Within the Cosmos News

Hi everyone! I hope you've all had a lovely March. The game continues to be developed, and as more systems fall into place and come together, the closer it gets to being the game that I was dreaming of making. Today, I'll be covering an important aspect of this game, which is, Stealth. Stealth touches on so many different aspects of the game, ranging from skills, perks, AI, weapons, etc. I'll be showing some Stealth features which overlap with each of these topics, and I'll also showcase some of the non-lethal options you'll have at your disposal.

Let's get right to it!

[h3]Gameplay Features[/h3]
The "abilities" in the game have been re-worked and they're now known as Software. There are some Software that you can install which will greatly benefit people who are attempting to play stealthily. One of the Software that you can get is the:

CLOAK Software
I believe I've shown this before. The CLOAK Software will render you nearly invisible for a couple of seconds (the duration can be improved based on how you upgrade your character), allowing you to evade any enemies that are in your way, or allowing you to move closer to an enemy to perform a sneak attack.


To be able to really use your Software to its fullest ability, you'll want to upgrade your Sneak skill! There's no point of being cloaked when the enemies can still hear you! Improving your Sneak skill will ensure that enemies take longer to detect you, and that your footsteps produce less noise, thereby allowing you to effectively sneak up on unsuspecting enemies.


If you want to maximise how effective you will be while sneaking, you'll also want to invest some of your Perk points into some of the Sneak perks, some will allow you to do more crit damage while sneaking, or increase your crouch movement speed, or increase the chances of a malfunction on a trap that you accidentally set off.


When you feel confident enough in your sneak skills to takedown an enemy, you'll be able to sneak up behind them and perform a non-lethal takedown.


If you take down an enemy in a location where you're afraid that enemies will spot the body, you can pick up and move the body to a location where they won't think of looking.


If your sneak skill is high enough, you'll be able to successfully pickpocket people without alerting them. If you're pick-pocketing with a low sneak skill, there's a chance you'll be caught immediately, and you'll have to pay a fine or you'll be outright attacked.


[h3]AI[/h3]
When playing a game stealthily, you need to be cautious about how you take out or evade enemies. Observing their patrol route to time your movements is crucial, but if there's no obvious way around the enemy, you'll have to get a little creative. One way of doing this, as shown in the previous dev update, is by hacking nearby objects that produce noise, which will distract enemies and lure them out of the way.


Enemies also display a detection meter, which will let you know just how close they are to detecting your presence. How fast it fills is determined by your Sneak skill, your distance, whether you're cloaked or not, and whether you are standing or crouching. It is also determined by the difficulty you're playing the game on. When an enemy enters the Alert state, they will alert nearby enemies to your presence, so make sure you're not detected so you can avoid any unnecessary confrontations!


[h3]Weapons[/h3]
Aside from all the Skills, Perks, and Software you can upgrade, you'll also have some choices when deciding what weapons you want to use to suit your play-style. One very important part of playing stealthily, is having the ability to equip silencers on your favourite weapons. You can equip them on nearly every weapon in the game. You'll see how the silencer will affect your weapons base stats when you equip it. Using a silencer will greatly reduce the sound your gun produces when fired.


If you want to be non-lethal, you have some weapons at your disposal. You will be able to use the Tranquiliser Pistol, which will put enemies to sleep immediately if you land a headshot. If not, it will take a couple of seconds for them to fall asleep.


If you're a person who likes to take people out from afar, you'll be able to make use of the Tranquiliser Rifle, which works like the Tranquiliser Pistol, but at a much greater distance. Headshots will put enemies to sleep immediately, body shots will take a few seconds before the effect kicks in.


If you see a group of enemies that are too close to each other, using a Tranq. Pistol or Tranq. Rifle probably isn't the best idea. If you want to tranquilise them without being spotted, you'll be able to use Gas Grenades. Throw it near their location and the Gas Grenade will put enemies to sleep after just a few seconds. If you're infiltrating a location, and want to plant traps to take people out non-lethally, you can plant Gas Mines, which will only activate once someone gets near it. These gasses will affect you too unless you have the appropriate Software installed.


[h3]Closing Statements[/h3]
These are just some of the ways that you'll be able to approach situations in Within the Cosmos. There are some things I wanted to cover here that totally fit into these categories (like the Smart Tranq Pistol) but I'd rather leave some stuff strictly for the gameplay video that I'll be recording and releasing in the coming months. Please remember that the game is still in development so some things may change, and things are still being worked on, but I hope you like what you've seen so far!

I'm trying to post a development update (roughly) once a month now, and I hope you'll look forward to reading the next one next month! I will never tire of thanking all of you for your patience, understanding, and support throughout the development process. Thank you so much!




If you'd like to follow the game on any social network, here are the links:

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Thanks again!

Hi again everyone! Since the community update I posted in January, I've been really eager to post a more informative community update for all of you, getting more into specifics about the game, rather than just talking about the current state that it's in.

Today, I will be showcasing two important aspects of the game, which are, Scanning Mode & Crime. Each one presented unique challenges for me, but I finally feel like they're both in a place that I am happy with.

Let's start with...
[h2]Scanning[/h2]
Here's how it works:
Upon entering scanning mode, your weapons will be holstered, and you'll be able to see everything near you that can be hacked, as well as any related upgrades that you've made to your scanner. Hacking can only be done while in scanning mode, and will use up some of your suits energy. How much energy the hacking will use is displayed when you look at the item you want to hack.

[h3]Hacking[/h3]
Hacking was one aspect I was debating on how to handle while I was developing the game. I wondered if it would be best to have a mix of quickhacks & a hacking mini-game for certain things. I created a few different mini-games for the hacking aspect but none of them ever felt "right" to me. At the end, I decided that hacking should be determined strictly by your characters skill level (skill check), as opposed to it being determined by skill level and then also requiring you to complete a mini-game. So in turn, the only hacking in the game are quickhacks. Here are some of the quickhacks offered in the game:


Some places in the game are restricted, and as expected, these areas have some security measures in place to prevent and catch trespassers. Disabling security cameras in these locations will allow you to pass by the area that the camera is surveilling without being detected.


There are things in the world, like doors, that can be used to lure enemies (ex: to a trap) or to distract enemies (ex: to get by them if they're guarding an area you need to pass through).



[h3]SONIS-R[/h3]
There are a couple of ways that you can upgrade your scanner. One of the upgrades that you can get for your scanner is the SONIS-R upgrade. This upgrade will equip your scanner with a radar which will detect nearby NPC's, enabling you to effectively see them through walls.


[h3]Tagging[/h3]
As I stated earlier, using scanning mode will force you to holster your weapons, and in turn, it will restrict your ability to defend yourself while using it. So, if you wish to track a specific NPC while outside of scanning mode, upgrading your scanner will allow you to "tag" enemies so you can keep track of them while outside of scanning mode.


[h3]Tactical Information[/h3]
One of the other options available to you when using the scanner is the ability to scan an individual. Doing this will display basic tactical information, which displays the NPC's name, faction, & weapon (if applicable), as well as the NPC's strengths & weaknesses, then you can strategise and determine which weapons are more effective against them.


[h2]Crime[/h2]
Onto the next subject I want to discuss today! The crime system in the game was also one of the systems that I spent a lot of time debating on how it should work, and how it should be approached. The crime system is something that went through multiple iterations until I finally got to the point that I am now. Currently, different crimes have different levels of severity and different reactions from the individuals and the factions, here are some examples:

Stealing: If someone witnesses you stealing an item, a guard will confront you and you'll be financially penalised, and you will suffer some reputation loss for that faction. If you decide not to pay the penalty, you will be attacked by the guard and any other nearby guards.

Accessing/Hacking owned items: If you are caught attempting to access/hack any owned items (ex: computers, cameras), the witness and/or guard will confront you and you'll be demanded to pay a financial penalty & you will suffer some reputation loss for that faction, depending on what was hacked, you might get attacked outright.

Trespassing: There are some restricted areas in the game where you won't be allowed to enter unless certain reputation levels are met, or you've been given clearance to visit that area. If you are caught trespassing in these restricted areas, you will be told to leave. If you do not leave, NPCs and/or guards will attack you.

Murder: Murder is the most serious crime, and will result in some severe penalties. There is no financial loss for murder, however, your reputation with that faction will suffer greatly, and you will be attacked on sight by anyone belonging to that faction. In some cases, depending on the faction, you'll be permanently locked out of that factions questline.





I wasn't able to cover everything that I initially wanted to cover in this post, but I hope you like how everything is coming along, and the direction that this game is heading! I'll begin working on the next update soon!

Over the last couple of months/years, I constantly felt like I could do some things better, or improve on some things, but I am finally at a point in the development where I feel happy with how things are working, and it's such a huge relief to me to see this world that I've created really come to life.

I can't say it enough, but thank you again for your constant support and understanding! This process is a little overwhelming at times, and the scope of the game is intimidating at times, but you all give me the drive to continue to pursue this dream.

Please don't hesitate to provide any feedback and express any opinions you have about the game.

Thank you!







If you'd like to follow the game on any social network, here are the links:

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Thanks again!

Happy New Years everyone! It has been just about half a year since I last posted an update on Steam. I've been made aware of the fact that many people here believe the game has been abandoned. I must apologise for giving you that impression. Within the Cosmos has been in active development throughout the year, and I remain completely committed to finishing this dream of mine.

I've been sharing some screenshots/GIFs, and news across Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Here are some new ones:

[h3]Locations[/h3]

Chronos, Berith II: Home of "the Enlightened" faction. If you remember the last time I showed screenshots of Chronos, it looked significantly different. I was able to use some of the time during the last few months to work on the town, and achieve the vision that I initially had for it.



Pearl City, Alios: This is the home of "UESA". I never posted screenshots of this until earlier this month across the games social networks. For those who saw it there, you might notice I worked on this since then, and changed it up a bit.



Berith II: A lawless region. Home to "the Enlightened" and the "Ravens" factions. A slighty longer clip of this was posted on the games social networks in October. I can't post the entire clip here as it surpasses Steams maximum file size. [Edit: The recoil animation for this isn't final. I'm aware of the fixes I need to make for this! Thank you for the feedback!]




[h3]State of the game[/h3]

Unfortunately, I don't have a substantial amount to show you, which is what I usually like to do when posting development updates. There's a lot of stuff that I'm waiting to showcase in the gameplay video and trailers, but lately, most of the development time has gone into making sure Within the Cosmos is as bug free, and as optimised as possible. As as sole developer, creating an RPG of this scale hasn't been a straight-forward process. Ensuring it reaches the optimisation standards that I have set for it has proven to be more time consuming than I initially expected, especially considering how 2020 affected many of us. I will not release this game until it has reached those standards.

I will continue working on the game and the trailers, and everything will be released when it's ready. I have changed the release window from 'Q1 2021' to simply 'TBA 2021'. As soon as I feel confident with a release date, I'll post it across every social network, and on Steam.



Once again, I need to thank all of you sticking with me through this! Without all of the positivity, interest, and feedback coming from all of you, creating this game simply wouldn't be possible. You all give me the motivation to continue working, and you provide me with the drive I need to fulfill my goal. Thank you, and have a wonderful new year everyone!











If you'd like to follow the game on any social network, here are the links:

Twitter Facebook Instagram Offical Website

Thanks again!

Hello again everyone! It's been quite some time since I last posted an announcement here. I feel like it's about time I update all of you on what has been going on in regards to the development of the game, and what the future holds.

First and foremost, I want to thank you for your patience, and for hanging in there with me while I develop this game. I want to sincerely thank you all.

The last few months have proven to be a little hectic. This global pandemic has been troublesome for all of us. It had an impact on my personal life, and social distancing restricted my ability to get the voice actors to record the lines I needed by the time I wanted them. The positive of all of this is that I have been able to use this extra time to further optimise and playtest the game, as well as create more content.

I've been posting images across the games social networks (@withinthecosmos), I also have changed the screenshots on the store page. Here they are, if you haven't seen them.

Encountering raiders on the planet Berith II:



A cave in Berith II:



Encountering raiders on Delarus:


Dialogue options with one of the NPCs:


[h3]Inventory Upgrade[/h3]
One of the biggest changes since the last post, and trailer, is the inventory system. I added the ability to sort the inventory, and items are now categorised. There are Weapons, Armour, Consumables, and Miscellaneous categories. There's 2 Headgear slots (which can be used to have on something like a hat, and glasses), one armour slot, and one explosives slot. Here's what the inventory looks like now:



[h3]Crafting - Blueprints[/h3]
There are two parts to crafting. In the Blueprints section, you can create simple, single use items. The amount of parts needed, how many items get crafted, and how effective the items are that you craft is governed by your Skills, Perks, and Stats.



Someone with a higher Explosive skill would be able to craft a better Frag Grenade. One that deals greater damage, and has a larger radius.


[h3]Crafting - Modifications[/h3]
The other part to crafting is weapon modifications. In this section, you can customise weapons you have in your inventory. When you select a weapon, you will see what attachments can be added/changed. You will also see in depth statistics for each weapon, so you can see just how much damage a weapon does, or its range, among other things. Here's a preview of what the modification system looks like while modifying one of the pistols in the game.



[h3]Abilities[/h3]
Another thing I want to show you all are the abilities in the game. I spent a lot of time trying to get the balance right and letting players have fun using the abilities, without making them feel too overpowered. There are 7 abilities in the game which consists of the Assault Turret, Barricade, Combat Drone, Incinerate, Jetpack, Tactical Cloak, & Time Dilation. When used, they will drain some of your Suit Energy. Your Suits Energy will refill over time.



Here is a look at 3 of the abilities in action:

Tactical Cloak:
Turn (nearly) invisible for a couple of seconds to sneak passed enemies


Time Dilation:
Slow down time around you and plan your next move


Incinerate:
Select a target and fire a projectile that explodes on impact and has a chance of setting the target on fire


As most of my time is dedicated to developing the game, I haven't found much time lately to record a trailer. I realise it's been about one year since I last shared the gameplay video. Rest assured, creating a new trailer is the next thing on my marketing to-do list. The game has changed and improved since then, so I am itching to show you some new footage. In the absence of a trailer, I decided to create some GIFs for all of you to see for now!

Planet Alios:


The town of Chronos, situated on the planet Berith II:


Dialogue options with one of the NPCs:


I hope you like what you see!

[h3]Release Date[/h3]
With new content being added during the last few months, and now that I'm finally beginning to receive the voice actors recorded dialogue, I will need a bit more time to implement, playtest, and optimise the game prior to release. I am now aiming for a September 2020 release. I hope you can stick with me for a little while longer as I continue to work, and make this the best game it can possibly be.

Once again, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Your support and patience has been helpful, relieving, and empowering throughout this journey.

Thank you!


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Hey again everyone! Sorry for the long wait since the last update! The last month and a half have given me some much needed time to add, and change a couple of things, as well as optimise the game more. Today's post will cover some of the RPG mechanics in the game, some additions and changes, as well as what's next for Within the Cosmos. Let's get right to it!








As you can see in the image above, there are 5 attributes in the game.

CONSTITUTION
AGILITY
INTELLIGENCE
PERCEPTION
CHARM

These are set at the beginning of the game, when you create your character. Aside from the bonuses (and penalties) you get from each attribute, they will also determine how many points your skills will begin with. i.e. Putting points into Intelligence will increase what your Medical, Engineer, and Science skills will begin at.





There are currently 14 skills in the game.

Bypass, Engineer, Explosives, Handguns, Heavy Weapons, Intimidate, Lie, Medical, Melee Weapons, Persuade, Ranged Weapons, Science, Sneak, and Unarmed.

Each time you level up, you will get skill points to distribute across these 14 skills, to help you forge the character you want to play as. When you put points toward a skill, you will get bonuses for that specific skill, and you will gain access to perks you otherwise wouldn't be able to get.





There are currently 62 perks in the game that you can use to tailor your character to your playstyle. Currently, every 2 levels, you'll get perk points to spend. Some perks have requirements before you can unlock them. An example being, if you want the Light Steps perk, you'll need your Agility attribute, and Sneak skill to be at a specific level before being able to unlock it.

With 5 attributes, 14 skills, and 62 perks, I feel like you can truly create, and play as the character you have in mind.









This wasn't originally intended to be included in the game, but people have asked for this, so I decided to implement it into the game. Damage numbers are completely optional. You can toggle it on and off in the menu.





The inventory has been completely changed since the last video. This is much cleaner, and easier to navigate than the previous one, and as you can see, you can now view your character in the Inventory screen. You can see how your character looks when you decide to wear a really cool cowboy hat, or when you decide to change your armour!



What's next is for me to do some more QA. During this period, I also intend to release the next gameplay video. The gameplay video will cover some of the first couple of minutes of the game on the planet Berith II, where the player comes across their first major town called 'Chronos'. You will see all of the changes and additions I've implemented since the last video, and some new stuff too. I hope you'll look forward to that! Once I feel the game has been properly optimised, I'll feel comfortable setting a firm release date. I'll announce that as soon as possible!

This has been such a long journey; over 5 years now, and I can't wait for all of you to get to play this. As you now know, I don't have a release date YET, but I'm aiming for Early November now. I apologise for not being able to meet the release dates I've previously set, but as this has been my life for 5 years, I really don't want to let it out until I feel it's ready, and it's nearly there.

I truly want to thank all of you for the patience you've shown me, and for sticking with me through all of this. It's because of you, and your understanding, that I feel like I can truly make this game into the game I had envisioned.



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