Into the Radius 2 News

Hello, explorers!
The Pechorsk anomaly is full of dangers, and today we’ll shed some light on one of these you might encounter when venturing Into the Radius!

When heading out, explorers will face two types of lethal obstacles - enemies and anomalies.

Unlike enemies (which we’ll cover in a future diary entry) anomalies are always in a semi-passive state when you encounter them. This means that even though they respond aggressively toward the player, they do so automatically, regardless of “thought” or “intent”.

In ITR2 we use a more complex and systematic approach to designing the anomalies than before. Before generating ideas for potential anomalies, we first figure out how they’re meant to affect the player and what purpose do they serve in the game as a whole, keeping in mind their key differences and similarities with enemies.

For every anomaly we have certain rules:

• They mustn’t be something overly complex or large. To keep the game primarily a shooter after all.
  
• They mustn’t have a wide area of effect. The majority of threats at a distance should be caused by enemies.
  
• They must exist on their own. Neither following nor attempting to find the player. These roles are also for the enemies.
  
• The main way to interact with them must be done through probes.
  

In regard to everything else anomalies significantly stand out from one another. Their differences will depend on the situations and conditions in which explorers will encounter an anomaly. In the earliest stages of development it became clear that the game needs multiple types of anomalies, which differ not only in mechanics and visuals, but also design itself. And every type has a unique aspect to it.

In ITR2 we’re working on three primary types of anomalies:

• Global anomalies.
  
• Cluster anomalies.
  
• Moving anomalies.
  

Global anomalies can be seen in wide open ranges of the Radius. While heading from one specific location to the next, players usually keep in mind several factors: ammo amount, gear condition, potential enemies, routes to avoid, current goals and mission objectives. So these anomalies have to able to effectively make explorers aware of their presence, and punish those overconfident enough to miss or underestimate them.

Cluster anomalies are a group of multiple differently sized anomalies. They require a great deal of caution when encountered, and contain highly valuable and useful artifacts within. While engaging with clusters players will be more focused than usual, which is why they’re designed as less predictable and more complex than the rest. They require explorers to move especially carefully, and punish those who are too hasty or reckless.

Moving anomalies are a new entity, and in line with their name, are always in motion, either via specific routes or teleportation. Our internal tests show that the appearance of such anomalies (even in very simplistic forms) can greatly enrich and bring significant variety to the player experience.

Anomalies are seen throughout the game in different ways. Players can stumble upon separate isolated ones, fields containing multiple types at once, or the previously mentioned cluster anomalies which can differ in size.

From a visual standpoint anomalies in ITR1 were rather abstract and didn’t always leave a lasting impression. In ITR2 we’re trying to make the anomalies feel more materialistic. They are entities of the Radius, generated by it based on whatever objects and materials were affected in Pechorsk in 1987.

This was a general overview of anomalies in ITR2. Maybe in the future we’ll go in-depth into each one’s design separately. Let us know if you’d be interested in such more specific dev diary entries, and we’ll see you in the Radius!



[h2]Previous Diary Entries[/h2]
[expand]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4059501135884135951?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/3996449472307187236?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/5797888151162063655?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/3862464213256385055?l=english

[/expand]

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Hello explorers!
Guns are one of the most important elements of Into the Radius. They are a part of your overall progression, an instrument for different styles of combat, a collection piece, and even a form of self-expression.

In ITR2 guns, as a whole, will consist of the following:

• Functionality and visuals
  
• Technical systems
  
• Upgrades
  
• Attachments
  
• Cleaning
  
• Sounds
  

[h3]Functionality and Visuals[/h3]
In ITR2 we’ll try our best to have the guns be as close to their realistic counterparts as possible.

One of our team members is purely focused on the development of guns. This helps us greatly increase the detail of weapon functionality, add new animations, and better the quality of the visuals.
Now every single gun is created from scratch. This has made the process more difficult, but it lets us develop these weapons how we want to.

[h3]Technical Systems[/h3]
This includes ballistics, recoil, gun and ammo parameters, surface penetration, etc. There’s a lot of changes, and quite different too. We’ll touch upon the finer details in future Dev Diary entries. The most important parts we’d like to point out now are the changes to recoil and an overhaul of the parameters system.

Recoil is more complex than before, which will help us make each gun feel more unique. As for gun and ammo parameters, there’s going to be more of them. For example, ammo will now have a greater impact on your weapon - affecting aim, damage, recoil, durability, and so on.

[h3]Upgrades[/h3]
In ITR1 the player could change their gun’s stats through the upgrade system and add attachments.
ITR2 will follow the same upgrade process, but will have a wider number of options. Currently we’re working on 3 upgrade branches, let’s take a closer look.

Changing gun parameters
This is similar to ITR1 - decreasing recoil, adjusting rate of fire, increasing reliability, etc.

Changing gun parts
This will let you change gun stats, mechanics, and/or add new attachment points. Players will be able to change the forend from a regular to a tactical one, which will have more attachment points. Or change their pistol handle to a tactical one, decreasing recoil. Players will also be able to switch the stock of certain guns, completely changing their reloads, replacing the internal chamber with external detachable magazines.

Gun color patterns
Patterns will unlock as you progress through the game. They’ll apply to your fire-arm instantly (no manual coloring/painting). You’ll be able to color your attachments and magazines as well, separately or along with your gun.

We hope this upgrade system will let our players configure and customize their favorite guns as deeply as possible.

[h3]Attachments[/h3]
Another important aspect of your gun. We know you want more of them, so do we!

Apart from increasing the variety of possible attachments, we’ll also add special ones, that let you add attachments on themselves. E.g, a Picatinny rail at a 45 degree angle, a mount with multiple Picatinny rails, a scope with a Picatinny rail on top, etc. This will allow you to create some pretty weird combination of attachments. But to help balance this much freedom, your gun parameters will be affected.

[h3]Cleaning[/h3]
Here, for the most part, everything remains the same. We’ll update the visuals of this process, as well as rework some cleaning instruments. Instead of paper towels there’ll be special brushes. Over time your cleaning instruments will break, so you’ll have to replace them. No more toilet paper pyramids!

[h3]Sounds[/h3]
It’s important to us that the guns sound authentic. In ITR2 we’re using the MetaSounds system, which helps make the sounds more complex and of a higher quality.

Taking everything we mentioned above into account, it’s clear that the process of developing guns has certainly become harder. At Early Access launch there will be 3 guns available, with more to come during development of course. Currently our plan for full release is to have 16 guns chambered in 9 different calibers. This is less than in ITR1. But thanks to all these new mechanics and features, we hope you’ll gain a lot more enjoyment from using every single gun.

Please note that at the start of Early Access not all of these features will be present. During Early Access we aim to lay the proper foundation and groundwork for these systems (thanks to your feedback), to be able to more easily implement content in the future.
See you in the Radius!



[h2]Previous Diary Entries[/h2]
[expand]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/3996449472307187236?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/5797888151162063655?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/3862464213256385055?l=english

[/expand]

Join our Discord Join our Subreddit Follow on Twitter

Hello explorers!
ITR was originally designed to have gameplay and story closely interwoven. The game avoids separation into purely cinematic story cutscenes and interactive gameplay episodes. Players are always engaged in the gradual unravelling of the story in every moment of the game. However, limited resources and a higher priority on gameplay didn’t allow us to fully realize the majority our ideas for lore and story in ITR1.

In the sequel we want to deliver a more detailed and complete narrative, maintaining the core design philosophy mentioned above, and ironing out the inconsistencies and critical errors of the original.

Before we dive into the topic further, we’d like to quickly address the community discourse and theories in relation to the guns in ITR1. Some of them don’t fit from a historical point of view, existing before they were technically invented. In our defense, after the appearance of the Radius in 1987 the in-game world becomes an alternate history, in which they could’ve been invented sooner, and so the Committee might’ve gotten access to them for testing… Regardless, we hope you had fun with those guns just as much as with the others ;)

So, what can our players expect from a story and narrative standpoint?

The events of ITR1 took place at the turn of the century. The sequel takes place several years after the ending of the previous game, the mid 2000s.

The final events of ITR1 had a significant impact on the Committee. Thanks to the data gathered and prospects unlocked, it acquired greater resources and ambitions. This directly affected the Explorers. In ITR2 they’ll be residing in new bases designed from scratch. In addition to older equipment getting an upgrade, completely new types will be available as well. Changes will affect the majority of equipment designed by the Committee. What remains the same, however, is the Committee’s treatment of the Explorers who remain isolated in their bases, with only the Radius to venture into.

The main character of ITR2 is a new nameless Explorer, who will make his own path into the center of the Radius. In co-op mode the story will revolve around the host of the co-op game, while their friends will act as partners on their journey.

It terms of presenting the plot, even though it’s intended to have a more in-depth narrative and more structured story, we will still avoid the use of traditional cutscenes that remove control from the player, include a lot of dialogue, or other non-interactive techniques. At the core of ITR2’s story lies the gameplay itself and how it affects the player.

With this approach a very significant part of our focus is on visual narrative. A couple of examples without spoilers include changes to the Committee, and how we’re reworking locations of the Pechorsk anomaly.

The new base and its details will more clearly reflect the Committee’s treatment of its “volunteers” as well as its change in this approach compared to ITR1. In the original, the base was improvised, careless and shabby. This expressed the Committee’s disappointment and despair in trying to derive at least some practical benefit from its research of the Radius. The ITR2 base and upgraded equipment are meant to show the new capabilities and “mood” of the Committee.

When working on the locations of the Radius we adhere to the concept of thematic layering. The first layer consists of landscapes and nature, determined by the geographical location of the Pechorsk anomaly - Eastern Europe, the border of one of the Baltic countries. The second layer is the man-made infrastructure corresponding to the city of Pechorsk and its environment at the time of 1987, where and when the Pechorsk anomaly appeared. The third is the “Radius layer”, which reflects the gloomy, surreal and deadly essence of the Pechorsk anomaly. And the final layer adds traces of the Committee and its Explorers, which directly depend on how “inhabited” a particular location is by them, and how close it is to the edge or center of the Radius. All of these layers revolve around what kind of gameplay is planned for each location, and create an appropriate narrative context for it based on the lore and story.

In Early Access our main objective is to ensure that the general gameplay cycle of ITR2 functions as intended. This means the first iterations of Early Access won’t include fully fledged story elements. But you’ll already be able to experience the general visual narrative of the Explorer base and first locations of the Radius. Everything else will come with future updates to the game.
Thanks for reading, see you in the next one!

Hello explorers!
Today we’ll delve into some of the locations of ITR2. Let’s start with the world structure.

In ITR1 there were separate locations linked by pathways. They were of different sizes, and would gradually interconnect with increase in difficulty and time spent in the Radius. The player could find additional pathways and move more freely between these areas.

In ITR2 the general structure remains unchanged. The world is separated into multiple locations, each connected by pathways. There won’t be a complete open world. These locations can be separated into three types - general, “satellite”, and special.

General locations - massive areas. Bigger than any location in ITR1 2.0, but smaller than the open world map of ITR1 1.0. These areas will consist of multiple points of interest. Our explorers are familiar with the play patterns in such locations - finding artifacts, collecting loot, killing monsters, completing missions, etc.

“Satellite” locations - smaller areas. They are meant for unique main events that contain new mechanics, heavy lore/story beats, or special conditions. The first time you visit such a location, it’s strictly story/main mission focused. However, after completing said event you’ll be able to return here. It’ll become similar to a “general” location with loot, missions, monsters, the Tide, and etc.

“Special” locations - smaller areas as well, but with a unique role in ITR2. For example one of them is your Base. A place where you can relax and get ready for your next venture. Another example is the Tutorial area. Here our explorers will learn general mechanics, tools, and abilities of the game, similar to ITR1.

As mentioned above, these locations will be connected by pathways. Some will unlock immediately, others after some time. You won’t be able to travel from the starting area to the end in one go. New locations will be more difficult than previous ones. However, older locations will evolve along with the player’s progression more so for the sake of variety rather than just difficulty like during auto-leveling.

Time to mention an important addition - jumping! This opens up new ways to explore the world, and gives us a new way to bring more gameplay variety. Jumping in VR can be an unpleasant mechanic, so we’re trying our best to make it comfortable.

Walking, sprinting, crouching - are all present and for the most part untouched. Climbing has also remained in ITR2 and will get some improvements. Please keep in mind the game still isn’t about parkour, don’t expect leaps of faith into a haystack.

Considering all of these movements mechanics, we’ve revised our approach to location design. We’re already adding more areas where players are required to climb, jump, or crouch. Climbable zones will be visually distinct, so that players can easier identify if it’s even possible in a given area. We’re also trying to make our locations more prominent than in ITR1, adding more variety and diversity to these areas as a result.

In our first versions of Early Access you can expect one General location, one “Satellite”, the Base and Tutorial areas. Important to note that these locations will still be a work in progress and subject to change during EA.

We’ve got more Dev Diaries coming very soon. Thanks for reading and see you in the Radius!

Hello explorers!
In this first entry we’d like to share our general vision for ITR2, what we’re paying special attention to during development, and what our explorers can expect from their new adventures in the Radius.

ITR1 had a long and arduous journey. The most important part during its development cycle was the refinement of the game’s concept and gameplay formula, and in a way that was achievable by our team. ITR1 received many updates over the years. On the one hand, it moved away from its original overly ambitious ideas, but on the other - it became a lot more thought-out, detailed, and whole.

Into the Radius 2 is our next big step in this direction. A chance to significantly evolve what explorers liked about the first game, and to realize certain ideas we couldn’t before. Our main goals with the sequel are to preserve and maintain what made the original special, upgrade its most important gameplay aspects, and deliver a quality way you can enjoy it with your friends.

Now let’s talk about some of the bigger changes coming with ITR2 that we can already share with you today.

This will be an entirely separate story which unfolds sometime after the events of ITR1. Explorer #61 (the protagonist of the original), regardless of his final decision, had a significant impact on the UNPSC’s research of the Pechorsk anomaly. Our new hero - a different Explorer - will have to tread a similar path, however in brand new locations, and with far greater consequences.

The game will still focus on forays into the Radius, but our explorers can expect new places, dangers, and adventures.

We’re trying to develop ITR2’s locations on a whole new level for us. This includes not only image quality and visual consistency of said locations, but also staying as true as possible to the visuals and conditions of the Baltic city of Pechorsk and it’s surroundings as of 1987 (right before the unexpected appearance of the half-sphere of the Pechorsk anomaly, later named the Radius). The gameplay in these locations will remain the same for the most part, but it’ll be affected by various new factors which we’ll share another time.

The use and treatment of firearms is just as significant in the sequel if not more so. There will be fewer guns than before, however every single one is developed from scratch with high attention to detail, additional animations, sounds, and new customization options which can impact their feel and use.

Equipment management is getting an upgrade as well. Our updated loadout system includes new tactical vests and backpacks. This in turn will let you choose a configuration that better fits your play-style. At the base explorers can expect new options for storing and upgrading equipment, and of course, weapon cleaning.

ITR2 is meant to be a fully fledged single-player experience, but with the option of up to 4 player co-op if you so choose. Co-op mode will have a separate save from single-player, with no cross-progression between the two. It also won’t have any unique content unattainable in single-player. As a matter of fact, our initial internal play-tests show that by keeping the same mechanics and features, the game can play and feel very differently when experienced with someone alongside you, and yet still remain true to an adventure you’re familiar with in the Radius.

We’ve got a long road ahead of us, on which we’ll try our best to meet the expectations of our players and create a worthy sequel to ITR1. In future Dev Diary entries we intend to delve deeper into various aspects of the game. Thank you for your continued support.
See you in the Radius!