Patch Update: City UI, Heat, and Demo Changes
A new patch is currently in development, but it is taking a little longer than expected.
The main reason is that this update has grown into a larger overhaul of how cities, missions, and earnings are presented and managed. I’ve been reworking the city UI to make income, upgrades, and daily earnings much clearer, so players can better understand what each city is producing and what each upgrade actually improves.
I’m also replacing the current mission recovery system with a new Heat system. Instead of missions going into recovery after completion, each completed operation will now generate Heat in that city. Heat will decay over time, but if you push a city too hard, it may trigger a lockdown. The goal is to make missions feel more active and strategic, while keeping the pace smoother.
Because of this change, several upgrades and Director dialogs also need to be rewritten or added, so the system feels properly integrated rather than simply bolted on.
One other change coming with this patch is that Decryption will be removed from the demo. While the mechanic had some good ideas behind it, feedback on it has been mostly negative, and it often interrupted the main flow of the game. For the demo, I’d rather focus on mechanics that better support the core experience and fit the physical board-room style of The Syndicate.
I’m also working toward Steam Next Fest, so a lot of the current focus is on making the demo as clear, polished, and engaging as possible for new players discovering the game for the first time.
Thanks for your patience. The next patch should make the demo smoother, easier to understand, and much closer to the direction I want the full game to take.
- Ignace