Black Ice News

[p]Following the Technocolor update and As Advertised update that replaced the shaders and rebalanced the colors for the world's terrain and decorations, the HUD and servers needed their own overhaul. This update replaces many HUD elements and makes the servers pop with sizzling neon![/p][p][/p][h2]Targeting Info[/h2][p]When you aim at servers or enemies, you now see a compact bar with security types, health bars, and other info. Server and enemy names are colored to match, making it easier to tell which enemies belong with which server. New icons and detail about buffs / debuffs coming in the next updates.[/p][h2]Interaction Prompts[/h2][p]When aiming at a shop or interactable item, you'll get on-screen prompts under the reticle telling you how to interact with them. Similarly, you'll get warnings when you're being ambushed or hacked with instructions what to do next. In the next update, that will include instructions for defeating Lockout enemies and Proxy security.[/p][p]If you leave the hack radius, you now get on-screen warnings with a countdown until the hack cancels, helping you time split-second flanking maneuvers.[/p][h2]Event Bars[/h2][p]When you hack, defend, or battle a boss, persistent event bars track your progress at the top of the screen. These can stack with each other and with the targeting info, helping you to battle multiple targets and objectives at once.[/p][p]When 2 servers fight, you'll see a "tug of war" meter with their enemy counts and the rewards each side is offering. Help one color fill the meter to get their reward![/p][p]Allied servers now display as chrome, along with chrome spawns that are clearly your friends.[/p][h2][/h2][h2]Chat Systems[/h2][p]The old chat messages were hard to read, especially during combat. Between a new cyberpunk font, better text outlining, and sender icons, it's much easier to tell at a glance who you're talking to and what they have to say. More important messages also trigger notification bubbles in the corner of the screen, also replacing the old tutorial message system. Expect these improvements to come to the Inbox and mission system soon...[/p][p][/p][p]The next 2+ patches will complete the HUD and gameplay menu improvements. [/p][p]First, the new HUD elements will be extended to the courier delivery missions while connecting them to specific companies and their lore, such as deliveries for the Knights of Ishkar or Machiavelli's Pizza. The payload events will be improved and adapted to work within story missions, destroying and defending payloads before they get to their destinations. I'll also add more elements and information to smaller HUD elements like the reticle, the buff / debuff feedback, more information when aiming at items/powerups, and more NPC and system icons for the chat system.[/p][p]The second upcoming patch will focus on the Inventory, Progression, and Inbox screens. I've been getting a lot of feedback that those are the most confusing UIs that need improvements. In the inventory, better item tooltips and item icons that match the type of gun rather than its payload. The Progression screens will get an overhaul to make them less confusing and fit the cyberpunk flavor. The Inbox will also get an overhaul with better information about the missions, sender avatars and images to make it easier to tell who you're talking to, and more feedback on the rewards and objectives. Both items and servers will get a new batch of icons for their modifiers.[/p][p]Altogether, these changes will make you feel more like a hacker interfacing with hardware and software modules and also provide smoother gameplay experiences.[/p][p]Since these are some of the oldest systems and oldest code, please be patient as it takes a lot of time to debug everything that breaks while making the necessary changes. This update alone changed more than 10,000 lines of code in 300 files. But if you look at the Before / After shots from recent patches, it's worth the wait![/p][p] [/p][h3]0.9.223 - ouroborOS: HUD Upgrades (10/19/25)[/h3]

• [p]Added new info bars for target info, hack events, defense/takeover events, and boss fights.[/p]
• [p]Replaced the chat system with new message window and popup notifications.[/p]
• [p]Added alerts when you leave the hack radius and a countdown to get back before it cancels.[/p]
• [p]Added new animated waypoints for Hack, Deliver, Defend, and Destroy events.[/p]
• [p]In addition to the XYZ world location, your current Sector is displayed above the RAM bar.[/p]
• [p]Linked servers' targeting info now displays how many servers are linked and the +X levels added from those servers. Hacking the defenders now decreases the displayed hack level.[/p]
• [p]Replaced most of the menu prompts with ouroborOS wireframes.[/p]
• [p]Replaced the Game Over screen with info about what killed you (images coming in a future patch)[/p]
• [p]Replaced the Escape Menu (music player info & visualizer coming in a future patch)[/p]
• [p]Added several new fonts for UI readability.[/p]
• [p]Replaced most of the loading screen backgrounds.[/p]
• [p]Streamlined the tutorial with better prompting and covered some missing fallback states.[/p]
• [p]Replaced the item loadout for the demo with more exciting weapons like a bouncy MG, a missile shotgun, the (Manta) Ray Gun, and Einar's Flame War.[/p]
• [p]The miniatures of Einar's servers located in the Arcade are now gold-plated.[/p]
• [p]So many small bugs were discovered and fixed during these upgrades that there's too many to list![/p][p][/p][p] - Nonadecimal & superdupergc[/p]

Following up on the Tree Fort update, the Volcano needed more complex terrain and servers to spice up the early game. This update increases the routes and platforming in each area and replaces key servers with more stylized ones. Combining a few servers into larger ones speeds up the progression, getting you to the open world faster.


Plus, more routes to survive the submerged lava caverns and a new bridge to the volcano with better platforming and jumpscares.



Complementing Einar's trophy servers, billboards for his companies expand their backstories and the progression of his career.



There will be a lot of balance changes as we close in on final launch. We decreased the levels for the post-volcano missions to match the recent changes to the early game. The Prank War also lost its first 2 hacks to shorten the tutorial sequence.

The inbox was reporting server levels that included the boosted levels of defended servers, making missions appear much higher level. This fix should also speed up the progression.


Looking ahead, the story is about to get an overhaul to match the progression and connect with the final chapter. The UI will get a major rework to offer more prompts during special events and hack types. This will also improve waypointing and mission objectives. The rework should improve inventory and progression usability. This may be an ongoing project that spans the next few updates. See you soon!

[h3]0.9.222 - Volcanic Activity (5/31/25)[/h3]

• Major redesigns to each area of the volcano and new servers to improve combat flow and get you through the volcano faster
  
• Added advertisement billboards for Einar's companies
  
• Moved the volcano boss fight respawn point to the Skyward server and shop area so you can restock or buy items before retrying the boss fight (previously you respawned directly outside the boss area and had to return to Arcade)
  
• Added a grappling hook mission reward in the volcano for extra fun
  
• Fixed navmesh on the bridge to the volcano
  
• Fixed mission text to show the base level of a server, not the upgraded level (this was causing the story mission in Quarkus to show as a level 38 hack instead of 28 due to linked servers adding levels)
  
• Shortened the Prank War by 2 hacks
  
• Fixed low level items missing stats
  
• "Sell All" button in shops no longer sells "New" items (next patch will sell them on second button press)
  
• Rebalanced the levels of Act 2 (post-Volcano) missions
  
• Fixed and brightened the map colors for better visibility
  

- Nonadecimal & superdupergc

What's a corporate dystopia without intrusive advertising everywhere you go? At long last, we have added the advertisements you crave!

The ad billboards will accentuate the worldbuilding, add more flavor and background details to the corporations you hack throughout the story, and foreshadow future events so that you're already familiar with the places and people by the time you meet them.



Now that we have greater control over the world's colors, we can add even more.





Linked servers that would join a hack to defend each other were meant to add an element of strategy. Trace the paths backwards to remove the layers of security protecting your target. Hacker vibes.

But in practice, it sometimes meant hacking the server at the end of the line to activate ?? hacks and spawn hundreds or even thousands of enemies for a 20-minute hack. While we want you to be able to challenge yourself, we'd rather they be opt-in experiences in arenas and special encounters than punishing and time-consuming difficulty spikes in the core experience.

We've changed the linked servers to still pass their security types downstream but not activate as a multihack. Each downstream servers also gets +2 level to boost the difficulty. Now there's still an advantage to peeling back the layers of linked servers but you're less likely to soft-lock yourself with an extremely long hack.





With randomized loot, it was possible for a new character to end up with an inventory full of shotguns. Since we want every playthrough to start with a variety of build options, we've guaranteed a selection of different items in your first dozen hacks. Now a new character will find a heal, mobility items, a variety of weapon types, a scope, a mine, and even a grenade.

We decreased the level that some items unlock to also expand the early game loot variety and build options.

In the last patch, I had decreased the server levels in the early game but forgot to decrease the levels that missions unlock. Sorry about that, new players, it's been fixed!

P.S. Watch out for all the cats today!

[h3]0.9.221 - As Advertised (4/1/25)[/h3]

• Added advertisement billboards to the startup valley and volcanyon
  
• Decreased the levels where post-volcano mission unlock (sorry, forgot to do this in the last patch!)
  
• Linked servers now pass their security types and +2 level downstream but don't activate as multihacks
  
• Revised drop pool after the tutorial to guarantee a variety of items in your first loot pickups
  
• Decreased the level where many items unlock to improve early game build variety
  
• New Perk, Buffer Overflow: on kill, get a random buffer for a few seconds
  
• Screen desaturates at low health again (sorry, broke this in last patch)
  
• Rebalanced some story server levels in the volcanyon
  
• Recycle Bin now tells you the percent chance of output items
  
• Removed 2 hacks from the Prank War to get you to Arcade faster (farewell Smellson)
  
• Additional minor fixes and tweaks
  

WeCare about you.
- Nonadecimal & superdupergc

This update brings balance to the world colors, making walls darker and walkable terrain more obvious. Darker terrain also helps the enemies, projectiles, and other things that can hurt you be more visible against the background. Lava has been redesigned to have less obvious tiling AND now it flows downhill! Firewalls also got a makeover to mask their tiling.



Terrain color also changes in response to elevation, making routes and platforming easier to see at ground level and on the map! Plus all the dark spooky canyons got a little spookier.



Most of all, these changes benefit users of Photosensitive Mode, which was intensifying the color warping. Your experience should match the colors and intensity of the default game without needing to wear dark sunglasses.



Expect more changes to colors as we get closer to launch day. Better color balance will help us improve the HUD and UI to be more readable in the next couple patches. Plus we'll start seeing ~billboards~ for corporations, improving our worldbuilding.



The Volcanyon, the first area before the volcano, got its own refresh, replacing its worst terrain and servers with more ramps and platforms. This also reduced the server count for this area, speeding you along to the volcano.

Like the updates to the Forest in the last patch, expect more balance and improvements in the weakest areas in future patches. Probably the volcano and the industrial area under Oshiro. Feel free to tell us which spots you think we should work next!

[h3]0.9.220 - Presented in Technocolor (3/11/25)[/h3]

• Rebalanced all the game shaders for better color control
  
• Added the ability for lava to flow downhill and improved the lava textures/colors
  
• Replaced servers and terrain in the Volcanyon to improve flow
  
• Removed a few servers from the early Volcano
  
• Custom multiplayer settings now save between sessions
  
• Enemies now make better long-distance vertical jumps
  
• Fixed mouseover reporting the wrong server info
  
• Fixed Payload event not starting on entry
  
• Fixed repeat "you've got mail" message
  
• Fixed repeat Encyclopedia unlock message
  
• Fixed rolling barrels
  
• Fixed UI not updating after rebinding keys
  
• Additional minor fixes and tweaks
  

Stay safe, hackers.

- Nonadecimal & superdupergc

While the forest has always been about platforming to the treetops, the terrain was a bit too flat. This update adds a lot more terrain variation and cover, improving combat in this area.

Now the bridges, tunnels, and cliffs give us more room to hide secrets and hacker stashes before launch.





Black Ice, Inc. added a vault to the forest. It's sealed for now but who knows what treasures are locked inside.

In addition to adding more places to jump during some Quarkus fights, this tree fort would be a fun place for some PVP.



[h3]0.9.218 - 1/25/25 Tree Fort[/h3]

• Majorly improved terrain in the Forest
  
• Added the exterior of a Black Ice, Inc. Vault
  
• There was a coolant spill in the Industrial area
  
• New Powerup: Ouros (max) now randomly appearing in the world
  
• New Affix: Double Draw Speed (Halves draw/holster time for all weapons. does not stack)
  
• The Camera now always updates at the highest framerate possible, instead of during the physics step when the player moves, drastically increasing game smoothness at high framerates
  
• Added a DPS tracker to the Perk Tryout area in the Arcade for all your testing needs
  
• Shops now refresh as you open them, which means they'll give loot closer to your highest hacked level more often
  
• New keyboard shortcut in the Talent Screen - Shift-Click to spend all talent points at once
  
• The Encyclopedia now notifies you in the chat if you find a new Super Duper item
  
• Weapons with Explosive projectiles now show their radius as an affix in their tooltip
  
• Shortened time between enemy waves when there are many enemies in the queue, or all enemies are dead
  
• Servers now spawn entire waves of enemies with a random affix instead of random individuals - especially the longer the hack takes.
  
• Hostile Takeovers and Corporate Warfare will no longer happen between two servers of the same color, which should make it easier to tell who is who
  
• Added more powerups and barrels in the Wasteland area
  
• The Hack limit now always extends to encompass the entire height of the server
  
• Fixed the 15-tile sliding puzzle in the Arcade (now moves with damage instead of clicks)
  
• Two-way server links are no longer possible, preventing a rare crash
  
• Exploding Barrels now leave behind a larger damaging area
  
• Fixed the Recycle Bin in the volcano secret shop area
  
• Fixed Unlock points disappearing on logout - this will restore any lost points
  
• Updated the Airborne challenge to make various exploits impossible (including dying)
  
• Fixed a bug which caused enemies spawning in to sometimes appear fully rezzed
  
• Additional minor fixes and tweaks
  

Stay safe, hackers.

- Nonadecimal & superdupergc