Future of the project, the roadmapMon, 9 March 2020
What can you expect of me in the coming monthsAfter Action ReportLet me start off by thanking each on of you who already decided to support the game. The current build stresses the "early" part of an early access, and what you're playing right now is just a fraction of the game's future content. I know it has it's problems, and I'm working on them.
I've been saying before that this game is not a typical RTS title, and thankfully pretty much all of you understand it and are on board with my ideas. That's great, and now that the first week after the release is behind me - I'm ready to move forward with the project.
Updates and common IssuesSome of you are reporting commonly occurring issues, some of them rather severe, so at this point I'm focused almost exclusively on bugfixing. There's already been one release since the update, with the next one coming this week (most likely on Thursday evening CET).
If you already have the game in your Steam library, please make sure you have the auto-updates enabled for it (right-click on the game title and select game settings). This game will be updated a lot, and you'll want to play the latest version of it.
Of the worst still outstanding issues we have:• car pathfinding (often failing to find the quickest route, as well as getting stuck in the far village)
• unreadable UI (too much transparency, not enough contrast, overlapping windows)
Both will be addressed in the coming weeks. I won't even be mentioning game crashes and smaller usability issues, missions getting stuck, etc. - because all those things have been brought to my attention and are being worked on as well.
RoadmapI will be working on a nicer, a little more interactive roadmap in the coming days, but before it's ready, let me just list the nearest term plans here, so you're not kept completely in the dark until it's up.
Note: I know not everyone has Discord, but if you do, and are interested in this game, you can join here:
https://discord.gg/G4zX63s - we discuss the game daily, probably most of it will never end up on Steam until I create the next update.
Having said that, here's the steps:BugfixingI cannot continue adding more layers of complication into the game until I fix some blocking issues. I think the most important one here is the car pathfinding (I'm actually working on it right now) - at times it's plain pitiful. Before I continue adding more features and complications - I need to bring it up to a more acceptable state.
Soldier specializations and loadoutsBasically, the game's right now missing both the marksmen (for both you and your enemies), and the machinegunners for some more effective suppression. I consider both those roles essential for the game. Along with that, I'd like to add a first layer of troop customization, where you'd be able to select the general loadout of your men (the weapon, and therefore the role; med supplies; additional ammo). Along with it, the unit dispatch menu could use a do-over, because right now it's unnecessarily complicated.
Garrisoning/ destructible (and rebuildable) buildingsRight now neither your troops nor the enemy can shoot from within the buildings. Also, right now, even if you drop your CAS directly onto a building - it won't touch it, or the people inside.
With the update, you'll be able to take over buildings (after first breaching and searching them), even with civilians inside (they'll hate you for it). Your men will be able to use the openings as firing positions, and explosions will be able to collapse the whole structure.
Demolished building will be rebuildable for both the civilians and your men (to their previous shape and function), with the use of a new resource - the building materials.
More densely populated map, more POIsWith the map being a rather desolate place right now, it will be time to add more unique (and functional) structures. There's gonna be at least one more village, inaccessible to vehicles, located on high ground.
There's gonna be new unique structures, serving as possible social projects for you to develop - a water distribution center, a power station, a factory, farmland and cellular network infrastructure. All destructible. All rebuildable, each with it's own effects on the local life quality.
PoliticsBoth your faction and the enemy will be able to send political figures on campaign trails. This will mean a constant political tug of war between the factions, causing you to more rapidly lose civilian support if your only strategy is a military domination.
Saving the gameI know many of you consider it an essential feature (I also think it's understandable), so while I had my reasons to delay it as much as possible (both because along with future game updates, your saves are gonna keep getting broken, and because it's such a heavy task that as I work on it - it will pause other progress on the game), due to popular demand - I'll be adding it sooner. You win
Structure BuildingBecause it should be a big part of a more permanent presence of your units on the map, you should be able to build various defensive structures. Sandbags, machinegun nests, traffic checkpoints.
In the end, I'd like the player to be able to build a permanent combat outpost of sorts, which he'd later have to re-supply using his convoys.
Smoke cover, explosives and APCsRight now your enemies are somewhat powerless against you. With their rusty AKs and the occasional technical, your men completely dominate the map most of the time, so in this update I'll introduce RPGs, mortars, more technical units and some old APCs for your enemy.
Your men will get access to smoke cover, AT weapons and new MRAP units.
Long-term goalsThe points I described above are just the first steps. For one - the community is constantly feeding me with ideas, and I haven't yet added any of them to the list. On top of that, there's some bigger projects planned, which will change the game quite a lot.
Special ForcesSF units with their own, new missions. Recon, snatch and grab, and anything we come up with together.
I don't want them to become just infantry with beefier stats, but rather another flavor for the game.
HelicoptersTroop transport for your own men, as well as a quick means of casevac. Will be a scarce resource, with big penalties for your relations with the high command, if lost.
PJs - an additional unit you won't get direct, full control over. Similar to fire support, you'll be able to call them in, and will be tasked with preparing and keeping a secure LZ for them.
Tanks and other mechanized unitsThis game is mostly about infantry. I want it to always be a story of a handful your men, having to deal with an overwhelming task given to them. Tanks and other advanced units will never play a major role in the game, but I'm open to adding them as additional fire support units, in limited quantities.
The enemy will also get their own tanks, in even more limited quantities.
tl;dr; this is the list of _some_ of the things coming to the game. Because many of you've been asking where is this project going - I tried listing the features that I think will affect the gameplay most.
This is not a complete list, nor does it mean that I will stop accepting your ideas. Think of it as the starter roadmap, with more to come later.