Cyber Knights: Flashpoint News

Knights!

We’re down to the final month preparing for the upcoming alpha. The Nightbot on our official Discord server is counting down the hours, minutes and seconds --



It has been a busy 2 years of sharing progress updates, showing the concept art morph to 3D and then into animation, and giving sneak peaks of the game’s many systems as they have shaped up. We’re finally on the precipice of an entirely new chapter of this Kickstarter project and now the updates will turn more and more to focus on the Alpha Phase.

As in our previous updates, we will highlight 3 big areas within the game that we’ve been working on at the end, but this update is more focused on the procedural prep for the impending Alpha Phase.


[h2]Alpha-Only Kickstarter Updates[/h2]
For alpha backers, we want to give you a heads up that there will be some additional communication this month in prep for the upcoming Alpha launch. There will be 2 Kickstarter "Alpha-only" updates published for Alpha and higher tier backers only in the month of December. The first should be out later this week and will include an invitation to complete a quick survey about the platforms you plan to play on.

We will also be doing a test run with our Alpha backer email list, so everyone in the Alpha group will get a direct email announcing this survey as well.

[h2]Please Join the Discord[/h2]
If you’re in on the Alpha Phase, please be sure to join our Discord. Once you’ve joined up, run the command “max!addrole” to ask the MercerBot to add your special Kickstarter role. The hub for the Alpha Phase will be our Discord, so getting everyone on board and ready before the launch date will help everything run smoothly and will let us focus on the game and not Discord roles on January 4th :D

If you’re not on Discord yet, we’ve got a very friendly server -- come hang out and make it your first.

Even if you aren’t in the alpha phase, there are special #backer channels for you, so come see what MercerBot can grant you.


[h2]Last 3 Days to Join Alpha![/h2]
When the private alpha launches in January, we will welcome more than 1,000 backers who pledged at the alpha access level or higher into an early version of the game. These players will be the first to plan heists, build their merc squad and test their skill against the enemy forces & AI. We rely on the private alpha to put the game through its paces, help us improve the systems and allow us to build out the rest of the game hand in hand with you. This feedback is critical to ensuring we create the best possible version of Cyber Knights: Flashpoint.

If you’d like to join that very special process, there are 2 days left to complete your late pledge to get exclusive alpha access with the option to add the alternate-start add-on reward “Horizon Cypher” through Backerkit.

[h2]November Progress[/h2]
November has been another big month of progress -- every day hammering on the game and improving and preparing for the big day. With more than a month to go, we’ve been putting our current list of infrastructure, distribution and player feedback channel tasks first so that those don’t end up squeezed off the end in early 2022. So -- with that said, here are 3 highlights for November --


This month, we’ve made another big round of improvements to our build automation framework. We’ve selected our distribution channels and are wrapping up major upgrades to the build architecture to automate the build processes and push those builds up to the distribution site for the alpha. This is hard work but will save us oodles of hours with each Alpha update so it is critical.

We’ve also been working on the crash and bug reporting pipeline which will be key for our small team to keep up with the larger player-base for this Alpha. We’re excited to share that the game will automatically send crash reports to our servers which is going to be a big help when and where we run into crashes. And, to boot the game will also feature a hotkey / button you can push to report a bug, which will immediately snap a screenshot and open a form you can fill out to add a summary and reproduction steps to the bug report.


During November we also finished a rebuild of the game’s Overwatch and Other Persistent Map effects system, which internally are called Tokens. While this system will be primarily used for Overwatch when the Alpha releases, it has amazing potential for future cool Talents, cyberware and gear effects. A token represents anything that persists on the map and causes an effect within a given template (such as a sphere or an arc of fire). In the case of Overwatch, the token allows a combatant to take reaction shots at anyone who enters the Overwatch template. In the case of a smoke grenade, the grenade leaves behind a token which blocks sightlines which prevents long ranged gun attacks (but not swordplay, ziiiing!). The possibilities with Tokens extremely wide open, so once we saw how cool that could be, we felt the need to invest in a bit of a rebuild to make sure the door was wide for further classes (Agent EX, Toxkit, Drone Pilot, Assassin all come to mind ...) and gear.


[h2]Reward and Stretch Goal Progress[/h2]
For completeness, we have included the progress bar infographic in this update even though nothing in it has changed. If you have any questions about rewards or stretch goals, check out the graphic or reach out to us.

The private Cyber Knights: Flashpoint alpha is rapidly approaching, where we will welcome over 1,000 players into an early version of the game. These first players will plan heists, recruit and train merc squads, test their mettle against enemy security & AI, put the game and all of its systems through their paces. Their feedback will help us update the game like crazy and make it better every week.

Almost as soon as the Kickstarter ended, we started hearing from many players — "I don't know how I missed it, is there any way I can still join the alpha?"

So we're excited to offer one final chance to become a backer and join the Cyber Knights: Flashpoint alpha. We're opening up late pledges through Backerkit. It's a $60 pledge, and comes with all the same rewards and privileges as the pledge level did when the Kickstarter was live.

While this pledge level does include a full copy of the game on release, we'd encourage you not to use it as a pre-order. As much as we appreciate the support, we're really offering the alpha as a way to be involved in shaping the game.

But if you're already a member of the private alpha and know an equally passionate gamer who'd love the chance to help shape an upcoming squad tactics / cyberpunk heist RPG, feel free to share this final chance to join. ;)

What's the alpha experience like? Is this worth it?
This will be the sixth game we've offered a private alpha for. Backers get sent an early build of the game on all platforms they'd like to try it on (PC/Mac/Linux/Android/iOS), with more features & content unlocked through several phases of the alpha as we ask for your feedback on different components, iterate, and balance. You can play throughout and be one of our core collaborators, or give some feedback early and come back months later to see everything that's new.

It's a really fun community experience, and shapes the game for years to come. Many game mechanics for Star Traders: Frontiers got revamped, cut, and added based on players' feedback during its alpha. If you're the type of player that loves discussing the meta of a game, or wants to be one of the experts in the community by the time we hit Early Access and the player base is growing exponentially, this is for you.

Can I pledge more for some of the higher rewards (e.g. getting my face in the game), or less, just to support?
Sorry, we're only opening up late pledges for the alpha level and a couple of small add-ons. Most rewards (especially those that offer benefits far above & beyond what other players get), need to remain a limited-time opportunity during a game's Kickstarter.

Make sure you're on our mailing list (extremely low-volume, 2-3 emails per year) and following our socials to ensure you don't miss out on future projects. We really appreciate your desire to support though! Our Patreon is also available and comes with many special benefits of its own.

Will these late pledges count toward stretch goals from the Kickstarter?
No; while we will be drawing in some small extra funding from this event, we don't expect there to be so many new alpha players that we need to be thinking about stretch goals. It'd be a huge win if we reached the milestone for the extra stretch goal we already threw in. 😄

[h2]I read to the end, where do I do the thing?[/h2]
👏 Right here: pledge to join the Cyber Knight's private alpha —and thank you!

Fresh reports for you from the Trese Brothers HQ, deep beneath the New Boston Zone. As we continue to improve Cyber Knights: Flashpoint, working toward the alpha at a feverish pace, we’re dedicated to our monthly update schedule to keep the news flowing.

For this month’s update, we highlight 3 big areas we are working on -- but first we want to give the schedule update we know everyone is waiting on.

[h2]Alpha Launch Date![/h2]
As a team, we have decided to launch the alpha on January 4th, 2022.

A slight adjustment -- our last major schedule update did say the alpha would be ready by the end of 2021. We were pretty sure then it would end up in late Q4, and the more items we cross off the to-do list, the more accurate that looks: late Q4. Based on what’s remaining and our current estimates, it looks like we will end up checking the final checkboxes just before the end of the year. But, with October and November still ahead we are uncomfortable having so little margin of error in that estimate.

And as many of you know, the start of the alpha is the start of a non-stop process for Trese Brothers. With a thousand players potentially firing up the game there are sure to be early issues we can’t discover on our own. Every issue you find we will want to fix ASAP. Trying to do that over a holiday season doesn’t seem realistic. With the Steam Holiday sales and winter travel, it becomes impossible. We’ve settled on a date just past the new years line and hope you’ll agree this is the best thing for the alpha’s success.

We are so eager to share this game with you and hear what you think! Hope you’re just as excited to start 2022 with Cyber Knights: Flashpoint.

“The procedure will be painless, just don’t move."

[h2]Progress Highlights[/h2]
One of the major tasks of September has been to complete and fully test the gameplay cut-scene director that allows the game to interrupt regular gameplay with a series of scripted events. This includes dialog, choices, camera controls, arrival of reinforcements, opening and closing doors, turning on and off security devices and more. This capability has already been worked into some of the early levels and is key in pushing the game missions’ interactivity with little dialog quips and mission intros as well as important map features like interactive switches, ambushes and more.


Quick demo to show the camera moving between a series of scripted events.

Continuing the Jobs and Talents work from last month, we put a special focus on differentiating jobs. We’re staying true to the design by avoiding and cutting out “Buff salad” while pushing for as many special mechanics, features and limitations as possible within each class. For example Vanguards, who rely on their Chameleon Sheathe cybernetic implant, are now restricted from wearing heavier armor which would interfere with its concealment powers. On the other hand, the Soldier has the only ability in the game to shorten or lengthen optimal range of their weapon, and the Cyber Knight’s ability to manipulate ally and enemy Initiative (manipulating turn order to their advantage) has been strengthened so you can pull off perfect ambushes.

In addition, we have been tightening up the security system’s tolerances and stealthy characters options to work around them. Talents that interfere with or disable security devices now cause the Minor Alarm Level to tick up, and have a lower duration than previous builds. At the same time, we added Talents to predict enemy patrol routes and disintegrate enemy bodies in a pinch. It's a fun formula, ratcheting up the tension while offering even more routes of play.



We’re ramping up for a big sound-effects mini-sprint in October so that your boot heels will clang on metal and clomp on concrete and everything in the game will whir and buzz and beep with the right ambience playing in the background. By far, Cyber Knights is going to set a new high-water-mark for our music and SFX, and we can’t wait for you to hear the entire game come alive.


[h2]Executive Producers #9[/h2]
We’ve scheduled the 9th Executive Producers meeting for late October to share the latest progress with our EP team and to get that key early feedback. EP #8 showed off gameplay and talked about the unique design for CKF’s tactical combat engine. We won’t know the topic of #9 until about a week ahead of time, as we always like to pick something exciting / in the forge with the iron still red-hot to share. As the alpha gets closer by the day, we’ll keep meeting with the Executive Producers regularly, gathering feedback from this valuable “first line” of players.


[h2]Reward and Stretch Goal Progress[/h2]
Per our promise, we always include the progress bar infographic. If you have any questions about rewards or stretch goals, check out the graphic or reach out to us. With this update, we have set the Alpha launch date in stone (chrome? PNG?) but otherwise there are no changes as we are hammering down to the final milestones before alpha.

For anyone still waiting on 3D face deliveries, apologies from Andrew. 55 of 76 faces have been delivered -- with few exceptions those remaining are waiting on some specific haircut, beard or specific cyberware or accessory to be fully completed before we can send them out. Thank you for your patience on these, they are coming.

A day late and a dollar short might get you shot below the streets of the New Boston Zone but we’re hoping it doesn't come to that :D We’ve wrapped up our August sprints and are rallying to charge into September. The game’s development is cranking along daily and we’re still on pace for our Q4 release deadline for the Kickstarter alpha crew.
For this month’s update, we’ll highlight 3 big areas we’ve improved and share a cut of the latest Executive Producers meeting video.

[h2]Progress Highlights[/h2]
This month we’ve hit an exciting tipping point on the visual display for character cybernetic accessories and display. It took some final updates to our shaders, new blend shapes, a new texture mask and some cool new 3D models for certain pieces, but things are starting to look very augmented around here.

Throughout August, we’ve also been refining job trees and what kind of Talent bonuses they can provide. We’ve completed another design pass to clearly delineate what bonuses are granted by job trees, backstories, and attributes versus those which are granted by cyberware, gear and (on the field of battle) Talents. The following extra additions have also helped us carve out even more exciting and unique space for each of your merc’s Job types and further amped the appeal of cross-Jobbing.

1. We've added new Passive Talent types such as a hook when a character gets missed by an attack (Passive OnMissed), a hook when you get Downed in battle (down but not dead, Passive OnDowned) and a hook if your armor suffers a cracking hit (Passive OnArmorCrit) are all rounding out the Passive Talent category
   
2. We've enabled Passive Talents to do more than just give bonuses, they’re able to react and initiate a free reload, for example.
   
3. We've added more Talent rules and special clauses, such as a Sniper’s Take Position Talent which will stay active for 3 Turns unless the Sniper moves (and therefore, leaves the position) or a Cyber Knight's Quantum Assault which can only target and affect drones.
   

In a similar vein, we’ve been reviewing and tuning the game’s weapon variety, working hard to ensure every weapon class stands alone and offers unique strategic advantages and drawbacks when used -- optimal range bands, unique takes on Action Point economy, variation of firing modes like full auto and more. On top of that, we've rolled in some of the needed special rules -- Railguns now cut through enemy cover up to 10% while mercs carrying Pistols and SMG are allowed to fire these light weapons even if they lack the full AP cost of their entire attack. Powerful energy weapons -- like plasma rifles -- that bring a limited number of shots to the battle and can never be reloaded also add a major dose of spice to the weapon options.


[h2]Executive Producers #8[/h2]
We held Executive Producers #8 at the end of August. This was a particularly exciting one where we focused on the unique aspects of Cyber Knights: Flashpoint’s tactical combat. Then, we demoed the concepts in action on an alpha mission. However, that footage is for Executive Producer eyes only (per their Kickstarter reward), so we’ve included a redacted excerpt of the session and slide deck where we talk about the pillars of our inspirational games (XCOM-likes) and how we've gone beyond them.
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Reward and Stretch Goal Progress[/h2]
With each update, we always include the progress bar infographic. If you have any questions about rewards or stretch goals, check out the graphic or reach out to us. With this update, there are no changes to the progress bar as we are getting down to only a few final milestones before the next big thing -- alpha late this year.

We are still delivering 3D faces -- some of those remaining are dependent on specific cyberware, accessories or beards to be completed before we can send them out. Thank you for your patience on these, they are coming.

We’re running a week late on our July update because our team has been in the middle of the cross-country moves we discussed earlier this year. Everyone is excited to get settled into the new digs and get back up to full speed. The game is looking better by the day, and soon we’ll have these time consuming but necessary hurdles cleared and we will be all hands on deck from here to the alpha in Q4 of this year.

It’s Cory’s moving day, the day the server came down!

July has been busy! Aside from the personal projects of big moves, we’ve made a ton of content across the game. There are so many “irons in the fire” it would be overkill to include them all here. Thankfully, we’re continuing to use and refine the process we’ve used to create 8 games before this, so we know these deep waters -- we’ve swum out more than a few times before.

In engine render, custom scene

Development is continuing at a good pace and we are still set for our Q4 date to release the alpha to the Kickstarter crew. For July’s progress update, we’re going to touch on 3 cool things specifically --

This month, Wounds suddenly grew fangs, claws and got nasty. You can take a Wound by suffering critical hits on the battlefield or getting Downed (reaching 0 HP). If you do drag your injured friend back to the safehouse instead of leaving them, a Wounded merc will need a variable amount of time in a medical clinic -- if the Wound can be healed at all. Those Wounds that can’t be healed have caused such irreparable trauma that only a full cybernetic replacement will suffice. In return, many types of cybernetics will prevent a Wound in the first place -- if a Faulty Heart is rolled on the Wound Tables and that part of you is already chrome, the Wound never takes.



We’ve wrapped up our pre-alpha UI kit that includes all the core interactive elements of the game. It isn’t the final visual style that will be in the game but it is clean and easy to use and is letting us build out the many complicated screens needed to make this game tick!



Another major improvement we’ve made in the last month is to dig back into the story metadata being authored throughout to ensure they help both new and veteran players alike. We’ve now added tagging that identifies dialog choices as positive/accept, negative/deny, delaying options and a neutral color for dialog options that aren’t concluding choices at all, just as conversational or flavor chatter. For new players, this will provide a needed level of clarity and for veteran replayers, this provides speed of play.
In addition, while we added a Skip Dialog option early, we’ve now wired up the metadata to offer a TL;DR button, which skips as much of the entire interaction as possible up to the first required choice.



[h2]Get your cyberpunk fix on our social accounts![/h2]
In addition to our @TreseBrothers twitter where we chat game dev and share highlights from all our games, you can get specific Cyber Knights updates and sneak peaks on its Facebook and twitter account.

Plug in to keep updated and get your regular cyberpunk fix. We’re sharing concept art, gameplay previews, news & interviews, highlights from the forums & discord, shout-outs to other awesome cyberpunk creators, and more. See you on the net, Knight!

[h2]Executive Producers #8[/h2]
We’ve got the 8th Executive Producers meeting scheduled now on the books for mid August. From now until the alpha release, we are working to schedule monthly meetings with the Executive Producers. It’s a great team and we want to keep them close to the ongoing development to facilitate detailed feedback on our design decisions. We will include an excerpt of the meeting in the next Kickstarter update.

[h2]Reward and Stretch Goal Progress[/h2]
With each update, we always include the progress bar infographic. If you have any questions about rewards or stretch goals, check out the graphic or reach out to us. With this update, there are no changes to the progress bar as we are getting down to only a few final milestones before the next big thing -- alpha late this year.

Still blaming the beards!

We are still delivering 3D faces, and have now delivered more than 70% of them. Thank you for your patience on these, they are coming.