If there's anything we've learned the past few weeks, it's that transparency is key. This blog post series will be an attempt to keep the community up to date with what we're doing behind the scenes, and include you in this journey.
First of all I would like to give all of you a massive thank you for the support, bug reports, streams and kind words you have given us since launch on behalf of the entire team.
Launch Day
As you all may know, launch day wasn't the most stable launch you could've imagined. Performance was a little wonky, people had trouble joining and hosting games, AI were stuck floating in the air and games would crash.
While most of these issues had some pretty obvious fixes, one issue did not. The matchmaking system didn't allow all people to host or join games, and only restarting the game a great number of times seemed to resolve the issue temporarily, if at all. As soon as we saw the first bug reports of this problem we started digging into the code.
The Multiplayer System
To give you some context I will quickly explain how the multiplayer system works: Unreal Engine allows for the use of plugins. The build you are all playing on right now uses a plugin called "Steam Advanced Sessions".
This plugin allows our netcode to work with steam. Such plugins provide us with a handful of handy functions for hosting games, joining games etc.
Trying to fix the problem
When we first started looking into the problem we took a look into the code, seeing if there was anything we overlooked. After confirming this was not the case, we tried updating Unreal Engine to the latest version, also to no avail. That's when we made the decision to swap to a new plugin which makes use of entirely different netcode and has many more features.
Hoping this simple swap would fix the problem we implemented the system. On a first glance, the problem seemed to be fixed. We were able to see all lobbies, host one, and join eachother without a problem!
We rolled out a quick test version of the game to a separate channel and gathered a few testers to see if they could get in. To our surprise, no one was able to either host or join a game, except for the developers of the game.
The week following after that, we have worked with many people trying to figure this problem out. To get into the more technical side of things for those interested, this is a small part of the fixes we have tried this far:
Tried using IpNetDriver & SteamProSockets, neither worked.
Tried numerous different DefaultEngine.ini combinations
Tried changing the QueryPort to 27015, 27023, 27019:27049
Tried changing the port to 7777, 27015, 27023
Tried enabling normal SteamSockets
Tried doing a full rebuild
And many more.
Closing words
Even though it may seem like we are inactive at the moment, be assured we are working our hardest on this problem every day. As soon as we get the matchmaking system functioning the way it should, the community can expect a lot of fun, exciting, and scary updates. For now the priority lies with making the game accessible to everyone, meaning the matchmaking should work the way you'd expect it to. In the meantime, please keep sharing your funny moments, bugs, jumpscares and everything in between with us and the community. We truly love to see it!
Again thank you all so much for the patience and support, and we'll see you in the next dev update. You can join the discord here.
UPCOMING UPDATE
Dear Steam Community.
We just want to update you all on how it's going, since if there is one thing we've learned, it's that being close to our community is the best thing we can do. We're working on our biggest update yet, which will include features & updates such as:
Totally new visuals to the main menu.
A more smooth experience.
New backend for the lobby system.
More optimization.
Interaction system revamp.
Less stuttering.
Proximity voice chat.
& so much more.
All coming to you all as soon as possible, it's been a process as we've had to upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.2, which broke a lot of textures, models, etc. However, we're currently in the process of remaking all lost data, and we're very close to being done.
We must thank you all once again for the patience, we promise the wait will be worth it ❤️
Cheers, Nightmare Studios
v6.0.3 - Sliding & Balancing
V0.6.3 - Sliding & Balancing Update
Features:
Revamped sliding system.
Updates & Enhancements:
You will now see an icon indicating whether or not a lobby has a password.
The carnivorous will now only do its failsafe teleport when it does not have a line of sight with the player to prevent breaking immersion.
Players will now be teleported back to a random respawn location in case they fall out of the map.
Balancing:
Reduced the Carnivorous sight range, hearing range and vision cone
The Mother and Carnivorous will now run away instead of walk away when being scared by fireworks.
Bugfixes:
Fixed keybinds not working.
Possible fix for monsters floating in the air and desyncing.
All players should now get the “Finish Surrounded” achievement when finishing the game.
The “Stamina Efficient” achievement now works correctly.
Fixed players being able to walk through walls in the ending.
Added a notification in the ending saying all players are required to interact.
Fixed monsters being able to spawn on the roof of the ending location.
Fixed monsters being able to spawn on top of the powerstation.
Fixed the medkit not restoring or depleting health.
Fixed players being able to get stuck between the terrain and the ending location.
Removed some floating objects throughout the map.
Fixed the interact key prompt getting stuck on the screen after dying near an interactable.
Fixed the inventory permanently staying on screen after dying with the inventory open.
Possible fix for the backpack despawning.
Possible fix for players not being able to move after being revived.
Optimzation:
General improvements for a smoother experience.
v0.6.2
v0.6.2
Updates & Enhancements:
Players will now spawn at a random map prop instead of the nearest one (avoid spawn camping)
Balancing:
Increased the amount of fuses a slight bit
The Carnivorous now loses you faster in a chase
Bugfixes:
Fixed where the lever in the lab could be pulled twice
Issues where medkit would not work
Fixed sensitivity slider not working
Fixed enter locking the player bug
Fixed players being able to jump and crouch when knocked out
Fixed hospital door going through wall
Known Issues:
The server issues may still be there, however we’ve possibly found a fix that may sort it in the next patch. Thank you all for the patience.
We are still aware of the multiplayer issue, and is currently using all our resources on remaking the entire lobby structure. This should hopefully sort issues such as regional blocking, timing out, etc. Thank you all for baring with us ❤️
Server Issues are getting worked on
POST LAUNCH UPDATE
Dear Steam Community! These last hours has been incredible for us, we really appreciate every single one of you that's with us and is baring with us through this. We are aware of the multiplayer lobby issues and we're using all our resources to get this sorted ASAP for you all. We know some people are able to get in, so sadly, as of per now the best way seem to just be restarting until you all are able to join.
We love you all, especially every single one of you that truly gives us proper feedback and suggestions on how to improve the game, you all are the ones that gives us the motivation to keep on going and you all contribute to making the game reach its full potential. So thank you from the bottom of our hearts, this is a bug we had not encountered during any beta testing, and I imagine as the game player count settles a bit down (as there was way more players than we expected at launch) it will be easier to join/host a lobby.
We appreciate if you all could also leave a review of the game when you've had a playthrough, or just played it enough to have a general view. We read all reviews and try to make the game better this way.
Thank you all once again, you all are truly the best community ever.
Cheers, Your team at Nightmare Studios ❤️
v0.6.1
V0.6.1
Updates & Enhancements:
You can now search for a part of your friend’s name in the lobby search filter instead of having to copy the entire name.
Balancing:
Increased the amount of fuses on the map.
Optimization:
Improvements to overall FPS.
Known Issues:
Not being able to find lobbies from different regions.
GAME RELEASE + DISCLAIMER
Dear Steam Community,
We are thrilled to announce that the highly anticipated game, Surrounded, is now available! The moment we've all been waiting for is here, and we couldn't be more excited to share this news with each and every one of you.
Before we embark on this journey together, we want to take a moment to remind everyone that Surrounded is in early access. This means that while we have worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth gameplay experience, bugs and other issues may still arise. However, fear not! Your invaluable feedback during this phase will help us iron out any wrinkles and make Surrounded the best it can be. To show our gratitude for your support and dedication, we have priced the early access version at almost half the price of the full game. We appreciate your willingness to join us on this adventure and help us achieve our vision for Surrounded. Your contributions, big or small, make a significant impact.
We kindly request that you consider leaving a review for Surrounded on Steam. Your reviews play a vital role in helping us reach a wider audience and make Surrounded an even better game. Should you encounter any bugs or issues, please feel free to report them either through the in-game menu or here on Discord. Your assistance in this matter is highly appreciated.
Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your incredible help, enthusiasm, and unwavering support. We couldn't have reached this milestone without you. We are beyond grateful to have such an amazing community backing us up. Let's make the release of Surrounded an unforgettable experience together!
DISCLAIMER
We had some issues with Unreal Engine 5, which encountered in the newest build having a setting enabled that's only recommended for very high end PC's, which mean old computers might run the game poorly. We have already fixed this and we will put out a patch for this maximum 2 hour after release. We appreciate all of you. Thank you for the patience
Cheers, Nightmare Studios
GAME RELEASE FRIDAY + ROADMAP
Dear Steam Community,
We are excited to share some exciting news with you all! Surrounded, our highly anticipated horror game, is nearing its release, and we couldn't be more grateful for your tremendous support. We are overwhelmed to announce that we have crossed over 60,000 wishlists on Steam! Your enthusiasm has been the driving force behind our development, and we cannot express our gratitude enough.
Mark your calendars! Surrounded will make its debut on Friday at 11 PM CEST / 4 PM CST. The wait is finally over!
To ensure that Surrounded reaches its full potential, we are committed to incorporating your valuable feedback. We have carefully crafted a roadmap for future updates, designed to transform the game into the best possible version. We are eager to share this roadmap with you all, as it showcases the exciting features and improvements that await you on this terrifying journey.
In order to better address any issues you may encounter, we have established a dedicated bug reports channel where you can post any bugs you encounter during gameplay. Additionally, we have implemented a convenient "Submit a Bug Report" button in the game itself. Your reports will significantly aid us in refining the game and delivering an exceptional horror experience. We would like to remind everyone that during the early access phase, Surrounded will be available for purchase at a special price of $8.99 / €8.99 / £7.99. This is an incredible opportunity to embark on this adventure at a discounted rate. The full game, complete with all features, will be available for $14.99 / €14.99 / £13.99.
We genuinely appreciate all the feedback you have provided thus far. We understand that early access may come with its share of issues, such as bugs and unexpected AI behavior. Rest assured, we are diligently working to address these concerns and create a truly immersive horror experience. Your unwavering support during the development process, despite the occasional delays and unforeseen events, has been truly remarkable. We are humbled by your dedication and trust. Together, we will craft a game that will haunt your dreams and leave you wanting more.
Thank you for being a part of our community and for standing by us on this journey!
Cheers, Nightmare Studios
Roadmap
Surrounded Release Date + Gameplay Trailer
Dear Steam Community,
We are thrilled to announce that after years of relentless hard work, meticulous planning, and countless cups of coffee, our game 'Surrounded' will be officially releasing into Early Access on Steam on July 14th!
Release Information
Priced at just $8.99 / €8.99 / £7.99, Surrounded will be available for Windows. This is a major milestone for us, and we are beyond excited to take this next step alongside our fantastic community.
Early Access, for those unfamiliar, is a platform that allows our community to play the game while it's still under development. The game will be fully playable but expect a few rough edges as we continue to develop and refine. Most importantly, Early Access enables players to provide vital feedback, report bugs, and make suggestions to help shape the game into something even better. But that's not all - we're already gearing up for Chapter 2! It's expected to launch in the upcoming months, following the initial release. We're eager to offer fresh content and new experiences for our dedicated players.
Discord Server
We sincerely appreciate every piece of feedback you have for us. You're not just gamers to us - you're our co-developers in this journey. You can help us mold and refine 'Surrounded' into the gaming experience we all desire. For those interested in going behind the scenes and conversing with the developers, join our Discord server! With over 3,000 members, our Discord community is a vibrant place where you can share your thoughts, ask questions, and engage with fellow gamers. Hop in at https://discord.gg/Surrounded - we would love to have you with us.
Lastly, we want to say thank you. Thank you to every single one of you for your unwavering support and trust over the years. We wouldn't have reached this point without you. Together, let's embark on this exciting journey.
See you in the world of Surrounded!
Best regards, Nightmare Studios
Surrounded Game Update
Dear Steam Community,
We want to address the delay of our highly anticipated horror game, Surrounded. We understand that this news may come as a disappointment to many of you who have been eagerly waiting for its release. We want to assure you that we are working tirelessly every day to get the game out to everyone as soon as possible.
We have been putting in countless hours of hard work behind the scenes to ensure that Surrounded meets and exceeds your expectations. We are thrilled to share with you that we are now closer than ever to achieving this goal. We have some new screenshots that we believe will please your eyes and want to invite you to join our Discord community for more updates on the game. https://discord.gg/surrounded
We apologize for not being as communicative as we should have been. We understand how important it is to keep you all updated on the progress of the game and to address any concerns you may have. We are incredibly sorry for everyone we've let down, but we are doing our best on a daily basis to keep working on this game. We are a small team, but we are getting there. We release before summer, and we are just waiting on some third party assets.
Thank you for your unwavering support and patience throughout this process. We want to assure you that we are doing everything in our power to make Surrounded worth the wait. Stay tuned for more information about Surrounded soon!
