Welcome to MELTDOWN.
From a second scavenger hunt, to new mutations, new maps, a challenges overhaul (and even MORE)... this is one meaty event. So meaty in fact, that we are splitting it in two - MELTDOWN is a summer-long extravaganza! There's that much meat.
You can forget Jurassic June, this thing's too big to be contained to one month! Meltdown: Part One launches today with the start of the Summer Scavenger Hunt and a major game update.
Meltdown: Part Two will come hurtling in like a meateor hopefully by the end of July.
It's gonna be a wild ride!
Today's Update
MELTDOWN PART ONE
NEW MAP:
Phantom Cave
This is the first new Get to the Chopper level added to the game since release (we're so sorry, GTTC fans).
Developed in close collaboration with talented community member L. Merah, we're excited to finally add another Steam Workshop level to Primal Carnage: Extinction's official roster.
(And hope there will be many more to come!)
This little adventure has the human team battle through a hostile lava cavern to reach their rescue point. Phantom Cave features death pits aplenty, inventive lighting that gives dinosaurs lots of places to hide, and a twisty-turny layout that keeps you on your toes.
(note: if you have subscribed to the Steam Workshop version of Phantom Cave,
you will need to unsubscribe in order to play the official version)
So what are you waiting for?
Run! GO!
A NEW CHALLENGE
Extinction's weekly challenges have featured the same set of rather difficult tasks for quite a while now. There's certainly people who can put days upon days into games, but we understand that not everyone has that kind of time.
So today, we're introducing tiered challenges.
These provide players with different options they can try tackling. Bronze challenges are less stressful and can usually be completed within an hour or two. Silver challenges will take you a little while longer to complete. At the top end of the scale are Gold challenges, for those players who want a real test of skill and have a lot of time on their hands.
Each challenge tier offers different levels of EXP upon completion.
- Bronze challenges currently award 1000 EXP
- Silver challenges currently award 2500 EXP
- Gold challenges currently award 5000 EXP
- Complete all three challenges to receive item rewards!
We've added 25 new challenges with this update and hope people like the new tiered system!
Several existing challenges have also been rebalanced as part of this to make them less punishing.
We'll be listening to feedback and hope to add more rewards for challenge completions in future.
On that note, it's been a long time since we've brought new cheevos in, so we currently have a couple cooking in the oven for Meltdown Part 2 that will tie into the newly updated challenge system.
Elsewhere, loot drop tables have been adjusted to remove the oldest human and dino items.
These ancient relics are now only available through crafting, and new free drops have replaced them.
EVOLUTIONS
Have you been stuck at rank 50 for years? Has that cruel EXP bar mocked you with the promise of a new rank that never comes? Well, rejoice! Progression has been extended to include new Evolutions!
When you hit rank 50, you now have the option to start anew at rank 0 by Evolving, simply click the gold Evolve button when it appears under your name on the main menu.
Doing this resets your EXP to zero and in the process you are rewarded with two rare items, one of them for humans and one for dinosaurs. And don't worry, we'll be adding extra UI support for Evolutions, so you can let everyone know just how much of a badass you are.
SUMMER SCAVENGER HUNT
It's back!
Work with your fellow human or dinosaur to discover the secrets of the Summer Scavenger Hunt! Decipher all of the clues to unlock special limited time event items!
You can keep track of the deciphered codes and see all the items added in the Meltdown Update by checking Trello...
So where do we start?
Join the Primal Codebreakers on discord here
Around the game you will find hidden messages and images to decode, these fragments reveal a variety of mysterious rewards and surprises if you figure out the meaning behind the madness.
Some clue fragments will only be "activated" after the scavenger hunt has reached a certain point.
So be sure to keep in the loop.
What's the mission?
The Summer Scavenger Hunt has three stages of difficulty to progress through, starting with piecing together a series of code fragments from the crazed words of a lost survivor. Those fragments, in groups of three, will grant you special event items when entered on the in-game store. Once the Meltdown is over, they will no longer be available.
The second stage of the Summer Scavenger Hunt requires a higher tier of cryptography, and is activated once all of the codes for stage one have been discovered. Be on the lookout for various pictographs around the levels that will set you on the path towards a maze of intense code-breaking. Solving these will reward you with clues for Stage 3.
The final stage of the Summer Scavenger Hunt will require intense collaboration, and if its secrets are discovered will unlock new default items for everyone when Meltdown Phase 2 hits next month. Good luck, everyone!
FULL CHANGELOG
- Added new Phantom Cave GTTC map
- Added scavenger hunt secrets
- All challenges are now rated as bronze, silver, gold with different EXP awards
- Re-balanced certain existing challenges
- Added 20+ new challenges
- Dinosaurs now regain 10% of their health back from bite kills (does not include Tyrants)
- Fixed some projectiles not implementing IgnoreHumans and IgnoreDinos correctly
- Fixed the Pyro being able to kill himself with his own flamethrower
- Fixed being unable to spawn in Hunt mode
- Fixed 4th Anniversary Gift not working
- Fixed a couple of default skins that still didn't support mutations
- Fixed a few skins that had incorrect textures or attachments
- Updated store layout, added support for previewing more cosmetics (hats) in the store
- Started work to improve readability of menus and HUD
- Scoreboard update: can now see what class everyone is playing regardless of team
- Health, roar and stamina bars now go from saturated to desaturated as they drain
CONTINUED IN PART TWO
We've only given you a tiny peek at what's coming in Meltdown: Part Two so far. There's new legendary sprays and mysterious rewards to be unlocked via the scavenger hunt, but we've much bigger surprises yet to be revealed.
Join us in July, won't you?
https://discord.com/invite/0kvF1k7b7OhIh2OO
Bring your friends! Get 60% off the Extinction 4-pack during the Steam Summer Sale!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/321360/Primal_Carnage_Extinction/