This post details a new release from the unstable "preview" branch of Panoptic, which contains work-in-progress features. If you wish to experience these builds, see the instructions at the end of this post.
Hey all!
We have been hard at work on some quality of life features, as well as bug fixing and improvements for the new map. Thus, we have decided to bring you all one more preview update before the full 5th Early Access update!
Warning : since we changed the keybindings, your preferences will be reset, and you will have to redo your keybindings. Sorry about that (you normally will not have to do it once the next release are published).
Here is what you will find in this build:
New features
Foundry : Some models have been changed, and their positions adjusted to help the Challenger hide in certain sections.
Controls : You can now rebind the controls in the in-game menu (no need to go back to the title screen)
Controls : We moved all the options in the main rebinding screen. That means that the axis inversion is now done on the remapping screen, and no longer as a separate option in the menus.
Controls : Added the option to remap more keys and controller functions, to let you customize your experience further.
Misc : Added a warning messages that will appear when a change requiring the reset of game options and key bindings happens (hopefully you will only see it once, but we might have to do it again once or twice before leaving Early Access).
Bugs Fixed
Crystal Mines & Crucible : We improved the lighting in these levels.
Action camera : The camera now resets its position each time you do an action to blend in.
Action camera : If you open the in-game menu while doing a contextual action, the camera will stop moving.
Tutorial : We fixed the Overseer player seeing the location of the Challenger at the start of the level, and the Challenger being shown the position of the last Orb before the relevant section.
Foundry : Fixed a misalignment issue where the elements pouring and receiving lava would drift too far from the lava flow.
Until next time, have fun playing!
-Team Panoptes
HOW TO GET THE PREVIEW BUILDS:
Warning : the preview builds contain some features that are deemed not ready for wider release yet, and are intended to gather feedback on new additions and validate bugfixes. Some things may not work as intended, so try at your own risk.
In your steam library, right-click on the entry for Panoptic.
Select "Properties".
In the window that opens, open the "BETAS" tab.
In the dropdown, select "preview".
Let the game update, and that's it!
Follow the same steps, but select "default - Opt out of all betas" at the end if you want to revert to the stable builds.
Preview build for 2019-12-05
This post details a new release from the unstable "preview" branch of Panoptic, which contains work-in-progress features. If you wish to experience these builds, see the instructions at the end of this post.
Hey all!
This has been a long time coming, but for this new preview build, we have something special for you all : a new map!
We expect this level to be released to the main branch very shortly, so the changelog will be relatively succinct. One thing we want to mention is that you might notice some wonkiness in the lighting of certain levels, but these will be fixed for the "proper" release. Other than that, there is of course some assorted bugfixes and polished features.
Here is what you will find:
New features
A new level : discover the Foundry, where the Challenger will have to navigate a more industrial environment, and mix up their approach to stealth from the usual hiding in a crowd to more... active hide-and-seek.
Changed the camera controls when doing a blending in action : the camera now orbits the Challenger.
Bugs Fixed
Fixed some slight issues with the Watchers spawning locations.
Various other smaller fixes
Until next time, have fun playing!
-Team Panoptes
HOW TO GET THE PREVIEW BUILDS:
Warning : the preview builds contain some features that are deemed not ready for wider release yet, and are intended to gather feedback on new additions and validate bugfixes. Some things may not work as intended, so try at your own risk.
In your steam library, right-click on the entry for Panoptic.
Select "Properties".
In the window that opens, open the "BETAS" tab.
In the dropdown, select "preview".
Let the game update, and that's it!
Follow the same steps, but select "default - Opt out of all betas" at the end if you want to revert to the stable builds.
The Steam Remote Play Together sale!
Hey all, Team Panoptes here!
Did you know that, even though Panoptic is a local multi-player game, you can now play it with friends over the internet? Crazy! And it all happens through the magic of a new Steam feature called Remote Play Together that lets you stream your local multiplayer games to a friend. They can then play the game as if they were sitting next to you!
When Remote Play Together was announced, we were super excited! Finally, a good way to help people that had a VR headset, but no way of bringing people to play with them, to experience Panoptic try it!
In celebration of the release of the feature, we decided to offer a 10% discount on the game. This being our first-ever sale, it seems we had some issues getting the discount recognized (our bad, sorry ^^; ), but it is live, please take advantage of it if you were hesitant in taking the plunge before.
We also want to mention that our plan was not to offer discounts during Early Access initially, but this very specific occasion, we thought we would make an exception!
Hope you all enjoy the game, and more importantly, we hope you find new joy in experiencing co-op and competitive games together!
Preview build for 2019-10-19
This post details a new release from the unstable "preview" branch of Panoptic, which contains work-in-progress features. If you wish to experience these builds, see the instructions at the end of this post.
Hey all!
The updates have been a bit slower than expected due to parts of the team being away for personal reasons, but here are some bugfixes and assorted updates in preparation for the next bigger udpate.
Here is what you will find:
New features
Added Vive Cosmos bindings. We do not possess the headset, so if you have one, we are very interested to know if the bindings work for you!
Added a door in the Sanctum level to spawn additional Watchers.
Bugs Fixed
Fixed an issue where the Watchers kept their crystal pointed at the Challenger even when losing track of it.
Adapted the angle of the head rotation for the Challenger when looking up or down.
Added some invisible walls in the Crystal Mines to prevent you from jumping to the ground.
Fixed the starting position of the Overseer in the Tutorial.
Tweaked an invisible wall that was sticking through a platform in the Waterworks.
Until next time, have fun playing!
-Team Panoptes
HOW TO GET THE PREVIEW BUILDS:
Warning : the preview builds contain some features that are deemed not ready for wider release yet, and are intended to gather feedback on new additions and validate bugfixes. Some things may not work as intended, so try at your own risk.
In your steam library, right-click on the entry for Panoptic.
Select "Properties".
In the window that opens, open the "BETAS" tab.
In the dropdown, select "preview".
Let the game update, and that's it!
Follow the same steps, but select "default - Opt out of all betas" at the end if you want to revert to the stable builds.
Panoptic Early Access Update 4
Hey everyone!
We released a new Panoptic main update a few days ago! Sorry for the delay on this post. In this update, the new Waterworks level is completely playable, there is now an option to add Watchers to all levels, and there are a bunch of bug fixes! The demo has also been updated, including the option to add Watchers!
The "Waterworks" level is now out of Preview and completely playable! We've finished the architecture, placed invisible walls and blinding zones, updated the water effects, and finalised the lighting.
There is now a Gameplay Option in the Main Menu to have Watchers roaming around in ALL levels, not just in the Sanctum.
Bugs Fixed:
Play Area Repositioning (Moving / Rotating your Play Area) now also works in the "Orientation Scene" (before the start of each level).
In the Sanctum level, the Beings will no longer bunch up at the top of the extending stairs, while those are still closed.
Removed a recurrent warning when one or both controllers lose tracking temporarily.
Fixed a subtle behaviour bug with the Watchers, where they tried to move to the world's origin. You probably never saw any of this, but it was there, and now it's fixed! :)
Watchers no longer get stuck in their animation if the Overseer kills the NPC they were inspecting.
Added Blinding Zones for the Overseer in the Level Select and Orientation Scenes.
The crucibles that ride on rails in the Crucible level are now pre-warmed (pun intended), so it no longer takes forever before they start passing by. (If you don't know what we're talking about here, try looking around the sides of the Crucible level!)
The Watchers' lights are now more visible from the Overseer's perspective, thanks to improvements of the Hx Volumetric Lighting plugin.
Rebaked the lightmaps of all levels using an improved light baking solution, Bakery GPU Lightmapper.
We hope that you enjoy this new version, and do let us know what you think! :)
— Team Panoptes
Preview build for 2019-08-15
This post details a new release from the unstable "preview" branch of Panoptic, which contains work-in-progress features. If you wish to experience these builds, see the instructions at the end of this post.
Hey all!
Another light but nice preview update is here for your enjoyment :) Some more work on the latest map, as well as some small quality of life improvements to tide you over while we are preparing some more impactful features.
Here is what you will find:
New features
The Waterworks level now has some new updated models, with more detail, cracks in the walls and such.
The "blinding" volumes in the the Waterworks have been tweaked a bit yet again.
Blinding volumes have been added to the level selection scene as well as the repositioning scene (before you start the level).
Bugs Fixed
Fixed a subtle behaviour bug with the Watchers where they tried to reach the world's origin. Nothing you probably saw, but it was there.
Made it so the lava crucibles start all along the rails in the Crucible level (if you do not know what this means, try to look around ;)
Until next time, have fun playing!
-Team Panoptes
HOW TO GET THE PREVIEW BUILDS:
Warning : the preview builds contain some features that are deemed not ready for wider release yet, and are intended to gather feedback on new additions and validate bugfixes. Some things may not work as intended, so try at your own risk.
In your steam library, right-click on the entry for Panoptic.
Select "Properties".
In the window that opens, open the "BETAS" tab.
In the dropdown, select "preview".
Let the game update, and that's it!
Follow the same steps, but select "default - Opt out of all betas" at the end if you want to revert to the stable builds.
Preview build for 2019-08-09
This post details a new release from the unstable "preview" branch of Panoptic, which contains work-in-progress features. If you wish to experience these builds, see the instructions at the end of this post.
Hey all!
As astute players might have seen, the "preview" branch has been updated, and now includes a few new fixes and tweaks.
Here is what you will find:
New features
If you use the VR movement mechanics after selecting the level, your position will carry over into the level, making for a smoother play experience.
The "blinding" volumes in the the Waterworks (the 4th map) have been improved, matching the level geometry more closely.
Invisible walls have been added to the Waterworks, preventing the Challenger from falling into inescapable spots.
Bugs Fixed
In the Sanctum, the Beings will no longer mass at the top of extending stairs that are still closed.
Removed a recurrent warning when one or both controllers lose tracking temporarily.
Until next time, have fun playing!
-Team Panoptes
HOW TO GET THE PREVIEW BUILDS:
Warning : the preview builds contain some features that are deemed not ready for wider release yet, and are intended to gather feedback on new additions and validate bugfixes. Some things may not work as intended, so try at your own risk.
In your steam library, right-click on the entry for Panoptic.
Select "Properties".
In the window that opens, open the "BETAS" tab.
In the dropdown, select "preview".
Let the game update, and that's it!
Follow the same steps, but select "default - Opt out of all betas" at the end if you want to revert to the stable builds.
Panoptic Early Access Update 3
Hey all!
Another update to Panoptic has just been released! This time around, we have added new content in the form of a new level, new gameplay tweaks, some quality of life features, and of course, bugfixes!
A brand new level : The Waterworks. Set in a brand new environment style, it offers a more streamlined game experience, for quicker games. The level is still marked as "Work in Progress" since there are some more tweaks and fixes we need to apply, but it is fully playable! Additionally, if you tried its first iteration in the last preview build, you should find that performances have been improved since then.
The Watchers have improved visuals: their crystals animate to better indicate their current target.
They spot the Challenger faster, follow Beings around when focusing on them, and will react to the PC player running or jumping in front of them by alerting the Overseer.
We integrated Panoptic with the new SteamVR input system. You are now able to customize your controller settings through Steam itself (In VR, after launching the new update, go into Settings > Controller Settings, and you should find the rebinding interfaces).
Valve Index knuckles controller are now fully supported thanks to the same input system.
Bugs Fixed:
Watchers now use correct colors for their light and crystals.
Watchers cannot be pushed around by other Beings anymore.
Watchers do not go back to "neutral" immediately once their target leaves their view range, but will gradually become less suspicious instead.
The Overseer will stay blinded when they get outside the playing field.
Enjoy the new version, and see you soon with more new stuff!
-Team Panoptes
Preview build for 2019-07-24
This post details a new release from the unstable "preview" branch of Panoptic, which contains work-in-progress features. If you wish to experience these builds, see the instructions at the end of this post.
Hey all!
We just pushed a new update to the "preview" branch, which includes the first version of a brand new map! (along with other fixes)
Here is what you will find:
New Content
A 4th map! While it is not completely done yet, it is playable, and we cannot wait to see what you think of it. It is in a very different style compared to the existing ones, and should be a shorter, more intense experience! You will find it in the level select, with a mention reminding you that the level is not quite finished. :)
The Watchers have been tweaked a little bit, and now look at the head of Beings rather than their feet.
Bugs Fixed
Watchers can no longer be pushed around by other Beings.
We look forward to hearing from you about the new level!
Until next time, have fun playing!
-Team Panoptes
HOW TO GET THE PREVIEW BUILDS:
Warning : the preview builds contain some features that are deemed not ready for wider release yet, and are intended to gather feedback on new additions and validate bugfixes. Some things may not work as intended, so try at your own risk.
In your steam library, right-click on the entry for Panoptic.
Select "Properties".
In the window that opens, open the "BETAS" tab.
In the dropdown, select "preview".
Let the game update, and that's it!
Follow the same steps, but select "default - Opt out of all betas" at the end if you want to revert to the stable builds.
Panoptic Early Access Update 2
Hey all!
We just released a new version of Panoptic! This update brings a slew of bugfixes and balance improvements, but most of all, it brings some new gameplay features. The demo has also been updated to reflect some of these changes.
Read on to see what has been added, or jump into the game and experience it firsthand!
New Features:
A new NPC type : The Watcher. These special Beings roam parts of the Sanctum (the rightmost level in the selection screen) and try to detect the Challenger. They shine their light on suspicious Beings, and should it turn red, it means they found the Challenger! They will also make sounds to alert the Overseer, so pay attention! Please note there is a bug in the lighting system we use that make their volumetric light not as visible in VR as we want it, we will release a fix down the line.
The Watchers are now also featured in the tutorial, so that you can see them in action.
Improved the visual feedback when the Challenger gets hit, for both players. The Challenger will see their screen turn red, while the Overseer will see blue particles instead of the usual yellow ones appearing when they shoot another Being.
The in-game menu (which you access via Escape on the keyboard, or Start/Options on a gamepad) has been completely revamped, allowing you to change some gameplay options without having to come back to the main menu. The look and feel of that menu has also been improved.
The in-game menu is also accessible from the level selection screen, in case you want to go back to the title screen or quit the game from there.
The lighting in the Crucible (leftmost in the selection screen) has been improved. We added some additionnal lights in the section inside the cliff behind the lava falls to make the staircases more noticeable.
Bugs Fixed:
Gamepads can be hotplugged during gameplay, and will work properly.
Gamepads and keys can correctly be reassigned, without giving a "This key is already in use" messages in unwanted cases.
Shooting near the feet of the Challenger will not make it visibly jump anymore, removing an unintended way to identify it.
Bloom and brightness will now interact better, diminishing the overblown effect on bright areas of the screen.
Sensitivity is handled better for both controller and mouse, resulting in more sane values for the setting.
In the Crystal Mines level (the central level in the selection screen), the Challenger can now push other Citizens around, same as in the other levels.
Improved performances in the Crystal Mines, where using the Lens in certain parts would cause stutter and lag.
In the tutorial, the Lens of the fake Overseer (on the Challenger side) does not change its size dependning on the VR player's movement anymore.
In the tutorial, the final Orb on the Challenger side did not show its position as expected when the player stands still, it does now.
The Challenger can no longer get stuck if they get under an elevator platform that comes down from above them.
