The Riftbreaker News

The Steam Autumn Sale has begun, and the first part of the annual Steam Awards has arrived, too! For the next couple of weeks, you can cast votes on your favorite games in several categories. Since The Riftbreaker has been around for a couple of years, we are only eligible for one of those categories: Labor of Love. This award is meant for games still receiving developers' support years after their official release.

[h2]We would appreciate you considering casting your vote for The Riftbreaker in the Labor of Love category of the 2024 Steam Awards.[/h2]



It is no secret that developing The Riftbreaker has been a life-changing experience for us. We have reached more players than ever before. Hundreds of thousands of you have set out for your Galatea 37 colonization mission, showing your trust and faith in our work. We have always planned to support The Riftbreaker for a long time, but it is your unwavering interest and support that made it possible. Ever since the launch of the game, we have managed to give you the following:

• Three massive world expansions, each with an entirely new biome to explore, dozens of new technologies, buildings, and weapons, unique fauna and flora, and a new portion of the Story Campaign in the form of paid DLCs.
  
• Over 80 game updates, improving on the game’s quality of life features, gameplay changes, and thousands of fixes, with a vast majority influenced by your invaluable feedback.
  
• Cutting-edge graphics features. We never stop working on our custom-built Schmetterling Engine and keep adding the latest technologies, such as AMD FSR, Intel XeSS, and our own implementations of raytracing and volumetric lighting effects.
  
• Dozens of performance optimizations. We know that satisfying performance is one of the pillars of a good gameplay experience. Each update we release features new optimizations so we can maximize your system’s resources.
  
• An entire suite of Editor Tools, which we have used ourselves to create the game. Now, they are in the hands of modders, who are already putting them to good use.
  

We are still going. We are still working on something special - a massive, completely free update we named ‘Riftbreaker 2.0.’ It is going to consist of two massive modules:

• Online Co-Op Multiplayer for up to 4 players. This mode will allow you to play both Survival Mode and Campaign Mode with your friends. It is currently in the Closed Beta phase - we keep releasing more and more keys every week, along with frequent content updates.
  
• Extended Story Campaign. We will allow you to go on additional planetary missions and set up new resource outposts. The extra missions will feature unique ‘encounter tiles’ with events you have never seen in the game. You will need to strengthen your economy to reach endgame goals that will serve as a ‘true’ ending to the game.
  

Apart from the two major features mentioned above, the Riftbreaker 2.0 update will also feature omega class creatures, an extended loot system, improvements to game balance, visual clarity, quality of life, and much more. We will discuss the features and improvements you can expect in the months leading up to the update’s release.

We hope you will consider The Riftbreaker for this year’s Steam Awards Labor of Love category. The game truly is a labor of love.

Thank You,
EXOR Studios

It’s a pretty intense period in our studio. We’re firing on all cylinders, working on dozens of additions to make The Riftbreaker the best it’s ever been. The programmers are implementing prediction algorithms to make co-op play smooth and predictable even over long-distance connections. Our artists are busy sculpting the powerful Omega creatures, the most powerful strains of Galatean monsters we’ve yet seen. At the same time, the design department is implementing gameplay changes and entirely new features with the free endgame update in mind. Today, we will show you some of the latest additions to The Riftbreaker. No lengthy stories or design deep-dives today - we just want to share some cool stuff that happened over the past few weeks. Enjoy!

[h3]NEW OMEGA STRAIN CREATURE VARIANTS[/h3]

We already discussed these monstrosities in depth in an article a couple of weeks ago. Not all the creatures were ready for the show by then. Since then, our artists have managed to finish a couple of brand-new models and skins. They look just as dangerous as they are in the game, so we think you will enjoy testing your skills against these creatures on the battlefield.

The Necrodon family gathering. As you can see, the clan elders have been hitting the gym pretty consistently. The regular Necrodons are relatively small and look brittle thanks to their thin arms and legs. We wanted to make the Omega strain a bit bulkier to help it stand out in the crowd. The Omega strain will stay far beyond the frontline, just like the regular creature, supplying the enemy attack waves with endless ranks of the dead. Get your longest range towers ready!

Gnerots are naturally big and bulky. Our first attempt to make the Omega strain different from the regular version included spikes and extra stones. However, we weren’t quite happy with the result. The original Gnerot blends with the environment well when it is sleeping, and we wanted to keep that property.

The next step was to literally stick some of the rocks that naturally occur in the game to try to determine what shape would work best.

The end result was a blend of all the options we considered. We wanted the rocks on the Gnerot Omega’s back to be blunt and eroded. We also decided to keep the rocky arm ‘gauntlet’ from the first version. We think this version is distinct enough but maintains the character of the original.

“dope af” - one of the devs, 11:48 AM, Tuesday, November 19th Anno Domini 2024

Nurglax Omega has received its Acid and Energy variants. Like the Omega Necrodon, this creature will try to keep its distance from your base and attack from afar. Still, it should be easy to notice its impact on the battlefield - the larva-filled sack is bigger and more spikey than ever.

[h3]NEW OMEGA CREATURE ABILITIES[/h3]

Apart from giving our Omega-strain creatures a visual makeover, we are still experimenting with new special abilities to provide our new favorite beasts. Here, you can see an acid cascade. A couple of lines of hit markers appear on the ground, signaling incoming danger. After a brief warning period, the Omega makes the earth open up.

This ability works well with other elements as well. Imagine a violent lightning storm like this hitting your base. Omega creatures with this skill will have to be your priority when you encounter them.

[h3]ENDLESS MISSION GENERATOR[/h3]

Here’s a randomized map from the new generator, plus a sneak peek at the new and improved map screen layout.

One of the major additions in the free endgame update is going to be the ability to extend your Campaign playthrough by going on additional planetary missions. You will have the ability to choose the biome you’re interested in and go on a mission on a completely new, randomized map. We’re going to let you choose from a couple of locations with varying layouts and resource densities. This way, you will be able to expand your economy even further, amassing a wealth of resources you’re going to need to fulfill endgame goals. And boy, do we have some endgame goals for you… but more on that later.

[h3]WRAP-UP[/h3]

As you can see - we have tons of cool new things coming to you in the coming updates. However, that is not everything we have in store for you. For example, we are working on remasters of the music added in our World Expansions. So far, we have finished working on the Metal Terror soundtrack. You can give it a listen now - we published it on YouTube, and the video is linked below. Into the Dark and Heart of the Swamp, music is also getting the same treatment, and when we are done, we will publish all the music as a free update for all owners of The Riftbreaker OST.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The best way to test all the new additions out early is to sign up for the beta test of the co-op build. We have just sent out a couple hundred new invites to celebrate the release of our third test biome - the Metallic Valley. Check your Discord inboxes! Join us at www.discord.gg/exorstudios to never miss any news about the latest developments and to sign up for the beta.

See you soon!
EXOR Studios

We've just updated the co-op beta playtest version of the game. The latest build features the next biome we want to test - the Metallic Valley. Full changelog below:

[h3]The Riftbreaker Closed Co-Op Beta Update, November 21st, 2024. EXE 741 DATA 8 Changelog:[/h3]

• Added the Metallic Valley survival mission to the Beta build. We're curious to see what kind of strategy you'll employ here. The new Omega creature you will encounter here is the Flurian. It's quick, has a suite of powerful attacks, and a lot of armor. We think you'll like/love/hate it.
  
• Bioanomalies and Power Wells in the Metallic Valley biome are guarded by Alien Towers. Stay vigilant during exploration, otherwise you risk being blasted off the planet's surface. As a reward - the towers drop some nice loot.
  
• The skull minimap icons have been removed from all the Nests spawned during side objectives. You won't confuse them with Omega creatures anymore.
  
• Teleporting to a player will now close the map screen, which fixes a couple of bugs related to that feature.
  
• Fixed a couple of errors related to weather events.
  
• Fixed an error that caused the Ion Storm weather event not to introduce minimap interference.
  
• Fixed issues with icon sorting order on the minimap.
  
• Fixed issues with dialog box sorting order in relation to other UI elements.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused the 'Defeat' screen to come up after successfully completing a Survival mission.
  
• Fixed a crash bug related to boss health bars.
  
• Fixed an issue that caused big stutters when destroying alien nests and towers.
  

Known issues:

• You will only get notified that your base is under attack if the attacking creatures are within eyesight of a player. We know it is VERY annoying, but this is the result of a demolition/renovation project in our Octree system.
  
• Each player will see different values for Solar and Wind power generation strength below the minimap. The values will vary by a couple of percentage points for each of you, but in reality they are what they should be - 50% Solar and 125% Wind in the Metallic Valley by default.
  

EXOR Studios

We recently told you about the improvements we plan to implement in the game in the upcoming Endgame Update. One of the aspects of the game we have been working on is screen legibility. There are a lot of things happening at any given moment during The Riftbreaker’s gameplay. Whether you are expanding your base, exploring the world, or slaying hordes of aliens, your screen is sure to be full of particle effects, flying wreckage, and lots of other effects. That is the EXOR style - we want you to feel like you’re a part of something epic. It works great most of the time - that is, until we introduce more players.

Large battles against powerful bosses have a tendency to cover the world under hundreds of effects.

The player’s mech is the most significant contributor to the number of special effects on the screen. You carry out all in-game actions through your avatar. Using weapons, building new structures, and even mining generates more and more on-screen objects. Once we add more mechs to the screen, the number of effects on the screen can skyrocket. It is usually not a problem during more peaceful moments. That’s when you are more likely to split up with your friends and do your own thing. One player can build up the power infrastructure, someone else can handle defenses, while another two might go exploring. Things get complicated when you bunch up.

The more players on one screen, the more difficult it is to see what is really going on.

Co-op partners are most likely to group up during an attack wave. That is when you have to focus your firepower and defend what you managed to build together. All hell breaks loose at that moment - your towers start firing, producing projectiles, explosions, and wreckage. You start using your skills, consumables, and the small arsenal of weapons attached to Mr. Riggs, plus your buddies start doing the same. Your enemies won’t stand idle either. They will attack you with all their might, summoning their own effects. At some point during the fight, it gets difficult to tell what is happening altogether. We had to fix that, so we sat down together and had a long discussion about how to tackle the problem.

We sat down and watched hours of playtest footage, analyzing what the problem really is.

Before solving a problem, you have to get down to its root. It was evident that the sheer number of effects was a part of it. However, it wasn’t the whole story. We analyzed a lot of still frames from the gameplay videos we took during playtesting. By doing so, we realized they all had something in common - they were all overexposed. There was too much light hitting the camera, causing the majority of the screen to turn into a bright blob with no detail or definition. That was one part of the issue. We also realized that some of our visual effects stayed on the screen too long and were too complex. That also added to the unnecessary chaos on screen. That is where our problem lies.

We quickly noticed that in many cases, overexposure was to blame for the lack of clarity.

Our analysis gave us a clear path forward. We decided to give our effects a makeover and simplify them just a little. This would make them more legible in busy scenarios and improve both single-player and network performance. We began the long process of analyzing each effect individually. Player weapons were the first item on our list, especially the rapid-fire ones. They can produce hundreds of tiny lights each second when fired simultaneously by four players. These numbers add up very quickly. Additionally, whenever a projectile hits an enemy or an obstacle, a couple of additional particles are spawned, further adding to the chaos. We decided to remove the light effects from most small weapon projectiles. To compensate for that, their particle effects have received a makeover to maintain visibility.

Each bullet fired from the old SMG had a small light. It usually blended with Mr. Riggs' spotlight and making it difficult to spot the bullet itself.

New and improved SMG projectiles. They are more visible, don't have any additional lights, and are less performance-hungry as a bonus.

Next, we investigated what we could do to improve our explosions. Cutting lights from those was out of the question, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find opportunities elsewhere. Our first experiment was to reduce the size of lights. The results were promising - most of the people we asked for feedback couldn’t tell whether they were looking at an explosion with a regular light or a smaller one. That’s one point for the home team! Next, we focused on the number of particles that make up explosion effects. For example, our atom bomb explosion effect comprised 1042 individual particles. We trimmed on those wherever we could. The last thing we changed was the length of the effects. We reduced the lifetime of most explosions and hits by about 25%. Hardly anyone can tell a difference, but those milliseconds do improve the situation quite a bit.

This explosion is made up of 1042 individual quads that spawn in and animate with very precise timing.

Many explosions and projectiles can clutter up the screen very quickly. However, there are also some massive effects that we have been planning to overhaul for quite some time. One such example is the tornado. It has been with us since the first public version of the game back in 2020. The tornado comprised a couple hundred smoke particles that revolved quickly around the axis. It looked okay for the most part, and since it rarely happened, we were not too desperate to change its looks. The situation changed slightly when we added the fire tornado as a usable player skill. We would see it all the time and, in the case of multiplayer, often in several instances on one screen. It was time to rework the effect.

The old tornado effect covered up half the screen, pretty much.

Fire tornado also covered up half the screen, but brighter!

To reduce the number of particles on the screen, we created a simple tornado model and gave it a fully custom treatment. We developed a shader that simulated the movement of the air currents and applied it to the model's surface. The shader’s color can be modified easily, allowing us to create regular, fire, and acid tornados. Of course, the shader itself won’t do much, but together with a small light and a couple of particle effects here and there, we ended up with a nice and clean tornado effect that we will be using from now on.

The new effect is much more subtle. Looks much better in-game - compression killed this one.

And here's the improved version of the fire tornado.

Naturally, the things we mentioned in this article are not the only changes we’re planning to implement. We consider increasing the visual clarity as one of the most important improvements to include in the co-op and endgame updates. If you’d like to learn more about what we’re doing and be the first to test these changes hands-on (eyes-on?), then join our Discord at https://www.discord.gg/exorstudios to always get the news first.

See you next time!
EXOR Studios

Every couple of months, we try to highlight the best mods published by The Riftbreaker community. Sometimes, these are highly complex mods that add tons of new technologies that require new resources. One such mod is WirawanMYT’s Expanded Arsenal, which allows you to create an incredibly complex factory full of interlocking elements you need to maintain. Other times, mods like Frognik’s MegaPack turn The Riftbreaker upside-down and only use the game as a basis to create something entirely new. Today’s mod firmly belongs to the first category. Let’s look at Killtech’s Rift Exploration Defense Industry mod, which is still in development but already bears a lot of promise.

The mod we're talking about today adds dozens of new buildings and technologies, increasing the complexity and challenge of playing the campaign mode by an order of magnitude.

Rift Exploration Defense Industry (REDI) is a massive mod that completely overhauls the game’s economy and warfare. It changes the existing resource economy and adds a whole to of new elements on top of it. The mod is intended to give you a more significant challenge, making energy, ammo, and resources more scarce - not an easy task by any stretch. Killtech enjoyed the vanilla Riftbreaker gameplay, but there were some aspects that they didn’t like that much. They compiled these into a ‘to-do’ list and aimed to fix these issues with the REDI mod. The REDI mod introduces changes in the following areas of the game:

1. The production chains of resources play a more significant role, especially in the later stages of the campaign. New resources and dedicated buildings have been added.
   
2. Higher-tier weapons are now less powerful and need ammunition that is more difficult to produce.
   
3. Building upgrades are no longer no-brainers. Sometimes, you need lower-level buildings to keep the higher-level ones operational. Other times, level 2 and 3 buildings come with their own drawbacks, like the requirement for additional piping.
   
4. Resource Outpost missions provide more challenges, and the resources from those are necessary to build and maintain the economy.
   

Let’s see what they did to improve on these aspects of the game. Remember that the mod is still being actively developed, so not all features are in their final form yet. Treat it as an appetizer for things to come! It is also meant to be played in Campaign mode - Survival playthroughs are not really possible without cheats due to limited time.

To be honest, even with cheats and unlimited time, building up a base utilizing all features of this mod could take DAYS.

The mod introduces several new resources into the game. Ammonium is a rare resource that is required to produce ammunition. It has its own production chain with custom-made buildings. You can find deposits of this resource scattered on the surface of Galatea 37. Petroleum is a liquid resource that can be converted into carbonium. It can be extracted from underground deposits using the Gas Extractor building introduced in World Expansion III. Since it is an underground liquid vein, it gives you potentially infinite carbonium in the game's later stages. There is also an additional plant-based reagent that is required to process the more advanced resources. It also comes in liquid form, introducing yet another piece to the puzzle of creating a sustainable economy.

Basic resource production is actually quite simplified - one factory can mine all variants of resources. There is also a separate building for drilling underground resources.

Killtech completely redesigned the way ammo is produced. Instead of manufacturing ammo packs that feature everything you would ever need, ammo is now made in specialized buildings, one for each type present in the game. In total, there are three tiers of 5 different types of ammo. Best of all - higher-tier ammo requires the lower-tier product as a resource. This means that upgrading buildings is no longer a no-brainer. Upgrade too many of your level one factories, and you’ll starve your level twos. This increases the complexity by orders of magnitude and brings the logistical challenge of The Riftbreaker to a whole new level, making ammunition a luxury.

Mr. Riggs can block tower projectiles. Towers can also block each other. Placement matters a lot!

The scarcity of ammunition is not the only aspect of the changing combat system. Superior and Extreme weapons have been nerfed quite significantly. Killtech doesn’t want you to become a one-robot army. You will have to utilize defensive towers of many types to beat the hordes of creatures attacking your bases. Towers have received some changes as well. Not only are there more variants available in the game, but they also often require pipe connections. On top of that, towers can block each other from shooting at the target, making placement critical.

Glorious pipe spaghetti, and this is just one side of a very small base. Imagine this in late-game.

That’s a ton of pretty fundamental changes. The mod alters even more aspects of the game (for example, a rare, one-in-a-hundred weather event that causes all the natural disasters to happen all at once); however, we won’t list them all now. Killtech has compiled their own list on the mod’s mod.io page. Go visit it at this link: https://mod.io/g/riftbreaker/m/rift-exploration-defense-industry.

What made this mod catch our attention is not only the sheer complexity it introduces. It is also the creative use of the assets that were already in the game. Adding so many new production tiers required Killtech to create new buildings. Instead of creating new models from scratch, they utilized the elements of already existing models and stacked them on top of each other to create completely new constructions. For example, the top part of the Liquid Material Storage stacked on top of the Gas Filtering plant makes for a great Bio-Cobalt Refinery. And we do not even want to guess what the Nitrification Plant is constructed from. The creativity just oozes from these contraptions.

The number of buildings Killtech could create by mixing the in-game assets is mind-boggling.

REDI mod also adds entirely new features. The best example of this is the Fire Control Station. It is a building that acts as a supplement for your existing defensive towers. The station disables all towers within its radius of operation if there are no enemies present in its radar range. Once an enemy unit comes close to the base, the Fire Control Station will automatically enable the towers. It is a brilliant way to save energy without the need to micromanage each building individually.

The research tree is expanded with all sorts of new tech, and your Communication Hubs will now require water for cooling. It's not going to be easy to discover it all!

The mod is still in a very early version, but it already bears a lot of promise. We highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are looking for an increased challenge that doesn’t necessarily involve chucking five times more creatures at your base. If you are a fan of pipe spaghetti, fragile production chains, and having to plan your base in a spreadsheet before actually committing to anything, then you will feel right at home. Again, you can find the mod by following this mod.io link:
https://mod.io/g/riftbreaker/m/rift-exploration-defense-industry


Killtech is an active user on our Discord (https://www.discord.gg/exorstudios), so if you have any questions or suggestions or would like to say ‘thank you’ - drop in and give them a shout!

See you next time!
EXOR Studios