Survivors!
With update 0.87 just around the corner, I thought it might be a good time to let you all know about a few of the many changes coming your way. There is also a long list of implemented suggestions, fixes, and crushed bugs, the full list will be available soon! Thank you all for your feedback, bug reports, suggestions, and most of all your patience! Keep them coming, with the new systems I can imagine there will be a few bugs to crush.
Detection and Combat AI has received an overhaul, NPCs will now sidestep, block, crouch to fire, retreat backwards while attacking, flank players, and more, making them feel more alive. NPC skill level will now directly influence all aspects of combat. The AI detection process has also been updated and optimized using a new method of faction detection and hearing process.
Nitro and Night vision will now both work in a different way. Holding the button will activate nitro boost, and I've added dual-exhaust nitro effects to applicable vehicles. Night vision is available in certain helmets, and can be toggled with a keypress, slowly reducing durability over time while active. Night vision can now be used in vehicles as well.
Updated Dialogue to allow healing any survivor/follower with medical items in your inventory. You can also spend inspiration and cash to upgrade Follower's weapons and armor up to a max determined by your caravan weapon/armor tier.
Control mapping has been added to the game, including a new mappable controls screen in the pause menu. Most keys can now be remapped to better suit individual playstyle. Controls have been removed from the HUD as well, instead a dynamic control widget will appear at the bottom of the screen when inventory is open, showing the player all relevant controls to their current situation. I also added a few new options to remove the dynamic control widget entirely and another to remove non-essential two-way chatter. Immersive HUD mode has been updated so that it just hides all active HUD elements, allowing the use of inventory, crafting, looting, etc.
There are too many changes to go into detail, but I hope everyone enjoys the update! It shouldn't be too long before it is available. We are rolling on towards major update V0.9, which should include a long list of new content and more polished models and UI.
Upcoming V0.87 Update Partial List
-Added ability to Heal NPCs/Upgrade equipment through dialogue
-Improved AI Survivors + Bandits
-Added sidestep/retreat/crouching to NPC combat AI
-Control Mapping - Most controls can now be customized
-Dual exhaust nitro
-Nitro system revamp - hold to boost / Moved default keyboard nitro control to shift (same as sprint)
-Night vision revamp - Changed night vision from a useable item to equippable gear/ some helms provide night vision/ night vision is now on toggle/ Night vision can now be active in vehicles
-Blades vehicle mod changes - New telescopic blade mounts
-HUD improvements/ remove on screen controls + Added dynamic controls when Inv open
-New transition meshes in basements
-Option to remove non-essential two-way chatter
-Changed method of saving vehicles including drop in/out method
-NPC names will now turn red when hostile
-Caravan weapon/armor level will now affect weaponry/armor available to survivors
-NPC skill is random, max value based on distance travelled
-Armor added to bandits possible loadouts
-Added hearing to AI and removed the slower draw attention call code
-Enemy attacks will hit a wider area to make melee combat a little more dangerous
-Immersive mode added to controls, updated to be more useable for gameplay (Will now only hide main HUD elements, but players can still loot storage, open inventory, etc.
-Can now access hotkeys, inventory, skills, crafting, and caravan while operating Archangel
-Rain wetness on screen will fade while under roof/in colony/in transition
-Changes to Titan spawn process
-Nicer plane crash explosions
-Shut off engine now requires player to briefly hold ignition key to prevent accidental engine shutdown
-Landscape and terrain fixes on a few maps
-Rebalanced many support options
-Changed NPC inspire method
-Aiming weapon with a scope will now use a red-dot sight image in the scope sight to maintain proper accuracy
-Fixed NPC skill-based combat system
-Fixed all muzzle flashes/ Blood particles
-NPCs can now crit-kill enemies on occasion/Headshots unlocked
-New animation styles now allow reloading while crouching/ skill or speed based reload speed
-Adjusted brightness at sunrise/sunset
-Added audio when using wrench/screwdriver