Hello again everyone, today we have a bunch of fixes and major new features in the latest update for SHALTER-03!
As usual, if you notice any new issues or you think there's anything else we're forgetting, please let us know over at our Discord or QA channels. We really appreciate your feedback!
We wanted to prepare this patch to significantly enhance the gameplay experience, introducing a massive expansion to our Potion mechanics, major performance optimizations, and polishing our level layouts.
Thank you all for your support, and we hope you enjoy a nice summer <3
NEW & EXPANDED FEATURES
Massive Potion & Consumable Expansion: We now have 40 unique potions in the game! This includes DwarfDraught, Helium, Swiftness, Synesthesia, and brand-new chaotic potions that can trigger effects on random teammates or the player closest to you.
Visual Potion States: You can now instantly tell if your teammate has been experimenting with chemicals. Drinking a potion applies a dynamic, color-matched material overlay to your character.
Potion UI Updates: Keep track of your trips with the new Potion Status Bar and Status Icons. The UI bar now visually transitions from green to red as the duration ticks down, complete with a pulsing heartbeat effect just before the potion wears off.
The "Living" Dynamic Maze: We've completely optimized and overhauled the new Maze puzzle. It is now truly alive — paths, walls, and corridors will dynamically open and close in real-time. We've also hidden 10+ potions inside the maze, so expect some highly unpredictable runs.
Blind Character Vision Rework: We heard your feedback that playing as the Blind character was a bit too restrictive. We have significantly expanded the field of view and completely changed the visual representation of how the Blind player perceives the world.
Elevator Physics: Pushable boxes are now fully integrated with both horizontal and vertical elevators, allowing you to transport them across vertical puzzles.
New Box Designs & Power Cells: We've updated the visual aesthetics for all pushable boxes and introduced a brand-new interactable puzzle element: The Power Cell.
NameTags & Visuals: Added dynamic, distance-scaled in-game NameTags for all players. The character overlap material has also been updated to be much clearer and animated.
Safe-Teleport System: No more getting stuck! We've built a new automated unstuck system. If a character falls out of bounds or reaches an unintended area, they will safely teleport back to a designated safe zone.
Underwater Vision: Diving is no longer a shot in the dark. We've tweaked underwater post-processing so visibility is significantly better for everyone.
FIXES & OPTIMIZATIONS
Fixed multiple replication and sync issues within the Dynamic Maze Generator.
Fixed node occupancy replication and movement interpolation issues for the Egg & Lift Puzzles.
Fixed Master Button prediction feed and sliding box replication bugs.
Fixed collisions and material overrides on Hedge assets to prevent players from clipping or getting stuck.
Fixed a major Disability Registry bug where the same player could accidentally stack identical disabilities over each other. Player states now persist correctly during travel.
Major level design and performance optimizations applied to the Hight_Mountain map.
Adjusted texture LOD bias and MIP settings for new hedge blocks and environment assets.
ROAD TO EARLY ACCESS
Testing New Horizons: We are nearing the end of development for 2 brand-new maps and have officially moved them into the testing phase.
Achievement Hunting: We are currently setting up the backend for Steam Achievements. Expect around 25 distinct achievements to unlock when we launch into Early Access!
A Glimpse into the Future: We are prototyping some wild new mechanics for upcoming updates. We don't want to spoil the exact puzzles, but prepare yourselves for:
Mechanics where the literal pitch and volume of your real voice might be your only key to progression.
Deadly environments where a physical disadvantage (like blindness) suddenly becomes the team's ultimate shield.
Chaotic encounters where your sensory roles might forcibly swap in the heat of the moment.
Areas where you will have to rely on "seeing" sound to map your surroundings.