Announcing the first beta version
What does it mean to reach beta?
It means we've come a long way, and we're very happy that we could add all the major features the community requested, even the ones that weren't planned in the first versions (Base building, horses, etc).
It also means all the major features are now added to the game and we won't be adding more big features. Now the focus will shift to add content (more quests, events), balance the game, improve performance, and add minor features.
What are the major features that are now added?
In the current state the major features are:
- Random western-inspired world with events and quests
- Thousands of weapons to discover
- Base Building
- Horse mechanic
- Karma mechanic (want to befriend the bandits by killing soldiers? Go ahead)
- Faction mechanic (ally yourself to one of the factions)
- Survival mechanic (keep track of hunger, thirst, temperature)
- NPCs to interact, sell items, buy items, kill, loot
- Character customization (class, skin, clothings, equipments)
- Character development (scaling gear quality)
- Challenging experience with a hint of humor.
What will be added?
Sheriff/Most Wanted mechanic will be more developed, NPC interactions, better AI, more questlines and anything the community suggest and that wouldn't be too big to represent a major feature.
What won't be added?
Anything that's too big of a change in the current build.
How about the next builds?
They'll have lots of important performance improvements, in both network consumption AND frames per second. They'll also have lots of re-balance of the game rules (damages, speeds, accuracy, etc). And also, of course, tons of bugfixing. The main focus now is to polish the experience.
Want to help us?
You can support the project by participating in the balance/game design discussions, suggesting changes and improvements, helping detect bugs and glitches and by spreading the word, let your friends know about Sunset Rangers.
Sunset Rangers
Changelog for update Beta 1.0a
Aesthetics
- Fixed HDR setup causing the ambient light to became brighter right before the night fall.
- Changed night setup so it's less dark.
- Added dust particles throughout the world.
- Added dust trail particles following the characters.
- Added dust trail particles following certain NPCs.
- Fixed a few particle systems.
- Fixed SSAO overall.
- Fixed SSAO blinking when aiming.
Networking
- Improved local character packets.
- Improved remote character packets.
- Improved NPCs packets.
- Improved Inventory packets (Inventory, loots, stores, etc).
Bugfixes
- Fixed bug causing horses to glitch near objects.
- Fixed bug causing auctioneers to stop working after some time.
- Fixed bug causing remote character skin to not be applied correctly.