Dev Blog: Early Access - Week One
Code Freeze Over - Back to Work!
The current public build of the game is showing strong signs of stability. While there are still a few patches to be applied, the problems seem proportionally limited. This allows us to keep the default branch as a stable release and end the code freeze to resume development, starting next week. Meanwhile, everyone who bought the game is welcome to join the BETA BRANCH—provided you understand that it is a laboratory where things are experimental (and will sometimes go wrong).
So, what can you expect to see (and play) in the beta branch?
SANDBOX MAPS
Many of you have expressed a desire for more maps and the option to play them in a sandbox format. While Urban Strife was never advertised as a sandbox game, we’ve heard your feedback and thought of a solution that should make everyone happy!
We have many maps waiting in the campaign queue to be integrated into the game. A lot of effort has gone into their level design. Why not let everyone enjoy them while the main story is still being developed?
So… in the beta build, you will see all the maps that will eventually make up the game, complete with their real locations and details. The maps will be accessible for sandbox play as soon as they have a basic setup that supports combat (a local faction, basic traders for restocking, loot, etc.). Cutscenes and intrigue will be added later, as the maps exit “sandbox mode” and are fully integrated into the campaign.
Next week, you can expect a trip to a very gruesome graveyard, where Father Pio Di’Angello’s camp is under attack by a gang of ruthless slavers.
FASTER ANIMATIONS
Another common issue that many of you highlighted was the speed of the animations. While we initially planned to address this optimization later in Early Access, the feedback was clear, so we decided to start working on it now.
The animations will be updated in batches, with improvements released regularly. The first batch you’ll see focuses on faster melee attack animations.
This beta branch approach allows us to experiment and iterate, with your feedback as a critical part of the process. Thank you all for supporting the game in EA and hope you all have a lot of fun!