Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS), Simulator, Strategy, Indie
Empires of the Undergrowth
Demo Updated - Tutorial, Battle Arena
We've made some updates to the free demo - if you've not taken the plunge yet then now's a great time to try out the demo, and if you like it, the game is 10% off for Steam's Autumn sale! This update adds the tutorial level that we recently added to the main game, as well as a limited form of the Battle Arena - a mode where you can easily pit the various critters found in the demo against each other to see what wins.
Demo Changes
Tutorial added to demo
Battle Arena added to demo with creatures included in the demo
Demo levels The Nest and Hold Out updated to use rotting log textures
New menu added to demo
Various smaller changes from the full game are now reflected in the demo
Support in demo for recently-added languages
V0.302036 Release - Fixes for the Adventure + Update
V0.302036 has been released, addressing a few issues that came up over the last couple of days as well as making some mainly visual changes to the Hungry Spider level.
Patch notes below:
Additions
The Hungry Spider level now uses the new rotting log tile set
Enjoy the Hungry Spider event for longer - now until Nov 10th!
A few extra pillars for cover and lighting near spawn on Hungry Spider
Queens now have a gentle spotlight on them
Fixes
Fixed invisible cricket issues in Adventure
Fixed a visual error in 1.2
Tweaked rotting log materials
Removed any possibility for unfinished landmarks to spawn in freeplay
Notification given in the tutorial will always appear regardless of settings
The Adventure + Update is OUT NOW!
Surprise, we’re doing it now! As it turns out, everything we talked about in yesterday’s newsletter is good to go, so here it is! The Adventure + update is available now.
This is a ‘regular’ update, but quite significantly larger than most of our regular updates. As well as the long-awaited extra level Adventure, we’ve also put the even longer-awaited velvet worm into its rightful place in the 3.x levels - including previously unheard narrator lines!
This update also includes a feature that has been overdue for a long time - tutorial mode. New players will be encouraged to first play through the tutorial before diving into the campaign, and even more experienced players may benefit from the refresher course it provides. A redesigned menu integrates this addition into the game, with a new section called the ‘arcade’ for extra levels, battle arena, and demo levels
Finally, the 1.x levels now have their own tile set - the rotting log will no longer look like sand! A new texturing of decomposing birch wood and crumbly soil will set it apart from the beach. Full patch notes below.
Headline Features
Velvet Worm
Added to 3.x levels, freeplay, battle arena & new extra level Adventure
Long creature with the ability to spray slimy glue at its enemies that slows them
Comes in 3 sizes of varying strength
Adventure
A long-form leafcutter extra level with unique mechanics
Build up XP to upgrade your colony & unlock new units
Unlock the uber velvet worm for use in freeplay as a reward
Tutorial mode
A new 10-15 minute tutorial to explain the basics in a practical way
Goes over digging, hatching, pheromones, combat & more
Both new & experienced players should benefit from this thorough tutorial
Main menu rework
More descriptive buttons to guide players to the right place
Will highlight tutorial mode for new players
Added an arcade section for battle arena, extra levels & demo levels
Rotting log tile set
Woody, crumbly textures added for the rotting log environment
1.x levels no longer use the beach underground tile set
Other Changes & Additions
Big-headed ant workers are no longer encumbered when carrying
Camera rotation buttons are now rebindable
Resource, tile & creature info toggles moved to side of pheromone panel
Reworked underground lamp distribution
Hold Out scoreboard changed to match that of Extremis
Added thumbnails for demo levels
Some rewording of objectives & descriptions
Numerous improvements & optimisations to many game processes
Updated localisations
Fixes
Enemy colony in 3.1 should no longer hide underground permanently
1.1 victory cinematic reworked slightly to not show the ‘sky’
Subtitles no longer overlap if a certain creature is killed too quickly in FC4
Fixed an issue that caused lynx spiders to shrink on loading a freeplay game
Fixed accidental switching of some minor improvements menu descriptions
Status effect particles now present for the hungry spider
Extra level scoreboards now all display the difficulty
Fixed some spelling mistakes
The Adventue + Update is OUT NOW!
Surprise, we’re doing it now! As it turns out, everything we talked about in yesterday’s newsletter is good to go, so here it is! The Adventure + update is available now.
This is a ‘regular’ update, but quite significantly larger than most of our regular updates. As well as the long-awaited extra level Adventure, we’ve also put the even longer-awaited velvet worm into its rightful place in the 3.x levels - including previously unheard narrator lines!
This update also includes a feature that has been overdue for a long time - tutorial mode. New players will be encouraged to first play through the tutorial before diving into the campaign, and even more experienced players may benefit from the refresher course it provides. A redesigned menu integrates this addition into the game, with a new section called the ‘arcade’ for extra levels, battle arena, and demo levels
Finally, the 1.x levels now have their own tile set - the rotting log will no longer look like sand! A new texturing of decomposing birch wood and crumbly soil will set it apart from the beach. Full patch notes below.
Headline Features
Velvet Worm
Added to 3.x levels, freeplay, battle arena & new extra level Adventure
Long creature with the ability to spray slimy glue at its enemies that slows them
Comes in 3 sizes of varying strength
Adventure
A long-form leafcutter extra level with unique mechanics
Build up XP to upgrade your colony & unlock new units
Unlock the uber velvet worm for use in freeplay as a reward
Tutorial mode
A new 10-15 minute tutorial to explain the basics in a practical way
Goes over digging, hatching, pheromones, combat & more
Both new & experienced players should benefit from this thorough tutorial
Main menu rework
More descriptive buttons to guide players to the right place
Will highlight tutorial mode for new players
Added an arcade section for battle arena, extra levels & demo levels
Rotting log tile set
Woody, crumbly textures added for the rotting log environment
1.x levels no longer use the beach underground tile set
Other Changes & Additions
Big-headed ant workers are no longer encumbered when carrying
Camera rotation buttons are now rebindable
Resource, tile & creature info toggles moved to side of pheromone panel
Reworked underground lamp distribution
Hold Out scoreboard changed to match that of Extremis
Added thumbnails for demo levels
Some rewording of objectives & descriptions
Numerous improvements & optimisations to many game processes
Updated localisations
Fixes
Enemy colony in 3.1 should no longer hide underground permanently
1.1 victory cinematic reworked slightly to not show the ‘sky’
Subtitles no longer overlap if a certain creature is killed too quickly in FC4
Fixed an issue that caused lynx spiders to shrink on loading a freeplay game
Fixed accidental switching of some minor improvements menu descriptions
Status effect particles now present for the hungry spider
Extra level scoreboards now all display the difficulty
Fixed some spelling mistakes
November 2022 Newsletter - Adventure, Velvet Worms, Rotting Logs!
We've had a remarkably busy couple of months since the last newsletter, and there's a fair few things to discuss relating to the next update for Empires of the Undergrowth. Most of this newsletter will be going over progress made in matters written about in the previous one. We're currently in a consolidation phase, working on improving under-the-hood systems to increase the efficiency and reliability of many game systems, as well as improving the onboarding process for new players and revamping some of the older artwork. We've also made some fairly extensive changes to the main menu.
A river crossing from Discord user Ice Age 2
We’re also very close to introducing a long-awaited enemy to the game – the velvet worm, and have several extra levels lined up over the next few months. To preempt the question of when all of the changes detailed in this newsletter will arrive, the answer is in the near future (fingers crossed)!
On the community side of things, we’ve also made the first edition of a new video series that will work alongside and in tandem with these newsletters. We’ll discuss the plans for those at the end of the newsletter, after all the game news. Let’s get to it!
Velvet Worm – Ready!
The velvet worm is ready for its debut!
It was intended to complete the menagerie of critters for the leafcutter levels (third tier), way back in the before-times of 2019. However, it was cut for time – it has what was at that point a unique way of moving its long, slender body, and this required an inordinate amount of time for our animator Matt to perfect for just one creature. However, the system was brought up to scratch for the fourth tier – both the salamander and newt use it. So, now is the time to bring back the slime-launching velvet one!
Velvet worms are voracious hunters of other invertebrates – they are equipped with twin slime cannons near their mouths, which they use both to ensnare prey by tangling them up in a sticky web of glue, and to deter potential predators. The velvet worm will see its return to glory in the 3.x levels, but you will also be able to fight it in the next extra level to arrive – Adventure.
Who would win – two dozen angry leafcutter ants or one velvet boi?
It’s Nearly Adventure Time!
The first of several planned extra levels coming over the next few months, Adventure is likely to yield the longest playtime of any level in the game so far, so ensure you have a couple of hours set aside for it! Adventure is a leafcutter level with a unique XP system and many creative challenges.
I’m looking for someone to share in an Adventure. It’s you.
Complete the multitude of objectives and engage in combat to increase your XP, unlocking new units and upgrades for your leafcutter colony. There’s a host of dangers, both environmental and colony-based, as well as another encounter with Big Whippy the huge whip spider (in her fourth appearance in a level) and of course several variants of the new velvet worm.
You will also have the chance to raise a unique character, a mighty champion of the leafcutters, but let’s wait for the level to be released before I spoil too much – you’ll be playing it soon!
The Rotting Log
During this consolidation phase, before we fully return to our work on the fifth tier, we have an opportunity to revisit some of the older parts of the game and improve them. After completing work on the green swamp, our environment artist Dan C has been focusing on making a rotting log environment – up until now, the 1.x levels have borrowed the beach tile set, which is why the environment looks like sand rather than soil and wood.
Have you ever seen something so rotten yet so beautiful in all your days?
Taking inspiration from decomposing birch logs, we think this combination of crumbly wood and soil looks fantastic and finally gives the introductory levels of the campaign their own identity separate to the rest of the game. It’s quite possible that some of the extra levels will use this tile set in the future, too. Once the new look for the rotting log is complete, we intend to put some work into bringing the beach levels up to 2022 standards as well.
Some serious isopod action in the rotting log environment
Main Menu Changes
We thought that now was the time to make some changes to the main menu – this incorporates the tutorial level in easy view along with a new submenu called ‘arcade’ – this will be the new home of extra levels, the battle arena and the demo levels.
It’s a menu, not sure what else to tell ya pal
This new menu format gives us room to describe each menu choice in an aesthetically pleasing way – the description will appear at the bottom of it when hovering the cursor over it.
Tutorial Mode Update
Tutorial mode is now functionally complete – we are simply waiting on the last of the localisations for it before we include it in a patch.
As detailed in the previous newsletter, by far the most common reason given for someone who requests a refund for Empires of the Undergrowth is our lack of a dedicated tutorial, or proper onboarding. Whilst the in-game tips and hints do teach the entirety of what there is to know about the game, relying on them alone is a large reading task and we realise they are ignored by many players.
Enter tutorial mode. Players will be encouraged to play through this special level (averaging 10-15 minutes) before jumping into the campaign. It gives a thorough understanding of the digging, hatching, food collection, and camera movement systems and a basic overview of combat. The popup tips will remain an integral part of ongoing training as a player progresses through the campaign, and the tutorial reinforces that at one point.
Tutorial mode – simple, but educational
The tutorial mode highlights relevant parts of the UI as it goes on, giving visual indicators of what to do (and where). UI highlighting in this way is integral to a proper tutorial system and we’ve taken significant care to get it right here.
We have also observed during our time exhibiting the game at events that a not insignificant portion of players jump straight into freeplay, which does not come with its own training. New players will be encouraged to play the tutorial and campaign first, but can of course still go straight to freeplay if they wish (an ‘open wiki’ or trial-and-error approach is still a valid way to play for those who wish to do so).
Optimisations
A less flashy but vitally important part of what we do is profiling and optimisation of the game processes. As we continue, we identify older areas of code and art assets that are suboptimal by various methods. Matt, our engine specialist, has put significant time recently into identifying many systems that could do with having a few bolts tightened here and there. For example, a process that is executed every tick (loop of the UE4 program) might not actually need to be called so often to have the same effect, and profiling helps to identify these inefficiencies.
Whilst this work doesn’t have direct evidence to show for itself in the form of a screenshot or video, it means that frame rates should be up across the board. This work is ongoing and is likely to continue as long as the project is still in development.
Vlogs
As mentioned earlier, at the start of last month we put out the first of our vlogs – a kind of video form of the newsletter that is intended to be its counterpart. Mike put himself in front of a greenscreen and talked freely about upcoming changes, some of which have been detailed further in this newsletter. Mike also realises he’s now typing in the third person and that’s really weird.
Note that the vlogs are not intended to replace the newsletters at all, just augment them. We’ll be doing one of these every other month, in between the newsletters. The next one is due towards the start of December, and Dan P (our product marketing manager) will be joining in that one with a section about Ecosystem and Adapt, two of the other games that Slug Disco publishes.
Screenshot Central
Given that this upcoming update is rather leafcutter-themed, what with the velvet worm and Adventure and all, I thought we’d keep with that theme for the screenshots section. As always, if you’d like your screenshots featured in a future newsletter or in the weekly Screenshot Saturday hashtag we participate in on Twitter, the easiest way is to join our Discord and post in the appropriate channel. Alternatively, you can upload them to the Steam community or email them to mike@slugdisco.com. F9 enters photo mode (by default) to get some cool angles – holding shift whilst pressing it will uncouple the camera from the ground for total freedom.
A moonlight harvest from Ay_Mar
The army is on the march from Xxgamingduo
Purple army ants munching on a dead leafcutter queen from AhYesANTS!
Time to Feed the Hungry Spider
Tucked away in a dark corner of the world, this wolf spider hungers...
...and it's up to you to slake his relentless thirst for hemolymph.
From midnight on the 25th October local time, the Hungry Spider will be here for the rest of the spooky season - and he is so very hungry. Access this festive extra level by selecting the spider web that has appeared on the main menu.
Be warned - this level is not for the faint of heart, or slow of pointer - it is intensely difficult and few have ever completed it. Those that do will earn themselves a special achievement as a badge of honour. Even under ideal conditions, expect multiple playthroughs to learn the quirks of the levelling and abilities system.
Slice the carapace, dissolve the innards, suck the juices, chop, melt, drink...
Vlog - What's Next For Empires of the Undergrowth?
Time to talk about the immediate future of Empires of the Undergrowth, in video form.
This is the first of our new vlog format, which will act as a counterpart to the newsletters, running bi-monthly alongside and inbetween them. We recognise not everyone wants to read a 1,500 word essay to get their Empires of the Undergrowth news, so hopefully this video series fills in that gap!
If you have any better ideas for the vlog's name than just "Slug Disco Vlog" then please let us know.
HOTFIX - V0.30111 Released - Fix for Fire Ants in Freeplay
This hotfix is currently only for Steam Windows 64 bit users but we thought it was crucial enough to get a fix out for our biggest user base as fast as possible. The fix for Windows 32 bit, Mac and other storefronts will roll out over the next few days.
Apologies for the confusing back-and-forth with this one - we released this update last night, but due to a change to aphids for a future update there was the unexpected effect of stripping aphids completely from the 4.x levels, so we had to revert it. All should now be well.
Patch Notes
Fixed fire ants not being able to place pheromone markers on the surface in some freeplay maps
HOTFIX - V0.30111 Fix for Fire Ants in Freeplay
This hotfix is currently only for Steam Windows 64 bit users but we thought it was crucial enough to get a fix out for our biggest user base as fast as possible. The fix for Windows 32 bit, Mac and other storefronts will roll out over the next few days.
Patch Notes
Fixed fire ants not being able to place pheromone markers on the surface in some freeplay maps
Update V0.3011 - Fixes & Changes
A whole bunch of fixes have been made, mainly regarding the fire ant update and freeplay (there’s plenty more changes to freeplay coming in a larger update a bit further down the line). Extremis fans will be pleased to know that level is now playable again, and the poor bullfrog will no longer get beaten up by its lunch!
Thanks to everyone who’s helped to test this patch over the last few days.
Patch Notes
4.1 Cold Blood
Bullfrog will now always eat creatures intended to feed it instead of being beaten up by them if they get too close
Titan health bar will no longer appear during feeding events if the bullfrog is dead or has hopped away
4.2 A Bridge Too Far
Player’s ants still in the Monomorium colony after it floods will now die
Monomorium nest entrance now looks correct after end-of-level flood cinematic
Reduced ‘Top of the Hill’ level end requirements on all difficulties
Underground aesthetic updated
Formicarium Challenge 4
A few decals added to cupboard interior after FC4 for extra detail
Fixed an issue where continuing play too quickly after FC4 could cause the end to not properly happen
Freeplay
Little black ants & big-headed ants will no longer be called Atta cephalotes in defeat screen
Fixed a convoluted issue in freeplay causing random leafcutters to spawn in the place of dead queens
Fixed an issue in freeplay where if dead enemy colonies were in the game, creatures would be less likely to attack the player
Fixed an issue where the freeplay setup info would always appear as if 4 players were in the game (1v1v1v1)
Fixed an underground tile that was crashing games in Basin
Fixed an issue that could cause fire ant queens in freeplay to be off the ground
General Fixes
Extra level Extremis will not crash the game any more
Fixed carried aphids sometimes being removed if the ant is distracted whilst picking it up
Fixed refund being prevented for 2nd refuse tile / leaf drop-off chamber
Moving queens in 2.2 can no longer be killed by environmental creatures
Fixed army ants despawning in Beetles Rise Up! which sometimes made the level unwinnable
Fixed autoclicker food duplication issue
Various UI elements made more stretchy to account for languages with longer sentences
Distance increased between Battle Arena lanes to prevent knockback abilities hurling critters into the other lane
Fire ant & little black ant queen mesh repositioned so they should float less
Fixed population totals not being updated when a tile is cancelled before being built
Removed access to a decorative plant that looked appetising to leafcutters in 3.2
Buried creatures (! & ? icons underground) will now only ever be visible by their rendered outline; no more accidentally seeing the model poking out somewhere
Fixed an issue where Formicarium Challenge 2 would never end if all creatures were dead at some point after spider spawn
Can no longer click through augmentations menu to select a tile
Reduced size of fire ant worker eggs so they are not poking out the top of the queen
Cancelling a tile before it is built will now correctly update population totals
Corrected some spelling issues in the Freesound credits
General Changes
Replaced queen worker chamber crown icon with a flag
Team stripes added to abdomens of fire ants, little black ants & big-headed ants
Reduced size of all little black ant eggs to make them properly little
'Play More' button removed from 2.2
Couple more first-time playthrough hints added to the first formicarium
Numerous texture optimisations; they should pop in faster
Font update in minor improvements panel
Various animation optimisations added
Some lab decorations moved closer to the formicarium so they can be seen in play
Objectives will now update faster when something has changed
Star power scale is now taken into account for minimap & physical size of buried creatures
When an indestructible tile is made destructible (by, for example, a toad burrowing through it in 4.1) the tile break effect will play
Chinese localisations updated
Credits updated
Known Issues
Under some circumstances, fire ants seem unable to place pheromone markers on the surface in freeplay
On rare occasion, fire ants can get stuck when they're part of a bridge and the bridge is disassembled
Green lynx spiders can rarely get stuck at the base of a pitcher plant
please let us know in the discussions if you see any of these issues!
