Hey everyone!
Art assets are finally done, and we are slowly going towards a more specific update release date. All major features are implemented and we can finally move into proper testing and bug fixing period. We would like to thank to everyone trying out the preview branch and sending us feedback with bug reports, suggestions and ideas. It gave us a nice list of things that we can focus on.
FINAL ICONS
All the placeholder icons got their proper look. All the COG heads, new components, ammunition and intel components finally look like objects from the game. It took a lot longer than planned, as real models had to be done in order to keep the visuals and light effects consistent. Almost everything you see are the new items that come with the new research system. Once the preview branch gets updated, you'll get a chance to check it out yourself.
QUESTS
Ondrej continues the work on quests and has almost all the tasks done. They are way more dynamic and much better at adjusting to your actions. An example would be a production task, that allows you to use both production and refinery stations as soon as you can produce needed items. We are really looking forward to seeing what you think about the new system, and how it influences the learning curve for new players.
CHANGES
Since it’s more than a month since the release and we would like to give you the new update as soon as possible, we decided to postpone some of the art assets for later updates. Specifically the new COG character models, that would require at least two extra weeks just for art. And another week would have to be dedicated to implementation and optimizations. The work already done on the models did not go to waste tho, as we could use them to make the dead COG icons. For now, the 1.17 will use different emissive color to distinguish the COG tier types. Please keep in mind that it’s just placeholder solution for now. It was a difficult decision to make, but we don’t want to prolong the 1.17 production any longer and want to move into the testing phase.
NEXT STEPS
As mentioned at the beginning of the announcement, testing and bug fixing phase has started. Once the bug list we got from you guys is dealt with, we will keep playing the game over and over to polish the gameplay. Each time the preview branch is updated, we will let you know in Steam Forums or on our Discord.
Thank you for being patient with us throughout the following weeks. We really appreciate it, and we hope you will find the new update worth the wait.