Here comes Dev Stream #14 Highlights!
The session was soooo co-op chaos fun and action packed!
Q&A - Community questions
We answered lots of questions from the chat, both on Update 5 feedback and how we are addressing, aaaand what other stuff we are cooking for the next exciting Update.
We've compiled a Highlights video, summing up answers to much of the feedback and questions.
Go waaaaatch... if you are curious about…
- Will we get a save system for Endless?
- Are we going to get some bigger guns, with bigger EXPLOSIONS?
- Will there be modules that are taking up more space, like a bigger gun which takes more slots?
- What about the missing perks and perk loadouts?
- Sneak peek: Fabrication improvements - Blueprints!
- Things that we started developing, but ended up scrapping for whatever reason
- Will there be more unlocks (eg. new Relic unlocked when you reach level 10, that wasn't available before)?
- More ideas (cloaking device, warp drive, EMP)
[previewyoutube=HmNhNivLGU0;full][/previewyoutube]
If you want to hear all the answers - we've also updated the video description of the full VOD:
Dev Stream #14 - With Chapters >>
Make sure to check out the video!
If you prefer to read the answers, below we've added a written version of answers from the Highlights video.
Will we get a save system for Endless?
[Javier - Game Engineer, Partner]:
It is a very frequently requested in the community, but we currently don't envision the game needing it - in, allow me to say, final vision of the game.
What we would prefer is that you go into a run with your friends, and you play for some time, and regardless how much time you will play, you will feel rewarded for it.
Saving is something that, even though we would be interested in exploring and experimenting with in the future, it doesn't currently fall within our plans, mainly because we don't need it to achieve that part of the vision, which is our core vision (making each run feel rewarding, no matter the length).
We can see how it could be cool for other things - like having a session that you can continue another day with your friends - but it is not what we are currently trying to polish in the game.
It's not a definite "No" for the future, but it is not being developed, and in the plans, at the moment.
Are we going to get some bigger guns, with bigger EXPLOSIONS?
[Javier]:
It's of course something that we are very passionate about.
Something that we have in our internal notes, that we would like to get to eventually, is for example a coop-requiring weapon, where (at least in multiplayer groups) you'd need multiple sources of activation needed to be activated simultaneously, and then you would create a huge blast.
However, that is currently not in our developement pipeline, for the same reasons as before - we are working on very cool stuff that we are, as you can see, sharing and dropping slowly, and we will share more very soon.
It's just something that will come in future content drops, whenever we get the time allocated into it.
Will there be modules that are taking up more space, like a bigger gun which takes more slots?
[Javier]:
There are places in the ship, where between two module slots, there's another, unused one in the middle.
At one point we actually had 2x1 modules working in the game, and it was a part of our pipeline to develop them.
It's very interesting when you have to commit two slots, to get one result. It can lead to very interesting design decisions and we are more than open to making that come back in the future, definitely more than open.
So yes, we will get that. I can't get you the exact estimation as to when, but you can expect that to come some time in the future.
What about the missing perks and perk loadouts?
[Javier]:
In the Gene Tree there are still some Coming Soon! Perks and Superior Class Abilities.
In the next Update we are bringing those into the game.
We are finalizing the Perks and Superior Class Abilities, like for example that Grappling Hook that will allow you to reel items towards you, instead of you pulling towards them.
It's extremely cool, and there's a sneak peek in our Discord and our Twitter, which you can go and check out.
Sneak peek: Fabrication improvements - Blueprints!
[Javier]:
Next Update we're bringing one of the biggest improvements to the fabrication - Blueprints!
When you recycle something in the Fabricator, you will be able to unlock its blueprint, and then you will be able to fabricate it, from that point on (within that run).
So for example the Epic, Large Ammo crate that we have gotten before, we could have recycled that one in the Fabricator, and now we would be able to fabricate Tier 3 bullet crates, which is very cool.
You will be also able to upgrade Fabricator to get access to more stuff.
What are some things that you started developing for Void Crew, but ended up scrapping for whatever reason?
[Tomasz, Sound Designer]
I think the Relics were a thing in the very early stages of the game, but the gameplay around them didn't fit so much to the game.
Now (with Roguelite), the idea made much more sense and they came back.
Of course we had to adapt them to current gameplay, make new visuals and sounds, but the general idea was there already for a long time.
[Javier]
I didn't know that actually! Nice to know!
But yeah, that happens a lot in game development, that things get scrapped.
I think the biggest example in Void Crew history has to be the Tactical Map.
Next to the pilot seat, we used to have a terminal, that you could interact with, and it would be lika a 2D-topdown version of the map, of the sector.
It would allow one of the roles in the game that no longer exist, which is the Tactical Officer, to play almost pretty much entirely different version of the game, that was more focused on that map.
For example, target locking happened from that map, scanning too.
There was a bunch of mechanics that were build around that role, that now they have made their way into the game in other various ways, but the entire Terminal and the Map, were completely scrapped.
(You'll find more details on the Tactical Officer and other ideas that evolved into something else, in the talk presented by our Creative Director, Daniel Windfeld, during Nordic GameJam 2024)
The way that we develop, and that most studios around the world develop, is by trial and error, by testing.
You think something is super fun, and you try it out and it turns out not being as fun, and vice versa.
Playtesting is a core value of game development in general, and Hutlihut Games and Void Crew in particular.
We run a lot of playtests with players, people here in the office, on-line, our experimental group - it's very important for us and we really believe in it!
Will there be more unlocks (eg. new Relic unlocked when you reach level 10, that was not available before)?
[Javier]:
That is currently not the plan, and there's a simple reason for it.
We like, that as part of the Roguelike nature of the game, even when you've just started playing, you can get access to all the cool stuff.
That's why the things that we are unlocking based on the ranks are the perks, which are more to make you feel more powerful even since the beginning, as well as the Ship loadouts, which achieve kind of the same.
You are more powerful in the beginning of the run, but even a new player can become as powerful as you would be with all your Ship loadouts.
We want to make sure that the game is fun without having to first invest 30 hours into it, before it becomes very fun.
With that being said, it is possible that we will introduce other things into the level unlocks. Things that don't necessarily make the game less fun or make you have less content when you start, but perhaps some other systems.
We will see about that, currently nothing planned in that regards for the next Update.
More ideas: Cloaking device - temporarily invisible, Warp Drive - jumping few kilometers ahead, Cargo Hull Expansion, EMP - disable nearby ships for a short duration. Any new modules like that?
[Javier]:
We are very interested in that of course!
Adding things like AoE damage, missiles, and so on, we will see...
That's content that we dream we'll one day be able to put into the game.
As long as you guys are supporting us, we will be able to continue updating the game throughout Early Access and after launch, with free updates, expansions and so on, and be able to bring a lot of content into the game with that.
Highlights of the Major Update:
- Challenging Boss Fights
- Powerful Relics
- Blaming Emotes (sooo much fun...)
- Solo improvements
- QoL bugfixes and more...
And of course, join our Discord to interact with the community and with the team, see some sneak peeks, and more!
Metem preserve you!
May you be blessed with Sacred Relics and exciting Bosses.
Hutlihut Games Crew
