This week’s update sees a number of new fixes for long-standing bugs, particularly on the multiplayer side. Pretty much everything I said last update still applies, I’m just grinding through bugs, balance and performance issues to get the game to a healthy 1.0 status. Remember to report any bad stuff you see in the in-game feedback form or on the Steam forums!
I’m going to leave last week’s Fortnight Discussion on game balance open for another fortnight, since there seems to be a lot of good insight there, and it also happens to be one of the areas that I’m currently working in.
Alpha 65
Graphics
Fix for weapon sprites appearing too large in online multiplayer games
Fix for “None” lighting setting not working properly in coop modes
Fix for NPCs sometimes appearing at the wrong angle directly after being tased or otherwise incapacitated
Fix for player sometimes appearing at the wrong angle when initially entering Home Base
Fix for issue where if the player was using an item to highlight other objects (such as the Laptop), then walked near one of those objects and walked away, the object would remain highlighted
Fix for issue where if the player was using an item to highlight other objects (such as the Laptop), those objects would not always appear highlighted when moused over
Fix for Wrestler appearing nude on missions screen
Fix for NPCs’ hands appearing when outside vision range in Rogue Vision mode after they put away their gun
Fix for Killer Plant head not always appearing at correct angle, and animating at incorrect speed
Fix for dizzy stars sometimes appearing at the bottom-left corner of the map
Fix for NPCs’ hands and guns sometimes being visible when they fell down holes on multiplayer client
Fix for fireproof objects flashing on multiplayer client when shot with fire weapons by non-local players and NPCs
Fix for Ghost Gibber stream sometimes not appearing on multiplayer client
Fix for blood spurts not appearing when multiplayer client threw objects at people
Fix for Killer Robot’s red light not going out when they die on multiplayer client
Fix for lights appearing in incorrect vertical position for dead NPCs when entering the game as a multiplayer client
Fix for wall wreckage sometimes appearing to be clustered in one spot on multiplayer client
Fix for shirtless players in online multiplayer sometimes initially appearing to have a white chest
Potential fix for larger hairstyles sometimes appearing incorrectly under other players’ hats in online multiplayer
Fix for Dizzy Stars sometimes not appearing
Fix for players’ hats not always appearing in online multiplayer
Fix for multiplayer host and client hair colors sometimes differing
Fix for Shapeshifter having the wrong hand graphic after possessing Thief, Doctor and Firefighter
UI / Controls
Big Quest now appears at the top-right of the Missions screen
Version text at the lower-left of the screen no longer includes the game’s title
Fix for scrollbar sometimes appearing for a split second on the end-level stats screen
Fix for controls in level 1-1 appearing for both players when two gamepads are being used
Fix for cases where Chatlog would not disappear if the game window lost focus and then regained it
Fix for cases where tooltip could remain after right-clicking to use an inventory item
Fix for empty chests sometimes being shown on multiplayer client’s map
Fix for word bubbles appearing over multiplayer players who had not spawned yet
Interaction range is more lenient for multiplayer clients to account for NPCs who move quickly while the player is attempting to interact with them
Fix for main menu not always displaying proper messaging or returning player to correct sub-menu
Potential fix for players sometimes being able to regain control of their character during the ending sequence
Fix for selection box for items appearing an incorrect color when viewing items in a chest
Playfield Objects
Different art for holes that appear during War Zone
Fix for multiplayer client sometimes not being able to open doors after closing them
Fix for door text on multiplayer client not always correctly stating if the door was locked or made of steel
Items
Silencer functions properly when gun is shot from multiplayer client
Status Effects / Traits / Special Abilities
Fix for Lunge ability being able to pass through walls without breaking them
Fix for Hacker always turning to the right when hacking
Fix for NPCs in Home Base turning to face the player when they have the Loud trait
Fix for Sneaky Fingers not working with laptop hacking
Fix for G-P-Yesss not working immediately after joining a multiplayer game with a character who has this trait
Fix for Werewolf and Gorilla not having correct Lunge animations when viewing other players in multiplayer mode
Fix for NPCs cloned from multiplayer client not having correct attribute stats
Sound
Ambient Casino audio removed due to popular demand
Changes to a few sound effects
Fix for sound effects not playing on main menu if the player quits the game with the gamepad while on character select
Fix for “Fire hydrant break” sound effect playing multiple times on multiplayer client
Fix for Ghost Gibber sound not working on multiplayer client when used by a non-local player
Fix for Wall Destroy sound effect not always playing on multiplayer client when walls were knocked down by people’s bodies
Fix for Bear Trap, Banana Peel and Paralyzer sound effects not always playing on host and client
Fix for Shuriken and Rock impact sound effect not playing on multiplayer client
Fix for Boombox playing two songs at once on multiplayer client
Fix for Jock’s Charge sound effects not always playing on multiplayer client
Fix for Equip Weapon sound effect playing at inappropriate times on multiplayer client
Fix for Laughter sound effect not playing on multiplayer client
Fix for “burned by fire” sound effect not playing on multiplayer client
Fix for “fall in hole” sound effect not playing on multiplayer client
Fix for spawn sound effect not playing on host when clients return after falling in a hole
Splash sound effect does not play when wreckage such as bush leaves are knocked into water
Big Quests
Fix for Big Quest not always loading properly when a multiplayer client loads their saved game
Big Quest slot will no longer say “coming soon” if quest data cannot be found
Mutators
Fix for character stats not loading properly when loading a multiplayer saved game with “New Character Every Level”
Fix for Continue removing client players’ traits upon continuing
Level Generation
Added a number of checks to help ensure random generation doesn’t get screwed up while multiplayer client is loading a level
Fix for a certain door being locked from the wrong side during police lockdown
Artificial Intelligence
Fix for NPCs continuing to attack multiplayer clients who had turned Invisible
Fix for Gorilla not talking in Home Base
NPCs are better at knowing when to answer knocks on their doors
NPCs are a bit more responsive under certain circumstances
Fix for NPCs not hearing multiplayer client when they knock down walls as a Giant, or when knocked through them
Fix for NPCs not responding to multiplayer clients with “annoyed” text
Fix for NPC issues pathing around Scientist’s Big Quest crates
Fix for Resistance Leader in Zoo not saying anything when spoken to
Text
Fixed a typo in one of the Protips
Changed a reference to “D-Pad” in the tutorial, because apparently that’s only supposed to be used in reference to Xbox gamepads
Clerk in Fire Station has different dialog
Tutorial
Fix for player being able to get stuck in tutorial if they killed the Shopkeeper and picked up the Hacking Tool very quickly
Performance
Fix for wreckage on online multiplayer clients not being handled properly, causing lag when lots of it existed
Performance fix for shooting non-normal-sized bullets
Performance fix for Ghost Gibber
Very slight load time improvement
Multiplayer
Followers that multiplayer client brings to the next level will not spawn until the player does
Fix for players not facing south at the start of multiplayer games
Fix for game freezing when leaving multiplayer games when not connected to Steam
Fixed internal errors regarding removal of objects in client-side Home Base
Fix for cases where players could appear to be walking on water
NPC Dialogue that previously only appeared for the client now appears for the host and other players
Fix for game sometimes not restarting after game over even if all players have selected their characters, typically after a client has loaded a saved character
Fix for “x has left the game” messages not always appearing
Alpha 64
With this week’s update, all of the in-game text for 1.0 has been finalized and sent off for localization (though I’ll probably end up making some changes here and there). I’ve also made a bunch of bug fixes, and did some work on the console ports.
For the next couple of months, you’re mostly going to be seeing “polish” updates, meaning lots of bug and balance fixes. There are literally 400+ of issues that are on my radar, with more being reported every day. I’d like for the game to be as stable and polished as I can feasibly get it for 1.0, and the coming months should finally give me the opportunity to do a bit of much-needed catch-up in this department.
That said, I have a bunch of new mutators ready to go that I was planning to dump out on the game’s 1.0 release. I may end up drip-feeding these in the coming updates so you folks have something new to gnaw on.
I’ll also be continuing to work on aspects of the console ports, mostly performance fixes and other random tasks, plus some marketing this-and-thats. The remaining work is being done by an external team. We haven’t entered certification yet, but we’re hoping to do so in the coming weeks. The official release date for 1.0 and the console releases is still “Winter”.
This week’s Fortnight Discussion: Game balance, since I haven't done a discussion on that since June. What are your biggest issues with the game balance right now? What abilities, items, etc. do you find overpowered or useless? What aspects of the game do you find just plain unfair?
Alpha 64
Text
Added interaction text for a number of characters that previously had none, and just more in general
Signposts have been added to more levels
Added some new protips
Added clarification to Sneaky Fingers description
Added text for when the Mayor is enslaved at the game’s ending
Bunch of other random new text
Graphics
Alterations to Medium lighting
Screen goes to black correctly when exiting the game from the Daily Run game over screen, character select screen and other instances where it previously didn’t
Fix for NPCs sometimes appearing to still have their hat on after it is stolen by the Thief
Fix for Firefighter’s Water Cannon not appearing when they are lying on the ground
Fix for Generators sometimes appearing larger than they were meant to
Fix for certain NPCs appearing to be one-armed after becoming Zombies
UI / Controls
Current seed is always shown on the Esc menu, even if the player did not enter one
Credits list added to main menu
Adjusted camera during gamepad aiming with thrown weapons so the player doesn’t get scrolled off-screen
Fix for character selection boxes not animating
Fix for Esc menu mutator display not always showing all information
Fix for hacker’s targeting sometimes getting immediately canceled after the player pressed the left trigger button on the gamepad
Fix for Jock sometimes not regaining control after charging
Potential fix for instances where Trip animation can play repeatedly
Potential fix for player falling into hole and not reappearing
Fix for player running out of ammo in a rapid-fire weapon and immediately shooting the rapid-fire weapon that he switches to
Non-violent projectile weapons will not switch to violent projectile weapons when ammo runs out
Removed “Friends” filter from online game listings (wasn’t actually supposed to be there and doesn’t work)
Fix for some instances where player was only offered two traits at the end of a level
Fix for player aiming in the wrong direction when Confused, using the gamepad, and not holding the right-stick
Fix for “Floor Complete” text not always showing in online multiplayer mode
Fix for elevator prompt appearing twice when it wasn’t supposed to
Playfield Objects
Fix for hitting Lasers with melee weapons not working properly
Fix for Refrigerators sometimes not having collision
If the player uses the Podium without wearing the Mayor’s Hat, it will be automatically equipped
Fix for Door Detonator appearing above “use key” options when interacting with doors
Items
Fix for Molotov Cocktail exploding after being hit into walls after being dropped on the ground (it’s only meant to explode when thrown)
Player will not aim as well with rapid fire weapons if they try to repeatedly tap the mouse button (this was previously exploitable since the first shot is typically more accurate)
Status Effects / Traits / Special Abilities
Acid is now called Sulfuric Acid
Clumsiness Accepted is now called Clumsiness Forgiven
Fix for player losing Camouflage when opening Do Not Enter doors
Fix for NPCs being able to Resurrect after falling into holes
Fix for multiplayer client’s Zombie Phlegm not taking effect if it did the killing blow on an enemy
Fix for instances where player could not Camouflage despite having no one around them
Fix for water not appearing on the ground when shooting the Water Cannon at certain walls
Fix for player being able to knock down Lockdown Walls with Wall Walloper
Fix for using Cigarettes at the last second of Feelin’ Alright and still going into Withdrawal
No In-Fighting and similar traits will not prevent Firefighters from hitting Arsonists
Big Quests
Fix for cases where Wrestler (and possibly others) Big Quest could state the floor is clear, but the elevator says otherwise
Disasters
Players with Wanted, Fair Game or Ideological Clash will not get Bounty disaster
Level Generation
Oil spills will not appear inside buildings
Artificial Intelligence
Mayor may be found wandering around the level with guards
Arsonist will only appear if they are currently visible on camera
NPCs are better at avoiding Saw Blades
Fix for the player’s followers sometimes getting scared of other followers due to Fair Game
If a weapon is knocked out of an enemy’s hands, they won’t immediately try to pick it back up
Fix for NPCs hiding in bushes not getting angry when being sprayed by water
Fix for NPCs not falling down holes when they are incapacitated (Frozen, Dizzy, etc.) on a Conveyor Belt
Better AI during Lockdown - Cops will become hostile toward NPCs with whom they are not aligned who are outside of their homes
Mayor will not mutiny if enslaved
Enslaved Upper-Crusters and the Mayor will not attempt to run away when facing danger
Performance
Various performance improvements
Alpha 64b (November 16)
Fix for player’s left arm sometimes turning into the thrown item that they were previously holding
Water Cannon/Chloroform Hankie/Sticky Glove are shown at the same time as thrown items
Fix for some instances of NPCs ignoring people to whom they were meant to be hostile
Player cannot “offer motivation” to Office Drone when they are Enslaved
Fix for Syringe identifications not resetting at the end of a game
Fix for Syringe colors not being the same when using the same seed
Fix for tooltip remaining on the screen if the player had their mouse over a toolbar item and then pressed a hotkey to use that item
Fix for objects not spilling out of an object being carried by the Wrestler when the Wrestler is a multiplayer client and is killed
Fix for multiplayer client Wrestler not being able to pick up objects anymore after dying while holding an object
Fix for movie screen not being destroyed when nearby walls are destroyed
Water from Water Cannon and Fire Extinguisher cannot pass through doors and windows
Added Kick and Ban buttons to the gamepad chat buttons list
Fix for issues on multiplayer client with not being able to move after tripping over multiple banana peels in a short timespan
Alpha 64c
Fix for password-protected games being joinable if the password was left blank
Fix for people sometimes having incorrect arm sprites
Fixed cases where people’s arms were not visible after death
Fix for a down arrow sometimes appearing in the top-right inventory slot
Alpha 64d (November 17)
Fix for bug where a key would sometimes be pressed repeatedly every frame for seemingly no reason
Naked NPCs appear properly on the Missions screen
Fix for Hologram Bigfoot sometimes not appearing correctly
Fix for credits list appearing the second time the player starts the game
Alpha 64e (November 18)
Added a bunch of new sound effects
Fix for passwords in online multiplayer games not always working
Potential fix for NPCs in multiplayer games spawning at the lower-left corner of the map
Potential fix for Slime Puddle sometimes appearing as a pink square
Fix for Research Gun sound effect continuing to play if the player was knocked into a pit or under certain other circumstances
Alpha 63 - Playable Firefighter
I know I said in a previous update that I’d be holding off on adding the final 1.0 character until the game hit 1.0, but in the interest of getting feedback before the game officially launches… here ya go!
I’m still working very hard to get the game in shape for console certification, still squashing bugs and balance issues while trying to slip in a new feature or two here or there.
As of next update, all of the game’s text will be finalized for 1.0, and I’ll be send it off to get localized into a bunch of different languages. So, that’s the topic of this week’s Fortnight Discussion: What text in the game would you like to see changed?
Alpha 63
New Features and Content
Added playable Firefighter character, along with new abilities, traits, an achievement, etc.
Added Seeds (finally) - Talk to the Scientist in Home Base
Expanded the number of custom character slots on the character selection screen from 8 to 16
UI / Controls
Fix for player accepting optional missions if they talk to a questgiver, close the screen, press the missions screen button, and then press Accept
Playfield Objects
Player can knock on “Do Not Enter” doors and place detonators when they are outside-facing
Fire does not spread to “middle” wall sections where it can’t be reached with a Fire Extinguisher or Water Cannon
Items
Molotov Cocktail added to game
Firefighters now carry Water Cannons instead of Fire Extinguishers
Bartender starts the game with Cigarettes, in case drink “ingredients” are hard to come by in the first level
Fix for Slum Dwellers not dropping money that they took off the ground
NPCs who are being guarded by a group of people will always drop money
Slum Dwellers will not pick up money off the ground that has been dropped when a player dies
Reduced base Ammo Stealer price to $35
Status Effects / Traits / Special Abilities
Fix for Zombie Phlegm not costing the player health
Sound
Fix for fire sound effect sometimes stopping before the fire had finished
Fix for Jock’s Charge sound effect sometimes continuing past the point where it was supposed to
Stats / Unlocks
Fix for nuggets reverting to 50 upon exiting the game and starting again
Big Quests
Slavemaster can use Taser on NPCs with whom they are aligned and need to capture for their Big Quest when they have No In-Fighting or similar traits
NPCs who have been Zombified will no longer be considered for Cannibal’s Big Quest
Artificial Intelligence
Added Arsonist AI behavior for people to randomly pull out a Molotov Cocktail and toss it at objects. At the moment, this only happens when a Firefighter is around
Fix for NPCs not always following the player when they’re trying to mug them, warn them, or otherwise accost them
Fire Extinguisher usage no longer causes people to run away as gunshots do
Property owners forced to flee their property out of fear of violence will not return
Engine
Unity engine updated to 2018.2.14f1
Alpha 63b
Fix for mysterious “?????” with “E_Firefighter” appearing in Trait Unlocks menu
Added Firefighter trait Scorching Savior to character creation
Fix for Medium lighting not always being set properly at the beginning of games
Fix for occasional freeze at 87% loading when level was supposed to load the Bounty disaster
When interacting with Do Not Enter doors, Open button appears above Knock button
Fix for certain Do Not Enter doors at the outside of buildings not giving the player the option to knock
Fix for some fire related errors
People who are Aligned, Loyal or Submissive to a Firefighter player will not become arsonists
NPC firefighters will not run out of water
Alpha 63c (November 2)
Fix for Do Not Enter doors not working properly on multiplayer client
Fix for Cops becoming hostile toward attackers of Arsonists
Fix for “can’t do” sound effect playing when picking up weapons with 0 ammo when unarmed
Fix for Slaves becoming Arsonists
Fix for Firefighter Super Special Ability not always giving the player infinite Water Cannon ammo
Fix for Water Cannon recharging at the end of levels
NPCs get angry more quickly if the player continually shoots them with the upgraded Water Cannon
Water Cannon knockback is slightly higher during normal usage and slightly less high in its upgraded form
Arsonists do not appear in Mayor Village
Arsonists do not appear while the player is in the process of teleporting, or after they have finished a level
Arsonists will not throw Molotovs at objects in which a fire can be started, such as barbecues
Alpha 63d (November 3)
Fix for Arsonists not appearing
Fixed “Fire” mistranslation for non-English languages
Fix for status text appearing far too many times when running out of Water Cannon ammo in multiplayer games
Fix for Water Cannon ammo not appearing as 0 when it runs out
Water from Water Cannon is no longer blocked by objects, so that it is easier to hit the wall fires behind objects if need be
Alpha 63e (November 5)
Physics related performance fixes
Fix for Door Detonator not working on locked doors
Fix for player being able to open locked doors during Lockdown disaster
Fix for Fires sometimes appearing in random spots
Fix for Flamethrower and Water Cannon not always hitting objects that they appeared to be hitting
Potential fix for NPCs spawning at the lower left corner of the map
Fix for people aligned/loyal to the player not becoming hostile toward the player's enemies all the time
Alpha 62 - Bugs’n Balance
Just like the title implies, the new build includes 100-ish bug and balance fixes. Not much more to say about this one!
No new Fortnight discussion this week, I’d rather people keep contributing to the current Fortnight Discussion, because there are a lot of good ideas in there. Please bear in mind that I probably won’t be implementing anything from these discussions into the 1.0 release unless it’s on the “very small” side, though I’ll still make note of anything I find interesting for post-release content.
Added a more powerful variation of the Goon, the Supergoon, who appears during Downtown and beyond
Turrets in Downtown and beyond are replaced with “Mega Turret” which shoots at a higher rate and withstands more damage
Continuously operating Crusher traps may appear in the Park levels
Player receives more XP based on their current floor. Floor 2 has a multiplier of 1.075, floor 3 has a multiplier of 1.15, etc. This may need adjustment, we’ll see. The multiplier is higher when playing a Quick Game, the multiplier does have a cap on Endless games.
Player receives fewer skill points for killing or knocking out innocents
NPCs no longer drop money 100% of the time
When selling weapons and armor, there was previously a “minimum price” that you could sell the item for, so if -- for example -- a Baseball Bat was at 1% durability and its base price was $20, you couldn’t sell it for less than $6 (30% of its original value). I’ve reduced that 30% to 10% to discourage min-maxing attempts.
Items sell for a bit less money than before
Projectile and melee weapons sell for less money than other items, again to discourage grinding for these and reduce the amount of money available
Amount of money in the game world is adjusted based on the number of players
Grilling Fud on barbecues has a 3-use limit
Neutralize All missions are more likely to appear on higher levels
Graphics
Fix for people who die and are resurrected while in the water on multiplayer client, appearing to walk on water
Fix for shadows appearing under NPCs who return from Invisible state while in water
Camera during credits list is more centered
Fix for Shapeshifter appearing at normal size instead of Diminutive after Depossessing when Giant or Shrunk
UI / Controls
Added new quick-chat menu for gamepad users. Hold Cancel during online games to use it.
After switching from full- to split-screen mode, there is a delay before the camera can switch back to full-screen mode again, to avoid too-frequent switches
Added messaging on multiplayer client stating that they are waiting for the host to generate their level
Removed “Leaderboards - Coming Soon” text from Daily Run screen (it may still be coming, but not until after the game leaves Early Access)
Removed “Seeds - Coming Soon” text from Home Base (same deal, look for it after Early Access ends)
Fix for not being able to adjust Upper-Cruster and Supercop’s hairstyles
Fix for minimap markers for players 2-4 in online multiplayer matches having incorrect colors
Fix for Big Quest completion message remaining on the screen in the next level on multiplayer between-levels timeouts
Fix for player being able to open the minimap while in the Home Base
Fix for cursor graphic sometimes being incorrect on title screen after player is disconnected from online game
Fix for incorrect Syringe sometimes being dropped when clicking and dragging to drop items
Fix for player being able to press End Game on the main menu after the game is over
Fix for keyboard player being able to use and close object context buttons after a second player had opened the Missions screen
Playfield Objects
Fix for Lockdown Walls sometimes appearing partially risen at the start of new levels
Getting party members by hacking the clone machine with a hired hacker works properly
Fix for NPC hackers being able to successfully complete the hacking of an object after that object has been destroyed or made non-functional
Fix for fires blocking the ending sequence from starting properly
Fix for fires not being properly attached to burning giblets in factories on multiplayer client
Fix for giblets being spit out of tubes before the level has started
Fix for static fires being caused if the player shoots Mine Carts or Trains with the flamethrower
Fix for issues taking damage from fire sometimes
Items
Fix for banana peels being able to knock people out of chairs and beds, but they would still appear to be sitting
Giving someone a cocktail increases electability
Fix for Ghost Gibber not causing hidden enemies to come out of hiding
Quest-related items are removed from the player’s inventory at the end of levels
Items needed for missions cannot be given to NPCs (too many related bugs)
Base price of Giantizer increased from $80 to $100
Reduced price of Dizzy and EMP Grenades from $20 to $15
Status Effects / Traits / Special Abilities
Teleport-Happy can no longer be used when the player is in immediate danger
Confident in Crowds and Safe in Crowds cap at 3 followers
Fix for Art of the Deal giving players better deals than indicated by the on-screen cost
Wrestler in Home Base does not show “Resist Damage”
Shapeshifter cannot possess other Shapeshifters
Fix for Shapeshifter not leaving the body they are currently inhabiting when starting the ending sequence
Fix for bug where multiplayer clients could become Werewolf permanently by turning into a Werewolf, quitting the game, and then returning
Fix for bug where Shapeshifter multiplayer clients could quit the game and remain their most recently possessed NPC permanently
Fix for Shapeshifter on multiplayer client not losing health when the host body dies
Fix for Werewolf on multiplayer client not retaining traits after dying in Werewolf form
Fix for No In-Fighting and Class Solidarity not functioning on NPCs that were killed for a mission and resurrected as Zombies
Cannibalizing Zombies restores half as much health as cannibalizing non-Zombies. Not so tasty.
Fix for G-P-Yesss not functioning on all objects for custom characters in the first level of the game
If an NPC who has Resurrect is knocked out or arrested, they will lose Resurrect
Crooked affects XP loss for stealing from innocents
It is possible to Enslave NPCs who are Dizzy, Crazy-Dizzy, or Frozen
Combat
Fix for the first melee attack from an NPC sometimes not colliding with other objects
Sound
More sound effects added, updated some effects from last build
Election
Ghosts no longer have a vote in elections
NPCs spawned during War Zone do not have a vote in elections
Electability does not increase from killing Zombies
Players with Charismatic receive an electability score bonus from NPCs who were Friendly at the beginning of the floor, but it’s not an extremely large bonus, so you can still become un-electable by angering a bunch of people
People being the same class as you does not increase your electability as much
If a person exits a level via elevator, their opinion of you will still affect electability
Big Quests
Fix for Wrestler being able to challenge other players to fights when they are in ghost form
To avoid confusion, Generators at military outposts in the park must be destroyed for the Soldier’s quest
Fix for Assassin big quest targets appearing on final level
Slavemaster can escort Slaves to either the entrance or exit of the level, instead of just the entrance
Cannibal won’t get “stuffed” when Cannibalizing people that are needed for the Big Quest
Made Slavemaster text more obvious that you need to bring them to the entrance/exit
Fix for Jock’s Big Quest progress not always appearing properly on Missions screen when multiple players are playing as the Jock
Fix for Big Quest Completed message not appearing properly when using Supercop and Upper-Cruster
It is possible to get Big Quest points for arrests, kills etc. on people with whom you are aligned
Disasters
During Bounty disaster, if someone becomes hostile toward the player due to the bounty, he and his friends in the vicinity will become Guilty
Lockdown Walls no longer go up during Zombies disaster, or when the Zombies mutator is active
Mutators
Added No Custom Characters mutator, intended for non-password-protected online games
New Character Every Level and Super Special Abilities now cancel each other out, as too many issues were being caused by this particular combination
Level Generation
Shapeshifter NPCs appear more rarely
Artificial Intelligence
Fix for NPCs not running away from player zombies after the first level
Fix for Wrestler sometimes having two options to challenge the Mayor to a fight
Fix for certain NPCs not running to see the player’s speech at the end of the game
Fix for NPCs not tripping on Banana Peels properly when off-camera
Fix for cases where NPCs could join the player’s party while annoyed or hostile toward them
Fix for Cop Bots telling players with whom they are aligned to “Brace for death”
Fix for occasional pathfinding issues with Crates spawned in for Scientist Big Quest
During ending, English speakers in the crowd will be chosen to talk over non-English speakers, but if non-English speakers do have to talk, they’ll speak the proper dialog
Fixed issue where the player could tell someone to leave town, and they would attempt to path through a locked door
Fix for players being able to ask the Mayor for their hat before actually winning the election in online multiplayer mode
Fix for questgivers becoming Friendly toward the player after they complete a quest, when they were already Loyal before this
Text
Added ending text to account for the player arresting the Mayor
Multiplayer
Fix for a networking issue that was causing problems sometimes when attempting to join games, typically indicated by a freeze at 37% loaded
Added more descriptive messaging when client is disconnected immediately upon connecting to a host
Fix for player not being able to start a multiplayer game at the Home Base properly after starting a normal game, returning to the main menu, and starting a Home Base game
Engine
Unity engine updated to 2018.2.12f1
Alpha 62b
Fix for everyone in Downtown and beyond being Supergoons
Fix for many traits having incorrect names
Fix for Enslavement not working
Alpha 62c (October 19)
If the player attempts to exit a level before satisfying Big Quest requirements and doing so would make it impossible to complete the Big Quest for that run, and the player has gotten past the first level, a second warning prompt will appear and text will appear red
Player can no longer remove traits via augmentation booth that have a cost of -5 or less in character creation
Traits that have a point value of less than -5 or greater than 10 cannot be swapped at the augmentation booth
Doctor’s Super Special character has been altered - Instead of having infinite Tranqulizer darts, darts can be refilled for free at Loadout Machines and Ammo Dispensers
Fix for Scientist Big Quest not always spawning the Crate properly, and not providing correct instructions to the player
Fix for various alignment issues when starting with a new character
Fix for Random Reverence affecting everyone in the building of NPCs who were affected
Reduced Random Reverence chance
Fix for scroll bar sometimes briefly appearing on stats screen when it shouldn’t
Fix for incorrect name sometimes appearing when holding space bar after a new NPC had spawned
Fix for Threaten percentages often being too high on multiplayer client
Fix for doors sometimes acting as Steel doors when they don’t look like a Steel door
Fix for Shapeshifter NPC not always having money on them
Fix for Cannibals eating living people who have been arrested. Player can’t do this either.
Fix for objects making noise after being powered off from Power Box
Fix for Crates and Switches sometimes appearing on multiplayer client that do not appear for host
Fix for Super Special Ability information not appearing on character select screen for Supercop and Upper-Cruster
Fix for Shapeshifter electability rating not being accurate when possessing someone
3- and 4-player character selection screen now includes text indicating that a character’s Big Quest has been completed
Changed description of Super Special Abilities a bit to make it less confusing
The “Ask to Leave Town/Threaten” options will not appear before other options when possible to prevent the player from accidentally taking a big-and-maybe-unintended action
Alpha 62d
Fix for multiplayer connection issue
Alpha 62e (October 20)
Fix for freeze during level load on multiplayer host, often in Industrial
Various multiplayer connection fixes. More comin'
Alpha 62f (October 27)
Bunch of network connectivity fixes and fail-safes
Fail-Safe for instances where people are taking too long to come out for the end-game speech
Fail-safe for when a player who has become the Mayor leaves the game during online play
Police Lockdown no longer appears in Uptown
Player receives electability points from people who are aligned or loyal at the start of the level, just fewer than if the player did something specific to earn their trust
Players cannot command followers to attack them
Fix for dialogue box sometimes being in the wrong position in multiplayer mode
Upper-Cruster starts with a bunch of money instead of a bottle of whiskey
Bullet Breaker does not stop fire, water, or Leafblower projectiles
Barbecue now has 5 uses for Hot Fud grilling
Fix for gamepad button resulting in mouse/keyboard player’s traits being selected on trait selection screen
Potential fix for instances where Find Bombs missions could get stuck in online multiplayer
Fix for Find Bombs missions where multiplayer clients could see quest markers on chests that no longer contain bombs
Reduced Teleport-Happy price since it has been nerfed
Fix for NPC hackers not being able to hack properly
Fire Extinguisher doesn’t cause NPCs to get angry unless you spray them repeatedly
Oil spill fires will cause people to leave the building in which they took place
Lighting oil spill fires will cause the owner of the building to get angry at you, even if it doesn’t damage anything
Fire Hydrants appear in Slums
Removed “Halloween Week” code from the game that caused the first disaster to always be Zombies for the week of Halloween, and unlocked Zombie automatically
Fix for LAN games not working when the client is not connected to Steam
Increased nugget limit to 99
Alpha 62g
Fixed a couple issues introduced in 62f
Alpha 61 - 60 New Traits
Dang, if I had just added 1 extra trait, this version number would have been super-appropriate.
Anyways, yeah, this week’s build includes a whole crapload of new traits, and significant changes to traits are awarded at the end of levels.
On most level-ups, you’ll receive a choice of three traits, as you would in the past. Two of these traits are now catered toward your character choice (or in the case of custom characters, the game will try to determine this based on your current build). The third trait is a wild card. In general, higher levels will receive more powerful traits. However, you might get lucky and get something very powerful early in the game.
Every 3 levels (3, 6, 9 etc.), you’ll get a choice between upgrading a special ability (if you have one), upgrading an attribute (speed, endurance, etc.), and adding a relatively powerful trait.
In addition, an Augmentation Booth has been added to the game, which gives you three options:
Upgrade Trait - Upgrade many of your existing traits to an “augmented” version. Cost is based on the cost in character creation.
Remove Trait - Remove one of your negative traits. Cost is also based on character creation cost.
Swap Trait - Swap one of your traits for a random trait that has an equivalent-ish value.
These new changes haven’t been super well tested and will definitely get some tweaking in the coming weeks, so be sure to report any issues you find.
This week’s Fortnight Discussion: Suggestions for things I can add before the game gets pre-1.0-content-locked.
Alpha 61
Traits Remember, many of these will need to be unlocked in the home base, so dig out those ancient nuggets! However, traits that require specific special abilities aren't currently available in character creation.
Un-Crits - Damage inflicted on the player may not cause any health loss
Prickly Skin - Melee damage inflicted on the player may also harm the attacker
Knockback King - Cause people you hit to be knocked back further
Block Breaker - When an enemy blocks your melee attack, it may count as a hit
Block Bullets - Face the direction of incoming bullets to block them with your melee weapon
Wall Walloper - Melee weapons can destroy certain walls
Blaster Survivor - Explosions caused by the player, don't damage the player
Blaster Master - Explosions destroy any wall or object
Ammo Scavenger - Dropped weapons contain more ammunition
Lock and Load - Weapons are reloaded at the start of new floors
Burning Bullets - Bullets cause fire when hitting objects
Penetrating Bullets - Bullets pass through objects and people after hitting them
Bullet Breaker - Your bullets destroy other bullets
Sneaky Fingers - People won't notice when your "(Doing something)..." bar is filling
Teleport-Happy - Teleport anytime, regardless of location or danger
Secret Vandalizer - Hitting objects and walls doesn't make any noise
Intrusion Artist - Thieving tools may not break after usage
Random Reverence - Random people are aligned with you
Safe in Crowds - The more followers you have, the less damage you take
Confident in Crowds - The more followers you have, the more damage you cause
Homesickness Killer - Followers will always follow you to the next floor
Share the Health - Health items you administer to yourself will affect your followers
Cool with Cannibals - Cannibals will no longer attack on sight
Friend of the Family - Mobsters are aligned with you
On the House - Items purchased from vendors may be given to you for free
Trust Funder - Receive money at the start of every floor
Shop Drops - Upon being neutralized, vendors will drop one of the items that they normally sell
Slinky - Camouflage doesn't end when bumping into people
Vicious Chameleon - Camouflage doesn't end when attacking
Sprinter - Charge faster
Tackler - Charge has a more powerful impact
Low Center of Gravity - Player doesn't fall down when charging into walls
Juggernaut - Can't lose health while charging
Fast Food - Bodies are Cannibalized faster
Savorer - Receive more health from Cannibalizing
Table Manners - Cannibalize doesn't bother nearby people, including law enforcement
Eggshell Walker - Jokes never cause people to become Hostile
Feature Act - Jokes have a higher chance of success
Crooked - Less XP and Big Quest point loss for neutralizing/arresting innocents
Impatient Lunge - Primal Lunge charges more quickly
Speed Coder - Hacking takes no time
Foolproof Hacks - Hacking never causes an alarm
Cyber Nuke - Most hackable objects can be blown up
Body-Swapper - Shorter cooldown after depossessing
No Harm in Dying - No health loss when your host body dies
Possessions are Peachy Keen - Possessing and Depossessing does not cause Hostility or Annoyance
Benevolent Owner - Slaves don't become mutinous
Destructive Deaths - Slave helmets cause a larger explosion
Legal Enslavement - Enslaving random people is now legal for you
Covert Crook - People don't notice when you pickpocket their friends
Chipmunk Teeth - Bite more quickly
Vein Tapper - Receive more health from Bite
They're Just Kissing - Bite doesn't bother nearby people, including law enforcement
Bottomless Stomach - Bite people even when your health is full
Killing Time - Werewolf form lasts longer
Restless Beast - Cooldown period after transforming back to human form is shorter
Steady Head - No Dizzy period after transforming back to human form
Swift Spitter - Phlegm attack charges faster
Throat of Iron - Phlegm attack doesn't cause health loss
Subduing Spree - No cooldown after using Chloroform
Quick and Dead - All Zombies are faster
Inhuman Strength - All Zombies are stronger
In addition to all of these, there are a number of augmented versions of existing traits, available through the new Augmentation Booth
New Objects
Augmentation Booth
Sound
A whole bunch of new sound effects added. There will probably be some changes to these and new additions in the coming weeks.
UI / Controls
Fix for instances where player was unable to control their character at the beginning of levels
Playfield Objects
Fix for Clone Machine hacking not always working properly
Fix for security cameras detecting people in nearby buildings
Fix for cases in multiplayer where interacting with the elevator could bring up the character select screen on clients
Fix for player not being able to use Turntables if the DJ is dead
Items
Fix for Slave Helmet Remover not appearing in inventory, which also caused an issue where the game would state that the inventory was full when it was not
Multiplayer
Anti-hack stuff
Missions
Fix for missions not failing properly in multiplayer mode if the NPC carrying a quest item fell down a hole
Text
Fixed Werewolf “Super Special Ability” text when in Werewolf form
Alpha 61b
Fix for freeze at the end of levels on some level-ups
Fix for players being offered special abilities every level-up instead of every 3 level-ups
Fix for players being offered special abilities that they already had
Fix for players being offered higher-level special abilities too early, too often
Fix for removing certain traits not always working properly
Fix for certain trait names being missing
Fix for Werewolf and Shapeshifter losing attribute upgrades after transforming back to their normal bodies
Penetrating Bullets does not work with rockets
Alpha 61c
Fix for level-up menu sometimes getting multiple of the same trait directly after unlocking that trait
Fix for level-up menu getting traits that you upgraded previously
Fix for getting traits during Augmentation booth swaps that are useless to your character
Fix for being able to swap certain traits for free from the Augmentation Booth
Fix for Shapeshifter and Werewolf regaining traits that had been removed after returning to their normal bodies
Fix for incorrect alignments when gaining or losing The Law trait in the middle of levels
Fix for Bullet Breaker affecting the player’s own bullets
Game is slightly better at finding level-up traits for your character
Replaced 192 kbps soundtrack file for floor 5-3’s music with 320kbps version
Alpha 61d (October 5)
Fix for player receiving too few trait choices at the end of levels
Fix for Shapeshifter not regaining traits that were removed on depossessing someone
Fix for Shapeshifter getting non-augmented versions of traits in addition to the augmented versions after depossessing someone
Shapeshifter cannot use Augmentation Booth while possessing someone
Fix for Lockdown Wall sound playing repeatedly
Fix for Cyber Nuke not working for custom characters
Fix for Vocally Challenged still being in effect after removal
Fix for Benevolent Owner not working
Fix for Share the Health not working
Fix for Shop Drops not always working properly
Fix for Legal Enslavement not working for custom characters
Fix for Wall Walloper not affecting Glass walls
Fix for Slaves not blowing up properly when their helmet is hacked
Fix for certain NPCs reacting with sound effects when the player removes traits like Suspicious and Wanted
Fix for Clerks, Shopkeepers etc. not being annoyed at Shapeshifters after they depossess people
Fix for buttons not always working after hacking things on online multiplayer client
Fix for Cops attacking players biting other people when they had the “They’re Just Kissing” trait
Fix for Security Cameras sometimes not appearing in buildings where they were supposed to
Fix for Lock and Load reloading Oil Container
Soldiers and Gorillas do not contain “Shop” items unless they are in the Mall, and Upper-Crusters don’t contain Shop items at all
Player receives proper trait selection when leveling up more than once on a single floor
NPCs hidden in Bushes and Manholes cannot be a secret Werewolf
Changed “They’re Just Kissing” description to be more accurate
Wall Walloper now affects Barbed Wire walls and Bars/Fences (when augmented)
Confident in Crowds is much less effective (it was never supposed to do THAT much damage)
Confident in Crowds and Safe in Crowds require the player to be not-super-far from the person in their party in order to be effective
Alpha 61e (October 6)
Fix for items occasionally appearing on the ground and being non-interactable
Fix (again) for repeating Lockdown Wall sound in Uptown
Fix for chest and shop tooltips not always appearing when using gamepad
Fix for Flesh Feast upgrade not having proper animations or sound effects
Fix for Ammo Scavenger resulting in weapons that go over their max ammo limit
Augmentation Booth mouseable area increased
Augmented “Crooked” does not give the player XP when arresting or killing, rather it just prevents point loss
Fix for Alarm Button hacking not always working properly
Fix for Police Boxes remaining “hacked” when appearing in other levels or games
Fix for questgivers getting annoyed at the player when they transform into a werewolf or possess someone with a trait like Suspicious
Fix for player being offered non-augmented versions of augmented traits that they have as Swaps
Fix for certain traits appearing during random swaps that would spell doom for the player, such as Jugularious (since they’d have no ability to bite people)
Fix for Scientist Slayer, Blahd Basher etc. being removed at the augmentation booth and still causing hostility on future floors
Ammo Scavenger applies when a player with this trait picks up a weapon, rather than when the weapon is first dropped
Adding Endurance points to Werewolf at the end of levels will affect Werewolf form endurance as well
Replaced “-” with “|” on augmentation booth buttons to make it less confusing
Fix for “x has left the game” appearing when someone attempts to join a game with the wrong password
Upgrades are generally a bit higher-priced
Alpha 61f (October 8)
Fix for incorrect language appearing for Attribute level-ups for certain languages
Corrected Banana Lover + description
Banana Lover cancels out Jugularious and Strict Cannibal in character creation
Fix for occasional errors when NPC Vampires bite someone
Increased the cost of Wall Walloper, removed Wall Walloper +
Increased the cost of removing and swapping traits
Fix for NPCs appearing to get annoyed with Werewolf on multiplayer client when they transform back to normal
Crooked no longer affects Supercop in any way
Fix for one of the Satellite hacks not working properly on multiplayer client
Fix for clients seeing incorrect game over message when “Continue” is active if the host chooses End Game
Fix for effects of Shifting Status Effects sometimes having effects on attributes that they weren’t supposed to on the next floor
Fix for Cool with Cannibals not working during War Zone
At long last, Streets of Rogue can be completed beginning to end!
The Final Level and Ending
For those who don’t mind a bit of a spoiler, here’s how it works: You have to take down the Mayor, who can be found doing one of a number of activities in Mayor Village. As per the city’s remarkably ill-thought-out rules, whoever has the Mayor’s Hat and makes a speech at the podium gets to be the mayor.
You can achieve this goal through tactics that you’ve used previously (fighting, theft, etc.), which can end up being tricky because the Mayor is very heavily guarded. Or, you can beat him/her in a legitimate election -- there’s a sign in the Mayor’s office that explains how this works. Some tactics will prove to be much easier than others (in fact, there are a few very easy ways to cheese the whole thing), but for you completionists, there are achievements and differing ending text based on the method you use.
I’ll definitely be making tweaks in the coming weeks/months, so let me know about your experiences.
So what’s next?
Just because you can finish the game doesn’t mean the game is done, not by any stretch! As you may or may not know, Streets of Rogue is planned to leave Early Access and launch on Steam and consoles in the near-ish future. Previously, my tentative release date was “before the end of 2018”, now it’s “Winter”. Can’t say for sure, but definitely before Spring.
Here’s what’s on my agenda before the game launches out of Early Access:
Home base stuff - I’m still not entirely sure what form this will take, but I’ve blocked out some time for it.
New playable character - I’ll be adding one new character before the game launches to make it an even 24. More will be added post-launch.
Optimization and porting-related tasks - The bulk of Streets of Rogue’s console porting duties are being handled by an external team, but I’ll still need to help out with certain things. It’s really important to me that the game feels solid on all platforms.
Balance - There’s still quite a bit of work to be done in this area, and I may end up making some significant changes over the next couple of months. I’ve already added a number of new traits internally which aren’t available yet.
Building layout variety - I’ve been neglecting this for a bit too long…
Mutators - More coming - Possibly when the game launches!
Achievements - Ditto!
Bug Fixes - Well duh.
Everything else I have planned will need to wait until post-launch.
Oh yeah, and there's a new Fortnight Discussion on Character Progression. YOU should participate!
Game can now be completed. This isn’t going to be the most “complete” patch notes, because a ton of new related changes have been made that I forgot to write down.
Levels
Added final level, “Mayor Village”
Music
Four new tracks added, all of which are now included in the soundtrack DLC:
Final Floor: The Mayor's Lament
Final Floor: Speech! Speech!
HUH. Get Funky. In the Streets of Rogue. Yeah. Jam On. (Credits)
Let's Get This Video Game Started (Titles)
Achievements
Six new achievements:
You Rule
Hostile Takeover
Peaceful Takeover
Legal Takeover
The Bad Ending
Quest Conqueror
UI / Controls
Added “Electability” ratings to the stats screen. You can find out how this works by reading a sign in the Mayor’s office. I’ll probably end up adjusting the specifics in future builds.
Added opening logo animation
Added fade animations to menus
Fix for word bubbles not stretching properly for when there are 3 or more lines of text
Playfield Objects
Fix for certain objects inappropriately saying “(Empty)” on multiplayer client
Status Effects / Traits / Special Abilities
Recharge countdowns do not continue if the player is teleporting, or in other similar circumstances where control is taken from them
No longer possible to purchase Upper-Crusty status, this is now the goal of the Slum Dweller’s Big Quest
Alien can no longer be Possessed or Cannibalized
Missions
Fix for missions completing in multiplayer mode after the game had ended
Big Quests
All Big Quests are now properly completeable and have rewards, which are activated through he Super Special Abilities mutator
Mutators
Added Super Special Abilities mutator
Level Generation
Changed the overall structure of the game a bit to make some of the levels smaller and contain fewer quests in an effort to improve the game’s pace. I’m still toying with this stuff, so I may alter these values in the future
Artificial Intelligence
Office Drones can be bribed to like you again (this can be used for electability purposes)
Text
Changed the names of a couple of real-world songs referenced in the game
Changed the Earwarp Whistle description
Multiplayer
Fix for certain instances where client interacting with people would produce an internal error and the interaction would not take place
Engine
Unity engine updated to 2018.2.8f1
Other
Updated NAT Traversal plugin to version 1.63 from 1.61
Updated Rewired plugin to version 1.1.19.9 from 1.1.18.0
Internal
Added support for a bunch of other new achievements that will probably be added on 1.0 launch
Added support for a bunch of new traits that will be coming soon-ish
Alpha 60b
Fix for Big Quests not always completing properly at the very end
Fix for saved games from the previous version having issues progressing to the next level. Electability stuff probably won’t work properly, however -- you’ll need to start a new game for that.
Fix for credits list remaining onscreen in home base if the player pressed Skip Ending while they were visible
Fix for Doctor not having infinite Tranquilizer darts for their Super Special Ability
Fix for bullet-related errors
Alpha 60c (September 21)
Fix for 3- and 4-player modes not working
Game can be completed in Sandbox mode, rather than looping like Endless mode does
Fix for player being able to take out loans in Uptown and Mayor Village (this should not have been possible)
Alpha 60d (September 22)
Anti-hack measures taken to prevent people from hacking into password-protected multiplayer games. Remember, you can still use /ban and /kick in the chat box to remove people from games
Fix for shadows not always appearing under NPCs
Fix for “slash” sound effect sometimes playing during punches for NPCs that aren’t Zombies or Werewolves
Fix for certain items not being removed from the player’s inventory at the end of levels as intended
Speech bubbles do not appear in multiplayer mode when people talk to each other during the ending cinematic
Fix for armor slot at top of screen sometimes having a number but no image
Alpha 60e (September 25)
Fix for yellow target appearing at the start of 3-player mode
Fix for Soldier not getting free refills when Super Special Ability is active
Fix for Hacker Super Special Ability not being instantaneous when hacking NPCs
Fix for Hacker Super Special Ability often not being able to hack things to blow them up after hacking them to do something else first
Hacker Super Special Ability can blow up Power Boxes
Hacker Super Special Ability works properly with Alarm Buttons
Fix for Shapeshifter turning NPCs into Upper Crusters and Supercops when possessing them with the Super Special Abilities mutator turned on
Holograms will no longer try to join the crowd at the end of the game
Giving the ending speech removes all status effects and forces you out of your cardboard box
Fix for metal detectors sometimes playing their sound effect too many times in rapid succession
Fix for one of the tutorial NPCs appearing at the incorrect angle under certain circumstances
When someone is enslaved while wearing something on their head, they will drop that item
Fix for player being able to get the “bad” ending by enslaving the Mayor and then freeing him
Fix for players being able to move while frozen
Secret Werewolf does not appear on the final level
Fix for Cop Bots saying things during end cinematic
Fix for items from final level sometimes appearing in home base
Fix for player not being able to move in home base after pressing the Skip Ending button on the main menu
Fix for players being able to get the Non-Violent Win achievement when the Mayor had been Zombified
Fix for red arrow sometimes appearing above items when it’s not supposed to
Failsafes for multiplayer loading issues
Alpha 60f
Fix for game freezing on Investment Banker ending
Key at Guard Post in Mayor Village no longer says “Generic”
Slave Helmet Remover is no longer automatically placed in the toolbar
Werewolf does not become Dizzy if ending is started while in Werewolf form
Alpha 59 - Calm Before the Storm
I was hoping to have the final level and ending ready for this update, but as astute players may recall, last week’s big tech update was… buggier than anticipated. So buggy in fact, that I spent about half of this update cycle in a death crunch of frantic bug fixes, which resulted in no less than 8 hotfixes (I think that’s a record).
So, this is a relatively small update. Barring something catastrophic happening to my computer or personal life, next update will be pretty substantial. Stayyyyy tuned!
Fix for NPCs looking weird for the first half-second of a level
Fixed some incorrect corner grass tiles
Fix for Invisible NPCs’ hands sometimes appearing
Fix for player appearing to have extra hands after becoming Invisible while pointing a gun
UI / Controls
Added color animation to menu selection interfaces
Multiplayer games can be ended from the main menu if the host has finished a level but other players have not
Fix for cases where context buttons could become larger in width than intended
Fix for Character Creation Attributes description box reading “Strength” initially
Fix for instruction text on certain 3- and 4-player menus in home base not being fully visible
Player toolbars disappear when entering main menu
Minimap in 2-4 player modes disappears when entering main menu
Playfield Objects
Fix for multiplayer client not always being able to make ATM Machine spit out money
Fix for fires on War Zone NPCs not always being destroyed properly
Fix for fires from Fire Barrels not being destroyed properly internally
Items
Projectile weapons are worth much less money when Infinite Ammo mutators are active
Fix for Research Gun appearing to knock NPCs back when on host when used by client player
Quick-Escape Teleporter works better in levels with Lockdown Walls
Status Effects / Traits / Special Abilities
On Daily Run, traits and items may appear regardless of the player’s unlocks and settings in the Home Base
Ideological Clash added to Character Creator
Army of Darkness renamed to Army of Five, since the original title wouldn’t make much sense when applied to non-Zombie custom characters (edit: this will happen in the next build)
Fix for NPCs brought from one level to the next sometimes having 0 health
Potential fix for dead party members coming back in the next level as ghosts
Charismatic and Malodorous have no effect on Cop Bots
Artificial Intelligence
Fix for NPCs attempting to path through certain objects
Only 5 NPC party members per player can be brought to the next level
Friendly Cop Bots will still stop the player
Performance
Much quicker loading into games from the main menu
Multiplayer
Fix for internal errors when quitting multiplayer games
Engine
Unity engine updated to 2018.2.6f1
Alpha 59b (September 7)
Fix for mutators not loading properly when saved games are loaded
Fix for wood doors sometimes not taking damage, as if they were steel doors
Fix for NPCs not appearing to be dead when the Shapeshifter possessing their body dies
Fix for people having shadows when they resurrect underwater
Potential fix for fires appearing permanently where they are not supposed to
Better internal handling of “recycling” of wreckage objects
Army of Five added to character creation
Alpha 58 - Optimization Pass
Though this update doesn’t come with a huge changelog, it was actually one of the more strenuous updates I’ve done lately. I made some fixes that should greatly reduce the game’s memory consumption over longer play sessions. You may have noticed in previous builds that performance and load times could degrade significantly if you played the game for a lengthy amount of time. The fixes I’ve made in this build should reduce performance degradation by a wide margin.
Unfortunately, these optimizations also broke a lot of stuff, so I needed to spend a good chunk of my the update cycle going through the game with a fine tooth comb and attempting to fix this lovely new set of issues. If you see anything weird in the new build, please don’t hesitate to let me know.
Also, the version of the Unity engine that the game is running on has been updated for the first time in about a year. So uh, yeah, fingers crossed that this doesn’t cause you guys a bunch of grief. Again, let me know about any and all new issues.
The latest Fortnight Discussion revolves around something that I’m in the process of implementing right now: Big Quest Rewards
Alpha 58
Engine and Performance
A number of changes to how NPCs and objects are generated. This should fix memory leaks and improve performance over long sessions, and will probably cause new bugs. So keep an eye out for weird new glitches in objects and NPCs.
Updated Unity engine from 2017.2.1p4 to 2018.2.3f1
UI / Controls
Client LAN address is automatically detected every time the screen is entered, rather than saving the initial address that is found
Fix for NPCs’ body sprite sometimes not highlighting properly when player has their mouse over it
Fix for Sleep “Z’s” not always appearing over NPCs for multiplayer client
Playfield Objects
Fixed an error relating to fires not being cleared properly, which could potentially fix a couple bugs
Dangerous objects like Slime Barrels and Exploding Barrels no longer attract melee auto-aim
Fix for Train lights not disappearing when Train is destroyed
Train being destroyed causes a large explosion
Items
Players can pick up quest items for non-questgiver quests even when they have a full inventory
Fix for multiplayer client’s own Bear Traps not always having an effect if they step on them
Hiring Voucher can no longer be sold by Shopkeepers
Fix for Research Gun not working on Aligned NPCs when the player has No In-Fighting
Fud base price is $7 instead of $5
Status Effects / Traits / Special Abilities
“Naked” replaced with “Wanted” -- Exactly the same effect, but makes more sense when applied to custom characters who don’t have the Naked body type, not to mention the naked swimming NPCs who lacked the trait
Increase All Stats and Decrease All Stats effects are not kept between levels to avoid certain bugs
Increase All Stats and Decrease All Stats removed from a number of locations where they were given, and can never be given to Werewolf or Shapeshifter due to bugs
Added some fail-safes for online issues when two players attempt to arrest, bite, cannibalize or enslave the same person at the same time
Fix for player sometimes having too much max health when transforming into Werewolf
Home Base
Fixed a floor texture issue in the Safe room
Disasters
Bounty disaster does not appear when player is Shapeshifter or Slavemaster
Mutators
Fix for items sometimes not having sprites in Rogue Vision
Artificial Intelligence
Fix for Annoyed NPCs not giving online multiplayer clients proper reactions
Fix for NPCs implying that they are still annoyed after using Hypnotizer on them while they are annoyed
Cop Bots will not attempt to deport the player if they are possessing an Uptown resident
Fix for owners sometimes getting angry at Firefighters who enter their building to put out a fire
More than one Shapeshifter NPC may not appear in a single level
Text
Fixed typo in the tutorial that had somehow gone unnoticed by anyone for 1.5 years
Alpha 58b (August 25)
Fix for a bunch of weird AI stuff and not-always-obvious object-related issues
Fix for weird object spawning issues on multiplayer client
Fix for Saw Blades appearing as Safes
Fix for Loadout Machines not having items
Fix for Shopkeepers, Bartenders etc. not always having new inventories on new levels
Fix for Hologram Bigfoot having a weird appearance
Fix for Doors not being made of Steel when they were meant to
Fix for NPCs sometimes being able to see the player behind Shelves
Fix for NPCs not having their items and status effects when the player brings them to the next level
Fix for Cannibals having incorrect body after popping out of Bushes on multiplayer client
Alpha 58c
Fix for game sometimes crashing between levels
Fix for Shopkeepers, Bartenders etc. not always having new inventories on new levels (actually works this time)
Fix for player sometimes receiving quests involving nonexistent objects
Alpha 58d (August 27)
Fix for everyone on a level freezing in place
Fix for NPC followers not retaining traits and status effects between levels
Fix for Floor Traps not always working
Fix for doors being locked from the wrong side, and other odd door-related issues
Fix for pathfinding issues on certain types of objects
Fix for doors not being locked in Lockdown disaster
Fix for Shapeshifter being able to possess nonexistent NPCs
Fix for issues with Cop Bot security beams appearing at inappropriate times or not at all
Fix for “burnt” NPCs’ eyes not always appearing white
Fix for quest markers not always appearing on items on the ground for multiplayer client
Fix for instances where Cops could spawn behind an ATM Machine
Updated Unity engine to 2018.2.5f1
Alpha 58e
Less garbage in the output log
Alpha 58f
Fix for debris appearing all over the ground when it shouldn't
Alpha 58g (August 28)
Fix for player not being able to mouse over objects in player 1’s window in split-screen mode
Fix for cursor text not appearing for player 2
Fix for gamepad controls not working on character creation screen and possibly other menus
Fix for fires appearing to burn on living people
Fix for NPCs appearing to stand up when they are sleeping on multiplayer client
Fix for some Shapeshifter possession issues in multiplayer
Fix (again) for Traps not always working
Fix (again) for doors not always opening properly from the correct side
Fix for doors not always blocking light properly
Fix for random NPCs sometimes having the wrong body color
Fix for eyeballs appearing on burnt bodies of characters whose eyeballs normally don’t show
Fix for items in chests on server and client not being synced well in some cases
Alpha 58h (August 29)
Fix for Traps not working AGAIN (third time’s the charm)
Fix (again) for fires sometimes appearing on NPCs when they should not
Fix for G-P-Yesss not working properly all the time
Fix for player not being able to select characters after entering character creation screen in 3- and 4-player modes
Fix for not all Twitch settings being updated properly if changed in-game
Alpha 58i (phew)
Fix for further 3- and 4-player issues on the character creation and character select screens
Fix for 3- and 4-player games sometimes not proceeding at the end-of-level elevator
Fix for Online multiplayer client sometimes getting stuck at the end of levels and not proceeding
Alpha 57 - Miscellanea
Just a quick, light update this week. I’ve been a bit super-busy getting the final level and ending in ship shape. Not sure if that will be ready for next update or not -- it depends on how fast I can get the current optimization project I’m working on completed. Anyways, for now, enjoy this miscellaneous smattering of fixes.
Lighting adjustments on a number of different levels
Screen shakes no longer occur when their origin point is way offscreen
Fix for particle effects from bullets remaining large after player returns from Giant status
NPCs who start the game swimming will appear nude
Changed textures for “Bars” sprites so they appear more visible in dark areas
UI / Controls
Fix for player being sent back to incorrect menu if they join an internet game when player capacity has just been reached
Potential fix for camera occasionally following someone other than the player after an arrest occurs
Attempted fix for question marks appearing permanently over people’s heads
If the player is holding up or down when they enter the main menu, the selection will stay still until they release the analog stick and move it again
Playfield Objects
Fix for Computers and other objects not being considered “non-functional” after falling into holes
Fix for broken object sprites appearing above water with no floating animation after Wrestler throws them in
Items
Investment Banker starts the game with Cigarette Lighter
Fix for NPCs hidden in Bushes being immune to throwable items
Fix for Werewolf attempting to use First Aid Kit while in Werewolf form when quick-health button was pressed
Fix for Hologram taking damage from certain environmental hazards
Status Effects / Traits / Special Abilities
Fix for NPC Shapeshifter popping out of people who the player had already possessed
Computer Illiterate cancels out Laptop on custom characters
Giant status lasts 15 seconds instead of 20
Big Quests
For Comedian, Wrestler and Vampire quests, rioters are no longer included when game determines the quest
When purchasing items from people using Art of the Deal, these items will cost less when the item is needed for a Big Quest so that a profit can actually be made when selling the item
Level Generation
Fix for one of the Hotels being internally classified as a Dance Club
Fix for cases of NPCs spawning behind Trash Cans and getting stuck
Fixed an incorrectly aligned “Private Club” floor
Fix for an area of one of the Bathhouses being considered a prison when it was not
Artificial Intelligence
Fix for NPCs not jumping out of Manholes in Downtown
Fix for Jock in Arena becoming Friendly toward the player upon talking to them
Fix for instances where Cops could become Hostile on a “first offense” of breaking something
Fix for guards becoming Hostile toward patrons of buildings with Bouncers if they opened the front door while exiting
Player cannot borrow money from people in Uptown levels, since there wouldn’t be time before the end of the game for Assassins to seek retribution
No longer possible to offer Office Drones things (this was a remnant of the on-hold investment system)
Fix for NPCs who were initially swimming not going back to their swimming pool after being possessed and depossessed by a Shapeshifter
Fix for Cannibals sometimes standing still and appearing to not have a goal
Fix for door guards becoming Hostile when you open doors while out of their line of sight
Text
Fix for text still indicating that the Assassin would lose 2 seconds of Camouflage when backstabbing
Fixed typo in Exploding Bodies description
Multiplayer
Fix for several multiplayer connectivity issues
Other
Added proper track number metadata to soundtrack files
Updated NAT Traversal plugin to version 1.61 from something really old
Internal
Work on final level, ending, and other related things…
Alpha 56 - Balancing Bonanza
Yep, this update has a whole lotta balance changes for ya, based in part on community suggestions from a recent Fortnight Discussion. I’m also still aggressively fixing bugs. And trying to find some spare moments to work on the final level and ending. Hoping to have those in the game within the next month.
Removed Investment system. Too exploitable. Open to ideas on how to modify the existing system to work better (maybe something that doesn’t involve the player himself gaining money but rather affecting some other aspect of the game), but its current iteration isn’t really working
Achievements
If the player receives an achievement while offline, it will be triggered the next time the game is started
Graphics
Fix for incorrect particle effects spewing from certain types of bullets
UI / Controls
Fix for character’s UI disappearing in 3- and 4-player mode after player closes Item Teleporter menu
Fix for Stats screen sometimes listing the player’s killer as ObjectAgent
Player can no longer switch from P1 using Keyboard to P1 using Gamepad from the Home base, as this was causing extra controller issues
Playfield Objects
Sell-O-Matic now has a limit on the amount of cash it can dispense
Alien can no longer be spawned from the Clone Machine
When the player fails to disarm a Door Detonator, he will have a second to run away before it explodes in his face
More money is dropped from Gravestones, and slightly fewer Gravestones contain it
Vendor Cart now spills items when destroyed
Disabling Power Boxes turns off constantly-spewing Gas in Industrial buildings
Fix for not being able to tap on Windows in Gated Community
Objects will attract the player’s auto-aim when they must be destroyed for missions
If the player adds a stackable item to the ATM Machine that is already in the ATM machine, then the new item will be added to the total instead of replacing the original
Items
Safe-Cracking Tool and Skeleton Key no longer appear during gameplay, though they can still be added to custom characters
Ghost Gibber can now be used on other supernatural characters like Zombie, Vampire, and Werewolf
Changed Kill Ammunizer functionality - It only triggers once every 3 kills, but it restores ammo for all weapons in your inventory
Base price for Kill Healthenizer and Kill Ammunizer changed from $70 to $100
Lowered Haterator cost in character creation and loadout
Hacker no longer starts with Time Bomb, starts with Translator instead
Cop now starts with Dizzy Grenades
Cologne’s price raised from $50 to $100, unlock/character creation/loadout prices increased as well
Tranquilizer Gun’s value raised from $100 to $120
Syringe’s base price raised from $30 to $50
Money can be chosen as a starting item during character creation - Specifically $300, much like the Investment Banker starts with
NPCs spawned via Clone Machine, Friend Phone or through Loneliness Killer may start with weapons
Flamethrower’s base damage is 4 instead of 2, though this is still dependent on the character’s Firearms stat. Damage from Fire Spewers remains the same
Fix for Quick Escape Teleporter activating when the player gives blood at a Hospital Clerk
Status Effects / Traits / Special Abilities
Assassin now loses Camouflage when he bumps into non-aligned/loyal/friendly people
When Assassin backstabs someone in Camouflage, 2 seconds are removed from the Camouflage timer
When Assassin backstabs people in Camouflage, they are not knocked back
Electro Touch no longer causes extra Fist damage, the player must touch the other person with their body
Electro touch does greater damage when people are standing over puddles
Zombie Phlegm takes 3 health instead of 5
Zombie starts the game with a new Trait, “Bullet Sponge”, also available as an Unlock
Werewolf’s Pea-Brained trait now allows you to consume food and drinks while in Werewolf form
Chloroform cannot be used on people wearing Gas Masks
Ideological Clash makes fewer people turn against you
Slavemaster has a default speed of 2 instead of 1
Cost of unlocking Sleep Killer or adding it to a custom character has been reduced
Fix for Vampire not being able to Bite people who are fleeing. The same goes for arrests
Shapeshifter cannot revive another player while possessing an NPC
Floats Like Butterfly reduces the amount that your character lunges forward when they attack
Purchasing items from people’s inventories using Art of the Deal costs much more than purchasing items from shops
Invisible lasts for 15 seconds instead of 20
Comedians have a very low chance of making people Hostile with their jokes, unless you tell a joke to someone who is already annoyed
Handcuffs cannot be used on Zombies or other non-humans
Fix for errors when Depossessing
Sound
Fix for incorrect sound effect playing on multiplayer client when Zombie is resurrected
Missions
Player receives more XP for completing “Find Time Bombs” mission (700 XP instead of 300)
Find Time Bombs missions do not appear on levels that have Lockdown Walls
Clerks in Deportation Center can no longer be questgivers
Added fail-safe for issue in online multiplayer mode where clients picking up a quest item could result in the quest being failed if their connection was too slow
Fix for questgivers not talking to players with Fair Game
People in the same building as questgivers will not be Hostile toward the player as a result of Fair Game
Fix for player receiving missions to rescue an opposing gang member, or a Scientist as a Gorilla, or vice versa
Big Quests
Slum Dweller no longer receives a discount for being aligned with the Clerk when putting money toward a home
Fix for Vampires secretly being Werewolves
Shopkeeper will no longer be required to obtain Slave Helmet
Fix for Werewolf continuing to gain points on the Missions screen for his Big Quest after it had been completed
Home Base
Elevator can be unlocked using Custom characters, as long as they are not overpowered
Disasters
Zombie disaster does not occur when one of the players is a Zombie
Mutators
In Endless mode, prices that are affected by the current level remain high on the player’s second loop
Level Generation
Fix for issue where destroyed objects from previous levels might appear in the next level
Zombies may appear caged in labs
Artificial Intelligence
Fix for NPCs running away from nonexistent danger
More difficult to stun-lock NPCs without taking damage by melee’ing them repeatedly against a wall
Zombified Werewolves cannot turn into their Werewolf form
Shapeshifter NPCs that pop out of people are classified as Guilty
Cops will not become Hostile when you attack Shapeshifter NPCs
Supercops guard Power Boxes properly instead of wandering away
NPCs do not become angry when NPC Cops enter owned property
Smaller chance that Slaves will become Mutinous
Zombie can purchase items from Zombified Shopkeeper, Bartenders, etc.
During War Zone disaster, Soldiers will not be initially hostile toward Zombie
War Zone Soldiers are never considered Guilty
Fix for NPCs leaving your party after Resurrecting
Fix for Zombies picking up items on multiplayer client
Fix for Zombies not using attacking with a slash attack on multiplayer client
NPCs will attempt to pick up fewer types of weapons
Fix for NPCs not firing Ghost Gibber properly in online multiplayer mode
If you kill someone while Invisible, nearby friends of the deceased will search for you and become hostile if they find you
When an invisible player hits an NPC, they will run far away
Vampires are considered Guilty after biting someone
Multiplayer
Fix for issue where if multiplayer host quit the game as a Ghost, they would die immediately upon resuming the game. Now, they start with 1 health
Other
Updated Rewired plugin to version 1.1.18.0.U2017
Internal
Work on final level
Work on new Mutators
Work on new Achievements
Alpha 56b (July 27)
Reverted change where Zombie disaster wouldn’t occur if the player is a Zombie
Kill Ammunizer restores a bit more ammo than before
Shopkeepers sell many more types of items than before
Bushes shake a bit when there is a hidden Cannibal
Chance to Threaten is now affected by the both the player and the other person’s currently held weapon, in addition to team size
Player does not attempt to auto-aim when using Rocket Launcher - The slow movement of the rocket combined with the player’s potential desire to cause an explosion at a certain point made this a more ideal choice
Vocally Challenged players can now speak to questgivers
Ghost Gibber ray is not classified as a “bullet” when calculating bullet resistances
If a Shopkeeper, Bartender etc. is Zombified and one of the players is a Zombie, their marker will remain on the map since the player can now purchase items from them
If the player uses Zombie Phlegm on an NPC and Zombifies them but the player’s party is full, that NPC will still be Aligned
Ham Sandwich is now available in character creation and from the Item Teleporter
Fix for fire from Fire Spewers appearing to travel a bit too far through walls on multiplayer client
Potential fix for giblets sometimes flashing white as soon as they are spit out of pipes
Fix for items on multiplayer client flashing right before they are picked up
Fixed some of the wall top textures for wood walls to look better
All of the lights in a level turn red when a player transforms into a Werewolf instead of just the ambient
Fix for Friend Phone only spawning 1 NPC from multiplayer client
Fix for issues stemming from multiple people falling into a Trap Door at once
Fix for major Train position discrepancies between client and host players
Fix for lights on NPCs blinking off when they are just out of view
Fix for bullet lighting for certain types of bullets sometimes appearing darker than it was meant to
Potential fix for Werewolf health appearing too high after transforming back to human form
Removed Chest from easy-to-reach location in one of the Broadcasting Station buildings
Fix for red “thrown item” target moving with the mouse when the game is paused
Alpha 56c (July 28)
Backstab no longer removes 2 seconds from Camouflage
Fix for backstab’s noise being louder than intended
If the player backstab-kills someone or kills them in their sleep, the next hit will not gib that person as it did previously
Fix for Big Quest requirements changing for some characters such as Slavemaster if the last “target” NPC is teleported
Another fix for objects flashing when being spit out of tubes
Corrected wreckage sprites for quest switches that count down