Based on feedback from the Containment Test, we will focus on improving character presentation, animations, and the combat experience. Cutscenes and music are our priorities.
AUDIOVISUAL RENEWAL
CHARACTER PRESENTATION
- Make updates to the design and details based on current assets, such as improving character shading, etc.
- Improve visuals for playable characters. Such as animation for running, walking on stairs, and cloth physics.
- More S-Class characters will be included in the next test. Including Daffodil and Jiuyuan, along with other A-Class characters.
COMBAT
- Improve general combat experience. Including but not limited to damage-sponge enemies, Esper Cycle mechanics, combat stats, and better tutorial.
- Improve character combat handling and animation. Moves will be updated on characters like Zero, Nanally, and Lacrimosa.
- Ranged characters will be able to perform Parry Attacks for better combo variety and viability.
- Improve camera in combat. Include options like auto-orientation.
- Improve combat system terms and writing. Lower the cognitive load and barrier on understanding mechanics.
NARRATIVE
- Move "Pawn Moonlight" from Episode to Spinoff for better flow and pacing.
- Enhance story dialogue presentation effects for greater expressiveness. Address feedback on Taygedo's voice quality and improve the Livehouse rhythm game experience.
- Improve presentation for bosses. Such as a more impactful cutscene for "The Never-ending Arachne" in "Deal! Deal!" and enriched combat effects for bosses.
- Refine Side storylines comprehensively, including flow improvements for "Miles Apart" and full voice acting for "A Retrograde Poem for You".
- Fix clipping issues and action frame-skipping throughout storylines to deliver seamless, immersive gameplay.
ATMOSPHERE
- Enhance Hethereau's atmosphere with diverse NPCs.
- Elevate music expressiveness with dynamic variations and improved SFX.
- Include more original scores from Hethereau!
TRANSLATION & VOICEOVER
- Polish text for a more immersive storytelling experience.
- Refine localization of skills and concepts for better clarity.
- Add more languages.
- Enhance the visual presentation of in-game text.
GAMEPLAY UPDATES
TUTORIAL
- Revamp the tutorial system significantly to lower entry barriers and ensure smooth onboarding.
- Add dedicated combat tutorials that demonstrate mechanics in detail.
- Add comprehensive explanations to character attribute interfaces, and present details at a glance.
- Streamline item acquisition sources and implement usage indicators in tooltips for clearer resource management.
CITY LIFE
- Overhaul on driving. We will be working on this with racing game specialists, enthusiasts, and creators in the future.
- Improve vehicle appearances, including enhanced models and improved paint texture, delivering greater realism and visual appeal.
- Add horns to cars and the ability to ride along with others.
- Enable on-demand summoning for future sport motorcycles (e.g. Novis ST-X 950) to be as convenient as scooters. We're also streamlining mount/dismount animations to eliminate the sluggish feeling.
- Implement smart vehicle summoning with terrain detection. The system automatically summons your preset motorcycle on streets, preventing repeated failure prompts when summoning vehicles off-road.
- Add shop quick travel. Shop purchases can also serve as a quick travel investment.
- Expand requisition trigger range, improve item "pickup" display logic, and improve AI performance for NPCs when Wanted.
- Enhance racing gameplay experience by improving racing team NPC AI.
- Streamline housing decoration with improved operation logic and smoother furniture placement flow.
- Elevate weather presentation with improved snow textures and refined interaction details during snowy conditions.
- Expand open world content with increased anomaly strongholds and brand new faction strongholds.
- Remove HP recovery limits for phone booths and sleep, also extending Phone Booth healing range.
- Enrich city building interiors with detailed decorations and enhanced texture quality.
- Refine road planning details, including adjusted intersection facility placement for improved driving experience.
- Expand photo mode with customizable parameters for lighting, weather, time settings and more.
- Add filtering and search functions to map icons while increasing mini-map range.
ANOMALY CHALLENGES
- Refine pacing and presentation of some commissions, such as "Deep Blue Sorrow" and "Proliferative C".
- Enhance guidance for some commissions, such as the music puzzle section in "Lonely Player" campus anomaly.
- Streamline the settlement process and waste less time.
- Introduce multipliers to instances to reduce grind.
- Allow Character Pixel (Stamina) overflow.
- Improve "Beyond the Rails" through enhanced guidance, detailed descriptions, and refined mechanics. Improve entry methods and related processes for "Beyond the Rails".
DEVELOPMENT
- Adjust character development with convenience and quick guides.
- Streamline Console rewind, development, and usage.
- Improve craft system.
OTHERS
- Overhaul on Scarborough Fair assets, such as roll and obtain animation remakes, as well as functional updates like character trial and speed up mode.
- Update multiplayer connection environment.
- Update achievement system for better usability.
- Update Exploration Guide with better categories and UI.
SYSTEM & PERFORMANCE
CONTROLS
- Improve controller handling; Custom keymapping will be available on PC and mobile.
- Enlarge UI on mobile and tablets.
- Allow custom menu position on mobile and tablets.
- Accommodate reconnection on mobile for better stability.
PERFORMANCE
- Optimize further for both PC and mobile to welcome as many devices as possible and push graphical limits.
- AMD graphics cards will support FSR and frame generation.
CROSS PLATFORM
- Streamline internal development and testing workflow.
- Investigate and debug known common issues.
- Maintain smooth progress on development for PS and iOS. Hope to see you all soon.
FUTURE
More new stories, new places, and new friends are coming. Other than that, we are also preparing something new and interesting that will hopefully spice up life in Hethereau.
NEW LIFE
- Discover the daily life of characters in future updates. See them outside of work throughout the city, and invite them to share special moments that create lasting memories together.
- Expand housing system. Find your roommate and unlock exclusive interactive content.
- Launch character outfits. We've prepared diverse outfits for every character, and we hope you'll love them.
- Add portable music player. Why not play some fitting tunes to your moment?
- Challenge yourself with high-level difficulty anomalies. Unlock even greater challenges and test your skills in increasingly demanding trials.
NEW STORY CHAPTERS
- Witness the emergence of "Scarlet Letter" members following the auction house incident. Uncover the secrets hidden within target-ed precious anomalies as a storm against Eibon begins to brew.
- Follow "The Whoots!!!!" after their unexpectedly successful debut. Watch them actively prepare new songs and gear up for their next performance. Dear fans, your patience will be rewarded.
- Explore the new batch of anomaly collections at the Dvořák Collection Hall. Discover new stories that Tungsten is eager to share.
NEW CITY ATMOSPHERE
- Switch to first-person anytime. Experience Hethereau exactly how you want.
- Visit Hethereau's tallest landmark, the Hethereau Skytower, open-ing soon for tours. Take the elevator to the top floor, savor special cuisine at the observation restaurant, and admire breathtaking city views.
- Explore the brand new Halfport District and Pukaland. Discover diverse cityscapes ranging from industrial zones filled with mas-sive machinery to fully-equipped amusement parks.
- Get a career with "Swift" and "Kool Express" to become the next great taxi driver or the next legendary courier!
- More new anomalies on their way!
- New cars and motorcycles are soon to be imported into Hethereau!
AND MORE+
We appreciate every Appraiser's participation and passionate feed-back from the Containment Test. Once again, we thank everyone for the trust, understanding, and encouragement. We will continue im-proving the experience Hethereau offers and await your next visit!