[h3]Greetings esteemed colleagues,[/h3] First, we made a new vlog, and you simply must see it. It is to [i]die[/i] for. [h2]Q&A Vlog - Part 1[/h2] [previewyoutube=b0qho22YyS4;full][/previewyoutube] Now that you've certainly watched the vlog, let's get on with this feast of a status report. Happy November! Spooky season is over (though not for this dev. We have pumpkins in the game now and I am going to USE them!) and development continues onwards and upwards. And speaking of upwards… Let’s dive into this week’s development sneak-peek! [h2]The Ups and Downs of Travel[/h2] Verticality is a thing that exists in the real world, so why shouldn’t it exist in the game world too? While designing the Facility and other worlds beyond, we always take into account how much the player will want to explore both the highs AND the lows... One primary goal is to invoke the feeling of classic 90’s games while utilizing modern day engine capabilities to make the world as interactable and large. You want to get to that distant ledge? Dang it, you can make it happen! And not only can you make that happen, you can go about it in a multitude of ways. [i]Want to get big ups?[/i] If you make a strange discovery during your travels, like this Gaseous Nest, be sure to package it up for future use. You never know when it might come in handy! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/2ba7057787c56b32b6b4fc9566e2dabc3d8b27b4.gif[/img] [quote=Dr. Derek Manse]"The precise means by which these nests produce and release gas are still unknown, and their exact rearing purposes remain cloudy. But like so much fauna from [REDACTED], its metabolism is accelerated here. The result is a violent outgassing on contact, capable of launching objects large distances, before rapidly refilling." ~ Dr. Derek Manse[/quote] [i]Traverse big pits?[/i] The classic bed sheets tied together style rope is always an option. Though, with your scrawny upper body strength, it might be a one way trip. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/d927d04a3f10d4f603958382ffc71f7c04a55312.gif[/img] Maybe you’ll be able to find some more… foreign rope materials to help you back up again. Wait, is this thing alive? [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/a01598233e62fa5d6415ca5e7bb0f85757e406b3.gif[/img] [i]Building with BoB (Brains Over Brawn)[/i] Of course it wouldn’t be a survival crafting game without some construction. Cobble together wooden scraps from around the office to build yourself platforms, bridges, [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/ac8576d99b49827515eb5c7f7fb5271a88759fc1.gif[/img] and ramps! [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/6de22f934afc48b54be9cc1127061bf6fea5e834.gif[/img] Use that freaky science brain to invent even more ways of getting vertical! And there are, of course, more or less traditional scientific means of accessing hard to reach places. Such as rocket-powered backpacks and repurposing mobile gadgets. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/70529209d47969aa1d90d01eb6aaec3c1d9ebc37.gif[/img] Just remember, if you can’t walk it, you can craft it! [h2]Deep in the Field[/h2] Each Status Report we take a little walk by some of the team and ask them what they've been up to, and have them tell us a bit about the stuff they've been creating. Do NPC’s get spooked? Can you weaponize the very concept of [spoiler]redacting information?[/spoiler] Let’s find out in this installment of Deep in the Field! Plus a look at some never before seen, nicely dressed Facility locations. [h3]Jenny, Tech Artist[/h3] [b][spoiler][REDACTION][/spoiler] Grenade[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/038fe197da209d2d0827218f3d46aa3c7f96e3cd.gif[/img] [quote]Upon activation, the [spoiler][REDACTION][/spoiler] Grenade creates a gravitational distortion effect, which is visually represented by a swirling vortex. For this particular style of effect, I came up with the concept for it while reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics.[/quote] [h3]Hailey, Level Designer[/h3] [b]Manufacturing[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/bef2b592f13ca0c731eee342094baab6caa35314.png[/img] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/8a0009fb5832e003f0b99a72f28140249f0cfa7d.png[/img] [quote]At the heart of the GATE Cascade Research Facility’s industrial sector lies Manufacturing West, full of metal, concrete, and deadly health hazards. I’ve been working on various areas throughout this zone and have LOVED the challenges this theme presents. Pipes snaking everywhere and building row after row of pillars will always be a favourite past-time of mine.[/quote] [b]Mines[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/f2f3a3fe460c734e38fcbaaf2b0ec0d1177717dc.png[/img] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/298b223ecb4662545834f207d3997560b7f892e4.png[/img] [quote]Throughout the Facility, players will venture through large, underground, abyssal spaces. The mines are one such zone, hosting a mix of cool caverns and twisted tunnels. I’ve especially enjoyed capturing the dark and moody atmosphere as I fill out these lower spaces.[/quote] [b]In-betweens[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/f204f9af3ec970c07888981e3212cced0f3aec81.png[/img] [quote]The Facility is wonderfully interconnected with halls, roadways, elevators and trams. Despite their relatively low foot-traffic, the in-between areas are just as enjoyable to work on as the main areas and are a great opportunity to show off some unique architectural and decorative styles, especially since these connecting areas visually link the style of the adjacent zones. This security checkpoint (I’m not allowed to tell you where this is) in particular has been a real pleasure to work on. Seeing areas become seamlessly interlinked and traversable is extremely rewarding![/quote] [h3]Kecko, 3D Artist[/h3] [b]Batteries![/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/15707acd36a7f7959da3830914eeabeb2016fe7c.jpg[/img] [quote]Batteries are the life-blood of your base at night. When the power goes out, you’re on whatever reserves you have available. One way to prepare for that is by crafting batteries! I wanted to have consistent elements across these when conceptualizing them, and I thought the cyan capacitors were striking and tied the lower tiers together while allowing each tier of battery to fit both its style and sector-theme – that is to say, the area where you first get the materials to craft it. For the highest tier battery I took inspiration from the interior of an IBM Quantum computer and stylized it, compacting it to fit in a small form factor.[/quote] [b]Backpacks![/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/67f0efbaa1418ad290c1a8937fc7c5f2e3bb05a9.png[/img] [quote]As you know, you can only carry so much in your scrawny scientist arms, and we make sure to remind you of that frequently. But with the help of backpacks you can live your best loot hoarder life! The Makeshift Backpack is the first backpack you can create, scraped together with sections stolen from couches, chairs and spare lab coats. It will only provide a little bit of extra storage space and it's quite easy to put together. The Research Backpack, a few tiers higher up the food chain, is a high-tech piece of equipment that will give you a very flexible amount of space and carrying capacity, as well as block some radiation from the items inside. It was a lot of fun designing both, but I’m quite partial to the metal shape of the Research Pack, there’s something rather neat about carrying around solid, non-flexible materials.[/quote] [b]Barricades![/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/c640706151848e41a855c2f492baf082e0c627f6.jpg[/img] [quote]Gotta keep those critters out somehow, right? Due to consisting of all sorts of pieces around the early Office Sector, creating uniform, strong and defensive shapes proved a bit tricky but we got it in the end.[/quote] [h3]Jacob, Programmer[/h3] [b]Startling Enemies[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/02561b38f8c8dca3fe52beca277c581015e25eb3.gif[/img] [quote]Up until now, enemies didn’t really have any startle behavior. Now they do. If an enemy is out of combat, just chillin’, and hears a loud noise they'll get startled. Or if you walk around the corner and are up in their grill, they'll get spooked. This grants the player a moment of opportunity to strike while the enemy is stunned and rewards stealthy players with an advantage at the start of a fight.[/quote] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//43009981/53a238216ce3bd4a7da82daa5ea394919744cb4b.gif[/img] [quote]We’ve also made shoving - the quintessential unarmed attack of a scrawny scientist - work on some smaller (lighter) enemies if you catch them unaware. This is another way to get a quick stun before they wise up and ruin your day.[/quote] [b]Async Level Loading[/b] [quote]The GATE Cascade Research Facility is rather large, and it’s going to feel that way as you walk from one end to the other. I’ve been working on some major optimizations to make the experience of moving between large sections of the map more seamless. You’re used to seamless travel in most games, and we aim to please.[/quote] Wow, that was quite the run-down from the team. What's next? [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! You can also subscribe to our [url=abioticfactor.com]Newsletter[/url] to keep up-to-date on news about Abiotic Factor, and gain access to testing environments. Keep your eyes peeled because things are ramping up behind the scenes! [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/