Hobo: Tough Life news & patch notes

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/37f6fcf5c0a8e34e5e650bc759dbb1228fd01b05.jpg Hello, everyone! ːsteamhappyː Version 1.20 is now publicly available after more than a year of hard work since the release of the 1.0 update. Big thank you to all of our customers as well as people who were testing the new version of our game. You are our heroes! The update brings a lot of changes to the game, hundreds of fixed bugs and issues as well as some upgrades. If we were to list every single thing, the list would be way too long. Here is at least selection of the main changes in this new update. Multiplatform support Starting today the game is also available on Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. Xbox and Playstation versions are awaiting final certification from platform holders. Networking and crossplay

• Cross-platform play support (Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4 / PS5, Switch)
• A number of synchronization issues fixed - fire barrels burning out too fast for clients, issues with player-to-player trading and more
• Overall connection / disconnection stabilization (more robust system for handling unexpected situations - Internet failure, speed drop, etc.)
• Possibility to kick, mute, and report other players
• Steam backend replaced with Epic Online Services

No external account is needed, everything works with your existing Steam accounts. The only thing that has changed from the player's point of view is the lobby system, which is no longer divided into public lobbies and private/friends' lobbies. The lobby system now consists of cross-platform lobbies (lobbies that can be accessed from any platform) and single-platform lobbies (for example PS4-only lobbies). Lobbies can now also be password protected. By setting a password for your game you will be able to connect with friends outside of your Friends list (eg. playing on different platforms) without strangers joining your session. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/fe9f48e8d9f2336599b49c7ca1bed2e10183efc0.jpg Gameplay

• Complete redesign of the player and camera control (fixed issues with stuttering, smooth movement without lagging, correction of screen tearing and many other problems related to camera and movement)
• Complete rework of the save system to make it more stable and reliable
• Fixed the Ritual of the Last Boozing and improved the overall function of this mechanic
• Fixed the disappearing interaction icons
• Fixes in the combat system (disappearing options, incorrect collision detection…)
• Redesigned input system allowing for more unrestricted key rebinds
• Improved controls during dumpster diving
• Notification system improved
• Fixed hundreds of smaller bugs reported by the community (in quests, conversations, UI…)
• Some slight balancing changes, most notably increased spawn rates of some harder-to-obtain items, and small adjustments to help wean some hobos off of caffeine ;)

Graphics and optimizations

• Overall reduction of game requirements
• Asynchronous GI (Global Illumination) and environment streaming (RAM savings)
• Asynchronous NPC streaming (RAM savings) and redesign of NPC internal operation (CPU load reduced on average by 60 %)
• Faster loading (especially on devices with HDDs)
• Faster generation and rendering of dynamic reflections
• Change of the default FOV from 60 to 75
• Fixes of various graphic bugs (glitched props, holes in models, artifacts…)
• Fixed LOD dependence on FOV (render distance no longer decreases with higher FOV)
• Redesign of HLOD switching system (hierarchical LOD, high-poly -> low poly…), which results in faster rendering and less noticeable pop-in
• Hundreds of micro-optimizations in the code, removing remnants of the early access code.

Localization

• Fixed overlapping of texts and other visual issues with text
• Fixes and additions in English, Chinese, German, Russian and Polish translations
• Added new translations into Japanese, Spanish, and French.

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/820178281d8fb86d7166f88d50aa50efd9041c16.jpg

What’s next?

We have already two new projects in development on Unreal Engine 5. In order to bring you the best possible quality we are continually doing reinvestment of acquired funds into our development. We have built our own mo-cap studio, own cloud infrastructure, team growth significantly (we are not indie anymore) and much more. We can't wait to show you more in Q1 of 2023 :) {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/d5ef91efdeb067d89e28da650d444c9d0253130b.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/c335578d33bddb32f9aa35881f57f3e3b8dce2f6.jpg - Perun Creative

Bug fixes

• Selling items to NPCs.
• Unstuck option in Drax’s area not working properly.
• Scale for female models (there was an unintentional reduction in size of about 30% during optimizations).
• The error of freezing the screen and items disappearing in the buyback screen.
• Player collision with the environment (fixed "flytraps").
• Warehouse upgrades not showing in HC mode.
• Duplicated hints in the dialog.
• Upgrade options even if the player has a bonus in the hideout at max.
• GUI getting stuck when selling/ buying.
• Quest and character tracking on the map.
• Defecating notifications.
• Cap reduction of defecation from 100 to 99.
• English label of cardboard bedding in Czech version.
• Graphic bugs fixed.
• Zookeeper achievement fix. 
• Sweet Home achievement added. 
• Influencer achievement gained, when earning reputation with NPCs over 100.
• Added indication of achieved level at level up.

Correction/update of texts

• Crazy reconciling with Zachy.
• 2x carnations with toilet attendant.

Rework and optimization

• Achievements (complete refactor of the internal system)
• Sound optimization and quality tuning
• Rendering optimizations
• Scratch off card scratching optimizations
• Compression improvements (smaller size especially on Nintendo and Playstation)
• 3D character models
• Improved texture loading, it no longer happens that the textures are loaded asynchronously and for some time they seem blurred
• NPC spawning
• Occlusion culling and related light issues.
• Reflection rendering
• Light quality improvement
• Vegetation (multi-level system according to quality settings)

Unexpected snags/things that caused delays in updates

• The need to add a system to re-initialize internal systems when going from offline mode to online. (If you do not have a paid mode on the console the game is in offline mode by default. When purchasing online you have to switch to online mode to which all systems must respond)
• Complete rework of saving options
• Correction of intro playback - correction of termination/skipping, solving the problem with playback on consoles. Different quality versions are added according to the hardware, etc.
• SDKs (EOS, Nintendo…) update needed and fixed incompatibility of existing code
• Complete asynchronous scheduler refactoring due to differences in working with threads on different platforms
• Problems with memory allocation in multiplayer on non-windows platforms. Re-allocations from C# code to native plugins tailored to the platform needed (One of the two biggest delays. It was not known where the problem was, it was solved with Epic, Unity, Nintendo, and Sony and in the end, we managed to find out where the problem is and how to solve it.)
• Unity version was downgraded due to performance degradation caused by some of the fixes in the engine.
• Fixed various rare errors with the save system on Playstation.
• Fragmentation of streamed parts of the city is needed for better memory management and faster/more efficient loading
• Problem with depth rendering (depth buffer) solved on the PS4 base (necessary correction/intervention by Unity into the engine).
• The solution to the problem of continuous freezing during the game (the second of the two biggest delays; was noticeable, especially on PS4 and Xbox One).

Hello and good day everyone! ːsteamhappyː The experimental beta is here and you can finally try it for yourselves! Let me remind you that this is not an official release of the patch. Despite our rigorous testing there might be bugs, occasional crash, or you might experience surprising behavior from the game. However, it is an important step in the development of both the console version and the better version for the PC, and we’d be very grateful for your help with the testing to help us make the game as polished as possible. You can download the experimental beta following the steps in the GIF below or these instructions: Right click on Hobo -> Properties… -> Betas - > Enter beta access code “kdyuztobudepublic” -> Check code -> Select “experimental_unstable” {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/41a15279ba65d68497fdc7706254a1c7926db50b.gif If you do decide to check the experimental beta out, please let us know if you find any bugs, translation errors or other issues. Use our Discord channel, Steam discussions, Reddit or email [email protected] to report your findings. There is also one more thing we would like to be honest about and clear up up front. With the public release of the new patch the base price of the game will increase from 20.99 EUR to 24.99 EUR. Changes done to the game in the new patch, especially in terms of stability, optimizations, and future-proofing, would not have been possible without the new talent and technologies we have acquired. Unfortunately, as our studio grows, so do our operating costs. It is a step we do not want to make, but need to.

Patch notes 1.14.00X (experimental beta)

This list of changes is by no means final and more fixes and features will be rolled out throughout the testing period (over the next month or so). Localization:

• Fixes and additions in English, Chinese, German, Russian and Polish translations.
• Added new translations into Japanese, Spanish, and French.

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/74d25435f19446e74a44b8c4c808b08a5c8f2254.jpg Networking:

• Cross-platform play support (Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4 / PS5, Switch)
• A number of synchronization issues fixed - fire barrels burning out too fast for clients, issues with player-to-player trading and more
• Connection / disconnection stabilization (more robust system for handling unexpected situations - Internet failure, speed drop, etc.)
• Steam backend replaced with Epic Online Services

No external account is needed, everything works with your existing Steam accounts. The only thing that has changed from the player's point of view is the lobby system, which is no longer divided into public lobbies and private/friends' lobbies. The lobby system now consists of cross-platform lobbies (lobbies that can be accessed from any platform) and single-platform lobbies (for example PS4-only lobbies). Lobbies can now also be password protected. By setting a password for your game you will be able to connect with friends outside of your Friends list (eg. playing on different platforms) without strangers joining your session. Multiplatform Support:

• Steam Deck support
  • Automatic quality adjustment has not yet been implemented. For now, we recommend setting the details to medium for the best experience. In one of the following updates, we will add a customized profile for the Steam Deck (eg. some details from higher settings are too demanding for the steam deck and some on the medium are unnecessarily downplayed)
  • Complete support (controls, UI, graphic effects) + the ability to scratch off lotto tickets using the touch screen
• Replacement of OpenGL with Vulkan API on Linux (and Steam Deck)

Optimalizations:

• Asynchronous graphics streaming (RAM savings)
• Asynchronous NPC streaming (RAM savings) and redesign of NPC internal operation (CPU load reduced on average by 60 %)
• Asynchronous GI streaming (Global Illumination) -> RAM saving and, thanks to more memory space, an increase in the data resolution itself (better lights, fewer artifacts, etc.)
• Faster loading (especially on devices with HDDs)
• Acceleration of dynamic reflection generation
• Optimization / improvement of grass rendering (larger draw distance, especially on weaker platforms)
• UI element animation system refactor (HUD, inventory…)
• Faster loading of text files (conversations, quests…)
• Acceleration of database loading (item database, config files…)
• Physics optimizations
• Hundreds of micro-optimizations in the code, removing remnants of the early access code

Gameplay:

• Complete redesign of the player and camera control (fixed issues with stuttering, smooth movement without lagging, correction of screen tearing and many other problems related to camera and movement)
• Fixed the Ritual of the Last Boozing and improved the overall function of this mechanic
• Fixed the disappearing interaction icons
• Fixes in the combat system (disappearing options, incorrect collision detection…)
• Redesigned input system allowing for more unrestricted key rebinds
• Improved controls during dumpster diving
• Notification system improved
• Fixed hundreds of smaller bugs reported by the community (in quests, conversations, UI…)
• Some slight balancing changes, most notably increased spawn rates of some harder-to-obtain items, and small adjustments to help wean some hobos off of caffeine ;)

Graphics:

• Change of the default FOV from 60 to 75
• Fixed LOD dependence on FOV (render distance no longer decreases with higher FOV)
• Fixes of various graphic bugs (glitched props, holes in models, artifacts…)
• Redesign of HLOD switching system (hierarchical LOD, high-poly -> low poly…), which results in faster rendering and less noticeable pop-in
• Fixes and tuning of the player's animation
• Improvements to the player's camera positioning
• Replacement of FXAA with MSAA

Save System:

• Complete rework of the save system to make it more stable and reliable
• Save / load acceleration
• More robust backup system
• Save file size reduction (orders of magnitude smaller files on the disk)

Other:

• Added illustrated loading screens during transitions (loading times on SSDs are almost instant, in a matter of seconds on HDDs)

Hi, everyone! ːsteamhappyː As promised in the ancient times of 2 months ago by a different guy, I’m bringing you the anticipated news from our studio. Peter, our previous community manager, has been assigned to our new project and decided to focus more on design and project management. That’s where I come in. So, let me introduce myself. I’m David, or Ireas as my friends and co-players knows me. I am the new community manager at Perun Creative. If I should mention a few things that describe me I’d say hectoliters of black coffee, an obsession with renaissance Venetian schiavona swords and an unhealthy relationship with the Warhammer 40k lore. You can reach me every day on Hobo: Tough Life discord server and I will be responding to you in our other communication channels as well. But enough about me and let’s see what our dev team has prepared for you. Before I start, please accept our apology for not reaching out to you sooner. Our making of the console ports in-house, while also learning on the job, makes it difficult to set specific time frames, as some possibly unforeseen problems can easily lead into delays. Anyways, good news is that the console ports are basically done by now and we are dealing mainly with stability checks and improvements for the Steam version of the game.

Experimental Beta

The experimental beta should be ready in the second half of March, likely closer to the end of the month. The best case scenario for the public update release is the end of April, but that’s only if absolutely everything goes according to plan. A release in the first half of May is more likely. That said, we all know how plans go, so take these dates as my personal qualified guess based on my knowledge of the internal procedures. The final date of the release depends on testing results and validation from platform holders (Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo). The release can be postponed by a week or two if the dev team finds any major issues during testing. We would like to deliver the best possible version of the game we can. Thank you for your understanding and patience in this. It won’t be much longer. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/256860f274b12e4f5ebf36355ee428b23d3a9cb7.jpg

Localization

You can expect updates for Chinese, German, Russian and Polish translations. We would also like to announce that we will add Japanese, Spanish and French languages into the game. We’d be very thankful if native speakers of any of the newly added languages decided to check out the game and let us know about any issues they find! The new translations probably won’t be complete in the experimental build, as their deadline is at the end of March, but we’ll make sure to update them during the beta test. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/f6a21fcf8539f3cdd2182aacafc80646e4fa2322.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/4691fd18c496f56f667588aca449074e6ac516e1.jpg

Networking

To ensure cross-platform support as well as availability on other gaming platforms we had to move from Steam backend to Epic Online Services. Through this technology we can deliver to you the possibility to play on all major consoles (Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch) as well as on the PC together. If you’d rather stick to your own platform, there will be a cross-platform filtering function, which will allow you to block any of these platforms in your matchmaking. Another big improvement we are going to add to the game is a ban/kick/mute system for the multiplayer. Thanks to this tool the host will have more control over their game. We’ve also been hard at work fixing loads of synchronization issues and problems reported post-launch. Clients should no longer see their fires burning out in seconds, and items should no longer disappear into the void during trades, among other things. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/8776a76ce1663c0ca84281c675608fbbd0b5f235.jpg

Steam Deck Support

If you are one of the happy owners of the new Steam Deck, we have some great news for you! The experimental update will include Steam Deck support, so make sure to check it out and let us know how it is. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/e5b87596fbde199f18cf9f9f29f4e83b2533eeec.jpg

Other Improvements and Better Optimization

As usual for almost any update in any game ever we will bring you more performance improvements, bug fixes, and optimizations, including faster load times, better memory management, more frames-per-second, and fixes to various graphics issues. To top all of that off we’ve also added some quality-of-life improvements and some new features to the game. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/e25ec8b2ec4043ba54248d6640fcabf1a95b76eb.png And that’s all for this update. We are looking forward to your feedback if you decide to test the upcoming experimental build. Stay safe and healthy in these trying times. You will hear more from us soon! David Ireas Kubíček

Hello everyone! ːsteamhappyː We hope you had wonderful Holidays and properly celebrated the end of 2021. New year is here and we‘ve got some exciting news to share with you all! We know we tend to go radio silent for longer periods of time, but the game is far from abandoned and we‘ve been working tirelessly on the project to meet our internal deadlines.

Experimental Branch

New update should come into the experimental branch of the game relatively soon. However, it‘s still too early to set a specific date. We‘ll need to test all the changes we‘ve made before going live and the experimental branch is the way to do it. You‘ll get to play the update early (albeit in potentially unstable form) and your feedback will help us find bugs and problems. We‘ll keep you posted about the availability of the experimental branch of the update. We‘ve been working on many „behind-the-scenes“ changes in networking, save game stability, optimizations and other features. The update should hopefully once again improve performance considerably across the board. More bug fixes and new features will be gradually introduced throughout the testing period leading up to the console release in April, which will correspond with the public release of the update on Steam.

New Translations

Together with the release on consoles, we are also planning on having the game translated into more languages. We can guarantee a Japanese translation with more languages currently being in the talks. At the moment, there‘s no telling how many more translations we‘ll manage to secure in time for the console release, but we‘ll do our best to get as many of the most requested languages as possible.

The State of the Studio

As big of a success as Hobo is, it can‘t sustain our studio indefinitely. We need to look to the future if we are to bring more of our ideas to life. At the same time we‘d like to avoid a burnout from working on the same project for such a long time. Hobo and its console ports is not the only thing we‘ve been working on in the past few months. We‘ve put as much (if not more) effort into improving our studio and internal infrastructure. We secured more office space, hired more talent, and acquired new technologies, all of which help us not only with the development of Hobo, but with our new next-gen project as well. Without sharing too much, we can tell you that our next project will also be a cross-genre hybrid. The following environmental concept art and sketches might offer some insight into the possible setting and overall atmosphere of the game: {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/cfb85c06cda2be358c7938c9a1c5676a689ad7dc.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/ced475745bfd968de43c2416ebbe88d77cd4a05d.jpg

Hello, everyone! ːsteamhappyː It’s been quite a while since our last update post. We apologize for this radio silence, but frankly there’s not been much to update on. Until now…

Console Ports

Possibly the most frequent question we’ve gotten post release was “Console ports when?” Well, we wanted to be done with the console ports by the end of the year. We now know that we’re not going to make it in time for that deadline. We’ve been falling behind the schedule slightly for a while now, but we wanted to wait until the end of September to be absolutely sure. After some deliberation, we have decided to set the new deadline for the release of the console ports. This deadline is fairly lenient and should allow for enough QA to be done in order to deliver smooth gameplay experience on all the intended consoles. Console release of Hobo: Tough Life is now planned on the 13th of April 2022 - coincidentally a year after the PC version. That almost calls for a “Year One Feature Update” for the PC version, right? Which brings us to the next point… {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/eef4a4b509b6e4e5a4af10babdc558ab1d8c5206.png

New Content

The second most frequent question we now get is “New content when?” Here is a bit of sad news. Unfortunately, there will assuredly be no new content until the release of the console ports. We realize that almost a year-long wait since the PC release is a bit too much to ask, but it is simply not viable for us to add to the project in its current state. We are simultaneously working on the console ports, cross-platform play infrastructure, and new cloud save system. Any changes and/or additions would require a project rollback, implementation, testing, release, and then reroll back to the current work copy. It sounds like a simple process, but a single instance of this could take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks and there is a lot that could go wrong. Simply put, it’s worth neither the risk, nor the time investment. HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean that PC players will be left empty-handed when the console ports release. We want the console versions to be the most feature-complete and polished versions of the game. That will of course serve to improve the PC version as well. There are still a lot of issues, bugs, and features that are on our to-do list. Console optimizations will improve performance on PC across the board as well. The “Year One Patch” is going to be big, we can promise you that. As for any new content past that, who knows. There have been talks about a DLC and mod support, but nothing specific yet. Truth is, Hobo: Tough Life has been in development for almost 7 years. That is a long time and we would like to avoid burnout, which is already slowly creeping in.

CEEGA 2021 Nomination

Now, to end on a good note, “Hobo: Tough Life” has received a nomination in Central & Eastern European Game Awards 2021! Next week, we will wrestle for the title of the Best Narrative with Mafia: Definitive Edition, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Medium in Poznań, Poland. Those are certainly formidable opponents so wish us luck! Part of our team will attend the event and keep you posted live on our social media. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/3649e4ef12ad0cc9c55c26a55db27ae4cb2bd49b.png That is going to be all for now, stay safe, and remember to stock up on medkits and lifebringers before the winter comes!

This patch will be lighter on the content, as explained in our Steam posts. Work on multiplayer security features still continues, but it's taking much longer than expected. However, fixes introduced in this patch will hopefully solve some repeatedly reported issues. Apart from fixes, we have also reworked the backend infrastructure for dialogue systems and the item database. It won’t have any noticeable impact on the game right now, but it will help us with optimizations later down the line, especially for consoles. Fixes:

• * Fixed navigation in the quest "Secret," quest marker leading to Herold should now point to the correct building.
• * Fixed a bug that caused the pizza delivery quest to become stuck if the player was drunk during one specific delivery on one of the routes. (this however does not work retroactively, if you are already stuck, it will remain that way)
• * Some pizza delivery locations marked better on the map, added a marker for the "gas station" location.
• * The whole pizza delivery quest has been rebalanced. Customers are more agreeable, don't complain as often as they did, and requirements for "successful" delivery were made more forgivable. Mr. Kubik should be more happy with your deliveries now.
• * Reputation gain with the police adjusted. Now it should be possible to earn the “Model Citizen” achievement. (this however does not work retroactively due to the way how reputation is awarded)
• * Fixed a situation where the player might have befriended Bruno and his thugs before being asked by Moiser to beat them up, thus being unable to finish Moiser’s quest line. You can now ask Bruno during that quest to let his people attack you again for a while.
• * Fixed the issue where lootables would not refill if the player looted them during the calamity and ended the season before they could refill
• * Fixed the issue where it was necessary to read all 30 books in one sitting for the Oldster to unlock. The game now correctly keeps track of the books read and you no longer need to read them all at once.

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/688fa9d2416f3f41903fbe2b6353c6e1b054a656.png Hello everyone! ːsteamhappyː We are nearing the end of June and with it the next “June” update. Or are we? Unfortunately, we have hit a few bumps on the road and won’t be able to finish the update on time. We will still release a patch addressing some more issues that we have managed to uncover and fix, but the major features that were supposed to be included will not make an appearance just yet. Main features of this upcoming update were supposed to be “security” measures and player management for multiplayer games. Firstly, guests would be able to interact with the host's hideout (both stash and placed items) only after a certain amount of time has passed. Secondly, the host would now have the option to kick or ban players, and also to override the time requirement if a trusted player joins in. This wouldn’t be a whole lot difficult if we were working with the old matchmaking system. As we have promised earlier, Hobo will support crossplay between various platforms. Because of that, we have to move to a different matchmaking service. Here’s when things get complicated. We want to first make the transfer to the new service, make sure it works, and then implement these features. However, the transfer is not going as smoothly as we had hoped. In addition to that, one of our programmers has suffered an injury that put him out of action for at least two weeks. We wanted to let you know that the main features of the June update will be postponed until July to ensure that we can properly implement everything. Bugfix patch will still release as scheduled. Thank you and stay safe!

Features: - Begging expertise and mastery perks rebalanced - Expert Begging now gives 30 % chance to get an item in addition to cash. Master Begging increases the chance to 70 %. That should hopefully result in less items cluttering the inventory of master beggars. - Early elections available - Now, if you've got enough votes, you can ask Herold to start the elections early, allowing you to become the king mid-season. - Difficulty balance pass - First season has been made a little bit easier (some parameters deplete slower, withdrawal drains less health), to compensate, seasons 2 and 3 are colder and a bit more difficult. Season 2 is mostly the same, Season 3 is a bit harder than it used to be. - Talisman of Recovery - replaces all the other recovery amulets. Recovers 10 points of all stat maximums lost due to dying. It is more expensive than the individual amulets previously, but considering it recovers all stats, it is actually much MUCH cheaper now to recover from death. - Stacking items in build mode - You can now stack similar items onto each other in the hideout. There are still some limitations, but to all who wanted to build walls from cinder blocks or worn tires, now's your time! If you delete an object with other objects stacked on top of it, they will be all placed in you inventory, so don't be alarmed if multiple objects disappear. - Conversations made more difficult - Success chances of further conversations checks beyond the first one have been reduced for early levels of the skill. It evens out at the level 5, but it makes the progress in the skill up to that point more noticeable. - Hardcore modes added - yes, there's multiple, mostly to avoid potential technical difficulties. You can enable hardcore mode when starting a new game. HC mode can only be selected when starting the game. Once you start a hardcore game, you can't change it later. Hardcore is meant to provide much steeper challenge than the base game and as such does not necessarily have to make sense or "feel realistic." Hardcore mode features: - Items can't be stored in the hideout storage. - Failure in the crafting minigame removes resources. - Character can't walk while overburdened. - Damaged equipment can't be repaired. - Healing consumables heal 50 % less. - Maisner no longer offers items for buy back after death. - 15 % more mess in the garbage bins. - Begging gives 50 % less cash. - Character can equip only a single luggage item. - Conversation starts at an effective level of 0 (you start with 0 % in all other dialogue options without using conversations). Hardcore+ mode features: - Same as the basic Hardcore mode, but you can't play in multiplayer and once you die, it's over (permadeath). Fixes: - fixes to some 3D models - fixed models of some upgradable items in the hideout - added missing Satanic altar in the quest "Moiser's Misery." There's 6 of them now, but you only need 5, so it should be easier to find them all. - multiple fixes to texture work, models, clipping throughout the city - adjustments to some areas where there shouldn't be snow (inside of the astronomical clock, Stink's hideout and others) - fixed exploit in a quest "A Little Pickpocketing" where the player could get an infinite amount of stealing XP. - fixed the issue where holding down LMB to confirm the "Continue..." dialogue option would immediately select the first option in the next step of the dialogue - fixes to some highlighter in hideouts - fix to where the local player couldn't see other players building unless they were in a build mode as well - fixed the possibility of reposition objects that were already being repositioned - fixed synchronization issues while connecting to a game with models in the process of building - fix of the cursed noodles from the bistro (ran a lot of errors in the background, potentially crashing the application) - added option to tell Tony quest information during the quest "Secret" even if Tony is angry at the player

Hello, everyone! ːsteamhappyː We are back with another update on the situation of our game. Progress on the console ports is steady, but we still have a loooong way to go. We’ll share more once we have something more substantial. Sadly, we can’t really show you any progress on tape as it is strictly under NDA. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/fb84ba1c8c3e33362ad879c7fff71761d3ae224c.jpg However, we can share that on the next generation consoles, we can already run the game on the highest quality settings in 4k resolution maintaining a steady 60 FPS. The biggest problem is going to be the Nintendo Switch, which is currently lagging behind at 12 FPS. Console play will also support crossplay between all the gaming platforms involved so you’ll be able to play with others no matter where they own and play the game. That is also why it’s taking us this long to introduce better security measures for multiplayer to stop people from ruining others’ games by joining and taking all their hideout equipment and stored items in public lobbies. We plan on implementing a timer for guests that will make it impossible for them to mess around with the host's stuff until they’ve played with them for a while. Host will also be able to manage the players on the server and kick or ban them. We’d have to reimplement these after changing the multiplayer structure to allow for crossplay, so we’d rather just do it once. We’d also like to stress out that optimizing the game for consoles will help the game run smoother on PCs as well. Many changes and improvements we are currently working on will lead to shorter loading times (especially on HDDs), less RAM requirements and better stability. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/e9ee9bcfecfc6a511d862f0eecf348ba4e08b3df.png Apart from console ports, we’ve also been working hard on implementing new features, based on feedback and requests from our community. You can read about them in more detail in the dedicated patch notes - especially about big fixes and smaller improvements. The biggest additions coming in this update are changes to calamities making them more intensive, but shorter, the option to call for early elections (if the player has enough votes), and optional hardcore modes for greater challenge. Yes, hardcore modes plural - basic hardcore mode eligible for multiplayer play, and hardcore+ mode restricting the game to singleplayer and featuring permadeath. You’ll find more detailed information about the hardcore mode restrictions in the patch notes. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/2e79948b93065368841e7eba5bc4c109c234fac9.png We are also getting a lot of questions about language availability and when the game is going to be translated into more languages. Thing is, our original system of community translations was very improvised and we definitely cannot use it on a larger scale. Currently, implementation of translations requires our input and a new build for any changes to take effect - managing that with multiple languages is going to get complicated. Right now, we are researching the possibility to allow for translations to be added as Steam Workshop mods. And who knows, maybe we won’t stop with just translations ;) That is going to be all for May. See you at the end of June! - Perun Creative

Hello, everyone! ːsteamhappyː We are back with another update on things to come. Our last statement addressed these issues somewhat, but we now have much clearer vision that we can share with you all! First, we’d like to thank you for the awesome release. We are aware that it was a bumpy ride at times and we absolutely appreciate your patience, help, and cooperation with reporting and fixing bugs. Thank you. We’ll continue doing our best improving the game going forward. But what does that mean? We have a light roadmap here to help with the explanation.

Are there going to be more updates?

Yes. We are not done and plan on introducing new features, fixes and Quality-of-Life improvements to the game. However, beginning in May, the updates will be much less frequent - happening only about once a month. As much as we’d like to deliver them to you faster, we need to multi-task and provide support while also working on console ports and a new project. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/0875f6e3c47e1c4bc356212d1a166dfbe34275af.png

What’s the news on console ports?

They will happen. We’ll be making the ports ourselves (instead of outsourcing), so it will take quite a lot of time and focus away from other tasks. The game will be ported to all major consoles - Xbox (One, One X and Series X), PlayStation (PS4, PS4 Pro, PS5), and Nintendo Switch. It is an ambitious goal, but we already have some very promising attempts.

Hold up, new project?

YES! After almost a week of deliberations we have arrived at a consensus. We now have a clear direction for the new project and our designers are already starting work on pre-production. We can’t tell you more at the moment, but it is going to be very exciting. As soon as we have anything to share, we will!

What’s going to happen to the developer streams?

We started streaming to showcase new updates and improvements prior to releasing the 1.0 version and leaving Early Access. They can obviously no longer fill that role, but we’ve found a solution. Our developer streams will now be officially charity streams! As with the updates, they will be less frequent (once every two weeks), but to make up for that, they will be longer. Our community manager will play through the game with various self-imposed challenges, and you can make his task even harder with donation incentives. We are currently raising money for Shelter. You can find details about the campaign here: https://tiltify.com/@peruncreative-b99629/perun-creative-for-shelter. That’s gonna do it for this post. Stay safe, people!

Features: - added new NPC "Stink" that sells some of the most coveted items (for outrageous prices). You gotta find him first though. - lightning near Drax and Shrug improved - added animation to a character change and fixed the activation spot - added a conversation option to not ask drunk Hobos for money (for RP reasons) Fixes: - fixed some colliders and poorly placed props - issue with dumpster diving UI getting stuck on screen if approached by an NPC fixed - issues with unresponsive combat fixed - playpen fixed - some floating interact icons fixed - fixed containers in Guzzler lair - exploit where clothing would be repaired after intentionally failing the minigame - hideout stash fixed and it is now possible to place more than 100 in the stash at once - fixed replacing props in hideout - season transition no longer removes Luke's addiction - fixed issues after choosing a character and connecting to a game - fixed the price of coke in the bistro - fixed issue with getting beat up while trading with other player - fixed Bruno's request of Calling Off the thugs - unused lockers deleted - Payour now pays only once during the shakedown quest for Leos - tooltip about permanent bonuses from Fester's recipes removed - Ski Mask removed from the player inventory if it is not used as evidence against him - fixed activation triggers for royal quests - fixed navigation and activation triggers for Praslavian Legends quest

Features: - smoother camera transitions - slight improvement to loading times - loading bar added before intros - added option to adjust brightness - added option to adjust FOV - added option to lock FPS - adjusted the volume of the intro movies - Maisner now teaches recipes during his quests like he used to - improved global illumination and reduced the number of lighting artefacts - added option to change audio source (stereo, quad, 5.1) - added more portraits to 2D interiors Fixes: - TO UNLOCK OLDSTER: You have to read 30 books while using the Study hideout equipment. There is a mistake in the description and will be fixed as soon as we can add in new translations. - fixed display of the number of days in the diary - Early Access banner in the menu removed (big oof there) - fixed visuals of the conversation minigame - fixed sleeping on a bus stop near the train station - some NPCs repositioned - fixed location reset in quest Praslavian Legends - fixed keybind tooltips not updating until the game reset - fixed inability to sell canned beer in bulk to Jenkins (please report any other items that cannot be sold in bulk to him) - fixed interact button at the car wreck in the pit - fixed issue when opening inventory from the organizer (map screen) that would lead to a GUI lock - conversation with Frank fixed - selling to Anatoly made more convenient, selling now does not return you to the root menu, but only to the item selection menu - fixed the requirements for the use of the Strategy perk in the conversation with a police officer - fixed the incorrect position of the map marker for the sewer clean up temp job - unused interaction icons for removed loot locations deleted - soft lock with the Martyr quest fixed by using alternative way to obtain the Golden Cross from Marty (high level stealing required) - Playpen fixed - fixed the issue with number 11 disappearing in the construction menu - fixed issue where current (not max) willpower would drop to 2 if player had more while quitting the game - fixed Discord link in the menu - *spoiler alert* fixed the quest Praslavian Legends where the quest would not continue after taking picture of the Golem - fixed issue where the client players couldn't select a character - fixed behavior of the bus stops on the gamepad - fixed issue with video encoding of the intro movies on Windows 7 - fixed lightning in the pit - fixed issue with doubled dialogue when asking about the Legendary whiskey at the bar Spark

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/19484b30af0c209cb0fc371ff86424fff7419708.jpg Hello, everyone! ːsteamhappyː The day has come! We are proud to announce that Hobo: Tough Life is leaving Early Access after almost 4 years of development. Version 1.0 is now publicly available for everyone to enjoy. What has changed since the 0.9 version released more than half a year ago? If we were to list every single thing, the list would be way too long. You can look forward to an expanded soundtrack, improved graphical fidelity and visual effects, a plethora of new ambient sounds, new areas of the city and much much more! Important disclaimer! Although saves from older versions of the game are technically compatible, we can’t guarantee they will work 100 % correctly in all cases. Version 1.0 uses a different version of the engine. Many mechanics/quests have been adjusted or reworked, and numerous items were either removed or changed. We STRONGLY suggest starting a new game, especially if you are interested in earning achievements (as some of them do not unlock retroactively). We realize this might be inconvenient or disappointing to some of you, but it is simply impossible to account for every possible save game scenario out there. Does this mean that we are done with Hobo? Not at all! We’ll most likely take a short break following the release to recuperate. Once we gather our strength, we’ll be back with more updates, patches, and bugfixes. We would like to get the game translated into even more languages (let us know in the comments which languages you would like!). We’ll be adding more improvements and features based on player feedback that did not make it into this version. These updates probably won’t be too frequent or loaded with features as much as the early access updates were, but they will come! We’ll also be working on console ports. They should be done by the end of the year, if everything goes according to plan. Parallel to our post-launch support for Hobo, we’ll also be starting work on our next project soon. We can’t really share any details right now, but there are a couple of ideas already floating around the office. All in all, we have learned much while working on Hobo. It was our first project and it definitely won’t be our last. We’ll do our best to learn from our mistakes and do our best in the games to come! It has been an exhausting journey and we would not have made it without the support of our families, friends, and you, our fans and players of our game! To every single one of you - THANK YOU! We are grateful for all your help. We’ll see you once we have had a bit of sleep and a meal or two. Stay safe!

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/9871afb251a783eea98f1a539d614530664b22f2.gif Join us in our today's last pre-release lives stream! ːsteamhappyː Our community manager will playthrough the game, while answering your questions regarding the game.

New features: - optimizations for the Ludicrous graphic level - optimization of vegetation for low and medium settings - improved vegetation rendering for all quality levels - tree colliders slightly improved - optimization of vegetation (15-20 % improvement in FPS) - added decals and decorations into the Hall of Kings - added fire barrels and banners into the Hall of Kings (banners during the elections) - added decals in the Fort - added decals in Marty's den - added decals in sewers - added "decor" in the sewers, clean up tied to a minigame - added decals around Ghaul's shack - added new temp jobs in call center and in sewers (rest of the new temp jobs should be correctly locked for now) - increased luminosity of the flashlight - volumetric effects (lights for example) now slowly fade in and out - clock added to default HUD, in inventory you can also see the current day - new menu scenery - including different character positions during rainstorms Fixes: - fixed positioning of oysteroids and Mr. Mrazek to avoid collisions with the new greenery - fixed NPC positioning at Drax's place - fixed a hole in the map near the edge of the pit - fixed combat near the train station - fixed error when changing from regular announcements to the calamity announcements at the train stations - fixed collider near Furgrim - fixed a sheet of metal sticking through a wall - fixed some positioning and missing props - confiscated contraband should now correctly appear in Kvapil's "buy back" window - fixed LOD in the pit - fixed illumination of dynamic objects (NPCs, trees, etc.) - fixed Herold's voice - fixed props around Ghaul's place - fixed police (and NPC civilian guards) inactivity during player conversations - police now reacts to player stealing, selling drugs or attacking NPCs, as they should - cleaning up sewage in the sewer clean up temp job now adds stink - snowing now correctly lowers Dryness - fixed colliders (Shrug, building a toilet in the hideout) - fixed map navigation for Call Center and Sewage Clean Up temp jobs - fixed some missing quest progress rewards in the call center - industrial bin near Drax deactivated - fixed mapping of cars - fixed streaming of decals - fixed navmesh at several places that made the places hard to traverse and caused issues with lightning - fixed selling the good stuff to Tough NPC passersby - lowered the price of selling to Tough NPC passersby - quest Stand-in now adds reputation with Father Burian (first of a few fixes that will hopefully improve the vote situation) - fixed quick slot scrolling on gamepad

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/22d22109b6a948ebbe2fb52ca4cf9010712e3107.jpg Hello, everyone! The 1.0 release is approaching terrifyingly fast and we are working tirelessly to get everything done in time. We have a lot to share, so let’s get to it! First off, we would like to thank everybody who took part in our beta testing and helped us find and fix many (MANY) bugs. We have received and cleared over 500 reports and we are still working on more fixes to ensure that the full 1.0 experience is as smooth as possible! We understand that not everybody was happy with our decision to grant the beta access through our Discord (link: https://discord.com/invite/p99X2H8s7t), but we did it in order not to get overwhelmed with reports and to centralize feedback in one place. If you decided to not get into the beta because of that, now you can do so without joining the Discord. The 1.0 beta is now available until 13th of April in the experimental beta branch on Steam. All you have to do is change your game’s version in the Betas menu. You can get there via the Properties menu from the Steam Library (after right-clicking on Hobo: Tough Life). We’d still be glad if the reports of any found bugs go through Discord, but we understand if you don’t want to make an account because of that. We have also managed to produce a limited amount of physical copies of Special and Collector editions that will be available predominantly on Czech and Slovak markets. Distribution in other countries is still in the talks, but the global pandemic situation makes negotiations about any physical merchandise difficult. However, shops that will carry these editions in CZ/SK have international reach, so you should be able to order from them, if you are interested in owning a physical copy of our game. Retails you can already buy the game from: originalky, alza, xzone, jrc and czc! ːsteamhappyː {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/27f0547a2e0101538de53701b01b6884cd552517.jpg That said, here is a tiny bit of bad news. Game’s amount of content and polish have increased considerably in 1.0 version compared to the early development. Because of that, we have decided to increase the price of the final version from 16,79 EUR to 20,99 (or from roughly 20 USD to 25). That is all for now. We’ll see you on 13th of April! Stay safe!

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/14ac7af5efb41c53c5b6edd823ec39f697e0bfa0.jpg Hello, everyone! ːsteamhappyː The release of the experimental beta build is here! It has been available since Tuesday on our Discord, but to make the amount of bug report manageable, we’ve decided to make an official announcement only after we fixed some of the most glaring issues. It has been an ordeal, but we believe the build is mostly ready for rigorous testing. Bear in mind, not all features have been fully implemented and will be added gradually during the testing period. These include: Certain decals (e.g. leaves or manhole covers) Grass and shrubs (trees are in the game but have no colliders) Weather sound effects NPC voices and voice lines will be expanded and improved Some quests are not fully implemented yet. The pit is awaiting a serious face-lift Construction interface is temporary Expanded soundtrack with location appropriate tracks Gameplay balancing (will be adjusted based on player feedback) Now, the most important part. How do you get into the beta? You’ll need a password. The password is available on our official Discord server. You’ll find it in the “1.0 Beta Testing” category. Once you have the password, you’ll have to open Steam, right-click Hobo, select “Properties” and then “Betas”. Put in the password there, click check and then confirm to enter “experimental_unstable” beta. The update will then be downloaded shortly afterwards. If you find any bugs during the testing phase, please report them preferably on our Discord in the appropriate channels. Thank you! Now, go play the game! - Perun Creative

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/97c4306373382f8b6aa6f575e5e3450b3283a235.png Hello everyone, we’ve got a bit of unfortunate news. Beginning yesterday, our government is prolonging the state of emergency and tightening lockdown even more. Up until now, offices could stay open, but under the new restrictions offices are being closed down as well. Home office is mandatory wherever possible. Citizens are not allowed to leave districts for any other than work or family related reasons. That means we have to get equipment from our offices, bring it home, and make sure everything works correctly. Additionally, we are working on tasks that require meeting in person (like doing improved voice work). That is no longer possible. We predict that abiding by the new restrictions will slow down our workflow somewhat. The state of emergency is said to be in effect for the next three weeks, but that is honestly something our government's been saying for the past six months. We are still on track for the public beta of the 1.0 update on 8th of March - that is still happening. However, the final release will have to be pushed back by exactly two weeks to April 13th to account for any possible delays. Believe us, we are not happy about it, but there is nothing we can do about the current situation. We will keep you posted and inform you of any changes that might come up. Stay safe, people!

Hello, everyone! ːsteamhappyː We have some sad news to share. There is no point in beating around the bush – the final release will be delayed by a bit. We would need a miracle to finish all the work still left on the game by the end of the week. However, it is not all just doom and gloom. There is a silver lining too – we can now give you finalized release date! Hobo: Tough Life will launch in 1.0 version on March 30th, 2021. The new update will be available in the experimental branch on Steam around March 7th, so that anyone interested can experience the game sooner and help us deal with any potential bugs. We realize that many of you are eagerly expecting the new update and cannot wait for the changes it will bring. We apologize for keeping you in the dark for so long, but we simply could not pinpoint the new release date any sooner. Two months is quite a long time, but believe us, it is going to be worth the wait. With all the new additions, changes, tweaks and final polishings, Hobo will feel like a whole new game! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/ddc38ed64794fb07f057d572e6b54495afc3398f.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/7acfd37aa9d874cb47b672b79c668de7e376d063.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/dafeefee1086d182bc78809b9ce05baaed1669b5.jpg In case you missed it, here is our third Dev Diary that focuses on sound design of our game and how it all comes together: Stay safe, people, and we’ll see you in March! - Perun Creative

Hello everyone! ːsteamhappyː We hope you’ve had pleasant holidays, however you chose to spend them. This year sure was a bumpy ride, but 2020 is nearing its end. Hopefully, 2021 will be much more agreeable and the situation improves worldwide. We at the Perun Creative studio were not left unaffected by the global pandemic. Some members of our team had to self-isolate and governmental restrictions did not make the situation any easier. That has caused some delays in our plans and difficulties that needed to be overcome. However, despite all of that, it has been a very eventful year for Hobo: Tough Life. In March, we made stealing from buildings a bit more interesting with the addition of interior locations for residential buildings and warehouses. The March update also introduced thugs into the game, which now make the streets of Praslav that much more dangerous. NPCs also started wearing weather appropriate clothes and put on more layers the colder it gets. The Narrative Update in August was our biggest update to date. At the first glance, it did not add much; just some quests, items and a bunch of texts, right? Well, let us put things into perspective. Currently, there is: 7 factions 165 unique NPCs 186 narrative quests 657 unique items 488 pages of text (164 351 words) That’s right, 488 pages! Hobo is basically an average Dickensian novel, down to the focus on the members of the lower classes of society. Our writers are actually crazy. Some people have questioned that amount of text in our game: “Is it really necessary?” It was always meant to be this way. Hobo was supposed to be primarily a narrative experience, survival game second. We’d like to think that we have succeeded in that and the game is full of small stories and personal dramas inspired by true events. After the release of the Narrative update, we immediately started work on the 1.0 version of the game. That has resulted in the current limbo-like state for the game. The updated version we are currently working on is no longer compatible with the public version on Steam. That means that even the smallest fixes now have to wait for the 1.0 release in January (hopefully). Following the Narrative update, we have also called upon the community to help us translate the game. We were humbled and honestly quite surprised by the response. It was heartwarming seeing the community come together to work on the translations for the game. We have learned much from that process as well, which will hopefully let us coordinate such efforts in the future more smoothly and clearly. Huge thanks to everyone who participated. So, what’s next? We are currently polishing the game and preparing it for the final release. We don't want to spoiler all the surprises that we've added (or improved) since the last update, but here is glimpse of things which you can look forward to! New locations {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/9939d5077e3727560842b047447b69a141446af7.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/da806947810551e0e5721fb89e58257b83a807e6.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/fe4f5dc5a14c407554b42b10ca18fb027845d360.jpg Improved visuals - volumetric clouds Improved visuals - new fire VFX Improved visuals - reworked flashlight Complete sound redesign, expanded soundtrack, new sound effects... Achievements {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/1374bef1a3da597c2ddf023f4f23545088a5b3ea.png New game mechanics like fast travel using public transport Enhancing visuals and adding more effects overall for more immersion Reworking character manager Redesigning buffs GUI polish Crushing dozens of bugs and so much more! 2020 has been a rough year for multiple reasons, but we made the most out of it. However, none of that would have been possible without you! Big thanks to everybody who’s been supporting us along the way; players, fans, community translators, testers, streamers, youtubers, our friends and families. Thank you for all your support from the bottom of our hearts. This has been going for long enough. We are sure you want to get going and get ready for the New Year’s celebrations. Go right ahead and remember, take it easy.. We’ll see you in 2021, folks! ːsteamhappyː - Perun Creative

Join us in our today's lives stream! ːsteamhappyː Our community manager will playthrough the game, while answering your questions regarding the game.

Join us in our today's lives stream! ːsteamhappyː Our community manager will playthrough the game, while answering your questions regarding the game.

{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/4422efa46cc08416eb4ef2057dbb15e5ea531d37.png Hello, everyone! ːsteamhappyː Many of you have been calling for non-English translations and some even offered help with the translation process. Originally, we wanted to first finalize the English translation of the game and then have that translated into various other languages. That process would take long and would not be done before the full release of the game next year. However, with your help, we can push the translations out much sooner! We would like to start with Chinese, Russian, and German. Depending on the success and interest in community translations, we might even add more languages in the future. If you are both fluent in English and a native speaker of any of the mentioned languages, we would more than welcome your help with the translations! We have decided to go with the community translations because that way we can get translations of the game out sooner. The translations in the final version will still go through professional proof-reading phase to ensure that players from all over the world can enjoy the game in their native language without being distracted by spelling mistakes and grammar errors, but this way rough translations of the game will be available sooner! If you are interested in helping us translate the game, you can get more information following the links bellow: This link takes you to our Discord: https://discord.gg/jggTSsU This link takes you to the Translations thread in Steam Discussions: https://steamcommunity.com/app/632300/discussions/0/4158467629226627353/

Hi everyone! ːsteamhappyː

After 5 loooong months, the narrative update is finally here! An update that delivers a massive amount of new content to the game.

Story

For over a decade, no one has been able to bring the many factions of the homeless together. The throne of the Beggar King has been sitting empty for far too long. Who will earn enough respect and prove themselves worthy of uniting the homeless? Will you rise to the occasion? Almost two hundred new quests with various interconnections and outcomes were added to the game. All this packed into a rich narrative environment full of NPCs and intrigues. These quests come with a large number of new items and activities that you can do in the game. All the locations and NPCs that we were slowly adding over the past updates are no longer hidden (or inactive). Since the last update, we have also added multiple new indoor and outdoor NPCs together with two new locations (sewers and the throne room). {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/81a21ff978bc386d0abdd48f9820628198f43d15.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/96b09a637c76ba86721dd883533615896743b80e.jpg As with any story content, it is hard to share information without actually spoiling the experience. Therefore we won't reveal any further details about the actual story. We are leaving that up to you 😉 (For the best experience we advise you to start a brand new game)

New features

Elections are directly linked to the story and they are present throughout the whole game. There is now a dedicated category for that in the diary. There, you can see all the votes you have acquired and the remaining votes you need to get before the elections are held. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/1a749b59b48214c56939c9916baadefba45a8a86.jpg We have completely redesigned interactions with street NPCs. In the past, if you wanted to steal, beg, or trade with the NPC you had to go through randomized dialogues until one of those interactions popped up. This is no longer the case. After initiating a conversation with an NPC, all the desired options are immediately available. However, each option has a different probability of success (this is based on skills, perks, and difficulty of the NPC). The more you talk with the NPC the more it lets its guards down and success in stealing/begging/trading is more likely. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/bd9dd227e006b7bddb36f8aa3c246075e31d8464.jpg The minigame – a point of contention for many players. Getting rid of it entirely would be nearly impossible without a complete rework of how our game works. But we have redesigned it and optimized it for more player comfort. Not only it looks different, but it also feels different. There is now only a single green field that gets bigger as you improve your skills, and the arrow has a slight sway to its movements. Green is good, red is bad. Simple as that. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/d067a42e80a2deb8c3365802859e8ca04cc2415b.jpg NPCs can now level up. Yes, all of you serial bullies better watch out. NPCs will not let themselves being bullied and beaten in fights without a response anymore. They will now get stronger and acquire weapons to better defend themselves if you push them too hard. That way they can pose a challenge even later in game. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/d95f0fc03f6ae396de513055709549c23a212479.jpg

Other changes & Bug fixes

• Added story intro
• Improved and redesigned outro
• Fixed relocation inside of buildings
• Fixed detection of Xbox one controller
• Fixed camera offset while in dig animation
• Added usable rest places in Fort and Prison
• Fixed issues with the health of NPCs after load
• Fixed missing vehicles colliders in the pit area
• Fixed incorrect coins rewards after finishing a season
• Fixed English translation of conversations with drunk NPCs
• Fixed chasers’ behavior while the player is dead or beaten
• Removed probability of drunk NPCs during the first day in the game
• Fixed item inclusion after taking them from bins in co-op
• Some NPCs can now give you discounts in their shops based on your relations with them
• NPC retreats after losing a fight with the player
• Fixed system of gaining smell from gear
• Repair place in Mall shelter relocated
• Updated visuals of indoor characters
• Various improvements in map indication
• Improved visuals of conversation GUI
• Improved notification of negative statuses
• Improved visuals of side notifications
• Improved camera handling on a gamepad
• Added new vehicles across the city
• Added new lockers across the city
• Fixed NPCs being angry endlessly
• Fixed multiple props glitches across the city
• Fixed missing notification after buying an item from an NPC
• Improved performance of indoor NPCs
• Fixed the issue of shops not refreshing their stock
• Drinking animation randomized

Have a great day and enjoy the update! - Perun Creative

Hi everyone ːsteamhappyː Hope you are doing great! We have been working extremely hard on the next update aka "the narrative update". Even though the update is content wise ready, we have decided to postpone the release date from July to August in order to have more time on bug fixing and polishing. The delay is caused by the complexity of the whole narrative content. We have added almost two hundred new quests with various interconnections and outcomes. All this packed in to rich narrative environment full of NPCs and intrigues. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/12ac9293c9083a3aaeca48d754202f85cd1f681b.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/952181b14569ab125eae9a673b8cefd04bc62c3f.jpg Even though the update is labeled as narrative, the story won't be the only new thing in the game. Among other features we have completely redesigned interactions with street NPCs, but let's keep the details hidden until the actual update. It would not be a surprise then. 🤪 Have a great day! - Perun Creative

Hi everyone!

We hope you are doing well during these difficult times. Nevertheless covid-19 won't stop us from delivering what we have promised, so here comes the update ːsteamhappyː

Main new features

Indoor stealing via 2D GUI was transformed into 3D. This means that inside locations like residential buildings, warehouses... were replaced with 3D equivalents with residents, lockers etc. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/c43bfeb9a732c8d27b67b7589fb0258f8d27fd9e.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/76b8ae5c5ccabe4d55f8fda18e38f31f540c7782.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/a2a0da3d6ff20c3c66a86b902538fc2017e15e24.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/fcb37a161b923e7c5da54acaf85e126cc83793bf.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/90d0162fe62cdff4bcb954f61ed83ed0c45e5614.jpg In the previous version, combat was initiated only by the player (except situations when NPC was drunk). Players were thus safe wandering around the city. This is no longer the case. Around the city there are now thugs. Aggressive NPCs, who are triggered by your presence. If you refuse to give them what they want (money or some loot), they will beat you up. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/a95902aca9ee173432cc73073fa229e626bf4a44.jpg We have added significant amount of new NPCs in to the game. This resulted in better variety among the characters in the crowd. Also thanks to the increased amount of models, NPCs are now dressed differently depending on the outside temperature. Newly added male models {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/e9ac3abcc7534f1c9edea69eb31485d58c643655.jpg Newly added female models {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/6843d85f3f148d8e18c060b86be1730515313c6b.jpg Newly added story characters {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/62f05707f07f24acc608a1e6c8af437e231d27f5.jpg Prison has underwent many changes. Equipment in the cell is no longer only decorable, but actually usable. Once you enter the prison, all your personal belongings are taken away. After you leave the cell your items are returned to you. Except the illegal ones (like weapons or drugs), which are confiscated and stashed in the police station. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/2a46d1dd925740af6916d6155fafa98ece2096a2.jpg We have added two new perks.

Smuggler - Reduces amount of contraband confiscated if you get arrested.

Alcoholic - You are more charismatic while inebriated. Also each perk has now hand drawn picture in the description {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/95670d5088324655ff15b9e98b3b0585a442be4d.jpg

Story

We have added lots of new story related locations and NPCs. So far most of the NPCs are not intractable, but this is going to change with the upcoming narrative update. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/b84fe8a902d3d63ca3eed80d4e7db0645830709f.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/6bef2bcdc070d9a431cfdd69cc94a982c3a5107d.jpg

Other changes & Bug fixes

• Added new bins and lockers around the map
• Added new inside location - post office
• Added vending machine synchronization
• Repaired issues with weapons trading
• Repaired issues with stealing using mouse
• Repaired inaccurate collider dimensions of other players, when they are inside building or dead
• Reworked save/load system of NPCs
• Removed outdated chinese translations
• Repaired broken state of NPCs (e.g. NPC permanently angry on the player for no reason)
• Fixed game crashing when exiting game while GUI is still active
• Fixed NPC behavior after combat
• Fixed crime detection by surrounding NPCs
• Fixed issues with selling equipped gear and weapons
• Willpower no longer needed for initiating stealing
• Fixed thread collisions in lockers synchronisation
• Fixed time issues after creating new game
• Fixed lost and found shop ("death shop")
• Fixed problems with ambient sounds after leaving inside location
• Fixed issues with bag equipment
• Fixed footsteps sounds in inside locations
• Fixed hints system while sleeping
• Stats maximum reduction after death decreased from 10 to 5
• Removed reduction of dryness after death
• Replaced interaction synchronization with more robust system
• Exit phrases of NPCs were moved from conversation to pop up messages
• Added system for re-positioning players and NPCs when they are outside combat area
• Added warning dialog for situations when steam connection failed
• Improved visualization of items with stock count over 999
• Repaired synchronization of bins content between players
• Smoother 2D images rendering (less pixelated pictures)
• Fixed issues with trade request icon
• Fixed rare error when triggering combat in coop
• Fixed possibility to set more hideout bonuses then actual maximum
• Fixed problems with hideout bonuses after death
• Repaired positioning of various props glitched inside near by buildings
• Reduced interaction distance
• System of weather calamities was reworked -> there is no longer weather calamity during first season, next two seasons are extremely hard and after these two there are no more weather extremes)
• Replaced legacy willpower icon in items description
• Fixed problems with health of inside NPCs
• Improved colliders in Zizkov area
• Improved overall game balancing
• Improved spawn distribution system of NPCs
• Improved garbage collection and memory managment
• Improved combat animations synchronization
• Improved depth of field
• Improved shadermaps
• Core code optimizations

Enjoy the new update! ːsteamhappyː - Perun Creative

Hi everyone! ːsteamhappyː

Today we are going to look at what to expect in 2020. So let's get started! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/029b7d70426417979d21e338a51453ac713dc055.png As you can see in the roadmap there will be 3 main updates. Small updates between them are probable, but not certain.

March 2020

This update will primarily focus on new features. You can look forward for 3D indoor stealing (replacement for 2D indoor stealing), this means that inside locations like residential buildings, warehouses... will be replaced with 3D equivalents with residents, lockers etc. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/802e9268f7b0188115e0548434742930f1990b45.jpg In the current version, combat is initiated only by the player (except situations when NPC is drunk). This is going to change. Around the city there will be various aggressive NPCs. If you refuse to give them what they want (money or loot), they will beat you up. There will be multiple changes regarding prison. Equipment in the cell won't be only decorable, but actually usable. Illegal items (like weapons or drugs) will be confiscated once the player enters prison. But that's not all. There will be lots of various improvements, new NPCs, locations, tons of bug fixes and more. So stay tuned, because this update is almost here :) {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/b84fe8a902d3d63ca3eed80d4e7db0645830709f.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/6bef2bcdc070d9a431cfdd69cc94a982c3a5107d.jpg Bare in mind that with this update the base price of the game will slightly increase.

July 2020

Main focus of this update will be narrative. Story is a feature that we have been working on since the beginning. There have been many iterations and changes through out the development, but we are finally working towards completion. With story the game will have finally a goal. You will have a purpose. Purpose to actually achieve something and not just survive as long as possible. We would love to share all the details, but... we don't want to spoil it. So please be patient. We will share more information once the update is bit closer for public release. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/bcff708a51a83986a646f7c9835311220587514b.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/be3c6f175ff845fc3b5b1e716753a5ca106bd61a.jpg

January 2021 - Version 1.0

Yep, final version. You are reading this correctly. This means leaving early access and delivering highly polished product. This will be the most challenging part of the development. Besides extensive bug fixing, optimization and polishing we will be working on things like tutorial, achievements, refactor of menu, full gamepad support... Simply on everything that has lower priority at the moment. The final version will also address issues regarding translations. We know that Chinese translation is not the best at the moment, but this is simply due to fact that the game has lots of texts and for our small studio it is really hard to keep everything translated during early access. However for the final version each language will have high quality translation with proper QA. We are planning to have the full version of the game in Czech, English, Chinese, Russian and German. Enough talking typing and back to working! Wish us luck :) - Perun Creative

Hi everyone ːsteamhappyː Christmas came early, because it's update time!!! But first let me take a selfie. I mean, let's look first at Game Developers Session 2019. On this conference we were showing our game and the feedback was awesome! Since this session was mainly for game developers and press, we have received priceless advice and suggestions. which will help us make the game even better! {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/d0cb9862d572cd2cde22b79f9931f8dd8d13d866.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/1c8db52cd73086a89933f22d1c5b387cbb0b997c.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/00d7c5c116fcda002bcb0b153e0bbdf5896b14e3.jpg Enough about GDS. Here comes the juicy stuff!

Graphics

With every update we are always trying to push the visuals even further without sacrificing performance. And as the old saying goes: Do or do not, there is no try! So we did. Thanks to some performance optimization in volumetric lighting we were able to add this effect to most of the street lights, thus creating better atmosphere during night. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/0ce5e3be8cf1d7bad5f5764e3280d33e71a1e91d.jpg We have also added effect called distance depth of field. This effect makes further objects a bit blurred, which results in more smoother image. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/89f0c92c5472f78b9249eb5be1dff20ee8e0bc1e.jpg Icons for statuses, buffs, shelter perks, categories, addictions and willpower have been completely redesigned. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/74ace57469d2b3131d6f66bfa7270050b4d6f485.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/e37980fd83d31b20f2d0da8414b70f3da36b4034.jpg {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/f2310864a2ac08ac7b751c907437df18d6f03a1e.png

Story

We have added new story location. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/0eebb7dd1499415f3889ccaa0e1b8c3dfd36c039.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/3014ab4e846a9f0422d9bd873486a4fcebb3306c.png

Combat

It is finally here! Combat takes place in conversation mode. The system is turn-based. It depends on your weapon, strength, armor, health, oponent's health, etc. Combat can currently happen in these situation:

Bullying other hobos (attempt to get their stuff).

Being caught by chasers and policemen (attempt to avoid prison).

Dealing with drunk NPCs. From time to time, hobos can now get drunk and some of them can get quite aggressive Currently there is more than 25+ weapons. Each weapon has its own durability, critical chance and attack and defense bonus. Weapons can be crafted, bought or gained through quests. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/29994717/15ccf2f9fb6c21c89f6a7d38a0bb9075817103c1.png List of newly added perks:

Adrenaline - In combat, you can use willpower to heal 10 HP.

Weapon master - Durabilty of your weapons is drained at a slower pace.

Masochist - Getting hurt makes you feel good. Receiving hit in combat restores your morale.

Scrapper - In combat, you can use willpower to hit your opponent twice in a row with no retaliation.

Weaponsmith - You can craft makeshift weapons. Example of combat

Other changes & Bug fixes

• New outside and inside npcs
• New unique profile pictures for some inside characters
• Added healthbar of NPC to the conversation interface
• Fixed issues with selecting items in shops
• Fixed dislocated street lights near business area
• Fixed issues with texts after language was switched
• Fixed issues with idle animation during conversation
• Fixed possibility to crouch during conversation
• Fixed decals glitching around church area
• Fixed Drag&Drop in quick slots
• Fixed dislocated UVs on some buildings
• Fixed autosave error in lobby
• Fixed possibility to trade with players who are inside
• Increased number of default bandages from 1 to 5
• Improved texture resolution and mesh quality of pillars
• Cars replaced with higher quality alternatives
• Added new quests and services
• Added possibility to turn on double vSync
• Added notification for when a status is maxed out
• Added sound effect for fall damage
• Fixed disconnection of lockpicking sfx volume with global sfx volume
• Repaired missing props
• Reworked Drax surrounding
• Improved specularity of various materials
• Improved colliders in Zizkov
• Improved AI navigation
• Small code optimisations

Enjoy the new update and merry Christmas! ːsteamhappyː - Perun Creative