Mission & Progression Rework

We’re back with an update introducing changes we’re very excited about. As we mentioned in our earlier posts, we weren’t fully satisfied with the structure of the game’s core loop and progression since launch. Thanks to your valuable feedback, we were able to come together and get to work, which we’ve been doing for the past week. During this time, we crafted a plan to improve the overall gameplay experience and make the game even more F.U.N.! We’re thrilled to present the update we’ve dubbed “Mission Rework.” I know, I know... it’s a very exciting name!

In this overhaul, we’ve rethought some fundamental mechanics. We’ve removed several random elements, such as how missions and mission types appeared without a clear structure. This randomness felt unintuitive and didn’t contribute well to the sense of progression. Additionally, the UI previously looked too basic and simple, so we’ve added a large map to make it feel more epic and engaging (and if you’re curious, take a guess at the city that inspired it and share on Discord!).

Mission Core Loop Overhaul & Progression

We’ve also restructured the core loop and progression in missions. Bosses are now organized into specific districts, which you can unlock one by one by raising your Reputation Rank. The main focus in each area is to find and defeat the boss, which you can access by collecting a Keycard in normal missions. This Keycard then allows you to accept and tackle the boss mission. We’ve also ensured that all mission types are now accessible at any time, so players can choose whichever type suits their strategy or mood.

New Mission Types

Two new mission types are now available to add more variety and depth to gameplay. The first is Sabotage, where you must locate and destroy a specific structure. The second is Holdout, in which you’re tasked with defending a structure for a set amount of time. We’ve retired the Delivery Mission, but added Extraction Missions. In these missions, you’ll need to locate special mission items in the level, which are automatically used upon return to successfully complete the mission. This functions similarly to how Shell Blueprints work.

New Level Environment & Environment Progression

We’ve introduced a new environment, Drain Tunnels, which follows a sewer theme. It includes an experimental mechanic with levels that feature both high and low areas, allowing you to use slopes to dodge projectiles. This setup makes the levels visually more interesting and adds more gameplay depth. We’re eager for player feedback to decide if we should continue creating levels with this mechanic or if we should reconsider. To enhance progression, each district and mission type now has a fixed environment. This is shown in the Mission Mail, making progression clearer and more rewarding. For example, if you want to explore the Velvet Lair with its underground club atmosphere, you’ll need to unlock the preceding districts.

Reward System Adjusted

We’ve also refined the reward system to make mission rewards feel less random. Previously, some missions would give fantastic rewards, while others offered very little. Now, rewards are balanced to better match the mission type and effort involved. To further enrich gameplay, we’ve added new mission-related items like extraction items and boss Keycards.

Save Game Wipe

Due to the scale of these changes, a Save Game Wipe is necessary. While we know it’s disappointing, this will allow us to deliver a reimagined New Player Experience and prevent potential bugs that could arise from the rework’s complexity.

Miscellaneous

Finally, and fitting for this major overhaul, we’ve refreshed the soundtrack with the help of our very talented friend and musician, Jan, adding new background music and replacing older tracks to match the new vibe of the missions.

That’s all for today! We’re super excited to hear your thoughts on these changes. As always, feel free to join our Discord for feedback!

Best regards and stay safe, The Shell Runner Team