Hello everyone,
Since the release of Update 0.40, I've been spending most of my time working on new content for Better Than Dead.
Today I wanted to show you a little of what's coming next.
THREE NEW LEVELS
I'm currently working on three new levels that will expand the main campaign, bringing new locations and different kinds of gunfights to the game.
01 — THE NIGHTCLUB
The first takes place in another nightclub, but this one is quite different from the club already in BTD.
It's a smaller, more intimate place, with tight spaces and close-range encounters where movement, distance, and timing become especially important.
I've been researching Hong Kong nightclubs from the 1980s and 1990s, looking at their interiors, lighting, and atmosphere. I've tried to bring some of that character into the level, and I hope you'll like the result.
02 — THE RESTAURANT
The second level is inspired by the classic restaurant shootouts of Hong Kong action cinema.
This time, it's a huge dining hall, filled with tables, plates, furniture, and plenty of objects that can be destroyed during the gunfight.
The man you're after is visible almost as soon as you enter. Getting a clear shot at him, however, is another matter.
It's a level where everything erupts into chaos at once.
03 — THE FOUNDATIONS
The third level takes place among the concrete foundations of an unfinished building. A raw, exposed environment, quite different from the crowded interiors of the other two levels, with a dark secret waiting at the end.
Development Progress
The visual work on all three levels is already around 90% complete, and the overall flow of the gunfights is taking shape.
I haven't decided yet whether to release all three together or split them across updates. My priority is to make sure each level is ready before releasing it.
All three levels will be integrated into the existing main campaign, expanding the journey with new encounters and locations. They will also be available individually through Level Select.
PLAYTESTING & ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS
Before release, I'll open a small playtest through the Better Than Dead Discord server.
Working alone, it's easy to become too familiar with your own levels and overlook things that become obvious when someone else plays them for the first time.
Seeing how players approach unfamiliar encounters, where they struggle, and how they find their way through a gunfight is extremely useful to me.
Alongside the new content, I'm continuing to work on the underlying systems of BTD, including enemy AI, ragdoll physics, and other aspects of combat.
These improvements will continue alongside the development of new levels.
WHAT'S NEXT
TO HEAVEN
Once the new levels are released, one of my next major goals is To Heaven.
The idea is to create a harder remix of the main run, revisiting the existing missions with different enemy placements, modified encounters, and new rules.
I also plan to create at least two entirely new levels specifically for To Heaven, in addition to the remixed missions.
I have several ideas for how this mode could work, but I'll share more when the design is further along.
NEW GAME MODES
I'm also interested in introducing additional ways to play BTD.
Iron Girl Mode (Iron Man)
Something I've seen players request quite often: completing the entire run, from beginning to end, without dying once.
Hardcore Mode
Another possibility is a mode that removes some of the mechanics that normally help the player survive. No quick recovery from injuries, no bullet time, and a much less forgiving approach to combat.
These modes are still being considered, and their final rules haven't been decided yet.
For now, the three new levels remain my main priority.
Thank you to everyone who continues to play, share runs, test preview builds, report problems, and send feedback.
Your support and the time you spend helping me improve the game mean a lot to me.
-MonteGallo