Update: A second build was just pushed live which includes a fix for a crash some players were seeing in the 6th level.
Builds are now live on Steam for Windows 64 bit, Windows 32 bit and Linux, containing over 64 changes since the last update.
Volumetric Fog
The fog system in Estranged has been overhauled to make the transitions when progressing through the game less noticeable. Volumetric fog is now used in certain levels, which makes lights feel more grounded in the level and gives you a sense of the dampness of the atmosphere in the game.
Object Highlight Changes
The object highlight method has been changed, meaning that objects shimmer instead of having an outline. There is now an option in the Gameplay Options menu to disable this highlight altogether for those that want to figure things out without hints.
Changes to 8th Level
The 8th level has now been changed to make it more fun to play – previously you’d have to climb a set of precariously placed boards – this has been replaced with a physics-based elevator mechanic. I hope to keep improving this level going forwards.
Work on 9th Level
I haven’t had as much time as I’d like to work on this level, however there are now blockouts of the path in-game which are visible (but not accessible) from the 9th level.
If this doesn’t spoil the immersion for folks picking up the game, I will keep shipping the in-progress level portions until they are ready to be played, just so you all can be involved more in the process.
Background Work
As ever there is ongoing background work to support new enemies, new weapons and better support for checkpoints. There are now two new weapons, but they need more sound work and better integration, so they’ll stay out of the public build for now.
I have been working on figuring out how to integrate new characters into Estranged using the same skeleton as the infected character, which will lead to newer types of enemy in the coming months.
There are also a bunch of bug fixes in this release reported by the community on the forums.
Thank you for playing Estranged! If you have any feedback, please drop a comment or feel free to email me directly at alan [at] alanedwardes (dot) com.
Alan