The new update is now available in PRIVATE BETA if you would like to check it out. This was primarily so the bHaptics team could review the integration.
In Steam, opt-in to the BETA branch for Überläufer. The password is uberbetatest
Please leave feedback on the beta and any bugs in the steam forum or on discord.
Known Issues with BETA
There are still some bugs being worked on in this PRIVATE BETA as well as some ongoing work on AI.
- The start book has not been updated with information on the new gameplay features yet.
- bHaptics integration is automatic if detected and cannot be turned off. A new setting to force it off will be added before release.
- Rare bug where enemy guard cannot be hit (take damage). This happened once, if this happens to you please let me know.
- Player is able to bypass locked classified doorway without a key on some maps.
- Gun that is accidently dropped cannot be picked up again. This was also rare. I am trying to reproduce.
- Personality traits do not affect the player outcome yet.
- There might be some weird dungeon generations. If you see something odd, take a photo with your camera in the game and send that to me. It includes a seed number I can use to reproduce the dungeon.
Artifacts
I’ve had several requests for special perks or gameplay modifiers that can be reused without purchasing them each dungeon run. Artifacts fill this role. The Third Reich was notorious for stealing or obtaining artifacts from all over Europe and Africa. If you discover one of these, it provides perks that will always be available to use when you start the dungeon and not cost anything. The catch is, you can ONLY select one artifact to gain its perk when you start a dungeon. Combining these with standard purchasable perks can help people with different strategies and gameplay preferences. After discovering them, there is also information on the historical background at the start of the dungeon.
Artifacts are only behind one breakable wall in each dungeon so you will have to search for them.
There are currently three artifacts:
Nefertiti Bust
Allows you to see the approximate locations of all your inventory objectives on the map. This will not necessarily be the location of the closest object.
Discobulus Statue
This artifact prevents your enemy alertness from increasing for the first five minutes of the game. This is designed for players who want to play the game a bit more aggressively without worrying about SS.
Aphrodite Statue
Shows the location of wells on the map in your soldbuch and vastly increases the odds of finding an item in them.
More artifacts coming soon based on player input! If you have ideas for artifacts, please post on Discord or Steam.
Secret Passageways
Secret passageways can connect two different rooms. You can spot them by looking for a crack in the wall you can peer through. These provide a way to bypass some areas to avoid or surprise a guard, or a quick place to hide.
To break the wall, hit it three times with something like your gun, brick, helmet or even a body. If you are in a firefight, it is possible for enemies to even collapse these as they fall or move around..
Passageways may also contain medieval remains that are required to complete an objective.
New Rooms
There are two new room types which are now complete. These include an infirmary and a classified area. These areas are locked, so you must find a key on a guard to enter them. There are times where there is an objective you need to complete in these rooms, but there are other reasons to seek these areas.
The Classified Area has a random large weapon you must sometimes photograph but always contains additional ammo for all weapons on a second level within the room. So, if you are low on ammo seek it out. I’ll leave the weapons you can photograph a surprise for now.
The Infirmary always contains food and drugs, so if you are low on health, target this area. An additional drug, D-IX, has also been added. D-IX was a real experimental concoction of various drugs. In the game, it will give you a couple of minutes of full health before reverting to your previous health stats. The catch is that this drug causes hearing loss, so everything is muffled which makes hearing guards, prisoners or your dog much harder.
You can take this drug multiple times if you stock up on them, but your addiction trait will increase which will eventually influence your soldier’s outcome. Repeated use of this drug can also cause permanent hearing loss even after its effects wear off.
In the infirmary, you will also have a chance to find deceased soldiers with procedurally generated medical charts detailing their demise. As always, you can search their bodies. The medical chart summaries are based on real cases I uncovered during historical research.
Dog Companion
Schnitzel is a German Shepherd you can find locked in the dungeon. Once you find and free him he will start following you. In addition to gaining an increase to your empathy trait that will eventually impact the outcome of your character, he also brings a passive ability. He will growl when there is an unalerted guard nearby which is helpful when storming into a room or through a collapsible wall. He also barks if there are any guards who are actively attacking you.
You can make Schnitzel stay or come by simply placing an empty hand to your face and pulling the trigger to whistle. Make him stay to pet him or keep him in front of an entrance to guard.
Schnitzel cannot die.
Once you find and free Schnitzel five times in the dungeon, you will unlock an achievement and his location will always be shown on your map. You can also bribe a guard at the beginning of the dungeon if you want to start off with Schnitzel by using your earned coins.
Movement, Stealth and AI
Adjustments have been made to some gameplay elements to improve some of the stealth/gameplay mechanics and AI.
- The player now has a faster max walking speed for those long hallways and to get the jump on guards before they can retrieve their weapon. This should make taking down an enemy a little easier as they come around a corner or you are coming up behind them.
- Previously, when nearby guards heard gunfire they would automatically home in and follow the player even if they did not see them. Now, they will investigate the source of the gunfire but will not automatically unholster their weapon or know the player’s location. This will give the player a little extra time time to react or hide. Guards that see another guard firing will still automatically unholster and home in on the player. SS (Schutzstaffel) still function the way they always have. They are relentless and will find you anywhere.
- When a guard spotted the player, the enemy alertness meter would immediately increase. This did not give the player a chance to knock them out before increasing alertness which leads to the SS being spawned. Now, the alertness meter will not increase if you take out the guard within a couple of seconds.
- Added HUD messages when guards hear a noise, discover a body or are evaded. This setting is now on by default, but can be turned off in options.
Play Enhancements
New Book / Larger Map
The Soldbuch has been redesigned to show more information including a more detailed biography, personality traits and images of your objectives. The map is now separate and much larger with a legend. To cycle through the Soldbuch views simply pull the trigger.
New Radio Broadcasts
There is additional music that plays on the radios now. These are compositions by the Austrian composer Mozart. In addition to German operas, there are some Italian librettos I included because they really lend themselves to the mood of the game. These include his requiem death mass and his opera Don Giovanni. These also happen to be two of my favorite compositions by him and I was able to acquire recordings of these performances from the 1940s!
Other Stuff
Grabbing velocity tracked objects no longer as jittery. Wont break nearby objects when grabbed.
Radios can be thrown and smashed to turn them off or you can use them as a melee weapon (once).
Hiding Spots are larger making it easier to get in and out of and optimized for performance.
Personality traits empathy and addiction are now tracked. They will be used to help determine outcomes in a future update. Empathy is increased when you free prisoners or free the dog. Empathy is slightly decreased when shooting guards instead of knocking them out.
The addiction trait is increased when you take stimulants/drugs. It cannot be reduced.
Added more tracked game stats to the player’s soldbuch related to the new features in this update.
bHaptics Native Support
bHaptics Vest, Arms and Face are supported in the game. This really adds to the immersion and allows some neat effects for key player states and special actions.
Here are a list of the game events that use bHaptics:
Firing Pistols
Reload Weapon
Pickup/Grab an Object or Body
Turning Key in Locked Door
Taking a photo with camera (shutter click)
Grabbing/dropping item from/to back: Feel item drop behind back
Grabbing or putting weapon away
Hit Secret Walls with Held Object
Hit Enemy
Searching Grabbed Enemy
Opening Door / Chest
Smashing through a wall
Getting Hit by Boobytrap/Grenade
Clip Wire
Taking a Drug (Feel Heartbeat while effect lasts)
Wearing Uniform (Feel Heartbeat while effect lasts)
Falling into a Floor Trap
Air Raid
Climbing a ladder
Extinguishing a Torch with Welding Glove
Fire MP40 / One or Two Handed
Placing Helmet on Head
Helmet Shot off
Eating Food
Getting Hit By Bullet (Feel Correct Direction)
Pulling Lever
Petting Dog
Surrendering (fast heartbeat)