Important Demo Availability News! + Updates 125 to 135 Summary

Hello Cry of Athena players, some very important announcements!

First, regarding the availability of the demo and the other being the full list of updates between Build 125 released on October 15th up to Build 136 released October 25th!

We hadn't had time to create the update log until now. After these, is a developer log so you know what's going on behind the scenes and what's next.

Important Demo Information: Demo Availability

The demo for CoA was originally intended to only be available for Steam Next Fest between October 9th to October 16th but we decided to extend the availability to allow players to try it for the first time after the game was more widely publicized by content creators. The demo will be available for a little while longer, but, as was planned, will be made unavailable. The current demo is a huge portion of the actual game, a smaller demo may eventually take its place.

To give some context, the demo is currently the entire game because we didn't have time to cut it down. This means that we are currently letting players play a big chunk of the initial full release state of the game for free. While it was a great way for players to get to know the potential of the game, it is of course is more content than we intended for a free demo. A smaller version of the demo may or may not be created to replace this large demo, you can follow news about that in the Discord.

Although this was what was planned since we before releasing the demo, we would like to apologize if it comes as surprise to some of you who may have thought it would be around forever. There is an option for players who want to keep playing and are willing to assist us with a part of development: If you enjoy the game and want to become a tester to help with the game's development, head to our Discord for more information! Also if you are a content creator or just like regularly posting gameplay videos to Youtube, go into the Discord and message "Kami", the lead developer.

Becoming a Tester

To become a tester, you'll need to do a few things:

1. Join the Cry of Athena Discord and head to the signup instructions channel linked directly here: Cry of Athena Official Discord

2. Fill out an application form found there.

3. Follow the instructions to send in sample footage.

Tester Requirements:

• Build is currently PCVR or PC only. You should have an Valve Index, Vive, or Oculus/Meta device with a PC to link to or a game ready PC for non-VR. Other headset compatibility coming.

• You should be willing to and able to record gameplay. As a tester, your primary goal is to play the game and capture your gameplay.

• Be 13+ years old, be respectful regardless of age.

Now For The Last Two Weeks of Updates: Builds 125 to 135

We've worked hard recently to fix crashes, bugs, implement suggestions and more content with the help of the community. Over 10 updates were added since the demo released.

CoA Build 133-136 summary:

• Significant performance improvements:

• Great hammer now applies force using velocity of hammer combined with a force pushing away from the player to launch enemies

• Much more optimized blood particles

• Prevent shader overdraw due to overlapping transparencies in blood decals

• Blood spill only occurs at higher Effects settings

• Character optimizations

• Much more optimized fire explosions

• RemovedOptimized muzzle flash from charactersremoved light emitter for now and extra effects

• Grenade trails optimized (was causing shader overdraws)

• Grenade explosions optimized

• Ranged units: more crouching, strafing movement, and less blindly running into enemies

• Zombies move closer during combat

• Fixed attached lasers not pointing forward

• Added Balloon Gun to spawn menu

• Added Tartarus Music

• Zombies don't stunlock themselves when attacking

• Decreased Size of Blood Decals

• Fixed issue of Effects graphic setting being hidden

• Fixed certain objects falling really slowly (like the explosive barrel)

• Fixed weapons not doing correct damage for non-VR player character

CoA Build 132-133 summary:

• Tartarus level added

• Performance optimizations

• Rival Forts level added

• Night Holdout level added

• Fortified Factory level added

• Fixed tool guns (physics gun, grappling gun, balloon gun) not working

• Non-VR Player Character can carry infinite grenades

• Non-VR Player Character can now prime and cook grenades

CoA Build 131 summary:

• Burning animation for human units when set on fire added

• Max Dead Bodies menu setting added to General Settings

• Fly Mode MG gun damage fixed and increased substantially

• Ability to hide controls hint/text for flatscreen via General Settings

• Prevent grenade launcher projectiles blowing up if too close to unit/player firing (proximity safety feature)

• Fixed Colt 1911 wrong rotation on human units

CoA Builds 125-130 summary:

• Fixed rendering problem causing significant FPS drops in VR

• FixedGreek CavalryFixed running in circles

• Fixed Cavalry Not Damaging Other Units

• Fixed radiomen calling in strikes when AI off or when dead

• Melee units relax in animation if no enemies

• Fixed Ranged Units not moving to waypoints if no enemies

• Ranged units crouch at times especially at longer distances from enemies

• Fixed ranged units not stopping movement if on Hold command at times

• VR extreme jump height fixed

• Local multiplayer button added for VR

• Fixed minigun/MG turret keep firing when they aren't supposed to

• Fixed muskets perfect accuracy

• Fixed Necromancer (Demolitions) not spawning Bombers

• Fixed crash errors pertaining to "APEX" plugin

• Ability to hide HUD in flatscreen added in Settings

• Fixed delete tool not deleting units in VR

• How To Play videos progress bar

• Various adjustments and fixes

Dev Log:

We'd been working on the game non-stop since over a month ago in preparation for Steam Next Fest so while there have been significant updates, we've had to take some time to recover - if we had more energy there would have been more! During the demo, we able were able to fix bugs, crashes, improve performance significantly, unit/weapon imbalances, and add new content with the help and feedback of the community. It has been incredibly hard work but it has been worth it with thousands of people played the game and several dozen play concurrently as we speak. On top of that, a Youtuber called Downloadable Content played the game and gave it a huge boost as well! We're committed to making the game into the best it can possibly be, if you'd like to be involved come join us in the process! Become a tester if you would like to continue playing the game while also being a massive help to us as we prepare for release.

Our next biggest goals are:

• Optimization

• Finishing the first version of our Modkit/SDK (first available function is adding custom characters)

• In-game unit creator

• Unit/weapon rebalancing (AI were remade from scratch recently and most damage values were made with the old AI in mind)

• Premade Buildings + Custom Building Creator

Feel free to ask questions here or in the Discord, until next time.