Hello, everyone! This is our first developer log, and it's also an opportunity for us to meet for the first time. We will provide detailed introductions based on the following keywords. [b]Keywords • Our Team • In-Game Stats • In-game Builds • Out-of-game Progression • Online-co Mode[/b] [h2]Our Team[/h2] Hello, everyone! I'm Mark, the producer of "Meta Ghost: Breaking Show." It's a great honor to introduce our team to all of you. Currently, our team consists of around 30 people, and the core members have around 10 years of experience in making game. We are a group of avid gamers who have been playing games since our childhood, starting from the NES, arcade machines, game centers, and all the way to internet cafes... We've been playing games throughout our lives until we graduated from university. Fortunately, I got into game making during the rapid growth of the gaming industry in China after graduation. Thanks to the widespread adoption of 4G technology, mobile games boomed as I became a part of the game industry. Since then, I have been primarily involved in mobile game development. I met our lead artist and lead programmer on mobile game projects. We were around the same age with similar experiences, and we were dissatisfied with many aspects of mobile games at that time. Our ambition is to create a game that truly emphasizes gameplay and provides an excellent gaming experience for players. However, it was challenging to achieve this in companies that prioritized commercial goals above all else. So, with the support of investors, we decided to leave stable positions in a large company and create a game that aligns with our vision, focusing on gameplay and experience. At the end of 2022, we formed our team and defined the direction of the game. The game's theme revolves around a live-streamed reality show called the "Breaking Show," which features human-machine combats. It takes place in a fictive city during the dawn of the cyberpunk era. The game show appears to the eye as a way for ordinary people to achieve social mobility and a popular entertainment program. However, behind this competition lies a massive conspiracy. Whether it's the organizers of the event, the sponsors, or even the contestants played by the players, everyone is part of a grand scheme. We chose this theme because our team members are fans of cyberpunk movies, TV shows, and games. Additionally, the setting of the game reflects the challenges we faced as a team. In the world we have created, the privileged few monopolize resources due to their early advantages, while the general public struggles on the fringes of society. In order to satisfy their desire for entertainment and maintain social order, the privileged elites organize a live-streamed battle-royale competition called "Breaking Show." The participants must seize a chance for survival in this seemingly glamorous but actually brutal and bloody contest... It is also the story of our journey in developing this game and the story of every dream-driven game developer in the current environment. In terms of gameplay, our goal is to create an accessible and enjoyable online action game. The team members are all enthusiasts of online multiplayer games, and we have been playing them since the early days. However, there are very few online action games in the market that cater specifically to our preferences, which was an important reason for us to develop this game. Furthermore, the core members of our team are relatively older, and our gaming skills may not be as sharp as they used to be. Many excellent action games currently available have high levels of difficulty, and we often find them challenging to play. We wanted to create an action game that suits our own skill level and provides a comfortable gaming experience. By lowering the barrier of entry, we hope to allow more players to enjoy the fun of this genre. Now, as the game is taking shape, we can't wait to share it with all of you. During the playtest from January 12th to January 26th, we conducted our first round of testing with players. The entire development team is thrilled, and we eagerly await various suggestions and feedback from the early players. Through this process, we hope to involve players in the development of our game. During the upcoming Steam Next Fest in February, we will also release a demo version of the game. Even if you missed the playtest, you will have the opportunity to experience our game at that time. Currently, our plan is to release an Early Access version within 2024 and continue to develop and improve the game based on the feedback we receive from the community. We hope you will enjoy our game, and we would greatly appreciate any suggestions and feedback you can provide. Your feedback is truly invaluable to us. P.S. In order to provide you with a better gaming experience, the specific release date for the early access version will be determined based on the feedback we receive from the Playtest and Demo phases. [h2]In-Game Stats[/h2] [b]Character Attributes Overview[/b] [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/3975aa113424ae46e6ec0657551052d636b289de.jpg[/img] [b]Likes[/b] Located in the top right corner of the battle screen, the Like count is the sole currency within the match (battle). It can be used to make in-match purchases of Drivers and Relics. [b]Battle Rating[/b] The Battle Rating is divided into six levels: SSS, SS, S, A, B, and C. It represents the level of favorability the audience has towards the contestants (player characters). Engaging in skillful actions and behaviors such as chaining attacks, killing enemies, and evading damage will increase the rating level. Conversely, poor performance will lower the rating. Based on the current rating, the audience will grant corresponding likes to the player each time they defeat an enemy. [h2]In-Game Builds[/h2] The in-game builds are various combat effects and attribute bonuses that players acquire after completing each stage within a match. These effects and bonuses can accumulate throughout the match, but they will be reset if the player fails the match. [b]Prosthetic Drivers[/b] Similar to the concept of "drivers" for graphics cards, Prosthetic Drivers are software that allows the player's prosthetic hardware to function properly. Installing different Drivers provides different effects to the player's prosthetics. In the game, the available Prosthetic Drivers are provided by the event organizers and sponsors. There are five categories of Prosthetic Drivers: Foundation Industries, Rise Technologies, Awaken Energy, Romani Biosciences, and Assistant Armament. Each category currently has 15 Drivers. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/13fe68b3ac26028f23d597a9a82f2e20a89e6d68.jpg[/img] By selecting different Drivers, players can create their own unique playstyle within the match. These playstyles will have various effects on the player's combat approach. For example, when you activate the Foundation Industries Regular Driver "Chain Lightning," your attacks have a 40% chance to unleash Chain Lightning. Later, activating "Long-lasting Current" will give Chain Lightning a 30% chance to apply Electrocuted status. Subsequent builds can then focus on enhancing base damage, tech damage, or increasing the probability and duration of Chain Lightning and Electrocuted. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/ea5979655a249bef9ee6eda2afb2e6fc0bd28243.png[/img] In addition, there are special drivers called the Fusion Drivers. Once you acquire six drivers, you can combine drivers of the same category (same color) or two different categories (two colors) at a special console within the match to obtain a powerful Fusion Driver. The effects provided by Fusion Drivers surpass those of regular drivers. Importantly, even after fusion, the effects of the original drivers are retained. The effects of Fusion Drivers are determined by the combination of categories (colors). Generally, a Fusion Driver formed by a single category (color) will be more powerful than one formed by combining two different colors. For more information on this aspect, besides exploring it yourself, you can also browse the details in the "Database" section within the character's Lounge. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/14b1341a7002d314a3df386ea8f29f5cd41674d3.png[/img] [b]Relics[/b] "Relics" are items left behind by defeated opponents or enemies in the game. Unlike the direct combat effects provided by drivers, relics typically grant attribute bonuses, additional rewards, and advantages outside of combat upon acquisition. Additionally, some special relics may interact with obtained drivers, while others possess a "Solidification Effect," meaning their effects will persist within the match even if the relic is lost. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/25ee74d139f069ccbf8a97cb3a0288cd9780a216.png[/img] Currently, relics are categorized by quality from low to high: Type I (green), Type II (blue), Type III (purple), and Type IV (orange). The higher the relic's level, the better the effects it provides. [b]Fate Room[/b] During the course of the match, players will encounter randomly appearing Fate Rooms. In these rooms, various random events will occur, such as receiving passionate letters from fans, facing challenging trials with lucrative rewards, or encountering a supply station that trades peculiar items. It is up to you to decide whether to play it safe and only obtain a small reward or take some risks for potentially greater returns. Ultimately, the choice between playing it safe or taking risks depends on your preferences. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/ea0a898e79510bc0365abb54610ac4b13cfaffdf.png[/img] [b]Combat State[/b] The "Combat State" refers to the psychological state of participants during a match, which typically generates positive effects. It can be obtained through random events in the Fate Rooms, and each Combat State is crucial. Unfortunately, as a psychological state, it is not long-lasting and usually expires after three match stages. [h2]Out-of-game Progression[/h2] [b]Operating System[/b] The Operating System is a shared skill tree that all playable participants have access to. Unlocking and upgrading entries in the skill tree allows you to gain stat growth in attributes such as attack power, maximum health, health regeneration, and special functionalities like extra revival chances or increased refreshes for selecting drivers or visiting the shop. Moreover, as you progress through the challenge mode, more tabs of the skill tree will be unlocked. The Computing Power used by the Operating System is accumulated through the settlement of matches (or unexpected withdrawals) and is distributed as resources outside of the matches, allowing for continuous accumulation. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/8d7152c6c993bbee299bbaccc9aa3c0043b08612.png[/img] [b]Weapon Augmentation[/b] Currently, each character has only one weapon, but it can be augmented and customized to change the character's basic combat style and various abilities, resulting in different playstyles. The augmentation system utilizes Augmentation Chip, which are data chips that store weapon augmentation protocols. These chips are typically distributed as rewards for defeating various formidable enemies within the match. Each weapon has four augmentation categories, usually corresponding to Normal Attacks, Heavy Attacks, Defense/Dodge, and Ultimate. Augmentations are divided into three tiers, and you can choose one augmentation per tier. Once you unlock one augmentation in a tier, the remaining augmentations in the same tier will be unlocked simultaneously, allowing you to freely switch between them outside of matches. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/dab6e08a6af7b4afad00d97fcb20cf48e8d74a73.png[/img] When a character's augmentation reaches three times in each category, it usually completely changes the character's skill experience and combat style. For example, in the case of Taisuke “The Toxin” shown in the image below, the weapon augmentation "Unmoving" transforms the Heavy Attack into a powerful "Invincible Slash" similar to his Ultimate skill. When combined with other augmentations that increase attack speed and allow for rapid acquisition of Kesa-marks, a skill loop revolving around the invincible slash can be created. [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/69af9592809da9bc7a40778639acbc2adc44d38b.png[/img] [b]Prosthetic Armaments[/b] Prosthetic Armaments can enhance the abilities of characters and possess random secondary attributes and effects, similar to equipment systems in other games. By participating in the Preliminaries of the Breaking Show (single-player mode) on difficulty level 3 or team matches on difficulty level 2, and defeating bosses within them, participants can obtain randomly dropped Prosthetic Armaments. The quality of these armaments ranges from green, blue, purple, to orange, with higher-quality armaments having special set effects. Furthermore, all Prosthetic Armaments can be upgraded and strengthened using resources. In addition to the computational power mentioned earlier, participants will need Ultra-light Alloy, a resource that can be obtained by defeating enemies in high-difficulty matches (i.e., the Preliminaries and team matches on difficulty level 2), as well as through rewards from stage completion and dismantling armaments. Starting from the blue quality, each piece of Prosthetic Armament will have a random effect. Choosing effects that align with your character's combat style and build strategy can significantly enhance your match experience. Starting from the purple quality, Prosthetic Armaments will have set effects, divided into Implant Enhancement Effects (4-piece set) and Core Implant Effects (2-piece set). These set effects can help you form your combat style or build more quickly within the match. For example, some set effects may provide the functionality of "receiving a designated class driver at the beginning of the match." In addition to these armaments, there are also exclusive Prosthetic Armament sets tailored for participants by the event organizers and sponsors. These sets usually provide powerful enhancements to specific participants. For instance, Taisuke's "Minagiri" set grants the effect of "extending the duration of the enhancement each time a heavy attack is used during the Ultimate enhancement period." [img]https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images//44365122/1962dcffa356ed8b92eb265205ca7ef2c5c8c14f.png[/img] [h2]Online-co Mode[/h2] Lastly, let's talk about the exciting online-co mode in this testing phase, known as the Group Match, in the game "Breaking Show." This mode is a special challenge organized by the event organizers and currently allows up to three participants to team up. It offers a PvE endless challenge experience, where players can form teams through matchmaking, inviting friends, or joining private rooms. There are a total of ten difficulty levels, and the next level unlocks when the accumulated Heat value during battles reaches six or higher. After completing the 0th, 3rd, and 6th rounds of the Team Matches, four Heat Gates will appear. Players can choose and enter the corresponding gate to increase their Popularity level. Beyond unlocking higher difficulties, increasing the Popularity level has multiple effects. It enhances the rewards obtained from defeating bosses, increases enemy strength, and introduces quirky "event obstacles" during the matches. [i]The development of the team gameplay is still ongoing, and we encourage everyone to experience it and provide feedback during this playtest. We plan to provide detailed explanations of the multiplayer mechanics and share our future plans for additional gameplay in upcoming developer logs.[/i]