SCP: Fragmented Minds News

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]



Hey everyone!

The wait is almost over! We are incredibly excited to share that we are finally ready to enter the Early Access phase of SCP: Fragmented Minds on January 27th! After a long and intense journey, the time has come for you to step into the mysterious halls of Site-113 and experience the story that awaits. You'll start to encounter iconic SCPs, unravel the mysteries of the Foundation’s darkest secrets, and meet some interesting characters.

This first chapter is your gateway into the story, creatures, and overarching mission that will define your journey across Site-113. We’ve completely overhauled the mechanics, NPCs, and creatures based on your feedback from the demo two years ago, and we can’t wait to see how you engage with this brand-new experience.

Of course, this is just the beginning, and we will be adding more chapters down the line as they get developed. Early Access players will play a key role in shaping the game as we continue to develop and release additional chapters. Your feedback will help us craft a truly unique and memorable experience that does justice to the amazing world set up in the SCP universe.

Don't miss out! Add SCP: Fragmented Minds to your wishlist with the button on the top right to stay updated on when it launches, and join our Discord to connect with other players, ask questions, and share your thoughts on the game with the developers directly!

With your help, we will make this a truly incredible experience.



Thank you so much for following along with us these last few years, and we will see what's left of you in Site-113!


- HST Studios

You can find our latest Devlog here on YouTube, enjoy!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Hey everyone!

We’re stoked to announce that we are officially partnering with indie.io!

Wait -- what does a publisher do?

For those of you who may not know, working with a game publishing platform like indie.io greatly helps indie developers focus on game development while they handle all the behind-the-scenes magic. From helping manage store pages to crafting marketing campaigns and even helping the game shine at both digital and live events, indie.io helps in all the aspects that indie developers often struggle with alone.

Why did you choose indie.io?

While we had several offers from various publishers, we decided to go with indie.io since other developers on games we are familiar with mentioned they were very easy to work with and helped them reach more players through console porting and localization among other things. When we first approached indie.io they were extremely serious about taking the game to the next level right off the bat, and they actually gave us some really insightful information about the current gaming world even before we decided to partner with them – so the choice for us was pretty clear.
During the initial talks we were having with them, there was a real interest in what SCP was as a whole too, and seeing this interest in the SCP community was awesome since we think this shared context will help us create and share the best version of SCP: Fragmented Minds that there can be to you.
We’re quite excited to have this partnership and hope that we can reach new players outside of those familiar with SCP and give them something that’s a great, high-quality introduction to the world and creatures that we’ve all come to know and love.

For those of you who want to learn more about indie.io, and maybe even check out some of their other titles, you can follow this link:

https://store.steampowered.com/publisher/indieio


Also, don’t forget to wishlist the game and join our discord to get notified when Early Access goes live as well as other important news!

Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/3eBHnru

[h3]Hey everyone![/h3]


These last two months have mainly focused on playtesting and creating/polishing some of the final mechanics and areas that will be visited throughout Chapter One. We have also been hard at work on some fun cinematic and gameplay animations that will make the environment more interactive as you make your way through it.


[h3]Playtesting Information:[/h3]

About a week ago, we started doing a 2nd large-scale playtest with all of the Kickstarter backers and some third parties, and have begun to modify things in the game based on that invaluable feedback. The first couple of playtests are always a bit nerve-wracking as reports of extremely strange bugs and enemy interactions come in, but we are happy to say that we have ironed out most of the major issues and will be continuing to improve based on feedback until launch -- and then for the foreseeable future after that!


[h3]New Cinematic Animations: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Since we have started to work on the actual sequence that will take place in Chapter 1, we wanted to begin setting up some of the animations that will play and give life to the events that take place in this chapter.


There are a couple more cinematic animations to do, but these above are some of the smaller ones we are about to implement for some events that happen to the player as they make their way into Site-113.


[h3]Prop Animations: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Along with a couple of new animations for the player, we have also been working on creating some animations for various props that will be encountered throughout the game. These interactable and animated props help breathe life into the environment, and we are very excited for players to encounter them since they're all included in some pretty important sequences.


A couple of these props still need their sounds implemented, which you will see as a general theme throughout most of the videos, but luckily we will be working on a large sound overhaul this month and the next -- so things should start coming together for that pretty quickly.


[h3]New Props [Bathroom]:[/h3]



We've recently created some props for various types of bathrooms that players can find throughout the game, this was mainly to give spaces a "lived-in" feeling and allow certain areas of the facility to look as though they would be part of an actual massive facility housing thousands of employees.


Some of these props are planned to be interactable too, so we encourage players to attempt to mess around with them and see if they can figure out how to "break" them open.


[h3]New Props [Oil Spills, Signage, Cords]:[/h3]



In order to populate the environments more and give extra details to certain areas, we have been working on some extra props to fill in some areas with things that make sense and, as we will see a little later in this post, can also have a pretty large impact on gameplay if used correctly.


We've been creating some signage to help guide players around the facility too, as well as a couple of fans and other props which will be animated and make things feel even more alive in the areas you'll be visiting.


[h3]Quintet Soda and Vending Machine: [/h3]



[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Because we are kind of obsessed with small details, we have been working on an in-universe soda/energy drink company called Quintet. You'll be able to find and purchase various drinks from vending machines located around the facility, and this mechanic should even be available in Chapter One!


These drinks have a small use too, and they'll be able to restore some health or give a temporary boost to energy depending on the version you come across. For reference, the Quintet+ bottles are the energy drink version which will give a small boost to stamina while the normal Quintet bottles contain the soda variation which will heal you.


The vending machines themselves help introduce the idea of an in-universe currency system that will be stored on your special keycard and available to see in your Codex. This currency will be used to purchase things from vending machines like these and also used to buy things from merchants -- so be sure to have some spare credits!


[h3]Information Kiosk: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We've been working on some fun interactable signage that will display information about various containment chambers, locations, and facts that players can take a look at throughout their journey in the site. These kiosks can also sometimes have interactable buttons that will impact something in the environment --- so if you see one be sure to take a closer look!


[h3]SCP-3199's Fleshy Nests: [/h3]



To really amp up the SCP-3199 environments, we've started creating some subtle fleshy tendrils and other bits that are used by SCP-3199s as a safe place to nest and lay their special eggs. It's in these nests that you can expect to find a very large infestation of the creatures with the Elder variants being particularly aggressive to protect their young.


These areas are still WIP but the flesh is pretty much done and ready to be placed around the nests and surrounding areas to create a very disgusting location that will be an interesting place to traverse regardless of the playstyle you choose.


[h3]Interaction Animations [Valve and Door Prying]: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

As you roam around Site-113, you'll come across various obstacles and puzzles that need to be solved for you to progress. One example of this is the new interactable valves, which can be used to turn on or off gas lines and can be used to set traps or even block enemies off your back if used in conjunction with the welder. Of course, like a lot of the puzzles there is more than one way to solve it and fire extinguishers can simply be thrown at them to extinguish the flame and allow one to safely pass through.


Another example of an interaction mechanic is the new pryable doors, which will be sprinkled around and used to break up certain sections by requiring the player to interact with them before they can pass through. We have a very specific use case for these in mind -- which you will all see when you play!


Also, do not worry about the number of QTEs that are being showcased -- we are making sure to spread them out as well as adding an optional accessibility setting that will allow them to be completed by holding the corresponding button rather than tapping it.


[h3]Improved Tunnel Lighting: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

As part of our ongoing improvements to the overall lighting within Chapter One, we have been experimenting with certain new lighting methods and have been able to get some very pretty water-caustic effects that are quite performance-friendly. This, along with some new post-processing and volumetric fog effects, has started to make the newly lit areas of the game look very pretty while also maintaining a lot of performance through carefully set-up static lighting.


These areas are coming together very nicely and we cannot wait to show them off in our trailer and for you to see them in-game!


[h3]Dome Interior [WIP]: [/h3]



In the last update, we saw this dome section coming together and we are happy to say it's now fully put together in-game! Of course, it still needs forestation, ice, and the disgusting flesh that are all staples of the three unique zones you'll be visiting in Site-113.


We will be putting it together over the coming months though to record some really cool cinematics in there, so you can expect to see updates with this massive area for the next couple of months!


[h3]New Mechanics [Fire Propagation and Fire Extinguishers]: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


Interaction with the environment is a core gameplay pillar of SCP: Fragmented Minds, and we have been designing some new mechanics to allow players to actually utilize their environment to trap enemies or even impact the environment itself to open up new ways through levels.


We've created a new system for fire that allows the welder to be used essentially as a match to ignite puddles of oil or gas leaks -- which can have devastating effects if there are any nearby flammable objects.


However, to also allow players to put out the fires that will exist in the environment, we have also set up new fire extinguishers that can be used to extinguish flames and even freeze enemies -- a mechanic we used in the demo we released way back when and wanted to bring back!


The sounds for these mechanics will be implemented shortly too, so stick around to hear how those will sound since we are using a new audio middleware program that gives a lot finer grain control over how audio sounds than we previously had.


[h3]Combat Mechanic Update [Damage Animations]: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


We have been doing some playtesting recently, and a lot of testers wanted us to add animations to help understand when they are actually doing damage to enemies. Since then, we have created a procedural animation system that will play when hitting an enemy and makes it extremely apparent when you have done damage to an enemy and when they are stunned.


[h3]Physics-Driven Doors: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

While most of the doors you'll see around the game are variations of airlocks or vent hatches, we wanted a type of door that can be affected by the environment and by enemies. We have since made a special type of door that can simply be opened just by walking through it or kicking it but can also be opened by props and various random creatures that might want to take a peek at what's behind them.


[h3]Crane Platforms: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

There are several areas in the game where platforming is absolutely encouraged and a new feature will be a form of moving crane platforms that can be used to traverse the environment in different ways -- or can be used to get back up to a certain spot if you're unfortunate enough to have fallen down. Platforms like this will usually need to be activated and powered through a crane controller, so make sure to always look around for one nearby.


[h3]Controller Support: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Something we have been working on recently is ensuring the game has controller support natively baked in, and we are happy to report that we are starting to switch up all the controls to be compatible with controller and making sure they are hot swappable so players can pick and choose how they want to play without the inconvenience of needing to restart to switch input methods.


This is still heavily WIP but it's coming along quite nicely and we are so excited to see players able to use multiple input methods to play how they like!


[h3]UI Overhaul: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We have begun switching over all the developer testing UI to the actual final UI designs that will be found throughout the entire game, and we just finished up with the save station UI and hacking PDA UI and are currently in the process of finishing up the inventory UI.


There are still a couple more big UI pieces like the HUD and settings menus that need to be finished up, but you can expect to see those likely in the next update!


[h3]SCP-049:[/h3]

It's a loosely kept secret that we have officially finished our design of SCP-049, and while we would love to share all the fun images of him here, we want to really do him justice and will be making a small animated reveal trailer with his design instead! You can expect that in the coming months, so make sure to subscribe to our YouTube so you don't miss that!


[h3]What's coming next? [/h3]

Over this month and the coming ones, we'll be doing a lot of sound implementation to get everything switched over to our new audio system. However, we will also be doing most of the remaining sequencing stuff and some fun NPC animations that have actual face motion so we can't wait to see how those turn out. We will also be finishing up the remaining UI bits and adding the last little tweaks based on playtesting that should help make the experience all the more enjoyable and fun to play.


We're also working on getting the last remaining cutscenes and voice lines done to wrap up pretty much everything that's left before we can call Chapter One done -- and we are so incredibly excited to share it with you when it launches!


We will have an official release date for Chapter One set in the coming months, so keep an eye out!


[h3]THANK YOU! [/h3]

[h3]Hey everyone, and welcome to another mega update![/h3]


This month and last we have been hard at work getting things settled with the first official playtest, and we are very happy to share that we have made some substantial stability enhancements with this new feedback as well as some small tweaks to features and how things are presented.


[h3]Kickstarter Playtesting News:[/h3]


One of the most nail-biting periods during the game development cycle is when players first get their hands on a playtesting copy of the game since even the most tried and tested systems are bound to break when players play just a bit differently.


During our first round of playtesting, we found plenty of bugs both big and small with some notable ones giving some very comical moments throughout the testing period. However, we released a couple of hotfixes during this time and fixed most of the large bugs, which has taken the game to a MUCH more stable state in general.


We have a vast array of notes for general improvements based on the current feedback, but of course, we are always open to more.


For those of you Kickstarter backers who have not gotten the opportunity to test – fear not! We will be opening up testing in batches and these batches will include all Kickstarter backers from $50 and up. We are currently testing with $100 backers and up to get the big fixes out of the way and then will be adding more sequencing and finalized pieces to the game to polish it out to completion. During this time, playtesting will be open and will remain that way until launch so playtesters can test as much or as little as they’d like while we push changes to the game based on their feedback.


[h3]Space Hangar 07: [/h3]







[h3]Workplace Hazard [Unfinished Cave]: [/h3]









Despite a plethora of OSHA violations, Site-113 is an ever-expanding facility that needs to make room for new areas to do research, store items, and even store anomalies. In order to do this, they cut deep channels into the crust of Mars and begin to tunnel massive sections out to fortify them and prepare roadways and transport tunnels.


In some cases, complications may arise from active magma tubes which, if left unchecked, can have catastrophic consequences for any surrounding architecture that cannot withstand the heat (human flesh included).


[h3]Train Station [Non-Final Lighting]: [/h3]













The most important method of transportation between the auxiliary terminals and the inside of the Main Site-113 station are several rail systems that link each distinctive zone together. Each rail line starts and ends with a train station, which generally houses two sets of tracks for inbound and outgoing trains.


There will be looting opportunities in these stations since they were once a bustling hub of site personnel going between the Space Hangars to the inside of the facility, and for those departing from Site-113 back to Earth.


[h3]The Lobby: [/h3]







A key location you will become very familiar with is the Lobby. Here you will find access to several locations throughout Chapter One, and will experience some pretty important plot events here.

We are really excited about this environment too since it has an extra special surprise in it that we cannot wait for players to experience. It's our first time trying something like it out and we hope everyone enjoys what we have planned.


[h3]Advanced Lighting Test: [/h3]











As part of our ongoing visual enhancements, we have begun testing fog as well as different types of post-processing effects and special lighting profiles. We are quite happy with how these changes are coming along but there is still more we'd like to do before we call anything final.

We will be sharing more lighting enhancement updates as development progresses, but these environments will also be seen in-game too -- so let us know what you think about the changes as you see them implemented in-game!


[h3]Concept Art [Reality Anchor]:[/h3]





Reality Anchors are an incredibly complex device used by The SCP Foundation to help stabilize reality and stave off effects created by reality-bending entities. The device is designed to be portable in order to accompany MTF units into the field as well as allow it to be safely stored and deployed quickly in emergencies.


The in-game usage of the Reality Anchor is something you will see in a later chapter, but it's got quite the impact on gameplay and we are very excited to be developing some really cool mechanics alongside this device that we think players will love.


[h3]Concept Art [Explosive Barrels and ID Card Readers]: [/h3]





Those of you who played the demo may have encountered our explosive barrels, which fit the demo's style and look pretty well. However, we have decided we want to redo their look to match the new style we have for the game and have come up with a design that we think fits the look and is easily distinguishable, which should allow them to be used to great effect when zapped with your trusty welder!


Something we are going to be trying out is the idea of using the keycard mechanic to activate certain terminals as well as being able to use personnel keycards to unlock their personal computer to get data, open things, and just generally interact with the world in a deeper manner. This is something that may be seen in Chapter One, but that really just depends on the time constraints. You can expect to see it in Chapter Two and beyond though.


[h3]Inside Site-113 [Early Architecture]: [/h3]















Those of you who have been following the project for a while probably are very familiar with the first concept image we have posted of the interior of Site-113. After much planning, tweaking, and designing we have finally completed most of the architecture that is required to actually create that beautiful concept shot in-game.


This has been an incredible environment to create since it clearly ties everything you will be doing together and gives a drop-dead gorgeous view of the interior of Site-113 that is going to be a real spectacle to look at. Of course, there are many adjustments still to do to these architectural pieces such as adding the forestation, ice, and flesh but these will be done in the coming months and we should have it ready to go for people to experience in Chapter 2 and beyond!


[h3]New Animations [SCP-3199 Elder Door Pry]: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

There is something distinctly terrifying about not being truly safe -- even when behind closed doors. This effect is key to making players uncomfortable and we absolutely wanted to bring an atmosphere like this to the game.


In order to do this, we decided it would be fun to enable the SCP-3199 Elders to pry open doors if they know the player is behind them or if there is some noise in there that they would like to investigate. After an elder prys open a door, it will break and remain open forever -- which can give players an easy escape should they juke past an Elder that is searching for them.


[h3]New Animations [Valve Spin]:[/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Environmental interaction is a cornerstone of SCP: Fragmented Minds, and we have started making a couple of animations for the player interacting with items in the environment which can be used to dynamically change what is going on around the player and even to kill enemies if used properly.


[h3]Sequence Animations [Waking Up and Cryopod]: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

One of the last things we have left to work on are these special sequence animations that help tell the story of the game and immerse players into the world through various events that happen around them.

Those who played the demo might remember we had some sequence animations, and these new ones are a massive improvement in quality over those previous animations. We are super excited to finish these animations up as well as the associated voice acting and audio design, so make sure to keep a lookout for the next update or just experience them in-game for yourself!


[h3]Power Core System: [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Puzzles are a large gameplay element, and we have started designing the Power Core System, which will act as an enhancement to the Fuse Box system. These power cores can be found in various places in the world and used to power generators, specific doors, or even whole Fuse Boxes to provide an extra layer of challenge and progression to the existing power-based puzzle system.


We are also planning on allowing players to throw broken power cores to shock nearby enemies and water, which can make these handy cores even more useful as an actual weapon to combat the hordes of creatures you'll find throughout the game.


[h3]What's Next? [/h3]


For the next couple of months, until launch, we are planning on running several phases of playtests to test the new mechanics, sequencing, voice acting, and hunt down and squash all the bugs we possibly can to create the most polished experience possible.


We will also be adding some cool fire mechanics in shortly as well as the throwable fire extinguishers which will have a similar function to the Cryo Grenades you might have tried out in the demo. These will be useful in dealing with enemies and putting out environmental hazards wherever you may find them.


Puzzles are also a main focus of the coming months, and we will be building out the functionality to ensure that they function properly and are fun to interact with as well as recording all the dialogue to go along with them. It's going to be a pretty packed couple of months up to launch and we are just so eager for players to get their hands on everything that has been created!


We are going to be showing off an extra special new SCP that we have been working on shortly -- so make sure to stick around for it's reveal!


[h3]Special Thanks: [/h3]


We are quickly coming up on the one-year anniversary of working with our amazing programmer Matthew (known as Radinque). He has done an incredible job of bringing the AI to life, creating really unique mechanics, and polishing up the advanced movement system to a point that we could not have dreamed up -- and that is just scratching the surface.


The team is extremely grateful to have him on board and we are so excited to see what the next year brings -- so thank you Matthew for all your fantastic work!


LIKE ALWAYS THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING SUPPORT!