Hello investigators!
First off, we want to sincerely apologize for the long silence and delay in releasing Chapter 2. 2024 has been much wilder than we ever could have predicted, especially with the release of PANICORE as you might know. With this announcement we mainly want to tell you one thing: While being silent about it, we've worked on Chapter 2 and it will happen!
Current Progress on Chapter 2
We're aiming for the next chapter to be better than anything we've been doing so far. Here’s what you should know right now:
- Estimated percentage of progress: We'd say around 70% of the chapter is done right now, missing parts are mainly last parts of the chapter and a transition into the game's current story flow as well as testing & polishing phases
- New Content: the chapter will not be the only new content to the game, you will also find new content in the forest which will be available in the public beta soon
- Public Beta Updates: While no new content has been added yet, small teasers for Chapter 2 can already be found in the beta version. We have also implemented several technical improvements, a full voice chat overhaul, a complete menu overhaul and a new UI including a better controller support. This version has been updated frequently in the last few weeks so make sure to switch if you want to experience current updates to the game!
- Saving & Loading Rework: In our last announcement, we mentioned potential issues with the saving/loading system. We are happy to tell you that we've successfully reworked the system without losing previous save files, so your progress from Chapter 1 should be safe!
- Performance Boost: We have managed to improve performance, especially for lower-end computers.
- Connection Issues: If you've been experiencing problems connecting with other players, we highly recommend trying out the public beta. This will help us gather valuable feedback that Chapter 2 will benefit a lot from.
When Will Chapter 2 Be Released?
We would love to release the chapter within this quarter. However, despite being late we are still taking our time to ensure it meets our own standards and surpasses the quality we’ve delivered so far. We don't want to release the chapter "just to release something" which is hopefully understandable. Your patience means the world to us, and we promise it will be worth the wait! If not during this quarter, we can guarantee to release it in the second quarter of this year.
Once again, we apologize for the long time this is taking. Thank you for sticking with us on this journey. Your support, feedback, and enthusiasm continue to drive us forward. Stay tuned for more updates!
Your two brothers at ZTEK Studio