Astro Heist News

Just a quick note to reassure you that the project isn't dead or abandoned. The initial thrust of development was to get the engine up and working, and all the tools necessary to place gates, resources, along with the AI ships, spawns and all the handling models. That's 95% complete now, meaning the vast majority of the rest of the work falls to the designer!

Sadly, he's had a bit of a health upset, and isn't able to work on the game currently. We're both itching to continue work on the game, and any code issues I can absolutely work on.

As ever, please please please feel free to give feedback. We're always available on Discord, and you're all 100% welcome to come and discuss the things you love or hate about the game!

https://discord.gg/VBs69PK6Zx

The Staging Branch has been updated with the latest build of the second level.

This level's design takes a very different approach to the first one. The first level is very much a 360 degree play space, with lots of zig-zagging paths to be taken by the 2d player. As accessibility is very important, one of the design requirements for the second level is that it takes place entirely in front of the VR player. As well as this, the path taken by the 2d player is linear; they start on the left hand side, move through to the right, before returning to the left.

Our local playtesting has shown this level, surprisingly, to be very hard for the VR player to win. As part of trying to balance that a little, we've scaled up the police speeds. As ever - we do need feedback. Does this level work? Are the police too easy? Are there too many places for the 2d player to hide in?

Happy New Year! Whilst we've been terribly quiet, work has been continuing, and we're hopefully not too far from making the second level publicly available.

We've been trying to have plenty of variety in the levels; some are going to be easier for the 2d player, some for the VR player. The first level has a lot of zig-zagging, multiple routes, and scope for huge subterfuge for the pancake player.

This next level is very different - the 2d player moves along a fairly linear path (with plenty of cover and branching-and-collapsing-routes), and it's *much* clearer to the VR player how far through the level the Heister is. At the end, there's many routes to the exit. This level also takes place in a 180 degree arc, meaning a very different VR experience. It's available now in bleeding_edge.

Remember! Your feedback is important! Are any levels too hard? Easy? Confusing? Suggestions for new levels or mechanics? We're always here to listen!

The Action Replay system is also available, and it really works well to get a "Oh what, you went THAT way!" response; this also helps players to evolve strategies to beat each other constantly.

Dear Astro Heist Community,

It's hard to believe that it's been two weeks since we embarked on this thrilling journey together. Today, we want to celebrate not just the passage of time but the incredible milestones and achievements we've reached with your invaluable support.

Your Feedback Powers Our Progress

First and foremost, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who has joined us in the early stages of Astro Heist's journey. Your feedback, bug reports, and suggestions have been instrumental in shaping the future of the game. We've been hard at work behind the scenes, diligently addressing your comments and actively implementing changes that enhance your gaming experience.

Our Vision for the Future

As we look ahead, we're excited to share some glimpses of what's on the horizon for Astro Heist:

New Levels: We're thrilled to announce that we're actively working on bringing you new levels to explore and conquer. Each one will present its own unique challenges and opportunities for you to master.

Additional Vehicles: Expect to see an array of new vehicles, each with its own set of abilities and strategic advantages, providing fresh and exciting ways to engage in the action.

Enhanced VR Mechanics: We're continually refining the VR gameplay experience, making it more immersive, responsive, and enjoyable for our VR players.

More Community Interaction: We love engaging with our community, and we're committed to more interactive events, live streams, and direct communication to ensure we're hearing your voices loud and clear.

Join Us on This Incredible Journey

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind, but we're more excited than ever to continue this adventure with you. We invite you to share your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions with us because your input is the lifeblood of Astro Heist's development.

As we move forward, we promise to keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible and delivering a unique, engaging, and thrilling gaming experience. Together, we're shaping the future of Astro Heist, here's a sneak peek of a quick lighting test for the next level:


Thank you for being part of this remarkable journey. Here's to the next chapter!

Stay cosmic, The Astro Heist Development Team

V1.01

• -Increased visual intensity on active Scan Probes slightly.
  
• -Added Safe Decal behind mining operation
  
• -Added more debris around less-used routes
  
• -Tweaked intro scanners
  
• -Added warning for when game window has no Focus!
  
• -Improved AI ship flight during spawns
  
• -Fixed issue where spawning spawns would flicker for 1 frame
  
• -Improved randomness of AI's 'human-ness' factor
  

We're hard at work on the next level, which includes new ships to fly, an all-new level, along with further balance changes based on the community feedback!