MENACE News

This week, we give you a snapshot of our active development and show you what we are working on right now. As always, everything we show here is a work in progress.

[h3]UI[/h3][hr][/hr]We are in full swing implementing the second iteration of the tactical combat UI and HUD. As soon as we make enough progress and the UI is in a proper shape, we will be able to share actual gameplay footage. This is also one of the final puzzle pieces we need to prepare a small combat demo for the game.

As part of the UI rework, we overhauled all unit icons. Inspired by NATO military symbology, the player should be able to roughly estimate a unit's role by just looking at its icon.




[h3]Art[/h3][hr][/hr]We are implementing more squad leaders all the time while at the same time trying to keep up with creating the corresponding character illustrations. For now, a lot of these are implemented as work-in-progress versions and will be finished later.


[h3]Concept[/h3][hr][/hr]As we are in the process of onboarding a technical artist, we are preparing some rough concepts for different subtypes of biomes for each of the game's classic biomes.

In this example, the basic biome would be called “temperate” as you would find it on the planet “Backbone”. The different subtypes of biomes would be temperate highlands and temperate marshlands.

Bear in mind that these concepts are just a very basic guideline for tech art, intended to illustrate roughly what we are aiming for.


[h3]Level Design[/h3][hr][/hr]Our main focus at the moment is adding more operation types to the game. Right now, we are working on another operation type for the pirate faction. Each enemy faction will have multiple different types of operations, each consisting of a unique set of missions. Of course, we will keep adding more operations during development.

Below, you can see a screenshot from our chunk system editor, which we use to create templates for procedurally generated parts of the map. In this case, it's a rogue forces defense line for the “breakthrough” mission type.


[h3]3D[/h3][hr][/hr]The 3D department is focusing on implementing the dynamic vehicle weapon system, which allows the player to equip their vehicle chassis as freely as possible with all available weapons.

We showed a basic concept in an earlier Dev Diary. Now, the system is actually shaping up and will soon be ready to be implemented. This gives the same freedom you already have when equipping squads to the vehicles and allows for an insane number of weapon load-outs.


[h2]Engage, Explore, and Stay Informed[/h2][hr][/hr]That's it for now! We'll see you next Friday.

You can find us on Discord, BlueSky, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit for discussions, updates, and feedback. You can also subscribe to our monthly MENACE newsletter on our website — just scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2432860/MENACE/
And here are the recent prior Dev Diaries in case you've missed them:
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515209445812209259
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515208181997109524
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515207543396499582

The best protection against any weapon is not being seen in the first place. In MENACE, players and enemies have a lot of tools and tactics to avoid being seen or detected by the enemy and shape the battle in their favour.

Let’s dive in:

[h2]Vision Range[/h2][hr][/hr]The basis for any ranged combat system is, of course, the vision range of combat units. This is set at around nine tiles for most infantry, but this is not set in stone. This is the tile range on which the fog of war is lifted, and an enemy or neutral unit is revealed, which can thus be shot at.

Vehicles usually have a lower vision range despite most of them having electronic optics that enhance the driver's vision. The use of these devices is just slower and more cumbersome than being out in the open and looking around. Also, it reduces situational awareness, and that is why some especially heavy vehicles will have a minimum view range. An enemy unit standing right behind a tank might be invisible to the crew as it is too close and at a lower angle. In general, walkers will have more situational awareness than tanks as they can turn more quickly, are higher, and more mobile.


[h2]Lines of Sight[/h2][hr][/hr]Now it gets a bit controversial as the lines of sight rules in MENACE are different from many other games. Due to the larger scope of the game and the squad-based nature of units, we realized early in development that we would have to make some compromises and abstractions when calculating lines of sight.

The guiding principle here was to have a system that has maximum predictability for players and not necessarily maximum realism. Players not being able to accurately predict from what point of the battlefield they can see and shoot at an enemy, or at what point they are safe from enemy fire, leads to big misplays, massive frustration, and can easily cost you a mission.

That is why we decided to have 1x1 tile obstacles as well as 1x2 obstacles, not block lines of sight or lines of fire. Any obstacle that is 3x3 or bigger will use raycasting between tiles to determine if a tile is visible or not, and completely block any line of sight or fire.


As the line-of-sight-blocking obstacles are easily identifiable, players have a clear understanding of vision lines on the battlefield and can use them effectively.

When a squad is taking cover behind a 1x1 building, we can assume that they are pressing up against the wall but are still bending around corners to see and shoot. This is not visually modeled in the game animations, but it explains why units can still see and shoot from behind these objects.

Of course, standing next to any object grants directional cover and “concealment,” so it is still crucially important to keep your troops in cover.


[h2]Detection Versus Concealment[/h2][hr][/hr]Determining if a unit is within vision range of another unit is only the basis of determining if it is actually visible. We do have two factors from opposing sides that influence the final outcome.

Firstly, we are looking at concealment. Concealment depends on the characteristics and the position in the environment of the target unit. Each point of concealment reduces the effective vision range of all enemies against this particular unit. So if a unit is standing 9 tiles away from an enemy, it is visible. Still, if it has 1 point of concealment, this reduces the effective vision of that enemy by 1 down to 8, making the unit invisible. Another enemy standing closer by will, of course, still see that unit.

Concealment is gained through different means. Units might have promotions (perks) or accessories that increase their concealment. One example is infiltrator armor, which increases concealment, and another is a camouflage kit, which also increases concealment.


The environment itself is the main concealment mechanic, though. A unit in cover automatically gains concealment depending on the type of cover it is using.

Terrain features like high grass that units can move into are even more effective for hiding. Finally, some objects can contain units, like a dense forest or a bunker, both of which increase concealment.


An opponent's detection stat reduces the concealment of a unit. This stat can also change based on promotions or equipment like thermal vision devices and others. The detection is deducted from the enemy’s concealment when determining if a unit is visible or not. A detection of 1 versus a concealment of 1 will simply cancel out.

Example:
A Marine squad is hiding in tall grass, 9 tiles away from a Pirate unit. The grass provides +1 concealment, and the Marines are wearing infiltrator armor for an additional +1. The Pirate unit has no detection bonuses.

• Total concealment: 2
  
• Pirate detection: 0
  
• Effective vision range: 9 - 2 = 7 tiles

Since the Marines are 9 tiles away, they remain invisible to the Pirate unit.

In the game, we have a UI overlay that highlights exactly on which tiles an enemy will see you based on the concealment of your unit and that tile. This enables players to actually play around with the mechanic and not move somewhere and hope for the best.

We also decided to use a deterministic detection system rather than a random or chance-based one. Having it be chance-based will introduce too much uncertainty and randomness that is not easy for players to understand. In turn, this might lead to players ignoring the mechanic altogether, as it just sets them up for miscalculations and misplays.

[h2]Shooting and Visibility[/h2][hr][/hr]When a concealed unit is shooting any of its weapons, it will automatically be revealed to the enemy, no matter how high its concealment is. It will vanish again at the end of its turn, but the AI does remember where it last saw a unit and will move towards that position or just blind fire there.

The exception to this is silenced weapons, which do exist but are rather hard to acquire. They come with modded weapon variants and will not come as separate accessories. A unit with a silenced weapon will not be revealed to the enemy when shooting from concealment.

Example:
A Scout unit with high concealment is positioned in a forest tile, 8 tiles from an enemy tank. The Scout is equipped with a regular anti-vehicle rocket launcher.

• Before shooting: The Scout is concealed due to terrain and perks. The tank does not detect them.
  
• Upon firing: The Scout immediately becomes visible to all nearby enemies, including the tank.
  
• After firing: The Scout returns to concealment at the end of the turn, but the AI still remembers the shot’s origin and may send units or fire at that tile.
  

Now compare with this:

• Same Scout, but now equipped with a silenced modded rifle.
  
• The Scout fires from concealment.
  
• The unit remains hidden. The enemy never detects the shot’s source.
  

Making effective use of concealment will help your units to stay alive and attack from advantageous positions without the enemy being able to fight back efficiently. On the other hand, a hidden unit in your flank can disable your advancing tank with a single rocket into its side or rear armor. Due to their lower visibility sending vehicles into enemy territory without infantry support will set them up for short range ambushes by hidden enemies.

So, before you reveal your hiding place by shooting from concealment, you have to make sure you are in the best possible position. Or it might be better to hold your fire until the enemy moves into an even better ambush position.

[h2]Engage, Explore, and Stay Informed[/h2][hr][/hr]That's it for now! We'll see you next Friday.

You can find us on Discord, BlueSky, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit for discussions, updates, and feedback. You can also subscribe to our monthly MENACE newsletter on our website — just scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2432860/MENACE/

And here are the recent prior Dev Diaries in case you've missed them:
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515208181997109524
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515207543396499582
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/642433677808108044

In the past we talked about operations without giving any more details. They are a new mechanic we developed to give missions more context and connect them into a loose story arc. Just as the tactical combat maps these are of course procedurally generated.

Read all about it in this week's diary.

[h3]What are Operations?[/h3][hr][/hr]Operations are, on the most basic level, a series of 3 to 5 missions. Each mission is a single tactical battle fought on a procedurally generated tactical battle map. The missions are connected in a tree-branched fashion so that players have a choice of which mission to take on next on each level of the operation.

All Operations will resolve in a single final mission, but the nodes before will usually offer more than one mission to choose from. It is important to note that only one mission can be resolved on each level, so the player can not backtrack or do multiple missions on a certain level.

All vehicle losses and damages will carry over between missions as well as elements lost in squads, so players have to be extra careful to not take too much damage early in the operation or to ensure that they have enough reserves to replace losses.

Once an operation is completed, certain rewards are gained, and all squad elements are refilled and vehicles repaired. Squad Leaders or Pilots who permanently die will, of course, not return. The same goes for vehicle chassis, as they can also be permanently destroyed.

[h3]Operation Rewards[/h3][hr][/hr]If players beat the final mission of an operation, they will receive hard-to-come-by OCI points used for upgrading their strike cruiser. They will also gain Authority, which is important for keeping the crew aboard the Impetus in check. Finally, they will increase their trust in the Wayback Faction that tasked them with the particular operation. Increasing trust will gradually unlock more upgrade options for the Impetus as the locals offer to supply knowledge and space wharf capacities to upgrade the Impetus.

Failing an operation can come easily, as failing a single mission will have the whole OP fail. In this case, no OCI points are gained, and also trust with the local faction will not rise but fall. Rewards earned for individual missions that have been completed until that point can, of course, be kept. Squads and Vehicles will be restored either way to ensure that players are not as easily heading down a spiral that is impossible to recover from.


Above is concept art of how operations will look in MENACE. This screen is heavily WIP and uses some placeholder text and art, but it shows all relevant elements.

On the right-hand side, the mission tree is visible, with the currently available missions, the mission path, the strategic assets connected to each mission, the mission difficulty, and the successfully completed missions.

On the left-hand side, the mission summary of the currently selected mission is visible with all relevant details like Mission Type, Biome, Weather, Daylight, Objectives, Supply Limit, and rewards. Based on this information, the player can choose which node to hit next. This will, of course, depend on the expected rewards but also on difficulty, personal preference, and how well prepared the player is for that particular mission type.

[h3]Mission Rewards[/h3][hr][/hr]As shown in the concept, each mission has a variety of rewards that are granted on successful completion. All of these will be kept even if the operation fails at a later stage.

• Promotion Points: These are used to promote and “level up” squad leaders, and how many you get depends on the mission performance.
  
• Strategic Assets (more on this further down)
  
• Items and Equipment: Each mission grants an item of a certain type, ranging from body armor to weapons, accessories, and even vehicle parts.
  

[h3]Strategic Assets[/h3][hr][/hr]We have not really discussed strategic assets yet, and we will most likely have a dedicated dev diary on them later.

Essentially, these are special boons granted to the player for the remainder of this operation that are acquired on mission completion. However, some assets might give permanent upgrades like items or OCI points. They are also thematically tied to the planet and the faction of the planet on which the operation is fought.

Examples of strategic assets are a mortar base that provides off-map fire support in following missions or an intelligence network that increases the player's intelligence rating until the end of the operation. It could also be something like a POW camp that adds auxiliary infantry units to the player's roster for the final mission.

[h3]Enemy Assets[/h3][hr][/hr]While strategic assets are positive, there are also enemy assets that work very similarly but are buffs granted to the enemy side of the operation. These could be a SAM site that stops the player from using air support, an armorer workshop that increases enemy vehicle armor rating, or a propaganda center that increases the enemy’s discipline.

Once a mission with a connected enemy asset is completed, that asset will be removed from the campaign, and the enemy will lose access to it. Enemy assets will only start appearing later in the game as they substantially increase the difficulty level. Once they show up, players will face difficult decisions as they can only gain a strategic asset on a mission or disable an enemy one, not both.

[h3]Example Operation[/h3][hr][/hr]Each operation will have a thematic story that explains why the Marines are needed to help out and what type of conflict is going on. Each operation will have a unique selection of missions that are pooled for the first mission, middle missions, and final mission.

While the pools of missions are fixed per operation, the missions that actually show up are randomized within their constraints, so that you will get a fresh mission tree every time you start the same operation. This way we make sure that there is context and a coherent story, but at the same time, there is as little repetition as possible.

Some missions might be shared between Operations, but most missions will be unique and appear only in a certain operation for maximum variety. We will also add more missions to each pool over time to further increase replayability.

[h3]Operation: Turn the Tide[/h3][hr][/hr]Rogue Army forces have overrun local defenses and are advancing quickly and mostly unhindered. The RMC has to sweep in and stop them so that an effective defense can be mustered and prepared further back. Be prepared to operate behind enemy lines and fight outnumbered and outgunned.

[h3]First Mission Pool[/h3]


[h3]Middle Mission Pool[/h3]


[h3]Final Mission Pool[/h3]
Keep in mind that this is just an example, and there will be many more operations to play through.

[h2]Engage, Explore, and Stay Informed[/h2][hr][/hr]That's it for now! We'll see you next Friday.

You can find us on Discord, BlueSky, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit for discussions, updates, and feedback. You can also subscribe to our monthly MENACE newsletter on our website — just scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2432860/MENACE/

And here are the recent prior Dev Diaries in case you've missed them:
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515207543396499582
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/642433677808108044
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515206275424846335

After a bunch of Dev Diaries explaining the basic concepts and gameplay mechanics of MENACE, we want to start giving you an insight into the actual development. So this is a selection of what we are currently working on:

[h2]Concept Art[/h2][hr][/hr]We started working on concepting armor variants for some early game armors. Similar to the different variants of squad weapons, armors will come in a variety of styles. These variants not only look different, but also offer better stats or confer other bonuses.

Apart from the armor variants, we designed some additional structures to add more variety and tactical challenges to the combat maps, like barbed wire (infantry can’t pass) and tank barriers (vehicles can't pass).

[h2]UI[/h2][hr][/hr]We finally started implementing the second iteration of the tactical combat UI, which is a big step for us. Showing all the relevant information while not cluttering up the screen is a challenge for any game, especially for MENACE, given its complex design and high number of moving parts.

Designing the UI wasn’t possible earlier due to ongoing changes and tweaks to the game systems. Now that the core mechanics are more stable, we feel confident enough to begin implementing the necessary UI. The final look will differ from this mockup, but it should give a solid impression of what we’re aiming for.



[h2]3D[/h2][hr][/hr]Our 3D guys are working on more assets for civilian settlements to reduce the repetition of certain assets and make the settlements look more organic.

Another vehicle chassis, working title “generic light carrier,” is going to join our roster. This platform will be able to transport troops and/or be equipped with a variety of weapons. Depending on its loadout, it might lose this ability.

[h2]Tech Art[/h2][hr][/hr]While we’re already discussing vehicles, let’s crack straight into it.

This is a heavy work-in-progress, but we’re reworking how vehicles are set up in the game so they can be equipped with a variety of weapons, just like infantry squads.

Building the system is a challenge, but we’re confident it’s worth the effort. Each basic chassis has different hardpoints for mounting light, medium, or heavy weapons. That opens up a wide range of loadout possibilities, giving players the tools to build the vehicles they want.

Unique vehicles with fixed features (like the Rogue Army heavy tank) will still exist, but the general goal is to make the system as flexible as possible.

The tricky part is getting the 3D models for vehicles and weapons to work together—some of them need to be modified so everything fits visually.



[h2]Engage, Explore, and Stay Informed[/h2][hr][/hr]That's it for now! We'll see you next Friday.

You can find us on Discord, BlueSky, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit for discussions, updates, and feedback. You can also subscribe to our monthly MENACE newsletter on our website — just scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2432860/MENACE/

And here are the recent prior Dev Diaries in case you've missed them:
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/642433677808108044
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515206275424846335
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515205641165341679

[h3]Mission Preparation in MENACE[/h3]
Today, we will cover the essentials of how to deploy your troops before taking on a combat mission in MENACE. Battles can be won and lost in deployment—that’s why mission preparation is a core element of the game.

[h3]Overview of the Battlefield[/h3][hr][/hr]The first thing to do before playing any mission is to get an overview of the procedurally generated combat map. This is where all mission objectives are shown, including deployment zones and other vital areas.

The map provides an abstract view of the landscape, including structures, roads, and environmental features that must be considered when formulating a plan. Time of day and weather conditions are also displayed—nighttime combat, in particular, may require special preparation.



[h3]Assessing Enemy Intel[/h3][hr][/hr]Enemy presence is also shown on the preparation map. Still, unlike topographic data, it’s more challenging to obtain real-time information on enemy movement and unit types.

This is why MENACE uses a slightly abstracted intelligence system, simulating orbital scans, intercepted radio traffic, satellite imagery, and intel from local sources. All of these combine into an intelligence rating. The higher the rating, the more likely it is to reveal additional information about enemy troops.

This can be essential, helping you plan for the presence of heavy weapons, vehicles, or special units.



[h3]Loadouts, Supply, and Squad Compositions[/h3][hr][/hr]Once you’ve reviewed the mission and estimated the enemy presence, you can make informed choices about what gear to bring.

Each infantry squad can be equipped with squad weapons and a special weapon, along with body armor and accessories (depending on their armor type). But supplies are limited.

Each mission provides a Supply point limit—an abstraction covering ammunition, spares, and maintenance for deployed equipment. This limit also applies to vehicles, which consume more supply points than infantry.

It’s your responsibility as commander to decide how to spend supply points.

You’ll also choose how many squads to bring and which squad leaders to assign. Leaders may carry over injuries from previous missions, be affected by emotional states, or have perk combinations that make them better suited for certain operations.


[h3]Deploying Forces[/h3][hr][/hr]The final step is deploying your squads and pilots.

The available deployment zone is shown on the combat map and varies based on mission type. Defending a settlement, conducting a patrol, or launching a base assault will each offer different layouts.

Some squad leaders have perks that extend the deployment zone—or even allow deployment behind enemy lines.



[h2]Engage, Explore, and Stay Informed[/h2][hr][/hr]That's it for now! We'll see you next Friday.

You can find us on Discord, BlueSky, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit for discussions, updates, and feedback. You can also subscribe to our monthly MENACE newsletter on our website — just scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2432860/MENACE/

And here are the recent prior Dev Diaries in case you've missed them:
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/642433677808108044
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515206275424846335
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515205641165341679