Founder Testing

Posted on by Midnight Society

[These notes are reflecting a game which is under active development. They are not decisions and details which are set in stone.  Features described might get altered, changed, or delayed. We’re sharing in the interest of informing our Founders of the vision for these features.]

What You Will Be Playing

This wave of Founders Testing will be focused on core combat.

We’ll be playtesting with a Team Deathmatch game mode which has one team playing as Claws, and one team playing as R.A.T.’s (Robotic Acquisition Teams – previously ‘Synthetics’).  Teams are equipped with what would be considered generally Common rarity gear (more on rarity coming up…).

For this purpose, we created a quick blockout of what would be a more traditional FPS map (called R.A.T. Warehouse).  This map is not intended to ship with the game, and is only being used as a testing environment for assessing the combat experience.

This is a DEVELOPMENT BUILD.  Meaning you’re playing the same build which we used internally for playtests.  Meaning you are getting the full development experience, including all of the bugs and unpolished features of our latest build.  Many systems have only received an initial pass, and in some cases you’ll be playing things which were added to the build only partially done.  Expect some crashes, possibly some bad performance, and plenty of funny or infuriating bugs; and likely some exploits to boot.

Despite that, we feel things are in a good spot to start involving the community for feedback on things like game balance, time to kill, damage feedback, movement systems, and more; as well as starting to get a sense of the types of things you really hope will be getting development love between now and launch.

What We’ve Been Up To

Much of our focus since Snapshot 7 has been around improving our movement experience, and using that as an opportunity to make Claws and RATs feel different from each other while also building out all of our core combat systems.


…we’ve done a lot since November.

  • UPDATED Movement Speeds
    • Quite a bit of adjustments to movement speeds, generally aimed at bringing overall agility and responsiveness up while reducing the very high sprint speeds to make positioning more deliberate.
    • Crouch and ADS movement penalties have been reduced quite a bit.
    • Certain heavy gear and weapons will now reduce movement speed while in use.
      • Medium Armor: -5%
      • Heavy Armor: -10%
      • Rifles: -10%
      • Heavy: -15%
  • UPDATED Sprint
    • Changed rules for Toggle Sprint to be more consistent with other titles in terms of when it is disabled.
  • UPDATED Slide
    • Provides a little speed boost, preserves momentum when going down slopes, just generally updated to be more fun.
    • Added a bit of left/right control based on your slide speed.
  • UPDATED Pipes & Ladders
    • To help support our vertical gameplay, both ladders and pipes are now much faster, and will be grabbed automatically when approached.  Players can look in all directions while they are climbing and get a nice boost when they jump off the ladder.  The goal is to make it much easier to respond to opponents when shot while climbing, or perform acrobatic plays around ladders.
    • Pipes can now only be climbed by RATs, Claws can only still slide down.
  • Mantling Updates
    • No longer uses a button press, just hold jump.
  • Lots of movement improvements
    • ‘Coyote Time’ – brief period after walking off a ledge to still jump.
    • Angle Deflection – less getting caught on corners and losing momentum.
  • ADDED Wall Climbing
  • ADDED Vaulting
  • ADDED Hand Holds (Prototype)
  • REMOVED Ledge Hang / Shimmy
    • We didn’t have many use-cases for hanging on a ledge and waiting there, and removing it allowed us to make the act of mantling up to a ledge much more responsive because we don’t need to wait for additional input.
  • …plus lots of small movement improvements
    • ‘Coyote Time’ – Brief period after walking off a ledge to still jump.
    • ‘Angle Deflection’ – “Less getting caught on corners and losing momentum.
    • Camera smoothing when going over small bumps, will be less jerky.
    • Improved responsiveness to strafing inputs.
    • Zipline grab radius is now more generous.
    • Fixed several instances where speed was very briefly reduced upon landing after jumping.
    • Camera height adjustment when moving while crouched is much less drastic.
    • ADS now greatly reduces footstep audio.  Crouch nearly silences them entirely.
  • NEW Weapon Systems
    • Weapon rarity has been added.
      • ‘Standard’ weapons come in Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Epic.
      • ‘Legendary’ weapons are only ever Legendary.
      • There’s a significant jump in weapon lethality and control as rarity increases.
    • Weapons will come in different variations in accordance to ‘Maker’ brands. 
      • For example, ‘WarForge’ weapons will inherit the ability to be customized with attachments (but must now be done between matches), while ‘VCS’ inherits Mod Chips (which will be expanded in the future).  ‘V12’ weapons have armor-destroying melee modes which can be toggled with the firing mode button.
    • Full rebalance of weapon tuning and TTK (Time to Kill)
  • NEW Ammo Redesign
    • Ammo is no longer an item in your stash, and is not extractable from matches.
    • Rather than picking up individual bullets, you’ll collect magazines of ammo – one magazine is one reload.
    • Ammo magazines come in Standard, Heavy, and Special types, and weapons will differ in which type of ammo they use.
    • At the start of a match you will automatically start with several magazines for your equipped weapons.
    • Any time you loot a container, there will be a percentage chance that you pick up additional magazines. Looting a player Death Bag will also automatically pick up their ammo magazines.
    • Why did we change this?
      • There’s a lot of not-very-fun inventory management associated with remembering to bring ammo along for a match, and losing a lot of really awesome gear which you worked hard for just because you forgot to grab some bullets isn’t a great feeling.  
      • We want to reduce the amount of time spent fiddling around with your stash and inventory, and instead allow you to focus on the more meaningful decisions both before and during a match.
      • Using ‘magazines’ instead of ‘bullets’ as the pickup helps with balancing across a wide range of magazine capacities – 12 bullets might be a lot to a handgun, but it’s meaningless to an ammo-hungry light machine gun.  Requiring a player to find 5x the ammunition to be able to use their weapon creates tough balance issues.
  • NEW Weapon Sway
    • It’s very minor, don’t worry.  This helps weapons feel more natural.
  • NEW Damage Formula, Armor Plating & Helmet Headshot Mitigation Updated
    • Limbs are now 90% damage, headshot multipliers vary by weapon.
    • Armor Plating fully blocks incoming damage.
    • Chest Armor mitigates Base Damage only after all armor plating has been removed.
    • Head Armor mitigates all Headshot damage, and this includes damage dealt to armor plates.
    • When a shot destroys the final armor plate, the remaining damage overflows with Chest Armor mitigation applied appropriately.
  • UPDATED Reticles, Hit Markers & Damage Feedback
  • UPDATED Respawn Weighting System
  • UPDATED Controller Schema, Aim Assist & Sensitivity 
    • We fixed a couple bugs which were causing unintended behaviors, and did a pass on all of our aim assist values.
  • UPDATED Recoil Systems (now more responsive and ‘punchy’)
  • NEW Inventory & Looting UI
    • No longer requires click and drag, no more virtual cursor for controllers.  Items can be filtered based on their slot.
    • As a result of the changes, you are now able to open the inventory menu while continuing to move forward; and you can walk away from chests to close the looting interface. 
  • UPDATED Inventory Schema
    • Weapon slots are now Primary / Secondary / Melee.
      • Removing double primary weapons allows for us to balance weapons on their own merit, rather than needing to nerf weapons like shotguns on account of them being used alongside a Sniper or Assault Rifle.
      • Players will always default to have a Combat Knife if they don’t have a melee weapon equipped.
  • UPDATED Capacity System 
    • Equipped gear now counts towards your carry capacity, removing the awkward situations where you couldn’t carry an item without first equipping things in the correct order.
  • UPDATED Consumables
    • Must be equipped in your hands before being used, like you would with throwables.  Requires a short period of time to activate.
  • …and loads of bug fixes and updates to models, visual effects, audio, UI, and more.  Too many to list.


DEADROP – Vertical Extraction Shooter


Even though we’ll be playtesting TDM for now, we are still focused on making the world’s first Vertical Extraction Shooter – and as a result, many of the systems which you’ll be playing will only make sense in the context of the extraction mode.

Soooo, let’s share some information about how the design has come along for the game.

Much of our game mode work since Snapshot 7 has been centered around transitioning the game more towards being an ‘Extraction Shooter’. Our end goal for the game is built heavily around aspiration, where there is always a new and meaningful goal ahead. For us, that means investing in itemization, progression systems, and a game mode loop which rewards behavior beyond simply being the last man standing.

As part of this effort, we’ve carved out two distinct playstyles.  In the future, you will select whether you and your squadmates will matchmake as Claws or RATs when playing the main extraction game mode.

Our goal is that players can play as either of these playstyles for the entirety of their time with the game, but we expect that most players will dip in and out of each based on their mood or current goals.  During gameplay, a well equipped Claw will be more powerful and expected to win against a R.A.T. in a ‘fair’ fight; but that’s not an excuse for Claws to get sloppy – poor positioning, poor aim, or simply being outnumbered will all make things go downhill quickly and RATs aren’t required to play fair.

[Dev Note: We’ll be paying close attention to how ‘fair’ it feels for both the player putting hours worth of rare gear on the line, and for the player who gets the jump on them or is greatly superior with their aim; and also the relation between player survivability & weapon rarity.  We know this is an important aspect of an extraction shooter, so it’ll be a major emphasis of our Founder Testing program as we transition into extraction mode testing.]

Claws

Claws are the gear-dependent counterpart to the RATs.  They offer a variety of gameplay styles based on what Gear the player has, and will generally be high firepower war machines methodically moving through the environment.  They’re capable of bringing a tool for any situation, but will find themselves slowly running out of resources as a match extends longer.

With the risk of losing all of those valuable tools and weapons if they fail to extract, Claws are a celebration of the high intensity atmosphere of the extraction shooter genre.  The most successful are celebrated & are able to claim riches which are only attainable when fully committing and being willing to put their best gear on the line and play for the win.  

Claws operate differently than R.A.T.’s, providing their own advantages and weaknesses in the environment.  Unlike RATs, Claws can augment and emphasize most of their traits with the appropriate gear.

  • Low Mobility – Slower and less agile than RATs.  There are not many types of items which can mitigate this primary weakness.
  • High Survivability – While their base health is the same as RATs, Claws augment their survivability with armor which can be further socketed with armor plating which blocks a flat amount of damage per plate before breaking.
  • Diverse Gear & Gadgets – If there’s any advantage which can be gained in the Sector, someone has cobbled together the tech to make it.  Whether it’s gaining access to restricted areas for loot, breaking down walls, or deploying a wide range of tracking and R.A.T. deterrence systems; there’s a tool for the job. 
  • Larger Inventory – Claws rely on backpacks and bags, plus superior strength, to be able to carry considerably more items than a R.A.T.  The largest bags are rare but valuable.
  • Start-to-Finish – Unlike RATs which join matches already in progress, Claws will always join a match at the start; at the same time as other Claw squads.  Successful runs are much longer, taking as long as ~20-25 minutes to claim the Deadrop on the largest maps.
  • Attrition Gameplay – Armor, gear and gadgets provide a significant advantage to Claws, but over the course of a match they may find themselves slowly running out of the supplies which make them so powerful.  They’ll need to hope to find more during a match, either from the environment or the Death Bags of other players.
  • Vibe: Powerful. Methodical. Greedy. Intense.
    • ‘I enjoy playing as a Claw because I love systematically working my way through the level, using my gear to my advantage to accomplish even the most difficult of challenges. The heart-thumping intensity of needing to extract all of the awesome gear I found and brought is what I come back for over and over.’ 

Claw Feature: Equipment & Armor Plating

Equipment is fundamental to success as a Claw, and armor plating is the primary tool for survival and rare armor plates are particularly high value items.  Each armor plate blocks a flat amount of damage, no matter what on the body the player is hit.  Heavier armor can hold more armor plates, creating a significant survivability advantage over lesser geared players & RATs; but must be replenished over the course of a lengthy match which will often involve many encounters.

Claw Feature: Contracts

Claws can undertake Contracts, single attempt quests which provide additional handicaps, objectives, or even completely new ways to play the game.  If you succeed in the contract objectives and manage to extract from the match, you’ll be able to turn in the completed contract for a reward.  Contract chains provide both variety and challenge to players looking for a reason to put their best gear on the line in the Refiner State.

[Dev Note: Based on feedback and comments from the Contracts discussion in Founder dev-comms channels when we shared this system, we’re exploring more opportunities for contracts intertwined with our vendor reputation and progression systems as well as meatier contract chains plus lore integration.]

Claw Feature: Adrenaline

As players perform actions during a match (such as sprinting long distances, taking and dealing damage, securing kills, or spending long periods in ADS), they will automatically generate adrenaline which lasts for a limited amount of time.  After reaching certain adrenaline thresholds, they will become increasingly proficient in a variety of areas until their adrenaline levels reset to their baseline.

  • Calm [<-20 Adrenaline] – No weapon sway.
  • Baseline – Default.
  • Increased [>25 Adrenaline] – +50 Sprint Speed
  • Pumped [>50 Adrenaline] – +75 Sprint Speed, 20% Faster ADS, 50% Reduced Sprint ADS Penalty
  • Juiced [>80 Adrenaline] – +75 Sprint Speed, 30% Faster ADS, No Sprint ADS Penalty, 25% reduced hipfire spread, 50% reduced hipfire recoil, 25% reduced ADS Recoil

These benefits reward aggressive play, build upon momentum, and give a gentle nudge towards highlight reel moments when your back is against the wall.

[Dev Note: This is a brand new feature, and we’re looking for feedback on the types of effects you would be interested in seeing.  We’re currently planning on reducing these effect values over time and spreading across additional things such as increased reload speed, health regen, slide cooldown, and reduced footsteps for Calm.]

RATs

RATs thrive in the environment, traversing the map with ease; but they are considerably more fragile than their Claw counterpart.  Limited inventory sizes & a draining battery make them scavengers, looking to gather what they can before quickly extracting from the sector.

Spawning into the match with randomized ‘loaned’ weapons, RATs are a risk-free way to play the game – players do not lose any Gear or currency for failing to extract from the Sector.  To balance this, R.A.T. players do not keep the loot which they extract with – it is instead automatically sold for Dust at the end of a match and the players receive a reduced cut of its sale price (the Guild gets its cut). If they find something particularly of interest, they may opt to spend a large amount of Dust to smuggle an item out for themselves without it being sold.

Life as a R.A.T.

RATs operate differently than a Claw, providing their own advantages and weaknesses in the environment.

  • High Mobility – Access areas which only RATs can reach, leveraging a range of traversal capabilities based on their R.A.T. loadout.
  • Low Health – Compared to their human counterparts, RATs are fairly fragile and unable to take advantage of armor.  Rapid health regen offsets this, allowing RATs to be effective at poking entrenched positions.
  • Limited Inventory Size – RATs have a limited carrying capacity, allowing them to exit with only a small haul.  Many RATs offset this by carrying valuable Death Bags off fallen enemies, then scrambling towards the nearest extraction with it in their hands.
  • Random Weapons – Weaponry is assigned to you, rather than being taken from the Stash.  Expect a wide range of firearms until you can gain favor with the guild and can secure better loaners.
  • Join-in-Progress – R.A.T. runs are typically pretty short,  dropped into matches which have already begun and provided with their own personal extraction point.
  • Battery Life – RATs are powered by an internal battery which struggles with the rigors of navigating the Sectors.  There are ways to recharge, including taking batteries off fallen RATs,  but the most common solution is to find your loot and extract early (~5-10 minute runs).
  • Vibe: Agile. Sneaky. Nuisance. Social. 
    • ‘I enjoy playing as a R.A.T. because I make the level my personal playground, and find enjoyment in joining my guildmates to bring down powerful opponents. Not having my own equipment at stake allows me to just focus on having a good time and acquiring more Dust.’

R.A.T. Feature: Custom Loadouts

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R.A.T. Feature: Guilds & Guild Missions

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R.A.T. Feature: Enhanced Mobility

RATs are inherently more mobile, featuring fast base movement and sprint speeds, as well as enhanced slides.  Custom Loadouts can alter these further, providing unique ways to traverse the level.

Wall climbing and the ability to climb vertical pipes provide access to R.A.T.-only areas of the sector, creating new pathways and ambush spots to lay in wait and harass the less mobile Claws.

…That was a lot. Summarize for me?



In short – you can either drop in as a R.A.T. and experience no-stakes gameplay where you can slowly build up a Dust balance.  Or you can enter as a Claw, fully decked out in your gear, and compete for much larger rewards if you manage to extract or claim the Deadrop (…which has also been reworked).

We’re designing with the goal that players may decide to only play as one or the other, and should always have a goal ahead of them.  But the expected experience for most players is that they play as R.A.T. for awhile, buy some nice stuff from vendors, then set out for a series of higher stake attempts as a Claw.

The game mode design will essentially use RATs as opposition for Claws – as the match progresses and you climb higher in the level, more and more R.A.T. players will be flowing into the match through join-in-progress.  This helps to ensure that survival remains a heart-pumping experience even as the server is thinning out due to Claws being eliminated.

All of that said, we aren’t quite ready for community testing on the VES mode, and many of these aspects are still in the early stages of being tested and proven out.  Once we get into a decent spot and are ready for feedback, we’ll be moving Founders testing to focus on the extraction mode and economy progression loop.

Colin Fogle
Design Director