SCP:SL Steam Awards & Development QnA - Part 1

2024 has been a crazy, but incredible year for us. Perhaps even the most incredible. To end this year off, we are pursuing the Labour of Love award for the 2024 Steam Awards. SCP: Secret Laboratory has been, and will always be, a labour of love to us, and having the privilege of being able to work on it for the last seven years is nothing but an honour.

In the last year alone, we've completely overhauled Heavy Containment Zone, reworked the Experimental Weapons, added several new rooms and hallway variants in HCZ, implemented our new beautiful human player models, added a new SCP item, refactored our firearm system, reworked the respawn system, expanded the lore, and much more.

We're immensely pleased with what we've accomplished this year. We've heard your feedback, and we're excited to see what else we can do in the years to come! We're proud that SCP: Secret Laboratory has evolved into what it is now, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

So whether you're a veteran or a new player, we would be incredibly grateful if you could nominate us for this award.

In any case, we hope that you can stick around as we continue to further develop SCP: Secret Laboratory for many years to come.

Thank you for your continued support. We hope you enjoy playing the 14.0 Public Beta as much as we enjoyed making it.




[h2]QnA - Part 1[/h2]
Apropos to the Steam Awards, we would like to use this opportunity to answer some community questions today! Due to the large number of questions, we have selected a portion of them to be answered in this post. But worry not, more will follow in the future.

The questions we will be answering today are separated in five categories:

• SCPs
  
• Humans
  
• Map
  
• Game and Update Development
  
• Servers and Modding
  

Let’s dive right into them!


[h2]SCPs[/h2]
Question Will another playable SCP be added?

Answer
Yes, we do plan to introduce another playable SCP in the future. We have a few ideas, but we want any new SCP to be both distinct and well-suited to the multiplayer nature of the game.

In other words, our SCPs must be fun to play both as and against. In the past, we've rushed certain concepts, leading to issues and frustrations that we're still working to resolve to this day. To avoid repeating those mistakes, we'll be taking our time to prototype and test new SCP ideas before introducing them.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you update or rework 079?

Answer
A complete rework of SCP-079 isn't planned anytime soon. However, we are actively looking to rework specific abilities that have been causing issues, such as door locking, as well as the SCP’s heavy reliance on teammates.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you add neutral SCPs?

Answer
We aren't planning on adding neutral playable SCPs, mainly because introducing them would essentially create a new faction, which is not something we want to do anytime soon.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you add AI-controlled SCPs?

Answer
AI-controlled SCPs aren't out of the question, however, there are no immediate plans to implement them. We would only make something AI-controlled if it doesn’t make sense for a human to control it, as some SCPs aren’t able to be AI-controlled without going against the core premise of the game, i.e. being able to fight as the SCPs or fight people controlling said SCPs.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will the Femur Breaker make a return in the future?

Answer
We aren’t sure. It may return in the future, as it is a unique mechanic to 106 that adds plenty of personality and gameplay mechanics. If it does make a return, it will probably not be used as a way to instantly kill SCP-106. If we cannot find a suitable way to implement this mechanic, there is a chance of it being removed permanently.


[h2]Humans[/h2]

Question Will there be new human teams/factions?

Answer
Although it's not completely impossible that we might consider such a thing in the far future, for now, making the Chaos Insurgency and Foundation both fit well into gameplay is already a lot to handle.

The main difficulty is that we’d want each faction to feel distinct. We’d want to explore these factions in depth, get them right from the beginning. Due to the quantity of work involved, it won’t be our focus for a long time.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will there be new types of weapons? I.e. Flamethrower, AoE, damage over time stuff, melee…

Answer
We like to experiment with new types of weapons everytime we add one to the game. No weapons — or special weapons — should feel the same to use.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will guards get a rework?

Answer
We recognise guards as one of the classes a large number of players do not enjoy as much as others. We believe there is room for some major improvements in the future.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will classes get more specific objectives?

Answer
As we continue to develop the game, we hope to add depth to the methods players can utilise to succeed in the game. A hypothetical facility guard expansion, for example, would probably benefit the most from such a rework.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will movement get a rework in the future?

Answer
We are satisfied with the current human movement system, but changes to specific SCPs, including new movement abilities, isn’t out of the question.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will classes without subclasses get subclasses in the future? (I.e. D-Class and Scientist)

Answer
There are no current plans, but it isn’t out of the question.
[hr][/hr]
Question Are there plans to make existing classes have specific perks? (I.e. New MTF having night vision or Chaos having gas resistance)

Answer
We haven’t experimented with perks for human classes, but like the previous question, it’s not ruled out. We want to avoid any human abilities that feel supernatural in nature. Abilities pertaining to something like the gas mask would require that we implement a set of mechanics that make it useful. In other words, it would call for a lot of work to implement this.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will there be crouching/proning?

Answer
We have no current plans regarding this.


[h2]Map[/h2]

Question Will you rework Light/Heavy/Entrance/Surface?

Answer
Definitely. We will get around to reworking all the zones as time passes, starting with Heavy Containment Zone for the 14.0 update. The same treatment will be given to the other zones, as they have begun to show their age and require a full rework to be up to the standard that the game will soon have.

With every rework, we like to address the flaws in the current game map. These flaws include a lack of variety between rooms and a lack of interactables within them. We want to work with Level Design and create new and fun ways of navigating and interacting with our game world, while fixing the larger problems in the current maps, such as rooms that are easily camped. Once we complete Heavy Containment Zone, we will be moving on to rework another zone.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you add new zones?

Answer
As of right now, the answer is no. This is not a priority since our goal is to expand upon the existing zones and flesh them out. Once the current zones have been reworked and the map is up to quality standards, we could look into potential (sub)zones, but only if they would add something meaningful to the game.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you add new rooms?

Answer
Yes, no doubt about it. Adding new room variants is important for our future plans as they are very important aspects of the game. Each of these rooms have their own individual purpose to fulfil, and we plan to fill every zone with new rooms and room variants.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you add more environmental hazards?

Answer
Environmental hazards are an extra layer of variety in the game, and variety is something we strive for. They act as additional layers of challenges for players, like the various pits and pipes in the Heavy Containment Zone. So yes, once we have the time, you can expect to see more of them.
[hr][/hr]
Question What is Level Design’s goal when reworking the facility?

Answer
Level Design’s goal is to make each zone feel different, either by its usefulness or by its theme, in order to create a completely different atmosphere for each zone.

For example, Heavy Containment Zone would act as a large hub of sorts while Entrance Zone is a maze of multiple different rooms and areas. That said, what each zone contains and the unique plans for each zone are still up in the air.
[hr][/hr]
Question How will the layouts of the different zones change in the future?

Answer
We want to make each round feel unique and different. One way to achieve this is to increase the variety and quantity of layouts. We want to make sure that the map is:

• Conductive to immersion, and by extension, horror;
  
• Varied enough so the player wants to explore and discover lots of loot;
  
• Visually up to par, and plays well;
  
• Allowing the player to seek different approaches to the situations that may occur.

[hr][/hr]
We have implemented these objectives into our Heavy Containment Zone rework, where we added and changed some layouts.
Question Will the Pocket Dimension get an update?

Answer
There is not an easy answer for this at the moment. What we can say is that 106 will have more work put into his fundamental design if we do decide to update him. This then raises the question if we need a Pocket Dimension at all. All approaches have benefits and drawbacks attached to them, and they will need to be considered thoroughly.

We are, however, looking at a visual rework to move away from the old visuals and update them to fit with our visions for the game.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will there be changes to the way humans gain access to navigate or escape the facility, without relying on 914?

Answer
We are currently looking into it, as we can see that current pathfinding and escaping relies heavily on SCP-914 and the loot in Light Containment Zone. This requires a lot of improvements such as better loot distribution and better escape paths (as seen in the Loot Overhaul PEARs test).

We’d like to explore different escape paths or ways to access areas once the game has expanded further and more in-depth human mechanics are developed. There are a lot of possibilities we could explore regardless of the direction we choose to take, however, we will be looking to improve these systems over time.


[h2]Game and Update Development[/h2]

Question Will you improve the game's optimisation?

Answer
Game optimisation is much more complex than people realise. For the past few years, we have been working on refactoring our codebase to improve both the maintainability and performance of the game. There are limits to what we can do due to SL’s reliance on third-party assets, but we have made significant improvements in our own assets and code. We are currently working to update and remove these third-party assets where possible, so you can expect to see gradual improvements in the game’s performance over time.
[hr][/hr]
Question Why do updates take so long?

Answer
Game development often takes longer than people might expect, especially when it’s done by a small, independent studio like ours with a limited budget. Additionally, most of the team members work on the game as a secondary job, dedicating their free time and energy to these projects. This combination causes updates to take longer to complete.
[hr][/hr]
Question Do you have a roadmap? Do you have an ETA for x?

Answer
We don’t have a roadmap, nor do we have any plan for one at the moment. Our primary focus remains improving the core gameplay experience by introducing new content, reworking the frustrating mechanics, and replacing assets from SCP – Containment Breach.

We have many projects and ideas we’d like to work on, however, as the community grows, their priorities often shift due to the ever-changing needs of our playerbase.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you add new achievements?

Answer
Yes.
[hr][/hr]
Question What is the biggest priority when designing updates, and how is this determined?

Answer
This is difficult to answer, because of the countless factors that go into prioritisation. The main priority in an update is trying to fix a major deficiency within the game — for example, Heavy Containment Zone with 14.0.

Making this decision, however, is more complicated. It mostly boils down to whatever makes sense with the resources we have, as well as what might speed up other projects. The community also has a voice in this, with feedback through surveys and forums, as we try to listen to the improvements they’d like to see or what problems they have experienced. This is no easy task since the community has many subcommunities that each have their own requests.

We also consider the team’s motivation for certain projects, as we believe that being excited about what we are working on improves productivity.
[hr][/hr]
Question What is the end goal for SCP:SL? / Vision?

Answer
SCP:SL does not have a fixed end goal. We will continue to provide updates for as long as there is demand for new features, community support, and it remains financially viable.
[hr][/hr]
Question How do you plan to expand upon the horror aspects of SL?

Answer
Horror is a complicated topic in a multiplayer shooter. Multiple games with replayability struggle with this issue: how do you keep a game scary, while still being fun to play? Experienced players will get used to the horror, and will not find it as scary as before.

Our horror shines due to the fear of the unknown, the lack of knowledge of what is around the corner, while yet being brave enough to face it. Many aspects go into this, but these are the main ones that we want to touch upon for this question:

• Light and Sound
  The atmosphere makes or breaks the tension around each corner, which is at its best when isolated and alone. We want to make the facility feel darker and instill a feeling of dread into the players.
  
  
• Randomisation
  This is the fear of the unknown. What does the map layout look like? What threat are we facing? What can the threat do to you?
  When players don’t know what they will face in the dark, they are more likely to run away from a major threat instead of fighting it. We plan to expand on this more in the future, as this greatly increases the horror.
  
  
• SCPs
  Some SCPs are not that scary model-wise, like 049. We plan to fix this and perhaps add more to the roster to provide more variety in each game and add more uncertainty on what you might face.

Of course, most of these work best on the newer players. Experienced players already have a good grasp of the possibilities within each round and will get used to the scares.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will there be any form of monetisation in the future?/How do you make money on a free game?

Answer
We primarily monetise our game through our Patreon page, where you can support us directly. In addition to Patreon, we occasionally launch special campaigns, such as collaborations for exclusive plushies with Makeship or promotions with our server providers. In order to keep this project self-sustainable, we may explore additional non-intrusive monetisation sources.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will SCP:SL ever come to other platforms? (Linux, Mac, console, ...)

Answer
SCP:SL currently runs on Linux via Proton.

As it runs via an incomplete compatibility layer, it can be rather unstable, but we try to make it work. As for MacOS, the best we can say is that it's a little difficult, as we don’t have the necessary tools to test this at the moment.


[h2]Servers and Modding[/h2]

Question Will you consider adding community-made plugins to the base game?

Answer
Yes and no. We have previously implemented community-requested features into vanilla as an option, which are now server settings the server host can play around with.

That being said, with the LabAPI Project now open for public discussion, we have expressed our interest in providing better support for people to create the tools they need, specifically tailored to their (or others') servers, as opposed to creating basic and generalised features.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you allow custom models/textures/sounds, and will modding support ever improve?

Answer
Our primary focus will always be delivering high-quality content and updates for the base game. While proper client-modding support is not entirely out of the question, we want to prioritise providing the best gameplay experience we can.

That being said, server plugins have been something we are strongly in favour of providing constant support for, as it helps servers moderate and provide some unique experiences tailored to what their communities want, with no need for downloading external assets.

In terms of providing an easily accessible server modding framework, our upcoming LabAPI is one of our goals, and we expect to provide more fun tools for modders to play around with and expand their custom created features within the constraints of the game.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you add Steam workshop support?

Answer
While we aren't considering workshop support, we are looking into making plugin development and installation significantly easier with the release of the LabAPI, our own plugin development framework. Plugins are the primary way to add server-based custom additions. We're hoping to further support and aid plugin development throughout the future.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you improve the server browser filters/make a matchmaking system?

Answer
If we are to revisit server browser filters, we'd consider expanding the system with more ways for servers to identify themselves and for community members to sort through them. Unfortunately, this is more difficult than it sounds, and ensuring that all filters are accurate will be a challenge due to the game’s wide variety of community hosted servers.

We currently have no plans for matchmaking at this time. It's difficult to ensure that players are sent to a server that follows all of the standards we'd like to achieve. Another significant challenge with any sort of matchmaking system is the unfair scenario where new players are matched with extremely experienced ones. We feel it's best for players to sort themselves into communities they enjoy.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will text chat ever be added?

Answer
The core goal of a system like text chat is to aid folks who may not have microphones. Due to the fast-paced nature of SL, we worry that a text chat would result in players being killed or otherwise punished for using such a feature. Instead of a text-based messaging system, we would rather explore alternative solutions for players without microphones, such as hand-signs or callouts.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will you rework Remote Admin?

Answer
The Remote Admin (RA) menu has gone through multiple iterations throughout the years. We are currently on RA 4.0, and are focusing on expanding the menu as needed whenever new features or commands are added. We would be open to RA 5.0 if this is deemed necessary, as we are always open to suggestions and potential features we can implement to aid server hosts.
[hr][/hr]
Question Will there be peer-to-peer servers? As in, will there be an option to host a game from within the client, without a need for a dedicated server?

Answer
Unfortunately, due to the chosen network architecture and technical limitations, such an option is unlikely to appear in the future.


Those were the questions for today's batch.

Be sure to stay tuned, as there is a second part on the way! Expect to get more of your questions answered, like why we decided to rework Heavy Containment Zone before Surface Zone, or why we are releasing more overhauls and balance changes instead of adding new content. But for now…

Stay safe, and see you in the dark.

- Northwood Studios