Hi everyone,
Perhaps you've noticed the bit of fun I had with the name of the game and the various news articles about it. This post isn't about that but it is related, it's about how you can be part of the development of the next named update "Architecture and Accuracy" and how some of you already have.
So with regards to the name and all that, Bulwark certainly has strategy, but it doesn't have a proper campaign. And adding the words creative sandbox to the title just gives people a better expectation for the game. This wasn't about players miss-tagging, you can tag how you feel, that's the system, but rather about the store page needing improvement. And you'll notice the short description has changed to clarify this as well as the top level genre is now 'simulation'. All of this is fairly normal store optimization to make sure players get the right info, didn't expect it to go viral ;) Tho 'nuff said about that.
Just to sign off on the matter, I did make a new video to explain the ideas behind Bulwark in 60 seconds, check that out here :
Architecture and Accuracy, the Upcoming Named Update!
I've been paying attention to the reaction to the roadmap reveal and taking a look at what people have been saying within the forums and Discord as things they feel are a priority. As such, whilst the roadmap currently has the planned "Naval Command" update landing next, I've decided to invest a bit more time and build it out into something that should satisfy those of you that want a bit more challenge, combat and ways to challenge yourself within the Great Ursee.
With this in mind, I'm going to bring one of the architecture updates forwards, and start fleshing out the creative sandbox a bit more to ensure the framework of building and politics and resources and everything else in between is solid and in a good place before heading over into a world that incorporates a bit more strategy.
So this update adds two main things, besides a lot of small changes.
1. A rework of the housing system.
2. A rebalance and refactor of the targeting systems for units and turrets.
So a bit of a weird combination, but thanks to some really good detailed feedback the last few weeks I've been able to re balance combat, repairs and rework a lot of the targeting, making combat quicker , more punchy and less of a slog. So that gets added to what was an architecture focused update, no need to withhold that.
New floodlight flourishes and new top tier houses unlock from your faction Leader, in this case making the Mancer look even more ominous.
The Evolving Update
And here comes how you can involve yourself with this update. One of the main reasons Bulwark was as well loved as it was on launch, was because of the incredibly valuable feedback gathered from the Evolving Demo. Given the importance of the upcoming updates to the game, I'd like to step back into that feedback loop - Informing you of what's coming in a named update, pushing it out into a constantly updating Beta, and then letting your feedback as to whether you feel it is achieving what the update sets out to do, or requires a little more tweaking to really shine.
Accessing this Evolving Beta branch is simple - go to game properties on Bulwark in your library and then the tab BETAS and select the beta patch. That will update your game to the version I am making as we speak - and voila!
The upcoming architecture update isn't finished by any sense of the word, but those who participate will see updates nearly daily and be able to deliver feedback on the housing and balancing to make the update better and ultimately ensure what goes into the final update release, comes out making as many people happy as possible.
Regardless of my failures in tagging and storefronts, I do honestly thrive on feedback and player participation, here and on discord, so lets re-open the floodgates and let everyone try the work in progress.
Here are the changes already done and available now in the beta branch
improvements to housing:
- demolishing will recycle resources
- resource access is taken into consideration when people build their houses.
- Top tier houses appear from the Mancer Order under certain conditions (all factions will get this)
- Top tier flourishes (floodlights) appear from the Mancer Order under certain conditions (some factions will likely get unique flourishes)
- your population will upgrade their houses if resource access is gained.
- requirements for higher tier houses are more stringent (stone cannot be build upon wooden foundations for instance)
- your population will downgrade their houses if resource access is lost.
- houses build on the inside of breakwater walls can be further away
Accuracy Content:
- increased speed and trigger distance of projectiles to improve accuracy/lethality
- changed the ballistics prediction to aim tighter on the target (less predictive) to account for closer distances and higher projectile speed (
- turrets reacquire targets from in front of their sights, not general vicinity (less downtime);
- turrets don't fire when obstructed by friendlies
- turrets will engage with an enemy if it is firing directly at them (defend themselves)
- turrets can individually be destroyed on a ship or airship
- tightened enemy raids to stay closer together
- turrets that are part of a hostile settlement are double checked as targets (prevent them not being targeted)
Balancing
- repair cost halved
- late game combat splinters should always be at least 200 splinters
- combat captains have increased impact on trade-route security
- hostile or neutral settlements have reduced impact on trade-route security
- trade-route length has improved impact on trade-route security
- rebuilding surveyor cost reduced to 500
- increased unit amounts from most commanders
General Improvements
- readability fixes for steamdeck
- soultree is gets golden color when it is your aligned faction|
- new "tomas" explanations in the scenario menu
Bugfixes:
- patrol units spawn higher
- trade-posts don't accidentally give resource back without the appropriate captain
- fixed that npc settlement houses don't de-spawn over time
- suspension bridges and sky-ways won't block ships
- rewind animation in photo-mode doesn't affect population
- trade harbours connections would get removed in the scenario selection menu, now prevented
- fixed resources not being transported along pathways more than 20 nodes (due to traderoutes for instance)
So lots going on and the cadence of updates is still going on, do expect the naval command to take longer than scheduled, I've learned to be a bit more careful on the strategy side, so trying to make it count, not just new content but really make it good. More new on that and opportunities to test that in the future.
Expanding the community management team:
p.s I do wanna add, I am sometimes short or hurried with my questions, they are never sarcastic, if I ask or suggest something it is with the honest intention of getting the most precise feedback from you all.
That said I have asked the community folk from wired to jump in and assist, as it's getting to be a bit much for one person who also has to do all the development. So if you see them on the forum treat them kindly and know that all the info they gather also ends up with me.
Cheerio and as always keep the feedback coming.
Join the discord here: https://discord.com/invite/falconeer