We’ve just released a new Alpha update to our backers on Steam! The main highlights of this update are a completely overhauled Mission 2 experience, redesigned large ship destruction effects, tweaks, bug fixes, and more.

Mission 2

We spent a significant amount of time on this release to make Mission 2 more fun and polished. The changes will provide more interesting mechanics, more varied gameplay (no following Bombers around the whole mission), and a much improved atmosphere. Here’s a list with some of the main changes:

• New Arkin Bomber damage model that requires accurate shot placement
• New objectives to vary gameplay
• New Arkin Bomber model and damage/destruction effects
• Rebalanced wave timing and enemy counts
• Improved Bomber AI
• Updated music
• Persistent debris on checkpoint loading

Two things missing in this update are complete voice acting (we’re about 50% right now) and the final music mix which is still being worked on.

Changelog

Beside the Mission 2 overhaul there are also many more improvements and fixes in this release.

Gameplay and Balance Tweaks

• Reduce cluster munition damage
• Slightly down AI fighter turn speed
• Increase enemy damage across the board

Enhancements

• Main menu now loads customization on demand instead of at start (improved menu loading time)
• New damage states for Arkin frigate with new particle effects and progressive destruction
• Civilian ships now feature full damage states with proper debris and new particle effects
• TDF Frigates now feature full damage states with proper debris and particle effects
• Created new systems for distant ships, includes warp in/out, battle, and destruction
• Add check to squadron warning audio to ensure attacker is behind player
• Large ship debris (frigates, civilian ships) will now persist if a checkpoint is loaded
• TDF frigate is now actually destroyed in Mission 1 when dialog states that this has occurred
• Added continue prompt and tips to loading screen
• Implemented new debris caching system to only cache debris one for identical objects (performance improvement)
• Add logic to skip tutorial after Prologue if it has already been completed

Audio

• Tutorial is now fully voiced
• Updated attenuations and sound culling by distance values on multiple sources
• Tweak sound bank handling to improve memory usage efficiency
• Added new medium size warp effect audio
• Added positional values for generic medium warp in audio
• Changed railgun pitch variance to vary sound
• Tweaked Ship voice and AI warp volumes and attenuation over distance

Art and Visuals

• Replaced old Arkin Bomber with new model
• Add new customization assets for Support Modules, Shield Emitters, and Armor
• Replaced all Arkin Fighter destruction particles effects
• Update customization hangar model (still WIP)
• Update chaingun impact particle effect

Bug Fixes

• Fixed bug causing collision avoidance to be essentially non functional
• Fixed issue with audio listener not attacking to first person camera
• Fix world destroyer animation jump
• Disable level boundary and boundary visual once warp jump begins
• Fixed possible shield state on player where you could no longer take damage
• Added missing explosion sounds to tutorial targets
• Fix TDF capital hangar not disabling automatically on level load
• Fix Warp HUD flashing visible briefly when the warp system is enabled
• Fixed generic squad dialog playing after player death
• Fix player ship “space particles” not appearing
• Fix state of weapon energy mode persisting on load (audio only)
• Fix hitmarkers not appearing when shooting turrets
• Fix TDF Capital cannon projectile appearance
• Fix issues with save system and checkpoint loading where values were being persisted unintentionally
• Fix some issues with clearing mission in progress data correctly
• Fix bug causing AI to return to level for far too long
• Ensure cluster missiles pool impact particles
• Fixed issue with debris lingering on in mission scene switches
• Fix for music state persisting between scene transitions
• Fix issue where having a target locked that then became an objective would hide the lock indicator