Hey guys!

Expect the next Pure Onyx release tomorrow night!  There will also be a XXXIV update early next month -- we're making headway in quite a few areas there :D.

As for the PO release, the two major features we're adding are traps/environment-based damage, and with some luck the first iteration of the dodge ability for Onyx.  

We have a lot of new character artwork progress to go over this month!  Demonu has completed the Splicer FK-Doll sculpt, and Kame has started on the futa variant.  Kame has also made a lot of progress on the police boss sculpt that was originally started by Limbo a while back.  In addition, we have animation concepts from Limbo for the police boss, as well as new equipment concepts for Malise :D. 

Check it all out below!

Topics for this Update!

• August Release Details
• Splicer FK-Doll Sculpt Complete!
• Splicer DK-Doll (Futa) WIP
• Malise Equipment Designs
• Police Boss Sculpt Progress
• Police Boss Battle and Animation Concepts
• Trap Framework
• Dodging + Controls Update

August Release Details

Tentative Changelog (** indicates items added or being added since the August 24 Inner Circle test release):

H Scenes

• ** Fixed issue where enabling H content on Red-Light stage during an enemy encounter would cause the background H scenes to try to gather bystanders, sometimes calling enemies from across the map and soft locking the game.
• Added SFW StruggleIntro/Loop for Onyx's Vioreaper scenes so that it is compatible with adult content filter (when H content is turned off)
• Reaching max exhaustion no longer instantly ends grappling -- it simply disables escape input.  This allows for ensuing animations to be viewed and prevents continuity issues with animations.

Combat

• ** The player can now Dodge by holding left/right direction + pressing Shift (keyboard) / R1 (controller)

Stage

• Added framework for traps, attacks from non-actor sources, and damage over time attacks
• Added explosive barrels and ground fire environment hazard
• Added pyrotechnic traps to the Red-Light test stage
• Explosive barrels can now spawn during wave survival events.

Enemies

• Expanded attacks and friendly fire backend system to accommodate traps and environmental damage.
• Increased delay for standard enemies to be able to use H attacks again after an H scene ends to 5 seconds.
• Fixed enemy knockdown/ground hit animations being smoothed unintentionally. Result is the intended jolt / floor bounce.
• Crawler and Larva combat animations are much less stiff now (removed overly aggressive crossfading)
• Fixed a major issue that would occur when Larva/Crawlers were killed by anything other than Onyx

Performance / Optimization

• Knocked almost 13% off the disk size of the game
• Splicer Looter now properly uses performance (LOD) rig during combat.  Performance boost while he is onscreen.

UI

• Fixed Skip message during grappling when H content is disabled so that it is SFW

Splicer FK-Doll Sculpt Complete!

Demonu has finished up the Splicer FK-Doll sculpt!  

For this iteration, he completed the boots, gloves, jacket, and armpads, as well as added details to the bikini and hat.  He also remodeled sections of the hair, especially the back.  

Next he'll be working on the futa variant!

Splicer DK-Doll (Futa) WIP

Here's an early preview of the futa variant of the Splicer female design!  This design will feature a bodysuit and different heels, at the least.  The colors are currently placeholders.  

If possible, I'd like to make Oh Long Johnson here flop around with physics to a greater degree as the bodysuit becomes torn from combat.  

As with the bunny girl enemy, this version can be disabled via the content filter in Options.  

Malise Equipment Designs

AltairPL has been working primarily on requirements and early setup of the visual equipment system this month.  We must consider a lot of things that most games don't have to :D.  With this in mind, I kickstarted Limbo on getting Malise's potential equipment designs ready so that we can scope out problem areas early.  We'll likely move onto Neon after Limbo completes the final set.

Check out the sheets for each set above in full resolution!

Police Boss Sculpt Progress

Kame has picked up where Limbo left off on the Police Boss sculpt a long while back!  This character was very advanced for us at the time and sort of fell by the wayside with everything else going on.  

Kame has gotten a lot of experience with hard surface sculpting, so he's gone over all of Limbo's old work and cleaned it up + finished most of the remaining components.  Expect a final version next month!  

Police Boss Combat Animation Concepts

Here's a girthy set of combat animation concepts from Limbo for the police boss!   

Next month we'll go into more detail about the arena design and unique features of the boss battle.  You can deduce some of them if you look at these closely enough, but it's something else seeing them in action :D.

Trap Framework

A large effort this month has been adding the framework for traps and environment-based damage.  The attack system has been expanded to allow for attacks from non-characters, damage-over-time, and a lot of kinks have been worked out for enemy agro, friendly fire, and how enemies respond to environment / trap based attacks.

We focused on two examples.  The first is the explosive barrel.  This is, at least for now, generally more of a boon to the player as only Onyx is able to trigger its detonation.  Upon being damaged, the barrel begins a pre-detonation timer, after which it explodes, hitting anyone (including enemies) nearby.  Afterward, damaging fire persists on the ground for a time.  This can be used to help take out packs of enemies.

The second trap we've added is a pyrotechnic trap in the Red-Light test stage.  We're working on two versions of this.  One triggers on Onyx's proximity, while the other is timed.  

Just in these two examples we've knocked out a significant portion of the code needed for most traps planned for the game :D!  

Dodging + Controls Update

With the implementation of traps and environment-based damage, we're hoping to have the first version of Dodge added by the end of the month!  

One possible limitation of this iteration is based on whether we can cleanly update input processing during stun states by the end of the month.  Translation: you'll be able to dodge out of the "Hit" pose, but maybe not by the end of the month.  

Here's a list for Dodge's requirements:

• "Dodge" button defaults are Shift on keyboard, right bumper (R1) on controller
• Input for Dodge is "Hold left/right and press Dodge button".  This will expand to up to 8 directions later.
• Dodge inverts the player's look direction (keeps player focused on attackers, especially important once we add ranged weapons)
• Dodge has a stamina cost and i-frames during part of the animation.
• Can dodge out of Hit state and immediately cancel outgoing attacks.
• Player passes through enemies during Dodge.
• Some grabs and major attacks can connect with player even during Dodge.
• Cannot dodge out of standing up or knockdown, or another dodge.  

I spent a few days doing another pass on what the final control layout will look like, including on elements we haven't added yet such as temporary weapons (melee and ranged), and potential additional player characters.  One of the breakthroughs there was to merge Defend with Dodge, as it opens up a lot of room for improvements. We're looking at the following:

• Move Defend to "Dodge" key. Enters block when on ground while no direction input is given when key is pressed/held.
• Tapping directional input while defending will either dodge in that direction or change facing direction while defending (haven't decided yet).
• Move Interact / Pick Up to the old "Defend" key (Circle - PS, B - Xbox, C - Keyboard)
• Move Stomp to old Interact key (R2 on controller, maybe change to D instead of F on keyboard)

These changes may not all be implemented by the end of the month!  I'll be sure to list the ones that do make it in the changelog.