Progress Blog #14: Performance, Day-Night Cycle & Roadmap
Hello everyone,
We’re excited to share the latest developments with you. This past weekend, we tackled several major issues and achieved noticeable improvements:
Performance Issues with Trees
The performance issues caused by our tree assets, particularly on Windows and PlayStation 5, have been significantly reduced. There’s still room for optimization, but the game is running much smoother now.
Day-Night Cycle Overhaul
The day-night cycle has been thoroughly reworked and is now functioning perfectly again. Additionally, we’ve adjusted the scene contrast, making the lighting—especially at night—more realistic and atmospheric.
An Open Alpha Branch Update Is Coming Soon
A major update for the Open Alpha Branch is in the works. While we don’t have a specific release date yet, we’ll keep you updated here.
We kindly ask you to switch to the Open Alpha Branch after the update and send us any log files of crashes or issues to our support email address. Your feedback is essential to improving the game further.
Why the Open Alpha Branch?
The new update in the Open Alpha Branch will differ significantly from the current version of the game. It’s worth giving this branch a try. Once this version is stable, we’ll transfer it to the standard branch.
Our Mini Roadmap
Phase 1: Updates will first be tested in the Open Alpha Branch.
Phase 2: After successful testing and stabilization, the update will be transferred to the standard branch.
Phase 3: Regular updates to both branches to continuously improve the gaming experience.
Thank you for your patience and support. We’re working hard to keep improving the game and can’t wait to share more updates with you soon!
Your Development Team
Dev Blog #20: New File Formats, Steam Cloud & Performance Issues
Hello everyone,
We have exciting news from the development team to share with you!
Custom File Formats for Enhanced Data Protection
In our effort to ensure data protection and maintain game integrity, we are developing custom file formats with specialized encryption. These formats will better protect user data and make cheating in the game more difficult.
Steam Cloud in Active Development
We’re also making progress with Steam Cloud development. Your files will be securely stored in the cloud, allowing you to access your progress anytime, anywhere.
Progress on the New Tutorial
The revamped tutorial is also shaping up nicely. We’re confident it will provide you with an excellent introduction to the game once it’s complete.
Performance Issues on Windows and PlayStation 5
Currently, we’re facing significant performance issues on Windows and PlayStation 5 caused by the in-game trees. We’re working hard to resolve these issues, which may unfortunately result in further delays for updates.
We appreciate your patience and support and will continue to keep you updated!
Your Development Team
Progress Blog #13: New Development Build and Steam Path Adjustment
Hello everyone,
Today, we have released a new development build for all our supported platforms to our testers! 🎉 This build is an important step towards version 0.9.0, which will bring many exciting new features and improvements.
Important change for Steam users: During the build deployment, we identified an issue with the Steam path that required an adjustment. Unfortunately, this change means that the game will be redownloaded on Steam. We apologize for the inconvenience, but it was a necessary step to prevent future problems.
Not an official update – internal testing only: Please note, this is not an official public update. It’s an internal development build now being tested by our team and testers across all platforms. Starting this evening, all new features and changes planned for version 0.9.0 will be rigorously tested.
We look forward to sharing the test results soon and keeping you updated on the progress toward the next version!
Stay tuned, and a big thank you to our testers for your support!
Dev-Blog #19: Live Streams Directly from Development!
After working diligently on new features, we now want to share our progress with you live! We will be hosting live streams at irregular intervals, where we present the latest developments. However, not all new features will be revealed right away – we want to keep a few surprises for you!
What to Expect in the Live Streams:
Exclusive Sneak Peeks at Upcoming Features: Some of the content you'll see in the live streams hasn't been released yet but will be available soon. You'll get the first impressions before it's officially out!
Irregular Timing: The streams won’t follow a set schedule. Instead, they'll depend on how well development progresses. So, keep an eye out for our announcements!
Shorter Initial Streams: Since we might not have as much content for the first streams, they’ll be a bit shorter. Future streams will be longer and dive deeper into the details of our work as more content becomes available.
Team Members on Stream: During the streams, either our lead developer or project manager will be present. If both are available, they’ll join together. Both are closely involved with the project and will offer you deep insights into our progress.
Chat Availability: The chat won’t always be enabled. If both team members have time, the chat will be opened, allowing you to ask questions, which will then be answered or moderated by the other person.
When Can You Tune In?
The live streams will be announced at irregular intervals, depending on how well development is progressing. Don’t miss the chance to join us live and take a look behind the scenes! The exact dates will always be announced in advance, so you can tune in.
Stay Tuned for More Details!
We’re very excited to give you a more direct glimpse into our development process! Get ready for exclusive insights, valuable background info, and, of course, exciting updates. More information about the upcoming live streams and the exact dates will be released soon!
Dev-Blog #18: New Paths, More Efficiency, and Exciting Collaboration
Dear Community,
It’s been a while since we last reached out to you. We know you’ve been eagerly awaiting updates, so we’d like to give you a brief overview of the current situation. Over the past few months, we’ve been working hard to optimize our development processes and have found more efficient ways to reduce production time. This doesn’t mean that the overall development has become less complex, but thanks to our new methods, we are making faster progress.
Efficiency Boost Through New Working Methods
One of our main goals was to streamline workflows and eliminate unnecessary processes. After many tests and adjustments, we found a way that helps us work faster and more accurately. These new methods have not only helped us shorten development times but also maintain the quality of our work at a high level.
Training and Development Breaks
Another aspect we tackled in recent months was the training of our team. It is essential for our team to stay up to date with the latest technology in order to develop innovative solutions. However, these training sessions have also led to delays in updates over the past few weeks.
New Collaboration – More Details Soon
Lastly, we’d like to reveal that we’ve entered into an exciting new partnership that will take our project in an exciting direction. We can’t share more details just yet, but we will keep you posted soon.
We thank you for your patience and support and look forward to delivering updates more regularly in the future!
Your Development Team
Dev Blog 17: New Ghost Types Revealed
Welcome to another thrilling glimpse into the world of our Ghostbusters saga! In this latest version of our game, we've delved deep into the shadows to bring you the most sinister and fascinating ghost species you've ever seen. Each of these new ghost species brings unique challenges, dark secrets, and surprising twists that will take your gaming experience to the next level.
Prepare to put your skills to the test, as these ghosts are not only numerous, but also extraordinarily complex in their appearances and behaviors. From the disturbing terrors of an avenging Revenant to the stormy powers of the Skystormer, the new range of ghosts will captivate you and challenge you in all new ways.
Dive into the details and learn more about the spooky evidence items, the right means of scaring them away, and the mysterious activity patterns these ghosts have to offer. Get ready for a thrill ride of the highest order and equip yourself with everything you need to fight the darkness!
The full list of ghosts:
1. The Revenant
Description: A vengeful ghost with the appearance of past injuries, tormented by his violent death. He often appears near accident sites or old hospitals.
Evidence items: Bloody handprints, torn clothing, wounded footprints.
Repellents: Holy water.
Level: Houses, cemetery, hospital.
Activity: More aggressive at night.
2. The Poltergeist
Description: A chaotic spirit that loves to make noise and move objects without warning. Its appearance is often associated with a chaotic atmosphere.
Evidence items: Moved furniture, broken glassware, scattered piles of paper.
Deterrents: Incense.
Level: Houses, subway station, kindergarten.
Activity: Neither more aggressive or active during the day nor at night.
3. The Shadow Spirit
Description: A dark, formless spirit that hides in the shadows and often appears in dark corners or near places with little light.
Description: A spirit that sends its victims into nightmares, disrupting their sleep. It is often associated with terrifying visions and distorted realities.
Evidence items: Sleep tracks or sleeping bags, nightmarish visions on notes, eerie noises while sleeping.
Repellents: Dreamcatchers.
Level: Houses, hotel, hospital.
Activity: More aggressive at night.
15. The Huldra
Description: A mystical spirit from Nordic folklore, known for her enchanting appearance and ability to mislead people.
Evidence items: Hidden footprints, golden cords, eerie songs.
Deterrents: Silver items.
Level: Forests, ruins, old caves.
Activity: Neither more aggressive nor active during the day nor at night.
16. The Nightmare
Description: A dark spirit that haunts people's dreams and sends them into horrific visions to spread fear.
Evidence items: Distorted dream images, unexplained noises in the night, fearful screams.
Repellents: Calming herbs.
Level: Houses, hotels, hospitals.
Activity: More aggressive at night.
17. The Cursed
Description: A spirit that is bound to a specific location due to a curse and constantly haunts the location to ease its torment.
Evidence items: Ancient curse writings, decayed personal items, mysterious writings on walls.
Chasing devices: Uncursing rituals.
Level: Ruins, old family estates, graveyards.
Activity: Neither more aggressive or active during the day nor at night.
18. The Soul Trader
Description: A sinister spirit who trades souls for material goods and often appears near markets or trading places.
Activity: Neither more aggressive or active during the day nor at night.
19. The Firewalker
Description: A spirit that is connected to fire and can create flames or heat through its presence.
Evidence: Burn marks, charred remains, high temperatures.
Deterrents: Water or fire extinguisher.
Level: Industrial areas, old fire stations, warehouses.
Activity: More aggressive during the day.
20. The Torn One
Description: A tragic ghost whose body was destroyed by violent events, but who still mourns his death and frightens those around him.
Evidence: Torn clothing, incomplete body parts, bloody traces.
Repellents: Medicinal herbs.
Level: Battlefields, ruins, old hospitals.
Activity: More aggressive at night.
Exciting and challenging experiences await you with these new ghosts. Prepare yourself well and immerse yourself in the dark and fascinating world of ghosts. Good luck with your ghost hunt!
Best regards, Development team of The Ghost - Task of the Ghost Hunters
Dev-Blog #16: New properties of the mind for even more intense experiences
Hello dear Ghost Hunter community,
We are happy to present you exciting news about the properties of the ghosts in our latest dev blog. These new features will make the gaming experience even more exciting and challenging.
New properties of the ghost:
Our latest updates significantly expand the behavior of the ghosts and offer you deeper and more realistic interactions with these supernatural beings. Here are the most important new features:
1. Confusing abilities:
The ghosts now have the ability to actively influence the players' environment and deliberately confuse them. These confusing mechanisms can disrupt the players' orientation, limit their vision or misdirect sounds. Such effects will present players with new challenges and require even better teamwork and strategy.
2. Influence on the ghost state:
A new aspect is the direct influence of the ghost on the players' ghost state. The ghost can either specifically choose a player from the group to hunt, or in COOP mode, target the player with the lowest ghost state. This means that teams must now think strategically about how to manage their ghost state in the game to avoid becoming the ghost's main target.
3. Different perception abilities:
Ghosts vary greatly in their perception abilities, which depend on the type of ghost and the environment:
Sensitive ghosts: Some ghosts can hear or see even the slightest movement, meaning players must be very careful not to be detected.
Normal ghosts: Other ghosts have average perception, allowing them to notice movements and sounds to the usual extent.
Weak ghosts: There are also ghosts whose perception is severely limited. These ghosts have very poor hearing or vision and present a different kind of challenge.
The different perception abilities depend on various factors such as the environment, noise levels and the specific type of ghost. This makes for a varied and dynamic gaming experience where every encounter is unique.
Growth opportunities and challenges:
These new features will fundamentally change the way you approach the game. You will have to adapt your tactics and think strategically to accommodate the different ghosts and their new abilities. Interacting with the ghosts will become more complex and require a high level of attention and coordination within the team.
We are excited about these developments and look forward to telling you more about the impact of these new features on gameplay soon. Stay tuned for further updates and detailed insights into the ongoing development of our game.
Best regards, The Ghost - Task of the Ghost Hunters development team
Dev Blog #15: New graphics options for an individual gaming experience
Hello dear Ghost Hunter community,
Before we dive into the details of the new graphics options, we would like to point out something important: Some of the new settings could be spoilers, as they include special adjustments for certain levels and game sections. We recommend using these options carefully in order to give you the best possible gaming experience without knowing too much about the game world in advance.
New options under the graphics:
From now on, you have a variety of new settings available under the graphics options that allow you to configure the game according to your ideas and optimize your gaming experience. The new options are divided into two main categories: Basic settings and Advanced settings.
Basic Settings:
In this category you will find options that are easy to adjust and affect basic image quality and appearance:
Screen Resolution: Choose the resolution that best suits your monitor and preferences.
Window Mode: Decide whether you want to play in full screen or windowed mode.
Graphics Quality: Adjust the overall graphics quality to find a balance between performance and visual detail.
Anti-Aliasing: Reduces edge artifacts to ensure smoother image display.
Texture Quality: Determines the level of detail of the textures in the game.
Shadow Quality: Choose the precision and detail of the shadows.
Reflection Quality: Optimizes the appearance of reflections.
Post-Processing Quality: Affects effects such as color correction and blur.
Motion Blur: Enables or disables motion blur for a more realistic representation of fast movements.
Bloom: Controls the intensity of lighting effects that create a luminous glow.
Shadow Side: Adjusts the depth and detail of the shadow sides.
Vignette: Adds a darker edge environment to draw focus to the center of the image.
Ambient Occlusion: Improves the light dynamics and shadows in the corners and near objects.
Advanced Settings:
For experienced players who want to make even more detailed adjustments, we offer the following advanced options:
Lighting:
Dynamic Shadows: Adjusts the appearance of shadows that move with the light source.
Light Rays: Adds realistic light rays that become visible through light sources.
Dazzling Lights: Controls the intensity and effect of dazzling lights in the game.
Textures and Details:
Character Detail Level: Optimizes the level of detail of the game characters.
Environment Detail Level: Controls the level of detail of the environment and landscapes.
Special Effects:
Fire Effects: Adjusts the appearance and intensity of fire effects.
Explosion Effects: Optimizes the visual appearance of explosions.
Water Effects: Controls the quality and detail of the water effects in the game.
Performance:
Frame Rate Smoothing: Improves the smoothness of the frame rate.
Render Distance: Determines how far in advance the game world is rendered.
Streaming Pool Size: Controls the amount of data used for in-game streaming.
We're excited to offer you even more ways to customize your gaming experience with these new graphics options. Stay tuned for more updates and detailed insights into our game's development!
Best regards, The Ghost - Task of the Ghost Hunters development team
Dev-Blog #14: Realistisches Equipment Management
Hello dear Ghost Hunter community, in our latest dev blog we would like to give you exciting insights into the development of our second equipment management system. Our goal is to further increase the realism in the game and offer you an even more intense gaming experience.
Realistic Equipment Management:
Realism is the focus of this system. In the main menu you will find a display case or cabinet in which all of your purchased equipment is clearly presented. Smaller items are stored in a separate box. The visual experience of this display case or cabinet will give you the feeling of actually standing in your own, well-organized headquarters, ready for the next mission.
Challenges and details:
The challenge with this system is that some larger items require an additional item in order to be able to use new ones. This means that you have to plan strategically which pieces of equipment you take with you for your next mission. If you happen to take the wrong item, you won't be able to use the devices. This additional level of planning and preparation brings a new level of depth and excitement to the game. You'll need to carefully prepare your missions and make sure you have the right tools for the job.
Revised file management system:
In parallel, we're working on a completely redesigned file management system. This new system is designed to handle our game's complex data much better and more efficiently. In the past, we encountered challenges when processing large amounts of data and complex game mechanics. With the new file management system, we can not only solve these problems, but also lay the foundation for future expansions and features.
Our redesigned file management system will be able to process data faster while increasing the game's stability. It will allow us to integrate detailed game worlds, more complex interactions, and more dynamic game mechanics. What this means for you as a player is that you can enjoy a smoother and more responsive gaming experience even as the game continues to grow and evolve.
Current Development Status:
Our development team is working hard to implement and optimize both systems. The goal is to make the gaming experience as immersive and realistic as possible while strengthening the technical foundation of the game. We are confident that these new features and improvements will take your gaming experience to the next level.
Stay tuned for further updates and detailed insights into the development of these exciting new features. We will let you know soon when the first playable update version will be released so you can get your hands on it and try out the new features for yourself.
We would like to thank all buyers for their patience and support during this testing phase. We know it has been a long wait, but we are confident that it has been worth it. With these new features and improvements, we are well on our way to providing you with an outstanding gaming experience.
With great anticipation, The Ghost – Task of the Ghost Hunters development team
Progress blog #12: COOP integration in the retro PC
Hello dear Ghost Hunter community,
We have sensational news for you! Our latest update brings exciting improvements and features that take ghost hunting to a whole new level. Today it's all about the COOP integration in the retro PC and other groundbreaking features that are currently in the testing phase.
News about AI:
We are developing a brand new perception sensor for the ghost, which will start the testing phase next week. This sensor is able to recognize players in both single player and COOP mode, taking the player's state of mind into account. This innovative feature will make the game even more exciting and challenging.
News about equipment:
All equipment items will receive completely new functionalities, which will also go into internal testing starting next week. These changes will fundamentally change the way you use your equipment in the game and ensure an even more intense gaming experience.
What's new in COOP:
COOP integration in Retro PC: The "Players" category in Retro PC now shows all COOP players. This way you can see at a glance who is ready for the next big ghost hunt. This feature will revolutionize cooperation and coordination in your COOP missions. Put together your dream teams and prepare for exciting adventures!
Spontaneous joining via the friends list: Flexibility is the key to success! You can now join ongoing COOP sessions via the friends list. Whether you've just come online or are in the middle of an adventure - just jump in and support your team in crucial moments!
Anti-cheat system and reporting system:
But that's not all! Next Monday we will implement our self-developed anti-cheat system and a new reporting system for the COOP mode. Our goal: fairness and an unparalleled gaming experience! If our new system makes mistakes and bans you wrongly, don't worry. Contact our support and we will investigate the case immediately. If a ban is wrong, it will be lifted immediately. Your feedback is crucial to improving our system and ensuring a fair gaming environment for everyone.
Our test report will be published soon in a new progress blog. We can't say exactly when yet, but stay tuned! We will also soon report when we will release the first playable update version so that you can experience some of the gameplay for yourself.
We would like to thank all buyers for their patience in allowing the internal testing to take so long to enable a first playable version.
In anticipation, The Ghost - The Ghost Hunters' Quest development team
Note: All new features and the entire COOP mode are currently in the internal testing phase. Stay tuned for more updates and exciting new features!
