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Seraph development roadmap from Early Access to full launch

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Hello gamers,

The following information is a roadmap for Seraph, leading from our Early Access launch all the way up to the final, complete version of the game. I'm going to explain what's currently included in the game first, before expanding into what we plan to add to the game over the coming months.

One of the most important parts of Early Access is not just what you're getting now, but what will be available to you in the upcoming content patches. Read on below to get a better idea of where Seraph is at and where it's headed!

I'd advise all Early Access participants who wish to provide feedback or suggestions for the game to have a quick scan of this list to see if your thoughts are already covered. If not, then feel free to create a post on the discussion boards.

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Seraph version 0.1:


We launch version 0.1 on Tuesday 26th April 2016. It is a fairly complete alpha version of the game and features, which I'll briefly list below. This list is not exhaustitive (because that would take thousands of words!), but it should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect when you buy and play Seraph v0.1.

Gameplay

  • Ultra responsive acrobatic platforming controls. Effortlessly navigate the levels with wall hangs, double-jumps and the rapid 'Blink' dash move.
  • Automatic aiming. Seraph will pick and aim at targets for the player (often 2 targets at once), allowing them freedom to focus on keeping bursts of gunfire short and accurate, skilfully evading enemy attacks and positioning in combat.
  • Larger 'Elite' enemies that can be weakened with gun-fire but must be executed with a close range 'Smite' attack. Players must close the gap and enter the fray to completely destroy these enemies and bosses.
  • Collect XP Motes and level up.

Game modes

  • Standard story mode campaign. Randomly constructed levels, with random enemy types, weapon lockers and power-ups. All aspects of the game feed off the player's current difficulty and skill level.
  • Twitch mode. Viewers can vote to be #good or #evil, modifying the upcoming level for the streamer! Top banter ensues!
  • Speed-run mode. The game is no longer random, but is generated by a visible seed code. Speed-runners can share their favourite campaign seeds and compete for the best times.
  • 2 Daily challenge modes (Survival and daemon hunt). Randomly generated level layout and challenge that is then shared with all players worldwide. Steam leader-board integration.

Levels and enemies

  • All 26 campaign levels across 5 visual themes.
  • 1 unique music track per level, with an additional music track on the main menu and game front-end.
  • 6 daemon enemy types, with 4 "flavour" variants that mix up their attacks, abilities and stats. These enemies also come in 3 classes: normal, elite and level boss.
  • 2 proper boss enemies. The first of which is fairly complete, but the second requires proper feedback.
  • 2 level objective types: Hunt the Lieutenant of Terminus (end of level boss with random powers and type) and destroy the Fountains of Terminus (destroy multiple objects that spawn daemon enemies).

Weapons, pick-ups, Miracles and Blessings

  • 7 individual weapon types with multiple unlockable upgraded versions for each.
  • 6 passive Blessing types, chosen when a player levels up.
  • 3 Miracles: Smite, Orb and Repel.
  • 7 protective Ward types, with multiple unlockable upgraded versions for each.

Crafting, Oath skill-tree and longevity

  • Transmutation crafting system, whereby players collect daemonic body parts from fallen enemies and convert them into new weapons, Wards and Miracles.
  • Oath "skill-tree" system, where the strength of every skill is determined by the rarity of the Shard crystal you assign to it.
  • On-screen dynamic difficulty system that matches player skill level and always offers a challenge. Higher difficulties mean more Shard and crafting component drops.

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Future planned updates to Seraph:


So what comes next? With version 0.1, we simply aimed to have something of every feature. This is what's known as an Alpha version of the game. Over the coming months we plan to expand the content in the game while we head towards our Beta version.

Miracles
We currently have only 3 of our planned 9 Miracles implemented in-game. We wish to expand this list with the following Seraph powers:

  • Cripple - Attaches a holy link to the closest 3 enemies within 4 units for 2.5 seconds, slowing their movement and attack speed by 30%. If the link is not broken during this time (by moving too far away), then the chains explode, damaging the enemy for 200 holy damage.
  • Comet - Seraph launches herself vertically towards the ground like a holy comet. When she strikes a surface, she deals 100 damage + 50 damage per unit that she travelled vertically to those around her.
  • Execution - Strikes the closest targeted enemy for 10% of their maximum health as holy damage. If this effect reduces the enemy’s health bar to zero, Seraph is healed by 25% of her maximum health.
  • Lightwell - The Angel summons down a thin pillar of light down directly onto her for 5 seconds (the light well stays where it is when seraph moves away).. All enemies that pass through are struck by this pillar and receive 200 holy damage.
  • Exorcism - Launches a fast moving divine projectile in a straight at seraph’s target enemy. The first enemy to be struck will be damaged for 50 and “marked” for 6 seconds, taking 20% increased damage for that period. If the enemy’s health bar is reduced to zero within these 6 seconds, the enemy is automatically 'Smited'.
  • Barrier - Activating this ability creates a bubble at Seraph’s position that lasts for 4 seconds. Seraph can leave the bubble. Enemy projectiles are destroyed when they touch the surface of the bubble, but attacks that originate inside the bubble still hurt Seraph. Enemies that pass into the bubble have their movement slowed by 25%.

Blessings
Blessings are ranked up each time a player reaches a new level. Here are the Blessings we aim to implement in addition to the 6 that are already in-game.

  • There’s a 10% chance that weapon attacks will explode on contact with enemies, dealing 50-100% of the attacks’ damage as holy to enemies within 2m.
  • Weapon damage is boosted by 15-30% for 1 second after performing Blink.
  • The first shooting attack on any enemy is guaranteed to be a critical strike.
  • Seraph reflects 200% of the damage she sustains back at her attacker. Critical strike chance is boosted by 10% when Seraph is in the air or clinging to walls.
  • Every 10 seconds, an enemy is marked for death. That enemy receives 25% more damage. Killing that enemy will spread the mark to another enemy within 3 units.
  • Seraph’s footsteps scorch the ground with holy light that lasts for 1 second. Enemies that touch these patches of ground take 25 magical damage.
  • Seraph causes her bullets to burn enemies on contact. Enemies that are struck by any weapon attack burn for 5% of their maximum health per second for 3 seconds. This effect does not stack but is refreshed by new damage.
  • Any holy damage caused to an enemy will burn them for an additional 50% of that damage over 3 seconds.
  • Seraph increases the damage of her attacks by 1% for every 2% of her missing health (this includes the missing portion after resurrection). This damage is holy.
  • Critical strikes heal Seraph for 10% of the damage caused. This can only occur once every 10 seconds.
  • Seraph creates a shield that will prevent 100% damage from one attack. This effect does not stack. 60 second cool-down.
  • Moving around the level builds holy charge, that is expended as a large explosion when a weapon attack successfully strikes a target. Charge is built to a maximum of 50-100 holy damage.
  • Seraph’s weapon attacks slow their target by 20%, reducing their movement speed.
  • Seraph’s damage is increased against all targets within 3 units of her.
  • Enemies explode on death, causing 10% of it’s max health as damage to those within 3 units.
  • The longer Seraph is in contact with the floor, the more damage she causes. Her damage increases by 5% per 0.5 seconds and caps out at 50% increased damage. Jumping, falling off a ledge etc. at all removes this buff.
  • Bullets that penetrate an enemy cause 50% more damage to the next enemy to be struck by it.
  • Increases the effectiveness of all wards by 100%.
  • Seraph gains increased movement speed for 3 seconds after successfully Smiting an enemy.

Boss powers
Adding more unique unholy attack powers to the bosses in the game. We currently have 3 but plan to have 7-9 in total.

Crafting, Oath skill-tree and front-end menus

  • Replacing some of the weaker Oaths from the Oath system with better ones.
  • New Transmutation crafting recipes for additional ranks of Miracle.
  • Adding loot rewards that are given to Daily challenge participants, based on their rank at the end of each day.
  • Create a 'Codex' which records all story logs that have been found, all enemy type descriptions, weapon info and other such information that they players will encounter during their gameplay. Players can then review this information at their leisure.

Additional Daily Challenge modes

  • Speed run - get to the exit of a level. Treasure hunter - Open all chests in the level as fast as possible.
  • Heraldry - Kill the mid-game boss as fast as possible.
  • Head hunter - Kill 10 elites as fast as possible.
  • Perfection - Gain as much XP as you can without taking any damage.
  • Cleansing - Find and kill all enemies in the level.
  • Score run - finish the level with the highest score possible
  • Death clock - your health ticks down at 1 per second. Gain as much XP as you can before you die.

Daily challenge mode modifiers (randomly added to the challenge to give more variation each day.

  • Perfect - get extra score for how little damage you took.
  • Fleet - get extra score for how little you touched the ground.
  • Killing enemies with Miracles is worth double score.
  • Lose score every time you dash.
  • Gain score every time you open an item chest.
  • Gain score every time you smite 2 or more enemies at once.

Localisation into more languages
English, French, German, Spanish and Russian are planned. Russian may be trickier than the others due to special characters, but we'll do our best.

Music and audio
Filling in the SFX gaps with new sounds and producing an additional 5 music tracks to reduce repetition.

Twitch
Adding a tonne of new buffs and de-buffs to Twitch mode, many of which will be included in the regular game as secret pick-ups.

Hardware
Controller vibration!

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And that's it for now! We aim to finish the whole game within the next 2-3 months, depending on how Early Access works out. If we find ourselves lucky enough to have additional funds to spend, we will put this into additional features, enemy types, music and other such bonuses!

We'll let you guys know immediately as and when we make the decision to add new features.

Thanks for reading,

Daniel and the development team