STEAM VERSION: 1.3.37
RIFT VERSION: 1.3.38
QUEST VERSION: 1.3.39
Announcement
Attention Espire Agents! We are excited to present our 3rd patch for Espire. With patch 1.3, we’ve addressed some critical issues with the AI, fixed other reported bugs and, on the PC side, added more gameplay options for HTC Vive and Valve Index users. This patch will be shipping on PS VR very soon.
The team’s core focus is now improving the A.I based off player feedback. We’ve been working on a sizeable “Espire A.I Update” that we hope will address the issues players have had with the AI. We will update our public roadmap to list everything we’re addressing in this A.I update, which will be landing ASAP. This update also aims to improve the user experience, mechanics and gameplay, based off your suggestions. The player will be able to find tranq ammo throughout the map, for example.
On the Quest side, we’re also preparing a visual update, where the game will have improved graphics.
We have also began work on a true light/darkness system! This is a feature that was originally out of scope for the game. We currently try to simulate this by hand-placing ‘VisibilityVolumes’ throughout the environment. It is clear there are areas where we haven’t placed volumes, and it can ruin a great stealth run. Based on feedback, we’ve been hard at work implementing a true light and shadow system where the AI’s perception of the player will be influenced by the light level of the environment. Our lead programmer has created a system which should work on all platforms, including Oculus Quest.
This is a feature that won’t debut until 2020 and when it does, all current leaderboards will be grandfathered and a 2nd set will be created, as gameplay will be affected by this future update.
We hope you enjoy patch 1.3 and our imminent AI update. We do read every review, note down player feedback and work as hard as we can to try and improve your experience with Espire. Our dream is for the team to be sustained so we can continue to develop new features for the game. Thankyou for your support of Espire!
RELEASE NOTES: ALL PLATFORMS (STEAM, RIFT, QUEST)
RIFT VERSION: 1.3.38
QUEST VERSION: 1.3.39
Announcement
Attention Espire Agents! We are excited to present our 3rd patch for Espire. With patch 1.3, we’ve addressed some critical issues with the AI, fixed other reported bugs and, on the PC side, added more gameplay options for HTC Vive and Valve Index users. This patch will be shipping on PS VR very soon.
The team’s core focus is now improving the A.I based off player feedback. We’ve been working on a sizeable “Espire A.I Update” that we hope will address the issues players have had with the AI. We will update our public roadmap to list everything we’re addressing in this A.I update, which will be landing ASAP. This update also aims to improve the user experience, mechanics and gameplay, based off your suggestions. The player will be able to find tranq ammo throughout the map, for example.
On the Quest side, we’re also preparing a visual update, where the game will have improved graphics.
We have also began work on a true light/darkness system! This is a feature that was originally out of scope for the game. We currently try to simulate this by hand-placing ‘VisibilityVolumes’ throughout the environment. It is clear there are areas where we haven’t placed volumes, and it can ruin a great stealth run. Based on feedback, we’ve been hard at work implementing a true light and shadow system where the AI’s perception of the player will be influenced by the light level of the environment. Our lead programmer has created a system which should work on all platforms, including Oculus Quest.
This is a feature that won’t debut until 2020 and when it does, all current leaderboards will be grandfathered and a 2nd set will be created, as gameplay will be affected by this future update.
We hope you enjoy patch 1.3 and our imminent AI update. We do read every review, note down player feedback and work as hard as we can to try and improve your experience with Espire. Our dream is for the team to be sustained so we can continue to develop new features for the game. Thankyou for your support of Espire!
RELEASE NOTES: ALL PLATFORMS (STEAM, RIFT, QUEST)
- Fixed an issue where guards would become “Frozen statues” - standing in place, unresponsive to the player.
- Fixed an issue where a guard could become invincible - not receiving damage from the player.
- Fixed an issue where if a player stunned multiple enemies in an area, left the area and then returned to this area after 10 minutes, the stunned guards would all immediately wake up at as soon as the area loaded. There is now a random delay of between 10-50 seconds for each stunned guard to wake up.
- Fixed an issue where if the player tried to punch an enemy from close range, the player’s hand might not register punches with the enemy, instead phasing through the guard’s body.
- When players create a new agent, starting the campaign from scratch, we now display a prompt allowing users to disable the comfort features (Espire Control Theatre)
- Adjusted EspireVisibilityBlocker Volume classes: If a player is hiding in shadows and shoots at enemies, their cover is blown for 4 seconds. On hard mode, this is set to 9 seconds.
- Fixed an issue where Tripmine lasers would not collide with anything anymore if the player left and re-entered an area
- Fixed an issue where the "Direction for movement" (HMD based / Controller based) option was not being applied until after a mission restart.
- Fixed an issue where the user could get soft-locked by recalibrating their torso after completing the tranq tutorial
- Fixed an issue where the repair tool hits the ground, the noise it makes isn’t loud enough and guards rarely hear it
- Optimized menu interactions. The main menu now loads 3 seconds quicker than before when returning from Agent Select, a mission, or a virtual challenge.
- Fixed an issue where sound would no longer play if the Espire1.exe game window didn’t have focus ie: another app had focus with the Windows OS and Espire was in the background.
- Players can now choose between ‘press trackpad for movement’ and ‘hover thumb on trackpad for movement’. Fixed an issue where the "HTC Vive Trackpad Press for movement" option was not being set correctly.
- A slider has been added to the “Gameplay” menu allowing Valve Index users to adjust grip sensitivity. The default value is 10 (very sensitive).
- Gripping/releasing with the Index controller should be improved. We are still working on this based on player feedback.
- For users with Valve Index controllers, the hand ‘grip/open’ animation is now driven by the ‘pull’ value on the controller’s input.
