Hello, Hunters!
The time has come, Survivors Mode is live!
This new game mode will completely change the way you mow down creatures in Vampire Hunters! Now you have total freedom to move through the map and slay hordes of monsters.
The new mode comes with a new map, an endless level, leaderboards, new Constellations, new monsters, relics, weapons and mini bosses, Prestige level 3 for all characters, new Permanent Upgrades, new weapon's passive effects, a new level up system, combining Constellations and much much more.
We can't wait to hear your thoughts! Don't forget to share your feedback with us. You can use this post, Steam Forums or our Discord (https://discord.com/invite/N8w7PmS). There's a lot more awesomeness coming up!
To celebrate the release we did another episode of our Dev Play series, showcasing some of the goodies from this new update!
Because of the major gameplay differences, our ideia is for you to experience this new game mode almost like a new game. So we separated the game in two different progressions. The first time you open the game, you'll be in the Survivors Mode screen with a new progression. But don't worry about your old progression, once you change to the Classic Mode (you can do that in the main menu), you'll return to your older progression and enjoy the mowing down in the Corridor-style.
Now, let's dive into the details.
Changelog:
The Survivors Mode
This new gameplay allows you to move freely though the map, not just forward in a corridor-style gameplay as before. In this game mode, you will have complete control over the hordes of enemies chasing you, and, of course, mow them down with lots and lots of guns.
New Map
Village Yard: The Count has established his castle near a village and is summoning underworld dangers to capture test subjects. Hunter, your mission is to hold off for 30 minutes so the villagers can be evacuated, and then escape in your Hot Air Ballon.
Endless Level
Once you complete the Village Yard, you'll unlock a Constellation that allows you to play the map endlessly, but be wary, the enemies will get stronger after 30 minutes. Can you reach the top of the leaderboard?
Leaderboard
The new map comes with a leaderboard! Now you can compete with your friends, and all the Steam players, to see who is the baddest hunter!
New Monsters
Here's the list of all the new underworld dangers you are going to face in the Village Yard:
- Sinner
- Lost Soul
- Punkey
- Nijam
- Minion
- Netherman
- Gunlagan
- Sultan of Spheres
- Ophidic Reaper
- Hand of Titan
- Uga Bluga
- Werewolf
- Enraged Werewolf
- Armog
Mini Bosses (Elite)
During your run, you'll face extra dangers in the form of mini bosses. Each one with a different behavior. Check them out:
- Beardedon: A sorcerer that summons meteors at you.
- Mantodie: A fast Mentis that punches you.
- Skullship: A spaceship controlled by a Skull that shoots you.
- Massive Green: A giant plant that keeps summoning Nijans until be destroyed.
Enemy outline
When prototyping this new game mode we figured that having an enemy outline (just like a wall hack) would make it super satisfying to move through the map while managing hordes of enemies. We've set a default outline but you can change it or completely turn it off in the gameplay settings.
Combining Constellations
You can combine your Constellations in the new game mode, allowing you to stack as much Constellations as you wish. Some constellations will also improve your score, so stacking them up with also help you reach the top of the leaderboard.
New Constellations
The new game mode comes with 18 Constellations. You unlock the Constellations by completing new achievements.
- Andromeda: Once during a run, the damage that would kill you heals 30% of your MAX HP.
- Carina: The waves of enemies are endless and they keep getting stronger.
- Cetus: All enemies have double damage and HP and increases your score by 100%.
- Canis Major: +100% Damage but enemies deal one-hit kill.
- Horologium: Game time is sped up 2x and you gain 2x more souls.
- Cassiopeia: The screen is upside down and you have +15% Speed.
- Scorpius: You can't heal yourself by any means and increases your score by 30%.
- Aquarius: All primary weapons that appear in the store will be the same as your initial one.
- Taurus: You can only have your initial primary weapon and increases your score by 50%.
- Leo: You can't have any primary weapons and your Secondary weapons have their cooldown reduced by 75%. Increases your score by 100%.
- Canis Minor: +0.1 HP/s regen when standing still and no regen at all while walking.
- Pegasus: Killing an enemy has a 1% chance to summon meteors near you and increases your score by 25%.
- Gemini: You start with an initial weapon in each hand. LMB shoots the weapons from the left hand, and RMB from the right hand. When shooting with one hand, all weapons in the other hand deal +5% damage on their next shot.
- Aquila: Combo no longer gives you more blood and instead grants additional damage.
- Camelopardalis: All weapon and upgrades choices are random and increases your score by 5%.
- Chameleon: Every minute, your weapons change their type randomly, while retaining the same level and increaser your score by 5%.
- Perseus: Half chest time and increases your score by 20%.
- Orion: All enemies have 2x damage and 4x HP and increases your score by 200%.
New Blood Skill: Overcharge
Instead of the Blood Rush, you have a different starting blood skill in the Survivors Mode, the Overcharge. While Overcharged your damage is increased by 400% and all of your primary weapons have infinite ammo.
New Level Up System
We have combined the old level up system with the Shop system to create a new Level Up System for the Survivors Mode. The weapon progression, relics, rarity and UI works like the Shop, but you don't have a currency anymore. Therefore, the itens don't have a price tag and once you level up, you choose only one item. We have also divided between two different screens, one you choose new primary weapons or upgrades to your current primary weapons and the other one you can choose between relics, passive/secondary weapons and their upgrades. Each time you level up a different screen pops up interchangeably.
Chest System
From time to time, a Chest will appear on a random location in the map. Don't take too long to get there as they disappear after some time. For this update, the chest will give you a primary weapon level up screen as reward. We have some really cool ideas for chest rewards for future updates.
Health Potion System
Just like the Chest, from time to time Health Potions will spawn on Gargoyles spread throughout the map. Unlike the Chest, it won't disappear until you shoot to get it.
New Relics and Weapons
All weapons and relics have been revisited to be rebalanced for the Survivors Mode. Now that you can move freely in the map, enemies can have more HP and because of that we had to tweak all the numbers. All Weapons and Relics stayed the same in the Classic Mode (Corridor), the changes will be experienced only in the new mode.
We have also changed how secondary shots works. Instead of consuming your ammo, it will have cooldowns. If you have "no click fire" option on, the secondary shots will be shot automatically after the cooldown (instead of using the right mouse button). If the "no click fire" option is off, you can fire the secondary shots at your will using the right mouse button.
We have also added new relics and weapon:
- Crucifix Boomerang: A primary weapon that shoots a crucifix that goes forward and comes back, in a straight line, dealing damage along the way.
- Infinite Loophole: +0,05 HP/s regen for each active contract.
- Leather Glove: +2,5% Reload Speed.
- Agility Potion: +5% Reload Speed.
- Wood Shield: +1% Armor.
- Iron Shield: -2% Speed. +3% Armor.
- Thee Full Moon Shield: +5% Armor.
Prestige Level 3 for all Characters
Each character has received a new Reputation Level (Level 3) in the Survivors Mode. You level up your character by starting the run with them. Once you finish your run, your Score will be converted to Reputation Points that will also progress your characters.
You can choose to use your characters' passives or not. You can easily see the passives for each character and for each level (1,2,3) in the character screen once you unlock the character.
New Permanent Upgrades
The Survivors Mode has some different Permanent Upgrades and a different progression too. You can upgrade your Hunter differently on each mode. In the Survivors mode you still purchase Permanent Upgrades using Reputation Points but the cost of the Permanent Upgrades have also been modified depending on the upgrade level.
We have also changed the way the Score and the conversion to Reputation Level is calculated for the Survivors Mode, making your progression even more smooth. We have also decided to not add the Reborn System to the Survivors Mode. We are focusing the difficulty/strength changes to the Constellations and Prestige Levels.
New UI
We have modified most of the screens for the Survivors Mode to accommodate all those changes.
- Stage Select: Besides selecting the map, you'll also select your equipped Constellations, check the Leaderboard, your Stats (that are being affected by the Constellations you equip) and the Music you want to be played during your run.
- Character Select: Besides selecting your Character, you'll also be able to see all their passive rewards for each of the 3 levels (and also chose to equip or not each passive), your Stats (that are being modified depending on your equipped passives) and a quick settings so you can easily choose to play or not with "no click fire", choose the weapon's screen space and the enemies outline option.
- Results: You will be able to see all the details of your run and the achievements you progressed during the run.
- Achievements Rewards: Once you go back to the main menu, you are going to see all of the achievements you have unlocked during your run and their respective reward.
New Achievements
We have 45 new achievements for the Survivors Mode. We have selected both the condition and the reward very carefully so you can have a very smooth progression as you play the Survivors Mode.
We have made only one modification in the Classic Mode (Corridor) in this update. We have lowered the amount of monsters you need to kill to get the Monster Extinction Achievement to 200,000.
New Progression
For the Survivors Mode, we have decided to change how you unlock things in the game.
The game now has two different progressions: one for the Survivors Mode and another for the Classic Mode (Corridor). Nothing has been modified in the Classic Mode (but the achievement mentioned above). We have decided to have separate progressions because of the gameplay differences between the modes. To balance this gameplay difference we had to tweak the weapons, relics, permanent upgrades, Constellations, etc; so it would not work well to have the same progression between the modes. Achievements are also progressing separately between the modes.
You can experience this new game mode almost like a new game, and of course, keep enjoying the awesomeness of the Classic Mode.
All achievements will give you characters (weapons) or itens. Not all weapons and relics will be in the pool of your run in the beginning, you'll need to unlock them as you progress in the game.
Once you unlock a new character, the weapon will automatically appear in your game pool, but to start with this character (to enjoy the passive effects and having this particular weapon from the start) you'll have to purchase the character using a new currency. Besides the permanent upgrade currency (Reputation Points), every time you kill a mini boss (Elite), you'll receive a coin. You can use those coins to purchase the characters.
Wow, it definitely feels like we are adding a entire new game inside Vampire Hunters. We can't wait to see you jumping back in Vampire Hunters to experience all of this awesomeness.
We are working really hard to make Vampire Hunters super awesome and your feedback is of extreme importance for us to achieve that. Please let us know what you think of this new update and the new direction we are taking Vampire Hunters.
And as always, have a nice hunt!
Cheers!