Welcome to the 80th installment of our Ready or Not Development Briefing, dated November 22nd, 2024!
We hope this message finds you in good spirits. Today, we are excited to delve into our game design philosophy concerning player adaptability, reveal some insights on the imminent launch of DLC 2—which will be a complimentary addition for Supporter Edition owners—as well as announce an update for all players slated for next year, and introduce our prototype merchandise line.
You can already acquire our debut prototype merchandise collection on our official platform by clicking here. A more comprehensive collection will be launched in the future.
Note: These development briefings are intended to keep you informed about ongoing support for Ready or Not, although they do not cover every aspect we are currently working on. Please note that the content of these briefings may be in the development phase and subject to modifications.
Our second DLC, Dark Waters, is on the horizon with more updates coming soon.
[Image below: “SWAT, this is Air Support, providing aerial surveillance.”]
In Dark Waters, every mission is staged in a Maritime context, where you will collaborate with the California Offshore Air and Sea Team (C.O.A.S.T) to extend your operations along the Los Suenos coastline.
Upon release, the Dark Waters DLC will be automatically available at no cost to Supporter Edition owners in their Steam library, much like DLC 1.
Apart from expressing gratitude to our early supporters of Ready or Not, DLC 2 is made free partly in recognition of the DLC Weapon Packs that did not materialize, as we opted to provide new DLC-related weaponry free for all.
Please be aware that we will be officially discontinuing the unused Supporter Alpha playtesting Steam branch due to its outdated nature and unintended issues it is causing players.
This branch was initially created as a commitment to continued pre-Steam Early Access Alpha testing for Supporter Edition owners, offering limited testing before updates as part of a transitional Alpha/Beta phase. However, this style of testing perk is no longer in practise post-1.0, long after our Alpha stage.
Furthermore, it appears several players were unaware their game was set to this obsolete branch, affecting matchmaking capabilities with players on the primary game branch. Thus, this outdated Alpha branch will be officially made unavailable.
As some of you observant officers may have noted, many features included in the upcoming Dark Waters update (such as the ability to cancel arrests and wear multiple headgear simultaneously) follow the consistent theme of enhanced player adaptability.
Recently, we’ve intentionally adjusted our game design focus, moving away from simple balancing towards enhancing player adaptability. Our aim is to empower gamers with greater control over their game experience, expanding choices in weapons, quality of life features, and equipment.
To support our game’s development, we are leveraging our increased development capacity, allowing us to evolve and adapt beyond initial feature implementation phases.
Quality gunplay remains a core element of Ready or Not’s progression, defined by customization fantasy, operational utility, and player immersion. Design decisions are made to enhance gaming enjoyment even where realism isn’t strictly adhered to.
We have realized that restricting players to choose between attachments for balance isn’t particularly engaging or realistic. Among our plans is to allow multiple rail attachments simultaneously, like a flashlight and IR sight. Although this feature wasn’t included in DLC 2 as intended, it is still planned for future releases.
In the meantime, anticipate a range of new caliber enhancements with Dark Waters.
Changes in gear adaptability, as showcased in the last development briefing, Vol. 79, allow players more freedom in headgear options, previously limited to choosing between NVGs or gas masks, overcoming unnecessary restrictions, and increasing personal customization options.
Our adjustments, including the implementation of arrest canceling, are aimed at prevention of gameplay constraints that lock players into unwanted actions, not drastically altering the gameplay pacing. Although arrest cancellation is now possible, players are reminded to maintain a secure perimeter prior to making arrests.
While recent updates have aligned with paid DLC releases, not all future updates will follow this model. The next content update is scheduled for next year and will be available to all players free of charge. More details will be unveiled next year!
On our website, you will find a selection of t-shirts, hats, and hoodies adorned with RoN branding.
Plans are already underway for a subsequent merchandise line; but you can currently purchase items from the initial prototype collection, helping us assess preferred size distributions and demand levels.
[Image below: One of the t-shirts from our prototype collection]
We remain committed to enhancing player adaptability, promises that are central to the upcoming DLC, Dark Waters. To our valued Supporter Edition owners, we thank you for your continued dedication and are pleased to offer Dark Waters free as a token of our appreciation. Stay tuned for more exciting details in the upcoming weeks and the free content update next year.
This concludes our 80th development briefing, thank you for joining us. Stay tuned for more development updates in the future!
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VOID Interactive