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Section 13 News

Demo App Now Available

Greeting Agents!

Great news, we're here to announce that our new Demo App is now available! We’ve been working hard on it, and we’re super excited for you to try it out. Hope you enjoy it, and we’d love to hear what you think!

There are a few key features that will be present in this Demo App:

[h2]Game Flow [/h2]

[h3]Brightness Control [/h3]



At the start of the game, you’ll find a brightness control screen to adjust in order to play the way the game was intended. This way, you can fully immerse yourself as an S2P agent fighting for survival in the dark eerie environment of the underground research lab.

[h3]Narrative & Dialogue UI[/h3]



As we mentioned in the Dev Logs, our narrative team is carefully working on a story to create a space where you can easily enjoy the tutorial and get a good grasp on Section 13’s backstory without feeling overwhelmed. We’ve also changed the art style of these dialogues. Looks like it's straight out of a comic book!

[h3]The HUB[/h3]



One major change you might’ve noticed is our Command Center. Previously, players were able to choose their weapons, their agents, and even invite their friends from outside the doors of Section 13. Well, we’ve created an all-new experience where players can interact, train, unlock weapons, and increase permanent character abilities with their earned data nugs, and more, all in one location, The HUB.

[h2]In-Game Items[/h2]

[h3]Excellent Employee Points[/h3]



STAR Pins are a way of S2P showing their appreciation for its brave agents. Collect as many as you can to buy weapons at the HUB. So be on your best behavior, Agents 😉

[h3]Access Codes[/h3]



During your mission, you might come across an item drop that’ll allow you to explore hidden pathways. Collect these items to gain access to a randomized code, but beware, these paths are not all what you think.

[h2]Additional Updates[/h2]

[h3]Rolls & Ammo[/h3]



No more waiting for roll cooldowns or scavenging for ammo boxes! In this Demo App, you’ll have unlimited rolls and ammo, giving you the freedom to survive with two less things to worry about.

[h3]The Secret Room[/h3]



Our secret rooms have been upgraded allowing users to set up the level of difficulty and the rewards they want to collect. Of course, there is a price to be paid if you want to reroll the initial randomized game choice.

[h3]Specific Objects in the Game[/h3]



As you roam around the maps, you’ll notice some objects shining. We’ve added hidden loot for you to find! By interacting with specific objects, you can obtain game items or tactical gear and choose to best fit your strategy.

[h2]To Launch Demo App:[/h2]

Open the steam store app and locate your library.


If you already have Section 13 Installed, you should be able to see the Demo App above.


If you do not have Section 13 purchased, you can do so here. Please note that the price will increase around official launch in early 2025.

Select the Section 13 Demo and install. The page should have a Demo banner at the top left corner.


For more information, check out our Dev Log here.
We appreciate your patience and all the love and support. Keep an eye out for more updates to come!

- ODS Team

DISCORD | X/TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TWITCH

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2111870/Blackout_Protocol/

Game Direction Update From ODS_Jungsoo, Head of Operations

Hello!

I’m Jungsoo Lee (some of you might know me as ODS_Jungsoo on our Discord), responsible for game services at Ocean Drive Studio.

Today, I wanted to share some important news about the future of Blackout Protocol. Ocean Drive Studio’s goal has always has been, and continues to be, to develop great games by incorporating community feedback into our core game design and philosophy.
In the case of Blackout Protocol, we launched the game as a tactical co-op twin-stick shooter. While some players supported this direction when we launched into Early Access, we found that the majority of you preferred a twin-stick shooter homed in on 'action' and 'single-player' experiences over 'tactical' and 'co-op.' Initially, when single-player mode wasn’t supported, our Steam reviews were mixed with only about 50% positive, but it has significantly gone up to 80-90% positive recently, giving us an overall rating of 76% positive.
Seeing the positive feedback and reviews, we continued developing the game with a certain roadmap (see the image below) in mind. However, internally, we discussed and ultimately agreed even more fundamental changes to the game are necessary, and I’d like to discuss some major upcoming events with you through this post.


[h3]Future of the Game[/h3]
First, let me assure you that we have no plans to discontinue the current service, even as we consider more fundamental changes. We will continue developing the game based on the current narrative centered around Section 13 of S2P and stick to our twin-stick shooter genre.

However, some changes will be made:

  1. We will shift the game’s focus from a 'tactical' and 'co-op' twin-stick shooter to a fully 'action' and 'single-player' twin-stick shooter. We are changing elements like ammo, stamina, and movement speed, which were previously more restrictive in the tactical shooter experience, to focus entirely on control and roguelike progression. Our analysis of the Early Access feedback led us to conclude that this change is ultimately necessary to provide the most fun with the game.

  2. To support these changes, there will be adjustments made to the growth elements within sessions. Our Creative Director will provide further updates to elaborate on this in a future development log!

  3. We are investing heavily in the narrative elements to better support the shift to single-player gameplay and tell a story. Each character will have intriguing stories of their own as they encounter events in Section 13. To facilitate this, the existing main menu will be replaced with an S2P base hub where characters can roam around and interact with NPCs and the rooms within the base.

  4. Given the significant gameplay changes, we wanted to change the game’s title to better reflect its new direction. Before updating the main game you purchased, we plan to release a free demo game to gather feedback from both current and new players, and then proceed with updating the main Blackout Protocol game.

  5. Since this change will greatly impact the mechanics and progress of existing players, we plan to reset the saved data. We are currently considering whether to provide the old save file and a build with the original gameplay style for those who prefer it. Please share your thoughts [here], and we will consider them in our decision-making process.

[h3]Participation in Gamescom and Future Games Show[/h3]
We plan to officially announce these changes at the upcoming Gamescom event. We will also participate in the Future Games Show to showcase the direction solidified by your valuable feedback. During Gamescom, we will release a demo featuring the new gameplay, gather feedback, and finalize updates to the main game. And we plan to share a new roadmap as soon as possible after this announcement.



There were many internal discussions leading to this moment, and as a company where financial considerations are important, deciding to further invest and changing the gameplay of Blackout Protocol was not easy. However, we saw the potential of the game through your feedback and are committed to improving the gameplay so that more players can enjoy it. We believe that the changes we’ve made will provide a satisfying and enjoyable experience for our community, so we would greatly appreciate your honest feedback during the demo test at the upcoming Gamescom. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has purchased Blackout Protocol, and I look forward to sharing more development news soon.

Please keep an eye out for our announcements!

Thank you.
ODS_Jungsoo

PAX West 2024 Here We Come

Greetings, Agents!

PAX West is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to meet all of you amazing agents again.
Experience the excitement with us at Booth: 317! We've made some exciting changes to our game, and we can’t wait for you to enjoy them. Don’t miss out - come by and share this amazing moment with us!

(This image was taken during PAX East, we can't wait to see this again but this time at PAX West!)

If you have any questions, feel free to catch any one of our ODS Team members lurking around the booth!

If you are unable to attend, don’t worry, we’ll be sharing our gameplay on our Steam store page, so you won’t miss out on all the excitement. Be sure to keep an eye out for more updates as well.

See you at PAX West!

- ODS Team

DISCORD | X/TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TWITCH | KICK

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2111870/Blackout_Protocol/

We're Going To Gamescom

Greetings, Agents!

For the first time ever, we're expanding our mission beyond the US and heading to Europe! We are thrilled to announce our debut at Gamescom! This marks our first appearance at this incredible event, and we can’t wait to meet all of you amazing agents.

We're bringing an array of exciting surprises and exclusive content to Gamescom where you’ll be able to try out our games.

Be sure to swing by our Booth: C079 located in Hall: 10.1 and share this thrilling moment with us.

(This image was taken during PAX East, but we can't wait to see this again but this time in Germany!)

If you have any questions, feel free to catch any one of our ODS Team members lurking around the booth!

If you are unable to attend, don’t worry, we’ll be sharing our gameplay on our Steam store page, so you won’t miss out on all the excitement. Be sure to keep an eye out for more updates as well.

See you at Gamescom!

- ODS Team

DISCORD | X/TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TWITCH | KICK

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2111870/Blackout_Protocol/

Black Out the QTs During Summer Sale!

Agents,

During this season of growth, QTs have also been rampant within Section 13.
Enjoy the 20% discount to blot them out with fire and lead!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2111870/Blackout_Protocol/


- ODS Team

DISCORD | X/TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TWITCH | KICK