Hey everyone, I know its been a whileabout three months since my last updateand I want to kick things off by saying Im really sorry for the silence and for taking the Dross demo offline. I didnt plan for it to be down this long, and I feel bad about leaving you all hanging. Your patience means a ton to me, and Ive been working my butt off behind the scenes to make this game better than ever. Sometimes that means stepping back to rip things apart and rebuild them right. Whats Been Happening? So, whats been keeping me busy? Well, Ive been tearing into just about every system in DROSS to fix, refactor, and optimize it. The demo being offline wasnt the goal, but its given me the space to do some heavy-duty upgrades. Heres the rundown of the big stuff:

Player Movement and Actions:

Ive totally redone how you move and interact with the world. It used to feel a bit clunky, but now its smoother and more responsive. Whether youre dodging or swinging, it should feel natural and fun.

Script Optimization:

Before, I had these massive scripts trying to do everything at oncelike a jack-of-all-trades mess. For example, every weapon had its own code for bullet trails, holes, and damage calculations, which led to bugs and inconsistencies. Ive split those up into smaller, focused scripts and built a central Weapon Manager to handle it all. Now, everything runs through one system. If it works there, it works everywhere. Less places for me to screw up. no more weird glitches where one gun behaves differently from another.

Object Pooling:

Early on, I was creating and destroying stuff like bullet holes, trails, ammo casings, and even enemies every time they were created or destroyed. It got the job done when starting, but it tanked performance, especially when things got chaotic. Ive switched to pooling with an object Pool Manager. Now these objects get reused instead of trashed. Its a huge boost for optimizationyoull notice the game running way smoother.

Enemy Behavior:

Enemies got a big upgrade too. Ive moved them to behaviour trees, which let them act smarter and more varied without choking the system. Plus, Im using behaviour inheritance that are shared across enemy types, keeping the code clean and efficient as possible. Theyll do cooler stuff now, and it wont slow things down. Heres an enemy behaviour that I have created, and took quite a while to do so. Enemies will face the player. And move closer and farther away before they are ready to attack. Moving away from the the player, essentially walking backwards still keeps the big facing the player. However, the walk animation plays in reverse. This is a huge improvement over turning around to move back, and then resuming facing the player. This is very cool in large numbers, as the enemies circle the player.

Culling Manager:

This is a amazing new tool Ive added. The Culling Manager determines and stores where the player is. And figures out what needs to be active based on that. Enemies dont check if they can see you unless youre in their chunk of the level, and room art only turns on when youre nearby. It also controls animations: enemies far off play at roughly 10 frames per second, saving resources without you noticing a difference up close. No more pointless distance checks: the players location is saved. And only changes when the player is exiting its current chuck and entering another. Its all handled by the levels chunk system. And not having individual enemies measure their distances to closest player saves a tonne of resources.

Unity 6 GPU Graphics Drawer:

Heres some new tech stuff with the release of Unity 6, i now can use Unitys new GPU features for rendering. Instead of each enemy being a heavy skinned mesh renderer, theyre now built from meshes that can be batched together. This slashes draw calls, letting me throw way more enemies on screen at once without lag. Picture bigger, crazier fights that still run like butter.

The long wait to .8.2:

I know Ive been super quiet, and I shouldve been more upfront about whats been going on. Its tough to admit when things are harder or slower than I expectedI thought Id have this wrapped up way sooner. Taking the demo offline wasnt my first choice, but it had far too many issues. I wasnt happy with it. And it wasnt giving the impression I wanted. Im pouring everything Ive got into these changes to make DROSS worth the wait. Im doing my best, and Im sorry for not keeping everyone in the loop better.

So Whats Next?

Right now, Im pushing hard to finish these fixes and optimizations for version 0.8.2 of the demo. Its shaping up to be a massive leap forward in stability and performance, and I cant wait to get it back online for everyone to play. Im hoping soon is the wordIm not locking in a date yet, but Im close, and Ill keep you posted as I nail things down. This update feels like a fresh start for DROSS, and Im stoked for everyone to dive in again. Your supportwhether its feedback, encouragement, or just sticking aroundkeeps me going, and I cant thank you enough for that.

Look Forward to version 0.8.2:

Please keep an eye out for version 0.8.2its going to be good, and I hope youll love where DROSS is headed. If youre as excited as I am, maybe tell a friend about it or spread the word. Im not the best at shouting about my own stuff, but Id love for more people to check it out when its ready. Big, big thank you to all of youtalk to you soon! Cheers, ~SALT_ P.S. Ill aim to be better about updates from here on out. You deserve it!

[ 2025-03-14 17:00:46 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone, this is Salt, the solo developer of DROSS. Its been a while, but I am very pleased to finally announce the new update to the demo. Version 0.8.1! This update comes right as Steams Halloween Steam Scream 3D festival is going on. Completely unrelated I assure you. Version 0.8.1 seems like a small change from 0.8.0. And it kinda is! But not really. Theres has been so many changes to the game, I will have to read my own list of changes. New weapons: I have re implemented the plasma Rifle, as well as the automatic Shotgun. Both are higher level and a bit harder to collect. They are found in the shop (for a price). And later level armories. Enemy armor: Some types of enemies will spawn with addition face armor. This increases the spawn cost of the bug. And slows them down a bit. This occurs more frequently as the game levels, as well as the players levels increases. It also has something to do with the player landing many consecutive headshots. Nest infestation: Enemies wander around between nests. Now, there is clear infestation between the nests in the level. This is from the players view, as well as visible on map. You are more likely to encounter enemies in these areas, so be aware. As the infestation increases, so does the art to show it. As well as the strength of the red on the map. Enemy Director: The enemy director has been expanded to keep tabs on how well the player is doing, as well as the bugs. It keep tally of shots fired, hit, and where. How much damage the player takes vs enemies. Its not prefect, no. But hopefully will improve the pacing of combat. Allowing for breaks between combat and similar. It also controls what types of enemies are spawning in, and that is affected by how well the player is doing, their level, as well as the floor level. Along with many other variables. Polish: I have also bee putting in a lot of polish in areas where I felt it was needed. The doors that are locked are clearly marked as locked in red. Explosions add subtle light and smoke. Grabbing an item out of combat has its own animation. Holding grenade or weapon select slows time a bit. So many small changes that hopefully will add up and be an overall improvement. First Person Animations: I ran into some major issues with this! Most accurately it came up when I was trying to blend animations from one to another. The initial rotation of several arm pieces were rotated several hundred degrees at start. And while that went unnoticed and did not affect anything on their own. When blending, this caused the hands to spin around wildly. Ultimately it was a lot less work to remove and redo all animations, compared to trying to repair the existing ones. So, they are different. Some are not complete and very minimal. But hopefully the ones that are done are better. And now going from holding a weapon to guarding is better. Also, the player can now guard without a weapon. Corridor themes: To emphasize the themes of each different floor, without adding too much work on to do list, i added a few different reskin themes for the corridors. Hopefully the do more to add to the environment than detract. I think they turned out pretty decent if a little simplistic. That said theres a lot more I can do with this if it works well. Player luck & shops: The players have a new Luck stat. This now affects things like items appearing in boxes and cabinets. As well as give Sales on items in the shop! There are many subtle ways to increase and decrease your Luck. These are just a few of the many changes to the demo so far. It has been a lot of work to be honest. However, I am glad I was able to and I am happy with how everything turned out. I hope you are too! Its taken far longer than planned, and I spend more than a few all nighters up working on it. Its been a lot. A few day back I got a really nice compliment. While everything needed a lot of polish, its worth doing. Its something special. So, I guess I need to keep going and try to make it the best it can be! Please let me know if youre liking or disliking the changes so far. And comments or criticism is welcomed, thank you so much for trying out the latest update to DROSS! Till next time, cheers! ~SALT_

• Preload the level generator at start
• In Melee tutorial, punching bag. check minimum distance for attack. Not always working
• Cluster explosion does not remove itself
• Finish Vanth proximity to wall stuff. Too strong effect + ranges wrong.
• Spore bug would require attack to cause explosion. Should be easy to implement
• Rusted titanium corridors ugly. Fix
• Door map Frame needs infestation colour change
• Head armor colliders not effective dfense
• Small room wall bottom when door doesnt remove infestation art (one works, one doesnt)
• Armored bug ai radius height wrong. Can walk on wall
• Check vending machine in exit. Not spawning grenades / ammo
• Lower bomber fire velocity
• If bomber bomb hits player. Have it drastically slow projectile
• If fail to equip silencer, revert to unused
• Sealed doors can be walked through
• Animations all too far from player
• Vault animation too quick
• Grenade animation too quick , does not line up. Check spawn frame
• Shotgun reload animation balls, fix
• Some weapons do not fit in gun locker
• Check item creation potential items
• Rest area: Weapon upgrade machine cannot get close to use
• Lower bug ai radius for more bugs fitting
• Recycle pedistal plays particles too short duration
• Cluster multi explode less damage explosion
• Add invalid corridor positions in SR armory
• Fix swarm guard, theyre lame
• Add map icons for large machines
• Rooms with infestation too far away toggle off art

[ 2024-10-31 09:45:03 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey everyone, It's time for the 0.8.0 Demo Update! FIXES

• New pathing system
• Bug walk SFX
• Credit pickups
• Machine alarms not attracting bugs
• Proxy grenades not sticking to bugs
• Grenade throw animation
• Cash despawns in machines
• Tutorial error
• Fixed fatal crashes
• increase grenade damage
• Better grenade explosions
• Enemy spawn rate
• bug health during alarm events
• Explosive barrel damage
• Bug wandering logic
• Door auto closing
• Nest infestation density
• Pistol muzzle flash not working
• Orange card not appearing in tutorial
• Adding bug blood FX
• Window collision
• Shotgun SFX
• Update armored tutorial
• Saw disappearing after pickup
• Pause crash
• Scope not refreshing model on pickup
• Pedestals in shop not clearing on pickup
• Implemented Options in pause menu
• Music intensity
• Performance improvements
• Enemy pop in values
• Stun freeze not working
• No guard during melee
• Shotgun reload
• Rest area art improvement
• Grenade menu SFX
• Recycler button prompt
• Vented floor decor
• Glass break sfx
• Gun aiming points

Be sure to chime in with any bugs or issues you find so that we can get on top of that. Be sure to wishlist the game as it helps a lot with visibility! Have fun with the new update!

[ 2024-09-16 18:56:29 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey everyone, It's time for the 0.7.9 Demo Update! This update has a number of bug fixes and includes patch notes for 0.7.7 and 0.7.8, we got kinda bad at post notes with each release but we'll be better about it going forward! 0.7.7 FIXES

• Door breach SFX still playing after door breached in tutorial.
• Vanth disappeared but can still be heard when entering firing range but eventually reappeared when collecting purple card
• Grenades not updating on UI until you select another grenade
• Plasma Fire is canted and not shooting straight
• Shooting and the kicking training bag makes it disappear which breaks tutorial
• Two key cards spawned ontop of one another
• Tutorial Door With Text (Medical) is backwards on the inside of the door

0.7.8 FIXES

• All weapon clip upgrade. Art to change on equipped weapon
• Plasma cool down not while holstered
• Melee blade during guard animation fix
• Vanth spotlight too bright
• Breach charge hold sfx
• Ledge in 2nd Tutorial Room highlight is misaligned
• Suppressor attaches to multiple weapons not just current weapon. Doesn't appear until weapon is cycled.
• Shader sorting on powerups fixed
• Vending machine too shiny
• Zfighting art in tutorial armory frame
• Starting area too foggy
• Maximum magazine size for shotgun is wrong
• After noise cutscene, player needs to swap to weapon

0.7.9 FIXES

• Weapon not showing in upgrade station when you hand it over
• Armory items float too high
• Melee saw at entrance not there
• Upgrade Shuffle Cost Text too bright to read
• Ensure stamina bar accurate to %
• Map zoom in not working
• Vanth moves too fast when sent forward
• Shop purchase button using sfx
• Grenade Type and Money covers the Ammo count make it hard to see
• Elevator upgrade wrong text info
• Shotgun ammo indicator stays on pickup
• Rifle scope too small
• Hedgehog trail effect wrong layer, doesnt blend in

Be sure to chime in with any bugs or issues you find so that we can get on top of that. Have fun with the new update!

[ 2024-06-13 09:08:37 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey everyone, It's time for the 0.7.6 Demo Update! [previewyoutube=8MTP9V0uQ_s;full][/previewyoutube] This update has a number of bug fixes and introductions some new features to DROSS such as weapon upgrades that change the gameplay and style of each weapon such as turning the nailgun to into a sawblade lobber. This update also introduces a new enemy, the enormous Growler bug. Check out the changes below.

• Make sure items spawn on pedestals, move if pedestal moved
• Have audio while on charge shotgun end when it maxes out the charge
• Apply a slowdown effect when rushing past attacking enemies
• Fix door damage texture FX
• Plasma Gun now overheats correctly
• Reshuffle + upgrades now work correctly (does not get lost if not pickup up previous level)
• Silencer upgrade can be applied to rifle, will give error if gun cannot be silenced
• Vanth warnings now context sensitive.
• Piercing weapons have upgrades

Be sure to chime in with any bugs or issues you find so that we can get on top of that. Have fun with the new update!

[ 2024-03-24 02:02:57 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey everyone, It's been a little while since we've updated the demo but we have a huge update for you. Honestly it's much to list so we'll give you a sample of some of the fixes and changes we've made in this build. The major content for this update is the introduction of the plasma rifle and major rework of how bugs and nests spawn and pathfind through the level. Below is a list of bug fixes and other tweaks and adjustments. This is by no means an exhaustive list but pretty close. As always please leave your feedback here or in the forums and we'll be happy to check them out. We also expect to have a much more regular cadence to updates as we make our way toward release. Until next time!

• Make sure tutorial complete saves
• Collider near medical door
• Skip cutscene skips on one
• Vanth maintenance stairs pathfinding
• Grenade targets not opening door
• Can run through melee door
• Typo in level loading screen
• Vanth sticks looking at player
• Darken hud health armor text
• Armor station update hud text on use
• Proxy grenade explosion size
• Bug nest pools too low emissive
• Bug drone not turning corners
• Industrial tube corridors super shiny
• Large machines spawned overlapping
• Minimap too bright
• Kick biter not working
• No bugs on elevator exit map
• Transfusion machine has power machine
• Can walk into rest area luck room
• Institute theme
• Biters open doors
• Biter blood green
• Gun return gives wrong gun?
• Corridor lights dont disable art
• Nailgun muzzle flash wrong spot
• Death game pad button
• Biter able to die
• Transfusion station timer bar & sound
• Guarantee elevator break in tutorial
• Vanth pathfinding exiting maintenance
• Plasma gun implementation
• Armory keycard colour
• Missing supply room card
• Supply room vision colliders
• Vending machine art

[ 2024-02-28 08:27:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone, We're pleased to announce the release of v0.6.0 of the DROSS demo! This update primarily focuses on adding polish, bugfixing, and making a smooth gameplay experience. Many of the changes are too numerous to list. -New weapons for you to discover -Performance enhancements -Environmental polish -Fixing lighting artifacts Additionally we're part of Realms Deep 2023! We're part of the live show so be sure to tune in to the show airing at 8 PM CEST / 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT either on the steam sale page or at https://www.twitch.tv/3drealms/ Thanks again for playing the demo and don't forget to wishlist! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2083940/DROSS/

[ 2023-09-30 08:21:26 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update v0.58 is the most stable and feature complete update for the DROSS demo to date.

[previewyoutube=q_XvNFUHRTc;full][/previewyoutube] Hello everyone, I am pleased to announce the release of v0.58 of the DROSS demo! This update adds a lot of new stuff to the demo, it reimplements some previously disabled content, and fixes and polishes pretty much everything else. I have been busy working hard and quietly on DROSS. Currently I am only focusing on the major parts of the demo. I want the demo to be really solid once it is complete. Then, I will focus towards the full version of the game. But I do like to share how progress is going, as well as get all the great feedback I get from everyone trying it out in its pre Alpha state. Your feedback has really helped me improve the game daily, and this update is largely thanks to that. So, thank you.

New Stuff Added:

Bigger bugs & armor: A few different enemy types have been reimplemented back into the game. These are the armored drones, and the Swarm Guards. They both have gotten fresh updated art and animation, as well as custom sounds effects. Both these types of enemy bugs have parts that are armored. You the player are encouraged to fight these enemies differently by attacking their weaker spots. Because otherwise, theyre really difficult to kill. Where as the smaller and softer armored enemies are more vulnerable to weapons such as the shotgun and high fire rate, low accuracy weapons, these bigger bugs are probably taken down quicker by a few well placed shot from weapons like the pistol.
Bug blood & gore: I have also added more effects for bugs getting hit, and dying. Parts will now break and explode into pieces. There are new effects where they are hit, as well as a different effect if an armored part is hit. And some rather cool blood effects are left on the floors as well. It has been a rather long time between this dev log and the previous one. So there is probably a lot of new stuff that Im honestly forgetting to mention. Pretty much everything has changed, and all the new stuff is really helping the game finally take shape to how I see it being.

Polish and fixes:

The tutorial: I have been working and reworking the tutorial to make the game easier to get started in. I have been working on even adding small cutscenes where we finally get a bit of narrative between the player and Vanth. She seems more adamant to get new players knowing how to survive inside the ORCUS facility, for whatever reason she may have. I have yet to detect what input the player is using, game pad or keyboard, but that will be added to help with learning what all the buttons do. Gameplay flow: For the demo, and for the first steps into the game, it starts off just a little easier. Now, Im not making the game easy, no. Or making the first level really any different from the others gameplay wise. But it is smaller, and more streamlined than anything else. Theres are now only 9 rooms on floor 1. With everything marked rather clearly on the map. There is one supply room, for an upgrade. And one armory, for a new weapon. I stripped out anything that may be too much at the start. And all the stuff that would be a distraction or take away from the most basic core of the game. Get loot, get to the exit, and survive to the next floor.
The Rest Area: Between the first and second level theres is a small safe area. This area has more story, and more tutorials to teach the more advanced techniques that arent needed before completing the first level. It is hinted at there are optional objectives to complete in the levels ahead, as well as explaining how upgrades to the player or their weapons will work and stack together. This rest area appears less frequently after the first visit, but the player will be returning here or to similar looking areas. This is where they can also save and quit without losing progress. A lot of other things have been changed and improved. But like I mentioned before, the list is so long, and goes back around 2 months ago, I have forgotten more of whats changed than what I can remember.

Whats next to do:

Weapons & and their polish: Next to be added back into the game would be all the different weapons and their upgrades. I have been reworking and rethinking how those would work, and I do have a solid idea on how it will be. However, it has required me to disable a few of the weapons as Im working on them. I intend to do a major visual overhaul on all the weapons. This involves completely redoing the artwork, as well as creating moving parts and animations to go along with them. The jump between the old bugs and the new ones was very large, and they look so different, and so much better now. Expect the same drastic difference between the weapons as they are now, and how they will be once theyre done.
Player upgrades: Currently the item pool for potential upgrades is rather small, and that just will not do for a solid Roguelike where the goal is to find and collect powerful upgrades to improve yourself. I intend to work on adding many interesting and unique items and power ups to the demo before its completion.
The other Bug Variants: I have to reimplement both the spore bug, and the spitter bug into the demo. These will fill out the missing parts to combat. It will add a lot to prioritizing targets, keep the player mobile, and counteract any overused or overpowered strategy. I am mostly holding back on these to let the player get stronger with the new upgrades and weapons being adding and reimplemented. Because while the demo is winnable in its current state, it certainly is not easy. I hope to balance it more into the players favour before adding even more different and dangerous enemies. Ideally, I want the demo to be as feature complete as I can. With the major limit being that theres only 3 levels to it. But Id like the fact that theres will be a lot of content, to the point its not possible to see it all in one play through.
Getting here has had some major hurdles and growing pain along the way. I am glad I have been able to keep updating the game, and sharing progress sooner than later. Even if sometimes it breaks, or something is missing. Or looks bad etc. Just having everyone try it out has really helping shape the game into something better than its ever been. I have a long way to go before I can even say the demo is done. Thank you to those just coming into the game, and for everyone who has been here along the way. I really appreciate the help and support that I have received during development of DROSS. its only me creating art, writing code, making the game more or less. But Im not making it alone, and I probably couldnt if I was. So, thank you again. For reading this, for trying out the demo. Its turning into something, and its going to be great. ~SALT_

[ 2023-09-25 19:24:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

We're happy to announce that for Steam Stealth Fest, we released a new demo version 0.5.0. The major improvements include a completely revamped tutorial, new sound effects, changes to the core gameplay loop and a whole slew other changes. Of course with this many changes there are bound to be some bugs (literally and figuratively) be sure to post any issues you have in the Steam discussion forums or use the demo feedback form located HERE when reporting your issues. This will help us track down and squash those bugs. Good luck surviving!

[ 2023-07-27 07:37:45 CET ] [ Original post ]

DROSS DEMO // version 0.41 - May 23 update

Hello everyone Fury here, its been quite awhile since the last update. Salt has been working tirelessly at updating and polishing things and Im very excited to be able to share with you all what hes been up to!

New bug types (more variety)

So theres two bug types that have been added to the game. One of them is the biter swarms which were already in the game, but now theyll roam the map as well as guard the nests for some extra spookiness. The second bug type doesnt have a name yet. I will say that theyll certainly keep everybody on their toes and they should be pretty exciting to fight, no major spoilers on that yet!

Tutorial new features

The tutorial has had lots of bug changes. Just things to help guide the player better in what theyre supposed to do. There's lighting in the right places, less information overloading, and all in all making things more clear and concise with more environmental storytelling than throwing it all in your face at once. The text all in all in the game still needs some updating, so theres still a bit to do, well keep on it! :)

Saw upgrade

Theres an upgrade for your saw ability thats been added. This upgrade will allow you to use your block to build up a charge that you can use with the use button while youre blocking, killing bugs close to you with a powerful grenade attack! This blocking ability temporarily holds the charge so youve got to use it quickly, but its quite powerful!

Art improvements

Theres been a few updates the the art ie: the elevator, the double doors, and the bug nests goop among many other updated art pieces.

Gun leveling

As you level up your gun the artwork now changes, its not quite done on every gun, but lots of them have been updated!

Bug fixes:

Theres been some bug fixes as well, its hard to even remember all of them sometimes. Lots and lots of bug fixes all the time lol. To list some of them hes fixed the colliders being so big, which has really improved how it feels to move around the world. The movement also has been reworked to feel a lot better as well. There was issues with it not using the physics engine and as a result if you had a very fast or slow computer you would likely fall through the world, run through objects, or have issues colliding with objects. Fixing this has also fixed many of the issues with the frame rate as well. Theres been an update to the settings menue where you can change the volume of the music and the master volume, which is all sound in game. The HUD has also been changed to be more concise and to feel less cramped. So theres new artwork for the HUD and the compass isnt a physical moving thing that you have to look up or down to see in game, now its attached to your helmet and youll only need to look left and right to look around on youre compass. Ive saved the best error for last, it was honestly really funny to find. If you kicked a barrel you would fly through walls, not because of the physics with the barrels, but because of the money inside of them! Lol! All in all Im super proud of Salt, hes been working very hard on making everything better and reaching out to people in order to see what people like and what they dont. Thank you so much to everyone whos taken the time out to play test and help us find bugs and give ideas on what would make things better. We couldnt do this without YOU! If anyone finds any bugs that need fixing please dont hesitate to tell us in the comments and again thank you to everyone whos helped us through the development of this project with all your comments, criticism, and support! -Fury

[ 2023-05-23 14:12:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

Today was a very busy and productive day. I have just finished up fixing several rather severe bugs, so, finally I am releasing an update to the demo. Here it is!

Dereliction 2022 // Demo version 0.3.5

[previewyoutube=e1x0R4x_qtE;full][/previewyoutube]

Whats in the update:

Honestly, I am not 100% on everything in the update. However everything is more playable, runs better, and quite a few things have had their art redone. Ok, so I know I cannot write an update article like that. So I will try to cover everything I can. The Vanth into now will display every time the game is quit from the main menu. This is to show the small cutscene at the beginning, since it keeps getting updated. This will not affect the tutorial being completed or not.
There are gun lockers. These are a new way to find different weapons in the levels. There is a sample gun locker in the overworld starting area, past the 3 starting weapons. All weapons have fewer sockets per level, but the upgrades are more noticeable.
The levels spawn with different wall colours. They also have different door colours, corridors, etc. This is to add some variety between floors. Missions and story rooms are marked clearer on the minimap. The clear room mission has all sporepods marked, as well as the console that is used after completion. The administration keycard is more clear on the map. Also, power relays are marked, and using them is a lot clearer, with updated art and instructions. More bugs, better frames. There are more bugs per swarm. Their health is still pretty low so the added bugs shouldnt be too much of an issue. However, I did slow them down about 20% and they do a bit less damage. I have not experienced any issues with frame drops either. This is all mostly to do with some infinitely looping lists that were really affecting them. Big bug with the bugs. Should work now. Found items. There is now a better find chance for weapons the player is currently carrying, but not using. So, weapons that have run out of ammo will be more likely to be spawned for the player. Swarmer Bugs. I am not 100% on the name, but there are new types of bugs. They will fly around the nests, and spit at the player.
I fixed the issues with the bugs not dying if their head explodes. Weirdest sentence I wrote today. Today is a good day to give Dereliction 2022 a look. Or, another look. I have been working hard on it since the last update (0.3.2) and that one was out public quite a while ago. However I found there were a lot of issues with it, it didnt make a good impression. I will be setting up different version branches for the most stable build, as well as more recent experimental builds. This update should fix a lot of the issues from the last one, and add new and exciting issues for me to fix in the future. Hopefully it will be fun! [previewyoutube=WBsrVsQD2Zw;full][/previewyoutube]

[ 2023-04-30 04:34:36 CET ] [ Original post ]

It has been a month or so. I haven't been posting much. I haven't uploaded many updates to the demo. But, I have been working hard on Dereliction 2022. Here is an update on most of the changes to the Demo. Now Version 0.3.0

Dereliction 2022 // Demo version 0.3.0 released

I have not been posting or sharing any of the work I have been working on. Not for any reason really, but I just have been focusing more on working on the game. However, I felt I should write a little about this newest demo update. Here it is.

Story:

No spoilers, but I have been adding story elements to the game. This has required a decent overhaul to the level loading, but I feel that it adds a whole lot to the game. It adds more purpose to your actions, and more of a reason to keep going. I have barely started, but the groundwork is in place. Story arches will cover many floors, require different actions to complete, and give rewards or change the story outcome. Some decisions open more options, and some close other paths.

Art Changes:

levels:
Above are some new walls for rooms. These replace the oldest art, interesting. and below is them in action.
My goal is to have the levels be as unobtrusive as possible. Anything important will be coloured differently. Its hard to say that the "style" of the games levels are a style, but there's thought put into it. Weapons:
I have added 5 more weapons in this update. I figured that I should finish the art for the weapons I have already added in the previous weapon pack. I say finish loosely... They have improved.

Gameplay Changes:

Movement: Im still getting a feel for the speed of the game. The height of the player, movement, strafe speed. etc. It's a slow process, I'd categorize it as balancing. It's going to be continuous process. So any feedback and input is appreciated! 3rd weapon Slot: Now the player can carry 3 weapons. It is important for the player to have a variety of tools and weapons for different situations, otherwise they would need a more generic catch all weapon for any situation. As before, the new weapons use existing ammo types. These weapons act differently from the original ones, so if you dont want the Nail gun weapon, theres an alternate grenade launcher that use the same orange ammo pool.
Weapon Sockets & Levels: Now, I am not sure if I covered this addition to the game. So, just in case, I will mention this here. Weapons have a level. This level is determined "Randomly" as well as where it is located in the Facility. So, later levels will have higher level weapons, with a bit of randomness added on top of that. Secondly, weapons have an amount of "Sockets". These scale with the level of the weapon. So a higher levelled weapon will have more available sockets.
Found weapons will have "Random" upgrades already added to the sockets as well. The upgrades are: Fire Rate Damage Accuracy Magazine size Reload speed There are machines scattered throughout the levels that will upgrade these stats, as well as ones that upgrade the level of the weapon.
Thank you to everyone following and supporting the game! It has been a busy process. It's been a little stressful, but fun. And a lot of work. Please check out the demo on Steam. It runs well on SteamDeck too! Wishlists are super important, sadly, they determine reach on Steam, and that is super important. So, If you are interested, please Wishlist DERELICTION 2022 on Steam. Any questions, comments, or feedback please share here or in the discussion forums: Steamcommunity.com Thank you for reading. Cheers, SALT_

[ 2023-04-05 07:24:25 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone. This is Salt_ I have been resting a bit from Steam Nextfest so I havent posted anything written in a while. I have a new update for the Demo, and at version 0.25, thats me saying the demo is about 1/4th done. Yes I plan to have a whole lot more in the demo! Special thanks to BONEGRINDER for all the help and feedback on the demo & updates! A lot of major changes, fixes, etc, have been because of all the help! And thank you too for everyone else who has left comments and feedback too! I really appreciate everything! I would like to thank NinjaGuyX for interviewing me. I have never done anything like that before, and it was a little stressful, but a really awesome experience! Here is the interview video: [previewyoutube=DiceX9cagJs;full][/previewyoutube]

// Update version 0.25

Combat changes:

I changed up the combat system a lot. All weapons have roughly doubled their magazine capacity, the reload is a lot faster, and fire rate has been adjusted. This makes the combat a lot faster. Theres more enemies. I am still optimizing the enemies, their Ai, draw calls, etc. Fortunately I was able to fix a few things, and I was able to increase the maximum amount on screen. This works really well with the improvements to the weapons. Individually, the bugs are less lethal, but big swarms can get overwhelming. I was able to get them to group up better too. So they are less of a line, more of a cluster.

Vanth:

Vanth now has warning lights. She can tell the player if there are enemies incoming, or enemies targeting the player. This helps a lot. If the player is making too much noise or creating too much attention for themselves, they are now warned that. Hopefully there wont be as many surprise attacks.

Control changes:

There is no throw weapon button - Picking up a third weapon will drop currently equipped weaponCall / send Vanth is now separate from use button - currently bound to Space bar, Right thumb stick button, and Dpad Up. Im testing out the options to find what works best.

Quick tips in loading screen:

To help cover some of the mechanics of the game easier, I added some tips to the loading screen. I know its not the perfect solution, but hopefully it will help until I improve the layout of the tutorial and starting area

Tutorial area:

I am trying really hard to keep the tutorial quick, easy, and skippable. If the player already knows what to do, it can be done in less than a minute. Thats for whatever reason they would have to do it again, for example if they lost all the settings, or its on a different system etc. There are more prompts for the player to go the the elevator. This is where the actual game is. And the entrance area is mostly there as a safe environment for the player to start in, figure out the controls

Hud and UI:

Working on the hud and Ui has always been a pain. But, it is important. They now display what grenade is selected, and what one is next. Plus, it displays the amount of each type always. If Vanth says something, it is displayed in to top left corner. So if the player misses it, its there. Same thing if the player picks up an item, or 5, its all displayed top left. I will eventually be having bars for health and armor to display the percentages at a glance. But for now its just numbers.

Levels:

Ive added back in vaultable ledges to the rooms. To the player can press use and climb up to escape the bugs. This was causing a lot of pathfinding issues, so they were disabled for a while. There is now more reasons to explore. I have added upgrades throughout all the rooms. Well, theres a good chance for them to appear in each room. So it pays to have breach charges and explore for useful upgrades. I have also added a few more rooms to the mix for each level. Creating rooms are very tedious and time consuming. They are also prone to errors, and require a lot of testing and balancing, so it is a slow process to add even one room. I have added roughly 4. Its a start. Hopefully theres no issues with them.

New grenade type:

I have created a new grenade. It is the proximity grenade. I have wanted to add this one in for quite a while, but there has been a few issues keeping it on hold. The grenade will stick to objects and arm itself. If the player, enemies or bullets hit it, it will detonate. If the object its attached to is destroyed, it will separate and fall. If the player walks far away from it and comes back. It will still be there. Its a lot easier to say all that than to write the code that makes it all work. I hope they help when running from a swarm, or defending the exit elevator.

That is update version 0.25 of the Dereliction 2022 demo:

The festival was great! I learned a lot and it has helped me connect with a lot of people. I have received a lot of feedback, which was why I joined the festival. All the feedback has really helped me improve the game all around! I really hope everyone likes the changes and progress made on the game. Please consider trying the new update. Please let me know what you like, dislike, and what you would like to see in the future. Thank you to everyone who tried out the demo! The update is available on Steam, indie database, and itchio: I will have more to share soon, ~SALT_

[ 2023-02-19 17:54:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

[previewyoutube=J5lOklZ5sFo;full][/previewyoutube] Hello everyone happy NextFest! It has been a stellar few days so far. I have gotten a lot of feedback that has helped me fix a tonne of issues with the demo. Heres an update on all the changes to Dereliction 2022 in the past few days: So, let me start by mentioning that this demo is in pre alpha, and the actual game is way off. I have so much that needs to get done, or fixed. The reason I put this demo up for this Festival is to get the amazing feedback that I have gotten, fix any and all issues that come up, and continue to work on the game. Thank you to everyone who has tried the demo, added it to their wishlist, streamed the game and posted comments. It means a lot and helps so so much.

Control changes:

There is no throw weapon button - Picking up a third weapon will drop currently equipped weapon Call / send Vanth is now separate from use button - currently bound to Space bar, Right thumb stick button, and Dpad Up. Im testing out the options to find what works best.

Quick tips in loading screen:

To help cover some of the mechanics of the game easier, I added some tips to the loading screen. I know its not the perfect solution, but hopefully it will help until I improve the layout of the tutorial and starting area

Hud and UI:

Ive tidied up the UI, and made sure that everything looks a little cleaner and sharper. Especially at higher resolutions. The compass also got a much needed overhaul. My computer has been giving me frame issues, and I may have oversimplified the art, files, etc, trying to fix this. I will be adding more quality options for those who have faster systems that can run the game with the shadows, the SSR, ambient occlusion, and such. I will also have some color and gamma settings in the near future to work with the different screens that everyone has.

Tutorial area:

I am trying really hard to keep the tutorial quick, easy, and skippable. If the player already knows what to do, it can be done in less than a minute. Thats for whatever reason they would have to do it again, for example if they lost all the settings, or its on a different system etc. There are more prompts for the player to go the the elevator. This is where the actual game is. And the entrance area is mostly there as a safe environment for the player to start in, figure out the controls [previewyoutube=9QwVULak3H8;leftthumb][/previewyoutube] All in all, I feel that I have made some great progress, thanks to everyone who pointed out any issues or confusion they were having. The game now is way different than it was just 2 days ago, and I hope that everyone likes the improvements. And those who didnt like the demo as it was, I hope that they can give it another look! Thank you again, I hope this wasnt too long of a rant. I will continue to work on the demo throughout the Festival and after.

If you have any questions, comments, criticisms or ideas, here is a good place to post them. I will read them all and get back to you!

Cheers, ~SALT_

[ 2023-02-09 03:41:46 CET ] [ Original post ]

Update version 0.2 Live Now!

[previewyoutube=cD3yil55uks;full]Dereliction 2022 // 30 second Teaser - Indie DB[/previewyoutube] Here is a major update to Dereliction 2022. This is demo version 0.2. So its still a pre alpha, but it certainly has come a long way since its initial demo v 0.1. New item, enemies, sounds, and music. Dereliction 2022 now runs on SteamDeck and is fully supported and compatible with the system ( Its been the best experience for me so far testing )
Ive put a lot of work in on the starting area, to help new players know what to do any where to go. Its all the stuff that was missing and much needed for the initial demo. And maybe I was too eager to get the demo public. But if youve tried any earlier versions, or none at all, this is the one to play! [previewyoutube=yGdD_H5JfpM;full][/previewyoutube]

// What is Dereliction 2022 ? //

Dereliction 2022 is a procedurally generated Roguelike horde shooter. It's you verses large swarms of enemies in a procedurally generated level. A procedurally generated string of levels based on how you play and what you do. Get to the exit. Overcome obstacles in the way. Engage in combat or sneak around.


The demo is version 0.2 of the game. A pre alpha preview. The full final version will have multiplayer, a story, branching paths, and a final level that will take everything you know and everything youve experienced through this run and change based on it. It wont just be a matter of completing it, but how.

// What Dereliction 2022 is not (yet) // Whats next?

// Dereliction is a non linear game:

It isnt a generic first person shooter. Dereliction 2022 is a procedurally generated Roguelike in first person perspective. Each area, each level, is procedurally generated for the current run. It is unique to the player, and to their current attempt at beating it. Death is permanent. There is no loading your save file if you die. I know thats literally every Roguelike. But theres more. The generation is a little coarse at the moment. But I will keep adding more levels of detail as work progresses. Its like when you find more health packs in Left4dead when youre low on health. Or more ammo for your favorite weapon. Maybe you use long range weapons a little to much, maybe itll throw some close quarters areas at you when youre playing too well. Its not just random. Its crafted. It reacts to how you play. However that may be.

// Dereliction will have branching paths:

The demo is only a taste. A sample, if you will. After the player completes and Area of the game, competed any optional objectives that will change the outcome, the choose where they will head next. This will be visual and tactile almost. Like, take the elevator to this area. Or if you have (for example) access to the alternative path to the engineering area, you can go there. Each area has positive perks for exploring, collecting lore or area specific items & weapons.

// Dereliction will have more enemy variety:

I am slowly adding in enemy variants so they all work well and behave well in the world and with each other. But they are only the start. I plan for flying enemy swarms. Grabbing, web spitting, hide in your blind spot enemies. Each one requires art, animation, variations and part leveling / evolving. So is a slow and tedious process to do on my own. But it will happen.

// Dereliction will have more weapons & tools:

Lots more. All weapons have an upgrade tree. And all weapons have base stats. There will be quality levels, there will be modifier upgrades to permanently change your current weapon. I plan for Vanth to be more than your flashlight. She will be upgradable in all stats like the player. And be more helpful finding items, protecting you, and watching your back. Expect portable stationary turrets, mines, lures, and traps.

// PLEASE WISHLIST DERELICTION 2022 HERE ON STEAM //

Steams NextFest is this February 6th to 13th. Wishlists are key. I ask, please add Dereliction 2022 to your wishlist to help it with visibility. I fear it hasnt reached steams required amount to be seen in the festival except if its directly searched for. And I need help to change this. I have a lot of work to do. A lot. But I am prepared to do so. The game is going to be awesome. It isnt yet. But it will be! Thank you for all the support, it means the world to me. I appreciate seeing the streamers, youtubers, likes and comments. I take issues to heart, and I fix them as quickly as I can. I dont want the game buggy or broken, so keep sharing any issues that you may come across. Ive signed myself up for around 1-2 years of work. Ive gotten a tonne done this year. Its only gotten better and better. And next years time, its just going to be amazing! ~SALT_

[ 2023-01-28 23:15:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone, I have a surprise for you. Dereliction 2022 : demo update version 0.1.9 is here! And, Fury has sat down to play it! So thats really awesome, and maybe she will give you some advice when playing.

Dereliction : 2022 update version 0.1.9

In this update I added music, reimplemented some bug variety, and (finally) the elevator alarms work. I also added volume settings and more resolution settings as requested. Everything does feel a bit better, but Im finding it also feeling a little rough. As in rough around the edges, and I just need to polish it. I do hope its feeling better for those who have tried the demo out, and hopefully this update will feel just a little better than the last. I need to fix, finish, or redo a lot of the art. And the animations. And and and. However, it is a little comforting seeing (for example) last update, and how much I have managed to do in (objectively) so little time. So. Small steps. [previewyoutube=SdC_Fw7SsmY;full][/previewyoutube] We arent Youtubers or Streamers, its a tough job. I mean Im not even in the video :P But Fury was nice enough to record herself playing the demo, and thats really appreciated! I think it adds a lot of charm. I do hope everyone enjoys checking out the video, and the new update. There is so much to do still, but Im glad I can be transparent on how its coming along with small updates. I get to hear what works and what needs work pretty much as Im working on it. That really helps so thank you! Everything about the game is so different than it was a year ago, and I can only imagine how it will look once its done. I look forward to sharing more news really soon actually, so stay tuned. Please consider wishlisting Dereliction 2022 on Steam, it helps a lot. Check out Steam NextFest this February 6th, and Ill have even more ready to show for then. Thanks for all the support, ~Salt_

[ 2023-01-23 08:24:49 CET ] [ Original post ]

Dereliction:2022 demo Update // Version 0.1.8

Hello everyone I have a small update for the demo of Dereliction 2022.

First off, thank you to everyone who has tried the demo so far. Your feedback has really helped push me in the right direction. Honestly I had been playing the game differently, and seeing others get to actually play the game helps me focus my attention where it should be. Update version 0.1.8 has many subtle but important changes. These focus on the size of the levels, the density of the levels, and general pacing. I may have been treated the demo a bit more like the full game? A bit slower pace etc. Now, the action starts a fair bit faster. The areas (visually and the time required to get there) has been condensed. So, completing level 1 skips to level 3. And level 3 skips to 5. This will hopefully show more of whats included in the demo, give the better items faster, and present a tougher challenge. Essentially showcasing more in less time. This also lets me polish those areas without spreading my time too thin on some of the less important things. Id like to stress that it is really just me creating the levels, art, code, etc. It is fairly straightforward but does require a lot of time for me to complete things. I know that sounds like an excuse but Im meaning I know theres a lot to get done, and I will get it done. My focus is for a solid, polished demo ready for NextFest in February. Ive added a new special weapon in the item pool for you to seek out.

For the community:

If theres anything you like about the game, please tell me. If theres something you do not like about it, please tell me! I want to make something thats fun to play. I want it to feel like a challenge. Something that requires you to think, plan, and execute. I want it too feel like a power trip against relentless odds. A no win scenario that you the players can turn around. I cannot do that on my own. So Im asking for your help! Thanks to everyone who has tried the game so far. Please consider trying this or future updates. And let me know how it is, keep posting videos on YouTube etc I like to see how its played. I expect by the next Steam Next Fest the game will be very different. Now is the time to add any input in what the game should be, how it should play. Thanks again, ~SALT_

[ 2023-01-11 20:45:50 CET ] [ Original post ]

Demo Update News: Version 0.17

I am working on a new update for the demo. This will be version 0.1.7. In this update I have mostly been focusing on optimizing. Since the level is created procedurally, it usually uses a whole lot of little art pieces. These add up over time, adding strain on the cpu. Its nothing special, but I am merging more and more of the level into larger chunks that toggle on and off based on the player. It is mostly manually set up so its taking a bit of time. And I do not want to release a demo with any of the art issues I have been encountering. Update: my semi-average computer has enjoyed the optimizing added, getting about 20-25% more fps. The game is still cpu bound, so I will be looking into whats hogging that. One day I will get to updating and polishing the art more. The most important thing at the moment is the gameplay and framerate. It's not a good game if it looks good and cannot run at all.
I am also working on the plasma gun. It is the alternative to the plasma rifle and uses the same ammo type. I will be adding in two more weapons right away. These will be for the Pistol and Rifle ammo, so they will be the alternate variants (i may even have 2 for the pistol, fewer rounds more damage, more rounds less damage) Theres also a few changes to the tutorial area, the icons for the map, and just general ease of use stuff. I am not wanting to make the game unnecessary difficult due to confusing the player. So, I am trying to make sure everything is easier to figure out.
If anyone is having any issues please let me know! That's the most valuable info right now, and I want to make sure that everyone trying out the game can actually play it. Thank you everyone for your patience and understanding as I am just setting everything up. The game shouldn't be difficult from errors or lack of instructions, It should be because of the actual gameplay. So, please don't hesitate to let me know of any issues. Try out the demo, and let me know what you think. I appreciate the feedback I have already gotten and I can always use more. It has all really helped me improve the game, and thats what I really want to do. So, thank you. ~SALT_

[ 2023-01-08 18:18:56 CET ] [ Original post ]