Stargate: Timekeepers News

Welcome back time travellers, 

Do not miss the chance to meet the team behind Stargate: Timekeepers and discover all the details of the creation of the stealth video game of one of the most loved tv series. 

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

We would like to thank all the fans who have been supporting Stargate: Timekeepers since its launch. 

The team has been working relentlessy to deliver you the best possible gaming experience and please let us know what you think of the game. Your feedback is essential to keep improving the game.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1523650/Stargate_Timekeepers/

Hi everyone,

First of all we would like to thank all the fans who have been supporting Stargate: Timekeepers Season 1 Part 1 since its launch.

The team has been working relentlessy to deliver you the best possible gaming experience and please let us know what you think of the list of changes. Your feedback is essential to keep improving the game.

(Pre-production concept image)

Here below the detailed changelog is available for you:

• Fixing an issue related to achievements that some users might have experienced.
  

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1523650/Stargate_Timekeepers/

Hi! I’m Patryk Nosek, Game Director for Stargate: Timekeepers. Today I wanted to share with you our approach about Stargate: Timekeepers skills and characters.

In the development, one of our core design philosophies was to ensure flexibility in how missions can be approached and completed. We wanted to avoid dictating a 'correct' way to play, instead empowering players to utilize the diverse skill sets of their team members in ways that suit their personal play style.
To achieve this, we crafted each character with a unique set of abilities that could be effective in various situations. Whether players prefer stealth or a more direct confrontation, they can find characters whose skills align with these strategies. For example, if a player favors a stealthy approach, they might lean heavily on Ata's climbing skills to bypass enemy lines, or use Derek’s gadgets to create distractions and avoid direct combat.

The first time the level designers presented Episode 3 to me, I completely forgot during the mission that I had Max in the sniper position. According to them, it was crucial to utilize him to complete the mission, but I managed to do it without him. That's when the idea of an open approach to mission completion convinced us, and we decided to keep it that way.

Alternatively, for those who prefer a more aggressive approach, characters like Max, with his expertise in handling powerful weaponry, can take center stage, breaking through enemy defenses with force. Eva’s proficiency with her P90 allows her to do more frontal assaults too.

We spent considerable time ensuring that the skills of each character in Stargate Timekeepers are not only useful but also deeply tied to their personalities and backstories. This connection between character traits and their abilities enhances the narrative immersion and encourages you to think as the character would, making strategic decisions that reflect their specialties and temperaments.

Take Ata, for instance. Her prowess in climbing and navigating through difficult terrains is not just a handy skill—it's a fundamental part of her identity. Growing up in a harsh environment, she learned to move silently and efficiently, skills that are invaluable in stealth missions. When you play as Ata, you’re not just using a skill; you’re tapping into her life’s experiences, which dictate her approach to problem-solving in the field.

Sneak peek from Season 2 - who we take with us on the mission will influence the course of future events. Just don't tell our Marketing Department that I've revealed this to you.

In Stargate Timekeepers, while the core of our gameplay emphasizes stealth, we actively encourage players to experiment with different tactics, including frontal assaults. The game is designed to reward creativity and flexibility, allowing for numerous paths to success in each mission.

Which characters do you find most useful or enjoyable? Are there any skills you feel are missing from the game? We're here to listen and make improvements based on your feedback. Also, do you remember the new character we announced for season 2? What abilities do you think they will have? Let us know your thoughts!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1523650/Stargate_Timekeepers/

Hi everyone,

First of all we would like to thank all the fans who have been supporting Stargate: Timekeepers Season 1 Part 1 since its launch.

The team has been working relentlessy to deliver you the best possible gaming experience and please let us know what you think of the list of changes. Your feedback is essential to keep improving the game.

(Pre-production concept image)

Here below the detailed changelog is available for you:
[h3]QoL features:[/h3]

• We have added a feature that, when enabled in the settings, causes the character to approach the nearest possible location if the target of the skill is out of range at the time of selection, in order to place themselves within range.
  
• By holding down the LMB button for an extended period, you can now place an Enemy Vision marker to check which of the opponents is observing the designated location in real-time.
  

[h3]Voice overs:[/h3]

• We have added new voiceover lines for enemies.
  

[h3]General fixes:[/h3]

• Player characters and enemies should utilize ladders in a more organized manner now.
  
• Fixes to player character animations.
  
• Reducing the duration of alarms.
  
• Fixes for enemy drone VFX.
  
• Disabling Unity Analytics.
  
• Fixed achievements bug on GOG
  

Hi! I’m Patryk Nosek, Game Director for Stargate: Timekeepers. Today I wanted to share with you our approach about Stargate: Timekeepers trial and error mechanics.

Achieving a sense of fun in a game that heavily relies on a trial and error approach presents a unique set of challenges. This game design philosophy, while engaging, runs the risk of frustrating players if not carefully balanced. The key lies in designing a gameplay experience that encourages experimentation and learning without leading to excessive repetition or discouragement.

To mitigate potential frustrations in our game, we aimed to encourage experimentation within the gameplay. We understood that providing players with multiple solutions to problems and equipping them with a variety of tools and techniques to tackle challenges was essential. We wanted players to feel they had the agency to try different strategies and eventually succeed. From a technical perspective, we knew that the game's loading times had to be lightning-fast to keep the trial and error approach engaging. We put a lot of effort into optimizing the game's performance to achieve this, hoping to ensure that the process becomes more about exploration and learning through each attempt rather than about repetitive failure. We sincerely hope we've managed to accomplish this goal.

This technical pursuit, our dedication to perfecting the game's loading system to ensure it was as swift as possible, became one of the reasons why we were unable to release the game on schedule. In our effort to make experimentation a core part of the gameplay experience without the frustration of long loading times, we encountered unforeseen challenges that led to bugs. We want to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize to our players for these delays.

One of the primary goals we set for ourselves in creating this game was to maintain a delicate balance between challenge and frustration. We aimed for the game to be challenging enough to provide a sense of achievement upon overcoming obstacles, but not so difficult as to lead to repeated failures and frustration. Finding this balance required meticulous tuning of game mechanics and difficulty levels on our part.

Fun fact from player psychology: players don't like to play on "easy" difficulty levels, so surprisingly, it took us a long time to choose the right word to name our lowest difficulty setting, ensuring it didn't sound discouraging in all the languages into which we translated the game.

Finally, the rewards for overcoming challenges must be meaningful and satisfying. Whether it's advancing the story, unlocking new abilities, or simply providing a display of visuals and sound, the reward must feel worth the effort. This positive reinforcement encourages players to persist through challenges and contributes significantly to the overall fun of the game.

We believe we've successfully delivered rewards to players in the right manner, providing them with satisfaction and a sense of achievement that are crucial for a positive gameplay experience. However, we've noticed that the penalties awaiting players who failed were too severe. The duration of alarms and the enemy's firepower are aspects we are currently examining. We want to implement adjustments that will allow players to more easily and quickly recover from troublesome situations in case of failure, rather than solely relying on reloading. This approach is part of our commitment to enhancing the gameplay experience and ensuring that it remains challenging yet fair and enjoyable.

Nobody likes waiting in the bushes, we hear you, we see you, and we're on it! Expect changes in the alarm duration in the upcoming patch.

In conclusion, designing a game that relies on trial and error while remaining fun and engaging is a complex task. It requires a deep understanding of player psychology and a careful calibration of game mechanics. When done right, it can lead to a deeply rewarding and memorable gaming experience that players will cherish and return to. Despite the fact that, of course, Stargate is not a game without flaws, we believe that we've succeeded in many of these aspects, and it can only get better from here.