Hello everyone!
To start off, I want to thank you for supporting Second Stellar- in July, the game surpassed 20,000 sales! I'll keep working hard to shape the game to be the best it can be. To that end, this post will be a roadmap of the next major update, which is planned to be a huge one- so big, that I'm skipping 0.3 and 0.4 and calling this update 0.5!
Price Increase (4.99$ to 7.99$)
Before I introduce any features, I want to be fully transparent and say this update will coincide with a price increase, likely to 7.99$. There will be regional pricing for this just like the base 4.99$ price. I think the amount of new content justifies this price, so please read on. Note that I'm planning a sale when this price increase happens, so it'll go a bit lower before it raises to 7.99$! Of course, if you already own Second Stellar, no problem!
2 Player Online Co-op!
If you've visited the Discord, you may have seen a preview of this feature, but here's the official announcement: 2 player online co-op through Steam is coming! While I did test lots of variants of co-op 2 player co-op feels the best in game. I'm very new to working with co-op in Unity and even though I'm employing a library or two to help there will likely be a ton of issues. As with 0.2 there will be a testing branch when the update is close to completion to probe out issues before it goes live for everyone. Please look forward to it!
Please note there will be no public-facing lobbies and no anti-cheat. Please play with friends! There will be a Looking for Group channel added to the Discord Server if you'd like to look there.
Co-op is a big reason for the price increase, as it means all new content moving forward will need co-op support planned and implemented. Thanks for your understanding.
Controller support
It's been a long time coming, but controller support is on the way! While I'm not sure how I'll be handling rebinding and UI navigation yet the fundamentals are in place and there may be a controller support update coming out before the next major update drops.
The next region, "The Pillar"
This is the first time you'll be entering a new "region" so a brief on what I have planned: the new region will have a different pool of rotating stage bosses and if everything goes right, a new boss theme remix! Furthermore, the Surge that chooses random elites is planned to pull from only elites from stages in that region, but this will likely need testing to see if it feels good. Expect elites to be more dangerous here! Like I said prior, the next major update will be a big one, so there will likely be a few stages to experience in the Pillar.
Better Story Integration + More Story Chapters
I'm taking steps to making the story feel more integrated with the gameplay- required stage nodes will be present in the Story UI itself, and completing these stages through this UI will prompt directly returning to the story seamlessly. The idea is that you can complete the story completely through the Story UI without having to navigate the galaxy map. Additionally, I'd like to have more 2D scene art to flesh out key moments of the story but that's not a promise yet.
As for the story itself, I'd like to include more than one story chapter in this next update: with the pace as it is the game will take longer than I'd like to get to 1.0. I'd also like to go back and revise prior chapters as the story has evolved and shaped over time but that may take too much time, so that's a maybe for now.
There is one more story-centric feature I'm planning, but it may or may not be implemented due to the workload so I won't be talking about it here. Expect more info later!
New Content - Reflection Challenge
After completing a run on any stage (through defeating the stage boss,) you'll now be able to save your run: all your equipped characters, weapons, skills, and Memories. You'll be able to use these Saved Runs for a new type of content: Reflection Challenges. Refight much stronger versions of some prior bosses in longer trials, complete with new abilities and effects.
Additionally, like with Stages, you can take certain Surges to further increase the difficulty of the boss. There are plans for 2 Reflection Challenges in the next major update: Penthesilea and Odette. For an example of a Surge, Penthesilea may execute teleport debuffs during different attacks, or increase the speed of ink attacks. This feature is still being planned, so everything is subject to change!
You may be wondering if taking Surges would make creating good Saved Runs harder, but you'll get a damage boost based on the Surge Level of your Saved Run, so keep that in mind!
New Playable Character - Katrielle
After meeting her briefly in Chapter 2, your paths will cross again.
Katrielle is a character focused on healing and losing HP, as well as playing selfishly. Her Innate Ability grants her two distinct forms: her Parcelkeeper form above 50% HP which grants increased agility, and her Enforcer form below 50% HP which trades speed for raw strength. Some of her skills weaken her partner to empower herself, or focus on staying above/below HP thresholds. You can even embrace another playstyle and focus on switching between her two forms for potent bonuses.
New Memories & Weapons!
Of course, a new update wouldn't be complete without new weapons, so here's a sneak peek of them! I'm planning on trying out something new: clearing each Reflection Challenge will unlock "Sundered Self" and "The Zero Axiom" respectively (Clearing reflection challenges with Surges will unlock new Memories instead!)
Sundered Self
Slice through your foes with this crystalline katana, focusing on inflicting debuffs and multi-hit combos. All abilities grant Mirrored Self; at 2 stacks, the next ability consumes all Mirrored Self and Activates again. The mirrored attack deals Summon damage at an increased potency.
Hope's Sweetened Heart
Unleash justice with this magical staff, gaining Sugarcast stacks in Sweet Forme and then using Burst to swap into Sour Forme, unleashing sugary destruction through an alternate Primary and Special. Crits amplify the potency of Primary and Special even further.
The Zero Axiom
Channel Barrier through this greatsword, focusing Digital Ice stacks to empower slow, powerful strikes. Use Burst to enter a powerful empowered state- when Barrier is gained, lower Burst cooldown. Special can be charged, consuming Digital Ice to grant Barrier.
Quietus Est
Wield this crossbow to hunt your foes to the ends of the earth. Burst deals piercing damage and grants a stack of Dire Hunt; each stack increases Burst Damage by 100%, but only lasts a short duration. Special is a dash that drains HP, but Burst can restore it in a glorious barrage.
Of course, note everything here is subject to change... and thank you for playing Second Stellar!