Tunnel Divers
VIP Access Free Weekend (11/10-11/13)
Free weekend will be over on Monday-ish (11/13)
If you like the DLC, please consider buying it to support the game:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/626491/TACCORP_VIP_Access/
-S
TUNNEL DIVERS v0.0.3 is now available
Dev Log
Here's the first balance update, after getting your feedback and seeing the gather I think I got enough information as to whats too weak and too strong. However the playerbase isn't quite solid yet, so I'm going to rely on the spaghetti-thrown-at-wall method for now and see what works and what doesn't. Hopefully I'll get to adding more content for you this weekend, life is just getting in the way for more major updates.
I have also added the first mission to the campaign. Feel free to test it and try to break it or get a Superior performance review. The campaign menu option is now unlocked.
Added
- Added campaign mission The Apollo
- Added a new map asset called Tile 2x2 which works like regular tiles but bigger. (To help with map optimization) Check out the map guide for more info.
Changed
- Not taking ship damage is no longer a requirement towards Superior performance reviews.
- Mining laser now overheats more quickly
- Increased spike cannon's damage
- Increased napalm launcher's on-hit damage
- Decreased number of cluster bomb projectiles
- Increased damage for swarm missiles (both standalone and cluster bomb variants)
- Increased the health of the barrier module shield
- Changed warp dash module to always dash towards cursor
- Decreased warp dash module's damage
Early Access Dev Log #1
Gather
First off I'd to thank everyone who has played so far. I've managed to get the game's net code to exceed my expectations and I can start adding new content right away.
I'd also like to schedule a gather. While we're in Early Access, we still need to get a playerbase going. If you don't know what a gather is, it's where we all play together at a set time on the same server, so theres actual humans to play against, at least until the game gains a little traction.
The next gather is October 29th, Sunday at 12PM MST. I'm not going to make events anymore, so just keep that in mind yourself. I'll make another update a little bit beforehand to try to remind people.
Expanding Espionage mode
The next content I'd like to work on is making Espionage mode better. Right now its pretty bland, and games end far too quickly if the defenders aren't organized. So I'd like to think of some mechanics that could take pressure off of the defenders from enemies just throwing themselves at the super computer.
The idea of multiple super computers came to mind (which the game mode actually supports right now, to some degree) but then it feels like its not enough because you're just padding time onto the problem instead of making it more fun.
So I thought of resource collecting, where defenders would have to venture away from the objective and try to kill players to earn points to upgrade their defenses or something. It's something I'm gonna try out this weekend, so let me know your thoughts on that.
Game Balance
Yes yes I know, you're all Ice Frog himself. But doesn't your competition seem a little stiff to really determine a meta? IS there a meta? Who knows, we're all new at this game.
I DO see glaring balance problems, and they will be addressed. But why the rush? You're not some eSports big shot competiting for milions, just have fun with the crazy weapons. These early days will be the best time of this game's lifespan, so enjoy it.
With that being said, after seeing a gather or two, then I will start playing around with some changes. Just bring your best loadout and show everybody how gosh darn broken is.
Collision Mesh
These past two weeks I've been trying a new method of optimization I always wanted to do, which was generating a static, large collision mesh. I applied the method this week and it's been working very well.
If you noticed in an increase in performance, it was probably that. So before (and Boring Man as well), when you would place "blocks" in the map editor, each block would exist as its own entity in the game. This was not a good idea.
If you have a big map, you'd need a lot of ground and walls made up in objects. Most of which wouldn't do anything else except block players and.. exist. That takes up a lot of resources!
So what I did was merge all the objects into fewer, bigger objects. There were enough functionality in Game Maker to do that surprisingly and I think it works well. Its sort of like trading GPU for CPU.
I made a doodle if you still don't understand: https://i.imgur.com/EBDscbO.png
27 block objects exist on the map before the optimization, then only 2 block objects exist after, because the blocks were able to merge their sprites into 1 and exist as one object performing one function.
It actually works slightly different then that (the whole map is cut up into a grid) but this is the same end result and I thought it'd be easier to understand.
ANYWAYS, thats it from me for now. You should see a big update in the next week or so.
- S
TUNNEL DIVERS v0.0.2 is now available
- Added "TEST" button to the TAC-CORP Armory menu. This will load into a small test map with the item you had selected, and Brown will briefly explain to Taverns the item's function. Only ships have these dialogue sequences right, I'll try to write for weapons/modules dialogues sometime this week.
- Reduced credits earned from match ending
- You can now earn credits from winning the accolades at the end of the match (Most kills, accuracy, etc). Does not work on the tutorial or test area levels.
- You now earn less credits overall if you are spectating or playing by yourself against bots. Custom mission levels have a lower payrate.
- Hitscan projectiles now reflect off of forcefields more predictably
- Flares now deploy from the sides of your ship, instead of behind it
- Added more verbose server logging for debugging
- Fixed too many bugs to count
FYI, you can get a free $500k if you do the tutorial.
Happy Early Access Day!!
Today is the first day of Early Access for TUNNEL DIVERS, and I have worked very hard to make sure the game is playable before even releasing it as such
But I am a 1-man development team, I don't have a dedicated QA team, just friends and volunteers. So there will be bugs and server problems to resolve, so please be patient with my constant hot fixing and server rebooting as I try to fix stuff for you.
If you have any feedback, please stop by the forums.
And if you like my game and want to show support, please consider purchasing the DLC to help out. Don't mind the TUNNEL EDITOR DLC as that DLC is disabled, you only need the VIP Access DLC to get everything.
- S
Early Access + DLC Changes
TUNNEL DIVERS Early Access will be available October 13th.
Once Early Access is released, the DLC will NO longer be free. To use the map editor and other features, it will need to be purchased. There will be frequent free weekends following Early Access however.
With that being said, there is good news about the DLC:
I have merged both DLCs into one, so owning VIP Access will also give you the map editor. The Map editor only DLC is no more. However I also increased the price on the VIP DLC from 6 USD to 10 USD. Overall, thats still cheaper then the total of 12 USD you had to pay for both. Remember it is NOT pay to win like I promised, you have no obligation to buy it beyond supporting me and getting the features for it.
Lastly, you can still apply for the beta and get the Beta ship pattern that will ONLY be available to those who played in the beta. If you haven't played the beta in a while, I'd start up the game now to make sure you have it. You don't need to unlock the pattern to have it available post-beta.
You can get into the beta here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Q9Ic_m75z54apXOABPE8A7nd08TyE6yCt_tPZR3fPxI/edit#responses
The beta application will stop taking emails Tuesday (Oct 10)
Thanks for all the help dudes
- S
Get into the beta!
Want to play TUNNEL DIVERS before Early Access?
Enter your email into the Google form below. Everyone is welcome to join and help test.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf40FMsHfyjF2nXj3Lm7SkYuzFnnD0fZlGZ-_CU_RK41McGbQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
Your email will not be shared with anyone except me.
I generate and send out the Steam codes manually by myself, so please be patient.
If you wish to play with other players and not just bots, join the discord and I will notify everyone when I will need testing: https://discord.gg/XARR493