- Update on the map update - 26 April 2026
I've decided that the map update should be the 1.0 version. I don't plan to immediately switch to full release with the map update (I'll want to allow time to patch bugs), but 1.0 means I'm going through all the changes I wanted to implement, including my polishing notes.No ETA on when it will be ready, but here's a high-level view of what's left:A magic school and monster differentiation pass, including monster summons.Armor set abilities.Rebalancing of move stamina costs and search difficulty.A mechanic that adds stats to the shop, depending on total monsters killed by the base.A feature to name your drone.Possibly hot key configuration.Possibly multiple saves per slot (we'll see).Possibly a basic word search for the tutorial.Basic mod support (allowing loading a custom template database on world create, so you can play a custom scenario).A host of polishing/balancing notes to go thro…
- The map update will break saves! - 8 March 2026
The next update should introduce a new map-based world interface and remove the old interface. This will break savegames from the old versions, both demo and full-release.I don't have a hard ETA on the map interface update, but I'm hoping I can release it by the end of April. I also don't intend to do any minor updates first; it should be next (hopefully there won't be any game-breaking bugs discovered between now and then!)This won't be the transition to full release from early access, but I do intend this to be the 1.0 version release, ramping up to full release.The new interface itself is still subject to change, but here are a couple teasers. The base:Starting to explore the refinery:More prototype screens are up on the discord.
- Bugfix r27 - 30 January 2026
Auto-level should now properly proc perk, ability, and path choices without causing the execute button to hang.
- Bugfix r26 - 14 January 2026
Starting consumables are now initialized properly, so their abilities should work at game start without a save/load cycle.If you have an existing game with this issue, a reload should work around it.
- Help System and Approachability - 4 January 2026
ApproachabilityThe point of this update was to make it easier for new players to get into the game, and I hope it helps. :)There are also some content updates, mainly involving character customization.TutorialThe primary world screen now has a Help window that brings up a tutorial explaining game mechanics and interface usage, as briefly and comprehensively as I could. :)The help index also includes a full combat reference at the end.Contextual Help SystemMost windows, including the main menu, now have a Help screen customized to the context. Most elements within windows can now be clicked on to bring up their own help window.The total number of tooltips (including the tutorial) is 900+, and each tooltip can have multiple modules.Drone ClassesIn character customization, you can now choose a drone class to go along with your starting paths. Each class provides a custom set of stats per l…
- Gameplay Content Update - 12 November 2025
IntroductionThis update rounds out most of what I wanted in the game, but couldn't include in the initial release. It also includes changes made to accommodate feedback from players.I hope you all enjoy it! :)Single-world ScenarioThis new scenario connects all the existing campaign sectors and zones into a single playable world. The victory condition is closing all twenty rifts. Each rift is a separate quest with a reward, which can include unlocking combat parties and rooms.Deciding what rifts to close first will be an important part of the experience!Monsters and rifts have a much higher level cap, and you only start with one allied party (the recon team). Distant monsters in the world will be leveling, fighting, and possibly conquering rifts while you deal with monsters and rifts closer to your teleporter.Unlike the campaign, you start with most buildings, paths, projects, and gear u…
- Update 0.9.1.5r20 - 15 October 2025
Changes:Added eight new music tracks to the full game (the demo tracks are unchanged);Can now configure in options a music delay for starting the next song;The hacker and thief explorer presets now have light armor as first equipment proficiency path (since light armor is best at camouflage);Party finder and elevator dialogs reworked slightly to improve the comment pane;Updated the cafe comment to be more descriptive (will show up in new games);This update should not break saves.
- Early Access Release! - 12 October 2025
I'm very happy to announce that early access is available. :) I'm hoping you'll enjoy the game!The CampaignThe campaign is four sectors long, and continues past the first scenario (the current demo), including 597 additional zones to explore (the demo has 73), with 18 more rifts and monster types, such as robots and a full set of endgame elementals.Each new sector in the campaign also unlocks more NPCs, parties, rooms, items, and paths.PlaystylesAlong with the standard playstyle, you can choose from the following:Explorer (no allied combat NPCs)Homefront (no allied civilian NPCs)Loner (no allied NPCs at all)You can mix those with various difficulty settings such as bonus monster levels, bonus monster levels per X turns, monster leveling cap, starting base resources, and more.Party SystemIf you're playing with allied combat NPCs, you can now join their parties as a support member. The pa…
- Beta Testing Update - 5 October 2025
OverviewThis week I tested all weapons in the endgame environment, to balance for general viability. I also adjusted them such that I hope they all provide an interesting choice, and nothing too obviously good (although I'm sure there will be outliers to tweak). :)Overall, beta testing is going well. The campaign feels coherent, and there are a lot of options and possible playstyles. I'm liking the infinite stat shop offerings for mana (lets me buy progression with my excess mana).WeaponsSorted by intended base damage (as they stand now, changes are possible):Single-target firearms: the sniper rifle, rifle, and railgun. They all have magic damage abilities. The sniper rifle is ranged-only, and the highest damage. The rifle is a generalist all-range weapon, and the railgun is silent and can be used without breaking stealth.The missile launcher heavy weapon. It's ranged-only, with no magi…
- Update 0.9.1.4r18 - 1 July 2025
Content Changes:Bugfix for environments without a power stat.Renamed mana cells to mana gems.Piles no longer have a critical difficulty stat (since you can't crit a pile).The magic abilities that did physical damage now use standard power scaling (makes them stronger).Hordes now have colors.Fire mage path now has a weakness to fire ability (as do the elementalist and archmage paths).Tweaked monster stats.Bosses now get double their base horde stats (will probably make them a bit stronger; this replaced custom boss stats).Innate Changes:Some color fixes for terrain type in various modals.Added new resource nodes that allow leveraging skills such as civilian mining to gather. (There currently aren't any examples in the demo.)Text for scavenge to gather in zone object modal (supports new resource nodes).Views and zone objects are now sorted alphabetically in the targets pane.Views now comb…
- Update 0.9.1.4r17 - 22 June 2025
Content Changes:Monster corpses no longer produce leather, and leather is no longer used in armor crafting. (This is due to a decision to not implement the Nexus room for early access release. The Nexus room idea was to provide a steady stream of monster corpses, so that if you relied on any component from them, you wouldn't be stuck if a new sector didn't have that kind of monster. I'd still like to implement the Nexus room, but I can't promise it.)Disabled Nexus skill stats on player.Innate Changes:Combat NPCs will now prioritize closing rifts over looting corpses and repairing turrets.Crafting supply bonus from crafting room level is now 10% of project supply value per level.Set default monster level cap to 100 (I'd consider it "normal" difficulty).Disabled Nexus logging on base (at rift conquering).This update shouldn't break saves. You'll need to start a new game to pick up content…
- Update 0.9.1.4r16 - 18 June 2025
Content Changes:Strength now boosts physical resists, to replace max encumbrance.Paths no longer boost max encumbrance.Stunned and Shocked conditions now affect stats other than max encumbrance.Jetpack flight buff now increases Evasion. Jetpack provides less ability power per level.Rebalanced project supply to be less across the board: 10 for equipment, 20 for consumables, and 50 for ammo. Note this will innately increase prices.The base now starts at half supply for all items.Supply threshold for triggering projects now uses base supply gain (times item level).Innate Changes:Disabled the encumbrance/immobilized mechanic (and updated dialogs to match). Short version: it was frustrating on character create to pick proficiencies and not be able to use them, and at the same time, over the course of the game, encumbrance becomes trivial (it doesn't scale). Also, it was bit clunky in the bac…
- Update 0.9.1.4r15 - 17 June 2025
Content Changes:Moved magic bonuses from affinities to investiture, and halved the rate of accrual for most condition stats. Affinities are still important, since they're the proficiency stat for innate magical abilities, and they govern absorbing ambient mana. It should be harder, though, to stack condition boosts.Path credit shop listings are no longer generated; paths will only be sold for prestige. Note this halves the available level progression in the demo; if that becomes an issue, I can add more path levels for prestige.Innate Changes:Adjusted presentation of difficulty settings to be more intuitive (unlimited monster levels is now at high end of difficulty options).Added combat note on how power stats interact with damage.Added option to autosave on exit, if needed (default is still not to autosave).Capped usage exp tick magnitude to 10 times level. So, at level 2, you can at m…
- Update 0.9.1.4r14 - 16 June 2025
Innate changes:The game should no longer crash on closing a rift, and a new teleporter should be created properly.Added fullscreen window option to Options. It requires a restart. The bordered, maximized window is still default.Productive scavenging, looting, and studying actions by the player report any changes to base in the drone log. This affects gathering resources to base and adding shop listings.Cache discovery notice now added to scavenging action summary. (You already got equipment addition logs, just no explanation why.)Completing the study of a zone object now unlocks its full comment, and also includes its comment in the action summary (like studying an item).Bugfix for creating a new session, loading the path dialog, canceling the new game, loading an existing game, and leveling using the path dialog (it would zero your remaining mana, as if you were just starting the game)…
- Bugfix 0.9.1.4r13 - 15 June 2025
Some zone objects had broken study actions (they appeared as research, fabricate, etc). These should now be fixed.This update shouldn't break saves, but you'll need to start a new game to pick up the change.
- Update 0.9.1.4r12 - 14 June 2025
Content changes:NPCs now have a chat flavor dialog in their action list. The dialog won't change over time, and doesn't cost turns to use. Some of the NPCs may be more helpful than others. :)Did some renaming of characters, paths, and skills to be more thematic and shorter.Did some more color work, mainly on projects (they have defaults now).Bugfix for pistol ability proficiency (should be Firearms now).Renamed the Power stat to Charge, to differentiate from the magic/physical/tech power stats.Training for civilian skills no longer requires charge (since right now civilian NPCs have no way to restore it).Adjusted exp requirements for spawner levels by 10x. This doesn't change how fast monsters level, but it will affect the level of new spawns. Overall, this should reduce the difficulty of the demo.Innate changes:Builders should now follow the construction priority queue order, instead o…
- Update 0.9.1.4r11 - 13 June 2025
Changes:In the shop, equipment is now split into weapons, armor, and accessories.Weapons has tabs for primary and sidearm.Armor has tabs for helmet, torso, gloves, and boots.Accessories has tabs for back, amulets, and rings.Path shop pane now has tabs for mana (which means all paths listed have a branch for that mana type).Consumable shop pane now has tabs for restores, buffs, and attacks.Stats shop pane now has tabs for skills, combat, and core.Added colors to items, which should help distinguish them in the shop.Modal panes will now resize width based on font size setting (should take care of horizontal text overruns). Also tweaked vertical a bit.This update shouldn't break saves, though to pick up the color changes you'll need to start a new game.
- Update 0.9.1.4r10 - 12 June 2025
Gameplay:Combat NPCs now get a prestige salary every 5 turns. The salary is currently set to the level of the base. This should ensure that combat NPCs never get permanently stuck on base.Information:The leveling dialog now has toggles that set how many free points you add (or remove) in a single click. Default is still 1, but you can also set each type of free point to 5 or All.The leveling dialog now has an actions-required pane, detailing what you need to do to highlight the execute button.The Help screen is now a sorted display of all tool tip topics.This update shouldn't break saves, and you shouldn't need to start a new game to pick up the changes.
- Update 0.9.1.4r9 - 11 June 2025
Gameplay:Added three new combat NPCs to the demo: another Scrapper, an Investigator, and a Shielder.Added shielder food to the cafe (increases shield proficiency).Combat NPCs should no longer lose gear or mana on death. This is a quick fix to the problem of NPCs getting currency-locked to base, because they can't replace gear.Reduced the combat NPC death fatigue penalty from 25 to 10.Combat NPCs now reduce fatigue on base 2 per turn.Bugfixes:Consumable abilities should no longer be listed under player actions after a respawn without item protection.Tweaked DB loading again to eliminate another bug.Information:Added experimental font size setting in options. Note that anything beyond 10% larger than normal seems to cause text overruns (though 20% isn't too bad).Resource information now includes what base projects use the resource.Project pane now has filter tabs.Added some more notes on…
- Gameplay and bugfix update 0.9.1.4r4 - 10 June 2025
Gameplay/content changes:Chainsword abilities now cancel stealth on source (you still get one blindside attack).Monsters now have a devouring skill to help consume corpses for exp (previously, they relied entirely on the Constitution stat, which was slow).Monsters can now use the Rifting skill to help conquer rifts from other hordes.The monster devour, grow, and tend actions can now be done while stealthed.The Hammerer path now has all mana types unlocked, with magic hammer smash abilities for each type. The path also now provides a significant pierce boost to the mana type invested.The Scrapper path now has all mana types unlocked, with magic chainsword slash abilities for each type. The path also now provides a significant steal boost to the mana type invested.Rebalanced the dedicated magic paths to provide a significant power and resist boost, and removed the attribute boost. The sec…
