Into the Radius 2 News

Hello explorers!

Thank you to everyone who responded to our Dev Question about what you'd like to see in future diaries. We're thrilled that your requested topics align so well with our plans. One such popular topic is the player base, which we'll be discussing today.

The UNPSC Explorer Facility is a crucial location with unique functions in both ITR1 and ITR2. We faced the challenging task of preserving its significance while also updating and enhancing it.

In ITR1, the base was essentially a "survivalist's den" – improvised, haphazard, and modest. This reflected the Committee's disappointment and even despair in deriving any practical benefit from studying the Pechorsk Anomaly, as well as their rather indifferent attitude towards the Explorers at that time.

As mentioned in Dev Diary #3, by the time of ITR2, the Committee's attitude and capabilities have changed significantly. The most noticeable reflection of this is the radically new look of the UNPSC Explorer Facility where the protagonist now resides. Rest assured, the new player base will retain all the functionalities from the original, though they will be organized and presented on a new level.

Beyond retaining familiar functions, creating the new UNPSC Explorer Facility involved ensuring it conveyed several important, interwoven themes. The player base should feel like a prison where Explorers are confined by the Committee, a temporary work camp where they labor for the UNPSC, a military field base where they are armed and equipped to face the dangers of the Pechorsk Anomaly, and a home where they can rest, recover, organize their gear, and prepare for their next expedition Into the Radius. The new base combines these features, and it’ll be up to you to decide how well we delivered on this. We eagerly await your feedback after Early Access launch.

Moreover, we aimed to use the principle of contrast where appropriate. The base should feel like a complete opposite to the Radius locations: a normal world versus an alien surreal reality, the rapidly developing late 2000s versus the frozen-in-time mid-80s, prosperity versus decay and abandonment, order and structure versus chaos and unpredictability, calm and tranquility versus tension and danger, bureaucracy and regulation versus freedom and spontaneity. These contrasts are reflected in the new look, feel, and sound of the UNPSC Explorer Facility.

The new player base is clearly divided into zones and modules, each with its own functions. Some will be available from the start, while others will unlock as the player progresses and their Security Level increases.

The Command Room serves as the headquarters where Explorers receive and submit assignments from the Committee. Here, you'll find a computer terminal with a mission map and a device for submitting and retrieving quest items. You might have seen a screenshot of these devices in Dev Diary #11.

The heart of the player base is the Dormitory, a living module designed to house multiple Explorers. It’s a place for rest and recovery. You can neatly and beautifully arrange your weapons and gear here (and take screenshots to show off your setup, as shown in Dev Diary #10). You can also clean your gear, store your accumulated items, eat and drink alone or with your co-op companions. Not all these features will be available in the initial Early Access version but will be gradually added with future updates.

As you progress and collect more weapons and gear, the Armory will become available – a separate module for storing and organizing your equipment. It’s designed to make storage convenient and visually stand out.

A separate area is designated for submitting loot and unwanted gear collected in the Radius (working name – Exchange Counter) and acquiring new weapons, gear, ammunition, and consumables (Supply Depot – since the Committee doesn't sell items to Explorers but issues them in exchange for Supply Credits earned from completing tasks). We've made this a full-fledged showroom where you can handle all displayed items (though the selection in Early Access will be modest), but you can't use them.

A separate Laboratory is intended for processing artifacts (see Dev Diary #9 for more on that).

Besides these main modules, the UNPSC Explorer Facility includes several other zones and features that will be pleasant additions, as the Committee now strives to care for its Explorers in its own way.

In the initial Early Access version, the following modules of the UNPSC Explorer Facility will be available and open off the bat: Dormitory (without cleaning mechanics and some minor features), Command Room, Exchange Counter & Supply Depot. The Armory will unlock as you increase your Security Level. The Laboratory will become operational in a future update.

That’s all we have for today. Thank you for reading, and as always, see you In the Radius.


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

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4165344601312375901
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4177728231403944325
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4181104663292221332
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4193488293621894543?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4115799931687545740?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4130435365852766085?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4194610392076293661?l=english
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]

Join our Discord Join our Subreddit Follow on Twitter

Hello explorers!
The general concept of progression will remain the same. Equipment, missions, and some special features will gradually unlock as players increase their Security Level (SL). To increase SL, you need to complete a Top-priority mission. But before such a mission becomes available, you'll need to tackle a few simple ones.

In ITR2, the way Top-priority missions unlock will change slightly. Instead of completing x missions, you'll need to accumulate x points. Different missions yield different points. This means a player can complete 5 easy missions or 2 hard ones to unlock a Top-priority mission. As SL rises, players will have more missions to choose from.

The gameplay state of the Radius is also closely tied to SL progression. It's not auto-leveling per se, more so reshaping and expanding the world of the Radius as players progress.

Let's dive into some examples:
- An explorer with SL1 ventures into Location 1 and encounters two simple enemies.
- An explorer with SL3 revisits the same spot. Apart from the previous enemies, they find a couple of mimics sitting on a roof.
-- OR they stumble upon a patrol of mimics, armed with pistols and shotguns.
-- OR the spot where monsters were before is now a cluster of anomalies with artifacts.

Another example with anomalies:
- An explorer with SL1 reaches an anomaly cluster where they can find one artifact.
- An explorer with SL3 returns to the same cluster and faces new dangers, but now there are two artifacts to discover.
-- OR the anomalies remain the same but are covered by a Distortion Zone (the name is a WIP, we’ll share more in the future).
-- OR there is no cluster at all.

The composition of enemies, anomalies, and artifacts will depend on the base difficulty of the location. You won't encounter the most dangerous enemies in the first location, except maybe very rarely and only at max SL.

The same goes for loot, especially artifacts. As SL increases, loot quality goes up, but not drastically. At early locations, you might find more valuable items, but never as valuable as in later ones.

We want to maintain the feeling of player progression. The deeper you venture into the Radius, the more dangerous it gets. But you can always return to earlier locations to feel big and strong ;)

Additionally, we aim for more variety and diversity in the game. Returning to early locations might be easier, but you'll encounter new combinations of enemies and anomalies, keeping things interesting.

At Early Access launch, this system will be present but simplified, as some elements like enemies, artifacts, and anomalies are not fully developed yet.

A bit about missions themselves. We've completely revamped their structure. Now each mission consists of sequential steps, each requiring specific actions from the player - go to a location, deliver an item, activate an object, kill enemies, and so on. The complexity of a mission depends on the number of steps, and the harder it is, the more steps it’ll include.

Within missions, various scripted events can occur, such as enemies and/or anomalies spawning in.

Another small but important change: occasionally, in addition to “money”, you'll receive items as rewards for missions.

At EA launch, there will be four types of mission steps available, from which all initial EA missions will be constructed. The number of steps will gradually increase over time.

What did you think of this diary entry? What other topics would you like us to cover in the future? Be sure to let us know, and we’ll see you in the Radius!


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

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4177728231403944325
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4181104663292221332
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4193488293621894543?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4115799931687545740?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4130435365852766085?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4194610392076293661?l=english
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]

Join our Discord Join our Subreddit Follow on Twitter

Hello explorers!
In ITR1, the equipment was an unchangeable part of your character, which was very disappointing for our players. In ITR2, we completely redesigned the equipment and weight systems. Now the character has slots on their body where various equipment can be "worn". This equipment affects overall encumbrance and forms the player's "build".

[h3]Helmet Slot[/h3]
A familiar slot from ITR1. You can wear a helmet or a mask that increases protection against combat or anomaly damage. But don’t expect them at the start of EA (early access), they’ll appear later down the line.

[h3]Tactical Vest Slot[/h3]
The vest has two primary functions: item arrangement in pockets and damage resistance (combat and anomalies). Different variants will lean towards one or the other. Players will buy pre-made tactical vests.

You won’t be able to rearrange pockets on the vests themselves! We have no plans for such a system. But don't worry, there’ll be plenty of options to choose from.

Tactical vests can be improved through the upgrade system, similar to weapons.

At the start of EA, there’ll be three vest variants of a similar type. They won’t increase the character's resistance but will have different combinations of pockets, their placement, and parameters.

[h3]Backpack Slot[/h3]
The general mechanics of the backpack will remain the same as in ITR1 - you can take the backpack off your shoulder and hang it in the air. If you step away, it’ll swoop over to your back. Inside the backpack, there’s an area where items can be arranged as you see fit. Outside the backpack, there are slots where specific items can be hung, like on the vest.

Items won’t physically obstruct each other, and there won’t be any grid-based placement! Many players praised ITR1 for its inventory system, and we don't want drastic changes in that regard.

Backpacks will also be pre-made. They’ll differ in appearance, the number and combination of pockets, as well as parameters. And just like with the vests, they can also be improved through the upgrade system.

At the start of EA, there’ll be four backpack variants of two types. They’ll have different combinations of pockets, their placement, and parameters.

[h3]Left and Right Hand Slots[/h3]
Everything a player holds in their hands has its "weight" and adds to overall encumbrance. Therefore, what weapons the player uses becomes very important for their "build", as well as which attachments and magazines they use.

[h3]Small item slot on the off-hand forearm[/h3]
A slot for small items. It is always available to the player and doesn’t depend on the vest or backpack.

[h3]Equipment, encumbrance system, and "builds"[/h3]
We want players to thoughtfully approach what equipment they take with them into the Radius. And we want them to change and review it depending on their goals. At the same time, we strive to make a flexible system so that our explorers can play the way they want.

A "build" is a combination of the helmet, tactical vest, backpack, and weapons in the player's hands. To make the choice meaningful, restrictions are necessary. In our system, this is the overall encumbrance of the character. Each item has "weight". Encumbrance has 4 stages - no overload, light overload, medium overload, heavy overload. Upon reaching each stage, movement speed decreases, and hunger increases. The overall encumbrance is displayed on the character's bracelet and in detail in the new character info display.

The vest and backpack themselves have “weight” but also have an internal capacity, allowing to ease encumbrance. For example, a backpack weighs 200 but can hold 1000, and a vest weighs 200 but can hold 500. They’ll have their own separate indicators showing how full they are. If you exceed the internal capacity, items can still be placed, but all extra “weight” will be added to your encumbrance. It will no longer be possible to cram items into the drop pouch without consequences. There’ll be a reason to use short and light magazines.

It’s important to note that the "weight" of all items is measured in special units called "load points". This is a temporary name, but the point is it’s not real weight! This is done so that items can be balanced. In the new system, this parameter combines weight and form factor simultaneously. An item can be lightweight but inconvenient or heavy but ergonomic.

This is especially important for weapons. Bullets, attachments, magazines - in reality, they can weigh little, have small dimensions, but when you carry a weapon with a suppressor and a large scope for a long time, it significantly affects ease of use.

This is impossible to convey in VR, since we don’t feel the actual weight, and form factor often doesn’t have much influence due to simplifications in the mechanics of items. Yes, we can simulate "weight" by slowing down the movement of the weapon, but we don’t want to use this mechanic. Therefore, to make various items have a stronger impact on player encumbrance, their numerical "weight" value must be greater than in real life. Hence it’s no longer weight, but "load points".

At the same time, the "heaviness" of weapons can always be compensated for through other elements of equipment - tactical vests, helmets, backpacks. Through the artifact system and upgrades to the weapons themselves. Thus, by choosing their equipment, the player decides how dangerous, mobile, and protected they want to be.

The encumbrance system will be in EA from the start. We like the idea of builds and the flexibility this system provides. But we’re worried it may be complicated. "Load points" instead of the usual weight, separate indicators of "weight" and internal capacity for the vest and backpack, an indicator of player encumbrance. There’s a lot of new stuff coming in ITR2, and we can’t wait to hear your thoughts on all of it. See you in the Radius!


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

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4181104663292221332
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4193488293621894543?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4115799931687545740?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4130435365852766085?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4194610392076293661?l=english
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]

Join our Discord Join our Subreddit Follow on Twitter

Hello explorers!
Today we’re continuing our talk about loot, but this time focusing more on the artifacts. We want to make artifacts a more crucial part of the game by delving deeper into the mechanics and systems related to them.

Artifacts, as items, will serve the following roles:

• Valuables
  
• Mission Items
  
• Player “Enhancements"
  

Each of these aspects touches upon its own set of systems.

[h3]Artifacts as Valuables[/h3]
Artifacts will become a more significant source of income for players compared to valuables, as was the case in ITR1. The Committee is exploring the Radius, and it's much more important to gather as many artifacts as possible rather than redeeming their own lost equipment or paperwork.

Other valuables will still be encountered, but not as often as before.

[h3]Artifacts as Mission Items[/h3]
Here not much will actually change. Many missions will revolve around artifacts or be centered on artifacts as part of UNPSC operations. But considering our new mission system, this should become more engaging and diverse (more on that in future diary entries).

[h3]Artifacts as “Enhancements”[/h3]
In ITR1, there were only a few artifacts that slightly influenced player gameplay. In the sequel, we aim to focus a lot more on them.

A whole range of artifacts will be added that directly affect the player. Each artifact will have one positive and several negative effects. Players can enhance the positive and remove the negative effects using a special stationary modification system located at the base. Money and "ash," as we mentioned last time, will be used to modify artifacts.

The positive effects of artifacts are passive perks. Among them will be permanent ones, such as "+10% maximum health," as well as semi-active ones. These effects have a certain chance of triggering, for example, "5% chance for bullets to ricochet off the player’s body." There won’t be any special abilities you can trigger at the click of a button!

The main idea is to give players an additional tool in customizing their "build." Such a "build" consists of their equipment (vest, backpack, helmet), weapons, and "enhancement” artifacts. Artifacts can help strengthen the "build," compensate for its shortcomings, or improve the player’s overall quality of life.

The player will have a special 3-slot glove where they can insert an "enhancement" and then its effect will start affecting the character.

The process of finding artifacts will also change. All artifacts will spawn inside unique "nests." Each "nest" is a container that requires a special action to "open" and retrieve the artifact. The detector reacts to the nest itself, not the artifact. Once the artifact is taken, the detector stops reacting to the "nest."

"Nests" will be divided into 3 types:
1) Unlocks with bare hands. The player needs nothing but their hands to retrieve the artifact.
- For example, pulling an artifact out of the nest.
2) Doesn’t require a detector but requires an item. Unlocks with simple equipment that the player has - a lighter, a weapon, food, a flashlight, etc.
- For example, a nest that needs to be broken open with a pistol shot or grenade explosion.
3) Requires a detector.
- For example, an invisible nest that needs to be illuminated with a detector flash to reveal it and the artifact (as was the case in ITR1).

Such "nests" will be located not only in anomaly clusters but also throughout the Radius. Of course, the most valuable artifacts can only be found in large anomaly clusters.

As you progress, the variety of "nests" on locations that players can encounter will expand.

This will make artifact acquisition more interesting and diverse. We conducted playtests with different types of "nests" within the team, and we have high hopes for this idea.
At the start of Early Access, there will be only one type of "nest" and no “enhancement” artifacts, only ones for sale. All of the aforementioned features will be added gradually.

We hope that this new and improved artifact system will appeal to our explorers. Naturally, adjustments will be made based on your feedback along the way.
See you in the Radius!


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

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4193488293621894543?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4115799931687545740?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4130435365852766085?l=english
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2307350/view/4194610392076293661?l=english
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]

Join our Discord Join our Subreddit Follow on Twitter

Hello explorers!
We’re happy to present our first gameplay sneak peek of ITR2. We hope you enjoy, and let us know what you think :)

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Join our Discord Join our Subreddit Follow on Twitter