Cyber Knights: Flashpoint News

This month’s update is a look at the Alpha -- how far we’ve come, where we are at, and what is in store next for the 1000+ alpha players helping us shape Cyber Knights: Flashpoint into a release-ready game.
[h2]Summer Checkpoint[/h2]
The CK:F alpha started in early January of this year. Since then, we have gone through multiple major cycles of expansion -- new levels, new systems, new stories, hacking (!!), new classes -- followed by periods of rebalance and consolidation. The alpha backers have played thousands of games, submitted thousands of feedback and bug reports and pushed hundreds of thousands of events about levels, talents, and more into our analytics.

At this mid-summer moment in the alpha, we’ve been in another rebalance and consolidation phase. It’s been a good time for it; while the game is still getting a lot of play daily, we are seeing a clear summer vacation dip 😄 – hope you’re all enjoying them!

We’re currently preparing a major new content push of story, recruits and the Sniper class for our next expansion phase. With each passing month, the alpha’s scope is increasing to reach the game’s full scope; our pace of adding content will be rising.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
We are also continuing the push to bring all the major audio-visual elements of the game up to the quality level we know we need to hit for Steam Early Access. Our UX designer continues to iterate on and improve the UI design and the SFX team is prepping for a second project in August to add more variety and depth to the game's soundscape. At the same time we're working through the game's post processing, material design, color-grading and quality settings to get everything looking as awesome as possible.


[h2]Transitioning the Alpha from AppCenter to Steam[/h2]
We did our first online public demo of Cyber Knights: Flashpoint this month for PAX Rising Online, focused purely on the stealth & combat tactical gameplay over a two-stage mission, expanded from our in-person PAX East demo. Not only did we get the game in front of thousands more players, with all the valuable feedback that comes with that, but it also accomplished an important dev milestone: completing our process for building and deploying to Steam.

This is very good news for the alpha backers, because we’ll soon be using Steam’s awesome “Playtest” feature (in private mode, not public signups) to provide you with alpha access going forward. That means shorter (and more reliable) downloads, quicker builds and faster bugfixes.

[h2]Creator & Backstory Rewards[/h2]
We’re excited to have embarked on the first major step to completing the Creator and Backstory Edition rewards. The surveys to gather data from these key creative tier rewards have gone out and include a wide variety of questions big and small. Cory and I will personally review each of the incoming responses and work on translating your creative ideas directly into the world of Cyber Knights and New Boston.

If you haven’t received a survey email but should have, please reach out to us here or email [email protected]

[h2]Reward and Stretch Goal Progress[/h2]
For completeness, we include the progress bar infographic in each and every update. If you have any questions about rewards or stretch goals, check out the graphic or reach out to us. We sent out the surveys for the two recruitment reward tiers -- Creator and Backstory Editions -- so keep an eye on your email for those and let us know if you have any questions!

June has roared by in a flurry of work and progress. The alpha’s received two big new updates, from which we are gathering piles of great feedback and play statistics. Our goal is to finish implementing the final feature sets in July, which will help get the entire team free to create content and polish for another big (months long!!) push – stretching for that 40+ hour goal for the game.


[h2]Launch Planning[/h2]
We'll start with the most exciting news first: we’re closing in on a launch window! All of our backers' alpha participation has been hugely helpful in driving this forward – the gameplay feedback, rapid bug squashing, and clever ideas that have flooded into the Discord have been excellent. While we haven’t set a specific date yet, we can now say with confidence that Cyber Knights: Flashpoint will release to Steam Early Access in early 2023.


[h2]Security System Rebuild[/h2]
A big improvement to the game this month was a rebuild of the game’s central security AI. The original security system was feeling too inflexible between levels and the security escalations being tested were limited to more enemy reinforcements arriving. With the rebuild, we’ve allowed every level to define its own security parameters – some levels can have lax security while others are touchy and quick to react; the worst can pop off escalations every turn.
In addition to customizing the pacing of security escalations level-by-level, we’ve also greatly expanded the tools security AIs have at their disposal to make your life... interesting. Reinforcements are still a key event, but the AI now has the ability to reset all disabled security devices, to increase its own security escalation rate, to enable the lethal setting on some security features or to buff all its troops. This has opened up a wide area for future expansion that will help differentiate megacorps and street gangs, giving each their own escalation profiles and powers.


[h2]Started Official UX Design[/h2]
We’ve put off diving into serious design of the game’s UX and UI for a while, primarily focusing on the most important part -- the gameplay. The UI is already complex and jammed full of functionality but as of mid-June we’ve started the official process of working through a from-the-ground-up assessment and wireframe of the game’s UX, style, colors, fonts and elements.
It will still be a little while before any of these exciting results hit the alpha, but it is energizing to see these elements looking so good, even if it's only in design mockups right now.


[h2]Packing the Level Pipeline[/h2]
As we’ve rounded the corner into summer, the focus is shifting from wrapping up the game’s system implementation and critical major reworks (thanks Alpha team!) toward full-tilt content production. We are now packing the game’s level pipeline with new missions. As this pipeline fills up, we’re starting to get an idea of how much content we can crank out for the game at full speed and it is looking very promising.


[h2]Steam Integration[/h2]
We’ve completed integration of the Steamworks SDK; a quiet milestone for the engineering team but an important one! All the boxes are now checked to be able to make demos available for events like Steam NextFest and, eventually, to launch the game into EA on Steam.


[h2]Animation Expansion: Movement & Mantling[/h2]
As part of the Animation Expansion stretch goal, we’ve completed a number of new animations that are helping movement around the level environments feel more natural. These include much needed animations to make sliding into cover feel more fluid and a skidding slide movement for characters ending their movement in the open field.

The most impactful new animation allows your characters to mantle (climb) over small obstacles like fences and barricades. This will be coming soon to the alpha and will greatly open up movement paths throughout levels. Especially sneaky characters are going to love this, as a way to get behind or around enemy positions. It is also highly useful in dynamic firefights where your characters need to switch to the other side of a barricade for better cover...

[h2]Reward and Stretch Goal Progress[/h2]
For completeness, we include the progress bar infographic in each and every update. If you have any questions about rewards or stretch goals, check out the graphic or reach out to us.

The art team has started designing the concepts for the Omega Style reward. We will show off these unique concepts in the next update!

Our next big move in reward town is to gather details and backstory for the Creator and Backstory Edition rewards, where backers will create in-game characters who can be recruited to your squad.

Knights and Backers,

With the end of May, the start of summer is just around the corner and we’re excited that it comes with some big news on the Matrix Mk2 stretch goal. The alpha phase has continued at a great pace and we’re very happy with the feedback we’re getting and all the ways the game is improving daily. With 15 alpha updates under our belt, thousands of Knights have cruised the streets of New Boston in the early version of the game and really, we’re just getting started.

And a last-minute reminder: if you haven’t already seen it in Discord or from our Twitter or Facebook posts, we’re raffling off a Cyber Knights poster, featuring some of our favorite character concept art!



We’ll ship this 18” x 24” poster anywhere in the continental U.S., just join our Discord and enter to win. It’s the last day to enter, so act quick!

Now, on to this month’s progress update!


[h2]Hacking the Matrix Mk2[/h2]
Last week, we released the Matrix Mk2 system to the alpha team in update v0.6.1. This major milestone completes our second biggest Stretch Goal for the Kickstarter project -- introducing a Hacker class and allowing Hackers to infiltrate networks in mission maps to gain key control over the map including security devices, doors and the alarm level. And these server hosts are also gleaming with valuable data and secrets -- from blueprints (used in the future release of crafting) to straight paydata (value with your Contacts) to the Loot Manifest (revealing the contents of all loot boxes in the facility).

In addition, Hackers can run hacking-only missions from the Safehouse which will allow them to steal valuable paydata, or hack to gain pre-heist advantages like the facility’s loot manifest or a forged security key.

For now, all of our efforts have focused on the game design, balance and integration of the Matrix into the larger game. The UI is clunky but serviceable but it isn’t inspiring at the moment -- something we’re working on over the summer as it punches up into isometric 3D and gets some glitz, shine and polish.


[h2]Backer-Only Studio Chat[/h2]
To celebrate and share the Matrix Mk2 release, we’re holding a Backer-only Studio Chat on Thursday June 2, 2022 at 9pm EDT. Studio Chats are our version of a Reddit AMA -- post your questions in advance and we'll answer them live that evening! Cory and I will be chatting in a voice channel on our Discord to answer your questions, showing off the Matrix Mk2 and hanging out and talking about hacking, its challenges and inspirations or anything Trese Brothers.

If you’re able join us, the voice channel will open shortly before 9:00 pm Eastern. The Studio Chat will run about 1 hour and will be recorded so we will post a link in a future Kickstarter update.

If you have a question you’d like answered during the chat, post it in the #backers channel on our Discord beforehand (start it with “studio chat q:” please, and feel free to add react emojis to other questions you like).

Hope to see you there!


[h2]Late to the Alpha?[/h2]
If you haven’t joined in yet but backed at the Alpha Tier ($60 or higher), let us know! Reach out to us here on Kickstarter or in our Discord (type max!addrole after joining if you included your Discord username in the Kickstarter survey, or DM @Liviana for help getting set up).


[h2]Reward and Stretch Goal Progress[/h2]
For completeness, we include the progress bar infographic in each and every update. The big news for this month’s progress update is that the Matrix Mk2 stretch goal and the major addition of the hacking layer to the game is now complete and available to all alpha players.

If you have any questions about rewards or stretch goals, check out the graphic or reach out to us.

We’re back from the PAX Rising indie showcase at PAX East, where we had a pleasure to meet a number of you in-person and show off an exciting heist demo. Thanks for stopping by, checking out the game you’ve funded or in some cases, stomping the demo with your alpha know-how :D



We’ve been ripping along, adding content, maps and wrapping up implementation of the game’s systems throughout April. Let’s get into this status update!


[h2]Check Out Latest Studio Chat[/h2]
We just held another live Q&A Studio Chat on our Discord, sharing our experiences, funny stories and demo tales from PAX East, plus answering hard hitting questions like “coffee or tea” lol --

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Thank you to everyone who joined us during the Studio Chat and we hope that everyone enjoys the recording. We will be doing more Studio Chats in the future, so keep an eye out for the announcements.


[h2]PAX Feedback & Results[/h2]
Cyber Knights: Flashpoint did really well on the show floor. The art style and clear turn-based tactics vibes caught a lot of attention. Our demo stations were going non-stop, with over 250 players playing through the demo. It was a great chance to watch so many players who have never heard of the game give it a try (and sharpen our how we describe it to get people interested).
If you’d like to hear for yourself and see some of the demo, check out this interview we did (and give the video a thumbs up / leave a comment to help more people see it):

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
We’ve come back from PAX riding on a huge wave of energy, and have dived right back into development and story writing -- we have so much more to show you all, and every month we’re getting closer to bringing the full game to you.


[h2]Soon: Hacking![/h2]
The next phase for the Alpha was delayed a bit to get the demo ready, but alpha players are benefiting from the work done on that demo. Both in behind-the-scenes improvements on camera work and animation debugging, and on cool new mission objectives (like rescues and squad member rendezvous) we hadn’t planned to add until later. And we’re back at our desks now working away toward the next big addition to the alpha builds: hacking.

If you haven’t joined in yet but backed at the Alpha Tier ($60 or higher), let us know! Reach out to us here on Kickstarter or in our Discord (type max!addrole after joining if you included your Discord username in the Kickstarter survey, or DM @Liviana for help getting set up).


[h2]Wrapped Naming Surveys[/h2]
The final naming survey went out last week, bringing the total to 5 surveys and over 50 names for backers who pledged at the Ultra Edition or higher. A final reminder email will go out soon with a link to all the surveys. They will stay open for the foreseeable future if you haven’t had your chance to add your names yet.

While we couldn’t use every name that was submitted, we wanted to highlight some hilarious and clever submissions that cracked out team up
Drones:

• 4 Whom the VTOLs
  

Corp Names:

• Death & Taxes (funeral home/lawyer/accountant, surprisingly successful)
  

Security Devices:

• WHACKSpoetic's DictAttack Algorhythm
  
• Big Red Button
  
• Fr8Train
  

Explosives:

• BECAUSE (we have no plan)
  
• A Dubious-looking baseball with fuse
  

Tech Devices:

• Optimal technically attuned device-ma-bob
  
• Neo Pocket-Pets (interactive audio of hunds/cats. Audio bluffing tool.)
  

Healing Items:

• Delicious Life Juice - 100 % vegan
  
• GoodVibes Defibrillator Mk V
  

Sniper Rifles:

• Ma Bell AT&T Special, for when you need to reach out and touch someone.
  

Swords:

• Slashy Mc Slashface
  
• Ol' Pokey
  

Shotguns:

• Rock'Em Sock'Em
  
• Guy-B-Gone Double Barrel
  

ARs:

• PerappaTheBrappa
  
• Woodpecker (rat-ta-tat)
  

Code Names:

• Justin Case
  

[h2]Reward and Stretch Goal Progress[/h2]
For completeness, we have included the progress bar infographic in this update. The Naming Reward is now complete and next up is Encoding Your Legend. It is always exciting to see motion on this multi-year delivery plan!

If you have any questions about rewards or stretch goals, check out the graphic or reach out to us.

We're thrilled to be headed back to PAX this year, selected by the PAX team for a featured spot in the PAX Rising Showcase.

Even if you're not going to PAX, this means more in store for you, including a new studio chat in Discord next week, and a giveaway of one of these awesome Cyber Knights posters:



Follow @TreseBrothers on twitter for some sights from the show, or the new Cyber Knights instagram for even more!

[h2]What we have in store for you...[/h2]

Your Knight has been captured! 😬 You'll get to choose from three versions of the Vanguard in a tense rescue and extraction mission.



We're looking forward to seeing all the ways players make it through (or crash and burn) this heist -- if they get all squad members (you'll be up to 3 by the end) out alive, and which of them will be needing emergency cyber-surgery by the end. The alpha crew has already provided some great feedback, and we're hoping PAX will be the perfect place to get the game in front of a whole new set of strategy RPG fans.

We'll also have at least two more chances for you to win a Cyber Knights poster, plus a photo opportunity you've already been asking for without even knowing it.

Going to be there? Find us in the PAX Rising section, booth #13091:



Have a great weekend, Knights!