BLACK STIGMA News

[Character Introduction]

• Codename: Mr. Parabellum (Affiliation: Master)
• Role within the organization: The armorer for AS
  
• Real name: Alberto [Noble, bright]
  

He is a legend within the contract killing world. He may have the face of a weak, benign, old dog, but he does not hesitate to use cruel methods to get the job done, which resulted in him becoming a source of fear among the other hitmen.
After witnessing him survive after pushing ahead with countless reckless attacks and infiltration, people started calling him "Specter," the ghost with Lady Luck on his side.

[Position]
- Striker

• He is an expert in small arms, especially handguns, to the point where he would have no problem handling any gun in the world. He is also quite obsessed with the process of preparing his weapon of choice.
  

[Specs]

• Age: 36
  
• Height: 186cm
  
• Weight: 73kg
  
• Sport: Aikido
  
• Physique: Long and slim
  
• Rival: Gray Hand
  
• Associate: Mr. Ten
  
• Likes: Gun maintenance, making bullets
  
• Dislikes: Small talk, meddling
  

[Character Attributes] “You want my gun? Well, let's see how you deal with guns?”

• All of his love is focused on the handgun he is holding. A prayer to Lady Luck, and a kiss to his gun. To him, the kiss holds great power, as if it brings good luck.
  
• He is 185cm tall, has a slim figure, and is highly proficient in the use of firearms.
  
• His real name "Alberto" not only means "noble," but also represents "bright," "family," and "friendship."
  
• His indifferent face, which is difficult to read, exudes lethargy and puts people on edge. Since his only interests are firearms and suits, he prefers classic and fine attire.
  
• Even gunsmiths are jealous of his excellent repairing and remodeling skills, so the guns that are said to have been handled by Mr. Parabellum are coveted by everyone in the field. However, he believes in the superstition that his luck is only sustained by his guns. If he doesn't get injured during a mission, he assumes that the gun died in his place, and dismantles the gun.
  

[Personality]

• He is apathetic about most things and rarely expresses his feelings towards the other members of Master. He is only interested in guns and has named every gun he owns.
  
• His indifferent face, which is difficult to read, exudes lethargy and puts people on edge.
  

[Relationships]

• He is very loyal to the organization and the team. This caused conflict between him and Mr. Hollow Point, who has the opposite nature.
  
• He is friends with Ms. One. They have been comfortable with each other for a very long time, and that has caused them to influence each other's combat styles significantly.
  

[Physical Attributes]

• Tall, long limbs, short hair Is growing a short beard.
  
• He is multiethnic and has both eastern and western features.
  : He has a European body and face, and East Asian eyes and hair.
  

[Character Object]

• Broken gun : Represents his love and care for all guns.
  

[Habits]

• He has a habit of unconsciously kissing his gun before a battle begins.
  

[Hobbies]

• Naming guns
  : There are over 100 guns that he has named so far.
  
• Observing and feeding stray animals (such as dogs and cats)
  

[Character Introduction]

• Codename: Mr. Ten[https://steamcommunity.com/games/1277530/announcements/detail/3677800769861028421] (Affiliation: AS_Masters)

Role within the organization: Acting leader of AS
Real name: Antonio [Priceless]

He was a close ally to Mr. One, the previous leader of AS, up until Mr. One was killed in action. Mr. Ten was mainly in charge of rubbing elbows with political figures of various countries and business networking.
He has no trouble socializing and forming relationships due to his outgoing personality, but he is uncompromising about the people who betray his trust and will reevaluate their relationship. As a result of his resolute nature and competence, members of AS expect him to be the next leader.

[Position]
- Markman

• Almost instinctively observes others' movements.
  
• Possesses the ability to move near a target with minimum distance and movement after processing the information of surrounding objects and people.
  

[Specs]

• Age: 41
  
• Height: 190cm
  
• Weight: 110kg
  
• Physique: Heavy / muscular
  
• Sport: Boxing
  
• Rival: Mr. Anyone
  
• Associate: Mr. Parabellum
  
• Likes: Hard liquor, cigars
  
• Dislikes: Self-indulgence, trickery
  

[Character Attributes] "With good things, there are sad things... Why don't you focus on what you can do?"
He often gives a halfhearted smile with sorrowful eyes that shroud a deeper story that cannot be told.

• "Antonio" is a name given by his mother, inspired by the same name in a biography of an ancient historical figure.
  
• He's been sticking to his long, gray hair, which fits his appearance as a stern man in his 40s. He has a beard, but it is less noticeable than that of Mr. Parabellum.
  
• He has a faint scar on his face. He was injured with a knife as a child, but the scar faded as the years passed.
  
• He is surprisingly not a fan of weak alcohol and avoids strong cigarettes. It is the polar opposite of Mr. Hollow Point.
  
• The watch on his right wrist was left to him by his father.
  

[Personality]

• He does not have many enemies due to his kind, polite, and cool personality. It is very rare to see a personality like this among people who kill for a living.
  
• His fellow colleagues speculate that his personality was not always the same. Those who have seen him since he was 13 claim he used to have a different personality. It is believed that, after going through numerous incidents within the organization, he has become more relaxed and can now keep composure no matter what is happening.
  
• He has a good memory and does not forget past experiences easily. He has a habit of writing down the events that happen to him.
  

[Relationships]

• He has an adequate relationship with all members of Master. He is likeable to most. However, he still lives with the grief of having lost his parents at a young age and makes a mournful face whenever the topic is discussed.
  
• He has an outgoing personality and prefers attire that is both affable and formal. He also values good posture.
  

[Physical Attributes]

• Black hair (now gray) that resembles his father's, with thick eyebrows and lips that leave a strong impression.
  
• The pale white skin, which resembles that of his mother from Ireland, indicates his high-born status
  
• Body Type: He is 190cm tall and possesses the typical masculine body that befits a suit.
  

[Character Object]

• An antique, 28-year-old watch he wears on his right wris
  : It embodies all his trauma, past, and vengeance.
  
• A significant watch that has the biggest influence on Ten's mental state.
  
• The seconds hand stops every now and then.
  

[Habits]

• When he had long hair, he used to have a habit of tying his hair before the battle started.
  
• He does not smoke often, but when he does, he keeps it in his mouth for at least 2 hours.
  

[Hobbies]

• Chess: He occasionally plays chess with Ms. One.
  
• Shopping for sweaters
  
• Writes down and records things to do: He writes in his notebook.
  

[ Summary ]
Masters is one of the internal organizations within AS, consisting of a total of 12 men.

They primarily perform backup tasks such as espionage, negotiations, and intelligence operations, rather than field missions like assassinations.
As handlers of classified information, heir existence is treated as highly confidential even within the AS organization.

The only individuals whose identities have been revealed within the organization are the three intelligence agents: Mr. Ten, Mr. Parabellum, and Mr. HollowPoint.


[ Background ]
The second leader of AS, Mr. Anyone, had grievances with the organization's operational policies inherited from his predecessor, Mr. One. These grievances led to internal discord within AS, resulting in attempts to suppress and purge the M.A.I.D. organization.

The members of M.A.I.D. grew resentful of Mr. Anyone's control policies, and he eventually issued orders within the organization to eliminate M.A.I.D. This sparked an imminent internal war within AS.
Upon hearing this news, some Masters believed that the internal conflict had to be stopped, leading to the formation of the AS-Masters organization, consisting of specialists in networking and negotiations within the political and business sectors.

Through the negotiations and mediations of AS-Masters members, Mr. Anyone's plan to purge M.A.I.D. was thwarted, ultimately leading to his departure from the organization. AS-Masters expelled individuals associated with Mr. Anyone to address the internal discord and conducted negotiations to ensure the status of M.A.I.D.

Subsequently, AS-Masters specialized in missions based on their high level of intelligence and human networks.


[ Attributes ]
They perform tasks such as gathering information and negotiations from behind the scenes.
These roles have allowed AS to handle requests in a clean and quiet manner, differentiating them from other contract killing organizations.

[h3][Greetings from the Executive Producer] [/h3]

Hello, Masters.
My name is Kwon Dae Ho, and I am the producer of the killer action shooting game, "Black Stigma."
Our company is a development team formed by colleagues who have worked together for years developing and servicing shooting games. We have come together with a shared determination to introduce a new level of gameplay to the shooting genre.

Thanks to the contributions of individuals supporting the development of Black Stigma and the dedication of our colleagues, we were able to unveil the game to the world in September of last year.
We are grateful to the many gamers from around the world who showed interest in the game and participated in the testing process. Your valuable feedback allowed us to make swift decisions and make rapid progress in the game's development.
We have conducted a total of four playtests, focusing on build stability, local network testing, and game mode and content balance.



[h3][Approval of Our Intentions for the Game] [/h3]

Our primary goal with the game was to blend the excitement of melee combat into the framework of a predominantly long-range shooting game. We aimed to create a realistic combat experience by implementing authentic gunplay and practical combat techniques to overpower opponents armed with weapons. Through this approach, we wanted players to explore a fresh style of action gameplay.

Additionally, we focused on designing characters specifically suited to this game concept and constructing a cohesive universe that aligns with it.

During the alpha test, one of the enjoyable aspects was discovering that much of the users' feedback aligned with our initial plans and intentions.



These experiences have served as a significant driving force in the development of Black Stigma, and they have also made us realize that there are many challenges ahead that we need to address.
Most notably, we were able to make new attempts and receive diverse feedback on the game modes.



[h3][The Introduction of Bounty Game Mode] [/h3]

In the early stages, the main game mode we presented was "Bounty Mode," which is based on team deathmatch rules. In this mode, teams would earn bounties based on their gameplay results, and the team that accumulated the most bounties would emerge as the victor.

Since Black Stigma aims to introduce a new gameplay style and considering the need for players to become familiar with the game, we had decided to showcase the "Bounty Mode" rules. This mode is based on the widely recognized team deathmatch mode, but with some unique elements added to it.

In an alpha test conducted over three sessions, we noticed that players who showed great interest in the game quickly grasped the rules of Bounty Mode. This mode awards bounties based on gameplay results, and the team that collects the most bounties emerges as the winner.




[h3][Main Mode Changed to "Kill-Them-All Mode"] [/h3]

Our original plan was to start with a mode based on widely recognized rules such as "Bounty Mode", and then gradually introduce a mode focused on teamwork.

In the last alpha test, it was confirmed that each Master's skills were playable with their unique attributes and roles. This led us to consider that it would be a good idea to develop and introduce "Kill-them-all Mode" based on elimination rules, which emphasizes clearer role-based gameplay and teamwork, at a rapid pace.



"Kill-them-all Mode," introduced in the fourth alpha test, is a mode that emphasizes team-based cooperation and tactical gameplay. It adds a strategic element to skill usage and highlights the unique characteristics of each Master, resulting in an exciting gameplay experience.

If players were able to experience the thrill of rapid combat in "Bounty Mode," "Kill-them-all Mode" offered them the opportunity to explore the game's characteristics at their own pace, resulting in a heightened sense of competitiveness.



[h3][Training Mode and Various Content, Yet to Come] [/h3]

Black Stigma showcases a gameplay pattern of melee combat, utilizing mid-range gunfights and melee action skills, in contrast to the long-range battles typically found in traditional FPS or TPS games.

We discovered that the players' understanding of a Master's combat styles and skills, as well as their development in gameplay sense to use them effectively in different situations, greatly influences the outcome of the battles.



In the upcoming test, we are preparing to introduce "Training Mode," which will allow players to thoroughly explore the various ways of utilizing each Master before engaging in actual gameplay.

Training Mode is composed of three types of training fields, where players are able to select any Master and practice shooting and active skills.
We anticipate that Training Mode, equipped with AI-controlled bots and custom configuration including armor settings, will be beneficial for learning and mastering Black Stigma's content.

Furthermore, we have completed or are currently developing various content, such as a new mode called "Challenge," new Masters and firearms, new stages, QoL features, and UI improvements. We are striving to enhance their quality to gather feedback from our users.



[h3][Service and Communications Schedule] [/h3]

Since the last alpha test in February, we have not been sharing any service schedules, and we assume many of our users have been wondering what is going on.
Our current development milestone is expected to wrap up around the end of July, and we will conduct a test around early October to collect user feedback.
We will try our best to announce a more detailed test schedule within August at the latest.

We plan to release Developer Notes at least once a month to show our development progress and processes. Through Developer Notes, we will be presenting the content in development and our intention behind it for the version in development.
Should you have any questions, please post them on any of our community channels before our next Development Notes, and we will select a few out of them and give you an answer in the next session.

We express our gratitude to the users who are eagerly awaiting Black Stigma, and we will endeavor to make it a game that we can create together through communication.



Thank you.

Sincerely, Producer Kwon Dae Ho

[h2]Here are illustrations of three unique costumes that can be earned with BDP![/h2]






Check out the BDP program



The Climax of Killer Action
BLACK STIGMA TEAM