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The Riftbreaker News

The Riftbreaker Maintenance Update, August 30th

Hello Riftbreakers!


We have just published a small maintenance update to fix additional problems with the new gates. Thank you for letting us know about these issues.

[h3]The Riftbreaker Maintenance Update, August 30th, 2023. DATA: 480 EXE: 881 Changelog:[/h3]
  • Fixed problems with Crystal Gate collision models.
  • Crystal gates now have less hit points so that they can explode more frequently.
  • Fixed additional problems with gate models and animation states.
  • Energy Gate upgrade to level 2 will no longer cause regular Gate Level 2 to appear.

EXOR Studios

How we accidentally developed a PVP Mode

Hello Riftbreakers!


If you hang around with us on Discord or Twitch, you might have seen what we’ve been up to for the past couple of weeks. Our work on the co-op multiplayer has led us to accidentally come up with a 90s deathmatch-style PvP mode for the game. What started as a joke quickly turned into one of the most valuable multiplayer development tools in our catalog. In this short article, we will tell you how exactly this game mode came into existence, what we use it for, and what we plan to do with it moving forward.



It all started on a beautiful July morning. Two of our programmers, Łukasz and Marcin, were working on optimizing the client-server communication protocols for co-op play. They were playing on a locally-hosted server, introducing changes to the game’s code and testing them in action on the fly. What seemed like a regular day at the office quickly turned into something they couldn’t have predicted. As luck would have it, Marcin had equipped his Mr. Riggs avatar with the Debug Rifle - a development weapon that EXOR Staff use to test various aspects of the game. It also turns out to be one of the two weapons in the game with friendly fire capability. A momentary lapse in concentration from Marcin led to tragedy - a stray shot from his Debug Rifle wiped Łukasz’s a**...ekhm mech from existence. And then it happened again. And again.

After a couple of unsuccessful tests that ended with his mech blowing up, Łukasz decided to take matters into his own hands and teach his friend a lesson he would not forget. Unbeknownst to Marcin, he equipped his mech with a Debug Rifle of his own and gave him a taste of his own medicine. Imagine Marcin’s shock when his own a**...ekhm mech exploded due to a shot from a Debug Rifle from his friend. Anger, shock, and disbelief raged inside his confused mind. There was only one way this could end - a 1 vs 1 duel, with nothing but honor on the line…




Jokes and bad storytelling aside, this is more or less what led our two colleagues to the question: ‘How long would it take us to turn friendly fire on for all weapons in the game’? It turned out to be trivial, and in less than an hour, they could fight each other as much as they wanted. Then, they invited other programmers to join them for a match. One thing led to another, someone implemented a kill counter, and another person quickly developed a multiplayer arena-style map, and that was it - a working prototype of a deathmatch PvP game mode in The Riftbreaker.



It might seem like a useless ‘side quest’ and a waste of time, but in our eyes, it’s a valuable asset. Stripping the game down to its bare bones - running around an alien world in a mech - gave us a tool that we can use to test the connectivity and stability of the server over time. As you could see during our on-stream playthroughs, the biggest issue with The Riftbreaker co-op was the server performance decrease over time. The longer we played the game, the worse the performance would become. Whenever we tried to fix the issue, it turned out that we were fixing only some symptoms of bigger problems buried beneath. This is where our ‘accidental PvP mode’ became more than just a silly joke. In simple PvP deathmatch we don’t have to transfer and calculate an entire base and a few thousand angry monsters. It opens up more subjects that we can start working on in parallel like lobbies, matchmaking, nat-punching, movement prediction, player to player interactions etc.



The Deathmatch server only takes a couple of seconds to set up and it’s just as fast when you’re loading into the game. Instead of waiting a minute for the server to load and another minute to join it, you can have the game up and running in 20 seconds, more or less. It doesn’t seem like much, but since programmers launch and exit the game several dozen times a day, this saves a lot of time. It’s not a miracle drug that solves all problems, though - you still have to recompile the code every time you make changes to it. However, it is much easier to ask a couple of people to test something in a 5-minute PvP match instead of a lengthy and slower-paced Co-Op run.

When we showed live gameplay from this mode some of the viewers were rightfully concerned that we would abandon the development of the co-op mode in favor of the PvP mode. We would like to stress that this is not the case. Co-Op mode for The Riftbreaker is our number one priority. The deathmatch mode that we developed is only a byproduct of testing the game’s features. It is not the intended gameplay experience for The Riftbreaker and we will not spend any considerable amount of time polishing it further. However, since it’s more-or-less playable we have a few questions for you.



The PvP Deathmatch will not be an officially recognized or supported way of playing the game. This makes us wonder - is it worth it to make this game mode public at all? It’s not as strange a question as it might seem at first. This kind of online gameplay was very popular in the 90s. Nowadays, once the novelty wears off, it gets stale quite quickly. To give it a more contemporary feeling, we would need to add some progression rewards, killstreak systems, and set up real match rules. That’s a lot of features already, but their implementation would come at the cost of Co-Op development time, which is not acceptable.



If you think we should make it public, we will try to release it as soon as possible. It could be available as a mod you can download from Steam Workshop and Mod.io. We could distribute it as-is and without any further support or development. However, it would be absolutely free for you to modify and customize further. Here’s where the second question comes in: Would you be interested in modding this type of game mode? As in the case of other mods, we would offer help on our Discord, and we’re eager to hear what kind of support you would like to get from us. Still, Deathmatch would have to rely on you for any kind of improvements, as we’re focused on the Co-Op part of the game.

[h3]What are your general thoughts on this?[/h3]

If you would like to always stay up-to-date with the latest developments when it comes to The Riftbreaker multiplayer, make sure to join our Discord at www.discord.gg/exorstudios. We do impromptu streams whenever we test something in voice channels on our servers. You’re welcome to join in and have a chat with us! We also stream twice a week on www.twitch.tv/exorstudios, showing off either regular gameplay or experimental previews of things we work on.

See you there!
EXOR Studios

The Riftbreaker Maintenance Patch, August 18th

Hello Riftbreakers!

We have just published a patch that fixes the problem that rendered players unable to unlock Laser and Crystal Gates through 'legal' means. We also fixed their problems with localizations and textures. There are no other changes in this build.

EXOR Studios

The Riftbreaker Summer Update

Hello Riftbreakers!




The Riftbreaker is a very open-ended game. There is no right or wrong way to play. As long as you can sustain the economy of your base and withstand the enemy attacks, you can do whatever you like. You are free to use any of the available power sources, protect the base with a variety of defensive towers, and run any side projects you might come up with, like cultivating plants. There are also plenty of cosmetic elements, allowing you to decorate your base and make it truly yours. However, we felt that we could do better in the decorations area - so this is what today’s update is all about.



The Riftbreaker Summer update brings you five distinct sets of decorative items (that's 124 individual new items!) you will be able to unlock by progressing through the game’s Story Campaign and Survival Modes. In this article, we will go over these sets one by one and explain what you need to do to unlock the new items. As usual - these are permanent unlocks that will stay with your player account forever. If you have already completed the unlock requirements for any of them, we will grant the awards to you retroactively. We also have a small competition for you - details further in the news.

[h2]SCI-FI STRUCTURES SET[/h2]



The first World Expansion for the Riftbreaker introduced Alien Structures. It was a set of buildings inspired by the X-Morph technology. It could be used as a reminder of Ashley’s visit to the Metallic Valley biome and her first encounter with extraterrestrial civilization. You told us that you liked those structures, so we decided to do a little follow-up. Sci-fi Structures are a set of buildings of various shapes and sizes. Their modular nature allows you to arrange them in any way you like. You can either fill an empty space in your HQ with just a couple of these buildings or create a megastructure to serve as the very center of your base. Sci-Fi structure sets come available in three colors. Once you unlock a set in a given color, you get access to all of its elements - there is no need to pick up all the individual elements one by one. You can unlock these decorations by completing all the Outpost missions in the Main Campaign. The Acidic Plains outpost will get you the green set, the Volcanic Area outposts will grant you the white set, and the Radioactive Desert - orange.

[h2]CRYSTAL STRUCTURES SET[/h2]



Cultivating and harvesting resources is one of the favorite pastimes of Riftbreakers, in breaks between saving the world and trying to survive the alien onslaught. Crystals can be cultivated as well, and since we already have potted plants, why can’t we have crystals as well? Well, now we do. Crystal Structures gives you access to a bunch of crystalline structures in various shapes and sizes. They are conveniently packed into square boxes, making them easy to arrange. The set is available in five colors, each unlocking after completing a Survival Mode run on any difficulty level. The Metallic Valley Biome will give you the blue set, the Tropical Zone - green, the Radioactive Desert - red, the Volcanic Area - purple, and finally, the Acidic Plains will give you yellow crystals.

[h2]CRYSTAL LAMPS SET[/h2]



We decided to give you these lamps as a reward for completing the Survival Mode in the Crystal Caverns Biome. Yes - you get the entire set, all at once, with all the colors available from the start. They look incredibly cool, in our opinion. At night, when the lamps activate, the light-emitting crystal starts levitating over the base of the lamp. When active, the crystals slowly rotate, breathing a little bit more life into your base. Please, keep in mind that these structures have to be connected to power in order to work.

[h2]CRYSTAL FLOORS SET[/h2]



Taking advantage of the fact that crystal structures look great when they have a chance to reflect some light, we decided also to make a set of floors in various colors! The surface of these floors is slightly uneven, allowing the light reflections to play as you move around. In conjunction with the lamps you’ve seen above, they are guaranteed to make your base look outstanding. The Yellow and Green sets of these floors are available in the common, white Bioanomalies scattered across all Galatean Biomes. You will find the Blue, Purple, and Red sets in Bioanomalies that match their color.

[h2]FUTURE CITY SET[/h2]



This is by far the most outlandish set of decorations we have come up with. Make Ashley feel at home on Galatea 37 with these buildings, featuring the latest urban architecture trends from Earth! Gaining access to this set will give you lamp posts, billboards, fences, and other elements that can turn your base into a proper city. Since most of these buildings light up at night, they must be connected to a power source, but the effect you can get is well worth it! We think that these go really well together with Crystal Floors, as well as Sci-Fi Structures. This set is unlocked by completing the main storyline.

[h2]COMPETITION[/h2]



[h2]We can’t wait to see what you can do with these new decorative elements, so let’s have a little competition![/h2]

[h3]To enter:[/h3]
  • Update your copy of The Riftbreaker to the latest version.
  • Get access to some of the new decorations from this update. Follow the tips from the article to get them more easily.
  • Give your base a makeover using the new structures and props.
  • Make a screenshot or a video, upload it anywhere you like and post it in this thread for everyone to see: https://steamcommunity.com/app/780310/discussions/0/6960928795821616200/


[h3]The three best and most creative screenshots we receive will receive an EXOR Studios care package filled with EXOR Studios goodies and a Mr. Riggs plushie![/h3]

Don't ask how long it took us to get all of those Jurvines in their pen...

Legal stuff:
[expand]
You must be aged 18 or over at the time of entry in order to enter this competition. No purchase is necessary. You must enter the contest yourself. You must comply with the laws that apply to you in the location where you access the competition from. If any laws applicable to you restrict or prohibit you from entering the competition, you must comply with those legal restrictions or, if applicable, refrain from entering the competition. Prizes are not negotiable, exchangeable, or transferable and have no cash alternative. Physical prizes can only be delivered to locations covered by UPS. If a delivery destination is not covered by UPS, then it will not be sent out by EXOR.

The winner(s) will be selected by a panel of judges based on creativity, originality and the highest quality. The decision of the panel is final.

The Organiser does not claim any rights of ownership in your competition entry. By submitting your entry, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free and irrevocable right to use, display, publish, transmit, copy, edit, alter, store, re-format, and sub-license the competition entry and any accompanying materials for our marketing or other commercial purposes.
[/expand]

That’s not all - this update also contains more fixes and optimizations (as always), so here’s the full changelog:

[h3]The Riftbreaker Summer Update Changelog:[/h3]
  • Added a new set of decorations: Sci-Fi Structures. They come in three sets with different colors. You can unlock each color set individually by completing Desert, Acid and Magma branches of the Story Campaign.

  • Added a new set of decorations: Crystal Structures. They come in five sets of different colors. You are awarded one color set after completing Survival Runs - one after each biome, except Crystal Caverns.

  • Added a new set of decorations: Crystal Floors. They are available in 5 different colors. Each color is unlocked individually through Bioanomaly drops.

  • Added a set of new decorations: Crystal Lamps. They are available in various colors. The entire set is unlocked after completing Crystal Caverns Survival.

  • Added a set of new decorations: Future City. This set includes street lamps, vending machines, arcades, fences, billboards and advertising boards. The entire set is unlocked after completing the main branch of the Story Campaign.

  • Added Crystal and Laser Gates of all levels to match their corresponding wall sets.

  • Fixed an issue that could potentially block player's progress in Metal Terror DLC Story Missions.
  • Changed the sound effects for discovering new species and completing research to differentiate those events from objectives appearing on the HUD.
  • Fixed an issue that caused some Floating Mine launchers to place mines of the wrong type.
  • Fixed an issue that caused Wall ruins to appear too tall and could be mistaken for being intact.
  • Fixed teleport exploits on the Anoryx Worm boss arenas
  • Fixed the lighting on some Boss level tiles
  • Tweaked the Dust Storm and Fog weather events to work better with volumetric fog.
  • Tweaked the lighting effects on some props to work better with the volumetric fog.
  • Minor fixes and optimizations.


We are also working on the third World Expansion for The Riftbreaker. As the programmers take care of everything on the co-op front, the graphics and design teams are working on new content for you to enjoy. We don’t have a lot of information available at the time, but you can see what features you can expect from the World Expansion III on the Steam Page we have set up. It would mean the world to us if you added it to your wishlist. Click here:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2506610/The_Riftbreaker_World_Expansion_III/?beta=0

EXOR Studios

Summer Update Experimental Build

Hello Riftbreakers!


We have just updated the experimental branch with the latest build that contains our Summer Update. It adds a multitude of new cosmetic item sets that will allow you to personalize your bases and give them a slightly different feel. The patch also addresses some bugs and things that we glossed over previously. The full changelog is available below.

This update is (most likely) incompatible with any current mods. Please remove all mods before playing. MAKE SURE TO MAKE A BACKUP COPY OF YOUR SAVE FILES! Make a copy of 'The Riftbreaker' folder from your documents and keep it safe.

[h3]With all these warnings out of the way, here’s how to access the experimental branch:[/h3]

  1. create a backup copy of your save folder (Documents/The Riftbreaker)
  2. disable Steam Cloud save backup for The Riftbreaker
  3. go to your Steam Library
  4. right-click on The Riftbreaker
  5. select 'Properties,’ then 'Betas,’ and use the following password: IknowWhatImDoing


After that, you will be able to choose 'experimental' from the drop-down menu. Download the update, play the game, and let us know if you encounter any issues. We also have a channel on our Discord: #rb-experimental-feedback - we highly encourage you to join in and share your feedback.

[h2]The Riftbreaker World Expansion II Experimental Summer Update Changelog:[/h2]
  • Added a new set of decorations: Sci-Fi Structures. They come in three sets with different colors. You can unlock each color set individually by completing Desert, Acid, and Magma branches of the Story Campaign.
  • Added a new set of decorations: Crystal Structures. They come in five sets of different colors. You are awarded one color set after completing Survival Runs - one after each biome, except Crystal Caverns.
  • Added a new set of decorations: Crystal Floors. They are available in 5 different colors. Each color is unlocked individually through Bioanomaly drops.
  • Added a set of new decorations: Crystal Lamps. They are available in various colors. The entire set is unlocked after completing Crystal Caverns Survival.
  • Added a set of new decorations: Future City. This set includes street lamps, vending machines, arcades, fences, billboards, and advertising boards. The entire set is unlocked after completing the main branch of the Story Campaign.
  • Added Crystal and Laser Gates of all levels to match their corresponding wall sets.
  • Changed the sound effects for discovering new species and completing research to differentiate those events from objectives appearing on the HUD.
  • Updated Intel XeSS to version 1.2 - improved image quality, reduced upscaling artifacts
  • Fixed an issue that caused some Floating Mine launchers to place mines of the wrong type.
  • Fixed an issue that caused Wall ruins to appear too tall and could be mistaken for being intact.
  • Fixed teleport exploits on the Anoryx Worm boss arenas
  • Fixed the lighting on some Boss level tiles
  • Tweaked the Dust Storm and Fog weather events to work better with volumetric fog.
  • Tweaked the lighting effects on some props to work better with the volumetric fog.
  • Minor fixes and optimizations.