Developer Notes - July 2026

Hello, Vikings!

Since the May Demo Update, our team has spent time reading through all of the feedback you've shared with us.

Some feedback highlighted things you enjoyed, while other comments offered honest criticism about areas that need improvement. There were ones that were straightforward while others sparked lengthy discussions within the team.

Today, we'd like to talk about some of the topics that came up most often and share how those feedback are shaping our development plans.

Badassgard is still a work in progress.

That’s why your feedback matters a lot to us and is one of the most important factors influencing the decisions we make as developers.

The Presence of Oparts

※ Development screen testing the effects and balance of various Oparts.

"The buffs may have looked good on paper, but the actual effects were hard to notice during gameplay."

This was a piece of feedback that led to many lengthy discussions. Numberwise, this was a very good effect, but if the players could not feel it, that meant we failed to convey its value.

Oparts are not just a stat boost. They are a core system designed to impact your playstyle and direction of a run. They are also meant to create exciting and unexpected moments. However, even if this change were a well designed system, it might as well be non-existent if it weren’t felt.

And that's why we've decided to focus on not only creating stronger Oparts, but also more impactful Oparts. We are currently working to improve both value and distinctiveness of the effects, strengthen the feedback at the exact moment they trigger, and ensure distinct builds translate into distinct gameplay experiences. Ultimately, we want the moment you acquire an Oparts to feel less like a stat bump and more like the moment where you say, "Alright, this is the build for this run."

Performance

※ Development screen testing map data improvements for NPC pathfinding optimization

We're upgrading pathfinding and collision mechanics for smoother movement and stable performance, even when multiple NPCs are on screen at once.

We've received reports of framerate drops during situations where large numbers of enemies appear simultaneously. We are continuing to test and analyze various scenarios, narrowing down the issues one by one.

The moments you all found most enjoyable were the exact moments when enemies flooded the screen. Ironically, those were also the moments that caused the most severe performance issues.

And we came to a simple conclusion:

We love fun and would like to add more into our game. But, our priorities lie in creating a stable environment first so that you can actually enjoy that fun.

Therefore, our next build will be focusing on physics (collision handling) and NPC optimization. It may not look like the flashiest update, but is a necessary step for supporting even larger battles in the future.

[What We're Working On for the Next Build]

We’re continuing to strengthen the game's core systems. Here are some of the major features and improvements currently in development:

✨ Set Oparts & Character-Specific Oparts

To increase the impact and anticipation of Oparts, we are introducing set bonuses and character-specific Oparts.

Our goal is to create more moments where players discover combinations that create more “This is the combo!!” moments. During internal testing, these combinations have already produced plenty of excitement and a fair amount of shouting. We want builds to feel more distinct and make the process of completing them more satisfying and rewarding.

✨ Performance Optimization

Even the most exciting combat loses its impact when technical issues get in the way. Alongside new content development, we're continuously prioritizing improvements that make your gameplay experience smoother and more stable

✨ Dungeon Score & Dungeon Loop System

Steam post image

When playing roguelike games, there are times when your build is so perfect that you want to keep playing, but you’re getting close to the end. The Dungeon score and loop systems are designed to scratch that itch. Rather than having every run end at a fixed point, these systems will allow you to continue pushing your builds further, taking on greater risks in exchange for greater rewards.

✨ New Theme Content

The current demo version features two themes: Theme 0 and Theme 1. We are currently developing new themes and contents so players can enjoy more adventures in the future

We're still hard at work building Badassgard.

The feedback you provide becomes our meeting agendas, design decisions, and ultimately into actual code.

We still have a long way to go, but we believe we’re getting closer to a more enjoyable experience.

Please share any and all thoughts with us.

If you want more updates, join us on Discord.

Thanks for being part of our journey.

We'll be back soon with more detailed development updates.

The THECOVE Team