MENACE News

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

Today, we want to showcase another enemy faction in MENACE: The Rogue Army. We will provide an overview of their unit roster and the tactics they employ.

[h2]Rogue Armies in the Wayback System[/h2][hr][/hr]“Rogue Army” is a collective term for all kinds of human forces in the Wayback that follow their own agenda or oppose the rule of the established factions.

Similar to the pirates, they don’t follow a grand scheme and are not part of an overarching organization. In other words, each encounter against a “Rogue Army” can happen on different planets and for different reasons.

In one operation, you might fight against a renegade general who tries to gain control of valuable industrial assets, while in a different operation, you have to defend a peaceful population against an attack by its neighbor.

As a simplification, the ruling factions will also employ the same or similar types of units to represent their military arm, most likely with a different texture.

[h2]Tactics and Units: The Rogue Army Roster[/h2][hr][/hr]The backbone of any Rogue Army consists of large infantry squads without any meaningful equipment or specialized training. This human wave will be supported by raw firepower from a variety of sources. The overall theme is quantity over quality which is also reflected in the simple and cumbersome nature of most rogue army equipment.


All units heavily rely on supporting each other, so it's important to isolate individual units and defeat them one by one. The lack of maneuverability and speed of any Rogue Army further facilitates this approach.

Finding ways to mitigate the impact of their long range fire support is essential to win engagements without taking heavy losses. Possible approaches involve gathering intelligence before the actual combat, deep reconnaissance and offmap abilities as well as a strict target prioritization to disable the most dangerous units first.

The player can also employ most Rogue Army vehicles and weapons.

[h2]Rogue Army Units[/h2][hr][/hr][h3]Infantry Squad[/h3]

A basic infantry squad consisting of 6 or more soldiers. This unit is equipped with mass-produced rifles and a simple blast vest. While not sporting any special weapons, the squad makes use of anti-tank grenades and smoke grenades when necessary.



[h2]Heavy Weapon Teams Overview[/h2][hr][/hr]Heavy weapon teams provide fire support for the regular infantry squads, compensating for the lack of special weapons in regular infantry units.

These weapons come with a tripod and have to be properly set up before they can be used. As long as the weapon is combat-ready, the squad has to remain stationary, which makes it a prime target for delayed attacks like off-map abilities.

There is a wide variety of different weapons that the Rogue Army might field. All heavy weapons have limited ammunition.

[h3]Autocannon Team[/h3]
This large calibre autocannon can deliver devastating salvos once set up. It can effectively engage infantry and light vehicles over medium to long ranges.



[h3]Machinegun Team[/h3]
A medium MG that provides reliable suppressive fire. It is ineffective against most vehicles, but easily able to shut down enemy troop movements and pin squads in place while the infantry squads move in.



[h3]Rocket Launcher Team[/h3]
This is a reusable launch pod for anti-tank missiles. While not posing an essential threat to infantry squads, this rocket launcher can take out vehicles over long distances.



[h3]Mortar Team[/h3]
A heavy infantry mortar can shoot grenades over very long distances without a direct line of fire. Mortar teams can be very hard to locate, so reconnaissance and intelligence are key when facing this weapon.



…more weapon teams will be added in the future.

[h3]Supply Runner[/h3]
Just like the Players special weapons all Rogue Army Heavy Weapon Teams have limited ammo. The Rogue Army deploys so-called supply runners that rush to re-arm the heavy weapons once they run low on ammunition. Taking out the supply runners before they can reach their target is a viable tactic.



[h3]Artillery Piece[/h3]
A stationary heavy artillery piece. These systems can shoot high explosive shells at any point of the map due to their extreme range and indirect firing capability. Although very inaccurate, the damage these shells can do is considerable.

A prominent weakness is the artillery's very high minimum range, which makes it possible to move close to it and underrun its shooting arc.



[h3]Rogue Army Light Walker[/h3]
An armored bipedal walker that can carry a variety of weapons. This version is armed with a fast multi-barreled auto laser that fires high-energy beams in quick succession. It's not very accurate but effective against infantry and most light vehicles. Firing the laser builds up heat that has to be vented.



[h3]Heavy Tank[/h3]
A heavy tank, slow and exceptionally well armored, also referred to as an “assault howitzer”.
Mainly designed to support infantry attacks, its role is to suppress or destroy enemy strongpoints and buildings over short ranges. The lack of a turret limits the main gun's firing arc to a frontal 45 degrees which can be used against it by highly maneuverable units.

The tank is also equipped with a small turret featuring a medium MG with a 360-degree sight to defend against enemy infantry.

The tank's main armament is a short-barreled 15cm gun that can shoot high-explosive or HEAT rounds to engage infantry or hard points.



[h3]Rogue Army Officer[/h3]
An officer with his bodyguard ensures all infantry squads keep pressing the assault. The officer can increase the movement speed of nearby allied units and reduce their suppression so they can keep up their momentum.



[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/515205641165341679
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/577128955243397810
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/500567043120038946

The world of MENACE is modeled with the real world in mind, and the weather and light conditions greatly impact any warfare or conflict. Fighting at night is chaotic and dangerous for ill-trained and equipped troops. Blazing heat strains soldiers, and dense fog makes it hard to identify enemies on the battlefield.

This week, we want to give a first glance at the weather and lighting system in MENACE and how it impacts gameplay.

Note: This is just the first iteration; more environmental effects, lighting, and weather conditions will be added to the game.

[hr][/hr]There will be four basic times of day at which combat can occur, and each has distinct lighting to make sure players quickly recognize which time it is. Even more importantly, the different light settings make the game look different each time and add a lot of visual variety to each biome. Also, the lighting is crucial in creating a fitting atmosphere for the game.

The chance of fighting at a certain lighting time differs for each biome, with fights in normal daylight being much more common than fights at dusk, dawn, or night.

[h3]Dawn Clear[/h3][hr][/hr]Early in the morning, the sun is typically very low and still weak. Its light is already yellow-orange but way lighter than at dusk. Shadows are light with a blue or even purple tint and, of course, very long. Mornings also often have a light fog as the humidity of the night evaporates under the increasing sunlight.

In the game, there will be no special modifiers tied to dawn.

Each biome will, of course, have its light setup for dusk:

Temperate Dawn Clear

Desert Dawn Clear

Snow Dawn Clear

[h3]Dawn Overcast[/h3][hr][/hr]Each light setting has an alternative “overcast” variant. This means the sky is cloudy with no direct sunlight. This overcast state can also be used for additional weather effects, like rain or snow.

Overcast light is a lot less direct and intense. Shadows are almost invisible, colors are desaturated, and the whole map is darker. Take a look at the overcast versions of the dusk lighting:

Temperate Dawn Overcast

Desert Dawn Overcast

Snow Dawn Overcast

[h3]Day Clear[/h3][hr][/hr]The classical daylight is the time at which most missions will be fought. The default setup here is very sunny, with the sun high on the horizon. Shadows are sharp, dark, and short. Colors are intense, and exposure and brightness are high. This lighting will not affect combat.

Temperate Day Clear

Desert Day Clear

Snow Day Clear

[h3]Day Overcast[/h3][hr][/hr]As for all other lighting, we also do have an overcast version of daylight, which helps create a gloomy atmosphere for weather effects like rain as well:

Temperate Day Overcast

Desert Day Overcast

Snow Day Overcast

[h3]Dusk Clear[/h3][hr][/hr]One of the most distinct lighting effects in nature is dusk, with its very low sun that usually turns into a bright orange. Shadows are long and dark, while the light is still strong but brightly colored. Some fog might rise and create rays of light streaming across the map.

Temperate Dusk Clear

Desert Dusk Clear

Snow Dusk Clear

[h3]Dusk Overcast[/h3][hr][/hr]While overcast skies are a lot more dampened, we still try to maintain some orange light colors that are typical for dusk light. The sun is not blocked out completely, so there will still be some very soft rays of light to help maintain the atmosphere:

Temperate Dusk Overcast

Desert Dusk Overcast

Snow Dusk Overcast

[h3]Night[/h3][hr][/hr]Of course, there will be a night as well, and here is where it gets interesting. The night is very dark, with little light and hardly any shadows. The colors are tinted blue or purple and desaturated.

To maintain readability for the player, we added actor lights that lightened up all the models on the map to make them stand out a bit more. Also, units have a soft light under them to make it easier to see their positions.

Of course, vehicles turn on their headlights at night, creating long and sharp shadows wherever they move and adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Note: No separate overcast lighting variant exists as the night is already very dark.

Most importantly, the night will have severe effects on gameplay. All units' vision ranges will be reduced by 4, their detection value by 50%, and their accuracy by 20%. This will lead to fights at night taking place over shorter ranges.

This will make them more deadly and bloody as dropoffs do not come into play that much. Equipping short-range weapons and heavier armor can help your units survive at night.

Temperate Night

Desert Night

Snow Night

[h3]Nightvision[/h3][hr][/hr]To help your troops fight at night, there will be a variety of vision-enhancing equipment, like night vision goggles. They will reduce or remove the negative effects of night light and greatly increase your combat capabilities in darkness. A unit with night vision equipped will see the map like this:

Temperate Nightvision

Weather

[hr][/hr]In addition to the light of day, there will be a variety of weather and environmental effects that also impact visuals and gameplay. We are just starting to create these, and many of their visual effects are in their first iteration.

[h3]Light & Heavy Rain[/h3][hr][/hr]On the temperate biomes rain is rather common. Light rain will not have any combat impact, while heavy rain or thunderstorms might reduce vision on the battlefield. Of course, all weather effects will come with their ambient soundscape.

Capturing rain in a static screenshot is tricky, but here goes:

Temperate Rain

[h3]Sandstorm[/h3][hr][/hr]In desert biomes, players might run into the occasional sandstorm caused by heavy winds blowing up sand and dust. Sandstorms are dense and nasty, and fighting them is a real challenge. They reduce not only vision range and accuracy but also movement costs, so units are slowed down:

Desert Sandstorm

[h3]Blizzard[/h3][hr][/hr]Similar to a Sandstorm, a blizzard is an arctic storm with strong winds blowing up snow and ice. Vision is significantly reduced, while accuracy and movement speed suffer.



[h3]More environmental effects[/h3][hr][/hr]In the Wayback, there will be even more adverse effects on the battlefield. For example, scorching heat might increase the heat buildup in laser weapons, while freezing colds will help cool them down.
Other planets might have even more bizarre hazards, like energy fields that interfere with energy-based weapons or lower gravity.

[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/577128955243397810
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/500567043120038946
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/515203109058773566