Hi all.
Over the past few weeks we've been focusing less on introducing entirely new systems and more on expanding the ones that are already in place.
A large part of development has been dedicated to increasing gameplay variety while continuing to improve stability and overall performance. As we move closer to the first public playable build, every new feature also has to integrate cleanly with everything that already exists.
A new infected variant
One area we've been expanding is enemy variety.
One of the newest additions is a new infected type internally inspired by a parasitic infection. Unlike the regular infected, these creatures are literally being consumed from the inside by aggressive parasites that have spread throughout their bodies.
The infection has progressed so far that parasites can often be seen emerging from the mouth and other wounds while the host is still alive.
Their most distinctive behavior happens when you shoot them or after death.
Instead of simply collapsing, the body ruptures, releasing dozens of living parasites into the surrounding area.
The death of the host therefore doesn't necessarily mean the encounter is over. In many situations it actually creates a new problem that forces the player to quickly reconsider positioning and movement.
Rather than simply introducing "another enemy", we're trying to create situations where different enemy types naturally change the rhythm of an encounter.
Expanding the arsenal
Combat has also received significant attention.
While the original prototype already included the standard 9mm pistol and the 12-gauge shotgun, we've recently introduced several additional firearms, each designed with its own handling characteristics rather than simply dealing different amounts of damage.
The current arsenal now includes:
Suppressed 9mm pistol
.45 Colt handgun
AK-12 assault rifle
9mm burst-fire pistol
Each weapon is intended to encourage a slightly different approach.
Some reward precision and stealth, others offer raw stopping power at the cost of heavier recoil or reduced ammunition efficiency.
Our goal isn't simply to increase the number of weapons available, but to ensure that choosing one over another genuinely changes how certain encounters are approached.
The final encounter
Another major area of development is the game's final boss encounter.
Without revealing too much, we've spent considerable time prototyping what we hope will become one of the most memorable moments of the experience.
This isn't simply about creating a larger enemy.
Like the rest of the project, we're trying to build a confrontation that grows naturally out of the systems players have been learning throughout the game, rather than relying solely on spectacle.
We'll share more about this when it's ready.
Looking ahead
Our primary objective remains unchanged.
We're working toward delivering a stable, polished and reliable playable build in the coming weeks.
Much of the work over the past month hasn't been immediately visible: optimization, bug fixing, balancing and countless small improvements that help the game run consistently across a wide range of hardware.
Those aren't always the most exciting updates to talk about, but they're essential if we want the first public build to represent the game in the way we intend.
As always, thank you for following the project and for all the feedback you've shared over the past months.
We look forward to letting everyone finally experience these systems firsthand very soon.