Vaporum: Lockdown - steampunk dungeon crawler prequel

[Infinitron]

https://fatbot-games.com/2020/04/28/feature-preview-supreme-puzzles-floor/

Feature Preview: Supreme Puzzles Floor

Hey, fellow dungeoneers!

I hope you’re healthy and safe, following the instructions to protect yourself and the others in these troubled times. A big shout-out to everyone who’s fighting the disease or helping to overcome the whole situation!

Each member of our little studio works from home now, and despite it being a lot less effective and slower, we still tirelessly work for Vaporum: Lockdown to be the title that you’ll love. Today, I’d like to talk about how we want to tackle the difficulty and categorization of puzzles, based on your feedback from the original game.

Some of you welcomed the hardcore challenge of the tougher puzzles, but the rest mostly preferred and enjoyed the other mechanics so typical for the genre, not so much puzzles. It’s a big challenge to please both crowds without making it all just “meh”, while still keeping the game balanced and consistent.

Thanks to some new puzzle-making mechanics we added to Lockdown, we came up with quite some elaborate, tough, and varied puzzles over time. We sorted these puzzles according to the feedback gathered in a few rounds of internal playtesting, giving us a good idea on the order in which they should appear in the game, graduating in difficulty.

(A partial view of our puzzle prototyping scene. Puzzles … Puzzles everywhere!)

But, a few questions popped up right here. What would be the difficulty ceiling for the puzzles? How many should we put in the whole game? If hard optional puzzles provide hefty rewards for beating them, how do we prevent casual players feeling left out and weaker for skipping them? And at the same time, how do we keep it challenging and rewarding enough for the so-called “puzzle heads ” among you?

We came up with a solution. Enter the Supreme Puzzles Floor! The toughest, most hardcore puzzles will reside in a special, separate floor in the tower, having a bit of lore tied to them to make it interesting. Each puzzle will be locked by a special key. You will need to find these keys, scattered across the game (mostly in secrets), to gain access to the supreme puzzles.

(An excerpt from the floors cross section map that is being implemented in the game.)

Although we decided to make all these puzzles 100% optional, there still was a problem. How would these tough puzzles reward players who make the effort to crack them? Maybe put in some of the best unique items? But if we do that, will it be fair to casual players who will likely not even want to touch the supreme floor at all? Because that’s a sure-fire way to force them to tackle the puzzles anyway; it’s something that they really don’t want to do, but probably will — out of “fear of missing out”! And that was against our original intention.

After some thought, we came up with a solution. We will not separate players by rewarding them with different loot, but by rewarding them with achievements / trophies!

Casual players don’t usually hunt for every single last achievement; they’re much more interested in exploration, progress, and story. So they should not feel like they’re missing out on anything essential. On the other hand, people who crave to achieve everything the game has to offer also tend to put in a lot more effort, achievements themselves being the reward. We believe beating these demanding puzzles and getting achievements for them will be adequate in itself.

As some of you might know, we held a Level Design Contest some months ago. The goal was to create an independent level of up to 20×20 tiles in size. The winning design, made by Lukas Kusnier, is actually a rather large & tough puzzle, and so we decided to include it in the Supreme Puzzle Floor.

We hope we will please both camps this way, giving you hard puzzles to beat, if you’re up to the challenge, but without making it too tedious for those who don’t necessarily enjoy them.

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Is there something we haven’t quite thought of? Do you have ideas on how to make it better? Feel free to comment here on social media or drop us an e-mail at support@fatbot-games.com!

Thank you!

– Tibor

 

[Infinitron]

https://fatbot-games.com/2020/06/02/vaporum-lockdown-release-in-summer-2020/

Vaporum: Lockdown Release in Summer 2020!

Hey, fellow crawlers!

We are sorry to inform you that we have to delay the release of Vaporum: Lockdown. This is nothing too special with what’s going on in the world, but still, we feel you deserve more than a dry announcement.

Although nobody in our team has been affected by the disease directly, working from home has had a significant impact on the project. It’s been a big challenge organization-wise. During this finish-line phase, the remaining tasks tend to be small but many. Which requires more communication than actual work, and that’s difficult, as we can’t deal with things face to face. No matter, our 5-member team is pushing through the issues as best as we can; it simply takes more time.

To be specific: we’re in the last phase of environmental work on levels, scripting / balancing the last few remaining puzzles, tweaking enemy animations & timings, and working on the game’s boss fight (which we are very excited about!). Also, some of the nice things like intro & outro cinematics are coming together.

The release day is drawing near, slowly coming out of the mist, the more we work on the game. Our current estimate is that we will be able to announce a specific release date for the PC (Steam, GOG, etc.) roughly within a month, and that it will be released during the Summer of 2020. Consoles will follow shortly after, beginning with the Nintendo Switch (being tested along with the PC version), and then XB1 and PS4.

It’s mostly because there are a lot of onboarding steps for each platform, and we can only do so much with such a small team. Originally, we wanted to avoid a staggered release like this, but at least we’ll do our best to release on each platform in the shortest possible time. We’re not happy with it, but in a team with only 2 programmers, it’s virtually impossible to work on the base PC version and all the ports at once, and release the game everywhere on the same day. Such an approach would also cause a significant delay of the PC release, and we don’t think that would be fair to our players either.

One of the good things is that the game will be localized in all the languages as in Vaporum – but from day one (of course still allowing you guys to write your own translations).

You can trust that we’re doing our very best to make the game a worthy prequel to Vaporum, with all the new features working towards a much better player experience.

Thank you for your understanding! We just can’t wait till you lay your hands on the game!

Stay strong & healthy!

 

[luj1]

Anyone know how many exosuits they are planning for the sequel prequel?

 

[Infinitron]

https://fatbot-games.com/2020/08/13/vaporum-lockdown-short-alpha-teaser-and-gameplay-video/

Vaporum: Lockdown – Short Alpha Teaser and Gameplay Video

Hey, guys and gals!

We’d like to apologize for the radio silence in the past weeks. We’ve spent all that time working hard to finish the game. Right now, we’re polishing the levels, adding last-minute details, balancing combat, and doing a lot of playtesting. As they say, the last 10% of the development takes 90% of the time. But we’re getting there!

We’ll be able to announce the release date in the coming weeks. We’re very careful with picking the best date to avoid releasing the game on or between days shadowed by much bigger mainstream titles, which have moved their dates to September. For such a small studio and such a niche game, it’s critical to choose the optimal release date for media coverage.

To whet your appetite, here’s a short alpha video showing small snippets of what you can expect in the game:

For those of you speaking German, here’s another video of an interview which we did for GameStar, including alpha gameplay footage:



We’re also considering doing a commented stream of the game where we would answer your questions. So if you’d like to ask questions, please get in touch with us via Discord or other social media!

Thank you for all the support you give us, whether it’s the messages on our Discord server or other social media, or sharing our videos and posts.

Wishlist the game now on Steam!

Cheers!

Tibor

 

[Infinitron]

Coming September 15th!

 

[Infinitron]

https://steamcommunity.com/games/1161880/announcements/detail/2881695680535146262

Release Date Announcement
A modern take on old-school dungeon crawlers is coming out on September 15, 2020

Hey guys!

We are super excited to be finally able to announce the launch date of Vaporum: Lockdown.

The game is coming out on September 15 on Windows (Steam, GOG, Humble Store/Widget), shortly followed by Mac & Linux.

Vaporum: Lockdown, prequel to critically acclaimed Vaporum, expands on everything that made the original game good.

Follow the story of Ellie Teller, a scientist who is a part of a mysterious research project in the middle of an ocean. After disastrous events, she struggles to survive and escape the tower of Arx Vaporum.

Dates & Platforms

• Windows (Steam, GOG, Humble Store/Widget): September 15, 2020
  
• Mac & Linux (Steam, GOG, Humble Store/Widget): following shortly after the Windows release
  
• Nintendo Switch: Q4 2020 - specific date to be announced later
  
• PS4/XB1: 2021

Features

• Old-school grid-based dungeon crawler with modern audiovisuals and controls.
  
• First-person real-time combat with deadly foes with varied abilities and behaviors.
  
• Stop time mode where time only passes when you act, giving you unlimited time to reason about your next best move.
  
• Intriguing story following a fully voiced female protagonist.
  
• Unique gadget-based RPG system with tons of customization, tons of loot, and tons of synergies to find.
  
• Mind-bending puzzles and hazards.
  
• Immersive steampunk setting.
  
• Full controller support.
  
• Localized in 8 languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Russian, Polish, Japanese, and Chinese.

Developer

• Fatbot Games, s. r. o.
  
• Based in Bratislava - Slovakia, Central Europe.
  
• Core team consisting of 5 ex-AAA gamedev veterans.
  
• 50+ years of combined experience.
  
• Focused on polished games with engaging storylines and high production values.

Website: https://fatbot-games.com/

 

[V_K]

I still can't bring myself to finish the first one because the fucking thing has instakill pits and I keep forgetting to save every five steps. Who on earth thought that having instakill pits in a DM-clone was a good idea?

 

[Puukko]

I considered Vaporum more than once but could never justify spending more dosh on games at the time. I may grab this at launch as long as it's not more than 20€.

 

[Nyast]

Reminder that this is coming to Steam in a few hours for $18 USD (https://steamcommunity.com/app/1161880/discussions/0/4436564907307220193/ )

 

[Nerevar]

Hmm might be worth a play I've beaten the first one like 4 times.

 

[Infinitron]

Released:




https://af.gog.com/game/vaporum_lockdown?as=1649904300

 

[Infinitron]

https://fatbot-games.com/2020/09/15/vaporum-lockdown-is-out-now/

Vaporum: Lockdown is out NOW!



Vaporum: Lockdown, prequel to critically acclaimed Vaporum, is out now! Get it on Steam, GOG, or Humble Store / Widget (see below).

For a tiny indie team such as ours, it’s a great privilege to be able to release our second game. We’re super grateful for all of you, the fans who supported us throughout the development of this game. We hope you will enjoy this labor of sweat & tears, but also much love!

What started as an idea for a datadisk that would bring a few new levels and maybe 1 or 2 new minor features, has grown into a fully fledged standalone game that is as big as the original game, if not bigger.

Lockdown brings many improvements on almost everything that made Vaporum good, plus a host of new features and quality of life upgrades.

Just to name a few:

• New storyline following a female protagonist, Ellie Teller.
• Brand new levels.
• New enemy types with unconvential attack patterns that will challenge your wits & reflexes.
• New weapon & armor types for even more build options.
• Lots of synergies to find. We created many new unique weapons & armor pieces and a few new circuits, all with synergy-building in mind.
• A host of new puzzles and a special optional level with extra-tough puzzles to challenge your brainpower.
• More voice-overs and a deeper look into the lore and story of the world of Vaporum.
• Much streamlined controls (including much improved controller support).

Even though the game takes place in the same tower, the storyline is completely new. Follow a new protagonist and find out what happened before the events in Vaporum. Ellie Teller, a teleporter scientist, must face her own past and find a way to escape the place.

As a side note, we came up with the final name of the game mere weeks before the global pandemic broke out. It also hit us hard, where we had to work from home for several weeks, so you can say that Lockdown was being made during a lockdown.

Thankfully, none of us got infected. We would also like to thank all the people on the frontline who have been working to keep us safe!

Share, comment, and enjoy the game!

 

[Puukko]

The original also got a big price decrease, and both games are available in a bundle. Lockdown also appeared on GOG.

 

[Sinatar]

I played about 5 hours of it today.

It's basically more Vaporum 1. They didn't really change much, the character skill trees are basically the same, the enemies are the same, the spells are the same. It's basically a map pack for Vaporum.

If you enjoyed the first game and want more of exactly that, then go for it. If you didn't like the first one this won't change your mind.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Just like the last time, I have purchased this game quickly after release, and will be posting impressions as I go.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Aaanndd I can't even start the game. Reason? I'm using Windows 7, which the game doesn't support.

There may come support for Win7 in the future (depends on whether it's due to a Unity-bug or not) but until then I'm hosed. Thankfully I bought it on GOG, so I can get it refunded if that doesn't happen.

This is the first game I come across that doesn't run on Win7 BTW.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Aaanndd I can't even start the game. Reason? I'm using Windows 7, which the game doesn't support.

There may come support for Win7 in the future (depends on whether it's due to a Unity-bug or not) but until then I'm hosed. Thankfully I bought it on GOG, so I can get it refunded if that doesn't happen.

This is the first game I come across that doesn't run on Win7 BTW.

on https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/360013274757-Vaporum-Lockdown?product=gog&as=1649904300
there's this
https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/360025926714?product=gog&as=1649904300

no idea if it fixes your problem though

 

[Renevent]

Been playing this and am probably a little more than half way through the game. Overall it's fun and albeit familiar. I did spec tech this time and am using energy weapons/pets this time around as well, which are the new gear/weapon types.

 

[GentlemanCthulhu]

Overall it's fun and albeit familiar.

>familiar
Hoped to not hear anything like this since i didn't enjoy the first game at all.

 

[V_K]

Does falling into pits still instakill you?

 

[Sinatar]

Man the puzzles in this game are incredibly annoying. There's no satisfaction solving this nonsense, you just feel annoyed that you wasted the time needed to do it.

They also *completely* cocked up the hitboxes. Now when you try to dodge an attack it doesn't register you having moved out of the tile you are in until the slow movement animation is 100% done. So the dodge timings are completely off and as a result the combat feels like dogshit.

After 12 hours I think I'm done, I just have no desire to slog through any more of this. Shame as I enjoyed the first one quite a bit.

 

[Infinitron]

Aaanndd I can't even start the game. Reason? I'm using Windows 7, which the game doesn't support.

There may come support for Win7 in the future (depends on whether it's due to a Unity-bug or not) but until then I'm hosed. Thankfully I bought it on GOG, so I can get it refunded if that doesn't happen.

This is the first game I come across that doesn't run on Win7 BTW.

https://fatbot-games.com/2020/09/30/vaporum-lockdown-patch-3-windows-7-fix/

Vaporum: Lockdown – Patch #3 (Windows 7 Fix)



Hey, guys and gals!

After two quick ninja patches in the previous days, we have a bigger patch for you today. Apart from many smaller fixes, the major one is that the game should now work on Windows 7 without a hitch!

Here are the patch notes as usual:

– Fixed: The game crashes on Windows 7.
– Fixed: In L09, you can get locked out by pushable crates.
– Fixed: Total damage dealt and taken doesn’t always work correctly.
– Fixed: (SPOILER) Energy weapons don’t knock on doors.
– Fixed: Use the Switcher gadget on mangles and fans crashes the game.
– Fixed: The Repeater pistol never triggers its special effect.
– Fixed: Exclusive fullscreen doesn’t work.
– Fixed: When the automap is disabled, objectives don’t show up.
– Fixed: Text in lore notes disappears.
– Fixed: When the game loses focus during the intro or outro, the comic skips.
– Fixed: Locked edge doors don’t show the tooltip when playing with a controller.
– Fixed: Items on cursor may get lost when moving between levels.
– Fixed: You may get locked in the main valve room in L08.

The next step for us is to release the game on Mac & Linux.

Thank you and enjoy!

 

[Infinitron]

https://fatbot-games.com/2020/10/16/mac-linux-versions-available-now-vaporum-lockdown-patch-4/

MAC & LINUX Versions Available NOW! (Vaporum: Lockdown – Patch #4)



Hey, guys and gals!

While Patch #4 is smaller in terms of changes and fixes, it’s actually a big deal — the game is now released on Mac & Linux!

Work on the Switch port is well underway already, so that’s to come in the nearest future, too.

Here are patch notes as usual:

– Support for Mac & Linux added.
– Tweaked the blackouts in the psychedelic part of the Hive to happen at specific points rather than triggering at random times during the whole ordeal.
– Fixed: Continuous damage received from enemies does not scale with the difficulty level.

(You can always find the patch notes in the installation folder in PatchNotes.txt.)

Share, comment, and enjoy!

 

[Infinitron]

https://fatbot-games.com/2020/11/09...vailable-on-gog-too-vaporum-lockdown-patch-4/

MAC & LINUX Versions Available on GOG too! (Vaporum: Lockdown – Patch #4)



Hey, guys and gals!

It took us longer than anticipated, as weren’t able to get in touch with GOG for some time, but we finally got the Mac & Linux builds onto the platform, so the game is now available there as well!

Special thanks to the guys at GOG who fixed an issue on Mac!

Share, comment, and enjoy!

 

[Irata]

On sale at Steam until Nov. 16th



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