Macabre News

This Week in Macabre
As we gear up for Macabre's first public debut at SXSW Sydney, our team is putting in tireless efforts to ensure all systems work together seamlessly. We're now on the cusp of our first build, a significant milestone, showcasing our ability to create a cohesive experience by integrating all our systems.

Following this, our focus will shift towards rigorous testing to ensure engaging gameplay and identifying potential improvements. This stage also allows us to conduct comprehensive QA testing, pushing the boundaries to uncover edge cases and game-breaking bugs.

With SXSW on the horizon, we are buzzing with excitement and can't wait for you to experience our demo. Stay tuned for more updates as the event approaches. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for Macabre!

Features

• Added an inventory item notify flow node, and prototype stub nodes for voice over, UI and ability activation
  
• Started a Flowgraph Sequence "demo"
  
• Implemented OnAbilityActivated, unifying behaviour of OnNotifyFromInventory
  
• Implemented OnNotifyFromEquipment flow node
  
• Updated OnAbilityEvent to capture ended and cancelled events
  
• Implemented voice cue flow node
  
• Implemented AddToHUD flow node
  
• Added profiling cameras to Profiling sublevel
  
• Added AbilitySystemInitialized notify
  
• Added WaitForBackpackItems and OnNotifyFromBackpack node, and fixed equipment notify issue
  
• Implemented PushUI flow node
  
• Updated first round of Toast Icons
  
• Added Key Card 3D asset
  
• Added radio gameplay ability
  
• Added animation audio cues for Crawler
  
• Added audio Volumes and revised audio mix
  
• Added first pass audio for Bottle Throw
  
• Assigned Phys Materials to gameplay tags for triggering audio for footsteps
  

Bug Fixes

• Made changes to Master level blueprint sublevel loading
  
• Ensured stub flow nodes pass through execution
  
• Fixed packaging in 5.2
  
• Fixed linter errors
  
• Fixed looting bug
  
• Fixed atomic space shifter extraction issue
  

Other

• Removed some redundant triggers
  
• Enhanced python script directory handling for robustness
  
• Converted most scripts to python for easier debugging
  
• Conducted more asset cleanup
  
• Added engine dir override file
  
• First pass of PCG Forest implementation
  
• Made small changes to master materials
  
• Gamepad control adjustments
  

Sydney, Australia - July 12, 2023

Weforge Studio is thrilled to announce that our game, Macabre, has been invited to showcase at the prestigious SXSW Sydney in October. This invitation marks another significant milestone for our independent game studio based in Sydney, Australia.

At SXSW Sydney, we will be unveiling a preview of our demo, a single-player introduction to the eerie world of Macabre and its monstrous inhabitants. This demo will provide a glimpse into the immersive and terrifying experience that Macabre promises to deliver.

In addition to the showcase, the developers will be attending SXSW Sydney in person. "We're looking forward to meeting attendees, sharing our experiences, and gaining valuable insights from the gaming community," said Jake Davey, Game Director and Co-founder of Weforge Studio. "We’ve been working hard to ensure our demo accurately reflects our vision, and we're eager for players to dive and come face-to-face with the horrors that await."

Macabre is a co-op stealth extraction horror game that takes players on a thrilling journey through infinite timelines within an unstable time rift. Guided by Banjo, an eccentric recluse with an unclear past, players will venture deep into the rift, tasked with uncovering the source of terrifying anomalies in the hopes of escaping.

The game features a highly replayable game loop, addictive progression, and the option to play solo or with friends. Macabre is designed with depth and replayability in mind, offering unique locations, immersive art and sound, cunning creatures, and a pinch of dark comedy.

"We're incredibly excited and honoured to have the opportunity to showcase Macabre at SXSW Sydney," said Jay Topping, Creative Director and Co-founder of Weforge Studio. "I'm excited to showcase our uniquely Australian take on the horror genre, and I can't wait to see how players react."

For more information about Macabre, please follow our Steam page, where we post weekly Dev updates along with regular Dev Blogs. You can also find our other socials here.



About Weforge Studio
Weforge is an independent game studio based in Sydney, Australia, founded with the goal of supporting our debut title, Macabre. Our team of experienced professionals have worked on a range of notable projects in games, VFX, cinema, and advertising, giving us the skills and expertise to deliver first-class visuals in real-time. We're committed to building and maintaining a reputation as a premiere studio, and we continue to develop and create new IP to offer high-quality solutions across all aspects of interactive screen media in Australia.

Press Contact:
[email protected]


Links: LinkTree Press Kit Steam - Macabre Twitter - @macabrethegame TikTok - @macabrethegame Youtube - @macabregame Reddit - r/macabregame/ Facbook - @MacabreVideoGame Discord Macabre Website Weforge Studio

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Note to Editors:
Interviews with the Weforge Studio team are available upon request. Please contact [email protected] to schedule. High-resolution images, logos, Q&A, Trailer and other press materials are available in the Macabre press kit.

About SXSW Sydney:
SXSW Sydney is a renowned event that showcases the latest developments, releases, and innovations in the world of gaming. It provides a platform for developers, publishers, and hardware manufacturers to present their upcoming games, exclusive trailers, and gameplay demos specifically designed for the gaming community. The event runs from the 15th-22nd of October. You can purchase event Access here.

This Week in Macabre
In this latest update, we're delighted to announce that we've taken some pivotal steps forward in enhancing the Macabre gaming experience. We have successfully migrated to the Unreal Engine 5.2.1, unlocking a wealth of cutting-edge features and capabilities that will only enrich the depth and immersion of our world. In our continuous quest to refine our development processes, we've built a dedicated build machine to handle packaging and build profiling. We've also brought some slick organizational tools on board such as batch rename and linting tools.

As we turn our eyes towards gameplay, we're excited to introduce a whole new level of interactivity with the implementation of flowgraph. This will enable us to weave intricate scripting events into our demo and quest lines, making every playthrough that much more dynamic.

And, of course, in our unwavering pursuit of excellence, we've squashed all packaging-related bugs and various other hiccups, while giving the project a much-needed cleanup. From rigorous asset renaming in line with our style guide to deep-diving into each facet of the game to refine and polish, we've left no stone unturned. We're incredibly excited to share these advancements with you and can't wait to hear your thoughts. Strap in, the world of Macabre is about to get a lot more immersive!

Features

• Upgraded to Unreal Engine 5.2.1.
  
• Set up our build machine to package and profile the project.
  
• Implemented batch rename and linting tools.
  
• Implemented flowgraph to create custom scripting events for our demo and quest lines.
  
• Added an inventory item notify flow node, and some prototype stub nodes for voice-over, UI, and ability activation.
  
• Added Flaregun and Walkie Talkie 3D assets.
  
• Added 2D icons for various tools and crafting materials.
  

Bug Fixes

• Fixed all current errors in relation to packaging.
  
• Squashed various bugs.
  

Other

• Major project cleanup and renaming of assets to adhere to the style guide.
  
• More concept art progress
  

Recently, Epic hosted Unreal Fest on the Gold Coast. A few of us headed up to soak up the sun and the deep technical knowledge on offer. It was a fantastic event, and we met many talented Aussie devs working on some really cool projects. We've already implemented a lot of what we learned at the festival to streamline our processes, which has proven to be very useful.

Coming off the back of the PC Gaming Show, we've seen many new faces in our discord and experienced a significant spike in interest in the project. Multiple publications have written about Macabre, and a few creators are talking about us.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
After the show, we gained a lot of attention on BiliBili—a big welcome to all our new Chinese followers. Our trailer also went viral on TikTok, sparking another surge in wishlists from across the globe.

As of writing this post, Macabre is currently #434 in Steam's Wishlist charts, which is just absolutely mind-blowing. Thank you all so much for showing interest and supporting our project. We could never have imagined that Macabre would spark so many conversations worldwide; it's truly incredible. We honestly can't thank you all enough!


Earlier in the week, I provided context in Discord regarding why things might appear a bit slow on our end. Essentially, our core team consists of three people. We often collaborate with our freelance friends, who fill in the gaps and make cool stuff. Being a small team means we have to wear many hats! Apart from providing creative direction, I also handle community and marketing tasks. With everything that's been happening recently, it's been quite intense, so I haven't managed to stay on top of my regular updates. However, there has been plenty of development progress behind the scenes, which I'll delve into now.

This Week in Macabre
This week's update brings a significant number of enhancements and bug fixes to the game. Feature updates include implementing a throwable tag for equipment, a functional prototype extraction ability, and improved environmental assets like snow, rain presets, footprints, and foliage. The Atomic Space Shifter has been enhanced with new seeker mechanics. We've also made a series of bug fixes, from tool functionality to DX11 and DX12 packaging errors. In addition, we've added asset linter plugins and scripts to aid asset management. Other improvements include the enforcement of no redundant type name comments, new linting rules, and significant refactoring of project folders for better organization.

Features

• Car park environment updated.
  
• Lodge models master materials replaced, and some collision fixes implemented.
  
• Throwable tag requirement added to equipment.
  
• Prototype extraction ability is now functional.
  
• Gameplay cue added during progress ability.
  
• Environment updated with added snow and rain preset environment assets in separate levels.
  
• Atomic space shifter has been made a 'blip' seeker with the artifact actor being a randomly spawned target.
  
• Atomic space shifter equipment actor parts have been nativised.
  
• Added new footprints.
  
• Added new foliage.
  
• Implemented custom asset linting rules.
  
• Content/Macabre successfully linted with custom rules.
  
• Batch Rename Tool plugin added.
  
• SubsystemBrowserPlugin added.
  
• Updated FlowGraph.
  
• Refactored Content folder.
  
• Static meshes renamed to use S_ prefix, added new Nanite and VT linters, and basic python script support added.
  

Bug Fixes

• Fixed seeker C (throw action no longer consumes input and will still scan without a target).
  
• Non-editor build errors have been fixed.
  
• Packaging on DX12 fixed and temporarily disabled EOS for packaging (requires a source build).
  
• Replaced bugged asset linter plugin.
  
• Redirectors in chapter one fixed.
  
• ChapterOne/Equipment linted.
  

Other

• A large number of CppUnusedIncludeDirective comments added to the inline generated cpp macros as a build optimisation.
  
• Redundant type name comment enforcement.
  
• Merged 'EnvironmentArt' branch into dev.
  
• Content folder has been refactored.
  
• Textures above 2048 are now Virtual Textures.
  
• Preliminary concept rounds for base equipment have been completed. Final concepts will be prepared for 3D development next week.
  

WIP CONCEPTS

Sydney, Australia - June 12, 2023

Weforge Studio is pleased to announce the debut of their game, Macabre, has just been showcased at the PC Gaming Show. Presented to millions of viewers worldwide, this reveal is a significant accomplishment for the independent game studio based in Sydney, Australia.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Macabre is a co-op stealth extraction horror game that takes players on a thrilling journey through infinite timelines within an unstable time rift. Guided by Banjo, an eccentric recluse with an unclear past, players will venture deep into the rift, tasked with uncovering the source of terrifying anomalies.


"We're incredibly humbled and grateful for the opportunity to showcase Macabre at the PC Gaming Show," said Jake Davey, Game Director and Co-founder of Weforge Studio. "The game has been a labour of love for our team, and we can't wait for players to experience the unique blend of stealth, horror, and co-op gameplay that Macabre offers."


Macabre features a highly replayable game loop, addictive progression, and the option to play solo or with friends. The game is designed with depth and replayability in mind, offering unique locations, immersive art and sound, cunning creatures, and a pinch of Dark comedy.


"People all around the world know Australia to be a dangerous place. Our goal is to reinforce this stereotype by showing we also have cunning interdimensional beings that will stop at nothing to tear you apart," said Jay Topping, Creative Director and Co-founder of Weforge Studio. "We believe that Macabre offers a fresh and unique take on the horror genre, and we're excited to see how players will react to the reveal trailer"


Developed in Unreal Engine 5 for PC, Macabre aims to bring the immersive and terrifying experience of high-end single-player horror games to a multiplayer audience. The game is set to release a single-player demo soon, with an Early Access release date and price to be announced.
For more information about Macabre, please follow our Steam page, where we post weekly Dev updates along with regular Dev Blogs. You can also find our other socials here.

About Weforge Studio
Weforge is an independent game studio based in Sydney, Australia, founded with the goal of supporting our debut title, Macabre. Our team of experienced professionals have worked on a range of notable projects in games, VFX, cinema, and advertising, giving us the skills and expertise to deliver first-class visuals in real-time. We're committed to building and maintaining a reputation as a premiere studio, and we continue to develop and create new IP to offer high-quality solutions across all aspects of interactive screen media in Australia.

Press Contact:
[email protected]


Links: LinkTree Press Kit Steam - Macabre Twitter - @macabrethegame TikTok - @macabrethegame Youtube - @macabregame Reddit - r/macabregame/ Facbook - @MacabreVideoGame Discord Macabre Website Weforge Studio

###

Note to Editors:
Interviews with the Weforge Studio team are available upon request. Please contact [email protected] to schedule. High-resolution images, logos, Q&A, Trailer and other press materials are available in the Macabre press kit.

About the PC Gaming Show:
The PC Gaming Show is an annual event that showcases the latest developments, releases, and innovations in the world of PC gaming. It provides a platform for developers, publishers, and hardware manufacturers to present their upcoming games, exclusive trailers, and gameplay demos specifically designed for the PC gaming community. The 2023 PC Gaming Show took place on Sunday, June 11 @1:00 PM PDT / 4:00 PM EDT / 9:00 PM BST / 10:00 PM CEST.