[h3]Greetings esteemed colleagues,[/h3] We’ve returned from [b]Gamescom[/b], full of bratwurst and renewed energy! We had a fantastic time meeting people in the Indie Booth Arena, and to anyone reading this who was there, hello! Thanks for joining us! Let’s celebrate with a look at one of the many systems you'll use to survive - or thrive - in Abiotic Factor! [h2]Stop! Laser Time.[/h2] Lasers! A foundational pillar for some of the coolest sciences - is science without lasers really even science at all? Use lasers in the GATE Cascade Research Facility for bouncing, splitting, charging, burning, powering… and looking cool, to name just a few applications. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/c408d403d4bfeb86ed5f2c0b3534fdecbed07b5e.gif[/img] You’ll likely be three-hundred times more creative than we are, but here are a few inventive ways the team has used them: On at least one occasion, we’ve used them as a security system because when something moves in front of the beam, you’re able to see it cut out and you can use that warning to prepare to fight or flee. The laser beam might also soften them up a bit first, since it burns [i]quite hot[/i]. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/24837f09be2c01de5b0164ca70df2538c33ef7fb.gif[/img] Make a laser fence! Nothing can get past the laser fence! Well, technically things [i]can[/i], but they wouldn’t have a fun time doing it! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/fe3a48ef53042f29fac5a1b7b58efacc821558d8.gif[/img] We’ll get more in depth about the laser system in a future dev vlog, where you’ll see bouncing lasers and some more ways that lasers can be used to power, defend, and destroy. The laser katana, however, remains shrouded in mystery. For now. [h2]Deep in the Field[/h2] While part of the team was off gallivanting at Gamescom, the rest of the team was hard at work getting new content prepared for our next internal milestone! Now, let’s hear some words from them about the latest and greatest developmental endeavors… [h3]Jacob, Gameplay & Systems Programmer[/h3] [b]Heat System 2.0[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/88a4109defa1af193127c2fc03c6636eb5c6850e.gif[/img] [quote]Our hot n’ cold system (which we call the Thermal System internally) received a major update, which now supports a wide range of heat sources affecting the character all at once. Placing down multiple heaters can now keep you warm in the most extreme temperatures, and can even cook food given enough heat. … Or maybe it might just burn it to a crisp.[/quote] [b]NPC Radio[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/cdd8d7c10109e73ee43051029305b4b38ef0b583.png[/img] [quote]Walking away from an NPC will now start broadcasting what they’re saying over the "radio", with some real nice fade-in fade-out audio effects as you move further away. This has been a major improvement in co-op because now your fellow scientists don't miss out on any of the story if they’re far away when an NPC begins its dialog.[/quote] [b]Quick-Use on Items[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/70e667f77d1d5d605ee83e67560b1251aea27589.gif[/img] [quote]Previously using items from your inventory would require you to move them to the hotbar before using them. This was of course a UX disaster, and took up precious real estate space for your most-used items. To fix this, we made items no longer require an actual hotbar slot to be used, so you can now eat or drink any (edible) item in your inventory, and even place down deployable objects without affecting your carefully-arranged hotbar.[/quote] [h3]Jorden, Level Designer[/h3] [b]Pipes, Pipes, and More Pipes[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/e42bd451ec6aa80c30966973cf97901549fe5401.png[/img] [quote]I spent a good bit of time cleaning up some of our most-graybox intermediate hallways, particularly hallways that introduce a new sector to the players. It's satisfying to see a simple graybox corridor turn into a believable space.[/quote] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/43323410de493f339f4b27e2332bbdee129037fe.png[/img] [quote]Along with making the spaces look visually interesting, having it play well with our mechanics is the real meat and potatoes. Getting a space ready for playtesting takes a bit of time, since a lot of the scenery, [i]props and furniture[/i], are real interactable items that need to exist for the players to loot, dismantle, and use for their scientific aims.[/quote] [h3]Kecko, 3D Artist[/h3] [b]Battery Charger[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/0d464e3c79cac70a8ea9764b252a85578c23fb1d.png[/img] [quote]This is a special one to me. I made it for my art test to join the team, and it was as fun as it was stressful. I crammed as much detail as I could into this asset, and I think it turned out really well. I used my experience from making assets for mods on the original Unreal (1998). Texturing the front was a lot of fun, including all the small symbols, it was an interesting challenge at the time.[/quote] [b]Portal Toilet[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/1bae902d3d713ee0b2cfdd15398b89e083c909d1.gif[/img] [quote]This one is utterly ridiculous, and my entire philosophy while making it was. "It should feel like you're piloting a spaceship just to take a dump." Looks way cooler than it has absolutely any right to and I think I heard somewhere it’s powered by lasers? I wanted it to have all sorts of access panels and pipes, but the most fun part was definitely doing the monitor… And no, we’re not allowed to talk about where it leads.[/quote] That’s all for this week’s [i]scientific analysis[/i] of Abiotic Factor development! [h2]In Case You Missed It[/h2] [h3]New Dev Vlog![/h3] We’ve had a lot of questions regarding guns in Abiotic Factor, so we made a dev vlog as an answer! [previewyoutube=VT6ckHooxUE;full][/previewyoutube] [h3]A New Trailer![/h3] This was featured in our last news post but just in case - we have a new trailer! [previewyoutube=DOyl1tPSVsA;full][/previewyoutube] [h2]Stay Tuned[/h2] When you descend into the GATE Cascade Research Facility you’re going to be facing a lot of unexpected challenges. Follow these Status Reports for tips, insights and strategies to keep you safe, as well as fun looks-behind-the-scenes at development! We plan to continue doing these about once a month, with lots of surprises in between. You can also subscribe to our [url=https://abioticfactor.com]Newsletter[/url] to keep up-to-date on news about Abiotic Factor, and gain exclusive access to testing environments. Oh, [i]they’re coming[/i]. More info on the playtest schedule, [i]soon[/i]. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/11a11173c53ec3f5ad5055d23e3c7728d6428542.gif[/img] [b]You can also join us on Discord![/b] [url=https://discord.gg/deepfield][img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/9bf679d17819c84e60ce294665d5e7c77fb02ce1.png[/img][/url] [b]See you next time, Scientists![/b] [h3]Wishlist Today![/h3] https://store.steampowered.com/app/427410/Abiotic_Factor/