Repeated intro
What changed
0 fixes0 additions5 changes0 removals
- Server
- UI and audio
- Balance
changedThis week has been an absolute grind in the best way possible. I’ve been entirely focused on wrapping everything up toward a finalized version of The Ghost Protocol: Echoes of Steel . I’ve spent the last few days pushing hard on animations, Niagara VFX, visual polish, and a massive amount of UX improvements. The goal was to have a mostly finalized, run-ready version for testing by next week.
changedThe Mission 33 Reality CheckYesterday, after playing for hours just to reach the late game, a massive bug reared its head in Mission 33. When the level loaded, it spawned with absolutely no player-side actors on the field. The game immediately registered this as an instance loss. When it tried to automatically reload, it threw the game into a completely broken state—dumping me into the pre-mission screen with an empty roster and hard-locking the UI. There was no ability to leave, go back, or exit the game without forcing it closed.
changedThe Mission 33 Reality CheckI have already solved this specific issue, but taking that long journey just to discover a game-breaking bug was a serious wake-up call. As a solo developer with a very small core group of dedicated testers, it is becoming obvious that we simply cannot catch every single cascading error, progression break, or late-game balance issue on our own. I need to wide-test the late-game phases to ensure there aren't more hidden issues I haven't found yet.
changedThe Early Access QuestionTo be clear: this wouldn’t be a skeletal Alpha. The game would be feature-complete. The Early Access period would be strictly time-boxed (likely around 2 months) and dedicated entirely to community feedback, squashing game-breaking bugs like the one in Mission 33, and fine-tuning the tactical balance.
changedThe Early Access QuestionI’m building this game for us, so I want to be completely open about where things stand. I would love to hear your thoughts. Would you prefer a short, focused Early Access phase to help balance the final tactical experience, or are you firmly waiting for a 1.0 stamp?
The Ghost Protocol: Echoes of Steel changes
changedThis week has been an absolute grind in the best way possible. I’ve been entirely focused on wrapping everything up toward a finalized version of The Ghost Protocol: Echoes of Steel . I’ve spent the last few days pushing hard on animations, Niagara VFX, visual polish, and a massive amount of UX improvements. The goal was to have a mostly finalized, run-ready version for testing by next week.
changedYesterday, after playing for hours just to reach the late game, a massive bug reared its head in Mission 33. When the level loaded, it spawned with absolutely no player-side actors on the field. The game immediately registered this as an instance loss. When it tried to automatically reload, it threw the game into a completely broken state—dumping me into the pre-mission screen with an empty roster and hard-locking the UI. There was no ability to leave, go back, or exit the game without forcing it closed.
changedI have already solved this specific issue, but taking that long journey just to discover a game-breaking bug was a serious wake-up call. As a solo developer with a very small core group of dedicated testers, it is becoming obvious that we simply cannot catch every single cascading error, progression break, or late-game balance issue on our own. I need to wide-test the late-game phases to ensure there aren't more hidden issues I haven't found yet.
changedTo be clear: this wouldn’t be a skeletal Alpha. The game would be feature-complete. The Early Access period would be strictly time-boxed (likely around 2 months) and dedicated entirely to community feedback, squashing game-breaking bugs like the one in Mission 33, and fine-tuning the tactical balance.
changedI’m building this game for us, so I want to be completely open about where things stand. I would love to hear your thoughts. Would you prefer a short, focused Early Access phase to help balance the final tactical experience, or are you firmly waiting for a 1.0 stamp?
It’s time for the weekly dev update from 8an Studio.
This week has been an absolute grind in the best way possible. I’ve been entirely focused on wrapping everything up toward a finalized version of The Ghost Protocol: Echoes of Steel. I’ve spent the last few days pushing hard on animations, Niagara VFX, visual polish, and a massive amount of UX improvements. The goal was to have a mostly finalized, run-ready version for testing by next week.
But game development rarely goes exactly as planned, which leads me to a dilemma I want to share with you all.
The Mission 33 Reality Check
Yesterday, after playing for hours just to reach the late game, a massive bug reared its head in Mission 33. When the level loaded, it spawned with absolutely no player-side actors on the field. The game immediately registered this as an instance loss. When it tried to automatically reload, it threw the game into a completely broken state—dumping me into the pre-mission screen with an empty roster and hard-locking the UI. There was no ability to leave, go back, or exit the game without forcing it closed.
I have already solved this specific issue, but taking that long journey just to discover a game-breaking bug was a serious wake-up call. As a solo developer with a very small core group of dedicated testers, it is becoming obvious that we simply cannot catch every single cascading error, progression break, or late-game balance issue on our own. I need to wide-test the late-game phases to ensure there aren't more hidden issues I haven't found yet.
The Early Access Question
I have always been hesitant about Steam Early Access. I know the stigma—nobody wants to buy a game that stays in development forever. I want to hand you a complete, finished experience this summer.
However, to ensure the late-game levels and mechanics are actually balanced and bug-free, I need a volume of playtesting that I just don't currently have.
Because of this, I am seriously contemplating shifting our summer 1.0 launch to a short, highly-focused Early Access release instead.
To be clear: this wouldn’t be a skeletal Alpha. The game would be feature-complete. The Early Access period would be strictly time-boxed (likely around 2 months) and dedicated entirely to community feedback, squashing game-breaking bugs like the one in Mission 33, and fine-tuning the tactical balance.
I’m building this game for us, so I want to be completely open about where things stand. I would love to hear your thoughts. Would you prefer a short, focused Early Access phase to help balance the final tactical experience, or are you firmly waiting for a 1.0 stamp?
Thanks for sticking with me on this journey. More updates coming soon.
— Nir, the whole of 8an Studio :)
