Frontier v0.0.2 Alpha

The first update for Frontier is now available for download through Steam. It is targeted to fix some common issues people have been experiencing.

• GUI rebuilt to prevent any resolution issues- UI will now dynamically resize itself to your current resolution
• Loading screen removed and code compressed to reduce wait times
• Options menu added to pause screen
• Added the option to invert mouse Y-axis (by request)
• Added the option to change mouse sensitivity
• Added a volume control slider to the options menu
• Fixed bug with hunting knife which caused it to play sound whenever selected
• Fixed quit button on main menu
• Minor optimisations made

The first major update for Frontier is planned for the end of the month. The inventory, crafting system, building system, save system and framework is currently being rebuilt. This will fix the vast majority of issues players are currently experiencing, and will dramatically increase game stability. If we have enough time, we will be bringing the first iteration of crafting mechanics- while it's possible that we won't be able to squeeze all of this into update v0.1.0, we have planned:

• Cooking
• Workbenches
• Smelters
• Basic storage

As always, the devs are available to speak with everyone on the official Steam group forums/discussions tab. Come and let us know if you find any new bugs and we'll look into them ASAP! We know this hasn't been the smoothest of Early Access launches but the community has been very supportive and we thank you sincerely for that! We've already received a ton of feedback and bug reports, and it's helped us to track down the major issues and patch them pretty quickly. There are still a lot of problems but the first month or so of EA will be dedicated to patching bugs while working on update v0.1.0. We are aiming to make the game much more stable within 2-3 weeks. Thanks guys, -Josh.

[ 2016-03-07 21:36:12 CET ] [ Original post ]

The Wild West...

The turning point of all Western civilisation, the dawn of an era- for the first time in decades people could leave their hard lives all over the world with the hopes of becoming rich beyond their wildest dreams.

Do you want to make money out of the gold rush? Or do you have other plans in mind? No matter! Whatever you want to do, you will be able to do in Frontier! Currently in Early Access, we have huge plans for development and a dedicated team who is ready to bring you a steady stream of updates so you're always finding new features to discover. With everything from tobacco farming and cigarette rolling to crime fighting and destroying evidence in the works, we are working towards creating the most diverse simulation of the frontier movement ever imagined for gamers to experience!

But what's it all about?

Frontier is whatever you want it to be. The current version already brings you a robust building system, resource gathering, stunning graphics with PBR textures, a huge map (which is tiny in comparison to the final world we're constructing), 6 types of animal to hunt, alcohol to keep you entertained on your travels, wild hallucinogenic plants to harvest and consume, a butchery system so you can skin dead animals, plus a beautiful and dynamic weather simulation.

But this is only the beginning.

Frontier is in it's infancy. Over the next few months, the game will grow to include countless new features, including intelligent NPCs to populate your cities, a detailed economic simulation, and an enormous and lore-rich environment, just to name a tiny amount of what we have planned.

Our designs revolve around player freedom. We want to put the world in your hands, giving you complete control over how you live your life in the Wild West. Create settlements and manage your people, become a cattle baron and make your fortune, compete in drinking contests in one of your own saloons, trade goods, fight outlaws, rob banks and engage in the hundreds of activities we have planned!

Upcoming Features

You're probably wondering exactly what we have in store for you. Well look no further, here is a brief summary of some of our more unique future updates. THis list is not comprehensive, and is subject to change (with the guidance of the Steam community, although we fully intend to include everything on this list);

• NPCs- A wide range of intelligent characters to settle your towns, spend money in your shops and interact with you throughout the world
• An authentic arsenal stocked with period-correct weaponry, carrying everything from Winchesters to Gatling guns
• Many more blocks for our building system, allowing you to create expensive, upscale mansions and cozy campsites
• Enormous, lore-rich map system for you to explore, with different areas bringing their own environments and wildlife
• Diverse activities system, bringing you everything from drinking contests and shooting challenges to bar brawls and bounty hunting
• Indepth "Vice" System- New drugs to harvest and create, illegal activities to take part in for quick cash, and even poker tournaments

Community Involvement

Community involvement is going to be key to the development of Frontier. We want to know exactly what you like and don't like, and exactly what you want to see brought to the game in future updates. The team will be talking to players to hear their opinions and suggestions, and we openly welcome you to come and talk to us on the discussions forums or in our official Steam group.

The Team

Here at Lacuna we are dedicated to our work. We've been through a lot to make it onto Steam, with countless hours of work going into the very first version of Frontier. We are all super excited about the future of the game, and can't wait to get to work bringing our plans to life with the help of the community! We're the fine folks you'll meet around Steam, and we're always more than happy to have a chat with you about Frontier. Don't forget to come and say hi on the discussions forums!

• Joshua McAnaney, CEO- Josh started Frontier in late 2014 as a game concept which blended huge open-world titles like Skyrim into a completely player-driven dynamic. He has coordinated the team ever since, while coding many systems and working on different aspects of development, but none of it would have been possible without the amazing developers we have at Lacuna!
• Cody Jorgensen, Lead Programmer- Cody joined Lacuna way back in early 2015 as a 3D modeller, designing all of our building system objects. Building on his long time interest in coding, he learned our development API within a matter of weeks and has since personally designed the most complex systems in the game from scratch.
• Karsten Sperling, Lead Artist- Karsten is one of the most talented artists we've ever met and is behind the beautiful PBR textures you can find throughout Frontier, and our stunning first map. With huge plans for the future gameworld, Karsten is the guy who will be creating the terrain you'll be playing on.
• Steve Harbin, PR Manager- Steve is the man with the words! He handles all of our press releases, media communication, and all the important legal documents the rest of us are too scared to handle. He's been with us since the very beginning, starting out as a programmer, before moving into a management role to ensure that everything runs smoothly!
• Gabriel Lavoyer, Lead Design Artist- Gabriel is the newest member of the team and is the creative brains behind all of our amazing artwork! We are looking forward to seeing his future work!