Hello Lumia Island survivors!
First of all, thank you all for tuning in to the Dev Stream, even though it's currently conducted solely in Korean.
We were eager to reintroduce the English coverage for this Season's 3 Dev Stream.
However, due to internal circumstances we’ve decided to go for the card news format once again.
We are really sorry for this sudden change but we hope for your understanding in this decision.
We will continue to strive to bring the English coverage back for our future Dev Streams once everything is settled.
In the meantime, check out all the juicy details for the upcoming seasons in the card news we’ve prepared for you.
As always, thank you all for your understanding and continued support.
*The information provided in the Card News and Dev Stream is subject to change.
[News] Dev Stream Part 1. Season 3 Changes (Gameplay)
We'll be covering farming, hunting, battle & downed state, enemy kill effects, objectives, in-game information system, credits & late game growth, items & augments, and characters, o refresh your sense of play from early to late game.
First, let's talk about farming.
The most common feedback regarding farming was that it felt repetitive, and players asked for more diversity or even its removal.
However, it seemed that despite the length of early game, there wasn't enough variability in each match.
Therefore, we're trying to diversify the Saved Plans.
Actually, one of the major changes in Season 3 is an attempt to make them shorter. For example, we used to give two pieces of bread and two waters as starting items, but now it will be changed to one each.
You will also get Fabric Armor and Running Shoes as starting items. The Fabric Armor actually resembles more of a shirt than armor, so it's being renamed to "Shirt," meaning you'll start with a Shirt and Running Shoes. Of course, since they're already equipped, your inventory will only have two slots occupied: one for the bread and one for the water.
Furthermore, all Chest and Leg equipment up to Epic will be upgraded versions of basic items. For instance, the Military Suit originally consisted of a Windbreaker and a Branch, but now you can upgrade it using only the Shirt as soon as you find a Branch. And if you find Rubber, you can create a Diving Suit without needing a Wetsuit.
Leg equipment will also start from Running Shoes, which means Chest and Leg equipment will essentially require one less material to find, providing you with more freedom in your Saved Plans.
We are also removing many items from Uncommon equipment. For example, Chalk Powder will be removed, which means you'll no longer have to grind chalk into powder with a stone. You will now be able to directly craft chalk on a Florentine Dual Sword to create Divine Dual Swords.
These are just a few examples of how we're simplifying materials, and we're removing numerous Common materials such as Monk's Robe, Wetsuit, and Buddhist Scripture, as well as mid-tier items like Marksman Handbook, Buddha Sarira, and Muramasa.
The overall direction of simplifying farming is that Rare items will become scarcer, and Epic and Legendary items will increase, forming a different ratio.
The increase in late game items will be discussed later in the section on late game growth strategy. For now, the reduction in early game materials will result in an overall simplification of the crafting tree.
As a result, the number of materials to be found first will decrease. We've actually gone through this process once before with the Official Launch, where "Accessory" was removed entirely, and while there are no fewer equipment parts this time around, there are fewer materials to make each part, which is a significant reduction from Season 1, and almost half the amount compared to Early Access.
One of the butterfly effects of material simplification is that it increases the number of Saved Plans possibilities. Although the number of boxes will remain the same, the reduction in material variety will lead to increased concentration of materials in specific areas.
Despite the decrease in the quantity of materials to be found, the increased concentration of materials in specific areas will shorten Saved Plan durations due to the synergy of these factors.
There are several advantages to speeding up the early game tempo through farming simplification, but there are also concerns. The first thing that comes to mind is that as the time to acquire full equipment becomes faster, players who complete it first become sharper when attacking latecomers.
We're moving some of the HP and Defense growth from test subjects to base HP and Defense to compensate a bit for this, as well as reducing the early game revival time so that if you are eliminated, you take as little damage as possible.
And if you manage to get full equipment quickly, the next choice will ultimately lead to how you approach hunting Wild Animals.
Eternal Return can sometimes feel like a game of wild animal routines after farming, right?
Even if your Saved Plans are more varied and your farming ends earlier, you'll still need something new after that.
For beginners, having to memorize routines can create an invisible entry barrier. For experienced players, deviating from routines can lead to a distant victory plan. Since high-value wild animals are concentrated in specific areas, players often end up following similar paths each round.
In preparation for the Official Launch, we deliberately placed bears and wolves on the outskirts of the map to separate the objectives from the wild animals routes. Originally, we intended hunting to be an alternative for teams unable to defeat objectives. However, players have optimized their farming and hunting routines to the extent that they must follow farming routines to aim for objectives and vice versa.
Therefore, we're breaking away from this routine by relocating bears and wolves to different areas than before. A bear will now spawn on the route from the Gas Station to the Fire Station, with another bear appearing around the corner after exiting the Fire Station. Additionally, a pack of bears and wolves will be present on the path from the Fire Station to the Pond. Wolves will also be added to the Factory to improve the slightly inefficient route.
If necessary, we are considering adding more changes. For instance, placing a new bear in the Chapel will create routes leading to the Cemetery and Forest. Adding a bear to the Warehouse will open up inland routes in addition to the ocean-facing ones from the Dock to Uptown.
The bear added to the Dock will create a connection to the Factory, and wolves will also be placed indoors. This will enhance areas with indoor spaces, such as the Hospital. However, these animals may still become the same over time if routines are continuously optimized.
So... we've decided to introduce even more changes. Since the rule of placing high-value wild animals on the outskirts to complement objectives has already been undermined by player skill, we aim to reintroduce a lot more wild animal hunting and make it a natural part of looting as players move from one area to another.
While there are no small routines here, it's worth noting that as optimization continues, there may be slightly more efficient hunting routes. However, the difference between following the most efficient hunting routine and not following it will be significantly smaller. Consequently, the advantage of being a skilled routine player will diminish.
New animal packs will be added as well. Bear packs and wolf packs have increased in value to the point where they're comparable to some objectives, and while wild dog packs don't drop Legendary materials, they're still a pretty good goal for their credit value.
A pack of wild dogs is a daunting objective for a single player, but a good one as a team.
However, depending on the augments of the test subjects, a combination that excels in facing multiple enemies may be more efficient.
Boar and chicken packs will also be added.
With their considerable HP, mutant boars aren't too dangerous, but they can make hunting time consuming.
Mutant chickens, on the other hand, are more delicate. If you mess with a mutant chicken pack alone and end up dying, you might earn the title of being a victim of chickens, so better be careful.
Packs of wild dogs, boars, and chickens will join the three previously mentioned packs, making a total of eight.
Each pack has its own unique characteristics based on mutations, which will diversify the rhythm of hunting. Along with the newly added wild animals, we believe it will make hunting routes much more colorful and entertaining.
Since the respawn times for these packs differ from regular wild animals, it will also give you some variety in terms of timing the routines to the respawn.
Now that we talked a little bit about mutants, in addition of being more powerful, mutant boars will have an upgraded knockback.
While a normal boar pushes you back when attacked, a mutant boar will do it even harder. If you observe Sweet Beast Hyunwoo, you'll notice that he is knocked back nearly twice as far compared to the default Hyunwoo.
This applies not only to Mutants within the pack but also to Mutant Boars encountered in regular packs.
We look forward to more exciting tactical situations arising from this change.
One thing to note is that adding Mutants will result in a change in the priority of wild animal attacks. Now, all wild animals will target the nearest member of the team that has attacked them.
Until now, when attacking a Mutant pack, you often had to wait for the tank to hit them first. As it can be seen here, as soon as Adriana attacks a single chicken, the Mutant Chicken pack targets the closest individual, which is Estelle.
Since the pack is quite powerful, team members can also attempt the so-called aggro ping-pong, taking turns to attack.
There are also some downsides to having more wild animals and packs.
Firstly, individual experience points for capturing wild animals naturally decrease significantly. This further reduces the efficiency of optimizing wild animal routines. Each bear will be worth less than it was in Season 2.
Various minor adjustments are made to the wild animal rankings, with the goal of making bears stronger than they are now, so that they become team goals rather than single player goals.
We encourage players to team up after completing farming, rather than pursuing bear hunting solo.
While we don't intend to eliminate routines entirely, our goal is to enable hunting anywhere players go, thus reducing the efficiency gap between different routines. Additionally, we aim to introduce new packs and bears as objectives, alongside traditional key objectives like Meteorite, Tree of Life, and Alpha, offering players more diverse directions to explore.
We'd like to tackle two aspects of battles in Eternal Return that we feel need improvement.
Unlike MOBA games where automatic revival is common, when you die after Day 3 in our game, you have no choice but to take your hands off the keyboard and pray for your teammates to perform well.
Just when you think you've nailed the team chemistry or pulled off a spectacular play to win a battle and are celebrating, someone else unexpectedly shows up, throwing a wrench in your plans.
To address the first situation, we're planning to make players more proactive when downed by introducing new special skills. As for the second situation, we aim to mitigate it through better information control and by providing more opportunities for adaptation through Enemy Kill Effects.
You will now be able to use three special skills when you're downed!
Through these skills - Fission Blast, Obstinacy, AED - even the first player to die can contribute more actively to combat.
[Fission Blast (Q)] As the name suggests, it makes you explode after a certain period of time while downed. It has considerable power, but because the effect is strong, it is not very practical.
However, just as meteorite collisions sometimes lead to super plays, if you combine it well with crowd control or time it well, a good burst in the bushes can have a huge impact on the game.
[Obstinacy (W)]
Obstinacy can temporarily increase your crawl speed, positioning you to make good use of your other two skills.
Or maybe you'll be able to deflect a projectile that's headed for a teammate with all your might.
[AED (R)] AED allows you to revive yourself from a downed state.
It requires a long channeling session of about 15 seconds, but you can't use it again if you stop it, so you need to time it carefully.
Next up is the Enemy Kill Effects system.
The more you can do while you're downed, the more reason you'll have to attack enemies while they're downed.
You'll get some HP and SP back, just like you did in Solo, and on top of that, you'll get some cooldown reduction for all your skills, including your ultimate, weapon skills, and tactical skills.
In squad games, there was a lot of consideration regarding when to use Enemy Kill Effects. If it were activated as soon as someone became defeated, it would be much more challenging to turn the tide in a 3:3 battle. Therefore, it activates not when someone is downed but when they are completely eliminated. For example, if Team A has defeated two members of Team B and then kills the last member of Team B, resulting in all three being permanently eliminated, if they win the 3:3 engagement, Enemy Kill Effects will not be activated for the upcoming Team C or the person who confirmed the permanent elimination. Instead, it applies to the team that caused the defeat before.
So, if Team A had defeated two members of Team B and Team C enters and eliminates the two defeated members, Enemy Kill Effects will still be activated for Team A. The purpose of the Enemy Kill Effects system is to protect the team that engaged first directly in ABC situations and create conditions for continuous battles.
The following are changes to the objectives that serve as combat targets. With the addition of a Tree of Life in the Hotel, the total number of Trees of Life will increase to three during Day 2.
There will be more options during Day 2, allowing more teams to secure objectives. Winning the Battle Zone often meant monopolizing wild animals, which provided a significant bonus. In some cases, players would join a Battle Zone solely to hunt wild animals rather than win it. Now, Battle Zones will be free of wild animals, eliminating the possibility of gaining excessive bonuses.
Overall, we're simplifying the farming phase, resulting in slightly shorter days and nights in early game. The late game will become a bit more survivable as we introduce the downed skill AED and lower revival credits later on, leading to higher survival rates in late game. Consequently, the speed of late game restricted area designation will be slowed down, adding another half-day to the overall game phase. Due to the shortened early game time, it's better to think of it as a decrease in early game time and an increase in late game time, rather than a significant increase in total time.
We're also making a number of small improvements to the locations of CCTVs, Collecting, Item Boxes, and Air Supply Boxes.
Four CCTVs will be added to the center of the map, two locations have been changed, and areas where there are too many or too few collectibles have been adjusted, which you'll see in a future Patch Note.
Let us illustrate a few examples regarding item boxes. In the Alley and Warehouse starting areas, there was often confusion about the orange circles in the starting group, as they weren't very intuitive and were frequently overlooked. We have removed the orange circles from the group and will add green circle boxes to enhance the intuitiveness of the starting points and improve the searching flow.
Another significant change in mid-to-late game operations involves the availability of information. Satellite radar has been crucial for strategic decision-making by confirming the overall distribution of players.
The first satellite radar, which activates right from the start, will help design farming routes without complications. The second satellite radar, activated on Day 2, assists the team in determining general directions, but we believe this strategic information is particularly effective in two scenarios. Day 2 presents some ambiguity due to objective fights, so we may consider adjustments in the future. However, it appears that the disadvantages outweigh the advantages after Day 3.
With the number of restricted areas increasing and no more automatic reconstruction, it's much more likely to lead to an ABC that will give you an immediate advantage rather than a strategic move.
After a few seasons, most of the battle pings have disappeared, but there are still some random noise pings that trigger occasionally. The pings that trigger with a low probability when opening boxes or collecting resources will all disappear.
Hunting pings will now be almost the sole source of ping information, or in other words, unless you encounter any wild animals, you'll navigate relatively uninformed.
The change between day and night is an important bifurcation in Eternal Return. As soon as night falls, your field of vision shrinks dramatically, only to expand back to its original size as the night progresses.
The tempo and tension of Eternal Return tends to stay the same throughout the game, but we wanted to play with the intensity of the moment when it becomes night, and the tension and tightness of the moment when the vision shrinks.
This can be a hit-or-miss proposition. Reducing the field of vision tends to be a negative variable, especially for test subjects with long range battle abilities.
However, we think it's better to try something new than to make fewer changes, even if it's a bit risky, so we're going to give it a try and adjust based on player feedback.
At night, not only does the character's field of vision decrease, but also the camera's field of vision. Consequently, overall visibility information diminishes during the night.
Now, when you operate the security console, you will receive 5 credits. However, if the player in front of you activates the security console first, you won't receive credits upon its subsequent activation. The security console cooldown will increase from 3 seconds to 10 seconds.
To indicate who is currently using the security console, we've introduced color codes. Green indicates your team's occupation, white means the console is unoccupied, and red indicates occupation by the enemy team. You will only receive the 5 credits when the console status shows white or red.
Now that we've discussed Credits, let's naturally shift our focus to the changes in the late game growth revolving around them.
VF Blood Sample is the most expensive of all materials. It is supposed to be the final piece of the puzzle, but so far, it hasn't lived up to that status.
There were three main reasons for this. First, there were weapons without a top-tier VF Blood Sample, so we had to wait until it was introduced to all weapons.
Second, as a final weapon, it's more desirable to have skills rather than simple stats. However, skills inherently have the issue of suitability for some and not for others, creating compatibility issues.
Currently, a basic attack-oriented test subject and a skill amplification-oriented test subject will have completely different skill sets. We aim to address this with the introduction of "Shards," a new VF Blood Sample upgraded system.
We also need to address the so-called "Blood Pure" strategy. If the Blood series becomes overly powerful, there's a risk of endlessly accumulating credits until you obtain a Blood Sample.
To solve the first problem, VF Blood Sample higher-tier items will be introduced to all weapons.
These include High Noon for pistol, Rod of Heart for bat, Phantom Blade for Dual Swords, and Vision Flex for camera. Blood Sample weapons will be visually distinguished by their red color scheme, symbolizing blood.
The overhaul of the Blood Sample system marks a significant advancement, but we're also broadening the scope of Epic and Legendary equipment. While not Blood Sample-related, the Mythril Armband and Elf Dress are new additions that will enhance your arsenal.
Priya will finally have a Legendary head equipment, the Celestial Echo, and the lineup of items expands with the arrival of the Cobalt Protocol's Claddagh Ring on Lumia Island, which isn't new.
The second issue was tackled by introducing the Mythic Items System, aimed at addressing the inconsistency in skill effectiveness when applied to Blood Sample weapons for each test subject.
The Mythic rarity above Legendary will be introduced, differing significantly in nature from the previous Battle Zone reward despite sharing the same name.
The VF Blood Sample is exactly what it sounds like: the blood is infused with VF, or Vital Force, which gives it so much power.
Weapons made with this Blood Sample boast simple yet overwhelming stats.
During gameplay, players can now earn two types of Shards: Crimson Shard and Dawn Shard. These Shards have a unique impact on blood infused with VF. Crimson Shard induce minute vibrations upon contact, resulting in special effects upon direct impact, primarily favoring a skill set centered around basic attack-based play. However, exceptions exist, such as Arcana, which lacks a basic attack base entirely.
In contrast, Dawn Shard amplify the power of the caster's wave by increasing its amplitude. This directly enhances the skill, granting an advantage in skill amplification-based play.
It's important to note that Shard effects act as nerfs rather than upgrades. While they can be beneficial for certain skills, on average, they hold the same value as the default. Gameplay-wise, they serve as a safety net for players without a good match for both skills. While they may lack the flair of an item skill, the stats alone still convey a sense of power..
Using Failnaught as an example, the Failnaught default has good stats like high adaptability and armor penetration.
Combined with the Crimson Shard, Failnaught-Crimson has the Vigor skill at the expense of lower stats compared to the default.
Combining the Dawn Shard, Failnaught-Dawn also has the Primordial Hex skill at the expense of lower stats compared to the default.
The idea is that all three versions of Failnaught are a trinity of equal value, but the concept is that each version suits different test subjects better.
Shards are easy to come by because they serve more as a transformation rather than an upgrade.
They can be obtained randomly from mutants, or you can easily order them with a remote drone as they are Common. Considering that all armor made from VF Blood Sample becomes Mythic, you can think of it as a Mythic item. However, the realm of weaponry holds a more pragmatic approach, thus Shards are exclusively applicable to weapons.
As a result, the Force Core position becomes somewhat ambiguous, especially in weapons. All Force Core weapons will now have their materials changed to one of the following: Tree of Life, Meteorite, or Mythril, which makes the gap between Legendary and Mythic weapons more distinct. While Force Core is available for direct purchase, you can still combine raw materials like Tree of Life and Meteorite to pull up the value. This dynamic fades in weapons but retains significance in the differentiation between Trees of Life and Blood Sample for armor.
Also all Legendary Air Supplies will be changed to Mythic Air Supplies. In fact, this change only alters the colors while keeping everything else the same.
The changes to the Blood Sample system will also impact the mid to late game. First, we've increased the number of wild animals, so the overall population of wild animals is larger. We've also reduced the credit rewards per animal while increasing natural credit earnings. So teams that are doing well are going to be about the same as they are now, but teams that are culled are going to be better off than they are now.
Additionally, we've strengthened the XP gain adjustment for players falling behind, reducing the skill gap in late game.
With the introduction of the VF Blood Sample system, item performance differences will be more pronounced. Our goal is to minimize skill penalties. Winning a battle usually rewards you with rank points, which also widens the credit gap, so we are shifting the focus from raw skill to the combination of items and skill.
We are also lowering the cost of revivals after Day 3. Currently, paid revivals can be quite punishing, but with a more robust skill catch-up mechanism, you'll be able to make up ground even if you're behind in credits. The credit cost will be 20% lower than before, so losing a teammate on Day 3 won't feel like an immediate defeat.
Furthermore, the price of VF Blood Sample will increase by 50 credits, making it 500 credits, and they won't be available for purchase until Night 3. This change is designed to limit excessive Blood Pure strategies.
In addition to all Blood Sample weapons having two forms of skills, Crimson and Dawn, we're adding skills to many items that didn't previously have. For example, in the case of the Bikini, which was removed from the simplification process and replaced with armor using VF Blood Sample, the aim was to reduce item stats and increasing skill emphasis.
We're also working to reduce the variety of stats an item can possess, except for cooldown reduction stats, which will be added to various skill amplification equipment. Our goal is to address the issue of limited Saved Plans to obtain cooldown reduction stats.
Furthermore, there will be two new item skills.
- The Photon Launcher: item skill that activates on three hits, and is applied to the Racing Helmet and Radar. Upon hitting once or twice, your hands will glow, and additional damage will be dealt upon the third hit.
- Encourage: item skill that strengthens support roles, and is applied to the new item Elf Dress. When providing healing or shielding, it not only enhances the adaptability of test subjects but also boosts their effectiveness.
Augments received unfavorable feedback during the Season 2 revamp, so we're providing some aftercare for those that received particularly negative feedback.
Carnivore will have a slightly increased healing amount. This applies not only to raw meat but to all food containing meat. However, as cooking provides the same healing amount as raw meat, there is not much advantage, and there may be a slight disadvantage compared to a Breakfast Toast cooked by Xiukai. Nevertheless, you will be able to benefit from the Carnivore effect even when picking up steak from corpses, and you will be able to increase the quantity by grilling meat over a campfire.
Campfires presented an issue in the camping guide due to their late availability, which slowed down the game's tempo. Therefore, we're moving them to Night 1 to ensure their initial use is more beneficial. Additionally, we're enhancing your non-combat movement speed after cooking to help you keep up with your teammates' tempo.
We're removing the extra stat from Dine n' Dash but reducing the time it takes to consume food from 12 to 3 seconds. Additionally, we've addressed the Frozen Pizza issue, which was the most inconvenient while using Dine n' Dash. It will now be consumed based on healing amount priority, followed by inventory order if healing amounts are the same. As Frozen Pizza is considered lower or equal to Rare food, the instances of unintended Dine n' Dash activation will decrease.
Urban Warfare, which was challenging to position after the change, will now be a Trap Supply augment that grants 2 Claymore per night. Claymore will become augment-only traps that cannot be crafted, and their performance will be adjusted accordingly.
Overall, consumables will be produced in larger quantities, but the amount left on corpses will be slightly reduced to prevent excessive loot overflow.
We plan to gradually gather feedback on character improvements and make adjustments each season.
First up is Fiora.
Fiora's gameplay revolves around detonating marks with her skills that heavily relies on the player's proficiency, but that also has made it excessively difficult. Therefore, we aim to increase Fiora's accessibility.
We will standardize Fiora's passive Touché to apply 4 stacks throughout the game, so the gameplay sensation won't change depending on the passive level. Additionally, we also moved all of the explosion damage to the passive so that it always has the same effect when exploding.
Upon exploding, Fiora's movement speed will briefly increase, and the cooldown of Fente (Q), will be reduced by 80%, while the cooldown of Attaque Composée (W) and Marche & Rompre (E) by 40%.
Attaque Composée will have its damage reduction removed, and will allow the detonation of Touché marks, resulting in an overall increase in the frequency of mark explosions.
Flèche, will no longer require 3 hits to stun on Touché. While accurately hitting the third one will remain important, the necessity to detonate the mark specifically on the third strike has been eliminated.
Next up is Rio.
Rio's Daikyu basic attack frame will become slightly faster. It used to take 0.33 seconds, but it will now be accelerated to 0.23 seconds, aligning better with other slow-ranged weapons. Ultimates are also being improved so that you can use both at the right time depending on the situation, with the Hankyu giving a very slight knockback on the first shoot. This minor knockback won't cause staggering, even when hitting walls. Instead, we aim to compensate for the drawbacks caused by the exaggerated motion of rapid shots. In the case of precise shots with the Daikyu, the duration of movement speed reduction after firing will double after a certain period, making it usable for initiating combat.
Barbara, Aya, and many other characters will also have adjustments. More details will be announced in Patch Notes.
In Season 3, the ping system will be improved for better team communication. Firstly, the number of available pings will increase, allowing for more precise communication. For example, when you press Alt, eight different pings will appear, of which an attack ping may more clearly communicate that you want to go fight.
You can also use a camera ping to request the installation of a camera. While Alt pings are mainly related to tactical orders, Ctrl pings are more tailored to communication needs.
In addition to the existing pings, new pings for "Thanks," "Sorry," and "Well done!" will be added, allowing for more appropriate communication among team members. These pings are scheduled to be introduced in the 1.16 update, two weeks after the start of Season 3.
The Launch Pad update is coming in the 1.18 Midseason.
Until Season 2, we've aimed to not do anything too drastic with our mid-season updates because it's important to maintain stability throughout the season, but we've heard the desire for a little bit of freshness, so we're going to do a mid-season update that can change the meta.
While we don't want to do a complete balance reset like we do at the start of a new season, we do want to make mid-season changes that can freshen up the gameplay.
One of those changes is the terrain on Lumia Island. We're introducing a one-way Launch Pad that will give you more variety in your path around.
You can now hunt wolves and jump over to the Warehouse in one go.
However, you can't return from the Warehouse left side. With the newly added wolves here, you can also create routes like hunting bats after wolves and then jumping to the Warehouse.
Next up is the Launch Pad in the Dock. The lighthouse here has two bears, but it's a tricky terrain to get in and out of once, so we added this Launch Pad at the end, so you can hunt and leap over.
It saves a bit of travel time, but it can be a bit of a pain to get to the security console.
Other upcoming additions include a Launch Pad that will take you from Uptown to Warehouse.
More details will be announced in future Patch Notes.
Some pathways will also be added in the mid-season update, including a direct connection between Cathedral and Dock, which will significantly impact early game farming. Previously, routes between Dock and Cathedral would always pass through Factory or Warehouse, but now you'll be able to travel straight through. We've also been exploring other potential connections, such as Temple, among others.
There are two more things coming in the mid-season update.
First, there will be a revision of Temporary Safe Zones. We have tried to address the issues by adjusting CCTV cameras, vision fields, and placing them as far as possible, but the issues with ABC have not been effectively resolved.
Even during the Season 2 Finals this past weekend, the tournament was intense from rounds 9 to 10, but the final round ended somewhat anticlimactically, which was disappointing. Therefore, we want to relocate the two areas farther apart to address this.
The other thing is that we've gotten a lot of feedback about the current matchmaking in Normal Matches. When looking specifically at the matchmaking ranges for Normal Matches, they are much more granular than those for Ranked Matches.
However, since starting a ranked match means a much higher tier, Silver and Gold, which are the middle tier of Ranked, become a much higher tier in Normal, as shown in the picture. Nonetheless, there are some points where matchmaking feels off, so we're trying to fix that.
First of all, Normal and Ranked MMRs are separate, so in cases where only ranked is played, Normal MMR can unexpectedly be lower.
Originally, there was a loose connection between the two, but with the current kill point-based ranking system in Ranked, the connection has become somewhat unclear. We plan to create new rules so that players who play ranked will naturally move towards higher matches in Normal as well.
Secondly, the premade team feature is set to prioritize higher-tier matches to prevent abuse. So, if you're Platinum and bring in a new player, they will be matched based on the Platinum tier, which is equivalent to a general skill level of B. Engaging with this premade team has always been challenging. However, matching purely based on an average value, for example, sending a Gold player to face Platinum players, can be surprising and unfair for the players involved. Both sides have their concerns, so we want to redesign the system to send players slightly higher than the middle-tier.
Thirdly, Normal Matches prioritize matchmaking speed much more than Ranked Matches, especially in the higher tiers. At least in these upper brackets, we want to slow down the matchmaking process and improve match quality. This change can be implemented earlier than the mid-season update.
Because we tend to focus on Ranked, we've been a little less attentive to the player experience in Normal compared to Ranked. That's something we'll be looking to improve in Season 3.
We've also gotten a lot of feedback about the new character release events in the survey, and we're going to take a different approach to them, rather than just trying to fill up the board like we've done in the past.
While there will still be many players trying out the new characters in Normal Matches, we will first improve the matchmaking structure and avoid any boosting through events, ensuring a better situation than in Season 2.
[News] Dev Stream Part 2. Season 3 Changes (Out Game)
We're also carrying out improvements for Season 3's Ranked System.
At the end of Season 1 we received a lot of feedback saying Diamond was too easy to reach based on the standards of that season. However, despite of our efforts, trying to challenge the difficulty to reach higher tiers turned out to be one of our biggest mistakes in Season 2.
Diamond is a tier that feels different in every game, but lately, especially in the Battle Royale genre, it seems like anyone can achieve it as long as they put a lot of hard work onto it. In ER, we would also like to see Diamond as a division tier that separates low from high tiers.
Of course, this doesn't mean anyone will be able to reach Diamond without even winning. Technically speaking, players could do that but they would have to play thousands of game before they could even get close, making it almost impossible. In reality, even if you have just a few wins or a low win rate, as long as you maintain your tier, get plenty of kills, and perform well overall, you should be able to make it.
Therefore, based on this definition of Diamond, we aim to adjust various aspects of Ranked, starting by increasing the rewards for taking the 1st place on matches.
Currently, except for Mythril, all tiers have similar RP Entry Cost. We're thus, reducing the number of points required for Iron and Bronze, making it easier to reach those tiers, while increasing Platinum and Diamond tiers's RP requirements. The inflation resulting from the increased rewards for taking 1st place on matches will only allow players to reach Platinum and especially Diamond by securing 1st place more frequently.
Furthermore, Premade Teams will not be available for Diamond and higher tiers.
In other words, the matchmaking for players who have reached Diamond will be separated from that of other high tiers.
One of the most significant changes in Season 3, outside of gameplay improvements, is the introduction of Achievements.
You'll be able to naturally complete Achievements one by one as you continue to play. These are divided into five categories: Survival, Weapons, Area, Collecting & Hunting, and Special.
This is one of the original images that you can unlock from Achievements. You can use it in-game as a background.
There are a total of 8 images, including concept art sketches of Lumia Island and some images related to the researchers.
This particular image features the concept art for Hotel and is a reward for completing level 4 of the achievements category "Now Hiring", related to the number of kills in that area.
There are a total of 170 categories of Achievements, ranging from 2 to 4 levels depending on their complexity.
A total of 509 Achievements will be released by the start of Season 3, and they will continue to be added gradually with each subsequent update. When you complete an achievement, you'll receive a short lore snippet related to the achievement's corresponding criteria. The lore you obtain from achievements mainly revolves around the perspective of researchers, and as character achievements are introduced in the future, they will focus on character perspectives.
Moreover, there will be some original images released for 8 specific achievement lore pieces.
Achievements serve as a kind of record for your gameplay. For instance, the achievement "Blind Spot" requires you to kill enemies in Alley, but even if you complete all 4 levels of this achievement, the information will continue to be accumulated. So, you can keep track of how many enemies you've killed in Alley over time.
With over 170 categories of achievements, they encompass not only general metrics like Spawn Areas, Victory in the Battle Zone, Meteorite Collection, and Omega Kills but also include many unique missions that let you know the number of times you've been knocked back by a Boar or killed by your Doppleganger. Since these numbers will continue to add up, your account's history will accumulate the information of 170 categories. As new achievements continue to be added, there will be more than 200 categories during Season 3.
Additionally, you'll get substantial rewards from completing achievements. As of the start of Season 3, you will be able to earn 3710 NP for completing all achievements. Considering the achievements to be added on later updates, it becomes theoretically possible to purchase the Season Pack solely through completing achievements. However, keep in mind that completing all 4 levels of achievements within one season can be quite challenging. So, the NP and other currencies you earn from lower levels will be helpful only in the short term.
There are also 30 categories of achievements classified as "Special" with 4 levels each, totaling 120 achievements. The conditions to cpmplete this achievements will not be revealed in advance and will only be disclosed once you've completed them. Get ready for some fun surprises with the Special achievements! You won't even realize you're accumulating achievements until you've completed them!
Next up, we're introducing the in-game login events function that we mentioned during our previous Dev Stream.
There are two types of login or attendance events. Special Supplies is for new players, and every player can only complete it once. Each time you log into the game, Dr. Nadja will give you "special supplies" for completing this kind of login event.
Seasonal Login Events are regular events that happen every season and each event counts the days you login to the game cumulatively during the season. For example, if you log in today and then log in again three days later, that will count as 2 days of attendance. So, within approximately three months that a Season lasts on average, if you log in for about a third of the season, you'll be able to complete the Login Event. With these in-game focused events now available within the game, we aim to provide you with a better and more convenient experience in obtaining them.
We're in the process of implementing a website view system that will allow you to access the event page within the game.
This feature is set to be included in the 1.16 update, which comes right after Season 3's first patch. Now, you'll be able to check not only your login attendance but also other in-game events.
Keep in mind that the image provided here serves only as a sample and that the final design might be subject to change. We've completed the base system that we'll use to display events within the game, but since we need to develop individual website views for each event, not all of them may be implemented right away. Nevertheless, we'll strive to bring our key events into your game screens starting from Season 3.
Next up is the long-awaited Colorblind mode that we also mentioned in our previous Dev Stream.
Initially, you'll have the option to customize colors for two specific elements: the HP bar and the Restricted Area info display.
We've added some handy options for folks with color blindness, like red-green or blue-yellow color blindness. If you happen to have color blindness, you can easily choose your preferences using our recommended settings.
However, keep in mind that color perception can be highly subjective, so there can be variations in how individuals perceive differences in colors.
In the past we've experimented with different colors to differentiate the eight teams, but it was challenging to find a solution that satisfied everyone. Now, we aim to resolve this by allowing individuals to customize colors as they see fit.
Our colorblind players were especially vocal about the HP bar and Restricted Area colors, which is why we tackled those first. If you believe there are other areas that would benefit from color customization, please don't hesitate to share your feedback and we'll consider incorporating them in the future.
We're also making some improvements to the Graph screen.
Until now, after a match ended, you could only check the damage dealt for that match. Now, you'll also be able to check Damage Taken, Total Credits Earned and Spent as well as Vision Contribution.
This will not only help you infer how efficiently credits were converted into damage or tanking but also identify those who were less proactive with their vision contribution (setting surveillance cameras, etc).
"Accept Match" is getting completely removed.
While this feature had its benefits, we've consistently received feedback requesting its removal, citing issues like this breaks the natural flow of matchmaking as well as this being misused for sniping purposes.
Additionally, the character you used on your previous match will no longer be selected by default when you reach the game preparation phase.
You can instead sort characters out by "Most Played" to find your favorite character easily.
In the past, when the character selected didn't match your team's needs, it sometimes conveyed the wrong message to your teammates right from the start.
Now, you'll have the opportunity to build your team composition from scratch.
We're not forgetting about beginner players and we're adding new guides!
Up until now, there hasn't been much guidance on Cobalt Protocol, but it will now have its own category, and we'll provide more comprehensive guidance for Lumia Island as well.
We also need to add more accessible gameplay guides, and in the future, we'll explore additional content, including video guides, to better assist new players.
[News] Dev Stream Part 3. Season 4 Preview
On Season 4, we'll be introducing some big features that take a lot of developing resources.
Although, this doesn't necessarily mean that they will cause a drastic change in the game.
In terms of gameplay, both farming and mid-to-late-game strategies will see significant changes, even compared to Season 3.
So it's only fair to show the more about the features that have required more extensive development time.
One of the main themes for Season 4 is the introduction of various "Neutral Objectives" that can influence combat.
These additions on the environment of the island will create unique effects when iteracting with them, making them fun variables for your battles.
*The names of objectives and effects are subject to change.
The Abyss Jar can be destroyed with basic attacks.
It launches a projectile towards the nearest target from its location, making you Feared upon impact.
This effect adds a new dimension to combat, as it affects non-targets as well as the one who breaks it, potentially leading to momentary psychological battles.
The lid of the jar is sealed with Hyejin's Charms, and related settings will be implemented.
This is only the Concept Art of the Oil Drum, so this isn't the actual location of the iobjective.
The actual location and installation will take place in later stages since modeling and effects creation are still in progress.
Hitting the Oil Drum causes it to explode, creating a fire within a certain area and dealing continuous damage.
This will be useful for dividing areas or limiting certain zones, as well as blocking pathways.
Healing Spray is a plant that, as its name suggests, sprays a "healing aura".
Lumia Island serves as the grounds for experiments with VF (Vital Force), an unknown energy, and its applications on humans, our so called Test Subjects. Mutant Wild Animals and plants like Healing Spray are the results of these experiments as well.
Healing Spray provides a temporary healing area when triggered upon being hit, adding a significant variable to your battles.
Blast Nut is another a type of mutant plant that was affected by VF. This plant throws multiple fruits in a set radius upon being hit.
These fruits explode upon hitting the ground, dealing substantial damage.
Similar to the Oil Drums, it deals direct damage but with more unpredictable and immediate consequences depending on the surrounding area.
The Firefly Bloom, while not directly contributing to combat, grants vision by emitting a fan-shaped light blur towards the opposite direction from where it's being attacked, illuminating the area.
Azure Lily is inpired by real-life lilies.
However, unlike typical lilies with delicate petals, this one has robust petals that start flipping backward when under attack, pushing everything and everyone around it like a springboard.
Its knockback effect can even be used to leap over walls, just like Boar knockbacks.
Technically, this isn't a plant but rather a fungal creature known as the Sand Smoker.
Under attack, it generates sand in a wide radius, creating a smokescreen-like effect that affects your vision and adds complexity to your battles.
In total, seven types of "Neutral Objectives" will be strategically placed throughout Lumia Island.
To prevent overwhelming newcomers, our goal is to make their functions immediately apparent upon sight.
At the moment we've only shown you their concept arts which is why it might be a little bit confusing, but adding effects and sound will enhance their intuitive nature.
These "Neutral Objectives" will diversify combat on Lumia Island.
We aim to introduce more variables that help reverse unfavorable situations or navigate ABC scenarios, thus gradually filling the void that might arise from simplifying farming.
Another feature coming to Lumia Island in Season 4 is Weather Changes.
Internally, we refer to the combination of "Neutral Objectives" and Weather Changes as an enhancement to the environmental variables,.
Before selecting your character at the start of the game, you will see the screen that shows the Main and Sub weather conditions for the match.
There are four main and four sub weather conditions in total.
One main and one sub condition will be selected for each match. The default is Cloudy Breeze and each weather condition will bring slightly different effects.
Clear weather represents an overall abundant concept. The camera is brighter, and you can hear environmental sounds like bird chirping. The wild vegetation decreases, increasing your vision of the field.
Due to the abundance of this type of weather, the chances of collecting sweet potatoes and fishing salmon increase, as well as the HP regen from food.
"Neutral Objectives" are influenced by the weather, and during these wethear conditions, Healing Sprays are more common.
On the other hand, when it's Rainy, you'll hear the sound of rain, and as a result your hearing range will be reduced. The rain also makes the wild vegetation more abundant, making you more vulnerable to ambushes. Puddles will form throughout the map, and stepping into them will slow you.
In exchange, Firefly Blooms will be more abundant under these weather conditions, allowing you to secure visibility when you use them.
In the lower part of the screen you can see the sub weather condition, Foggy. When rain and fog overlap, it sets the stage for more exhilarating battles..
If you select Foggy as your sub weather condition, the locations of Air Supplies won't be displayed on the minimap.
If you select Strong Winds as your sub weather condition, wind zones that increase your movement speed in one direction will be placed around the map.
As you can see, these weather conditions will add various effects that suit the correcponding conditions.
With the introduction of Enemy Kill Effects in Season 3, strategies for ABC will become stronger.
Handling ABC is not only about preventing C's involvement but also creating an environment where A and B can engage in a more thrilling 3v3 battle.
In Season 4, devices for such 3v3 encounters will be added. Annihilation is a bonus given when your team eliminates three enemies of the same team.
In other words, when a clash occurs between AB without C's intervention and results in an elimination, besides Enemy Kill Effects, a recovery bonus called Annihilation will be granted.
If your team has only one member remaining and you win the final 1vs1, you'll become Clutch, gaining an additional bonus.
You receive double the recovery bonus, a temporary increase in movement speed, and assistance in reviving your teammates.
Terminator and Clutch are, in other words, your trophy for winning a 3v3 and thus Awakening is the key.
As your teammates are downed, you grow stronger. Losing one teammate grants you regenerative capabilities and increased mobility out of combat for a more efficient control and swift recovery.
When you lose two teammates, you also receive a slight boost to your combat stats, increasing your chances of achieving Clutch victories.
These systems aim to create a space for Superplays since compared to other battle royales, the 2.5D perspective of Eternal Return offers fewer opportunities for individuals to turn the tide by themselves.
In the recent tournament finals, there were quite a few 2v3 battle victories, which left a strong impression.
In reality, 2v3 battles are challenging in the current structure, so we want to provide an environment where not only tournament-level players but also regular players can experience such comebacks and superplays.
The Blood Sample System is one of the significant changes made on Season 3, but we're not entirely satisfied with it.
While it improved structurally compared to the previous season, it didn't introduce many innovative item skills, and a few of them resulted in variations of existing ones.
For Season 4, the goal is to enrich the content of Items and Augments.
We plan to add nearly 10 new types of item skills, creating an environment where players can choose items based on their skills and experiment with various combinations.
As for Augments, it's uncertain whether they will be feasible by Season 4, but if possible, we aim to add several combat-related ones to refine the Augment system.
When a specific Augment becomes too dominant, it's referred to as an "Augment Stand."
It's akin to the character being the main dish, and the augment being the seasoning. If a particular augment fits too perfectly, it can overshadow the character, making them ineffective without that specific augment.
In such cases, where augments are excessively dominant, we usually adjust them. However, from time to time we'd also like to enhance other augments to expand players' choices.
There are features that will be implemented as promised on past Dev Streams such as Achievements, Coloblind Mode and Events. However, especially when it comes to in-game content, there has been a significant difference from what was initially presented during those streams.
Through Season 2, we experienced the process of overturning our previously established plans and making substantial changes.
And as our internal roadmap underwent significant revisions, the roadmap website wasn't adequately shared with the community.
Now, we've abandoned the "Big Season" model and are committed to pursuing fresh changes with each new season, including Season 3 and Season 4. After the Dev Stream is over, we will also take the time to update the Roadmap website to provide a clearer view of the new schedule and changes.
[News] Dev Stream Part 4. Dev Stream Coupon
As a token of appreciation, we've prepared NP and Skin Data Box Sets for all of you!
Thank you so much for playing Eternal Return!
[News] Dev Stream Part 5. ER Pass - Change
*Images are under development and may differ from the actual update.
Apart from the season-themed skins, we've included 2 special skins unrelated to Change.
[News] Dev Stream Part 6. New Characters
New Characters will be arriving to Lumia Island!
*New character names are subject to change.
*Images are under development and may differ from the actual update.
*The release schedule may change depending on the development schedule.
*Darko will be the first character released in Season 4.
[News] Dev Stream Part 7. Season 3 Skins
New Skins will be available!
*New skin names are subject to change.
*Images are under development and may differ from the actual update.
*The release schedule may change depending on the development schedule.
With the weather warming up again, Season 4 will bring back the beach concept.
And the star of this beach-themed skin will be Eva!
It's a stunning skin with great internal feedback, so we wanted to give you a special sneak peek!
We hope you're excited for both Season 3 and Season 4. Your continued support means a lot to us.
As always, thank you for sticking with us!
