Exoplanet: First Contact News

Hello friends!

While the final touches are being made in update 0.73, we would like to introduce you to two new enemies! Previously, we filled the desert and the Edge with the few mobs that were completed. Due to this, the uniqueness of the species might not have been as apparent. However, now that we have more models, we can distribute them according to habitat zones, making the fauna of K'Tarsis look much more logical. Here's what we can tell you about the behaviors and characteristics of the two new animals.

[h2]WILD DOG[/h2]



You can encounter this mob both in the desert and in the savanna, and it will take some effort to deal with them!



The dog is a pack animal, very agile, fast, and maneuverable. Due to the peculiarities of its body structure — especially its long jointed legs — animating it was a real challenge. And now the dog can run, chase prey in accelerated mode, jump on its victim, sniff around, and much more. By the way, the short front paws, with which the animals operate quite well, deserve special attention.

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By the way, the dog impresses not only with its quite eerie abrupt movements but also sounds very menacing!

Due to the speed of the dogs, it's unlikely that you'll be able to keep them at a distance for long, so for now, dodging in a jump will be very helpful in fighting them. However, as the combat system is further developed, new, more interesting possibilities will appear.

[h2]UPDATED CRUCAS[/h2]



Remember the chubby lizards clumsily rolling from side to side? Now they will be replaced by a completely new mob — fast, agile, and ominous.



Crucases will still inhabit predominantly dark, damp places — there's plenty of them in dungeons, for example. But they have adapted to the desert just fine, though they tend to stay in the shadow of rocks. These animals are very mobile — they jump a considerable distance and strike with their long front clawed paws. They can also loop, skillfully dodging bullets. The bite of a crucas is poisonous, so it's better to avoid it if possible — or at least stock up on something that can restore health.

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The sounds that the crucas makes are particularly impressive in the dark. However, even in the light of day, this mob will make you flinch from surprise! By the way, in the future, we plan to add a long-range attack to the crucas, an acid spit that will need to be dodged. It will also be wise to stay alert when exploring tombs or caves — these animals thrive there in abundance!

That's all bout new mobs! We hope they will impress you when you meet them on the wastness of K'Tharsis, Share your impressions in comments and make sure to drop by our Discord!

Hey friends!

Today we would like to explore another complex topic that significantly enriches the world of Exoplanet — NPC daily routines.

We were inspired to give characters daily activities by Gothic, one of the first games to create a world where many characters have minor daily tasks. These tasks correspond to the roles of NPCs on The Edge — guards secure their locations, patrols monitor the territory, and traders scavenge for scraps. At first glance, it may seem simple, but in reality, there are many nuances in designing daily activities that we will discuss further.



Before realizing the need to develop a separate subsystem to handle NPC daily routines, we used quest logic. However, this approach led to many problems — we had to manually consider whether a character is alive or not, whether they are in combat, or if they have moved to another location to participate in a more important quest.

To avoid numerous errors and unnecessary actions, it was decided to develop daily routines within the framework of our artificial intelligence system — the NPC behavior tree. It is a part of the AI responsible for decision-making. Its logic runs several times per second, constantly determining which branch of actions to execute for the NPCs. Based on the results of the evaluation, requests are generated for them, which are handled by another part of the AI.



[h3]What does the use of the behavior tree provide?[/h3]

• A convenient environment for developing daily routines:

To avoid numerous errors and unnecessary actions, we decided to develop daily routines within our game engine's editor called "Sahara Engine." This way, it could have access to all game data, simplifying the control of NPC daily routines. Now, we can quickly, easily, and conveniently set time intervals for specific actions, define their priorities, and determine the rules for execution. Thus, the game checks the in-game time first and then the character starts performing the assigned action accordingly. For example, in the morning, abori can scavenge for scrap, talk during the day, and sleep at night.

• Simplification of NPC state checks:

By having a unified system, checking the state of characters became much easier, and the number of overlooked situations and bugs in the game significantly decreased. It also became much easier to handle situations where NPC activities were interrupted for various reasons - thanks to the new system, the character simply resumes their task from the beginning. Moreover, the performed task is not a repetitive chain of actions - there are specific branches for each time of day. Therefore, even if the routine is interrupted, the immersion in the game remains intact as the character's behavior always corresponds to the time of day.

• Automatic prioritization:

Regular tasks are automatically assigned the lowest priority. The system first checks various aspects, such as whether the character is alive, engaged in a quest, or involved in a conversation with Jack, and only then sends them to perform the task.



By the way, assigning daily tasks also has its own rules and system. Each character is planned to have 2-4 different actions based on their occupation and habits, corresponding to their profession. Some characters have hobbies — for example, growing plants. The behavior of other characters may hint at their dark past. For instance, the Hermit trembles in sleep, haunted by nightmares of the past.

[h3]What types of tasks exist in the game?[/h3]

Behavior of significant characters:

We wanted to create several distinct characters with complex, diverse, and interesting tasks. Their selection was based on their backstory, characteristics, and the timing of their encounter with Jack. Here are a few interesting examples:



Rusty Nails is the first NPC Jack encounters, marking the beginning of his interaction with the Abori race. Therefore, we added as many details to this character as possible. Rusty scavenges for valuables in the trash, attempts to break open a safe, claiming its mechanism is too complex to crack, and goes to sleep at night.



Garry is the owner of an abandoned mine and a broken hoverbike. He roams around Lucky Hole town, converses with the trader Vaga, and occasionally indulges in drinking and causing a ruckus. Sometimes you need to search around the town to find him. By the way, in the daily routine logic, it is taken into account whether Jack completed the quest "Fixing Garry's Old Hoverbike". In that case, Garry's garage will be open, and he will periodically go inside to tinker with the mechanisms.



Mad Miner is one of the most mysterious characters. By his actions you can see, for example, how he threatens old posters of bounty hunters with his fist. A funny fact — to our surprise, the crazy Abori recently started undertaking tasks that nobody assigned to him! He switched from targeting wanted posters to a group of renegade Abori, initially getting himself killed in an attempt to provoke them and then learning to escape. Recently, he started to annoy a nearby grazing cabarog too! We have not yet found the reason for this change, considering it another mystery of K'Tharsis.

Behavior of ordinary NPCs:



Ordinary inhabitants of the world receive simple tasks that correspond to their occupation. However, this guard not only guards the gate but also takes care of watermelons. I wonder what will happen if Jack dares to touch his harvest.



Stranger always performs the same action. After appearing in the game, he can be found sitting near a cliff edge. However, he has a specific goal — why else would he invite Jack to sit with him?

Behavior of animals:



Currently, animals simply wander around their spawn points, but in the future we plan to add more routines to them.

We still have a lot of work ahead of us in assigning routine tasks to characters, and as always, your feedback is crucial. Please share your thoughts on character routines in the comments, and be sure to join our Discord to ask questions, share your impressions, or find out about upcoming updates from the devblog!

Greetings, space cowboys!

Today, we’d like to talk to you about one of the most essential aspects of space western — the combat system. It's quite an extensive and complex topic, but we're steadily approaching the final version. Today we'll tell you how we've improved the impact effects for both melee and ranged and share our plans on diversifying fights with a new system of perks.

[h2]Character reactions[/h2]



We want to make character reactions to damage visually impressive and appealing. Therefore, we dedicate a lot of time to achieving believable combat visuals.

In previous updates, we introduced hit animations for different body parts. Now we want to enhance character reactions to damage and associated negative effects. To create the right impression, we have replaced some animations and continue refining the "status effects" system. We are also gradually increasing the importance of stamina, allowing you to have better control over your fights.

[h2]Perks[/h2]



Fights in our game are not just about strikes; they involve clever combinations and sometimes even dirty tricks. To help you create a unique fighting style, we have developed a special perks system for your character, Jack. Do you want to increase damage resistance with Iron Skin? Rain a hail of bullets on your opponent? Or knock them out with a cunning kick? The choice is yours!

By the way, if you have anything to say about our perk system, feel free to comment or join our Discord - we really appreciate your feedback!

[h2]Effects[/h2]

It’s great when characters have proper reactions during combat, but they're not enough for a complete picture. That's why we have made melee hit registration much more accurate and added visually striking effects.



We have transferred blood decals to PBR (Physically Based Rendering) — now, when characters are hit, drops of blood proportionate to the inflicted damage will fall to the ground. Blood will also appear on the ground during bleeding effects.

Melee combat animations have undergone significant improvements. The backswing is accelerated, followed by a deceleration for telegraphing the upcoming blow, the blow itself is accelerated, giving you time to react, dodge, or parry. Dynamic changes in animation speed will make strikes look more powerful, enhancing the impact sensation, while improved minor details will add authenticity.



As for the sounds, they correspond to the materials involved in each impact. A metal pipe to wood, a wooden stick to glass, an antigravium shard to stone, and so on - each pair has its own character to make the environment more tangible. At the same time, the sounds of flesh impacts have become crisper and more powerful.

We have also corrected the swing timings for all of our melee weapons - now every related sound is synchronized with the character's actions.

[h2]Enemies[/h2]



To add depth to battles, we have implemented a system of levels for all enemies — both animals and humanoids. Their level will determine their damage, speed, stamina, and other parameters. You can only see an enemy's level after scanning, so don’t forget to do that before engaging in battle!

By the way, humanoid enemies will have the same abilities as the player. They will correspond to one of the four combat skill archetypes: a melee fighter with a focus on agility or strength, a gunner, or a sniper. This will make battles more unpredictable — the enemy's strength and fighting style will depend on both their level and skill progression.

[h2]Shooting like a cowboy[/h2]



We have also paid attention to Jack's shooting animations. His stance now closely resembles that of a cowboy, adding a touch of authenticity. Instead of holding the pistol like a regular police officer, Jack now shoots playfully, extending his arm, while still hitting the mark perfectly!

These are just a few of the combat system changes awaiting you in the next update. They already significantly improve impact and, we hope, add much needed realism. Please let us know how you like them - your feedback will greatly help us understand how successful we've been in enhancing the immersion in the game. And be sure to check out our Discord for all the latest development news!

Hello friends!

You have asked us if there would be an option to create your own character. In this article we’d like to explain why we can’t give such an option to the players and why we made such decisions.

Of course, it's great to be able to create a character based entirely on your own preferences - to define his appearance parameters, like in Skyrim, or even choose a backstory, like in Mass Effect. And many players will feel a strong attachment to such a custom character.However, fully predefined characters also have many advantages - remember Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2 or Geralt from the Withcer. So what can be said about our hero?



[h2]Jack Sharp — the one and only?[/h2]

When thinking about what our main character would be like, we considered many factors, such as the technical and production complexity of implementing full-scale character customization. And by designing a predetermined character, we wanted to achieve certain creative goals, which we'll talk about next.

A fully customizable character means always a massive amount of work. Just giving players the ability to change the gender of a character, for example, would require creating a lot more assets and adapting each of them to additional animations!



One more serious challenge could be dialogues and NPCs’ reactions. Another major challenge could have been writing the dialogues and reactions of the NPCs. Having one predefined main character allowed us to focus on authenticity and make the dialogues better, fuller, and more interesting rather then make them suitable for all possible gender and origin variations.

Without a doubt, it would be possible to create a minimum variant of customization and allow players to edit the appearance of the protagonist at least in the minor details. We do not exclude the possibility to at least partially implement such an option, although we are not ready to promise anything in advance. However, creating a predetermined character seemed to us a more attractive option. Let's see what advantages this solution brought and what customization options we were able to provide to the players.



[h3]A true space cowboy[/h3]

We gave Jack the appearance of a dashing cowboy and a certain kind of personality. He was given the persona of a caustic and cynical adventurer with a dark past, details of which emerge as the story progresses.

However, you can make Jack look at many things from a different angle. By choosing different lines of behavior in dialogues and quests, he can act as a more altruistic individual or act as a complete egoist. Therefore, despite the predetermined past, ultimately it is up to you to decide what your space cowboy's moral profile will be during the course of his adventures on the planet K'Tharsis.

In addition to the moral image, you can also create a unique clothing style for the main character by finding different outfit options. With enough experimentation, you are sure to create an image that suits you both in characteristics and in terms of visual aesthetics.



[h3]Deeper integration into the world[/h3]

Thanks to the fact that Jack's appearance and backstory are predetermined, we were able to use this both in the cinematics at the beginning of the game and in the cutscenes. In addition, as mentioned earlier, we were able to make a more vivid and personalized reaction of NPCs - characters can comment on the appearance and actions of Jack, sometimes, in fact, giving him completely unflattering characteristics. Jack's own reactions, by the way, are also more conveniently prescribed based on his specific personality.

We're working hard to finish the current game as quickly as possible, but of course we're making plans for the future. Of course, we would like to keep expanding the world of Exoplanet, making it bigger, richer and more diverse, linking individual stories into a chain leading to global events.

This means that the protagonists of the new stories told in the future may encounter the protagonists of the previous ones!



[h3]Archetypes[/h3]

We would like to give players as much freedom as possible in creating the character they like, so we created the archetype system, which we told you about earlier. In a nutshell, it is a system that allows you to choose the starting skills corresponding to a certain class - warrior, thief or diplomat - which will allow you to influence your approach to gameplay. However, if you are not satisfied with any of them, you can form a set of skills yourself. By the way, on Edge you can find a teacher for raising any skill - so don't worry about making the wrong choice!

That's how Jack Sharp came to be - a hero with a particular story and appearance, but the freedom of moral choice and archetype to deal with problems on K'Tarsis. And what characters from RPGs do you remember? How important to you is the ability to customise a character? Share your opinion in the comments, and be sure to drop by our Discord!

Hello friends!

As you know we work hard for our game to become as convincing as possible, that’s why we’ve put a lot of effort into adding one of the most important features — total mortality.

This mechanic is a real challenge for us because if any character can die, there will be so many scenarios that it will be impossible to control them! Besides, in our game there are quite a number of spectacular cutscenes. If a character dies and then appears in one of the videos, the logic of the narrative will be broken. It put even more difficulties into the search of the solution and even made us think of giving up this feature.



And yet we wanted our players to have an opportunity to considerably influence the storyline. That’s why we’ve made a serious research on how mortality looks in other games. For example, if you kill an important character in Divinity 2, there will be a note on his body. It will help you go on with the quest. In Morrowind the game suggests using your latest save to proceed. After analysing all the approaches we developed a flexible hybrid system considering the death of every character — almost all the events in our game are interconnected, and the death of one NPC can influence some quests.

[h3]How does this hybrid variant look?[/h3]

There are three variants of dealing with mortality. The first one relates to the death of a very important character. In this variant we think about the alternative ways of the storyline — for example, if the Herbalist dies, Jack can find his apprentice anyway. With this method we make sure that the players don’t lose big chains of events even if one link was lost. Of course, it’s a hard and expensive variant demanding a lot of work, and we can’t use it everywhere. But it helps to replenish the content and the quests don’t feel empty — that’s why we use it with significant characters.



In case the killed character isn’t that important, the logic just excludes them from the rest of the quests — so if you kill local bullies of the Edge, Pimples and Knuckles, nobody mentions them and you won’t have to intimidate these guys to stop them from harming the locals.

And finally, the third variant — the one we use really carefully to keep the immersiveness — is natural restrictions. You can undoubtedly attack any character — for example, a strong or a powerful one. But it’s highly believable that such NPCs will have tough armour or loyal guards. A mercenary or a professional fighter will be mighty and skillful. So you will have to reach quite a high level to challenge them. In that case the restrictions are pretty natural but you can always try!

So we tried to introduce soft restrictions and made sure there is a lot of various and interesting content in the game and the logic of the quests isn’t broken. But we still advise you to decide carefully — every character has their history and even a couple of secrets to share if you come to the agreement!



By the way, we’re still testing different branches of quests, so don’t hesitate to inform us about any mistakes in the comments and in our Discord so that we could correct it for the next build. And don’t forget to drop by our devblog where we share the latest news!

And what do you think about mortality in the games? Share your thoughts in the comments and add your game into the wishlist!

Have a nice adventure on K’Tharsis, space cowboys!