Wasteland Outpost at Next Fest

Wasteland Outpost at Next Fest – Thank You for Being With Us!

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Hello everyone!

This is a big moment for us: for the first time, we're showing Wasteland Outpost to a wider audience with a public demo on Steam Next Fest. Honestly, it's both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. Thank you to everyone who's already jumped in, tried the game, and shared their thoughts.

For those just discovering the game: it's a top-down PvP shooter where teams build bases, craft weapons, and try to destroy each other. Matches last 30-40 minutes – no hours-long grinding, just tactics and teamwork.

What We're Seeing From Early Feedback

We're reading everything you post in discussions and on our Discord. It's already clear what needs work first. We're not hiding anything or sugarcoating it – here's what's in focus right now.

Sniper Rifle Balance Right now, sniper rifles can kill in one or two hits from almost any distance, and that creates imbalance. It's especially noticeable early in matches when players don't have decent armor yet. We've already started reworking damage, fire rate, and scope zoom. The goal is to make them effective at long range but useless up close, so opponents have a chance to fight back.

Sound Effects The audio is still in a rough state, and we know it. Gunshots sound flat, footsteps aren't always readable, explosions lack impact. We're working with new samples and dialing in the right mix. We plan to completely overhaul the sound design: add depth, echo in open spaces, and make weapons sound punchier and more satisfying.

Bot Behavior Bots in the current version often act illogically. They might freeze in place, ignore players, or get stuck in geometry. We're rewriting their logic so they at least vaguely resemble real opponents: take cover, react to gunfire, and stay out of the way at key moments. It's a big job, but critically important.

What's Coming Soon

Alongside fixing current issues, we're building new features. Here's what's already in development and will be added soon.

Ping System Right now, you can only communicate with teammates through text, which isn't always practical in the heat of battle. We're building a full ping system: you'll be able to mark targets, resources, danger zones, and attack directions. Pings will be visible to all teammates on screen and on the minimap. Bots will also learn to interact with pings – they'll respond to markers and move to designated spots. And the watchtower will get an auto-alert function: if enemies enter its radius, it will place a ping on the map and sound an alarm.

New Items Three new items are in development to expand tactical options:

• Tactical Shield – lets you protect teammates during assaults or retreats. Bullets will ricochet off it, but it's not indestructible and will degrade over time.

• Smoke Grenade – creates a smoke screen that blocks vision for everyone. Use it to cover a retreat or sneak up on the enemy base.

• Binoculars – scout enemy positions from a safe distance and mark targets for your team.

Bug Fixing We strongly encourage everyone playing the demo to join our Discord and report any bugs you find. The more detailed the description – and if possible, video – the faster we can track down the cause and fix it. We're collecting everything: from visual glitches to critical crashes. Every bug report brings us closer to a stable release.

What's Coming in Early Access

The demo is just the beginning. We already have a clear vision for the full game and we're steadily moving toward it.

Ranked Mode We have the foundation for a ranked system on dedicated servers ready. It works in a rough state, but we deliberately left it out of the demo to focus on balance and core mechanics first. Early Access will bring a full ranked mode with matchmaking, skill-based player matching, and possibly leaderboards. Servers will be dedicated to minimize lag and cheating.

In-Game Currency Right now, there's no way to earn currency in the demo. In Early Access, we'll introduce an in-game economy: you'll earn currency from matches, wins, and challenges, and spend it on cosmetic items. No gameplay impact – just visual flair.

Cosmetics Early Access will let you customize your character's appearance, paint weapons, and decorate buildings. We want players to stand out and show off their style. Skins will be unlocked through currency, achievements, or special events.

New Maps The demo's four maps are just a taste of the world. In Early Access, we plan to add at least three new locations with different terrain, lighting conditions, and key capture points. Each map will demand its own tactics.

What's Further Down the Road

Beyond Early Access, we have bigger plans we're eager to realize. It's too early to promise dates, but the direction is clear.

New Game Modes Classic team vs. team is the foundation, but we want more. Next on the list: a mode where three or more teams face off on one large map. This will require rebalancing and create a whole new dynamic.

Clans and Global Map Warfare In the ideal version of the game, we envision a clan system and an ongoing war between clans for control of a global map. So every match matters not just in the moment, but affects your clan's standing in the overall rankings. It's a big, complex goal – but we're working toward it.

Thanks Again

Thank you for playing the demo, writing feedback, and just following the project. For our small team, this means the world. Join our Discord, discuss, complain, suggest – we're reading it all.

See you in the wasteland!

Tarakan Game Studio