Voidtrain News

Hi there,

Get ready to board the Voidtrain because the Steam release is less than three days away! While we've already shared an update on the improvements and changes made to the game, we realize that we haven't given a comprehensive overview of the key features that you can expect in the upcoming version of Voidtrain. So, let's set that right now and get you excited for what's in store.

Here are the main game features of the current version:

[h2]1. Character movement in the Void
[/h2]
Just jump off the trolley or train and allow the Void to pick you up. While in the Void, you can use a safety rope to attach yourself to the train's cars and reach necessary resources or points of interest. As you progress through the game, you'll unlock a winch and rings, enabling you to explore deeper areas of the Void. These features are particularly useful for Puzzle Islands and other areas where the game allows exploration.

[h2]2. Resource gathering
[/h2]
At the start of the game, you'll gather resources manually. But as you advance, you can unlock the grappling hook, which makes looting much easier. And when you reach later stages, you can construct the Collector Station - a sizable train module where your pets can automatically collect resources while the train is in motion.

[h2]3. Technology and train development[/h2]

You can use the Research Table to research technologies, discover new structures, upgrades, and crafting recipes for your character and train. Small objects and interior items can be built using the Crafting Book, while large objects and units require the depot. You can develop up to the diesel era, with mechanical, steam, and diesel engines available. To unlock decorative items for the train and walls, feed your pets - Rofleemo - special mushrooms obtained from chests. Rofleemo will share one or several recipes with you, which will appear in your Crafting Book.

[h2]4. Enemy Trains, Outposts and Depots[/h2]

Get ready for exciting chases as enemy soldiers on their trains try to interfere with your investigation of the Void's mysterious history and loot resources from your train. Be cautious as boarding can be dangerous, for the soldiers will attack and damage the train's structures.

But enemy trains are not the only danger awaiting you in the Void. There are also Outposts - obstacles that block the path and are guarded by soldiers. Initially, you must defeat the enemies to disable the barrier device. Later, you can build rams to destroy the outpost barriers quickly, but be mindful of the durability of the rams, or else you'll have to build them again.

Finally, you’ve got the Depot, which serves as the main hub for building trains, collecting loot, and opening chests. However, it's also a battlefield where you will encounter enemy soldiers.

[h2]5. Witch Islands[/h2]

These are puzzle-filled hubs located deep in the Void, marked by swarms of fireflies. Each hub offers up to three types of puzzles, which can earn you valuable loot and mushrooms for Rofleemo. However, beware of the dangerous Void fauna present in these peaceful locations.

[h2]6. Arena Islands
[/h2]
Arena islands are infested with swarms of insects and overseen by the mysterious Arena Keeper, who assigns you trials to complete. There are five waves in total, with more valuable rewards for progressing further. You can choose to stop and claim a minimal reward for the waves you have already completed, or risk continuing for greater rewards. If you fail, you receive a consolation prize in the form of a small amount of basic resources.

[h2]7. Other points of interest or danger[/h2]

There are a couple of smaller, yet compelling features to keep you entertained in the Void. For instance, abandoned trains - not only reminders that adventures can be dangerous, but also an additional source of loot hidden inside them.

And beware of Minefields - always keep an eye on the horizon, as soldiers have left mine barriers in some areas. There are two types of them: sensor and magnetic. Sensor mines react to speeds above normal, while magnetic mines attach to the train with magnetic force. You can either explode them or try to defuse them to obtain resources.

[h2]8. Taming Rofleemo Pets
[/h2]
Your Rofleemo pets are not just cute companions, but they also have unique skills and specializations. It's important to study them carefully and assign them to work based on their abilities to gain the maximum benefit from them.

[h2]9. Modular Weapons[/h2]
At the start of the game, you are equipped with a revolver as your basic weapon. However, as the enemies become stronger and you develop your character, you can unlock more powerful weapons. All weapons in the game are modular, allowing you to insert various modules found in the game on a workbench to optimize their performance. Additionally, you will find weapon frames with a slot for cores that unlock a unique firing mode for the weapon. There are three types of cores available: Ice Storm, Flamethrower, and Annihilator.

[h2]10. Prophecies
[/h2]
A game mechanic that modifies your path by weighing the pros and cons. For example, you can increase the amount of iron in the Void, but in exchange, you may face more leeches or encounter two sharks instead of one.

[h2]11. Creatures and enemies on your way
[/h2]
Void Fauna:

1. Sharks - the main enemy of the Void, cunning beasts that always try to quickly escape into the depths of the misty distances if they sense danger.
   
2. Leeches - won't cause damage, but if not kept in check, they will stick to the train and significantly slow it down.
   
3. Void Fish - completely peaceful creatures. Main source of leather and fat.
   
4. Pufferfish - inhabitants of the Witch Islands. Be careful.
   
5. Void Whale - a peaceful creature, hovering somewhere in the distance and howling its sad songs. You're unlikely to ever see it up close. Or maybe you will...
   
6. Creatures of darkness. Data is classified.
   

Soldiers of the New Light:

1. Soldiers. Armed with revolvers and don't wear armor.
   
2. Officers. Soldiers in armor, can be armed with primary weapons and revolvers in the early stages.
   
3. Commanders. Huge and armored enemies, armed with powerful primary weapons.
   

Swarm of Insects (Arena):

1. Soldier beetles. The weakest, but most numerous in waves. Their main attack is melee, but they can also spit acid if their target tries to take cover at a height.
   
2. Spitting beetles. Unable to fight in close range, they aim for their target from afar and accurately spit acid at them.
   
3. Bombardier beetles. Smaller species that try to jump closer to you, puff up, and spray everyone around with dangerous acid.
   
4. Tank beetles. Huge beetles covered in thick chitinous armor. They have all types of attacks and are extremely dangerous. Encountered in later waves of the arena.
   

We’ve dedicated a significant amount of time and effort into developing these features and hope you find them enjoyable. However, we are always open to feedback, so please don't hesitate to let us know your thoughts. While we're proud of what we've achieved so far, we're far from done working on Voidtrain yet.

Here's our roadmap for future updates:



https://store.steampowered.com/app/1159690/Voidtrain/

Hi everyone,

We're thrilled to announce that Voidtrain is finally coming to Steam on May 9 with a sweet 10% launch discount prepared for you.

Global release timings:

• May 9, 9:00 AM PT
  
• May 9, 11:00 AM CT
  
• May 9, 12:00 PM ET
  
• May 9, 1:00 PM BRT
  
• May 9, 4:00 PM GMT
  
• May 9, 6:00 PM CET
  
• May 10, 12:00 AM (Beijing)

To mark this truly momentous occasion, we've released a brand new trailer that's now live on the IGN YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcm_54Pv5mw

And if that's not enough to get your engines revving, here comes a sneak peek of what to expect from Voidtrain on release. We've grouped all the latest improvements into easily digestible blocks, so you won't miss a thing.

[h2]Story[/h2]

We've added a new backstory, a prologue, and the first chapter to the plotline, which follows a group of engineers who find themselves in the mysterious Void. Using a scientist's diary, the heroes venture forward into the unknown to unravel the mystery of this world and what has happened to them. The upcoming version of Voidtrain features unique locations, quests, cutscenes, and lore presented through narration, diary notes, and visuals.

[h2]Journal[/h2]

The journal (or more accurately, the diary of a scientist) is where all the quests, notes, and everything related to the plot is stored. However, from a visual perspective, we have made it more immersive than a typical interface, and it is now literally a journal in your hands, where the character not only sees their progress in the quests, but also makes sketches, notes, and collects materials found during the story.

[h2]Game Balance[/h2]
We have completely rebuilt the entire game progression and balance. This is reflected in the following aspects:

1) Progression is structured to introduce new mechanics or plot developments every game cycle, avoiding the frustration of stagnant gameplay bits and storylines.

2) Game balance has been improved by doubling resource stacks, reducing recipe costs, making moving objects on the train cost-free and rebalancing resources in the Void and other locations based on player feedback.

[h2]NPC system[/h2]

If you've played Voidtrain, then you already know who Rofleemo are, but if not - they're cute, big-eyed creatures that become your pets at some point in the story. Due to their popularity, they will be expanded upon in the upcoming update into a full-fledged NPC system. Rofleemo will literally become part of the train team, able to move around it, take care of everyday tasks, and more actively influence the gameplay with their specialization and presence on the train. For instance, they’ll be capable of resource auto-collection, teleportation of chests, and applying buffs to players. Oh, and no more cells - Rofleemo will be free to live, eat, and dance on the train!

[h2]Depot Internal Parts Generator[/h2]

Previously in the game, pre-made locations in the form of several unique depots were used. We have revised this approach and now use modular generation from prepared areas that adapts to the player's progression. Quest-related areas are connected via plot location modules, while regular areas use a variety of location modules. This generates more variability in both gameplay and visuals, making each depot experience unique. No longer will players have to prepare for the same location pattern, as the generator assembles locations differently each time with a chance, creating a more dynamic gaming experience.

On top of that, we've added a vending machine to the depot, where, if you are lucky enough, you can find the resource you need and exchange it for the one you don't.

[h2]Prophecy System[/h2]

The core mechanic remains the same: find prophecies, apply them, and modify your path. Need more iron? Sure, but be ready for extra danger. Want more wood? The Void is generous, but it comes at a cost. We've improved the visual and narrative aspects of this balancing act, making it more engaging and immersive.

[h2]Enemy AI[/h2]

We know that our audience has a demand for better in-game AI. And while the launch on Steam is not the end point for this area of work, we have made a number of improvements that will make battles even more interesting:

1) Added a new creature, the Tank Beetle, to the swarm of bugs on islands.
2) Improved AI, worked out wayfinding and navigation, and added new skills against multiple players for the swarm.
3) Reduced arenas to 5 waves and rebalanced battles for greater dynamics.
4) Made battles more challenging and added the Arena Master
5) Improved AI for soldiers at depots and outposts, including pathfinding, cover usage, hit reactions, and many other minor improvements that are part of the process of gradually improving the skills of opponents.

[h2]Shark[/h2]

Separately from the general AI, it is worth noting this Void monster. We've improved its AI, which now builds a path to catch up with the player more accurately and observes their behavior before attacking. For future updates, we plan to introduce more mutations of the shark to make it an even more formidable predator.

[h2]Train Modules[/h2]

The Steam release and new update bring expanded train modifications, including armor shields and battering rams. These upgrades will help you survive enemy train attacks and break through barriers on the tracks.

[h2]UI and gamepad support[/h2]
We are constantly working to improve the control system, both for individual game mechanics through interfaces (improving their UX and visuals), as well as overall game controls, including support for gamepads.

[h2]Crossplay between Steam and EGS[/h2]
If your friends have already purchased the game on EGS and you plan to buy Voidtrain on Steam, don't worry, as you will be able to easily synchronize and play in the same session as if you were playing on the same platform.

[h2]Localization of the game into new languages[/h2]
We have translated the game to 11 languages so that more people around the world can embark on an exciting adventure on their own train!

[h2]Fixes and Optimization[/h2]
The current public version of Voidtrain in EGS is 8678, while the version currently in the repository at the time of writing this sentence is 10679 - and this value increases every day. More than 2,000 commits with innovations, improvements, and fixes have been added to the project. Hundreds of bug reports have been taken into account in our daily work to improve the quality of Voidtrain. And although we understand that there will still be some shortcomings in the game's journey through Early Access, our small team is doing its best to ensure that our attentive and demanding players have fewer reasons to report bugs.

—

Quite overwhelming, huh? We hope you’re as excited as we are! Be sure to add Voidtrain to your wishlist and bring your friends to play together on May 9 - we’ll be waiting for you in the vastness of the Void!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1159690/Voidtrain/

[h2]It is finally happening! Be sure to save the date: May 3rd, as we unveil the official (and... final) exact launch date for Voidtrain on Steam.[/h2]

Get ready to watch a stunning new trailer and discover all the exciting features of the game's upcoming version - we cannot wait to share this with you.

Meanwhile, make sure to add Voidtrain to your wishlist and follow us on Steam. The adventure of a voidtime is just around the corner!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1159690/Voidtrain/

Hi everyone,

First of all, we would like to thank all of you who played the demo, provided feedback, and added the game to your wishlist. Voidtrain received over 150,000 new wishlists in just one week, which is something we couldn't have imagined. We greatly appreciate it! We are closely monitoring all of the feedback and have already begun incorporating the corresponding changes into the game, so your contribution cannot be overestimated.

[h3]At the same time, we understand that seven days might not be enough time for everyone to play, so the Voidtrain demo will remain available for an additional week, until February 20![/h3]

A quick reminder: your feedback is still very welcome - you can leave it either in the Steam Discussions or on our Discord server.

Be sure to wishlist the full game if you enjoyed the demo, and stay tuned - we’ll soon have something exciting to share with you again!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1159690/Voidtrain/

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1159690/Voidtrain/