World Boss News

Gladiators,

In October 2022, PlaySide Studios excitedly launched WORLD BOSS into Early Access in partnership with two of the world’s biggest content creators, LazarBeam and Fresh. Since then, the talented development team have been hard at work, taking onboard the feedback of our passionate community and LazarBeam and Fresh themselves, to deliver countless tweaks and changes, and refining the gameplay experience for all of our players.

We're committed to making WORLD BOSS the best it can be, and we're not stopping until we achieve our ultimate goal – our crowning jewel and completed vision: the full v1.0 release.

Guess what? It's coming sooner than you think! You heard it here first, folks… put it in your calendars and get your weapons ready, as 27 June, 2023 will see the official release of WORLD BOSS v1.0!



THE ULTIMATE WORLD BOSS

Early Access has been indispensable for us. We’ve been able to experiment with some really entertaining and unique ideas as well as different mechanics to create a game that we believe is truly unique.

The team has put in a massive amount of hard work to bring you our fully realised WORLD BOSS experience.

Here’s a little taste…

• An all-new Arena with diverse biomes, new gameplay options and enhanced graphical fidelity
  
• ADS for most weapons for enhanced accuracy
  
• Total Perk overhaul alongside new Perks including Boss Killer, Airborne Aggression and Ratman
  
• Party Join allowing players to join up and fight against up to four of their friends
  
• The ability for dominant World Bosses to plant Corruption Bombs and destroy areas of the map and even end the match…
  
• And post-launch, players can expect a new way to earn Boss Bucks via in-game challenges
  

BATTLE PASS COMING TO AN END

It’s been a wild ride, but as of 27 July, 2023 our Early Access Battle Pass will come to an end.

The Early Access Premium Battle Pass will continue to be for sale until 27 June, 2023. This is your last chance to grind the exclusive cosmetics from the Early Access Battle Pass before this feature goes away forever – and is replaced by a new rewards system.

Therefore, the end of the Early Access Battle Pass will see the end of Battle Points, but don’t be alarmed. Any Boss Bucks that have been purchased in Early Access will carry over into v1.0 and players will now be able to earn these Boss Bucks in-game from 27 July, 2023.

Similarly, the Fresh and LazarBeam Founder’s Packs will be changing. The skins will be still available in 1.0 with new pricing without the inclusion of the Early Access Battle Pass and XP boost.

CORRUPTION DETECTED

We want to keep some things under lock and key… for now. So, keep your keen eyes peeled over the next month for an information extravaganza as we delve deeper into all these amazing new features.

So, buckle up because this upgrade is set to be absolutely epic. The game you’ve grown to love is about to be turned up to a whole new level! Every aspect of the full release has been given a lot of TLC and we can’t wait for you to experience it for yourselves soon.

Until then, Gladiators, get hyped and be ready to immerse yourselves into WORLD BOSS v1.0. The battle for the crown is approaching fast.

Where possible please ensure all drivers are updated to ensure the best and smoothest performance.

Have a bug you want to report? Head on over to our Discord server. For Player Support issues, please contact us via Zendesk.

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Gladiators,

Roll up folks, because it’s time to unveil the latest weapon for you to use in your pursuit of the World Boss crown! Named after the lord of lazars himself, the LAZARBEAM is set to send shockwaves through the Arena with its incredible destructive power.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

‘Our players have been asking us for the ability to “romance the LazarBeam” for months. Our design goal was to have a LAZARBEAM players could have and hold, forever and ever. Amen.’

- Game Designer Ben C.

With 50 Damage per shot, double the fire rate of the SMG, a whopping 75 rounds per battery pack, near-perfect accuracy and a very long range, the LAZARBEAM is a deadly precision instrument in the right hands.

‘What’s the catch?’ You ask. The LAZARBEAM rewards those who are a cut above with their aiming and can keep the beam trained on their enemies for those big damage ticks. The LAZARBEAM is a great tool to use while you close distance on your opponents, and then finish off them with melee or a Shotgun.

Perkswise, this weapon works almost too well when partnered with some of the Epic perks, such as Super Charge and Explosive Shots, giving you even more opportunities to shred your opponents.

If you’ve got the skills, then the LAZARBEAM is the tool for you – but watch out for players who’ve invested in movement perks, as they’re going to keep moving and keep their distance, where the LAZARBEAM’s considerable damage drop off takes effect…

ART ATTACK

The art creation for any new feature is always a two-pronged fork – is two prongs enough? Absolutely!

The first stage of art is concepting, which is where the fantastic Nick Y. comes in, and this is where the magic begins. The weapon needed to feel futuristic – I mean, it fires a friggin’ laser beam! This is why you’ll notice that there is a lack of mechanical parts compared to our other base weapons.

Many ideas were painstakingly created, however, some drifted a little too far away from the initial concept. Banana laser gun? Sadly it was a no from the judges on this one.



Real world inspirations were blended together, along with pop culture references of laser guns to create the perfect blend of believable fiction. Fun fact, that’s called verisimilitude. Who said learning can’t be fun?!

From the concepting phase, it’s then time for the weapon to be brought to life by our awesome 3D artist, Kaye! Going from 2D to 3D is always a fun and iterative process. Changes are made to the 2D model to get to the final version, but still keeping the essence and appeal established in the initial concept.

In this case, Kaye modelled the gun and found that the ammo counter was difficult to read with the dedicated display, and the white colour palette from the concept was making UI unclear.

Huddle up, because our devs are team players! Sometimes, the only way to win is to team up… are we hinting up something here? Who knows… anyway! To help reduce the workload in other departments such as technical art and animation, the team were able to utilise and rework rigs and animations that already existed. The LAZARBEAM was designed and modelled around the DMR. This meant keeping the key features in the same place such as the trigger and grip positions. Smart, right?!

You know how they say if you see a bright coloured animal, don’t touch it because it’ll probably kill you? Well, the LAZARBEAM started off the same way. As the colours were much lighter than other weapons in the game, it stood out quite a bit when comparing it to the existing weapon lineup.

The bright tones conflicted with important UI, so muting the colours into darker tones was a way to bring it back in line with the other weapons which helped it feel visually balanced on screen. Initially, the colour of the beam was blue, not that you needed any more hints at the fact we love that colour, but with the new visual changes to perks, the colour pivoted to a warmer yellow/orange.



Although the model may look perfect already, regularly testing the 3D model in game is essential, so the weapon can be visually readable in both first and third person – making sure the ammo counter, for example, was super clear. Essentially, we want to make sure you can see your impending doom, or on the other side, weapon of mass destruction, very clearly.

So, stick a fork in me, I’m done!

PEW! PEW! PEW!

We like making dreams come true here at PlaySide, setting to work on the sound for a laser gun is every Sound Designer's dream! Audio wizard, Zach, was excited to work on the LAZARBEAM, as it gave him a lot of opportunity for creativity and exploration.

The audio needed to be as loud and as special as the LAZARBEAM’s visual design, so this was supported audibly by using a mixture of electronic hums, spot welding arcs and earthquake sounds as a starting point. Otherworldly audio modulations were then mated to these sounds which quickly changed the pitch of the otherwise consistent bed of original assets.

No boring audio allowed!

Despite the LAZABEAM being futuristic, at the heart of it, it’s still a gun. Player feedback when pulling the trigger is still important, so transient heavy "pull the trigger" sounds were added.
How did Zach achieve this masterpiece? This consisted of many sound layers such as real gun shots, kick drums and 8-bit arcade beeps running through some heavy overdrive effects. Having all of these elements pitch down really quickly when the sound starts gives it that classic Hollywood Laser Gun sound that everyone knows and loves!

Once the building blocks had been cemented together, the audio was then put into the audio implementation engine middleware Wwise. This allows our Sound Designers to tweak things like pitch, volume, overdrives and delays.

Great audio can level up any gaming experience and the LAZARBEAM sound effects have hit the nail on the head.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Get ready to disintegrate anyone that stands in your way with this new weapon… See you in the arena, Gladiators!

Where possible please ensure all drivers are updated to ensure the best and smoothest performance.

Have a bug you want to report? Head on over to our Discord server. For Player Support issues, please contact us via Zendesk.

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Gladiators,

Our latest content update is live and jam-packed with exciting new things to play with. We’ve got a brand new weapon styled after one of our IRL World Bosses, the rollout of Controller Support, the new Lives System, a main menu overhaul, and much more.

INTRODUCING THE LAZARBEAM

We just couldn’t miss the opportunity to name this gun after the legend, LazarBeam – Genius right?!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Packed with plenty of damage, insane range and near perfect accuracy to boot, this high impact weapon is sure to be a new fan favourite.

Keep your eyes peeled for a blog dedicated to this epic new weapon – but for now, jump in game to experience its power!

GETTING A LIFE

Say goodbye to the old Demotion System and hello to the new Lives System. This new system introduces a fast-paced, risk vs reward dynamic that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

We saw that high level players had limited incentive to prestige, and that the Demotion System was not as clear as we would have wanted. With the new Lives System, dying has consequences, so watch your health!

Each progression level has a certain number of lives to help you survive the battle for the crown. But be careful, because each time you die, you'll lose a life from your total count.



If you manage to level up and reach a new bracket, all of your lives will be replenished. The catch-22 is that the capacity of your lives will be lower than before, so be sure to strategise before running head first into battle.

• Levels 1-4 = Infinite Lives
  
• Levels 5-9 = 6 Lives
  
• Levels 10-14 = 5 Lives
  
• Levels 15-19 = 4 Lives
  
• Levels 20-25 = 3 Lives
  

If you run out of lives completely from level 5 onwards, you'll be sent back to level 1 and lose any perks, weapons, or equipment you had until your next level up.



But don't worry, there are ways to increase your lives count. To help you stay in the game, keep an eye out for health pickups scattered throughout the arena – these are set to a lower drop rate than health packs, so you need to grab them before another Gladiator can!

Are you ready for an adrenaline rush? With each life at stake, you'll have to make split-second decisions and take calculated risks to progress through the game. But fear not, the fun doesn't stop there! The Lives System also creates emergent gameplay opportunities, allowing you to capitalise on other features in the game like perks and equipment.

So gear up, strategise, and get ready to take on the challenges ahead. The Lives System is about to change the game and create so many more variations in your gameplay style and experience.

EVEN MORE PERKS AND BONUSES!

*breathes*

We’ve got even more cool stuff in this update.

In our previous update, you may remember how we added in multiple new perks in the game. As an update to that update, we have made some visual changes to help with readability. Every player will now have an aura based on whichever perk type that makes up the majority of their build. Depending on your selected perks, you’ll now have different coloured muzzle flashes, tracers, impact and player aura. Flashy, right?



CONTROL HOW YOU PLAY

Did I hear you say full controller support? Well, if you didn’t that’s what you’re getting! Update v0.2.0 brings full controller support to the game and a revamp of all the menus. This will continue to be enhanced so let us know your feedback.

The main menu has received a major facelift, with an all new 3D background. It's now sleeker than ever and ready to impress.



Alright, Gladiators! The competition’s fierce and it’s time to put your skills to the test and steal that crown… or die trying. Good luck!

As always, where possible please ensure all drivers are updated to ensure the best and smoothest performance.

Have a bug you want to report? Head on over to our Discord server. For Player Support issues, please contact us via Zendesk.

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Gladiators,

Get ready to rumble, because we’re bringing you another huge update. New features for everyone!

The most notable new feature in this update is the new Lives System. Move over Demotion, no one wants you here. The Lives System gives our players a heightened sense of risk vs reward – with each level (above Level 5) you are given a certain amount of lives, lose them and your luck will run out, sending you back a notch. Being strategic is more important than ever, so don’t lose your head.

With all the sweet perks we gave you last time, we decided to sweeten the deal even more. Now, depending on what perks make up the majority of your build, you’ll now have different coloured muzzle flashes, tracers, impact and player aura.

But wait, there's more behind door number 3! Full controller support is now here, providing our Gladiators with even more tools to be at their best. Along with this, menus and plenty of UI have been updated and elevated to feel extra slick when navigating through them with your controller.

As always, we’ve sprinkled in plenty of bug fixes to keep your game running as silkily as smooth peanut butter… no crunchy bits here to mess up your gameplay.

Read about all the new features in an in-depth blog coming later today!

The crown is yours for the taking, careful not to lose a life and all your hard work while you fight your way to the top. Until next time, Gladiators…

[h2]Release Notes[/h2]

[h3]Features and Content[/h3]

• New: Updated Main Menu
  
• New: Lives System to replace the Demotion System
  
• New Weapon: LAZARBEAM
  
• Perk Visual Update
  

[h3]Controller Support Updates[/h3]

• Full Controller Support
  
• Controller Glyph Icons
  
• Refine Aim Assist for controllers
  

[h3]Melee Updates[/h3]

• Refinements to when you are about to make an action, have made an action, and missed an action
  

[h3]Perk Update[/h3]

• Impulse punch proc on each successful melee
  
• Jetpack model is now visible when the player has the jetpack perk equipped.
  

[h3]Weapon Update[/h3]

• Sniper Glints to better visualise where players are shooting from
  
• SMG max range is now 50m from 75m
  

[h3]Miscellaneous Updates[/h3]

• Jetpack FX readjustment
  
• Adjusted death screen character pose so male and female skins are different
  
• Pre Game Loadout Panel
  
• End Of Round Progression Panel
  

[h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]

General

• Health Ping remains on the player even when not selected when prestiging
  
• Fixed an issue where World Boss gems rain from the sky when making contact with the player
  
• Fixed an issue where the kill notification icon for rank 1, 2 and 3 players are all the same
  
• Fixed a range of inconsistencies in the Banner Stats
  
• Fixed an issue when joining a new game caused the pistol to float behind the player
  
• Fixed an issue where the world boss crowns don't sit correctly on the characters head
  
• Fixed an issue where players couldn’t melee mid-slide
  
• Fixed an issue where the player loops mantling when walking into cardboard boxes in the Plane Hex
  
• Fixed an issue where the back button text is didn’t fit in the button
  
• Fixed an issue where the localised purchase price was different price on the payment screen in Steam
  

Server

• Fixed an issue when disconnecting from a game while in the loading screen brings the end of round orbit cam to the main menu
  

Weapon Fixes

• Fixed an issue where destroying reactors with AK not 100% accurate
  
• Fixed an issue with the RPG not playing correct audio or PFX when fired
  
• Fixed an issue where the Mega Soaker RPG skin didn’t get PFX from fire rate increase or damage increase perks
  

Equipment Fixes

• Fixed an issue where the Teleporter was invisible when thrown back against a wall
  
• Fixed an issue where the Bubble Shield did not change colour as it took damage
  

Where possible please ensure all drivers are updated to ensure the best and smoothest performance.

Have a bug you want to report? Head on over to our Discord server. For Player Support issues, please contact us via Zendesk.

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Gladiators,

This blog may as well be called ‘How many times can we say perk?’ because this update is all about balancing the literally dozens of perks we currently have in game – and adding a few new ones, just for good measure.

Right off the bat, we’ve reduced the max level from 30 to 25. This means players can prestige earlier and perk up even faster. What a perk!

Now, we know you’re wondering, ‘what have you done to our precious perks that are already in-game?!’ – but don’t worry, we’ve given them some love.

Many perks have received an extensive amount of changes. For some, tier levels have been lowered and some stats have been refreshed to keep the playing field even.

One of the biggest changes for this update is that we have added five new perks. We want to continue to give our legendary players more build options on their path to becoming the World Boss:

• Gem Magnet: This handy perk creates a magnet-like area of effect that causes gems to gravitate to players from further away. Players will gain 50% additional range on gem pickups. This is how I win.
  
• Lunch Money: Each time players get that sweet Melee kill, they will be rewarded with a drop of 50 EXP worth of gems.
  
• Ignition: A truly epic Perk that grants the player infinite ammo while on fire… muy caliente!
  
• Damage Range Increase: A damaging blow for your enemies, this perk extends weapon damage fall-off. This will add 10% to each damage range tier. Does what it says on the tin.
  
• Throw Distance: Increase the distance range that equipment can be thrown. Players will reap the rewards and have 35% more range and force when throwing equipment.
  

I bet you’re thinking, they sure have said the word perk a lot. Well we’re about to say it a couple more times…

With the exciting arrival of all the new perks, some existing ones have received tweaks. We have removed the XP Loss Reduction perk, as well as ALL debuffs from Epic perks, making them even more powerful than ever!

But that’s not all! We have continued to update weapon and equipment balancing to ensure that fights are always fair. As well as this, this update squishes various bugs, such as player collisions with environmental objects, various fixes for drones, and fixes for the generators not showing the correct amount of health.

Perk patrol, activate! It’s time to hunt down those new perks and create the ultimate World Boss build… see you in the arena!

Make sure to read about all the changes below and keep your eyes peeled for more information on the next Update.

[h2]Release Notes[/h2]

[h3]Features and Content[/h3]

Perks

• New: Gem Magnet Perk
  
• New: Lunch Money Perk
  
• New: Ignition Perk
  
• New: Damage Range Increase
  
• New: Throw Distance
  
• Debuffs removed from Epic perks
  
• XP Loss Reduction Perk removed
  

Perk Balancing

• Kill XP Increase tiers decreased to 3 from 5
  
• Kill XP Increase gains 25 extra EXP per kill up from 10 EXP
  
• Kill XP Increase perk changed to Health Category
  
• Gem Heal tiers decreased to 3 from 5
  
• Gem Heal gains 25 HP on gem collection down from 100 HP
  
• Gem Heal perk changed to Health Category
  
• Gem XP Increase tiers decreased from to 3 from 5
  
• Gem XP Increase gain 25XP per gem bonus up from 10
  
• Gem XP Increase perk changed to Health Category
  
• Shield Bonus tiers decreased to 3 from 5
  
• Shield Bonus capacity increased to 25% from 10%
  
• Shield Regen decreased from +5 per tick to +3 per tick
  
• Health Bonus tiers decreased to 3 from 5
  
• Health Bonus capacity increased to 25% from 10%
  
• Magazine Size Increase tiers decreased to 3 from 5
  
• Fire Rate Increase tiers decreased to 3 from 5
  
• Fire Rate Increase now lasts 10 seconds instead of 5
  
• Fire Rate Increase gains 25% faster fire rate down from 10%
  
• Spread Decrease effect reduced from -25% spread to -15%
  
• Movement Increase tiers decreased to 3 from 5
  
• Movement Increase speed decreased from 10% down to 5%
  
• Recoil Decrease effect reduced from -30% down to -20%
  
• Explosive Shots perk rank changed to Epic
  
• Explosive Shots area of effect increased to 5 from 1.25
  
• Explosive Shots damage increased to 50% of shot damage
  
• Electric Shot range increase to 5m
  
• Electric Shot increase damage to 75%
  
• Electric Shot description change to ‘Shooting players can shock nearby players.’
  
• Health Ping area of effect reduced to 25m range
  
• Health Ping tier increment reduced to +5m
  

Weapons Updates

• SMG rate of fire changed to 8 frames from 6
  
• SMG Headshot multiplier dropped to x1.35 from x1.5
  
• Assault Rifle rate of fire increased (from 420 to 480)
  
• Assault Rifle headshot multiplier increased to x1.5 from x1.35
  

Equipment Update

• Tesla Coil arc range changed to 10m
  
• Tesla Coil arc damage increased to 75
  
• Tesla Coil increased tick rate to 45 from 20
  
• Grenade fuse timer reduced to 1.35 Seconds from 2.25
  
• Grenade explosion radius increased to 7.5m from 6m
  

Environment Update

• Generators now show health bars
  

Progression System Update

• Max Player Level decreased to 25 from 30
  
• EXP required for levels within Prestige 1, 2, and 3 have increased
  
• Highest level minimap reduced to 15m from 25m
  
• Lowest level minimap reduced to 85m from 100m
  

Stats

• Kills will Impulse Grenade stat tracker has been replaced with Environmental Kills
  
• Kills with Active Camo has been removed
  

Daily Activities

• Player is awarded a fixed amount of BP for prestige
  

UI Changes

• Characters now have idle animation in the main menu and loadout menu
  

Miscellaneous Updates

• In-game chat will be turned off by default for new players
  
• Chat filter updates
  
• Log in screen before reaching main menu
  
• Kicks character model colour changed from red to blue
  

[h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]

General

• Fixed health packs not appearing correctly when joining a new game
  
• Fixed occlusion culling for better performance
  
• Fixed player being controllable in the loading screen
  
• Fixed various drone issues
  
• Drone kills no long count towards kills in the end of round screen
  
• Fixed issues with joining a match and interacting with menus
  
• Fixed various issues with minimising or focusing on another window
  
• Fixed player collision on environmental objects
  
• Fixed outdated loading screen tips
  
• Fixed various issues around generators having inconsistent health
  
• Fixed players camera cutting out and only showing their HUD
  
• Fixed challenge counter going over the required amount
  
• Updated servers to say ‘Full’ when at max capacity
  
• Fixed bots not engaging in firefights
  
• Fixed bot weapon alignment
  

Controller support

• Fixed player not being able to select stats with the controller
  
• Fixed player not being able to start a match with a controller
  

Stats

• World Boss denials fixed
  

Equipment

• Equipment flow reworked
  
• Fixed various issues surrounding the firebomb
  
• Fixed player getting launched in the air on respawn by Impulse Grenade
  
• Fixed grenades dealing damage inside Bubble Shields
  

Audio

• Fixed environmental SFXs disappearing
  
• Fixed weapon clips sounding empty as they deplete
  
• Fixed wind SFX not fading out on elevated areas
  
• Fixed Super Jump audio playing during the respawn screening
  
• Update to the challenge notification sound
  
• Fixed in-game audio carrying to the end of round screen and the main menu
  
• Fixed World Boss activation music timing
  

Perks

• Fixed equipment effectiveness not affecting Tesla Coil
  
• Fixed World Boss not dropping gems when dying with revive
  
• Fixed Damage Increase description inconsistency
  
• Fixed LazarBeam first person arms not disappearing with Active Camo
  

UI

• Fixed UI overlapping the end of round screen and main menu
  
• Fixed UI effects not scaling to widescreen aspect ratios
  
• Fixed leaderboard remaining open on screen when in the Prestige screen
  
• Fixed World Boss timer remaining visible behind the expanded leaderboard and while paused
  
• Fixed UI remaining on screen when the expanded leaderboard is open
  
• Fixed perk tooltip not appearing when hovering over perks or selecting weapons
  
• Fixed UI formatting inconsistencies
  
• Fixed character details missing from respawn screen after pausing in the respawn screen
  
• Fixed respawn screen detail panel animation
  
• Fixed Battle Pass UI inconsistencies
  
• Fixed splash screen copyright year
  

Where possible please ensure all drivers are updated to ensure the best and smoothest performance.

Have a bug you want to report? Head on over to our Discord server. For Player Support issues, please contact us via Zendesk.

World Boss Discord - Join our official Discord server World Boss Website - Official Website Twitter - Follow us at WorldBoss_io Facebook - Like Our Facebook Page Reddit - Join the r/World Boss community
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