Subverse News

Hey Subverse Fans,

We're hard at work chipping away at the monstrous 1.0 update slated for release later this year! As mentioned in previous diaries there's a lot of moving parts to this beast, and testing/iteration will consume us for the foreseeable future.

Having said that, adjustments to the game that CAN be pushed out before 1.0 such as small technical patches are definitely on our radar. We want to keep most of the juicy stuff for 1.0 but things like cloud saves and accessibility improvements are eligible for this criteria. We’ll keep in communication about the changes and when they are coming.

We’ve also been going through your feedback in Discord and applying them whenever we can to the 1.0 framework.

• We understand the early game is a bit problematic with too many systems opening up too early, and only a handful of waifus available to explore them. We want to address this by gating the systems better and the Planet Events revamp should also alleviate this.
  

• We know it was frustrating to level the waifus, but as soon as we knew that the revamped progression was going to be a thing we streamlined the xp gains. It will be much easier to level multiple waifus to max devotion in the final release
  

• Some of the boss fights are janky, we’ll be looking into them in the final release
  

• Some of the SHMUP waves are too long, we’ll be reducing them appropriately throughout the game to lessen the grind.
  

• Overall the experience grind is a bit too brutal, even for a 30+ hour RPG so the revamped progression should make things more palatable.
  

• As mentioned before the waifus like Taron and Ela will be brought into line with the expected amount of Pandora content.
  

• Additional rewards are being implemented and tested as we speak. The goal is to have something to obtain each and every devotion level. If you ding then you should be rewarded, whether that be with a pinup, a new animated scene or a new audiotape.
  

• The UI and accessibility will also receive some attention.
  

These are just some of the things we are improving, you can look forward to a more detailed analysis and overview of what’s changing in the future. We’ll be adjusting and improving the game right up until release, and there will be a few surprises in there too!



Notes from Tibor:

The developers, designers, testers, and all our colleagues are busy with finishing the game. So if that is OK, please put up with me this month to receive some updates from the technical side of things.

Firstly, more than ever, thank you for your interest in our game. Only your support and interest in Subverse allow us to keep working on this game. We fully understand the team owes a lot to your patience. Step by step, brick by brick we are building the last pieces of the game and moving closer to coming out of Early Access with version 1.0.

By carefully analyzing the feedback it’s clear this game creates a frustrating experience for some of you in its current state. We understand the shortcomings and are working hard to rectify them. The aim is to eventually win you over. In terms of content, gameplay, and quality we will make noticeable improvements between now and the 1.0 release.

From July 2024 we will move into a more frequent internal release cycle. There will be new builds and patches to make sure the game is more stable, loads better, implements Studio69, addresses cloud saves, and streamlines the progression systems. A number of these internal releases might end up in the public domain. In that case your feedback as always will be very much appreciated.
In case you do decide to buy the game now during the early access period, your help is very much appreciated. All money goes into the development process for the 1.0 version. Every purchase pays for an extra development hour. Thank you and take care until the next update!

Thanks for reading!




See you next month!

Bis bald,
Till Eulenspiegel

Hello all,

Development on 1.0 continues to roll along. I know a lot of you have been asking about the release date, and while we don't have an exact date yet our team is confident of hitting a Q4 2024 release. Rest assured once we complete the quality assurance process we will communicate the exact dates to you guys.

As you all know we are a tiny development team so please bear with us as we try to bring this mammoth project to completion. Even with all the streamlining of the exploration and less grinding it will still most likely clock in as a 30+ hour RPG so a lot of polish and testing is required in these final phases.

Our plan for 1.0 is to provide a complete baseline experience with all the main storyline, devotion quests (including movies), collectibles and systems functioning as a cohesive experience. Post-launch (1.1) we plan to keep supporting the game by providing activities after the credits roll, such as introducing the fourth-wall breaking Fow-Chan waifu.

Without further ado, here's a overview video from the Hentai Expo 2024 of some of the content planning to ship in 1.0
Thank you for your support, and next month we'll talk some more about revamp features.

Subverse May 2024 Trailer Part 1

Subverse May 2024 Trailer Part 2

See you next month!

Bis bald,
Till Eulenspiegel

Dear Subverse and StudioFOW Fans,

We’re continuing development on version 1.0 of the game across all areas. Next month we will have some information to share about the projected release date. Exciting times!

Meanwhile we’re reaching into the mailbag to pull out some of your anticipated questions.

Q: Will there be any action for our best pal Dallick?
A: At the moment, we have no plans for a Dallick-specific sex scene. Let's wrap up everything due for the Captain, first!

Q: After the release of Subverse 1.0, do you have any plans to expand the game with DLC (like new Pandora or cosmetics)?
A: We definitely have ideas floating around for cosmetic-specific DLC, but actual development depends on if it's financially feasible. Hopefully, Subverse 1.0 will have enough sales that we can continue development on the game!

Q: What are the current plans for the merch store, can we expect to be able to buy fow and subverse merch this year? Will you ever sell figurines of the subverse waifus and any future costom IP characters?
A: We are presently very inexperienced in the world of merchandising. We'd like to offer some wearable designs in the future, but there aren't plans for figurines just yet. We want to start with the basics before we jump into something as complex as a sculpted figure!

Q: Are we gonna have a module to see DEMI's nips in their full glory in future updates?
A: Nipples? What nipples?

Q: Will there be waifu related DLC like Devotion quests? Can we expect to see a sequel to the game? Will you be doing any movies with the characters from Subverse?
A: We love the Mary Celeste crew, and we still want to create more sexy and fun scenarios with our IP! But this all depends on if we have the funds to keep the lights on after version 1.0 releases!

Q: Are there any plans for challenge modes for ground and space combat, like infinite waves of enemies for example?
A: Yes, if there's time, we'd like to include a challenge mode like this.

Q: Any plans for collabs with other lewd/R34/Hentai adjacent entities?
A: We've just been so swamped with the chaos of trying to finish the game, it's sort of given us tunnel vision, but we'd certainly love the opportunity. We had a lot of fun working with Butcha-u on the Subverse manga, and hope we can collab with more lewd creatives, as well! We actually have a goal on our Throne page currently for more content of this nature.


[h2]ANIMATION[/h2]
[h3]Moneyshot[/h3]
Remember that not all of us is an alien race capable of getting intoxicated without consequences.

If you are prone to negative side effects of alcohol or drugs, steer away. If not, PARTY ON!

Had a lovely time animating this cinematic with Sova, voiced by our queen, Samantha Flowers. It’s rare that two become one, but it happened, and it was beautiful.



[h3]Manski[/h3]
More cinematics, more spoilers I can’t talk about. As I animate this one in particular aboard Mary Celeste’s bridge, I gotta wonder, who’s leaving all this fucking trash all over the place? No way Demi’s this sloppy.



[h3]Massimo Decimo Meridio[/h3]
This was a very challenging month! Working on two different cinematics and switching into Grid combats to polish some content, I, once again, improved my skills in switching contexts! The cinematic I’m currently performing is without any doubt one of my favorite ones, for the level of difficulty and the feelings it emanates! Stay tuned, the big time is almost here!

[h3]Mendez[/h3]
Work continues on the last few cutscenes of the campaign! I’m getting to try doing a lot of new types of character motions that i haven’t done before which is a nice challenge and pretty exciting as I wrap up my Subverse duties.

Cinematic drama drives at full power!



[h2]PROGRAMMING[/h2]
[h3]Hungry JJ[/h3]
Hello there,

Just dropping a couple of quick lines regarding what I have been working on. Now that we have all the devotion quest wrapped up, I have been focusing on the remaining boss fights to complete the main quest. Unfortunately, I can’t say much about these fights other than the characters you encounter will be unique from everything else encountered in the game. Some big and some BIGGER.



[h3]Samantha Flowers[/h3]
Hello everyone,
For personal reasons, I decided it was necessary for me to take some time off this month. However, before leaving my station, I had some fun working on storyboarding for the upcoming cinematics in the next update for the game! How could I NOT make Dallick look as cute as possible?

Also, you can all look forward to an MVP performance by the ever-charming Tecsarc as Erark. I definitely got chills listening to his character’s grand finale (and quite literally final recordings for the character)!

As we try to get to the end of the game’s storyline, I’m frequently faced with the reminder of each of the cast’s final deliverables, or more literally, final words as their characters. I always thought I would be purely blissful to be free from the tasks that are coupled with casting direction, but I’m actually just a little sad. It’s kind of like saying goodbye to a loved one, even though I’m hopeful I’ll be collaborating with everyone again in some way.



[h3]Billy Grande[/h3]
With the Devotion Quests all done, it’s time to focus on BOSS FIGHTS! I’m putting my all to make sure the remaining Grid Combat and Space Combat encounters are exciting and fun.
I’m also excited for a few new things coming that I’ve had a hand in, looking forward to you enjoying those as well!


[h2]ART & MODELING[/h2]
[h3]WTX[/h3]
Work on the outfits continues as I take our already quite revealing outfits and make them EVEN MORE revealing.



[h3]ErinTheSketchy[/h3]
So, back to the main event and things are set in motion. Everybody is taking action... eeeeverybody. Fights and action and freefall in open space and... shhhh, don't say that out loud.




See you next month!

Bis bald,
Till Eulenspiegel

DEVOTION QUESTS
The remaining five devotion quests are now operational. If your devotion level is high enough, you can talk to the girls onboard the Mary Celeste to initiate their final quests to complete their romance arc.
DEVOTION QUEST – TARON
Help Taron achieve her dreams by creating the greatest museum of smut memorabilia in the galaxy. The jewel in the crown of her filthy collection requires some legwork, and breaking into a high-security Imperium vault.
DEVOTION QUEST – SOVA
Help Sova hunt down one of the last few remaining bottles of Rusty Rim’s Cornhole moonshine in the bowels of the infamous Gulag IV wreck. You’re not the only one who is after such a valuable token of alcoholism, however…
DEVOTION QUEST – HUNTRESS
Reclaim the homeworld of the Mawsus from corporate over-exploitation in this thrilling underwater adventure. Take on Hackdivision’s notorious CEO, Slobby Nodick as the hunter becomes the hunted.
DEVOTION QUEST – ELAISHA
Assist Elaisha in the filming of the dirtiest porno in Prodigium’s history, and help her get full control of her content as she splits from her asshole agent.
DEVOTION QUEST – BLYTHE
Go on a wild acid trip with General Blythe herself, and relive the history of the Solars.

• Tweaked visual aesthetic of the F3N1X primary weapon for readability.
  

• Fixed visual bug that caused unintended camera view to render for a few seconds after the F3N1X cockpit in-game cutscenes played.
  

• Low textures loading during F3N1X cockpit in-game cutscenes.
  

These issues are known and we will strive to fix them for the 1.0 release

• Devotion Quest dialogue sections currently are listed under Sidequest with the Intro/Outro tags when replaying archives from the Captain’s Quarters.
  
• Poiison VFX sometimes lingers after the unit who had it is destroyed in Grid Combat.
  
• Some instances of speech bubble VO still playing during the end mission screen.
  
• Not all anomalies in Navigation update visually after a specific event takes place. WIP.
  
• Clipping issues during dialogue sections for some newly introduced characters in Fortune’s release.
  
• Some characters' animation pose transitions are not in place yet during dialogue sections for this release.
  
• If multiple enemies are stunned, when it is their turn, the arrow above their head still renders even after their turn has passed in Grid Combat.
  
• Visual bug, when a mantic reaches max level of 40 a white icon will appear the first time you enter the lab, as if there were more levels but goes away after selecting another mantic.
  
• Mission log filter inconsistency if you filter out finished missions, then filter out on Nebula’s, the filtered Finished missions will be in the list again.
  
• Waifus active, passive and ultimate icons do not always render in the same order from Locker room to selection screen.
  
• Visual bug, unlockable abilities/passives not showing up or showing as locked in the Laboratory or Selection screen after the character has reached required level (some known characters Napholeon & Chodestool passed level 30).
  
• Character upgrades based on level are not fully implemented for all characters.
  
• Imperium’s Shocktrooper Purify status remains on character after Shocktrooper is killed.
  
• Visual bug, if a unit has shield and armor and receives damage while the preview damage animation is happening on the health bars, there’s a chance it will show shield or armor remaining on the bar when there is not after the attack (In most cases remaining shield but in the character info it will show zero shield as intended).
  
• Alt-Tabbing potentially can cause the game to crash, especially during areas of the game where high loads take place.
  
• Report stating Rekall's passive can cause a softlock if an enemy counters with low health and dies from Rekall’s passive.
  
• Low texture resolution rendering for some users during dialogue sequences throughout the game.
  
• Some users reported odd textures when loading Ela and Taron in PANDORA and Gallery.
  
• Framerate drop can cause Mary Celeste to shoot out of the jump-gate in Navigation.
  
• Bridge projector fails to update the color scheme throughout Mary Celeste consistently.
  
• Physics on dangling pieces such as tentacles or hair (i.e. Huntress or Killi) may clip through the character's body or rapidly vibrate during dialog sequences.
  
• Yellow/White screen flashing artifact during space combat when using the FXAA aliasing method. Most likely due to the lens flare and or high bloom values.
  
• On rare occasions, an unintentional song plays during some areas of the game.
  
• On rare occasions, clicking the ‘Help’ button in the dialogue section of the game can remove the help text but can't be re-enabled until restarting or starting a new scene.
  
• Potential stuttering when playing back cinematics for some systems. Note there is an option to disable 4k videos from the graphics tab under settings. This has improved performance for some users.
  
• Reports of performance issues on some Space Combat random scenario maps.
  
• Animation in You’re Mine Now scene needs finalizing.
  
• Replay icons and navigation icon concepts are a work in progress, inconsistencies are known.
  
• Completion percentage counters in Navigation are a WIP and may have some inconsistencies.
  

• Grid Combat equipables are currently disabled during devotion quest. There is a balance update as part of 1.0 and we will take another look at enabling equippables for these battles after that.
  

Dear Subverse and StudioFOW Fans,

We are delighted to say we are releasing the next version of Early Access on the 29th of March, which will include the remaining devotion quests for Sova, Taron, Ela, Blythe and the Huntress.


[h2]ANIMATION[/h2]
[h3]Moneyshot[/h3]
Many ships means many VFX, many clicks, many animations. MANY!

Tedious repetitive work is necessary sometimes, and in this case, it paid off greatly.
This character also shares a great passion with me, once you see this cinematic, you will know what it is, and I am sure you also have it.

Let me know in the comments, like & subscribe!



[h3]Manski[/h3]
Weeks continue with animation, VFX and lighting tasks, primarily for cinematics as the plotline of Subverse wraps up in time for release. I can’t openly share much due to spoilers, so here’s a modern still life for your consideration.



[h3]Massimo Decimo Meridio[/h3]
Hello folks! This last month I’ve been diving full time into Cinematics! Many surprises are on the way as well as many gorgeous scenes seasoned with amazing environments! As always I throw up a piece of anticipation even though this round doesn’t show up as anything! Something gonna happen here, what exactly is still a mystery, so stay tuned!!


[h3]Mendez[/h3]
I’m taking a break from the dirty stuff to get some more narrative cutscenes animated. One of them is my longest cutscene at just over 3 minutes long, and tells a very key part of the story of Subverse and I’m pretty excited about it.



[h3]Yagskie[/h3]
NOTE: Yag has finished his Subverse animation tasks, and will be moving on to creating post-launch content and other works


[h2]PROGRAMMING[/h2]
[h3]Hungry JJ[/h3]
Hello,

We are in the testing phase for our next release. Most of my work now involves fixing issues, balancing gameplay and polishing the upcoming release. Just before the testing phase started, I was in the middle of wrapping up Blythe’s grid combat mission. The battle will be very colorful and the tiles will impact the outcome of the fight.



[h3]Samantha Flowers[/h3]
Hello everyone,

The month of march has quickly come and gone; I’ve officially wrapped cinematic sound duties for version 0.9.0 and whipped all those pesky subtitles into shape, as well (including all old ones across the game)

I’ve also been doing some game testing of older content, and squashing any sound-related bugs I find.

It feels like it’s been awhile since I’ve done a grid combat task, but I even got to work on some SFX for some upcoming bosses!

My most exciting task this month involved doing some video editing…I can’t say any specifics (yet?), but I hope you’ll all see it soon!



[h3]Billy Grande[/h3]
Super busy month, everyone! I've been working on the mechanics for all our new Devotion Quests, so that they fit the journey of each waifu and provide a fun buildup to what comes next. Which fight did you like best?


[h2]ART & MODELING[/h2]
[h3]WTX[/h3]
Still focusing on the outfits, I’ve spent the last few weeks preparing their models for integration by meticulously fitting this most recent batch of suits onto all the waifus, as well as developing their ‘undress’ variants.



[h3]ErinTheSketchy[/h3]
Hi again. So, Sova went somewhere with Ela and I'm out from under the desk now, working on more stuff. It's getting crowdy over here and I think big things are coming.






See you next month!

Bis bald,
Till Eulenspiegel