Hey everyone ! First of all, I want to give you all my best wishes for 2022 and beyond !

This year has been a very exiting year in regards of Project Apocalypse, back in March I released the first playable version of the game and since then it received 6 major updates improving the game in all his aspects.

2022 promise to be even more exiting and I want to detail my plans and what will changes for Project Apocalypse in this post. Because, yes, I found some things with which I am unhappy in their current state and which need some more profound rework before going on, this is one of many reasons why the last 2 updates planned for this end of year were not released.

Before starting, if you don’t want to read the whole post, here is a small summary of what I will talk about:

• End of Pre-Alpha moved to Q2 2022 with different goals separeted across two updates: Rework of the currently available Horde Mode making it a completely different experience; Rework of the Weapons Upgrade system; Multiple new features and QoL updates; Small new map area

• The Survival Gamemode is now the end-Alpha goal because it needs a lot more stuff to be enjoyable like procedural interiors, a way bigger map, new ennemies types, etc

• The game will receive a new Title in the next month, i’m thinking to multiple potential titles as Project Apocalypse was only a placeholder name

After this small summary I want to start by showing you the new updated Roadmap for Project Apocalypse in 2022 and beyond.

These changes of plans come with the fact that the game in his current state don’t satisfy myself: since the first release back in March, the main current gamemode ‘Horde’ didn’t received any substantial changes and that what I want to work on with the next two updates. Moreover, with the developpment of different features for the Survival Gamemode I figured out that the map was way too small in his actual form to really make an enjoyable experience for this gamemode: This made me change my plans for the map, instead of just the 2 planned expansions, I will add a third expansion which will all take place in the firsts ‘Alpha’ updates as well as a small expansion in the Pre-Alpha 1.42.0.

So, what is the new plan for Pre-Alpha ?

Between early 2022 and Q2 2022 I will release two new ‘Pre-Alpha’ Updates: 1.42.0 and 1.50.0

The first update will focus on adding small features essential to the reworked Horde Gamemode coming in the Pre-Alpha 1.50.0

With these two updates will come also a major rework of the Weapons Update system, instead of many upgrades for different stats of the weapons, I will introduce a brand new ‘Rarity’ system which will also be applied to the Equipment and Healings. This Rarity System will have 6 tiers of gear: Uncommon, Common, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Special; Uncommon is the default for all gear and Legendary is the maximum upgrade possible by the player. Special gear will be only available by looting it on the map. The current upgrades for the weapons will be replace by ‘Rarity Upgrades’ giving you the ability to up a weapon to the Rarity of the designated upgrade boosting in that way the stats of the weapon. *All this will be similar for the Equipements and Projectiles. * The rarity of a gear will be designated as described on this image:

And here is what it will looks like in game for the Weapons Selection Menu:

You can also note the small changes to the UI look which should also come with these updates.

Pre-Alpha 1.50.0 will add the reworked Horde Gamemode presenting a brand new experience: The map will be split in multiple areas to unlock, to unlock new areas you will have to survive to waves of zombies which will give you Area Points or ‘AP’. Defeating these waves will also rewards your with Gear Points or ‘GP’ allowing you to buy new stuff in a Shop which will present different pieces of stuff that you can buy at each round to upgrade your gear with new weapons, grenades, etc.

Once you completed and unlocked all the map, you will enter in an endless mode and it will be up to you to try getting the best score and defeat the most waves as you can !

These updates will also bring new features like Equipement Upgrades, Projectiles rework and more !

And the Alpha then ?

As you can see in the updated roadmap, the Alpha stage is now a lot more longer than I previously planned. Indeed, some of the updates planned for the Pre-Alpha moved to it and every updated previously planned for the Beta moved also into the Alpha.

In its core, the Alpha stage of the game won’t present dramaticly new content as all pieces of content will be made to serve the final goal of the Survival Gamemode planned for the end of the Alpha.

That is why the Alpha won’t really have a lot of playable updates like during the Pre-Alpha, I want to focus my work on making it right and in an interesting manner for the final update introducing this new game mode, planning playable updates adds a layer of work and polish that obviously slow the development.

Instead of playable updates I will publish a lot more articles and videos about the progress (probably monthly news) and how I plan my work toward that goal.

Of course some updates will still be published and playable like the first ones adding map expansions or UIs overhaul rework.

The final step: Beta.

The Beta for Project Apocalypse will last only a few months and it will focus only on bugfixing, polishements and global improvements.

At this point i’m pretty confident that every piece of content planned will be complete, howewer, I already plan some ‘Post-Launch Updates’ for bonus content taht I don’t feel it would be essential but still cool to have in a future time.

We still have a long road ahead of us but i’m convinced that Project Apocalypse has the potential to become a fun little indie game in the end and I hope you will support me all the way to the final release as your support is very precious for me !

I wish you again my best wishes for 2022 and see you soon for the future of Project Apocalypse !