Site-02 Transmissions #6 | Art Contest 2024 - Honourable Mentions
Hello everyone!
A few days ago marked the end of the voting period for the 2024 Art Contest.
The last month has been full of exciting news and developments. Now, we would like to turn our attention towards some of the many amazing pieces of art that you have dedicated to SCP: Secret Laboratory during this period.
Sometimes, the competitive nature of our event leaves some participants feeling like they went unrecognised. However, we are truly moved by each unique expression and deeply appreciate all of your effort. Thank you for sharing your vision, creativity, and concepts with the community.
That said, let’s get right into the showcase and look at some of your creations, together.
Art Showcase
ARG including hidden videos, links, QR codes, images, and more by wantedparts (2d, storytelling, provided materials) This small ARG made by wantedparts tells a short story on Are We Cool Yet?, offering their depiction of them in the universe of SL. Thank you for subtly weaving the threads of anart into your submission and sharing it with us in this way.
Hiding won't do you any good either by Beastbearing (2d art) This really cool piece made by BeastBearing showcases fantastic rendering, especially when it comes to the blood. I’m always a sucker for well-done gore within art, and the setting/artwork makes it an amazing piece.
The Insurgency has made it into real life with this sculpture made out of clay byPicoLordens (3d art/physical art, provided materials) As an enjoyer of occasional tabletop games and miniatures, physically tangible sculptures and figures occupy a special place in my heart. The few times I formed or painted something of my own are fond memories for life. The Chaos Insurgency will surely take matters into their own hands with this one!
Here we have fantastic animated pixel art of our SCP roster by Rascal
Next up, we have an amusing artpiece drawn by ebanytbi depicting Chaos Insurgents facing SCP-173 and SCP-106.
This next digital painting was made by Sutanisurasu, and perfectly frames some of the new features of 14.0.
Next is another pixel art piece made by the talented eyeymoses. Despite not winning the competition as a whole, a lot of our staff were quite fond of this piece!
Lastly, here is an amazing drawing of SCP-939 by Bedioc.
Closing Words
There are many ways people express their inspiration from our shared experiences with SCP:SL. We would like to view ourselves as part of this ever-evolving creative ecosystem, just like so many of you are. A single piece of art can spark a deluge of conversations and ideas.
It is always an honour to feature the many amazing creations that sprout from this community. Providing a platform for your efforts and creativity is something we aim to soon handle in a more frequent fashion, beyond the scope of contests and events.
We are excited to see concepts for this project taking form, and hope to introduce meaningful practices that grant all of you the much-deserved recognition your actions truly merit.
Conclusion
This year’s art contest has been an awe-inspiring, exciting and delightful journey. It was a captivating experience to see what you have created, and to see how your imagination and creativity developed alongside the upcoming player models and our other additions in Version 14.0!
Thank you for reading, for your participation, and for all of your ongoing support.
And as always, see you in the dark.
- Northwood Studios
14.0 Patreon Beta - Out Now!
Hello everyone.
The beta version for our 14.0 update titled ‘’Heavy Duty’’ is now open for Patreon subscribers and will be live until November 26th.
Patreon supporters with the tier ‘Zone Manager’ ($20) and above will have exclusive access until November 9th, after which the beta threshold will be lowered to the ‘Major Scientist’ Patreon tier ($10).
Be among the first people who get to experience new human character models, our newly built Heavy Containment Zone, and much more!
On another note, want your in-game screenshot to appear on our Steam store page? Well, it’s your lucky day! A screenshot competition will be held for our Patreon subscribers. Those who win will have their screenshot appear on our Steam store page from 14.0 onwards.
We thank you all for waiting patiently while we prepared this update for you. We value your feedback and are eager to hear your thoughts on this upcoming update!
To subscribe to our Patreon and gain access to the beta, please visit: https://patreon.scpslgame.com
Have fun, and see you in the dark. - Northwood Studios
Halloween is here!
Hello everyone. We have just released this year’s Halloween seasonal update for SCP:SL.
While we’re hard at work preparing for ‘Heavy Duty’’s Patreon Beta release, we thought it would be a nice treat to reintroduce a few features from last year’s Halloween. Included in this update are the much beloved SCP-330 candies, SCP-3114, and some smaller changes.
Notable Changes and Adjustments
Reintroduced the special SCP-330 candies with some slight adjustments from 2023.
Slightly rebalanced the candy loot table.
Brown Candy is no longer available through SCP-330. It is still obtainable through Black Candy.
Buffed Green Candy. It now lasts longer and increases your maximum health to 300 (was 200).
Fixed an issue where Gray Candy didn’t apply the intended amount of damage resistance.
Blue Candy will no longer grant users friendly fire. This effect has been retained for Evil Candy.
Evil Candy now grants its users the ability to open checkpoints.
Re-enabled SCP-3114 for the event with reduced spawn chances.
Re-enabled special skins for SCPs, player models, items, and more.
Introduced new ambience, graphics, and sound effects in line with the Halloween spirit.
Here’s to another spooky year of SCP:SL. Following feedback from the community, we’ve opted to direct our focus towards the next major update for SCP:SL. Despite that, we hope this update is a welcome change of pace in preparation for 14.0.
That being said, be sure to check out our Patreon to participate in the 14.0 Patreon Beta, which is releasing later this week on the 26th.
Availability: October 26th through November 26th. Chances for Extension: ██,██%
Authorisation: Tier 4 Zone Managers [20 USD] Tier 3 Research Supervisors Authorisation starting November 9th [10 USD]
Participation and Information: https://patreon.scpslgame.com
// End of message //
// Thank you for your continued patronage //
// - Goldbaker-Reinz Ltd. - //
2024 Art Contest - Voting Open
Time to Vote!
Hello everybody.
The time has come for the art contest to enter the public voting stage. We are excited to see which of these amazing submissions you believe deserve the top spots!
Head on over to https://art-contest.scpslgame.com/ and check out all the submissions. Here, you'll be able to Upvote or Downvote each one. Each person will be able to vote once on every submission, and votes will be kept secret until voting ends. Voting ends on the 30th of October at 21:00 UTC
Everyone at Northwood is extremely pleased to see all of our community contestants’ submissions, and we hope you will be as well!
Note: To vote, you must log into the aforementioned website via the ‘Discord Login’ option provided. In addition, your current level in the Official Discord (https://discord.gg/scpsl) must be ten (Euclid) or higher.
Have fun, and see you in the dark.
- Northwood Studios
Site-02 Transmissions #5 | Community Showcase
Hello, everyone!
Welcome to another Site-02 Transmission. This month’s Community Showcase is, alongside the regular showcases, primarily dedicated to showcasing a particular project made by many of the skilled animators in our community.
There’s a lot to cover, so let’s jump straight to it!
SCPlease Reanimated
Our old MTF models, as a final way to say goodbye.
In May, a group of over 20 artists came together and chose to re-animate, in parts, a classic animated series from the game’s humble beginnings: SCPlease, whose first video released in 2018.
With the 14.0 update around the corner, this video seemed like a great way to celebrate that older version of the game, while also celebrating the modern creative community. Without further ado, here it is. Keep reading for an interview about the project with two of the involved creators !
SCPlease Contributor Interview
With the help of the Anomalous Animators (previously Secret Animators) group, we managed to get in contact with some of them so they could talk about their work on the project, how they felt about it, and to give some behind-the-scenes insight.
Here’s commentary from two of the project members. The first is from Windop: head manager of the collaboration project, and animator of Part One as well as the outro sequence.
How did the Anomalous Animators project start? “The idea to make some sort of collab was very spontaneous. The person who came up with that idea was Noxplis on the official SL Discord. The same day I created a Discord server, shortly afterwards, we got about 20 people on the collab, some left, some joined throughout the project.”
How did you decide on reanimating SCPlease? “We had a ‘suggestions’ channel where any animator could submit their ideas. The one with the most votes won. The idea of re-animating SCPlease was stuck in my head for a long time, but I couldn’t find the courage to do it alone. So I decided to submit the idea and then everyone was for it.”
How long did this take to make? How long did you intend for it to take? “It took us almost four months. How long was it supposed to take? One to two months. But the deadline was constantly moving due to some people leaving, too little progress, etc. The final deadline was much more strict — anyone who wouldn’t meet it would get removed from the project. And this interrogation tactic worked! One guy who did nothing for four months made his whole part in a day and submitted it a couple of hours before the deadline.”
What’s the future of the Anomalous Animators project? “First, we had to set up a new name other than ‘“Secret Animators’ as we ended up not liking the old one. But for now, everything is stale. We plan on making more original future projects and getting more talented animators on the team!”
The second member interviewed was Shazir Zaman: animator of the intro, Parts two and 22, and creator of the video thumbnail, among other assets. He can tell you more himself: “Hi there, my name is Shahir, also the founder of StudioHexyne, creator of the ‘Happy Nation’ animation for SCP:SL characters. I am from Bangladesh (probably the only SL player from there lol).”
How did you become a member of the project? “It started as a discussion in the SL-cord’s #art-discussion channel about trying to remake/make an animation of an SCP-related song or existing animation, i.e. SCPlease as a collaboration with the SCP:SL art community. It then spiraled into Windop creating a discord server originally known as ‘Secret Animators’, now called Anomalous Animators. I was then invited by Windop, because I was in the aforementioned discussion.”
How was the experience of working together on the project? Would you do it again? “The experience was awful! I'm just joking. It was great working with a bunch of people who loved the game and its creators, however, it did get into our heads when the deadline extended thrice or more, and several artists left without notice. In the end, I would definitely join again if I have the time (and patience).”
Were there any guidelines or storyboards set out for all the animators other than the original SCPlease video? “There weren't any specific guidelines for the artists. The storyboard was just the original video, and we could add our own elements based on our personalised style while attempting to retain continuity with the previous [part]. All while keeping it within Youtube's guidelines and avoiding excessive brainrot.”
What were some of the shared assets you had to create and disburse between all of the animators? “I made an edit of an SCP-079 rig I found in DeviantArt to give it a face rig (not the cartoony one or the drawn one, which were made by A77 and Iamtrappedatmshq respectively). I made the textures for the captain hat, although that model was yoinked from Fuse. The boombox was a texture edit from a Sketchfab model I found, which I did painstakingly optimise and re-uv a bit.”
That concludes this piece on SCPlease. A special thank you to Windop, Shahir Zaman, and the rest of the Anomalous Animators team for bringing this project and the community together in this way! Events like these are a testament to a community’s health, and we love showcasing not only our contributors’ individual skills, but also their capacity to come together as a group.
Now, onto the works from individuals in the community. Most of these works were sourced from the #art-showcase channel in the official SCP:SL Discord.
Art
First, we have an advertisement for BLAM-O’s very own SUPER BALL, made by Burning Memory.
Second, a document for the Jailbird’s emergency storage at Site-02, made by wantedparts
And finally for this section, a render of an MTF agent using said Jailbird in a fight against SCP-939 by lithodorus.
You may have noticed the previous artwork uses the new MTF model coming in the 14.0 update. As of the (currently ongoing!) 2024 SCP:SL Art Contest, the new human models have been made publicly accessible for download and use in your own work. You can access them here:
You can see the new models being used in the next two videos from our community members. The first, an insight into the life of the noble and stubborn Chaos Insurgent that drives the van into Site-02, by DrPri.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DfMHfGu8p4
In our second video, MatveyMotion shows us the hard job of our MTF benefactors, as well as Site-02’s aggressive anti-littering policy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awPws3sV_nQ
A special thank you to MatveyMotion, not only for this video, but also for their work rendering the MTF in the banner of this Site-02 Transmission!
PAX AUS 2024
Earlier this month, one of our staff members attended PAX AUS in Melbourne, bringing lots of SL goodies to share!
It was an absolute blast meeting all of you in real life, and we hope to attend more conventions in the future.
Conclusion
That’s it for this installment of Site-02 Transmissions. 14.0 is right around the corner, and the development team is working hard to ensure it’s ready. Expect news in the coming weeks regarding the update, especially regarding the status of the 14.0 Patreon Beta, which will run for a certain period of time prior to the update’s release.
As mentioned previously, the 2024 SCP:SL Art Contest is currently ongoing! The artists in the community have been hard at work making their submissions, and it will soon be time for the public to vote on which ones should be showcased in-game.
Be sure to take a look at their submissions at https://art-contest.scpslgame.com/
If you have any art you’d like to see in a future Community Showcase, our team finds art from many different social media sites, but the best place would be the Art Showcase channel in the official SCP:SL Discord. For news about future updates to the game, be sure to check the Steam and X pages. For exclusive information and early access to future updates, such as the upcoming 14.0 update, check out our Patreon.
Thank you all for reading, and thanks to all the community members involved in Anomalous Animators and beyond which make Site-02 Transmissions like these possible.
And as always, see you in the dark.
– Northwood Studios
System Requirements and Privacy Policy Update
System Requirements Update
In the upcoming 14.0 Update ‘Heavy Duty’, SCP: Secret Laboratory will transition to Unity 6 due to licensing changes affecting older releases. To align with the engine’s modifications to system requirements, we are forced to drop support for some previously supported operating system versions.
As such, from Update 14.0 onwards, the game will require the following system versions:
Clients: - Windows 10/11 21H1+ (build 19043+) x64
Servers: - Windows 10/11 21H1+ (build 19043+) x64 - Windows Server 2022+ (build 20348+) x64 - Ubuntu 22.04+ x64
You can verify which version of Windows is running on your machine by opening the Start Menu and searching for ‘winver’.
While the game may continue to launch on older operating systems, players may experience instability or other issues. We will be unable to provide any support or guarantee the game’s functionality on these systems. Bug reports specific to unsupported OS versions will be closed and labelled as ‘won't fix’.
Additionally, running the client on Linux/MacOS using compatibility layers (such as Proton and Wine) will remain unsupported. We will attempt to avoid degrading the current experience for users who do use such tools, but we won’t be able to solve any external issues related to them.
Effective today, we will be reducing support for users on the affected versions. We will continue to offer workarounds where possible, but will no longer release updates specifically addressing issues for these versions.
Privacy Policy Changes
We would like to take this opportunity to inform you of an update to our Privacy Policy, which will come into effect on October 18th. Most notably, we've added a section about anonymous collection of hardware and gameplay data, which will help us improve stability and game balance. This data is anonymised and cannot be used to identify you personally.
In the future, we also plan to introduce an option allowing for the collection of game crash data from users (on an opt-in basis), as well as the ability to define server-specific keybinds. Both of these features are also covered by this updated policy.
Additionally, we've made several changes to improve transparency. Please review the updated Privacy Policy here. By continuing to use our services after the listed date, you acknowledge and accept these changes.
SCP: Secret Laboratory 2024 Art Contest
Hello everybody!
We are happy to announce the 2024 SCP:SL Art Contest. We are extremely happy that the time has come again and want to invite you all to join.
For this year's art contest winners, their artwork will be showcased in-game in the back of the Class-D cells and they will be given access to the upcoming 14.0 Patreon Beta. Good luck to all of our participants!
To participate in the contest, we kindly ask that you first complete the following Google Form to be registered for the Art Contest: https://forms.gle/tTSwLGgdSSvFEb2c9
This form will ask for some general information, to help us better streamline the submission process. Participants will have one week to register themselves as a contestant.
Once registered, you will need to login using your Discord ID to access the Art Contest website. When completed you will be able to access the Submit Art panel where you will submit your art. You should also include a title and a description of your art to let everyone know where it originated and what inspired it.
Our current timeline for the Art Contest is as follows:
Google Form sign ups will be open from 29 September 2024 14:00 CT to 6 October 2024 14:00 CT.
Submissions will be opened from 6 October 17:00 CT to 20 October 2024 17:00 CT.
Public Voting will be opened from 14 October 2024 17:00 CT to 31 October 2024 17:00 CT
Contest rules are:
NO NSFW content.
Keep ALL art related to SCP:SL.
NO art that would cause drama or toxicity.
Keep collaborations limited (2 person max)
NO AI creations.
We are extremely excited to see what our community can create. Remember, this contest’s objective is about having fun and building off of what you love about SCP:SL, so be sure to enjoy yourselves. We can't wait to see your masterpieces, and wish you all the best!
Remember, art is not meant to be confined.
See you in the dark. - Northwood Studios
Site-02 Transmissions #4 | Developer Log
SHOWCASE
“Would you want magically-generated waste entering the water table, the septic system, or even a deep, dark hole underground? You'd require a very specialised sewer indeed to ensure that your flushes don't come back to haunt you.
Welcome to the Acroamatic Abatement Section of Site-02. We are that sewer.
Site-02 houses several ectoentropic objects — objects capable of generating matter that violate the laws of physics. How does one dispose of materials touched by SCP-106? Is it safe to simply incinerate interdimensional corrosion? Where, precisely, would we be able to sprinkle the interspatial ashes? SCP-049, on the other hand, introduces a problematic number of necromantic remains. What does the facility do with the corpses? Not to mention the countless infectious anti-enthalpic hazards that the Overseers might one day arbitrarily decide to transfer here. Where would we even dump those xenospatial materials? These are the questions our department answers.
Here in DSS-08 (that's ‘Disposal System Section’, for the curious), our vast, cutting-edge subterranean facilities churn endlessly in the dark, transmuting toxic insanity into toxic mundanity. Come, and witness the fruits of our labour as we work tirelessly to neutralise the noxious esoteric slurry which threatens our world with an ecological catastrophe like nothing seen before.
Mind your step, though. Diving into this river of liquid miasma could be detrimental towards one’s health.
While your duty is above, we stay below, battling the ever-increasing load of supernatural effluence we’re deluged with day by day. If we don't clean up its mess, no one will.”
Excerpt from “Welcome to Acroamatic Abatement” seminar by Professor R. Keane, PhD. Applied Occultism / Acroamatic Abatement Section
DEVLOG
Hi there, I’m the editor, and the above was a short introduction to one of the hallway variants that our level designers and artists are hard at work bringing to life. These new environments will be explorable in our upcoming update, ‘Heavy Duty’, and feature unique geometry that will provide a more exciting gameplay experience.
In this half of the post, I’ll be guiding you through an abridged version of the studio’s pipeline of completing a new room, from start to finish.
But before that, let’s discuss the elephant in the room.
Why are we working on the Heavy Containment Zone?
Many have inquired as to why we’ve funnelled many of our resources into the development of HCZ and not other zones such as the Entrance Zone.
The HCZ update initially started as an experiment to see if we were capable of handling a full-zone overhaul in the first place. Results of those experiments seem to lead to a resounding yes.
Our work into the new Heavy Containment Zone has laid out the benchmark for all our future plans related to zones. We’re proud to say that this will be our standard for environment design moving forward.
Still, why HCZ?
Aesthetically, Heavy Containment Zone is a very industrial area. Most of our creations were made with reusability in mind, which could potentially expedite the development of future projects by integrating the new textures, props, and mechanics. These include concrete textures, weathering effects, cleaning supplies, fire extinguishers — to name a few.
Procedural Concrete Damage (August 6th, 2024)
We’re very happy with how the Heavy Containment Zone is looking so far. The most valuable takeaway we’ve gotten from this venture would be experience. With the experience we’ve gained, on top of the time, effort, and passion we pour into our work, we’re certain that we can deliver something that we can truly be proud of. And, who knows? Perhaps our future zone updates will look even better.
First ever screenshot of the Heavy Containment Zone update. (January 15th, 2024)
LEVEL DESIGN
Quotes from Soup (Level Designer) and Cross Conception (Lead Game Designer)
While creating a new room, level designers follow a well-established pipeline in order to innovate, improve, and find creative opportunities to provide unique experiences for players. A group effort is required to create a room, involving not only level designers, but also environment artists, sound designers, game designers, VFX artists, narrative designers, quality assurance testers, and more.
The first step of the level design process is conceptualisation. A level designer may have an idea for a brand new room they wish to create, whether from a stroke of genius or inspiration from playing Mirror’s Edge for eight hours straight. Once an idea is formulated, the level designer will consider what kind of gameplay or visual benefit this room could contain, which will greatly affect the final product. This usually involves a certain specific goal in mind, which could range from “I wanted to make interesting SCP-specific paths,” to “I think it will look pretty cool.”
When building a room, very simple geometry is used. This is a process typically known as a greybox. This approach allows for the quick establishment of important environmental pieces that will be carried over to the final room. Considered in this step, among other variables, are how sightlines are presented, hiding spots, and traversal opportunities.
The Acroamatic Abatement Section (or the ‘Waterfall Room’, because Acroamatic Abatement is a mouthful) is designed to reduce the routes available to the player to one linear path that passes all 4 doors. This means, upon entering a room, a player does not have an equal (or near equal) distance to travel to every other door in the room. This layout creates opportunities for more interesting gameplay, as a player may need to decide whether they wish to pick a closer door that could lead to an unfavourable position, or choose a much further door at the risk of being exposed for longer.
During the greybox phase, the room is assessed through several iterative processes by the level design team in order to receive feedback and establish any required changes. For example, the Waterfall Room used to be absent of any cover, creating a massive sightline across the chasm. Through iteration, a series of pipes were installed at the railings in order to create sightline blocking geometry.
“One of the most important aspects that I considered when designing the room was the unique linear pathway through the room. While with a normal X intersection you can hug the closest wall, in this room, you are forced to cross the entire length of it in order to reach the other side. From there, I focused on implementing micro shortcuts for skilled players to utilise, such as jumping up on the railing to then jump over the gap onto the bridge. After that, I made sure that the generator in the room was out in the open, making it as difficult to camp as possible for both Humans and SCPs. Finally, one of the most important elements of the room was the cover, making sure that it blocked line of sight into the opposite room by using the pipes. Obscuring unfun sightlines is a huge factor that is taken into account when designing rooms.
During development, one of the aspects which was changed the most was the lighting. Originally, when I was designing the room, the lighting and mood of the room was much darker and gloomier. However, after consulting the art department, we made the room brighter to make it easier to plan around and to make the room feel more “worked in.” The art department has been amazing throughout the room’s design process, from creating the water shaders for the waterfall to making the room fit the theme of Heavy Containment.” - Soup
“I was the one who originally designed the layout of the room, which included the U-shaped linear layout as well as the deep pit in the centre. However, due to more important concerns, I had to shelve the room. When we started hiring new level designers for the Heavy Containment Zone Overhaul, I tasked one of the new level designers to work on this room, giving them the general gameplay principle and then leaving them free to work on it however they pleased. It was only a few days later when I checked on the project, and saw the room on a 45 degree angle with a waterfall and river. The room had taken on an entirely different vision, and after some feedback and iterative development, we ended with what we have now. While the final product is vastly different from my original expectations, they did an absolutely excellent job, and I am glad to have more designers on the team.” - Cross Conception
For those curious about the earlier room design that Cross mentioned, here’s what it looked like:
It has indeed gone through a lot.
IMPLEMENTATION
Quote from Moranatol (Art Supervisor)
Once the greybox is complete, it — alongside a design document — is relayed to the art department to undergo an art pass. The design document contains information pertaining to the specifications that the art team may need knowledge of while populating the room. In the art pass, the greybox is decorated by the art team through the addition of textures, props, and visual effects where required. Here, environmental artists go back and forth with the level designers in order to ensure consistency that reflects the level designer’s initial vision of the room.
Sometimes, new rooms call for new props. This room necessitated a new prop in the form of a control panel for the bridge connecting the two halves of the room. Then followed the usual art process of conceptualising, modelling, refining, and texturing. Thank you, Art Team, for your stellar efforts at making the game look pristine.
Once the art team is finished and the room appears nice and polished, it’s moved over in-engine and worked on by a programmer for implementation. Implementation involves inserting the new room into our facility generation system, as well as ensuring the collisions work as intended.
Lastly, a build with the fully implemented room is made and sent to the Quality Assurance Team for testing. QA Testers ensure that the room is bug-free, void of any scummy exploit spots, and that everything is working properly so as to not allow players to fall through the floor into the depths below. When a bug is found, the programmer will immediately be notified to squash the bug.
“When a room's level design is confirmed, I take their layout and I start correcting the main mesh. I fuse, divide some polygons, connect some edges,then I implement it inside the engine, and I'll add rough lighting based on the global HCZ look. I then apply UVs and choose the textures to be applied on the walls and all. Once this step is done, we work closely with the Level Designer responsible for the room and apply props based on the lines of sight and objectives the Level Designer was aiming for. Sometimes, it's also a way to revisit some parts of the room, since theory doesn’t always work, so we move some props and lights in order to adjust obstacles, lines of sight, or indicate specific areas of the room to the player. The room gets revisions and goes through several iterations. Finally, we start adding subtle details to it such as particles, light animations, and very specific props to the room. It's a huge team effort with LD to stick to their original vision for their room, and with Acroamatic Abatement, while we did deviate from the original design over time through iterative development, we are all very happy with how the room turned out.” - Mora
Narrative Design
Quote from x3j50 (Lead Narrative Designer)
“Hi everyone, I’m x3j. You might recognise me from a Memorandum post or my work in the marketing department.
I’m not a writer in the traditional sense. While I indeed write, most of my time on HCZ has been spent ensuring ludonarrative harmony, a state of synchronised interaction between gameplay and in-world context. In order for an environment to feel like it belongs, there needs to be an effort in ensuring that whatever gameplay purpose a room serves is also complemented by story-telling that cements the room to be a believable part of the world. A hyperbolic example would be how the Heavy Containment Zone would not have a shopping mall inside of it.
The Acroamatic Abatement Section was a fun challenge to complete. What started out as only a water management plant, became something much greater and more representative of the insane world of SCP.
Site-02 produces a large amount of anomalous waste that needs processing. From SCP-173’s faecal matter, to the processing of amnestic gas from SCP-939, to the dead SCPs that require safe disposal… Integrating a waste disposal facility into Site-02 makes the entire facility feel more grounded and functional, allowing the player to see the facility as an actual place that exists instead of a maze of hallways. We communicate that through a myriad of different methods, from simple signs for world-building, to trailers like the recent 14.0 teasers.” - x3j50
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are a myriad of conditions involved in making something as seemingly simple as a new room for the game. It’s a collaborative effort that requires several developers working together in unison to deliver only the very best to our players. When all is well and the Game Engine wills it, the room can then be declared as complete and ready to be packaged for release in an upcoming update.
This is, of course, not the only project we're working on, as there are far more developers throughout the studio all hard at work bringing other features to life — from the human models, to the experimental weapons, and the respawn overhaul. We're all working in tandem to ensure that 14.0 will be the best release it can possibly be for you, the players.
Let us know if you have any further questions for the teams behind the Acroamatic Abatement Section. We’ll try to get some dev replies out!
Otherwise, take a look at our Patreon for more updates regarding our new and improved Heavy Containment Zone. We just released an exclusive post a few weeks ago showcasing another new room being worked on, as well as some fascinating level generation we’ve been experimenting with. Join in on the discussion on our official Discord or the Steam Forums! We’d love to hear your thoughts.
One final point: ‘acroamatic’ means ‘esoteric’. I could have told you that right at the start, but, well, you might not have read the rest.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Stay tuned, and until next time, we’ll see you in the dark.
Based on “Acroamatic Abatement” by “HarryBlank”: https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/acroamatic-abatement
14.0 Teaser | Acroamatic Abatement
Hello everyone.
We have recently released a teaser trailer for the upcoming 14.0 update.
Be sure to check it out, as it features in-game footage of our brand new level design!
This small ARG made by wantedparts tells a short story on Are We Cool Yet?, offering their depiction of them in the universe of SL. Thank you for subtly weaving the threads of anart into your submission and sharing it with us in this way.
This really cool piece made by BeastBearing showcases fantastic rendering, especially when it comes to the blood. I’m always a sucker for well-done gore within art, and the setting/artwork makes it an amazing piece.
As an enjoyer of occasional tabletop games and miniatures, physically tangible sculptures and figures occupy a special place in my heart. The few times I formed or painted something of my own are fond memories for life. The Chaos Insurgency will surely take matters into their own hands with this one!
