Sword of the Stars: The Pit 2 News

Hello and happy holidays!

This is our second to last update before we sink into an eggnog stupor!

We took some extra time on this one, in order to get the first special floor in; The Reactor Room (and surrounding rooms). And just to make it challenging, it's radioactively leaky, has a small Spectre problem, and happens to sit right next to a Security Bot repair room. So, you know, good luck.

But that's not all, we have continued to add and improve to the game, including you can set your own keybindings now! As requested! You asked for it, so here you are. A lot of what's listed are more under-the-hood things that continue to add to the game's strong foundation, but you should see these things reflected in how rooms and floors are generated and the behaviour of enemies.

Next week we will have an update! Yes, that close to Christmas! But that's because it's a little holiday treat we have in mind for you all. Shhh! It's a surprise.

Please keep playing, please keep giving us feedback and report any bugs you find! We know we're a few months into Early Release and new stuff keeps coming out all the time, but we need you to help us give this game the feel that you want from it!

See you on the boards and hey, watch the Steam holiday sale and maybe rope some friends into playing the game as well!


Update 1.0.6

Added

• Keybinding!
  
• Reactor Core floor added.
  
• Specter class enemies added (Not susceptible to ballistic weaponry).
  
• Accumulated radiation damage feedback added.
  
• Current rad count feedback added.
  
• Unique Floor System implemented.
  
• Scripted floor generator implemented.
  
• Added door data tables to scripted rooms.
  
• Additional light scripting (rooms / floors / tile settings).
  
• Additional scripted room functionality (flexibility to access data driven content).
  
• Trigger volume scripting added.
  
• Below zero Player stat death implemented.
  
• Special case damage factors for enemies.

Changed

• Props blocking Line of Sight has been removed.
  (Small props would block visual LOS even though you would clearly be able to have LOS)
  
• Hall Tile algorithm adjustment to handle additional configurations around doors.
  
• Additional enemy scripting.
  
• Idle sound class added to cosmetic prop class.
  
• Various new sounds added.
  
• Upgraded AI weapon selection.
  
• Upgraded AI position selection.

Fixed

• Dark / dim / blind / tunnel vision visual bug fix.
  
• AI guard mode bug fix.
  
• Directional sound bug fix (At last! Fingers crossed.)

You know it's been a weird few weeks when you're putting up Xmas lights one day, and swapping info with friends about what stores have butter the next.

It's not the end of the world or anything, but if you've followed the BC news recently, we've had a few weather related hits and here are there we can see how it's impacted infrastructure. First world problems, no doubt.

The unique levels system is still coming, though it has been delayed towards the end of this week - just a minor delay. So until we set that live, here's a sneak peak at what's in store;



Hang tight for a few days and if you have any leads on sugar, let me know, I've got Xmas cookies to bake!

Hello, Gang!

As mentioned last week, our recent focus was on the Monster Manager, so it's not the biggest update. However, this was important, needed work for moving forward. It takes all the enemies and gives them a better foundation from which to interact with you (AKA stalk you and try and kill you).

We appreciate everybody’s patience, honestly, as we understand that any outward slow-down for players isn't as fun, but inwards we were still moving ahead full-steam.

Currently the Monster Manager has improved the pathfinding of attacking managers, keeping them from stacking up. In the future it will provide support for additional coordination of Enemy actions, making them more context away. Remember when the Velociraptor learned how to work doors in Jurassic Park? Yeah, it’ll be like that. (We said it would have benefits for the game, not for you specifically. Gonna getcha!)

Next week: Mystery Floor! (initial implementation of special floors) For those looking forward to some new environments, buckle up, as this week will be the start of unique, and random, floors going in.

Keep the feedback coming! Keep telling all your friends! Think we should send a particular reviewer or streamer a key? Tell us!


Update 1.0.5

Add

• Implementation of the monster manager.
  
• Initial room customization
  
• New story and recipe messages
  
• Initial gun reload sounds.

Change

• Multi-threading optimizations to pathfinding,
  
• Multi-threading optimizations to the mini-map.
  
• Reduced volume of Enemy Killed sound event.

Fix

• Antibiotics loading bug fixed.
  
• In-game options menu ESC key bug fixed.

Hello all!

This will be a comparatively brief Touchbase Tuesday as we have pushed back any updating until next week's usual time. The last week has seen a lot of bugs stomped and feedback incorporated, as well as a lot of work into improvements of the games mob management system. So far we are seeing all the improvements we'd hoped for and now there are just a few more things to tie up. Rather than refocus for a few days on an update and hotfix, as we normally do, we wanted the couple of days to put towards finishing that work plan.

That said, the game has had a lot of solid updates since launch and we are as always looking for feedback, feedback, feedback. And then more feedback and some Early Access thumb-ups in the Steam Store, as these help feature the game to players who might be interested. More players means more feedback, and so on and so forth. All reviews at this point are marked Early Access and everybody knows an Early Access game will change, so really all we need is your confirmation that you are dying lots and having fun!

Keep the feedback coming (yes, we can never say it enough), next week we'll be back with our Monster Manager update. And just because we enjoying siccing them on you, we'll be adding some new monsters to stalk you as well.

Have a good week and we'll see you on the boards!

Hallooo!

It's weekly update time - as mentioned last week, this week was fleshing things out week, versus focusing on larger, specific systems and a lot got added; the amount of level tiles continue to increase the overall visual options for different floors, we added a LOT of new feedback, from the soothing computer telling you to eat and stop bleeding to your armor condition displaying properly to highlighting categories of items in your inventory and so much more! and that's just the stuff we added! Lost of fixes and tweaks as usual.

We'll get into this more as well as go over what the week to come will bring in tomorrow's Touchbase Tuesday, but in he meantime, here's the changelog for your perusal.

As always, keep playing, keep feedbacking. Yes, it's a verb. If you haven't noticed, we make a point of doing a hotfix ASAP, and then short of something really bad interfering with gameplay, we roll any additional feedback into the next update, so if you're able to try our updates on Monday, we can usually address most bug reports and feedback by Tuesday. We're not saying you have to, but the faster the feedback, the handier it is for us (and with the hotfix, for you guys!)

If you haven't already, help us help new players discover this game by taking a moment to give us a thumbs up on Steam. Thanks, gang.

NEXT WEEK! Monster Mash (aka we're working on the Monster Manager. It's a big system, it's not a day or two of effort, but the results will be big for the game in the long run, so, keep the feedback coming, we'll get to everything we can for next update while we put a push on our Monster Mash.


Update 1.0.4

Added

• Zoom controls for Mini-Map.
  
• Desert Tyrant and Sand Stalker added.
  
• Smilodon added.
  
• Additional level tile content added.
  
• Feedback when enemy killed.
  
• Feedback when weapon is destroyed.
  
• “Helmet” voice feedback for hunger, health, conditions, and trap detection.
  
• Med Bay set up.
  
• Killing Damage numbers display.
  
• Device List added to repair station.
  
• Initial Inventory Class Filter (mouse over category icons in Inventory to highlight items).
  
• Might bonus to inventory
  
• "Records" Scoreboard
  
• Data Lists of deciphered messages and unlocked recipes (access thru Menu Screen of the I key).

Changed

• Unload ammo removed from energy weapons.
  
• Updated Purifier / Laser Pistol / Energy Backpack inventory size.
  
• Grid options moved to Game Options tab.
  
• Additional feedback info for video settings and reset buttons for video sliders.
  
• Discovered Trap types saved and displayed
  
• Disabled movement when crafting / repairing items.
  
• Retooled Device List.

Fixed

• Under certain circumstances ammo count was incorrect.
  
• Armor feedback updates correctly in all situations.
  
• Range issues with attacking doors addressed.
  
• Fixed equipment feedback display bug.
  
• Visible tool-tips on hidden enemies fixed.
  
• Negative charger cooker exploit fixed.
  
• Quick slots now block mouse input, leading to accidental moving / attacking.
  
• Possible invisible mine trap fix (please report is still found).
  NOTE: Some traps are under floor dirt and pipes – these don’t count as invisible.

HOTFIX 1.0.4b

• Repair Station / door lock-out fixed.
  
• Stat and Skill points properly reload from saves.
  
• Display icon and camera offset adjustments.