Neckbreak News

Greeting All!

This has been a busy month indeed. Besides working on the game, visited G-Fusion in Beijing, China (courtesy of Indie Games Polska Foundation) and Digital Dragons in Kraków, Poland to show the game. Received lots of valuable feedback and was awesome getting the chance to meet and talk with the people who are interested in the game.


As for the ETA: by Sunday we should add the final planned features for the update, then a few days for testing and working out potential kinks. So if all goes as planned should be ready around 14th June 2019.


Quick preview of most important changes (release will have its own announcement with more detailed info as usual):


-as promised, completely reworked tutorial, featuring new stages(one inspired by a scene from John Wick2) and dedicated features


-reworked aiming system. The 3d aiming, although cool, would often be seen as confusing, so the whole logic for aiming has been remade to have the crosshair centered all the time, but at the same time not compromising the original feel and visuals of the gunplay/bullets. Now it should be much easier and intuitive to predict where you bullet will hit (TLDR:no more missed headshots;)


-Working Leaderboards! :D Perl Level and Difficulty. Can be checked both ingame via PC in apartment hub as well outside the game on the Steam community.


-A heck of a lot of smaller features, tweaks and adjustments (more news on these when the update goes live)


Thanks for sticking by!


PS. Thanks to the AWESOME volunteers at G-Fusion, especially Fred and Feng. You guys ROCK! :)

Happy to say the 3rd Early Access update for Project Downfall has arrived and is ready for download!



Biggest feature is the expansion of basic non-linearity. So now, similar to the Souls series: certain actions will have permanent consequences per playthrough. The flip side is that it might make the main plot more convoluted than it already is (at this point in development, of course) until all corresponding results are implemented. This feature will be heavily expanded and tweaked from now on. More according dialogues will be added down the line of dev to further reflect the choices in the world, as well as more events, alternate paths and more.

So as a quick example: took too many pills up to a certain points in the game? You might see things you wouldn't see otherwise wouldn't. Spoiler alert: kill Harold Jones Jr (the npc on the balcony in the brothel in the skinheads den) and the Homeboy gang will aggro you on sight, but a members of the skinhead Cranston clan might show up with help in certain places(question is, would you want to accept it). Spare Harold Jones Jr and he will pop up in certain levels offering help, or maybe even opening a path to a secret/alternate stage). Expect more vital choices, secrets, alternate paths etc in the coming updates!

So if you'd like to check this out, it would be recommended start a new game (to make this more accessible, we might add multiple save slots in the future).




As for the next major update: it ought to be ready around mid June. As usual, I will precede with an ETA announcement here on Steam.

The next update will focus on tweaking gameplay and fixes/adjustments where needed. As well as cleanup and polishing of existing content, branching paths and expansion of non linearity. Most likely Level.9(if following the default plot path) The Exchange and/or one of the possible earliest endgames.

In terms of Gameplay and one of the major upcoming fixes: atm the First Person controller is being made from scratch to avoid issues hindering movement and overall improvement to physics interaction with surroundings to name a few. This is a pretty hefty task which will also require a lot of testing, so it might take a while (probably in 2-3 updates) and working Leaderboards and a first set of achievements ought to be ready earlier, as well as the updated tutorial(mentioned in 3rd update announcement). Of course, the fixes and tweaks won't be limited to the above and more stuff will certainly be added for the update.




Now, moving on to the new stuff! :D


NEW FEATURES:


New stage: -added Casino Roof finale with boss miniboss fights (alternate versions depending on total pill usage up to this point. As well as alternate npc at start as well as different news from TV). This level also forces mixing pills (spoiler: the first aggressive female npc will alert a few mobs with her scream, so the berserk pill is recommended to take out the minions and leave the ranged weapon for the tougher foes). To check this one, you will need to replay the casino mission (if you already finished level.7 the new next level ought to be unlocked so the discussed stage could be easily accidentally omitted).

New Level.8: Providence. You start in a familiar bar which will change depending on your state of mind as well choice made during previous visit (spoiler: spare or kill Olgierd) and move your way to the Lower Atsil District. The level comes with alternate paths conditions and routes. Along with dedicated 2 dynamically mixed multitrack tunes. NOTE!: I just noticed the music mix might be a bit too loud in certain stages of this level. I will address this asap. However due to the fact that I am just about to leave for Beijing to present the game at Game Fusion 2019 expo and having experienced similar issues in the past: not sure how/if uploading updates to Steam works in mainland China, so this might be possible around the 15th when I return. Of course, if there will be no issues, expect this to be updated within the next few days.

-Basic non-linearity expansion and according logic. Now many choices will have permanent consequences per playthrough, depending on multiple factors (total pills used with multiple thresholds, Olga state and relation, Case picked up in station intro from restroom, Harold Jones Jr spared in rising high, Olgierd killed and more...)

-new weapons, enemies (more detailed info in the General Updates below)

-added doctors office with logic to streethub (you need to confirm the appointment on your pearpad in the apartment hub, otherwise he will be locked). Right now the doctor has a placeholder chat, but will open up with dev (at certain intervals you will be able to get pills to counter your total drug usage state)



GENERAL UPDATES:

--updated game version to 0.8.2.1 -> 0.8.3.0 → 0.8.3.1


--added new enemy weapon. Chainsaw boss adjusted for miniboss and boss (longer range and attack range)

-Implement first version of leaderboards UI. (computer can be interacted with in apartment hub)

-new glass material for casino roof-updated casino roof with madness variations (teddy, redsky, czort)

-Added tracksuit Black enemy

-Added Czort enemy

-added new WIP weapons, modded black Market KC Rifle, Pop-shot and Triple Threat Sawed Off Shotgun. The KC Rifle has an alternate version available but does not differ from the regular one atm. With further updates, the modded one will have ricochet fire.

-new prefabs

-new logic based on pill usage to bar and witness and providence

-new logic based on harld jones jr spared. Homeboys in slumblock (providence 8-1) with secret info

-homeboy logic no aggro in providence_0 if harold jones jr spared

-added gate with unlock sound on objectives complete to wintess ending

-new neon signs

-Add placeholder for leaderboards screen.

-updated chats in multiple places

-new enemies: butchers (3 variations), available in later levels of the slumblock in the Providence level.

-new stage alternate The Basement in providence (slum_bottom)

-Add movement range in AI, to trigger ai movement to avoid exploiting certain situations ie the minigun skinhead in the final stage of rising high (now he will be triggered to move to his shooting position so he wont be cheesed before getting aggro)

-updates to levels and Harold Jones JR appearance based on survivor logic (PRL and providence) and according chats

-new gore for metalhead2 and variation (still need tweaking. Can be easily recognised. These are the "zombie" type enemies who will keep coming despite having their heads shot off or gaping holes in their bodies. Their condition is explained by the npc in the secret alternate stage in The Basement).

-impleneted interactable event for non linear progression (might not sound like much but this is a big one!)

-heavy updates to new levels and logic for variables

-new enemies (hooker Jo, Tyrese)

-added endlevel gate with open logic/audio to sabotage first stage

-added insta death area to casino roof if jumped off during boss fight

-added barista npc-added multiple new chats (also dependant on logic)

-added Olga damage variations based for plot logic

-added variations to providence bar and intro bar dependant on variable logic (choices made)

-new textures, adverts, street props, prefabs etc-trash ground parrallax sprite prefab

-new cyberpunk materials/textures created in Blender

-added DMR and Popshot enemy idle logic/graphics/material

-added slum npc variation2

-added druglab with explosives in slumblock alternate

-added sawn off shoot animation

-added doctor with logic (pearpad confirmation required in apartment) in steethub

-added new unlockable weapons to lev select hub shop with logic

-added new texts to tv news in casino roof depending on sanity

-added variations based on sanity to apartment hub (ie Teddy hallucination when Olga leaves or karaage/liar in fridge when offered present)

-New Olgierd Model

-Updated logic on Olgierd death

-new MP5 snub nose weapon (replaces old snub uzi) with side view (inspired and referenced by Ilya Naishuller's work (in this case the music clip for the Holiday's “False Alarm”)

-new npc Burt skinhead with weapons in providence free level with weapons





GENERAL FIXES AND TWEAKS

-Further updates to gamepad analogue options: ought to be very helpful to find the sweet spot for precise/low sensitivity on slight analogue tilt, and very fast on full tilt (especially helpful in levels which require fast turning ie on the blue pill in the final stage of the casino)

-Enemies should open door when passing though them.

-Fix hearing object bug. Now selected AI will react correctly in certain situations to players footsteps

-updated weapon thrown damage to pipe and knife

-updated enemy footstep hearing range in casino topfloor (for hard and nightmare)

-updated highrise final stage enemy precision rifle height so bullet wont get stuck in barrier and weapon availability for normal/casual

-Increase scroll rect sensitivity in settings

-updated shader akimbo uzi (now should work well)

-Fix scene music transition.

-Fix instant scene music transition.

-sawn off uses spritesheet animation with normal map now

-updated enemy gunacitve shoot material to correct (cutout).should work better now but needs more testing,

-updated cop model rig and forearms. Should clip less now.

-removed weapon rotate in shop for new onlockable weapons

-Updated logic of Homeboy Aggro in Providence free

-remodeled certain elements in sabotage intro and god rays with "add" blend to avoid unwanted grey flares

-updated skinhead minigunner logic in final rising high stage (trigeer to move him into view to avoid exploiting/picking him off before he aggro's)

-updated doubleside shader for certain levels (with berserk, so hit behaviour with holes is more visible)

-updated material of chav and psycho to shader with back textures (chav complete with normal, psycho only diffuse).

-difficulty fog tween to harder difficulties in casino_roof (so if you took too many pills up until this point, you will have a hallucination of fighting a devil like creature and the sky will be blood red)

-Added homeboy enemies and variations (available in providence bar exterior stage and one added to the toilet transaction in the station just after the tutorial)

-Added dynamic clouds to sabotage intro and varied post effects (tweaked lighting and dynamic fog to be more moody)

-added new minigun sound for enemies

-lots of other smaller tweaks and adjustments.


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So that's more or less everything. Hope you enjoy and let us know what you think! Thanks for tuning in and your support,

Till the next one!


The Downfall Team,


Mike, Dawid, Sebastian

Greetings Everyone.

Again a quick, short note before the release of the upcoming update (No.3).

I actually mixed up dates in the last announcement, since I accidentally set the unrealistic date of the next major update at the end of April, whereas it should have been at the end of May(the correct date is displayed in the TV news text in the apartment hub). Please excuse the mixup:( However, the good news is, that the update will be dropping much sooner than expected and with a lot more content.

We are working hard to sort out all the kinks of the new content and hopefully the update ought to be ready early next week.

So besides the casino rooftop finale, the majority of the Providence Level will be available and quite a bit of non-linear progression. The latter will now be heavily expanded from now on. In other words: expect your actions to have permanent consequences per playthough (so it might not be wise to frag npc's and ask quetions later;). Also reading comprehension is a must, otherwise alternate/secret paths/routes/stages will be pretty hard(if not impossible) to find.

Also, slightly related to this is that there is going to be a slight change with the endings. As predicted in the Early Access description, there will be more endgames available than initially planned. So as of now, one of the earliest possible endgames ought to be ready within 2 major updates and achievable (if the correct path/choices are made) around level 9.

And last but not least: due to the non-linear progression and the fact it will be greatly expanded further, the numeration of levels which is present right now will not be avialable in the final release(only the level name will be presented at the level select screen and mission start/summary). Right now we are going to stick with the numeration so it will be easier to pinpoint issues, in case of feedback(after all, it will be easier to remember/write "level #" instead of remembering/typing the whole levels name).


So that's it for now. So I'll be getting in touch soon, once the update goes live. In case of anything, just let us know!


Cheers!


The Downfall Team,


Mike, Dawid, Sebastian

Greetings Everyone!

Took a little bit longer than expected, but happy to say the second Early Access update to Project Downfall is now live on Steam! You can download it now. Quite a bit of new stuff, as well as tweaks and fixes. You can check this out in more detail below.



Small disclaimer: I'll be adding another update really soon to fix a small issue with the display of the new TV news animation(only seems to work on inital start right now).





Foreword:

Judging by the gameplays out there, as well as feedback from PAX East, the tutorial need a serious overhaul. I'm not a fan of forced tutorials and prefer giving players freedom to proceed at their own pace, but it seems it will be the best solution here, as too many people just frag examplary npc's in the tutorial before they reach the feature highlight. And with the examplary npc being dead, there is no way to test said feature and many people would miss out on the core features like the superkick (which not only is really handy, especially in tight-spots, but also is really fun:) or akimbo and discover them by accident much later in the game.

So TLDR: the tutorial in the train will be remodelled soon and core features will be required to perform successfully at least once, before being able to progress to the next tutorial segment. This way, no one will miss out on the features and be able to dispatch the bad guys in a more varied and fun fashion.



As for the next major update: expected to land at the end of April. It will feature a new level Level8. Providence set in the slumblocks of Crimson Tide city(Level will have branching paths), new dedicated Dynamic tune, further update/upgrade to freeroam hub, tweaks/adjustmens to previous missions. Smaller updates will probably land in between (ie final stage of level7-rooftop finale) and the usual tweaks, fixes and adjustments.


So without further jibber jabber, let's move on to the important stuff! :D

NEW FEATURES:

-ingame resolution settings

-new level „Less than Zero” set in the Lucky Jay Casino. Currently 2 stages available out of 3-ground and top floor. Roofop finale will be added soon

-new level: segment of freeroam hub. Accessible after Lv.3 Sabotage, from level select hub, door on left on start of scene can now be opened.

-Bonus/optional mission accessible from freeroam hub subway entrance: Tall Trees, set in the Forests of Magdalenka, near the Mazovian trench memorial (distater that occured in the area in 2048). Please note: access to this mission will change with development (it will be accessible from the Old Ursynow bus stop at a certain interval with plot progression)

-New didacted dynamic tunes for Freeroam hub, Level7. „Less than Zero” and Freeroam level „Tall trees”)

-Explosive damage (still debugged and might not work correctly. Example last slot machine on left in first room in level7. Will take a couple of shots, then explosion and splash damage will send enemies flying)

-updated gamepad accelaration settings (should be easier to tweak sensitivity accelaration. Still WIP)

-added unlockable pills to quickefix shop in lev select hub


-Throw melee weapon when durability is 0. Added hitflash and sound and damage (this is the intial release of this feature and will be tweaked and updated further soon, so ie a thrown knife will do massive damage, lead pipe high chance of stun etc)


GENERAL UPDATES:

--updated game version to 0.8.2


-Added cars with physics and impact force (if lined up correctly a superkicked car will kill a group of enemies). Available in Freeroam hub

-Add gamepad deadzone outside, and axis invert.

-Added working leaderboards (still debugged, will be added to be accessible ingame soon)

-Invert mouse and gamepad X and Y.

-added epilepsy warning disclaimer.


GENERAL FIXES AND TWEAKS

-updated AI sight in 2-1 for normal-nightmare. slight nightmare AI movement tweaks

-Rising high 1 texture optimisation

-Restore missing input translations.

-Add different collor for unlocked but not finished level.

-Adjust input gravity for digital axis.

-Update Lv.1 Witness rain controller.

-Add sprite shader with back texture (currently only for burger king in Witness)

-Implement special character chat script. (example in lv.1 Witness)

-Implement press space to restart and esc to exit (for faster relaod of levels on death)

--added new materials/textures

-updated home (new interactable fridge)

-updated colliders home (fixed initial tv interaction collider)

-updated Casino layout/ai/difficulty

-new chainlink combo pill material

-updated cars material and texture

-changed name/logotype of gun shop to correct one from placeholder (now : lock & load)

-fixed 0 melee uses in 2-2

-Prevent jumping if there is not enough Stamina.

-updated station pre witness level (adjusted gate collider to avoid getting stuck and requirement to jump to get through which could get confusing.

-Added strobe sign pointing to Azur plaza making it easier to find correct destination)

-updated navmesh in station to avoid chavs running though closed gate

-adjusted copchat in station to avoid lack of destruction of chat after his death

-added tutorial superkick reminder to 2-3 (final package stage) to remind players easiest way to take out cop with rifle

-added cop npc point deduction for killing npc in 2-3

-updated stair collider in 2-3 so player wont get stuck at bottom of stairs which would require jump to proceed

-updated bar level (new advert and added out of service and neon to restroom on right)

-updated home (added table, new Tv news animation)

-adjustments of tv collision and speech bubble for interaction (this is actually a bit messed up since the new tv animations wont show after initial start. Will fix asap.

-adjusted doors in lev select with logic to open up to freeroam after level3

-added descriptions to unlocked pills in shop

-updated weapon placement to avoid collison issues in train tutorial (as mentioned above, expect a major overhaul to the tutorial soon)

-re-enabled default scanlines as default (based on PAX feedback)

-Adjusted porject settings for Early Access and new levels

-Added connection logic between casino stages

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Thanks for tuning in!

Good day everyone,

Popping in today with a short note:

We are working hard to bring the second Early Access update for Project Downfall . We wanted to keep the original date, which would be today, but we hit a few snags along the way. Luckily they are minor, but we still will need to test the build to make sure everything else is in order. So most likely the update will be delayed till tomorrow 11.IV.2019


We are sorry for the inconvenience, but best to make sure everything is working as it should instead of releasing too early with game/immersion breaking bugs.

Hope the new added stuff will make it worthwhile! So please stay tuned; an announcement will drop shortly after the update goes live sometime tomorrow.


In case of anything, do let us know!


Cheers!


The Downfall Team,


Mike, Dawid, Sebastian