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Fractured Veil News

It's Unreal - 5.1 IS HERE!

Aloha Thrivers,

We’re SO excited to share that after many months of work, we’re finally shipping the Unreal Engine 5 Upgrade to your PCs!

We want our community to join the newest version of the game sooner rather than later, but we know this was a big lift and have found even more bugs than we thought we would. We’ve always had bugs (#gamedevlife) but because of all your help, we’ve been hacking through them as much as possible so we don’t want to stop doing that anytime soon!

Since this is a major update, we want to make sure everyone is aware of a few things that will impact your experience with the game:

Your character(s) will be wiped - which means you will need to create a new name and look for your character in the world.

All of your loot will be gone and any bases you’ve built will be gone since we’re starting a fresh new server. This ensures no issues, bugs or corruptions carry over from our old Unreal 4 build.
Your minimum required specs may have changed; we will share a survey in the first weeks of testing to identify how the game performs on different hardware.

We currently believe to achieve a mostly stable 1080p 30 fps experience at medium/low settings you’ll need a PC with the following specifications:
  • OS: Win 10
  • CPU: intel i5 8400 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
  • RAM: At least 8GB
  • GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 / AMD RX 580
We will carefully monitor the community’s feedback about this topic.

[h2]Scope of the test[/h2]

While the new build doesn’t necessarily have new content if you have been playing the game within the past few months, it includes a great deal of changes, bug fixes, and improvements. Not to mention a completely new global illumination system and a lot of good stuff that comes with UE5.

With this update, we will be particularly interested in hearing your feedback about the following:
  • Game performance and Stability in Unreal Engine 5.1
  • Server Stability
  • Economy Changes
  • Zones balancing
  • World Loot Distribution
  • NPC / Enemy AI
  • Weapon Balance


However, we do have some tiny surprises for you to find…





[h2]Other things to keep in mind [/h2]

Fractured Veil is still Alpha(ish) in that we’re testing, breaking, fixing, breaking, and fixing again. While we fixed most of the bugs you reported in the previous months, we are aware that with a new game engine, NEW bugs are going to appear. We are still months away from our Early Access release later this fall and we will do our best to release a great experience for everyone.

Please check our discord server inside #status-and-bugs for a list of Know issues.

[h2]We're Just Getting Started [/h2]



We know there are still some issues, but we didn't want that to stop us from getting 5.1 in your hands! We need your help to keep testing, playing, discovering new bugs, and having FUN. All of us at Paddle Creek Games want to say THANK YOU for being so patient and supportive. You're the reason we're doing all of this and we can't wait for you to see what's coming in the next few months!

Cheers,
Ryan and the folks at Paddle Creek

May Update: New Armor, Weapons, and Status of UE 5.1 Upgrade

Aloha Thrivers,



If you caught our last update you already know we’re upgrading to Unreal Engine 5.1. We’ve been working on this since the beginning of the year but only spilled the beans back in April.



We’ve got some more beauty shots included when you scroll down that are our ‘proof of UE5 life’ since we’re still barreling ahead, fixing bugs, and adjusting systems. The biggest thing holding us back from pushing the new build to our production server is performance.

With the upgrade, we took big leaps on the foliage since we feel like the jungle itself is a character in our game. It grows and provides cover for attacks, a safe place to rest and recover, and also is just gorgeous to look at while you’re exploring paradise.



Another issue we’re tackling is persistence since we know no one wants to lose their loot overnight for no reason. If it’s because your base wasn’t protected properly (i.e. windows without glass aka an open invitation) that’s one thing. But if it’s because the persistence system is not working properly - that’s a totally different story.

As an indie developer with a small team (relative to what we’ve set out to accomplish), we get one shot at introducing the game to new players with as smooth of an experience as possible. We know there will be some hiccups and people who have lower specs on their machines may struggle with higher settings but we’re striving to cut at least stutters and problems that really impact gameplay.

In a Sea of Survival games, We Made the List!


[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Hearing Asmongold talk about our game was a ‘pinch me’ moment.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

A HUGE thanks to Guns, Nerds, and Steel for including us in their Top 10 Upcoming Survival Base Building Games video.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Also big thanks to ENFANT TERRIBLE for their New SURVIVAL BASE BUILDING Games in UNREAL ENGINE 5 mention.

We know there are hundreds of new survival games hitting Steam every day and we’re honored to have been included before we’ve even released our new trailer with footage from UE5!

New Armor, Weapons and More!


We’ve been hard at work on new items and features including fishing, more resources, and many new craftable items. Here's a look at just a few of the biggest new items that will soon be available at a crafting bench near you!

[h3]Post Apocalyptic Armor Ready to Add Buffs [/h3]



We’re really proud of our metal armor design with a helmet inspired by ancient Hawaiian dress. This suit will keep out all but the most determined mutant fangs and focuses on materials readily available to most survivors. Now players have a use for every part of the SSHAM can!









[h3]Guns[/h3]

Whether you’re looking to reach out and say Aloha to a gang of mutants at a distance or just blast a hole in one that’s gotten a little too close, we have a new craftable gun for you built with coconut shells and palm leaves.







UE5.1 Eye Candy - Best shots


We couldn’t ship this update without sharing some eye candy to keep you hyped about how beautiful paradise will be in UE5.1.















Steam Playtest and Pledges?


We get a lot of questions about when the Steam playtests are happening and essentially, until we can push the update to our production server, Steam wants us to wait for a playtest. It’s going to happen but not by the end of May as we’d hoped. It comes down to bugs and performance stutters that would make your play experience frustrating. The last thing we want is players shouting to the game gods, “WHYYY?” So we thought we’d take more time to get it right.

We’ll be announcing the new playtest schedule soon, and we’ll be reloading keys on our pledge page at the same time, so you and your friends can keep playing after the playtest ends.

We know nobody likes delays, but being stuck trying to play a buggy game is even worse. We try to be as transparent as possible with our development and really appreciate the support and understanding of the community. We can’t thank you all enough!

See you in Maui soon, Thrivers!
Ryan & the Paddle Creek Team

[h3]More About Fractured Veil[/h3]

Making the switch to UE 5.1 and the Road Ahead

The Road Ahead


Aloha Thrivers!

This month’s update took us a bit longer - but for a good reason! We’re finally ready to share some exciting news with everyone and show off some of the things we have been working on since the beginning of the year.

[h2]NEW & Improved Unreal Engine 5.1 Here We Come![/h2]

You might be asking yourself, what is Unreal Engine 5? And why are we switching to UE 5.1 now? What does it mean for gameplay and my experience?

You’ve got questions - and we’ve got answers!

[h2]Why upgrade to Unreal Engine 5.1[/h2]

Maui is a tropical paradise even after the apocalypse. Upgrading to UE 5.1 allows us to better capture that natural beauty and do the island’s landscape justice by heightening the immersive experience with foliage that is out of this world.

When Epic released 5.1, we all agreed it would be worth upgrading to give everyone the best player experience possible and also to compete with new games coming out this year. Fractured Veil is currently using version 4.27 - so it's a BIG shift to catch up.

UE 5.1 also comes with a great set of tools and features that allows us to improve the visual quality of the game, dramatically upgrade global lighting, and best of all, significantly increase performance quickly and efficiently.

Take a look at some of these before and after shots, but keep in mind: everything you are about to see is a WORK IN PROGRESS and does not represent the quality of the final release.


Click to Zoom - Unreal Engine 4.27 above. Unreal Engine 5.1 below. CLICK HERE for a BEFORE/AFTER slider.

Let us know what you think about the differences in our Discord Server and Discuss on which one you think is the biggest difference!


Click to Zoom - Unreal Engine 4.27 above. Unreal Engine 5.1 below. CLICK HERE for a BEFORE/AFTER slider.

Any game in the survival genre needs to have an epic day/night cycle.

Click the image above for BEFORE/AFTER

With UE 5.1 they never looked better!

Click the image above for BEFORE/AFTER

Players spawning into the Thorcon might not even recognize our bustling hub of activity and trade thanks to adding Lumen to the world. According to Unreal, “Lumen brings robust dynamic global illumination,” which is reflected in the floors and all of the surfaces of the Thorcon.

Click the image above for BEFORE/AFTER

Expect more deep-dives about Unreal Engine 5.1 and Fractured Veil in the future. This is just a quick (and very early) taste of what is coming. In the coming days, we will be collecting your questions and trying to answer as many as we can in upcoming posts from us.

[h2]Fractured Veil 2023 Roadmap[/h2]
Click the image to Zoom.

We’ve always tried to be transparent in regard to Fractured Veil’s development and are excited to share our 2023 road map! This is just an overview of where we plan on going with more roadmap news coming soon. Some roadmap items:

[h3]Before the Early Access Launch[/h3]
  • Upgrade the game to UE5.1 (Lumen, Nanite, World Partition)
  • Have at least 3 Steam Playtests
  • Implement new features after each playtest

[h3]During the First Early Access Phase[/h3]
  • Fully functional Drone live streaming 24/7
  • NPC Settlements
  • Fishing!
  • New Armour, Food, Weapons
  • New Quests and Trading
  • More Loot and New Enemies
  • Lots of QoL and Performance updates

[h3]In the Months After the First Early Access Release:[/h3]
  • Society Growth
  • New Biomes
  • Clothing, AI Camps, new NPCs
  • Crafting quality, Resting System, Killing Shards
  • Some secrets and more 👀


[h2]New Early Access Release Window [/h2]

With the team focused on bringing tons of improvements to the game, we have made the decision to push back early access until the end of summer 2023. This will give us the time we need to fully integrate Unreal Engine 5.1, as well as work on more gameplay features (hint hint: mahi-mahi for dinner anyone?) to make a more enjoyable and complete player experience.

When we look at the Early Access games market today, especially when it comes to Survival Games, recent releases have set the quality bar much higher than what it used to be when we started this project 7 years ago.

As indie developers, we know we only get one chance to nail this once the floodgates open. Our goal is and always has been to release the best game we can to the public. Pushing back the early access date will mean our community will get to play a much more complete and enjoyable game.


[h2]Upcoming Public Steam Playtests![/h2]


We are working on hosting a number of “Public” Steam Playtests and hope to start signups in early May with the first test later that month. Each playtest will bring a significant amount of changes and new features. Not only will you get your hands on Fractured Veil but, if you join all of them, you’ll get to see those updates as they are added to the game.



Our current plan is to have at least 3 of them before we release the game in Early Access. This will be a great opportunity to have hands-on experience with the game and see the development progress with each playtest. It’s also the perfect time to give us feedback and suggestions on things you think can be improved. Your input helps us prioritize and shape the game, so keep it coming!

We have a few kinks to work out but keep your eyes open for playtest news and an official schedule coming soon!

[h2]Pledge for a copy of FRV and Play Now[/h2]

Last, but not least, we are happy to announce an extension of our Kickstarter campaign which will let folks who missed their chance pledge their support. Here you will be able to pledge the same way we did for our Kickstarter. By doing so, you’ll be able to join the fun and play the game with the rest of our Backers.

Click Here to pledge for a copy of Fractured Veil.

This is something that many of you have been requesting for us for a while and we are super happy to allow more people to help us with testing and sharing their feedback.

See you in Maui, Thrivers!

[h3]More About Fractured Veil[/h3]



Alpha, Kickstarter Success and Dungeons


[h2]Aloha Thrivers![/h2]

We're getting ready to expand our Alpha and bring in more players soon. We've already brought in about 1k players over the course of 6 months from our Kickstarter, with the last batch added a month ago. As with everything game dev related, there were a few hiccups and unexpected issues but for the most part the server didn’t go boom - so we’re pretty happy with that and ready to push it even further with Steam playtests.

We also got a lot of feedback from the players in terms of what’s important to them and what they’d like to see in the future. It helped us set a new list of priorities as we inch closer to Early Access. Now's the time to join our community and tell us what you want to do in the game!


Mahalo Wave 4


Getting everyone who supported our Kickstarter campaign in the game was a huge accomplishment for us and we can’t thank everyone who’s supported us enough! We say it all the time but we couldn’t do it without you. We can’t wait to show you what we have planned for the future. Thanks again for all your help and keeping the Aloha Spirit alive!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We’ve been really keeping our eye on the dungeons and making sure that when you’re underground exploring, you have solid framerates and unique loot to find. We’ve got a long way to go, but here are some of the improvements we made this past month.

Dungeons & Mine Improvements


One thing that sets us apart from other survival games is our diablo-inspired dungeons. So we've made sure to invest some time this month to make sure the Lost Manimal Mines are a lot spookier. We gave them a facelift in the upper tunnels to make them more dynamic and the lighting a bit better. The last thing you want is to not be able to shoot enemies because it's too dark.



Some work to the old living quarters in the levels below to bring in more Hawaiian flare and grunge. After the fracture, everything was neglected and we wanted to make sure nothing came across as too ‘new’ looking.



Now there is also more loot waiting for players to find. We even started working on designs for a DIY spawn bed that players could use to make an optional backup if they get into a tricky situation. Having a spawn point underground will also prevent you from having to go all the way back to the spawn point in the Thorcon which could be a pain.



Armor


Armor has been on our to-do list for a while but so many of you asked about it and offered suggestions about styles and materials that we got to work creating some cheeky concepts from found materials because this is the apocalypse after all. After taking a look at a few of our very first concept designs, head over to our discord to VOTE on your fav!





Cooking Recipes



With 800 new clones running around Maui, it meant we had to start cooking in the kitchen because there are definitely going to be lots of new mouths to feed. We also know how important recipes and ingredients are when you’re trying to survive island-style, so we added a bunch of new cooking recipes and harvestable goodies.

You can make traditional Hawaiian favorites like poi, or for more adventurous palates try a Sloe SSHAM Fizz, or prove your bravery by eating a strangely colored Maui Dog. Best of all, many of these new recipes give players special buffs after eating!




Player Bases


It’s no surprise that with so many new players surviving the wilds of Maui, we’ve seen a lot of new construction and building happening around the island. Honestly, we’ve been blown away by the creativity and designs we’ve seen pop up across the map and the generosity of new players who may or may not be leaving the doors unlocked to share resources with other newcomers.

We want to especially thank Pleione, CapnYeti, Cid, Fluffy, LazurusRising, and Brandan for some of these amazing builds below.













Let us know what you think in the comments or head over to our discord to find out more about playtests and vote on your favorite Armor!

Cheers,
Ryan

[h3]More About Fractured Veil[/h3]

Welcome To Maui Wave 4!

Aloha Thrivers!

The day is finally here - we’ve sent out all of the keys to Wave 4 of our Kickstarter backers. Testing the performance of the game more than ever before, we’re ready to show Lahaina's newest residents everything we've added to the game!

Once everyone in wave 4 has gotten to have an organic first-play experience, we’re hosting "Tours of Maui” answering any questions and chatting about our plans for Early Access. We’re also extending the AMA to anyone who wants to jump into our Discord voice chat and learn more about future plans.

Wave 3 players have been a huge help in bug hunting and improving the game. Bringing 1k players in Wave 4 is preparing things for Early Access as it's the first time we’ve onboarded this many players at once.

Here's everything we've improved or added since Wave 3 back in September 2022.



[h3]Gameplay Updates[/h3]

We’ve improved the Tutorial questline to make the quests clearer and beefed up the rewards. All melee weapons, bows, guns, tools, and loot tables have been rebalanced to be more intuitive and natural.

New “World Vendors” have been placed beyond the Thorcon and starting area selling anything a survivor needs to thrive.



[h3]Crafting and Harvesting Improvements[/h3]

We’ve added clothing that boosts various combat and harvesting stats. Trees and plants drop resources besides wood and fiber now. We’ve added new consumables and many new cooking and crafting recipes.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with ingredients when you’re grilling over a campfire. You might be surprised to see what you can cook up!



[h3]Combat and Encounters[/h3]

The siege system has been overhauled, and we’ve reworked our encounter design so you'll notice difficulty increasing as you explore the map farther away from the starting area.

Mutant Villages have been improved and offer some really rewarding loot, especially in the deeper zones, if you can survive.

We’re so excited to welcome all the new players and don’t forget - if you’ve already gotten a key from a giveaway, as a playtester, or in a previous wave it STILL WORKS! Until we launch in Early Access, your key is valid so jump back in and have some fun!

[h3]More About Fractured Veil[/h3]