Update #79 is hitting the streets of New Boston with another major set of features to help you perfect your class training builds - share them, auto-train them, save them and re-use them with a few clicks - a very exciting set of community and efficiency set of features coming together to make the game more fun to play. Also, we've added new tactical benefits of saving AP, fixed some level issues and a longstanding issue with Stealth Crit % bonus from Silence.
If you like the pace of improvements and updates, please take a moment to leave a review to help us keep moving forward -- fast -- during Early Access!
And, something soon -
We're excited to share on Twitter and other channels this morning that We are just one week away from adding Cyber Knights' final core feature: safehouse basebuilding! https://twitter.com/TreseBrothers/status/1785722797810982956
Now - what do we have today?
Import, Export and Saving your Builds to Library
As a starting point, we've brought the same set of sharing and saving features we added for Appearance to your class builds. You can now export your class build to an easy to share string like this --
---BEGIN CYBER KNIGHTS CLASS BUILD--- qmugiIn7+SoUcpKaFCRmpgFgAkZGhOvhCjY/R/KTyQP73h72n7G0OQKj7imdeEIB ---END CYBER KNIGHTS CLASS BUILD---
And you can import a class build someone else has shared. And then, you can save either your own custom class build or your imported class build with a name to your Library so that it can be shared between all of your saved games.
What are some great uses of this feature? 1) sharing your coolest builds with friends or as a guide 2) easily saving and restoring your Stealth Vanguard and Murder Vanguard builds with a few clicks 3) rapid and easy respec 4) less clicks, less repeated choices 5) perfecting your builds, science!, sharing, community, lettuce!
But really, its all about Auto-Training.
Auto-Training your Build
Once you have a class build imported or loaded from your library, your character remembers that build and the Auto-Training button will appear in the left hand column. A class build is a specific set of nodes trained in a specific order, including any multi-classing choices.
Check out the video above to get a full run down on this feature and some of the awesome ways you can use it.
Clicking auto-train will show you the next set of nodes in the build you've loaded and if you can train them or not. (1) Auto-Train build can be small or long. Here is a build for "insta Knight" that is the first move I always use for my new Knights -
---BEGIN CYBER KNIGHTS CLASS BUILD--- f4TFg4TzTYsLNtK1kIAZM5IRTdhiMR8NTbICLIPQ2fzefSn479Jwp232FlkYLce6 ---END CYBER KNIGHTS CLASS BUILD---
(2) Auto-Train builds can do multi-classing, so build your perfect Vanguard-Cybersword (3) the build is remembered, so once you've used all your Level Points, the Auto-Train build is there for you. When you come back to the screen with more Level Points, just click Auto-Train to keep following the build (4) import a class build from a guide, such as this awesome set:
For those mercs that are chilling at the end of their Turn, either waiting for the next action or just being careful not to get too loud or rowdy before it gets loud, there is a new bonus for ending your action with unused Action Points. For each unspent Action Point remaining when you end your Turn, you get a flat +1 Initiative bonus in the next Turn. The ghosting preview of your position in the next Turn respects this bonus, so you can check it out easily and see where you land as you spend down your AP.
This isn't an overpowering bonus, but a tactical consideration. For those mercs that aren't taking action at all or can afford to sit still, the +6 is a very large Initiative bonus and is going to place them very high if not first in the order. There is no bonus for unused Move Points.
In order to ensure that Take Cover (which will fire automatically) didn't become a disadvantage within this system, it has gained a +1 Initiative bonus as well.
Silence Buff Stealth Critical %
We fixed a bug with the buff from Silence to your Stealth Crit % chance not appear in the accuracy breakdown in the top right. This is an old one but a popular F10, as all our stealth ninjas really want that extra +20% Critical! Now you've got it. Enjoy your silent kills.
v1.5.25 - 5/1/2024
- New class build management features: import, export and save to shared library - Easy import/export through clipboard to share your class builds with others - Easy save to library to re-use your class builds in other games or for new teams - Once a class build is loaded, click Auto-Train to considering training the next nodes - Complete flexibility to follow your Auto-Train build, train other nodes or load a new Auto-Train and try something else - Cleaned up and improved navigation in class training screen - Fixed class tree bugs that could result in frozen class tree nodes - If Ending Turn with unused AP, gain a +1 Initiative bonus per AP in the next Turn - Take Cover gains a +1 Initiative to stay competitive - Fixed issue with Silence Crit Stealth Chance buff not appearing always in the right hand corner Accuracy breakdown - Fixed display issue where Stress or Hype could exceed 100% (OVER-hypeeeeee!) - Fixed out of place prop group in Lockdown Station - Adjusted some trigger areas in tutorial to ensure you can't accidentally slip past them
Update #78: Smashing F10s
As we are rev'ing the pedal toward the big base building update, we're still working to keep the quality of life and bug fix train chugging along. Today we've got a nice update hitting the most hotly reported F10s, so thank you for posting them up!
If you like the direction we're heading and the pace of updates, please take a moment to leave a review.
Overwatch & Cornering
We fixed a bug that could cause your Overwatch character to step back into cover after setting Overwatch cone, meaning they'd be facing a wall and therefore not able to see any targets moving in their cone of Overwatch ... so they wouldn't shoot. Few things are more tilting in an TBT game! Now fixed.
We've also improved a longstanding issue where your character didn't visually step out when considering to shoot a target. This would similarly leave them facing a wall which wasn't a great look, often jamming their gun into the geometry of the wall, only to step out when they made the shot. This is now fixed and importantly, when just considering targets, this is a "test" so the merc does not really step out and become visually spotted until they make the attack.
Item Effects
The effects of items like Shock Mine, Concussion Grenade and Dazzler have been oddly absent from your merc and enemy status pop ups. We've now resolved this situation and the effects appear along with the duration. This also ensures they appear correctly in the hover on the map with an icon and duration too. For stun heavy builds, this is a big boon!
Secondary Objectives Again
We fixed a bug that was prevent secondary objectives about Sec Level and Turn limit not to always display. This is so helpful especially on proc-gen missions where these extra objectives are almost always present.
v1.5.23 - 4/29/2024
- Fixed bug with merc Overwatch around corners leaving merc facing the wall and enemies moving through cone - Fixed bug where targeting Overwatch could suddenly pick a distance farther than you clicked - Fixed bug where Shock Mine, Concussion Grenade and Dazzler Stun Effects were not listed in enemy detail screen - Fixed bug preventing secondary objectives about completing mission with Turn or Sec Level requirements from being shown - Fixed visual bug where mercs testing out a target would not step around a corner but instead would face the wall - Fixed bug a where secondary objectives about Sec Level below a certain value failed when Sec Tally exceed that value
Important Mac OS Patch: Missing Images
Evening! We've got an important update for Mac OS players going out tonight.
For part of our Mac OS player base with specific hardware and OS combination, there has been a nagging bug with some of the images in the game not always showing up. A very annoying set of images -- the Talent bar!
We're excited to say we've fixed the Mac OS specific issue in the shaders to ensure these images appear in all versions of Metal and Mac OS.
So, if you were seeing missing images at different points in the game, thank you for your patience, thank you for your F10s! There is a 50 MB hotfix patch waiting for you in the Steam client.
From a rare set of F10s, this may also have affected a very slim percentage of Linux players, but if you had a no-icon Talent bar during missions, that might be you!
Thanks again for your patience and glad we could fix this one at last.
v1.5.21 - 4/28/2024
- Fixed Mac OS issue with missing images in Talent bar, team button bar, safehouse programs and a few other places
Hotfix on #77
Tonight we are pushing a hotfix that will resolve a few important issues. First, sorry for the download size - this one fixes the "glowing white square" issue in materials that was appearing on so many levels. Therefore, it's impact in GB downloaded is not small!
Snitch Snuff: Safehouse Lockup
Second, if you had any issue after completing the new heist mission where the Safehouse ends up frozen after your return, one of the optional branches that runs after the mission was bugged. If you reload y our game, you'll be all set to play forward.
Mac OS Retina Screen Mode
Finally, we've fixed some of the text strings in options to be more clear when they are useful. We've updated the Screen Mode drop down to indicate where it might help to change your settings if you have a Retina screen on Mac OS. We're working on some improvements in these areas and Retina-detection will help make this more automatic for new players, but for the moment, if you're playing on a small Mac screen and the text is blurry, switch up to "TV / Retina" screen mode in options.
v1.5.21 - 4/26/2024
- Fixed different types of scattered papers that were showing as big white square on the floor - Fixed possible bug after Snitch Snuff mission that could result in safehouse lock up on load - Clarified screen mode in Options screen: "PC / Non-Retina" or "TV / Retina" or "Handheld / Mobile" - Fixed broken option text in Options screen
Update #77: Obligation Call
Welcome to Update #77, where we have a new storyline and heist to pull with exciting new set of objectives. The new storylines focuses on an Obligation Call - a short cycle, high difficulty mission to complete the Obligation you've sworn to a Contact. Keep it in mind, if you're making promises, you'll have to pay the piper eventually.
We've also added a nice improvement to weapon display to show their firing modes, fixed a sneaky bug with Overwatch that had crept in and fixed some inconsistent behavior with timeline events around medical and injury time healing. So - let's take a look!
We're excited to be making continual progress toward the next major roadmap item. If you like our pace or the direction we are heading, be sure to leave a review on Cyber Knights!
New Heist: Obligation Call
Obligations are promises you make to Contacts in the underground. They are the reverse of how a Contact can owe you a Favor and will redeem it later for cash or to help you. So, when a Contact who you owe an Obligation calls it in, you've got a tough choice to make. Jump and do whatever they need without payment or burn the relationship to the ground and suffer the consequences.
This new heist is the first Obligation Call storyline, which gives the Casting Director a lot of free rein to find someone who you owe an Obligation and matches a wide profile of Contact. Then things get interesting. With Obligation Calls, you're almost always on a razor sharp timeline. Will you keep your Obligation? Remember that if you don't, the burning of the relationship will flow outward into the network of relationships, so anyone who liked or disliked the Contact in question will follow suit with their own Stress and Hype.
You'll need a squad about Power Level 2 and a Contact to whom you own an Obligation, but you start with a few of those - so most squads should be ready to rock on this one.
Weapon Firing Mode Labeled
We've added the missing firing mode names to the top of the columns in the weapon display - Single Shot, Semi-Auto, Burst Fire and Full Auto weapon modes. While Single Shot, Semi-Auto and Burst Fire all provide the same ability (attack a single target) they offer different special rules (like Rapid Fire lighter weapons and Precision Fire for most Burst Fire) and some Talents only work with different firing modes like Single Shot weapons.
Hope it is helpful for your Talent and weapon planning!
Fixed Overwatch Ignored Bug
There was a hotly reported Overwatch bug introduced 2 updates ago. It could cause mercs and enemies both to be simply ignored by Overwatch even if they were taking action, moving or attacking in full view of the Overwatching character. Sorry for that - we know in some cases your mercs got a good break and in others, you just got screwed over a bit.
This is now resolved!
Timeilne / Roster Bugs
We hit another one of the most reported F10 issues with the medical timelines for wound or injury treatment being inconsistent or sometimes getting stuck. Sometimes the numbers didn't add up correctly or a treatment could just stay on the timeline without ending and drift farther and farther into negative territory.
In addition, we found and a rare bug that could leave mercs in the special Extracted state even when they returned to the safehouse. This would cause mercs to first be on your roster but as soon as any change was made like training them they would disappear until you reloaded the game. They will not just re-appear.
Fixed Carnivore Cop Bug
If you've played through Carnivore, you may have ended up in a state where the cop in charge of the SWAT is not showing in your contact list, and if he or she was, they were missing a critical story tag about the events that transpired in the Underground Datacenter. All that is fixed in all current and future games now, check your Contact ilst.
High-End Missions are ... free?
For the players who have played their squads out to the max and found that there was a sudden drop off in payment (to $0) and XP (to 0 XP) for jobs ... we've fixed it for you! And we love that you're enjoying the game so much :D
v1.5.19 - 4/26/2024
- New Heist: Snitch Snuff Out is an "Obligation Call" - a contact who you owe an Obligation needs your help *right now* - Weapon firing mode (Single Shot, Semi Auto, Burst First or Full Auto) now shown above each stat column - Fixed issues with Overwatch ignoring merc's attacks and certain movement situations - Fixed issue with enemy Overwatch cone sometimes being 1m offset from the enemy's position incorrectly - Fixed issue with recovery time from Wound Healing being inconsistent, getting stuck or failing to heal the wound - Fixed rare extraction-related bug that could cause mercs to temporarily disappear off the Safehouse roster - Fixing bug where proc-gen missions dropped to $0 and 0 XP at high enough Power Level - Fixed issue with nonsensical Leverage offered for Battle Striker proc-gen missions - Fixed issue with objective text sometimes duplicated in rewards list for missions - Fixed issue where second cop in the Carnivore storyline could end up not being known in Contact List
Update #76: Shared Library Debuts
Update #76 is built completely around a new feature set - importing and export appearances or saving those appearance settings to a shared Library that can be accessed from any of your saved games or whenever you are creating a new game.
This is a great convenience feature, especially if you are replaying a lot and have specific looks for their Knight or mercs that you like to rapidly restore. With a few clicks, you can migrate the look of your Team A to a new game team or to Team B in a different saved game altogether.
But, from here this is very exciting launchpad for other types of content that can be saved and then later be shared or restored across saved games. Even as we release the appearance import/export/library feature set, we are already working on import/export/library features for your favorite class build. Got a spec you always want for you Vanguard? Soon you'll be able to save and restore that without having to manually recreate it each new saved game. Or post your best specs to the guide your writing for others to load directly.
If you like the pace of updates, attention to player-focused features and constant improvements - please do take a moment to leave a review for Cyber Knights: Flashpoint!
Shared Library
You can now save and load your character appearances to your Library. Your shared Library is stored in the Steam Cloud, is not affected if you deleted individual saved games and can be accessed in any saved game to save and load appearances. The library is also directly accessible when setting up a new game team.
With a few quick clicks you can now name and save any appearance you like, delete old appearances you aren't using any more or load the one you need for this team member. In addition, if you happen to make a mistake while the Import/Export panel is open, you can always hit "Undo Changes" to rollback to the appearance you had before you opened the panel.
Import / Export with Clipboard
Using the new Import/Export option within Appearance tab in new game or in roster, you can quickly get a text version of your character's appearance. You can save it offline or share it with the community to check out and use for their own characters.
The appearance data has a simple little envelope around it so you can be sure you have everything you need if you share it.
For example, here is a modified version of Dade I like to use in New Games. Just copy the entire block including the BEGIN and END lines to your clipboard and click Paste from Clipboard in the game to check it out.
It's a great and simple feature set that paves they way for more complicated data structures in the library.
Starting Warchest
New Games will now start with $25K in the bank instead of $15K, opening up the options for early game Leverages you can purchase.
Common / Rare Equipment
With this update we've fixed a few minor issues with equipment of all kinds - weapons, weapon mods, armor, items, programs and cyberdecks - to ensure that nothing but Common and Rare items are being sold (with it mostly being Common items). These are "Common" on the blackmarket, not common in the open market where all of these wares are highly illegal. Rares can appear ... rarely in the market.
And Epic and Legendary items can never be purchased, they can only be stolen, borrowed "for a time", disappeared, snatched or generally heisted. Rare equipment will be the switch hitters, they can show up in either category - bought or stolen.
As we keep moving forward on loot improvements, this will become more critical as (Rare, Epic and Legendary) weapon, weapon mods and armor start to filter into the loot options alongside items.
v1.5.17 - 4/22/2024
- Added new appearance management features: import, export and save to shared library - Easy import/export through clipboard to share your appearance setup with others - Easy save to library to re-use the appearance in other games or when starting a new game - Increased new game starting bankroll to $25K - Fixed minor data inconsistencies - anything sold by a Contact is always of Rarity Common or Rare, higher values reserved for stolen things - Improved hotkeys in dialog to always show ESC (default) to skip instead of hiding it sometimes
Update #75: Wax On
Welcome to Update #75 in the New Boston Zone, where we smash your F10s and polish the game up some more. Just because we're working around the clock on the next major roadmap update doesn't mean you shouldn't have improvements to the game every other day during Early Access! So here we are - with the most requested F10s fixed.
Thanks to everyone playing, sharing feedback and especially posting F10s! We hope you'll take a minute to share the game and if you like the direction we're headed or the pace in which we are going, please take a moment to leave a review.
If a mission offers a special reward like extra money or XP or anything if you finish within a certain Turn or Sec Level limit, that is now always shown in the secondary objectives. We previously had a system in place that required the author to put them in, but that wasn't going to be easy or reliable enough for all the mission scenarios and especially for proc-gen. Now we detect them and inject them as needed so they are always present.
Thanks to everyone putting in F10s about this!
Spike Reasons
If you are in a CPU or APU and can't spike it, we now show the exact reason inline with text and a warning icon. The causes are because your Scan is not 2/2 yet or there are surviving IC in the node, but sometimes that can be pretty opaque and was tripping up a lot of hackers. Even after the new matrix tutorial arrives, this will still be very helpful to have the reason always shown.
Matrix Files and Account Placement
We've made a major pass of improvement to the routines that selected Files and Accounts to place within matrix systems. This should both make sure that data and financial nodes never end up empty but also ensure that the Files and Accounts you can find there are correctly linked to the right faction, make a lot more sense and are possibly much more exciting and valuable than what you were finding before.
We're always grinding to improve all these aspects of the game, so thanks to everyone submitting F10s here!
+2 Matrix Host Templates
As we prepare for new types of Hacker-only missions, we've dropped in 2 new matrix host templates to keep the possible list of hosts you can encounter in proc-gen hacking missions ever growing.
CPU Spiking Improvements
We've improved the rules for CPU Spiking which specifically reduce the Q-Sec Tally levels. The new rules are clearer and more valuable to the player in all situations. The Q-Sec Tally level is reduced by 200% whatever Tally is required to raise an Escalation. If its 35 Tally per Escalation then you can see a drop of 70 Tally. Unless you were below 70 Tally to start, this will buy you 2 "free" Escalations where the system passes the Escalation point but takes no action. It doesn't wake IC, or cause lethal damage or anything - it just sleeps on it.
So, reaching the CPU and Spiking it can buy you a big gap of time where you are free to run rampage over the system now. There are even helpful log messages that detail the loss of Q-Sec Tally and the number of free Escalations you'll get. The Sec Tally UI doesn't respond intelligently yet, but that is on our list.
We're going to circle back to APU after this and tune up some of its numbers to make sure it is taking the same kind of approach.
Overwatch Targeting
For those players who were struggling with getting their perfect Overwatch angle and distance but finding that OW only targeted if your cursor was over floor tiles ... we've fixed your F10s! Overwatch will now target in whatever direction and distance you point, regardless of what you're pointing at. This gives you freedom to get the best cone and direction no matter the terrain or a crevasse or a wall or anything.
Yield and Delay Preview Fixes
Both Yield and Delay previews were bugged in that they would lie about the final placement of your merc if a merc and an enemy shared the same resulting Initiative after the action. Your mercs always win ties against enemies, so if you both have 7 then the preview now correctly shows - for Yield and Delay - that your merc will take the first action.
Headshot Retakes
With Update #75, we've adjusted the lighting setup for the camera used to capture your character's 2D headshots. With the new skin detail pass, the lighting there as too bright and we've toned it down for its best look. All default portraits and contacts in the game are immediately updated to update your custom squad members, you'll need to grow through the roster, open the Appearance tab and for each character hover over some options. You don't need to set any, and you'll see the portrait change.
Sorry we couldn't automate this one!
Roster Tags and Updates
We've fixed a number of cases where the tags in the roster were not updating fast enough if you took action related to Wound or Injury Treatment. Now they all update on the spot and also they all use abbreviated timestamps ("12d and 4h" instead of longform "12 days and 4 hours") which fit a lot better in the small space.
Thanks to everyone submitting F10s and helping us improve!
v1.5.15 - 4/20/2024
- Secondary objectives tied to rewards for complete in less than X Turns or less than Y Sec Level always displayed in Objectives list - Added inline explanation with warning icon explaining why you can't spike APU/CPU (not Scan 2/2, not all IC destroyed) - Improved routines for placing Files and Accounts are placed in data and financial nodes, improves variety and prevents empty nodes - Added 2 new matrix host templates for Hack Only proc-gen jobs - Improved rules for CPU Spiking - reduces Q-Sec Tally by 200% Tally required to Escalation, gaining 2 "free" Escalations - Improved Overwatch targeting mouse input that prevent targeted it toward impassible areas - Fixed issues with Delay and Yield preview that could show wrong result (player after enemy) - Injury and Treatment Tags in roster uses shortened date format (11d 4h) - Treatment Tag in roster correctly updates when status changes - Fixed issue with Mission timer sometimes reading "Immediately left" - Improved performance of Talent list and effect list in character hovers
Update #74: Cleaning House
Welcome to Update #74 where everyone is just suddenly a lot more stylish and good looking! Today, we've got a big visual upgrade to the material and texture stack for faces, fixes for your Stressed out Hacker and an unwinding of a bug that was reading Contact Power Levels as one big upgrade instead of pinning the upgrades to each individual Contact.
Our next major roadmap milestone is chewing up the majority of the team's time and none of that work can be released until base building is ready. But it is coming closer by the day now! Between now and base building, we'll have a series of additional updates with new heists and new recruits as we prep that colossal release for prime time.
If you like the pace of updates, continual improvements and the direction we are heading with Cyber Knights please take a moment to leave a review 👍 and help us continue this frantic and exciting pace of Early Access!
Upgraded Faces!
With Update #74, we've completed a major upgrade to the detail and quality of all character face textures in the game. This upgrade has a number of pieces that come together to form the look, including (1) increasing the texture quality of all faces, (2) adding subsurface detail and roughness to the faces to help them act more like real skin (3) adding small shadows to all faces to help highlight areas and prevent the face from feeling flat (4) adding a new Face Details cosmetic choice that will expand with more types of facial detail options.
The results feel great! The results speak for themselves. Without leaving behind the unique style that we set out to hit for Cyber Knights: Flashpoint, we've still achieved a big upgrade here.
This one follows on the big lighting engine update as one of the other highest priority and most discussed visual upgrades from the game. We've heard so much about the character look from both players who are playing Cyber Knights: Flashpoint and those who are taking a look from a distance.
This upgrade affects characters in all cases which they appear, making improved headshots as well as making them look cooler in dialog and on missions.
To make changing skin color easier, we've moved it be an option of the Face selection and the new Face Details option has 2 choices within it right now - smooth skin and freckled skin, but this category has a lot of cool potential to include scars, burns and more.
New Facial Hair Options
We also added 2 new facial hair options giving you some variations of a lighter, unshaven look. The classic 5'oclock shadow is looking good!
Matrix Stress Reduction
A few updates ago, we punched up the Stress generation capabilities of the matrix, high damage lethal feedback and also Dumpshock. We've heard a lot of feedback that we went overboard and your Hacker's rapidly skyrocketed to the most Stressed out team members. This was related to (1) issues with how Lethal Damage was calculated an passed to the Stress generator before being blunted by your Deck's defenses and (2) Dumpshock just granting 50% too much Stress.
Both are resolved in this update and should be significantly more inline with the Stress that other team are suffering for their job as part of the heist team.
Sorry for the Stressed out Hackers, they will recover in time! Try to use a Hype Limit Break or two to get them back on track.
Ballooning Contact Power Levels
Thanks to great F10s, we found and fixed a bug where any Power Level increase to one Contact was actually a Power Level increase to all Contacts! This was causing the entire Contact list to end up with 10+ Power Level after a little while.
Notably, this is not a form of data corruption or loss, this was just a bad query to the saved game that would read all Power Level increases to any Contact when asking for those of a specific Contact :sweat: so you'll see your games immediately snap back to the right values as Update #74 lands.
This is fixed just in time for the upcoming Exposure and Influence LImit Breaks.
Carnivore Fixes
We've made a few small fixes to Carnivore, including swapping the objectives for the extraction points which were switched. Thanks to everyone putting in F10s!
Enjoy the new update, mercs! We'll see you in a few days with more :D
v1.5.13 - 4/18/2024
- Improved all face textures, detail and roughness to look less plastic and just better - Added new appearance option "Skin Detail" - current options for smooth and freckled skin with more coming - Moved skin color option under face for much easier selection when modifying appearance - Reduced Stress caused by hard disconnect in the Matrix by 50% - Fixed issue with previewing short beards just disappearing constantly - Fixed issues where sometimes character or contact eyes would be a dead gray - Fixed bug where each Contact's Power Level was calculated by summing all bonuses to all Contact Power Levels (oops!) - Fixed issue where extraction objectives in second stage of Carnivore were switched - Fixed bug listing the wrong Trait level after Hype Limit Break mutation (1 instead of 2) - Improved performance in appearance tab
Update #73: Escalating
Here comes Update #73, another big polish and improvement update with some nice new things to boot. While we motor toward the next set of major roadmap milestones, we're still hard at work improving every aspect of the game with all haste - as any good Early Access project should!
If you're enjoying the pace of updates or think we're just heading in the right direction, please take a moment to leave a review. Every review helps us keep going, go faster and do more.
New Sec AI Escalations
With Update #73, we've pushed some new Sec AI Escalation options that are exciting and dangerous. As we continue to grow the options and deepen the rules for Sec AI Escalations, the differences between the 6 Sec AI (gang, syndicate, Sigma 5, 6, 7 and 9) we have in the game today will become more and more apparent.
We've added a new chain of Escalation options for any map that features a disabled minefield of Prox-Mines. The first time that the Sec AI spends an Escalation turning on Prox-Mines it will turn on 3 (as usual). However, now if it is returns to enable Prox-Mines after that it will jump to enabling 5 at a time. This can help situations where - with larger prox-mine fields - the Sec AI could burn Escalation after Escalation slowly turning them on 3 at a time.
We've also added an all new Escalation type - the Active Bio-Sweep. This Escalation searches for bodies that have active timers and reduces their timer by 1 to 2 Turns each. The older Sigma Sec AI - 5 and 6 - each only reduce the timer by 1 turn while the new, cutting-edge Sigma 7 and 9 each can reduce the timer by 2 each. The Escalation happens after body timers expire for the Turn, so the worst that can result from this Escalation is at the end of the next Turn, more bodies will have been rushed to expiring their timers. Notably, gang and syndicate Sec AI never do Active Bio-Sweep.
We're very excited to keep expanding these catalogs and interlinking them with chains and rules so that the Sec AI becomes more exciting adversary to face.
Added 2 New Eyes
We've added two new types of eye - a Terminator-style eye with a hot glowing center and a glowing eye with only a targeting symbol shown over the pupil without an iris. It's exciting to round out this category with some new options and now that we've hit 8 different eye looks, we'll be moving on to other categories to continue to add new cosmetic options and looks.
We have also fixed an issue with the snake and burning sun eyes that was causing them never to achieve darker hues. They always stayed very light in color. Now you can go deep red or green if you please!
Spoof and Red Dot Talents
With Update #73, we've made some nice improvements to Hacker's Spoof and the Soldier's Red Dot.
Spoof - with is a passive buff that can block Matrix Q-Sec Escalation - has gained a new upgrade node costing 2 points that will add a second token. This allows a single use of Spoof to block up to 2 Escalations over 4 Turns, if you're fully upgraded.
Red Dot - has not been correctly connected to its upgrade nodes since ... the beginning of the Talent? Anyway, we've fixed the bug and now Red Dot has all of its correct upgrades available. We also increased the distance of the Talent and fixed its text formatter to correctly display the debuff that it hits the target with, which you can also upgrade with the "new" upgrade nodes. If you're using your Soldier as an occasional bait for a trap or to pull a security target off course with Red Dot, you'll find these new improvements helpful.
Death Res Simplification
Death Res (previously called Death Save, but that's confusing as we have Stress Res and Wound Res) has been simplified in this update by removing it from all in-game effects. Death Res is set by your Difficulty setting and only by your Difficulty setting. All buffs, Traits and combat drugs that increased Death Res have had it removed.
We've also moved Death Res up into the "Death and Saves" section as this is where it is most relevant and improved the hovers on both Death Mode and Death Save.
We've got a thread going on our Discord about further updates and simplifications coming for Death Res if you want to check out the rules change preview and chime in.
Better Traits: Grit and Below the Level
Grit and Below the Level both lost bonuses to Death Res with this update, so they've been improved in new ways. Grit now adds Wound Res and Below the Level adds XP % bonus.
Utility Programs
We've improved the description for Utility programs and fixed a bug that was preventing their hover from showing in the Matrix Talent bar.
Weapon Mods Improvements
With Update #73, we've fixed a mistake with the Ether Reflex Sight for AR/UAR/E-Rifles, where it was reducing the maximum optimal range of the weapon. Now it correctly reduces the minimal optimal range.
For changes to the arc fire (Overwatch or Full Auto) we now use a + and - sign to correctly denote bonuses and debuffs.
And we've fixed a bug that was preventing certain fields, especially if the value was negative, from highlighting correctly in compare.
v1.5.11 - 4/12/2024
- New Sec AI Escalation option: Active Bio-Sweep all body timers are reduced 1 Turn (Sigma 5 or 6) or 2 Turns (Sigma 7 or 9) - New Sec AI Escalation option: Minefield Pulse (wakes 3 prox mines), if run again then Minefield Surge (wakes 5 prox mines) - Added 2 new eye designs - terminator glow and target reticle and improved tinting of snake and burning sun - Improved Hacker's Spoof passive Talent with a new upgrade node that adds +1 Spoof Token - Fixed bug which was hiding Soldier's Red Dot's debuff ability and upgrade nodes in the class tree, increased range - Fixed issue where Trace Vector and other Utility programs did not show description correctly hovering in Matrix Talent bar - Rebalanced Trace Vector 1 and 2 utility programs - Removed changes to Death Res from all Traits, Wounds and buffs/debuffs - this is a Difficulty-only value - Moved Death Res in custom difficulty to be next to Death Mode, vastly improved hovers - Rebalanced Grit to have +Wound Res and Below the Level to have +XP% bonuses as they lost Death Res - Fixed bug preventing weapon mods to properly show compare colors on some stats like Noise and negative Dmg - Fixed Ether Reflex Sight for AR/UAR/E-Rifle to reduce minimum Optimal Range - Fixed weapon mod display of changing Arc degrees to include +/- - Fixed issue with using Faked Vitals and Body Bag on the same target causing negative numbers in hover - Fixed lingering mention of -1 Point to train multi-class in training screen - Fixed lighting issues in Haven Smokeout mission
Update #72: Snake-Eyes
Welcome to Update #72, with some new eye designs for your characters, an important meta change for Heat to truly be 100/100, an improvement for the rules about longterm ignoring Wounds, better matrix options in the TRUCK JOB and a bunch of level and lighting engine fixes.
If you are enjoying the pace of constant updates and improvements, or feel like we're just heading the right direction please take a moment to leave a review!
Apologies again for the size of the review, the main contributor is rebaking lights across the game as we keep making tweaks to improve everything / fix a few final bugs.
New Eye Designs - Is that a cat or a snake?
With the lighting engine in the rear view mirror, we're returning to character improvements. We'll be working on improved skin texturing and roughness, small face and eye animations to help bring characters out of their wooden stare and more.
Tonight, we have 3 new eye designs - either contacts or cybernetic. The power button, burning sun and the cat eyes. Or lizard eyes? Something.
Heat is 100/100 Max
For those players running hot squads and cycling proc-gen missions who were turning up the Heat, we've got you. The Heat scale is now correctly clamped between 0 and 100. This will be important meta fix for the upcoming safehouse base building and reduce the possible "run-away" feeling with Heat that once you go so high it just stopped mattering ever.
Remember, base building will also offer options to reduce Heat in large chunks, so if you're a high Heat team, this hard cap at 100 should help and then you'll be getting more tools to use in the future.
Festering Wounds
With this update, we've added a slow-burn system around Wounds. Untreated Wounds will slowly, over time gain a percentage chance of increasing in their level. It is good to see a doctor if you've been permanently injured. If allowed to fester over large period of time, these wounds can become far more debilitating that they are at level 1.
This is purposefully a slow-burn type of system. You will not see sudden upgrades in Wounds popping off left and right. This is more like, "don't ignore a Wound for 50 days".
Truck Job Matrix
You can gain a lot of advantages on the recently added TRUCK JOB through the matrix host. To help push variety in this level and keep the matrix side of the challenge, well, ... challenging, we've added new variations to the matrix hosts that be be proc'd into the TRUCK JOB.
Map & Lighting Cleanup
We're still cleaning up a good number of very minor issues with lighting and maps. The most common seems to be some papers on the floor glowing white in some cases. Hopefully we've eliminated that bug with this update, but it remains to be seen until the release gets out into the wild to be truly sure.
We've also fixed a number of issues where something invisible was blocking pathing and causing odd paths around something that clearly wasn't there. We've resolved this for the next update in levels like the Sewers and Foward Op and also established a better footbridge in Slumroad Junction over an area on the stairs that really looked like you could pass there but you couldn't.
v1.5.9 - 4/10/2024
- Added 3 new eye designs - cat, power button, burning sun - Adjusted zoom rules for appearance tab, will now zoom in on face or eyes selection - Fixed rules for Heat so that it never exceeds 100/100 - Merc Wounds will slowly increase level on their own over time without treatment - Fixed another set of odd invisible things blocking navigation in Sewers and Foward Op maps - Fixed misleading navigation area around stairs in Slumroad Junction - Fixing a few mistakes where character names were hardcoded into dialog in Tutorial and didn't respond to changes you made - Fixed issue with one map and Kill 3 combo that could result in instant victory - Fixed long diagonal connection in one of the proc-gen SCU matrix host templates - Increased variations of matrix hosts available in the Truck Job - Fixed odd horizontal line hovering in safehouse
