Hello gamers!
If all goes well… this could possibly be the last week of development. We’ve been having some trouble getting the user interface fully integrated, but we have all the components, and the functionality is going in – bit by bit.
So let’s take a bit of time to explain what’s going to be in the update. What can you expect, and what can you NOT expect, and why:
Starting off with what you can expect:
- Completely Refactored Codebase – This basically means the entire code of the game has been rebuilt from scratch. It’s now more efficient, more stable, and of course easier to update. This is the solid foundation from which we can add more content, faster and more easily.
- MULTIPLAYER – That’s right! The whole reason we rebuilt the game. It now supports online multiplayer, with 1 – 4 players working cooperatively to kill the robot swarm. The game also supports LAN gameplay. (PROPERLY This time.)
- Completely Redesigned Interface – This is a much nicer looking, more computer friendly interface, which has room to grow, and gives you better control over creating a game, and configuring your options.
- Brand New Options – We now have a proper options menu, with functional controls for graphical settings like Anti-Aliasing, Anisotropic Filtering, Bloom, Depth of Field, Lens Flares, and so on. There is also an Audio menu and a Controls menu, which allows you to properly configure and bind your keys. (<- Yes, we fixed that too!)
- New Gameplay Features – You asked for it, and we listened: Jumping, and Aim-Down-Sights. The game now supports both of those features. Jump to your heart’s content. RUSH gameplay has been altered to be time based and not enemy based with more dynamic enemy spawning. The more you kill the more you’re rewarded, but the more enemies the game will spawn!
- New and Rebalanced Enemy Abilities – Basic Robots will now sprint towards you; they can now be stunned by melee attacks. The Heavy robots will now charge attack you. Rangers play a larger and more crucial role in the game (For all of you jumpers - that means shooting your face when you get out of reach of the other robots.)
- Highly improved AI – The AI are now more efficient and MUCH better at getting to you. They’ll drop off ledges, and won’t get stuck as often. They also won’t stop and turn around randomly. ( * generally it’s much better, but like any game there will always be exceptions. )
- ”Different” Graphics – More efficient, “better” looking. The game was rebuilt from scratch, which means that most of the graphics have been improved. The levels were reconstructed, which in the case of the Cargo map means quite a few substantial changes. Smaller objects now react dynamically to being shot.
- Achievements – Final Rush now has 11 achievements. Each content update should add a few more to that list. The game is still pretty small, so more than 11 would’ve been pushing it. Have fun earning them!
Now, during this long and lengthy reconstruction process, a few items did NOT make the cut, and will not be in the v2 update. We still plan on including these items, likely in the first few updates to follow the v2 update. Likewise, just so there is no misunderstanding, I’m going to list a few important new things that you will also NOT see in the v2 update:
- The Experimental Weapons – Good idea, bad implementation. They never worked as well as we would’ve liked, and so in order to give them all the love and care we want to give them, they’re going to need to wait for a future update.
- Effect Ammunition and Grenade Powers – This systems were a little hinkey to begin with, never quite being added how we wanted them. These features have been removed and will be replaced with a better system in the future. HP Ammo is still in the game.
- A few of the Upgrades – The Radar, and a few of the accuracy upgrades are not going to be in the v2 update. They will be re-added as we recomplete them.
- NO NEW MAPS, ENEMIES, or WEAPONS… yet – This update was focused on fixing the pile of bugs that we had before. That means no new maps, no new enemies, and no new weapons. We will be adding plenty of these things as the future updates come. We already have 1 new weapon nearly complete, a new flying enemy with a variety of abilities, and plenty more awesome stuff like Character customization, and boss fights already partially completed. The concept artist is working on developing a new level THEME; which means enemies and locations that are different from what we have now.
With ALL of that being said. There is one big HUGE Asterisk. We spent every dime we had on this update. If the game does not sell more copies, we cannot afford to do anything. If the game sells well, we’ll add as much content as we can afford. But if it doesn’t sell, this may be all we can afford to do until we find an alternative method to funding additional content.
Thus is the nature of Indie game developments. The best thing you can do is spread the word about the game if you enjoy the coming update.
- Luke, Strike Games