[img]https://i.imgur.com/1TU6KKr.gif[/img] [h1][b]Hi again, Mercs & Aliens, [/b][/h1] As promised, we’re keeping you updated so that you’re aware of everything happening with the game's development. Today, let's talk about the current known issues we’re working on right now, which we consider the highest priority to resolve. We’ll strive to solve these issues as quickly as possible, but some of them will take more time, and we are diligently working on them. This post is intended to help us all understand that the game will improve soon and to save us time studying feedback and identifying new issues. [hr][/hr]Before we start, I want to thank you for your patience and love for the game. We see it, and it’s what motivates us the most. ❤️ [hr][/hr] [h3][b]Okay, let’s start with the priority tasks that affect both playable classes.[/b][/h3] [list] [*] Many players are complaining about lag during gameplay, which occurs due to high ping when matchmaking, after a long wait, places you in a distant region. We’re already working on region selection, which requires a matchmaking overhaul and will appear in the upcoming hotfix updates within two weeks. [*] The cheater report system will expand with each patch. The first iteration will be released next week, and it will give us more power to ban cheaters. We’ll be able to automate this process even more. Just yesterday, there was a wave of bans, and I think you noticed that there were significantly fewer cheaters in the second half of the day. Each report of a suspicious player is looked at and we’re automating the process while we’re working on it. This will allow us to deal with cheaters more strictly. [*] Experimental solo mode: This is a complex and large task as it will affect the game’s balance and might split the player base, impacting matchmaking. We’re working on it and figuring out how to implement it correctly. In this mode, there will be one alien against solo mercs. The number of mercs will be determined after testing. [/list] [h3]Priority issues for Alien Monsters[/h3] [list] [*] The UV lamp and weapon flashlight not turning off with EMP is a bug that will be fixed in the patch next week. We have decided to temporarily remove them from the store until we implement the hotfix in the game, as they significantly impact Aliens' gameplay. [*] The monster’s abilities are activating slowly, and sometimes activating the EMP light kills you when it should turn off. We’re looking for a solution to fix this, and we need more time to rework the technical aspects of the monster’s abilities. [*] After fixing the damage registration from light on the Alien, it has started dying noticeably faster. We believe the Alien shouldn’t die quickly and should have the opportunity to react to external threats so as not to cause frustration. We’ve decided to seriously rework this aspect of the game so that Aliens don’t die quickly but also so that they need to retreat for a while to gather resources after an attack, giving the mercs a chance to catch their breath. This is a complex task requiring testing and balance adjustments. We’ll prototype and test the new alien gameplay within the team, as it’s a very important part of the game. Alien gameplay has never been secondary to us, and in the future, you’ll see many changes in this aspect. You will notice the reduced light damage in today's server-side hotfix. [*] Slowing down the monster’s attacks is a mechanic designed to prevent the Alien from rushing into the light. This mechanic introduced a bug where the attack slowdown lingers throughout the entire game session. We’re investigating the cause of this bug and will try to fix it in the next patch. [*] Alien attacks currently feel unpleasant. We want to test faster monster attacks to eliminate the delay between hits, reducing the damage but keeping the damage per second intact. If we see that it works well within the team, you’ll see it in the next patch. [*] Aliens burn out after the blackout ends. We plan to add a notification about the end of the blackout so that Aliens have a chance to react to the light turning back on. [*] The trap egg placement needs improvement. We’re working on reworking it. We’ve gathered feedback, and we have a solution, but it will take time. [*] The drone currently slows down the Alien with its flashlight. We plan to remove this aspect in the next patch. [/list] [h3]Priority issues for Mercs[/h3] [list] [*] Item switching currently feels very unresponsive and, as many say, clunky. We have a solution to this problem and are already working on reworking item switching. It’s a very complex task that, while it might seem simple, requires completely reworking part of the inventory logic from a technical standpoint. We plan to include this fix in the next major update but don’t expect it in hotfix patches. Rest assured, item switching will work at its best. We’ve already tested a prototype of this mechanic within the team, and it feels great. The rework has introduced many bugs, so we need time to fix them before adding this to the game. We’re thinking of making a video of this prototype to show you how it works. [*] Merc animation improvements: Currently, there are many ugly, unpleasant visual moments in the character animations from both first-person and third-person perspectives, such as animation jerks, camera jerks during movement, freezes, and stuttering. All of these are being addressed and will be gradually included in hotfixes. [*] Mercs can currently quickly swap flashlights to abuse EMP, switching to a non-affected flashlight in an instant. We want to have only one flashlight (or UV lamp) in quick slots. The solution for this is still being considered, but we’ll share more details on that later. [*] We also want syringes to stack in inventory and quick slots to save space. We’re working on that, but you should expect that change later than all the aforementioned changes above. We will also change syringe healing from instant to HoT (healing over time) to avoid spam healing. [/list] [hr][/hr] We've deployed a [b]server-side hotfix[/b]; there is no need to restart the client or download any updates. Enjoy the game! [h3][b]Server-Side Hotfix[/b][/h3] [b]The List of Changes[/b] After we fixed an issue with the light damage appliance for aliens, we unexpectedly experienced increased light damage instead of reduced damage. We're now deploying a server-side fix to address that. [list] [*] Light damage of Flashlight, UV Lamp, and Flares is reduced by 20%; [*] UV Lamp and Tactical Flashlight are temporarily unavailable to purchase while we're working on EMP hotfix. [/list] [hr][/hr] Last but not least, here's a teaser of one of the skins that will be available soon in the customization menu: [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//39313957/9f666b2d946578d3d6727a3bfb73936d988334ef.png[/img] [i][b]Thanks again for your support, and see you soon, the Doghowl Team[/b][/i] [url=https://doghowlgames.com/][img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//39313957/8855ecb5160414087ba36574986b4ebdb497113e.png[/img][/url] [hr][/hr][table equalcells=1 noborder=1] [tr] [th][url=https://twitter.com/LevelZeroGame][img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//39313957/73b1fa575f6c48e8ee8cbaf3612ad602cce842f4.png[/img][/url][/th] [th][url=https://www.tiktok.com/@level_zero_game][img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//39313957/22d92bb6a5d450c9b3488349e62906364408b68f.png[/img][/url][/th] [th][url=https://discord.gg/levelzero][img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//39313957/b9f934aca8a713f89118360d8bc6636b31a04f66.png[/img][/url][/th] [/tr] [/table]