Hello, hunters! It's Nik here, the dev of the CONVRGENCE, so it's time for the second development diary.
When designing any game mechanics, I strive to strike a balance between realism and fun of the game. Any system I create should not be overloaded and difficult to understand, while remaining as realistic as possible. I adhere to these principles when creating guns, which we'll talk about today.
Arsenal
At the start of the Early Access of CONVRGENCE, players will have access to 9 units of weaponry: TT-33, PMM, APS, PP-9, PPSh, AKM, Saiga-12, SVD and Revolver.
Among this array of real firearm models, the revolver stands out as the only weapon in the game that lacks a specific prototype and is more of a composite image. It also stands out because every novice hunter starts their journey in the Chernokamensk zone with it. But don't be deceived by the seemingly outdated appearance of this weapon. The revolver has very high damage and, in skilled hands, becomes an unmatched tool for eliminating your enemies.
You may also notice that among the starting firearms there are no pump-action shotguns or bolt-action rifles. Fans of these types of weapons, do not be disappointed! They will definitely appear in the game in future updates.
Attachments
Each gun in the game can be customized to your liking by adding various attachments: different sights, grips, suppressors, flashlights, laser sights, and so on.
Some attachments are specific to certain firearms, such as the revolver suppressor or the APS stock. Most others are compatible with almost all models within their class.
For players who are not familiar with firearms and are unsure where to install specific attachments, the game features a special visual cues system. Experienced players can disable it in the settings.
Installing attachments on weapons in CONVRGENCE can only be done at workbenches, so plan ahead which attachments you'll need for your expedition - you won't be able to replace them in the field.
Cleaning
In the game, you need to keep your guns clean. With use, they get dirty, which significantly affects their shooting characteristics. You can judge the level of dirt visually - over time, dirt and rust will start to appear on the guns.
Gun cleaning in other similar VR games may seem tedious and monotonous, but don't worry - this cannot be said about this mechanic in CONVRGENCE. There's only the most pleasant aspect of the process - simplified cleaning with a special brush, which can be found at any workbench.
In one of the updates during early access, this mechanic will also be expanded to include malfunctions such as jams, misfires, and stuck casings, making the need for timely gun maintenance even more vital and the gameplay deeper.
Reloading
A realistic reloading and refilling empty magazines system has already become a kind of standard for VR games of this genre and was already implemented by me in the previous game - Paradox of Hope. Now it's expanded even further with a new addition that players have been asking for - individually extracting cartridges from the pack/magazine by pressing a button.
I won't argue, manual mag loading can be very immersive and relaxing, but if speed is your top priority, you can always do it the old-fashioned way - just bring an open box of cartridges to the magazine.
In CONVRGENCE, you can also quickly transfer cartridges between two identical magazines or two identical boxes in the same way. This will be useful, for example, to quickly merge two half-empty packs into one and free up valuable space in your backpack.
Some additional conveniences that, in my opinion, are worth mentioning include: the ability to partially eject the magazine from the pistol by holding down the release button so that you can easily grab it with your hand without dropping it to the ground; and reloading cues, which experienced players can disable in the settings.
Interaction and Shooting
Most Paradox of Hope players responded very positively to the guns in it. In CONVRGENCE, I've tried to raise the bar even higher. For example, all interaction animations have been improved - the hand no longer teleports to the bolt handle, foregrip, or magazine, instantly changing one pose to another, but does it smoothly.
Also, for a greater convenience, additional indicators (white dots) have been added, appearing when the hand is near a spot with which it can interact.
A few words should be said about recoil. In the new game, recoil has been refined, and the impact of attachments, particularly stocks, on recoil has become more significant.
Thus, seemingly minor changes have significantly improved the perception of interacting with guns in the new game and made it even more realistic, and shooting - even more enjoyable.
Sound and Attention to Detail
When working on any system, I like to pay attention to details. Although undoubtedly working on them affects the development speed and potentially shifts the release date, from my point of view, it's these little things that differentiate a product created for money from a project the author puts their soul into.
Most of these details relate to the sound aspect, as I believe that good and well-thought-out sound accounts for 50% of immersion and enjoyment of the game. Here are just a few of such minor details related to guns in CONVRGENCE:
- The sound of gunfire gradually changes depending on the number of rounds left in the magazine. Thus, only thanks to the sound, you can anticipate when you'll need to reload or do it in advance while the bolt is not on hold to speed up the reloading process.
- The suppressor overheats during prolonged continuous shooting, which is not just a visual effect but also directly affects gameplay. Shots from a weapon with an overheated suppressor sound as loud as without it at all - remember this to avoid attracting unwanted enemies.
- During abrupt movements, the gun makes a pleasant rattle sound, and if, for example, you shake a box of cartridges, you can hear them rattling inside.
Conclusion
That's all for today. I hope the second development diary has provided some insight into what guns and interacting with them in CONVRGENCE are like for those who haven't played Paradox of Hope; and for those who have played it, now have a better understanding of how this system has evolved in the new game :)
Add the game to your wishlist and stay tuned for updates, there's still a lot of exciting stuff ahead!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2609610/CONVRGENCE
