Into the Radius 2 News

Hello explorers!
Loot is a vital part of our game. Valuable or not, these are items that the player can and will find in the Radius.

In ITR1, the loot structure looked like this.

1. Disposable loot - various items scattered manually across locations. They don’t refresh after the Tide.
   
2. Respawnable loot - specific points where items regularly appear after the Tide. They include:
   

• Small areas for 1-3 simple items like a toothbrush, flashlight, ammo, etc.
  
• Valuables - special items that can only be sold.
  
• Artifacts within anomaly fields.
  
• Equipment crates. Some with weapons, others with various items like ammo, med-kits, grenades, etc.
  

This structure has proven itself well, and we won’t change it significantly. But we will address some issues and add more depth. We carefully studied player feedback and identified several features related to loot:

• Players love finding weapons in the Radius.
  
• Players enjoy searching for and collecting small items—opening crates, crawling under tables, etc. But they get very tired of doing this. Constantly picking up single bullets isn’t fun!
  
• Artifacts aren’t very interesting to collect, and for the most part, they only serve as an alternative valuable.
  

[h3]Weapons in the Radius[/h3]
Weapons are a very important element of ITR2 progression. Therefore, finding new, unique weapons in the Radius will be practically impossible. We understand this news might disappoint many of you. We know that some of the most popular mods for ITR1 like “Scavenger Mod” and “STALKER Overhaul Mod” make it possible to loot any weapon and basically avoid using the shop entirely. But this just isn’t how we envision our game. Hopefully, when mod support eventually arrives for ITR2, it’ll be able to provide our players with the necessary tools to customize their experience as they so choose.

We want explorers to progress gradually. Gradually unlock new equipment, start with simpler weapons, try different gear, make choices at every stage, feel satisfaction when unlocking and buying new equipment. The Security Levels system allows for this. Yes, it is a restriction for the player. The player will be forced to use what is available to them, but each time it will be a unique experience! We want the player to fully try different weapons. We’ll discuss progression details in future dev diaries.

However, finding weapons will still be possible. Common civilian weapons such as double-barreled shotguns, pistols, World War II weapons - will be encountered quite often. Firearms with built-in modifications and enhancements will rarely be found, and only in hard-to-reach stashes.

We’ll also add a new category of weapons - it doesn’t have a name yet, but in the team, we call it "forgotten." This is a type of weapon that has been lying in the Radius for a long time and has been partially corrupted by it. The corruption is reflected visually and in degraded mechanics. Each such weapon has a major flaw. For example, an AK that only fires in single shots, or a Mosin rifle that only holds 1 bullet in the chamber. There will be limits on painting and upgrades. Thus, the player will still be able to find powerful weapons above their current security level, but they’ll have to deal with its drawbacks. Later, after obtaining the necessary security level, the player will be able to purchase a brand new full version of this weapon.

At the start of early access, there will be no "forgotten" weapons and unique firearms in stashes.

[h3]Items Everywhere[/h3]
First and foremost, we’ll reduce the amount of lootable furniture. To avoid tormenting players with constant cupboard opening. Scattered loot will be significantly reduced everywhere to avoid repeatedly taking off the backpack for a lone cigarette or a tenth toothbrush.

Rooms will more often contain crates - lootable points of interest. The current plan is to have 3 types - with medical supplies, with weapons, and with ammo. There’ll always be something more or less valuable in such a crate and all in one place.

A completely new type of loot will also be added - it also lacks a name yet, but in the team, we call it "Ash”. This "Ash" can be found anywhere - under a table, on the ceiling, on a tree or rock. It makes a faint sound to be detectable. When picked up, it crumbles and is absorbed into a special device on the character's glove. The glove has a capacity. At the base, in the shop’s computer, there will be a special receiver where all the "Ash" can be sucked out through the hand. This resource can be exchanged for money and also used to modify artifacts.

We want to deepen the mechanics of artifacts. This is a topic for another day, but in short, some artifacts will have properties. These properties can be changed and upgraded on special installations with the help of "Ash" and money.

Please note that at the start of early access, there won’t be any mechanics for sucking in "Ash" and upgrading artifacts. But the items themselves will be available. So you’ll be able to find and collect them, just only in the backpack for now, and then sold for money.

Expect a fresh diary entry in two weeks, see you in the Radius!


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

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]

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Hello explorers!
Co-op was one of the most frequently requested features in ITR1. So when we began work on the sequel, we immediately started thinking about how to realize it.

ITR was never meant to be a multiplayer game, the very essence of the conflict and structure of the game - You vs. World. It's always been a personal, lonely journey. There are hardly any other people in the Radius. We shared this in more detail in our previous diaries. Besides, we as a team have no experience in creating cooperative games. And, frankly speaking, when we started working on the sequel, we didn't want to create an online-only game. It was more important for us to deepen and expand the ideas of the original.

After weighing all of the above, having discussed this many times over, we decided that in our game co-op will be an addition to the single-player experience. What does this mean?

The player has the option to start two types of game - single-player or co-op. They’re completely separate. Progress is not transferable between them. You can't start a single-player game and switch to co-op in the middle of your play-through. There will be no unique co-op mechanics unavailable in single-player.

Single-player functions completely similarly to ITR1. This is what we focus on in our design. All features, mechanics, balance, etc. - all this in its core is created and adjusted for one player. This is the general experience of ITR2.

Co-op mode at its core is identical to its counterpart, but with a number of nuances.

There is always a host of the game. They start co-op mode, the server launches on their device. The host can invite only their friends (e.g. through Steam) - guests. There is no common lobby and list of available servers, everything is done exclusively through host invites.

The host can start a co-op game and play it alone, and then invite guests at any time. All guests, on first arrival, appear with the starting equipment. Further improvement of equipment lies squarely on their shoulders. To do this, in the settings of co-op mode you can increase the amount of resources received when selling items and completing missions.

All received equipment is stored within a specific server. If a player visited one server as a guest and was invited to another for the first time, the player will appear on the second server with the starting equipment. Unable to transfer equipment between servers. There will be no connection between multiple servers. The same is true of the role of the host. If a player was on their server as a host, and then they were invited to another server - they will appear with the starting equipment.

In co-op mode, all players are equal in their gameplay abilities - anyone can take missions, complete or cancel them, buy or sell goods - anything. Any conflicts the players will have to resolve between themselves. Friendly fire is turned on by default ;)

However, the host has a number of unique technical capabilities - they can invite guests to and kick from their server, erase player slots on the server, and take items from guests that are offline. Also, the plot will revolve exclusively around the host, guests can only watch from the side.

Regarding co-op player count, we’ve found the optimal number of players to preserve the atmosphere and complexity of the game is two people. Co-op mode will first and foremost be tuned and balanced for this number of players.

From a technical standpoint, there is no big difference between 2 or 4 people. Playing with 3 other explorers can be much more fun and chaotic. Though it must be mentioned that all this chaos can completely mess up the atmosphere and general vibe you’re used to in ITR. Not necessarily in a bad way, more so an unbalanced one. We won’t be able to adjust the difficulty in such a way to make 4-player co-op feel truly challenging. It'll be much easier. But it's still a lot of fun to play as part of an entire squad (at least our internal play-tests make us think so)! With these differences in mind, we still very much want to have the possibility of up to 4-player co-op, even if it will probably lead to a very different gameplay experience.

In co-op mode you’ll also encounter certain small details related to locations. Players can only be in one location at a time, so to move to another - you’ll have to gather together. In case of death, the explorer can be resurrected with a rare artifact, otherwise they’ll appear at the last used passage of the current location, and without their equipment (depends on the settings, but by default in case of dying, all equipment remains at the player's death spot). Other players will have to meet up with their deceased companion or hope that they make it back by themselves. In order to sleep and time skip, you will also have to gather everyone near a bed.

Co-op always involves communication. The game will use proximity chat at short distances and a special walkie-talkie for communication at long distances. The walkie-talkie, like in real life, will only allow one explorer to speak at a time. Each explorer always has one, and can't lose it.

Like we mentioned before, there won’t be any unique co-op mechanics/features. But, in many ways, VR itself is already cooperative - the possibility to take ammo from a comrade, feed them, lend them a smoke, hand over weapons, or just hold hands. These are little details, but they are an integral part of your overall gameplay experience.

Co-op permeates all the mechanics and systems of the game, which has made development significantly more complex. Early access co-op will only be for 2 people, but we’ll try our best to develop 4-player co-op in due time. As with the rest of the game, co-op will evolve and improve as the game approaches its full release. Changes are inevitable. We're looking forward to your feedback on this monumental feature in early access later this year. See you in the Radius!


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

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

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Hello explorers!
Enemies are a special part of ITR. We know this has been a much anticipated diary entry. But before we dive into the details, there’s a couple of things we’d like to point out.

One of ITR’s key aspects lies in the conflict structure. ITR is a lone journey in a vast and dangerous world. There is no one there to help or save you. The Explorer is practically always the only person in the Radius. Yes, there are other Explorers, but they are extremely rare. The Radius resists invasion into its territory - anomalies, monsters, and other dangers lurk everywhere. Hence the creation of a secure Base for the Explorers, dangerous locations within the Radius, and expeditions. Players metaphorically dive “Into the Radius”, but they always return home. This is the relationship between the player and the world around them. They must overcome it.

In similar games, conflict often revolves around the relationships between groups of people. The anomalous world around them serves only as decoration and background for player interactions. Hence the structure of the world - the player is always within a dangerous zone, moving between safe bases of groups and spending most of their time in the company of people. This mainly deals with the complexity of human relationships.

Based on our vision of the Radius, the existence of human enemies, other bases, groups, etc., is most likely impossible. We operate under the idea that encountering other people in the Radius is possible but extremely rare. And currently, within the scope of the sequel, it is not planned. Finding traces of human presence and their activities - yes, but no encounters, shootouts, trading, or anything of that sort.

Co-op is uniquely incorporated into this concept of ITR, but we’ll discuss it in one of our upcoming diary entries.

Now let's talk more specifically about the enemies you will encounter. In ITR1, we were often criticized for having enemies that were simply black blobs invisible in the darkness. They all looked alike and were fairly simple in terms of behavior and visual design. Back then, it was due to a lack of resources and the inability to do otherwise. However, now all enemies are being meticulously developed, both in terms of mechanics and appearance.

In general, enemies in ITR2 can be divided into two categories.

[h3]Mimics[/h3]
Mimics are humanoid creations of the Radius. They imitate the behavior of military personnel - patrolling areas, taking cover and positions, working as a team, and relaying information to their comrades.

Just like in ITR1, there will be several types of mimics that differ visually, in their combat behavior, and the weapons they use. Now they are not just dark silhouettes but strange creatures created by the Radius in the image of humans, each with a unique appearance.

We strive to make their AI as realistic and believable as possible. Currently, two team members dedicate all their working time to developing it. This is a long and complex process, so work on the AI will continue until full release.
[hr][/hr]
[h3]Monsters[/h3]
These are a variety of different creations of the Radius. They don’t work as a team or take cover, but each has its own unique behavior. It wouldn’t be accurate to say that they don’t use the AI being developed for mimics. It is a unified system that functions in multiple ways, separately for mimics and monsters.

A good example here would be the monster known as “Spawn” in ITR1. It will return in ITR2 in a new form. We have reworked its appearance while preserving its overall behavior. Like the mimics, it can hear, see, and react to the player, but within its own simpler limitations. However, we added a unique "feature" to it! Now, Spawns have the ability to set up ambushes, waiting for the explorer in dark corners. Thus creating a completely new gameplay experience.
[hr][/hr]
Among other changes, it’s worth mentioning the ways in which enemies can populate locations. In ITR1, enemies could "guard" a point of interest or roam the Radius, randomly encountering the explorer. In ITR2, this will remain the same, and a new option called "patrol" will be added. A "patrol" is a group of mimics or monsters that roam a location along a specific route. There can be several groups like this in one location.

In order to increase the replayability of populated areas, the composition of monsters, patrol routes, the number of monsters, and other parameters will change from Tide to Tide. The gradual increase in difficulty from location to location will be preserved, but the variety will change more significantly, including as the player progresses.

We hope that all of this together will allow our players to encounter interesting and diverse challenges more often in their adventures. At the start of early access, we plan to use two types of mimics and one type of monster, gradually introducing new enemies in the future.

Last but certainly not least, we’ve reached over 100k Steam wishlists! Seeing so many people interested in ITR2 means a lot to us. We hope to live up to your expectations. See you in the Radius!



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

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]

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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