DEVLOG 016: Signed in Blood

[p]Hello, mercenaries![/p][p]Today we’re going to talk about our plans for the upcoming 0.9.9 patch and the key development directions of the past few months. And of course, we’ll tell you when to expect all these wonders![/p][p][/p][h2]Patch Highlights[/h2]

• [p]Pacts 2.0: we’ve completely reworked the system — now these are powerful active abilities that can truly flip the battlefield upside down.
  Turn into a Quasimorph? Sure. Walk through walls? Easy. Reduce everything around you to meteor ash? Anytime.
  But of course, nothing is free.[/p]
• [p]The difficulty builder is deeper: you can now fine-tune your experience as you play (with clear limitations so you can’t break progression). Plus, we’re adding the ability to save your own custom difficulty preset.[/p]
• [p]Content & QoL: we keep expanding the game: a Cryochamber for the Magnum, new items, enemies, updated map visuals, new augments, and a bunch of quality-of-life improvements.[/p]

[hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]What are Pacts?[/h2][p]Pacts are active abilities that let you change the situation instantly: deal catastrophic damage, reshape the battlefield, or even change your character by transforming into another creature.[/p][p]That kind of power comes with a steep price — and that’s part of the design.[/p][h2]Why we reworked them[/h2][p]Pacts have been in the game since release, but we weren’t happy with how they worked:
they barely interacted with your builds and often felt like a simple “panic button”.[/p][p]Now we treat them differently:
Pacts are an active ability system that supports different playstyles — and one we can expand with new effects without rewriting half of the combat system.[/p][h3]What we’re aiming for[/h3]

• [p]More build variety, where the game changes not only based on “what weapon I shoot,” but also how exactly I solve situations on the battlefield.[/p]
• [p]More synergies between abilities, classes, implants, and items.[/p]
• [p]A foundation for future systems, like a dedicated Pact Department (we’re already laying the groundwork for it).[/p]

[h2]New usage logic: faster, stronger — but with a price[/h2][p]The key change: Pacts no longer slow down the pace of combat, but they’re not “free magic” either.[/p][h3]What we removed[/h3]

• [p]no more cooldowns[/p]
• [p]Pacts no longer require an extra turn to use[/p]
• [p]using a Pact doesn’t raise your Quasimorphosis meter by itself[/p]

[h3]What we added instead[/h3][p]To use a Pact, you first have to charge it — which increases your Quasimorphosis meter.
Only after charging does the Pact become available.[/p][p]So we removed “slow and on a schedule” and added “instant, but plan the cost.”[/p][h2]Banes: 5 levels and consequences that stick[/h2][p]We also completely reworked Pact banes:[/p]

• [p]banes have 5 levels[/p]
• [p]each use strengthens the banes you already have[/p]
• [p]after a certain number of uses, you gain a new bane[/p]
• [p]the higher the level, the harsher the consequences[/p]
• [p]most importantly: banes do not reset after a mission[/p]

[p]Examples of consequences:[/p]

• [p]in lighter cases:[/p]
  • [p]more damage from wounds[/p]
  • [p]higher calorie consumption[/p]
  • [p]faster Quasimorphosis growth[/p]
• [p]in harsher cases:[/p]
  • [p]enemies may start “surviving” death[/p]
  • [p]your clone may become immobilized[/p]
  • [p]equipment may break when moving[/p]

[p]There’s only one radical way out: break the Pact.[/p][p]Bottom line: Pacts are less likely to screw you over “on a timer,” but they demand planning — and still work instantly, letting you change the entire fight in a single moment.[/p][p]After this update, the game will have over 60 Pacts.
By release — around 100 (some are still being brought to a final state). We prefer shipping the system’s foundation early so you can start “breaking” it while we keep iterating on balance and underlying mechanics.[/p][h2]Pact examples[/h2][p]To give you an idea of what you’ll be dealing with:[/p]

• [p]Choose an area → a massive explosion happens → allies emerge from it[/p]

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• [p]Walk straight through a wall[/p]

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• [p]A huge explosion that leaves fire behind[/p]

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• [p]For every AP spent, a meteor strikes a random enemy in line of sight[/p]

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• [p]Pick an object in line of sight → it explodes → a friendly Quasimorph appears in its place[/p]

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• [p]Panic for all non-immune enemies in line of sight[/p]

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• [p]Blood pools turn into a shield[/p]

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• [p]Summon rocks that create cover and block enemies’ pathing[/p]

[p][/p][p]We hope expanding this system will create enough room for experiments — and for those “what if…?” builds.[/p][p][/p][p]Baron transformation Pacts have also been brought in line with the new philosophy: while transformed, things that used to feel “switched off” now work properly:[/p]

• [p]inventory is available[/p]
• [p]loadout management works[/p]
• [p]you can heal via the Health screen[/p]
• [p]class perks continue to function[/p]

[p]It’s important to us that transformation is a full character state that contributes to build combinatorics and fully uses the game’s mechanics, instead of turning into “a mode where half the UI went out for a smoke.”[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][p]The second major line of updates is expanding difficulty settings and letting you adjust them as you play.[/p][p][/p][h2]What else you’ll be able to tweak[/h2][p](in addition to the existing options)[/p]

• [p]random event frequency + on/off toggle[/p]
• [p]calorie consumption from carried weight (down to 0%)[/p]
• [p]procedural mission lifetime[/p]
• [p]the “Restart floor on death” logic has been reworked:[/p]
  • [p]it now loads the latest save even if the mission was already completed[/p]
  • [p]to complete a mission “posthumously,” use Esc → Abort mission[/p]
• [p]an option that blocks difficulty changes during a run (for those who want “iron honesty”)[/p]

[h2]In-run editing and presets[/h2][p]You can now view and change difficulty settings right inside a specific save.[/p][p]Difficulty is a way to tailor the experience to yourself. Some want more risk, some want less grind, and some test builds and don’t want the calorie economy to sabotage experiments.[/p][p]Plus: you’ll be able to save your settings as a preset, and the chosen difficulty will be shown on the save load screen.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p]Soon the Magnum will stop smelling like rotten meat![/p][p][/p][p]We’ve added a new Magnum upgrade: the Cryochamber.[/p][p]The Cryochamber is a separate stash tab where spoilage for perishable items is halted.
You’ll be able to travel between planets without worrying about being left without a snack.[/p][p]But you have to pay for the fridge: we sacrificed the 7th cargo hold tab.
We think it’s worth it. 🙂[/p][hr][/hr][p]And of course, this patch isn’t just about Pacts and difficulty settings. Patch 0.9.9 also brings a solid batch of new gear: 6 weapons, 2 quasimorphic mines, 1 quasimorphic turret, 10 augments, and 4 implants.[/p][p]On top of that, you’ll finally get to see a new ending for a story branch that has been hanging without a conclusion so far — it will arrive with the full patch release (not in the Open Beta).[/p][p]We’re on the final stretch. We’re starting testing right now — the patch is already available on the Open Beta branch, but of course, we can’t guarantee stability yet. Still, we’ll be grateful to everyone who’s willing to help test and share impressions in Discord and the Steam discussions. Within two weeks of the start of testing, the patch will roll out to the default branch together with the final patch notes.[/p][p]And finally — you’ve probably noticed that our patch numbering suggests we’re getting closer and closer to the full release, step by step. Stay tuned.[/p][p]Thank you for playing, leaving reviews, and helping us make Quasimorph meaner, smarter, and more comfortable to play.[/p][p]Happy hunting, mercenaries![/p][p]Bonus gif for those who made it to the end! [/p][p][/p]