February Development Intel - Inside the Deathground
[p][/p][p]Operatives, we hope you’re all doing well.
We know it’s been a little longer than anticipated since our last communication, but since the beginning of the new year the development team has been back at work behind the scenes. [/p][p]This update features just a few of the things we’ve been working on over the past few months, with plenty of effort going into work that makes the whole experience feel more consistent on a foundational level, based on your feedback.[/p][p][/p][p]It’s also worth mentioning that we’ve gone through an upgrade from Unreal Engine 5.2 to Unreal Engine 5.7 to make use of several new features, though as with any upgrade, this naturally causes its own set of problems which we’ve been weeding out.[/p][p][/p][p]Of course, we’re still working on missions, sub-missions (such as the upcoming sub-mission ‘Biomedical - Feeding Frenzy’) and even more fixes and improvements, but here in this update, we’re going to focus primarily on several mechanics and systems reworks and expansions.[/p][p][/p][p]Some of the updates we’re about to talk about below will be available in the next patch, and others will be included over future patches, but we wanted to quickly share them so you know what to expect in the coming months.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"][/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/81fa69df647f68b251146bb804727765201f5aa5.gif"][/p]
AI behaviour and animation reworks
[p][/p]
Utah Raptor
[p]Raptors have received several reworks, all aimed at making them more animated when moving around and interacting with the world and players.[/p]
[p]After losing sight of a player, Raptors will now search around the environment in an attempt to look for them, opening lockers, checking in barrels and under tables and generally attempting to sniff them out.[/p]
[p]Additionally, raptors can now better interact with other objects while roaming around the environment. These interactions will be limited at first, but over time, additional interactable objects, animations, and more will be added - making the raptors more curious about the world they inhabit.[/p]
[p]Raptor movement has been given a complete animation system overhaul, thanks to new systems made available by the upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.7. We’ll share more information on this in the near future.[/p]
[p]Vents are home to some of the smallest critters in all of the Deathground, the Compsognathus or ‘compy’ for short. These little terrors are meant to make vents unsafe, rather than a ‘get out of jail free’ card for you to escape the much larger Raptor at any given time.[/p]
[p]We found many players felt frustrated with them, in large part because the compy would attack repeatedly without stopping if you stayed in a vent too long or got too close - forcing you to leave the vent without offering any kind of alternative play.[/p]
[p]We’ve made some adjustments to their behaviours, which hopefully make them feel a little less like a nuisance, but still like a threat to look out for.[/p]
[p]Now, once they’ve spotted you, Compys become more aggressive the longer you spend nearby, and this aggression rises faster the closer you get to them - stay there too long or get too close and they’ll attack, either by quickly nipping at you, or by launching themselves at your face.[/p]
[p]Rather than attacking again right away, they’ll instead retreat to a safe distance and wait to see if you got the message. Additionally, throwing an object, like a bottle or a brick, at the Compy previously caused them to retaliate and attack, but now, instead, causes them to retreat for a short period allowing you to gather your thoughts and plan your next move.[/p]
[p]In addition to this, Compys can now be found hiding in lockers and barrels, ready to strike at unsuspecting operatives who get too close. And after jumping out at you and trying to bite off your face, they’ll retreat to the nearest vent.[/p]
[p]We’ve adjusted raptor behaviours around this change too, and while they’ll absolutely take advantage and swoop in for the kill after a surprise attack while roaming, they’ll also chase a Compy if they spot one making their escape.[/p][p][/p]
[p]A lot of the work mentioned above relating to raptor movement aims to improve dinosaur locomotion in general going forward, and this includes the Allosaurus. You’ll encounter the Allosaurus locked in a containment cell as part of the ‘Feeding Frenzy’ mission soon, and we’ll share more information on the actual Allosaurus enemy in the near future.[/p]
[p][/p]
Respawn, healing, and helping up rework
[p]Death is a pretty major part of the Deathground, and not something to be generally concerned about, after all, it happens to everyone - for D.A.R.T operatives usually a few times a mission.[/p]
[p]But we found many players were confused with exactly how respawning was supposed to work, often trying to use a medical syringe or field med-kit item to heal a (very, very dead) body of a teammate, unaware of the location of their nearest reconstitution (clone) pod - so we’ve made a few changes which should help you get teammate, or more accurately their clone, back into the fray.[/p]
[p]Clone pods now have a retractable holographic display. This screen shows information about the activation state of the clone pod, which player is in the clone pod ready to be respawned and how many respawns you have remaining as a team.[/p]
[p]The spectator menu has been re-vamped, showing spectator mode controls, including a new ‘request respawn’ button, which will highlight the nearest active clone pod so that your team can bring you back from the dead.[/p]
[p]We’ve also adjusted how many respawns players are given when starting a mission and when unlocking additional respawn rooms. This balancing change aims to make things a little more fair for solo players by granting them more respawns, and a little more challenging for teams by granting them fewer respawns.[/p][p][/p]
[p]1-Player: Starting respawns increased from 1 to 3[/p]
[p]2-Player; Starting respawns unchanged from 2[/p]
[p]3-Player; Starting respawns reduced from 3 to 2[/p]
[p]4-Player; Starting respawns reduced from 4 to 3 [/p]
[p]All team sizes; Additional respawns granted from unlocking clone-pod rooms reduced to 1[/p][p][/p]
[p]Players can now help up teammates who are downed without needing a healing item, and crawling speed while downed has also been reduced to account for this change. [/p]
[p]Additional UI elements are now displayed when healing yourself, healing another player, or helping a player up from being downed.[/p]
[p]In future updates, we’re looking to include additional respawn-related items, such as:[/p]
[p]The ‘field reconstitution kit,’ a defibrillator-style item which will allow you to revive players without the use of a clone pod (Assuming there’s a body left to revive) [/p]
[p]And the ‘reconstitution gel canisters’, which will grant additional respawns when collected.[/p]
[p]We’ll share more information on this in the near future.[/p]
[p]As part of a previous patch, we adjusted how interactions are presented, increasing the interaction size, making items easier to pick up, and giving you more information via the UI when looking at an interactable item. We’ve made additional changes to improve this further.[/p]
[p]All objects now display an animated pulse, similar to the one featured on the collectable items.[/p]
[p]This change aims to make items and objects which you can interact with stand out more against the rest of the world, so that it is less frustrating to search for objects as part of a mission objective and far clearer what you can and can’t interact with at any given point.[/p]
[p]This glow fades out as you move further away from an object, and In order to differentiate types of items, ‘distraction items’ and collectables blink once, ‘key’ items blink twice in rapid succession, containers and buttons blink half as often.[/p]
[p]Of course, audio is incredibly important, and getting it right is something which we’re taking seriously. We’ve been working on several audio tools and related systems which will help audio shine, alongside additional options for communication in-game.[/p]
[p]Audio occlusion is one of the bigger systems we’ve been tackling and one of the bigger concerns players have raised. We’re working to completely remove the issue of sounds (such as raptor footsteps) being heard between floors or through walls using this new system without causing a major hit to game performance.[/p]
[p]Proximity voice chat, and AI interactions around it, are highly requested features we’ve been working on since launch. Our core concern with this system is making sure it works into the far-future, without the need for servers or services which could go offline, causing issues.[/p]
[p]We’re also considering gameplay balancing effects around this system carefully, as we want to keep it completely optional for those who’d rather stay off-mic.[/p]
[p]These two system reworks are intended to appear as part of an update alongside several audio-adjacent features. We’ll share more information on this in the near future.[/p]
[p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"][/p][p]As always, thanks for your support and feedback,[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/a1fdb43aa75b7ffbc5f2a4311d9130c85767b9df.png"][TAG-270][/p]
Patch 7 is OUT NOW for Deathground!
Patch 7 is now live for Deathground! (Version 0.1.56b)
[p][/p][p]Hi Operatives, we hope you all had a fantastic festive season and a great start to the New Year!
Thank you for jumping into the Epoch story mission and for all the feedback so far. We’ve seen a lot of helpful comments and have a quick patch ready to address some reported issues. [/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"][/p]
PATCH NOTES: (V 0.1.56b)
[p]⚠ Important: Before launching, please ensure your PC meets the minimum system requirements and that your graphics drivers are fully updated! For reference: [/p]
[p]NVIDIA users: Make sure you have the ‘NVIDIA app' installed and that the latest GeForce Game Ready Driver is updated under the drivers tab. [/p]
[p]AMD users: Make sure you have the ‘AMD app’. It will automatically detect your hardware and guide you through updating to the latest driver version.[/p]
[p align="start"]Please note: While our team is working to further optimise the game if your system does not meet the minimum requirements, your gameplay experience may not perform as expected.[/p][p][/p]
Highlights and changes
[p]Bunker Festive Overlay and side-mission has now been removed as we exit the holiday season.[/p]
[p][/p]
Quality of life adjustments
[p]Localisation has been added for the Epoch story mission.[/p]
[p](Developer's Note: There is a known issue with localisation for mission elements not currently displaying properly. We are looking into it. As always, the localisation is a work in progress so if you spot any further issues, please let us know.)[/p][p][/p]
Bugfixes - General
[p]Fixed a crash issue related to some instances where picking up an item as the Medic caused issues.[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue that prevented the Raptors from ejecting players from barrels within the new Epoch story mission.[/p]
[p align="start"]Also in case you missed it, we released an End of year Devlog in December which focused on major changes made since we launched the game, along with details on upcoming updates and features currently in development.[/p][p][/p][p]We have a lot of great content and polish on the horizon. Here's a reminder of our DeathRoad to release: [/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/6453174d51c265494ef711608eae67efd2870876.png"][TAG-104][/p][p]To view in full size, click here.[/p][p]See FAQs and Discussions and we will do our best to get back to you![/p][p]Join our Discord and for Bug Reporting or search for teammates.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"]Thanks,[p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/a1fdb43aa75b7ffbc5f2a4311d9130c85767b9df.png"][TAG-130]
Thanks for your support this year, Operatives
Happy Holidays all!
[p][/p][p]Firstly, thank you so much to every single one of you who have supported development and the game’s launch this year. It’s genuinely been an absolute pleasure watching your gameplay clips and reading your incredible feedback across Steam, our Discord server and various social media channels.[/p][p][/p][p]Your support means the world to us, whether it’s purchasing the game or wishlisting and sharing it with friends - your support makes Deathground possible![/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"] [/p]
End Of Year DevLog
[p]To wrap up the year, we’ve put together a new Devlog that we’d love you to watch. Still trapped in the Bunker, Joe takes you through major changes made since we launched the game, along with details on upcoming updates heading into the new year - which includes some exciting new features and mechanics currently in development.[/p][p][/p][p][/p]
Latest Patch Update and Steam Winter Sale
[p]Also in case you missed it, Deathground’s first story event, ‘Epoch’, as well as a festive side quest just dropped on Steam a few days ago. You can find the full details and patch notes here.[/p][p][/p][p]Finally, a quick reminder that Deathground is currently 20% off as part of the Steam Winter Sale. It’s a great opportunity to jump in if you haven’t already, or to share the experience with a friend at a discounted price.[/p][p] [img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/f5cc2ed1220104ac871bd2b590aa5b93832be0f5.png"][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"]We hope everyone has a fantastic festive season and a Happy New Year![/p][p]We’ll see you in 2026,[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/18f15212d7600b3ccc1c4973656aaea9e6178646.png"][/p][p][/p]
The 'Epoch' Update is OUT NOW for Deathground! (Patch 6)
Patch 6 is now live for Deathground! (Version 0.1.55b)
[p][/p][p]Operatives, we’ve received some strange seismic and electromagnetic fluctuations originating from under the ‘Mission Control’ building.[/p][p]Look, I know the Colonel won't authorise any additional reconnaissance in the area, but we can’t ignore readings like this, and I think it’s worth checking out, off the books…[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/79eeefcb30378c0b60f844e530c6ecd81ffb95a1.png"][/p][p]Deathground's first story event, 'Epoch' is now available, alongside a festive side quest that's guaranteed to fill the Bunker with holiday cheer this Christmas. Please see the major update and patch notes below for the full details.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/5cc821b5dec36f04b6e1bee9961ccaa11d2e799d.png"][/p][p]Return to ‘Mission control’ with your team and investigate the deep archives. However, because ‘Epoch’ isn’t being run by Colonel Wells, you won’t have as many resources at your disposal.[/p]
[p]Limited healing items[/p]
[p]The more danger-prone amongst you might want to bring a medkit, because you won’t find any medical supplies in the archive room.[/p]
[p]Limited supply caches[/p]
[p]Unfortunately, it looks like someone’s already pilfered the survivalist supply caches in the mission control building, so you’ll be limited to your starting ammo for the tranquilliser rifle.[/p]
[p]Limited Clone-pod respawns[/p]
[p]There aren’t any clone pods this side of the mission control building, so all operatives will start without re-spawns, but maybe there’s still a working clone pod or two in the panic room?[/p]
[p]We know everyone is excited for more new maps, full missions, sub-missions and content in general, we’re excited for you to tackle this first bite with even more on it's way next year![/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/20dfbc1b91db2f64a72297c5a3dc7206ed0d6fb4.png"][/p]
Bunker has been decorated to celebrate the holiday season, and there’s a festive side-quest for you to tackle!
[p][/p][p]Just in time for the holiday season, a D.A.R.T. team member (probably Finn, the ‘observer’) has taken the liberty of decorating the Bunker. [/p][p]As a side quest, they’ve hidden a present in Geothermal, Agricultural, and Biomedical - Collect all 3, and you’ll unlock a little festive surprise![/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/1eb2c505ba6c9ad1c94472c7e83562c03d0852e4.png"][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"][/p][p][/p]
PATCH NOTES: (V 0.1.55b)
[p]⚠ Important: Before launching, please ensure your PC meets the minimum system requirements and that your graphics drivers are fully updated! For reference: [/p]
[p]NVIDIA users: Make sure you have the ‘NVIDIA app' installed and that the latest GeForce Game Ready Driver is updated under the drivers tab. [/p]
[p]AMD users: Make sure you have the ‘AMD app’. It will automatically detect your hardware and guide you through updating to the latest driver version.[/p]
[p]Please note: While our team is working to further optimise the game if your system does not meet the minimum requirements, your gameplay experience may not perform as expected.[/p][p][/p]
Highlights and changes
[p]Epoch story mission[/p]
[p]After seeing unusual readings coming from sensors near the mission control building, the operatives go to investigate - Venture back to Mission control to find what, or who in the deep archive is causing the strange signal[/p]
[p]Updated artwork for some archive room assets[/p]
[p](Developer's Note: This is the first of several short story missions which you’ll encounter throughout the Deathground. Things are changing, including the archive room itself, which is looking a little more overgrown than the last time you were here…)[/p]
[p]Bunker Festive overlay and side-mission[/p]
[p]It seems that someone has hidden presents in each of the main missions (Geothermal, Agricultural, and Biomedical). Find all 3, and a new secret collectable and some holiday cheer await you in the bunker.[/p]
[p]This festive overlay event will last until Monday, the 5th of January.[/p]
[p][/p]
[p]Seasonal dinosaur cosmetics option has been added to the gameplay options menu[/p]
[p]You can now toggle on/off seasonal dinosaur cosmetics alongside feathers in the gameplay options menu.[/p]
[p]Enabling this feature during the festive overlay event will equip Raptors with a Santa hat.[/p]
[p]This option is disabled by default[/p]
[p](Developer's Note: Unlike Halloween, this seasonal update will be launching on time, rather than after the season has finished for half the world…)[/p][p][/p]
Quality of life adjustments
[p]All items have been reworked to make interaction, dropping, and swapping much easier[/p]
[p]Medkits have now been re-added to medical shelf containers, now that item swapping as been adjusted[/p]
[p]The game now displays a ‘brightness slider’ on first startup[/p]
[p]Ultrawide support has now been added, and UI clipping seen while using some resolutions has been fixed[/p]
[p]The multiplayer lobby has received an initial overhaul introducing new poses and animations, along with visible equipped items on each character. [/p]
[p]This is an early pass and we'll be continuing to expand and improve the lobby in future updates.[/p]
[p](Developer's Note: We also removed that creepy 2D shadow silhouette which acts as a stand in when a player has joined the game, but hasn’t yet selected a character, and replaced it with an equally creepy 3D animated shadow silhouette)[/p][p][/p]
Bugfixes - General
[p]Character ‘skinning’ updates to remove clipping and incorrect arm twisting (Still ongoing)[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where swapped loadout items would clip through containers, now swapped items drop at the player's feet instead[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where several loadout items would drop in incorrect orientation[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where several loadout items would continue to use ‘held’ animations, even after being dropped/placed in the world[/p]
[p]Fixed multiple issues where items could not be picked up or could be picked up through containers[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where some items would not correctly spawn inside of randomised containers[/p]
[p][/p]
Bugfixes - Dinosaur / AI
[p]Fixed an issue where some compsognathus were unable to correctly spawn / despawn[/p]
[p]Several improvements to Raptor technical animation features, including:[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue with the Raptor leg IK setup / control rig, causing animations to behave incorrectly, which should more reliably keep feet planted on the ground[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue which caused Raptor's feet to rotate incorrectly on some surfaces[/p]
[p](Developer's Note: These are some of the first updates to technical animation, with additional improvements in active development.)[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"][/p][p]We have a lot of great content and polish on the horizon. Here's a reminder of our DeathRoad to release: [/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/6453174d51c265494ef711608eae67efd2870876.png"][/p][p]To view in full size, click here.[/p][p]See FAQs and Discussions and we will do our best to get back to you![/p][p]Join our Discord and for Bug Reporting or search for teammates.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"][TAG-310]Happy Holidays from all of us at Jaw Drop Games,[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/18f15212d7600b3ccc1c4973656aaea9e6178646.png"][/p]
Patch 5 is OUT NOW for Deathground!
Patch 5 is now live for Deathground! (Version 0.1.54b)
[p align="start"]Hi Operatives, we hope you're all doing well. Please see the latest patch notes below as we continue to work on the upcoming and major updates. Thanks again for all of your feedback, support and bug-reporting to help this process. [/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"][/p]
PATCH NOTES: (V 0.1.54b)
[p]⚠ Important: Before launching, please ensure your PC meets the minimum system requirements and that your graphics drivers are fully updated! For reference: [/p]
[p]NVIDIA users: Make sure you have the ‘NVIDIA app' installed and that the latest GeForce Game Ready Driver is updated under the drivers tab. [/p]
[p]AMD users: Make sure you have the ‘AMD app’. It will automatically detect your hardware and guide you through updating to the latest driver version.[/p]
[p]Please note: While our team is working to further optimise the game if your system does not meet the minimum requirements, your gameplay experience may not perform as expected.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/200ecffd0cfd94be74ff8b5bc6334538b051dabf.gif"][TAG-50][/p][p][/p]
Highlights and changes
[p]Improvements to the 'ping system' in the form of what we're calling 'smart-ping'![/p]
[p]Adjustments to the targeting threshold which make it easier for players to tag objects, especially at greater distances[/p]
[p]Specific objects in the environment now feature unique icons when tagged (gameplay items, interactable containers and hiding spaces)[/p]
[p]We plan to continue expanding this system with more unique icons as gameplay elements are added or adjusted[/p]
[p]Implemented a new 'Communication Wheel' with various icons for non-verbal in-game communication[/p]
[p]Players can access the communication wheel by holding the ping input (Middle mouse button / R3 by default)[/p]
[p]Players can communicate using basic icons for 'Hello', 'Help', 'Thanks', 'Yes', 'No', 'Group-up', 'Run' and 'Danger'[/p]
[p](Developer's Note: these are just the first of several community-requested features that we've been working on, and there are additional in-game communication options in development as we speak, so stay tuned operatives!)[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/b7609d58bfaf752b3dd07a81f9b9286c12b2067a.gif"][TAG-102][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/d8160dbc4c9fefb198f45cc56e8b4128667f1c22.gif"][TAG-106][/p]
[p]Miscellaneous updates to multiple levels / missions[/p]
[p]Art dressing and lighting improvements to 'Agricultural - Spray the Greenhouse'[/p]
[p]Art dressing, lighting and level design (layout) adjustments to 'Biomedical - Secure the Specimen'[/p]
[p]Art dressing and level design (Layout) adjustments to 'Mission Control - Introduction'[/p]
[p](Developer's Note: You'll continue to see both small and large updates to levels, both based on your feedback, and in preparation for new missions / sub-missions / story events throughout development!)[/p][p][/p]
Quality of life adjustments
[p]Adjustments to Interaction prompts[/p]
[p]Interactions now clearly specify whether they are a 'press' interaction or a 'hold' interaction[/p]
[p]Hold interactions now feature a progress wheel where applicable, for example, when swapping items[/p]
[p]Updates to multiple loadout items[/p]
[p]The 'motion detector' now clearly displays range lines and distance measurements to better highlight the current scanning range[/p]
[p]The Hacking Device now features additional UI elements, which aim to make the minigame easier for colour-blind players[/p]
[p]An additional setting for sensitivity when aiming down sights has been added to the control settings menu[/p]
[p][/p]
Bugfixes - General
[p]Collision fixes to multiple assets (particularly within the Biomedical and Introduction maps)[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue which caused FSR Frame Generation to not correctly enable when chosen in the settings menu[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where re-equipping or aiming the tranquilliser rifle while reloading would cause a noticeable desync between the dart, rifle and player hand animations[/p]
[p]Fixed minor aiming issues on both the Hacking Device and Motion Detector[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where the reduced movement speed effect would remain applied even after dropping the Dinosaur Egg[/p]
[p]Fixed players being able to "consume" other players items with certain interactions[/p]
[p][/p]
Bugfixes - AI
[p]Fixed an issue where Raptors would become stunned instead of chasing the player[/p]
[p]Fixed minor technical animation issues which cause the Raptors' feet to slide while walking[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where Raptors would not wait until the roar animation was complete, leading to roar audio playing without the correct accompanying animation[/p]
[p]Fixed an issue where raptors could sometimes attack players through walls or other solid objects[/p]
[p](Developer's Note: Whoops, that last one really is our bad! Raptors will now do a few additional checks when attempting to attack - and if they're blocked they'll continue to chase until they either lose you or get close enough to attack without a wall in the way!)[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"][/p][p]We have a lot of great content and polish on the horizon. Here's a reminder of our DeathRoad to release: [/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/6453174d51c265494ef711608eae67efd2870876.png"][/p][p]To view in full size, click here.[/p][p]See FAQs and Discussions and we will do our best to get back to you![/p][p]Join our Discord and for Bug Reporting or search for teammates.[/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/13fd65893ba9f79be5e61e573e9e7abdd6b9bc94.png"]Thanks,[/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/a1fdb43aa75b7ffbc5f2a4311d9130c85767b9df.png"]
July 2025 - Alpha Complete!
Clawing Closer
[p]We’ve reached a huge milestone: Deathground Alpha is complete! Our Alpha-pledged Kickstarter backers received their final Mission Debrief at the start of this month. They’ve been playtesting all available maps for the Early Access launch, one last time, before we head into our private Beta playtesting period.[/p][p]We’ve got some further fixes and exciting updates to get into the Beta build. But before we dive into Beta updates, check out episode 5 of DevGround, Deathground's DevLog, to see how the Alpha build ended up. [/p]
New DevLog Episode
[p]Chapter breakdown:[/p][p]0:00 Welcome back! 0:46 Lighting the Way 1:45 Compy Chaos 2:26 Mouthbags?! 3:20 FAQs[/p]
New Screenshots
[p]In case you missed these captures on Deathground's social media recently, here's a few tasty treats![/p][carousel autoadvance="true"][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/d41463db7025507a733c347770c672788ce7309e.png"][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/ae1ab3989b72a20f594852912006207b94eeb828.png"][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/b9d87cd8268c61240b7614f7641e7d14455754e0.png"]
Until next time…
[p]Thank you for your continued support and patience as we head closer to Steam Early Access release. Once we've finished up adding some exciting updates to our Beta build, we'll be sharing a roadmap of what will be available from Early Access. Plus, what to look forward to between Early Access and 1.0![/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/3bf47af11bf75aade056ae8dab218f739da5fda5.png"]We've been listed as one to watch in the latest edition of Edge Magazine! [/p][p]Cheers for checking in! As always, here's your reminder of where else you can find us: Join us and the rest of the community over on Discord. Watch more behind-the-scenes on TikTok and YouTube. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, Threads and Bluesky. See you there![/p][p][/p][p]Wishlist![/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/4ffca81e1aa817a219d7b7842c33933fe2b23efc.png"][/p]
New Developer Overview Trailer!
Down-low with the Devs
[p]In case you missed the Future Games Show Summer Showcase, take a look at some new Deathground gameplay, unseen environments and mechanics - all coming in Q3 2025 for our Early Access launch! [/p][p]Dan, Joe and Sarah also address some community-submitted questions, offering fresh insights into dinosaur threats, map variety and missions. Hit play![/p]
New screenshots!
[p]Wanted to hit pause? Here's just a few of our favourite jaw-drop moments![/p][carousel autoadvance="true"][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/9a25715d56161b9251d2772c8c0591062df4e7be.png"][TAG-20][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/5bbcd2bc6b402f4b5b77cfd47a0fa721dcef82e1.png"][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/c3fc4bdd8d2e0be7324ca6067a62c821b1646878.png"][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/ea10ebb283e3d1aca3829862ac26bb69c60f50ec.png"][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/4789be3b674887c9165d0b1aa7db3cbed0c7fc4f.png"]
Until next time…
[p]Cheers for tuning in! As always, join us and the rest of the community over on Discord or watch more behind-the-scenes on TikTok. Don’t forget, you can find and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter too. We're still working out Threads and Bluesky but hey, we'll see you there too.[/p][p][/p][p]Wishlist![/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/4ffca81e1aa817a219d7b7842c33933fe2b23efc.png"][/p]
June 2025 - Laying down the Lore
New DevLog Episode
[p]DevGround Episode 4 is now ready for you to catch up with Deathground's developments! We're breaking into the Biomedical Facility in this latest episode, as well as giving you a little Deathground lore-drop. We’re also giving you a glimpse of some Raptor updates, plus a couple of announcements. Catch up now and hit play![/p][p]Chapter breakdown:[/p][p]0:00 Welcome back! 0:16 Break into the Biomedical Facility with me... 1:14 Stand off, with a Raptor?! 2:15 Playable Character update 3:26 Announcement time[/p]
Future Games Show
[p]Thanks for reading and watching. As announced in our DevLog above, Deathground will be featured in the Future Games Show TOMORROW![/p][p][/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/8397cadcc06533539d53bba65ab7db9557300fd5.png"][/p][p]The Summer Showcase will be live-streamed at 9pm BST (1pm PT/4pm ET) on Saturday 7th June. Our Dev Feature gives a first look at new gameplay, unseen environments and mechanics. Dan (Studio Head), Joe (Art & Design) and Sarah aka Gee (Community) also address some community-submitted questions, offering fresh insights into dinosaur threats, map variety and missions.[/p][p]Set a reminder to watch here: https://bit.ly/FGS-Summer-Showcase-2025[/p]
Until next time…
[p]Cheers for tuning in! As always, join us and the rest of the community over on Discord or watch more behind-the-scenes on TikTok. Don’t forget, you can find and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter too. We're still working out Threads and Bluesky but hey, we'll see you there too.[/p][p][/p][p]Wishlist![/p][p][img src="https://clan.akamai.steamstatic.com/images/38255468/4ffca81e1aa817a219d7b7842c33933fe2b23efc.png"][/p]
April 2025 - Sedate, Survive, Stay Alive!
New DevLog Episode
DevGround Episode 3 is now ready for you to catch up with Deathground's developments! In this month’s episode, we delve a little deeper into the Greenhouse map, see some behind-the-scenes of the Brachiosaurus coming to life, and give a little extra insight into the latest character updates, including lore-specific primary loadout items and more. Ready? Hit play!
Chapter breakdown: 0:00 Welcome back! 0:11 Oh hello, Future Games Show 0:54 Early Access!? 1:37 Dipping the lights... 2:35 Bringing the Brachiosaurus to life 3:17 Ping! Look over there! 3:43 Hiding vs. Healing 4:32 Using the Tranquilliser Rifle 5:01 Playable Character Options...
Until next time…
Cheers for tuning in! As always, join us and the rest of the community over on Discord or watch more behind-the-scenes on TikTok. Don’t forget, you can find and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter too. We're still working out Threads and Bluesky but hey, we'll see you there too.
And in case you missed it, you can watch our new gameplay teaser trailer below!
In case you missed our announcement at the end of DevGround Episode 2, Deathground's DevLog, the game is going to be featured in the Future Games Show later today!
The Spring Showcase will start at 1pm PT, 4pm ET, 8pm GMT and 9pm CET, and will be broadcast on Twitch, YouTube, X, Facebook, TikTok, GamesRadar, Steam, Epic Game Store, PC Gamer, IGN, GameSpot, BiliBili and more. It will be hosted by actors Nolan North (Nathan Drake, Uncharted Series) and Jennifer English (Shadowheart, Baldur’s Gate 3). To make sure you get the ping when the show starts, you can set a reminder to watch!
Until next time…
We hope you enjoy the show later, we'll be hanging out in Discord throughout the broadcast. Come and join us there!
In the meantime, you can watch more behind-the-scenes on TikTok, find and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter too. We're still working out Threads and Bluesky but hey, we'll see you there too.
