of initial enemies and Bot Dispensers based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Server Wall and Bot Dispenser Health Points based on difficulty.
• Reduced Team Ups objective based on difficulty.

Supply Drop

• Adjusted optional objective requirements based on difficulty.

Inside Man

• [General] Ledge KOs are more generous. (see above)
• Adjusted number of Security Bots and Sentinels (turrets) based on difficulty.
• Reduced the spawn thresholds for Tech Androids on Easy and Casual.
• Prevented Contact from being killed on Casual difficulty.

Enhanced Powers

• Adjusted Disarm Enhanced and Absorb Ultimate charge optional objectives on lower difficulties.
• Reduced Enhanced Giant Health Points based on difficulty
• Reduced Nightjar Health Points on Easy and Casual.
• Bug: Fixed Absorb Ultimate Charge objective so that it counts even if a hero has their ultimate fully charged.

City Surveillance

• [General] Reduced the alert range for exploding Security Bots from 7 to 5. Added this information to their details panel. (see above).
• [General] Ledge KOs are more generous (see above).
• Added more ladders to allow easier access to the final platform.
• Adjusted the number of Bot Dispensers based on difficulty.
• Adjusted the Ledge KOs and Disarm objectives based on difficulty.
• Reduced Bot Dispenser Health Points on Easy and Casual.
• Reduced the rate that reinforcements spawn in Easy and Casual.

Streets of Rage

• Reduced the number of initial PMC and reinforcements based on difficulty.
• Adjusted threshold to spawn reinforcements based on difficulty.
• Reduced disarm objective based on difficulty.

Home Target

• Added Vulnerable | Doctrine team up action to Mindfire
• Increased Doctrine's damage from 2 to 3 to make him more powerful.
• Fully heal Mindfire at Checkpoint.
• Reduced the number of spaces in which Doctrine could get cornered that would result in more enemies targeting Mindfire.
• Adjusted Disarm Wukong and Use Advantage objectives by difficulty.
• Increased Use Mindfire's Ultimate objective on Challenging and Hardcore.
• Reduced the number of initial enemies on all difficulties.
• Removed the final wave of enemies from Easy and Casual.
• Reduced the frequency at which Doctrine comments as he revives to speed up combat slightly.
• Updated mission difficulty tag from Medium to Hard.
• Bug: Prevented Mindfire from moving inside a space with breakable bins that would prevent him using his abilities.

Industrial Sabotage

• Ledge KOs are more generous (see above)
• Increased Ledge KOs objective target slightly now that Ledge KOs are easier.
• Scaled Ledge KOs objective based on difficulty.
• Bug: Fixed spawners so that reinforcements attempt to respawn every second round (x3).

Dark Justice

• Added Phase counter.
• Moved a cage near the starting area to allow more freedom of movement at the start of the mission.
• Reduced number of reinforcements by difficulty.
• Reduced the number of initial Unaware enemies based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Unaware KOs objective based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Beano's Health Points based on difficulty.
• Removed requirement to rescue the Super within a round limit on Casual.
• Prevented Beano from being KOed in Casual.

Justice Served

• [General] Enhanced detonation no longer alerts Unaware enemies. (see above)
• Adjusted Disarm Thugs and Disarm Nightjar's Attack optional objectives based on difficulty.
• Adjusted the number of enemies throughout the mission based on difficulty.

Anger is an Energy

• Adjusted the number of PMC at the beginning of the mission based on difficulty.
• Adjusted the number of Thugs that spawn at each of Wildstar's phases based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Wildstar's Health Points based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Use Team Ups and Disarm the enemy optional objectives based on difficulty.

Freedom Crossing

• Adjusted the number of enemies based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Disarm the enemy optional objective based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Grindstone's Health Points based on difficulty.
• Prevented Grindstone from being KOed on Casual.

Conflict Resolution

• Reduced the mission difficulty tag from Hard to Medium.

Chink in the Armor

• Increased the # of rounds to complete the Round Limit objective based on difficulty.
• Adjusted the KOs with Nano Titan objective based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Destroy Dispensers objective based on difficulty.
• Added all Dispensers to the objective to avoid confusion about which objects count
• Reduced the Bot Dispenser Health Points on Easy and Casual.
• Reduced the number of enemies in the final area on Easy and Casual.

Primax (Boss)

• [General] Ledge KOs are more generous. (see above)
• Replaced Disarm objective with Prevent Upgrades objective.
• Updated Primax to spawn a Shield Drone at each phase (not on Easy or Casual).
• Removed raised areas on the edges of the level so that Primax cannot get out of range.
• Adjusted Disarm, Team Ups, and Ledge KOs optional objectives based on difficulty.
• Reduced the number of enemies in each wave in Easy and Casual.
• Reduced Primax's Health Points on Easy and Casual.

Old Debts

• Adjusted Wildstar's Health Points based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Enhanced Giant's HP based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Disarm Enhanced and Team Ups objective based on difficulty.

Reunited

• Spawned Enhanced when the alarm is raised and adjusted number of enemies based on difficulty.
• Added 'Avoid Alpha’s Rifle damage' optional objective.
• Added 'Alarm raised at round' objective to warn players of the time limit
• Adjusted the 'Alarm raised at round' objective based on difficulty.
• Added Phase counter.
• Reduced Giant Health Points based on difficulty.
• Adjust rounds until support arrives based on difficulty.
• Adjusted Stealth KOs and Use Ultimates objective based on difficulty.
• Reduced the number of initial PMC and reinforcements in Easy and Casual.
• Reduced Nightjar Health Points on Easy and Casual.
• Bug: Fixed initiative values for reinforcements so that they do not act before the hero team.
• Bug: Added a checkpoint when Alpha is defeated and he activates an Enhanced Giant chamber.

General Bug Fixes

• Fixed issue where the final Conversation between Ignis and Hyde would not unlock after completing Reunited (and meeting the mission’s other prerequisites).
• Fixed crash when a squad of Security Bots gets new members during their turn.
• Fixed an issue where Crashdamage’s Debris attack’s range outline was not accounting for the AoE of the attack.
• Fixed Persistence trait which was not resisting Initiative as much as it should.
• Fixed Rebound/Mindfire Health Challenges on various difficulty levels.
• Fixed Mercurial’s Ultimate upgrade Knockback.
• Fixed preview/apply damage mismatch of Weathervane’s Gust team ups.
• Fixed Weathervane’s Gust | Ignis team up applying to large characters.
• Fixed Mercurial punch ult when target breaks from flinch hits.
• Fixed Mercurial’s Dash so she can travel through defeated characters.
• Fixed Rebound’s Backstab indicator so it doesn't show on defeated characters.
• Fixed Ignis’ Ignite | Facet team up dealing double Unaware damage.
• Fixed Stun from preventing Sergeant's ult from executing.
• Fixed Weathervane’s Leap not triggering Sentinel (turret) attacks.
• Fixed Wukong's Assault description range in all languages.
• Fixed font size for various text styles including Team Ups.
• Added an error sound when a key binding can't be applied/is in conflict
• Improved music balance.

CONCLUSION
We’re really excited to have these updates out for everyone to experience and continue to enjoy the game. We also hope that these changes address players' concerns and frustrations with elements within the game and provide more options for players who have found the game to be too ‘puzzle-like’ for their liking.

Again, for players who have been enjoying the game as it is, playing on Challenging and Hardcore difficulties will continue to provide a similar experience, with a number of level specific improvements and overall quality of life improvements.

Thank you everyone for your support, it has been great to see everyone’s feedback and we can’t wait to share more from Capes in the not too distant future! Stay tuned!

Many thanks,
Spitfire Interactive