Depth: Friends & Family RSS Feed

Depth Beta: Release 7 Notes

BabyCat — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 07:43:07 +0000

Depth Beta Update: Communications

Communications between players have gotten a big bump over the last fortnight, and the new map Cove has received significant work to visuals and balance.

Steam Voice

Team-based Steam VOIP support has been finished, with Push-to-talk functionality the default mode.

Quick Chat

Depth now has a quick-chat system. Holding down the V key (by default) will give you an array of team-sensitive chat options in a wheel. A single click sends the message. There's also a global quick-chat wheel available with the B key.

Changelog:

This includes the major changes since the last update (minor bugfixes and changes are not included)

Mechanics

Fix for Magnet DPV sucking up thrown treasure bags immediately.
Improved Peripherals and Hydroacoustics evolutions have been combined.
Seasoned Man Hunter evolution is now called Electroreception, and also shows divers using the DPV.
Fixed treasure bags sometimes getting stuck in Steve and not cashed in.
Ignore Pain evolution renamed to Adrenal Glands.

Balance

Divers can now hold a maximum of 20 pieces of treasure.
Coagulation health regeneration from 3 to 4.
Hammerhead cost from 4 to 3.
Powerful Tail cost from 2 to 3.
Blindside cost from 5 to 4.
Double Time cost from 3 to 2.
Consumables no longer drop on death.

Remade game loading splash screen.
Initial version of Basic Concepts added to the Learn menu.
Quick Chat system added in-game.

Maps

Cove: Added route lighting and foliage to key areas. Lighting re-done.
Cove: Lots of breakable work, balancing of ammo placement and treasure.
Antiguo: Lots of collision and lighting work.
Spline cameras added to maps for display before game start.

Content

Fixed some animation issues with quick weapon switching and reloading.
Integrated new skin for the Net Gun.
Weapon impact effects improved.
Improvements to STEVE's post processing.

Steam

Steam VOIP support added.
Full Steam screenshots support added.

Other

Pre-requisits don't try to re-install after successfully running.
This news feed system improved.

We have a website... and a trailer!

BabyCat — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 05:34:46 +0000

Hey friends! We're excited to announce the launch of our website and release of our reveal trailer 'Blood & Gold'. As well, we'll be playtesting this weekend so stay tuned for patch notes and event times.

Depth Website[www.depthgame.com]
Depth Trailer: Blood & Gold

Depth Beta: 16/08/2014 Release Notes

BabyCat — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 02:55:52 +0000

Introducing Antiguo:

Antiguo is a brand new map for this weeks playtest. Featuring dark tunnels and a sunken temple things are bound to get messy within the ruins of this Aztec outpost perched on a hill.

Major Changes:

We've made a number of changes this last week, here's a quick highlight from the change log below.

In Diver Gear we've removed the 'Tagging Net Gun' and added a new ADS variant; The ADS-Tranq which fires tranquillizing rounds subduing sharks by lowering their stamina with every bullet hit. There have been a number of changes to prices in the shop, most notably the spear pistol which can now be purchased with your starting cash of $800.

For the sharks we've adjusted a number of evolution costs and added a new effect to Razor Fins; in addition to destroying sonar buoys, Razor Fins now causes the shark to do AoE damage at point blank range while thrashing prey.

Changelog:

This includes the major changes during the last week (minor bugfixes and changes are not included)

Mechanics

Shark
- Sharks no longer see seals while at 100% HP
- Changed Razor Fins: In addition to destroying Sonar Buoys this evolution now causes the shark to do AoE damage at a point blank range while thrashing prey
- Fixed Ignore pain stopping 'Hangry' and 'Blood Rage'
- Fixed sharks not taking damage from mines while in combat

Diver
- Added damage fall-off to the: P-11, SPP-1, Spear Pistol, and all variants. Damage Fall-off begins at 5000 units and reduces linearly to a minimum of 10% damage at 10,000 units
- Added 'Buy Back' to the diver shop. Before respawning any weapon sold by mistake can be bought back at the price for which it was sold
- Fixed issues with the Bangstick not registering hits

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Balance

Shark

Evolution Costs:
Seasoned Man Hunter: 2 -> 1
Powerful tail: 1 -> 2
Minesweeper: 4 -> 3
Hemogenesis: 4 -> 3
Blindside: 6 -> 5
Ignore Pain: 4 -> 6

- Maximum damage per thrash lowered from 25 to 20
- Increased ram damage to STEVE from 10 to 15

Diver

Gear Changes:
- Added ADS Tranq Rifle
- Removed Tagging net gun

Price changes:
SPP-1: 600 -> 500
P-11: 700 -> 600
Spear Pistol: 1200 -> 800
Twin SPP-1: 1200 -> 1000
Twin P-11: 1400 -> 1200
Twin Spear Pistol: 2400 -> 1600
APS: 2200 -> 2000
ADS: 3300 -> 3000

Gear Tuning:
- Increased ADS damage from 22 to 25
- Increased APS damage from 25 to 30
- Added a 300sec lifetime to Sonar Buoys

Misc

- Re-balance of Bank Roller awards from: Collect 18%/35%/50% of loose treasure in the map -> 15%/30%/45%
- Seal HP decreased by 50%

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Art

- Dead bodies can now be pushed around
- New Blood Effects (WIP)
- Added HUD Hints while viewing scoreboard (WIP)
- Integrated final icons for Steve/Cage spawn point buttons
- Added 'News' menu, pointing to placeholder content

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Sound

- Added Sound for 'Shark Death'
- Added Variation for 'Shark Grabs Diver'
- Added New Sound for Sensor when fired
- Reduced Music SoundCue level to offset the UI slider controls. Music was too loud
- Shark Movement changed for a constant movement sound from the shark when swimming
- Reduced level and frequency content of 'Breather Heard By Shark'
- Reduced volume and increased Low Pass Filter on SharkTail kick sounds.
- Changed 'Shark Move Kick' Interval from .5 to .3 seconds to better match swimming animation

Depth Beta Update: New Evolutions & Sounds

BabyCat — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 04:31:21 +0000

Reminder: Playtest will begin 30 minutes after this post and will run for two hours.

New Evolutions

We've added four shiny new Shark Evolutions, and re-worked Blindside to be more skill-based.

Blindside now allows you to curve your lunges, and you can choose the direction of the curve with your strafe keys - which is sure to see savvy Shark players lunging around corners and into divers that thought they were safe.

Hydroacoustics is a new evolution to boost your sonar senses as a shark - making the pulse more regular.

Ignore Pain will shield you from incoming damage by burning through your stamina rather than your health. Stay wary of divers though - losing your stamina can make it hard to escape!

Fueled Anger gives you stamina when you take damage, giving you more options in the head of battle.

And lastly the new Razor Fins evolution allows you to destroy sonar buoys without lunging - a mere touch will disintegrate them.

Improvements To Sounds

Lots of changes to sound levels have gone in, along with a bunch of new sounds. Important sounds should be clearer now.

Changelog

This includes the major changes during the last fortnight (minor bugfixes and changes are not included).

Mechanics:

Blindside evolution re-worked. Now allows you to swerve your lunge in a choosable side direction.
Brand new Hydroacoustics evolution to improve the sonar pings.
Brand new Ignore Pain evolution. While the shark has stamina incoming damage will only reduce stamina.
Brand new Fueled Anger evolution. Damage taken by the shark only makes it more dangerous increasing its stamina.
Brand new Razor Fins evolution. The sharks fins destroy sonar buoys on contact.

Balance:

Sharks now gain health from seals 'Blood Feast' style, rather than instantly.
Spawn protection is no longer removed on firing of the DPV.
Changed Sensor to cost 200.
Balanced Bank Roller awards from 10%/20%/30% of level gold to 18%/35%/50%.
Changed Seasoned Man Hunter cost to 2 from 3.
Hammerhead now disables Steve for longer (5s without, 10s with).
Medium shark bots now lunge but don't use path avoidance.
Increased Harpoon damage to 300 from 200.
Increased Speargun damage to 210 from 200.
Increased ADS damage to 25 from 22.
Increased APS damage to 30 from 25.

UI:

Steam Avatars now apply more consistently.
You can now deselect a Shark Evolution that you've just clicked by mistake.
Final art for Steam Lobby team buttons, diver spawn point selection buttons.
Fixes to shark evo points not being earned, and being displayed incorrectly.
Fixes to chat messages being cut off in display.
Fixed Improved Peripheral showing divers that were being thrashed.
Learn menu now has a section on the Depth maps.
Added a hint (like Improved Peripherals) to divers for Steve.
Menus now tell you when Steam Auth fails, when Matchmaking is unavailable, and when your version of Depth is out-of-date.
Fixed mashing the respawn button making you auto-respawn on your next death.
Fixes to calculating what you can afford in the diver spawn menu.
Fixes to the round-end XP increase display.

Sound:

Lots of sound variations added.
Weapon, diver breathing, shark swimming, ambient and shark impact sounds levels all reworked.
Divers no longer hear other divers breathing.

Maps:

Lots of improvements to Fractured, including doorway reworking to improve collision.
Olmec has lots of new breakables, including windows that are 1-hit destructible by sharks.

Other:

Fixed the FOV not changing while sprint / lunging as the shark.
Improvements and fixes to matchmaking.
Last Inventory bind no longer swaps you to unusable weapons.
Cash Earned and Cash Picked Up stats now count treasure bags correctly.
You can't get the Kill Joy award from suiciding anymore.
Last Man Standing is now a separate award that comes up when all your teammates are dead.
Changed the old Last Man Standing awards to Genocide awards.
Thrashing animations improved for the diver.

Reminder: Playtest Tomorrow on new Steam App

BabyCat — Thu, 07 Aug 2014 01:24:28 +0000

Hey guys! Just a heads up that tomorrow's playtest will be on our new 'Depth Beta' steam app. If you don't have a key for the new app yet feel free to message me and I'll help get you setup.

(More details on tomorrow's playtest)

Cheers,
Will

And we're live!

bobycot — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 05:15:54 +0000

The first Friends & Family alpha test is officially underway! We just restarted matchmaking and are now on Rev6255, you can check this ingame in the bottom right hand corner. If you're on an older build restarting steam should grab the update for you. Hope to see you all in game!

Hey friends from GotLAN

bobycot — Sat, 05 Jul 2014 08:34:12 +0000

Thanks so much for testing yesterday! If you know someone who played yesterday please send them an invite to this group so we can keep you all up to date on when we'll be playtesting.