Hello everyone,
This month AI progressed well, the Legion Knight is now being worked on, and art wise the environment art for Episode 3's maps is finished and work began on the few remaining Episode 2 levels.
Misc Features
Over the course of the development of the game we've always listened to feedback and tweaked, changed, or added things within the realm of the design scope of the game.
We wanted to outline a bunch of things that are coming with the Ep2/3 update that is coming in the future:
The Map
This is something that has been requested a few times, so we're happy to say we'll get a map implemented for you guys. It is a 2d hologram map device you switch to, we felt it was important to keep it in game and not just some UI pop up, that way you can still move about while holding up the map, and also see anything that's trying to murder you.
It'll do all the things you would expect a map to do, show your location, important nearby objects like Key Doors, room names which will match the room name on your HUD.
In Ep1/2 in 1 of the security stations there will be a map machine you can download the map from to reveal the entire map. In Episode 3 we don't have security rooms, so you'll find portable satellite TEC equipment that will scan the level and then upload that data to your map.
Collectatorium
Once you have finished the game, we'll have an unlocked menu option to load in to the Collectatorium. This map will have on display all your collectibles, from Cat Magazines, Eldritch Relics, and Neurological's radios.
It will also display all enemies with a small info panel telling you some lore about them.
We were going to have a menu for this but, we thought it's more fun to move around and check stuff out in first person.
Steamworks Features
Steam related things like Cloud Saves, and Achievements (we already have a good chunk of the back end made) will be added to the game towards the end of development.
Achievements can be done on any difficulty. Which leads us to...
Difficulty
While Retchid has always been intended to be a challenging shooter, it's what we like to play, so it's what we build, we will have difficulty selections in game.
There will be an Easy, Normal, and Abyss modes. With various things turned on and off, and AI having various changes depending on the mode. We'll expand on this once we lock it down.
Autosaves
In Easy and Normal modes (with the option to disable it completely), we'll have autosave triggers placed around the levels between save rooms at specific points in the level progression.
For example when you progress far enough to access the elevator shaft in E1M6, or before the boss fight in E1M7.
Enemy Drops
A small feature that has been on the to do list for a while, is enemy drops.
Enemies will drop either ammo or armor, depending on the type of enemy it is. For example Pistol guys will drop ammo for SMG, or Shotgunners might drop some armor, or shotgun shells.
Code
The Chaos Spawn became feature complete, it's just awaiting VFX/Animations/Audio.
The work on the Legion Knight began, focusing on its shield mechanic. It can attack with a melee weapon, block your attacks, and if you remove its head, it'll get pissed off and large tendril will come out of the neck and will attack you with that as well. Fairly medium speed, weak enemy over all.
When the Legion Knight is blocking, if you shoot it with any projectile it'll build up a charge, continued shooting at the shield while in the block state will eventually release a projectile in the players direction.
The design is basically meant to throw a bit of a wrench in to the gameplay and focus your skill for a moment.
Level Design
E3M5 - Palace of the Bygones
This map got its final temple area finished and various tweaks optimisations completed.
E3M6 - Temple of the Great One
This is the final level of the game, where you will face off against a Great One, who overseas the Morsgoroth planet, making sure they obey the will of the Abyss.
This level has all the environment art completed, we really burned the midnight oil this month focusing on getting as many maps done as possible.
in E3M5 you will encounter poison swamps, puzzles, lots of secrets, and side areas to explore.
This central structure is where you spawn, in the middle of the map.
The path to the Lava Key
The Entrance to the Middle Temple, which has the Lava Door.
The Poison Swamp area.
The path towards the final temple and the final areas of the map.
E2M5 - Methane Mines
This week work began on E2M5, an underground mine which also is the entrance to the secret Lazarus Labs (E2M6), which then leads to the underground Morsgoroth Temple Ruins (E2M7).
Thanks for reading.
-FBS Team