It’s been a long road, but we’re finally at the stage where we can call v1.0 of Fragmental done and ready for release.

Our final update for v1.0 contains a lot of new content – we now have over 100 Arenas in the game. We’ve added new game setup options, we’ve given our in game visuals a full overhaul, our full front end has been updated visually and functionally, our AI has had an entire update, we’ve fixed a huge amount of bugs and made lots of feature tweaks, and finally we’ve done a full optimisation pass of the game to get it running at 60fps on our minimum spec PC.

We’ve added more detail on all of this for you to check out below.

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• In Game Visual Update and Optimisation.
  
• Visual and Functionality Update for Front End.
  
• Full AI Update.
  
• Difficulty / Danger Levels.
  
• Full Onslaught Update.
  
• 16 New Deathmatch Arenas.
  
• 7 New Survival Arenas.
  
• New Weapon.
  
• New Music Track.
  
• Lots and lots of Bug Fixes and Tweaks.
  

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IN GAME VISUAL UPDATE AND OPTIMISATION

We’ve done a huge amount of work to ensure the game runs at 60fps on our target min spec PC. We’ve also given the entire game a visual and functional overhaul. The game is now more vibrant, clearer and sharper than it ever was.

• A completely new dynamic background has been added for the game.
  
• Every Arena has been converted from BSP to Static Mesh for big perf savings.
  
• A full optimisation pass of our post process pass has been done.
  
• Every 3D Model and Particle Effect has been improved and optimised.
  

VISUAL AND FUNCTIONALITY UPDATE FOR FRONT END

Our entire Front End and In Game HUD has been completely updated, both visually and functionally. We’ve fixed all of our usability issues and added some more useful information for the Player as well

FRONT END

• The Front End is now controlled via a virtual cursor, getting rid of countless bugs and allowing for a more varied and balanced layout on our screens.
  
• We’ve added an intro animation and new background to the Front End.
  
• The entire Front End has had a visual update, it’s more vibrant and cleaner across the board.
  
• The Lobby has been completely updated which has fixed some usability and control issues we had, and there is no longer a stall when entering or exiting the Lobby.
  
• The Weapons screen has been completely updated with the addition of Stats for each Weapon to better represent the variation and the pros and cons of each Weapon.
  

IN GAME HUD

• The Round Intro info has been updated, the Player info and kill logs have also been updated, as have the End of Round and Game Summary screens – where we have also added numerical scores as well as the existing bars.
  

FULL AI UPDATE

The AI have had a lot of work done on them since Update 5, there’s too many minor tweaks to list, so we’ll just stick with the highlights.

• Specific movement behaviour per target - weapons, enemies, etc.
  
• More accurate aim prediction.
  
• Target sharing limits for specific targets.
  
• Better cover usage.
  
• Per weapon preferred engage distance.
  
• Behavioural variations in Onslaught.
  
• Smoother path acquisition and chaining - less visual jitter.
  
• Mountains of bug fixes and stability improvements.
  

DIFFICULTY / DANGER LEVELS

We’ve added a new setting for the Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch Game Modes.
There are countless dangerous Arenas with Lasers, Death Spheres, cliff edges, etc. that could easily kill an unaware new Player. There are just as many dangerous Weapons that a new Player could kill themselves with before they get the chance to kill an Enemy. Then finally there are some Modifiers that can catch new Players unaware and unknowingly send them to their death.
This new setting allows the Player to choose the type of content they want to play with, allowing them to define how much of that risky content they want to play with.
The default setting is DANGEROUS, but you can step down to SAFE if things are still a bit too much, or if you think you can handle more you can jump up to LETHAL. It’s your choice.

SAFE

• Contains the safest subset of Weapons, Modifiers and Arenas for a gentle introduction to the game.
  

DANGEROUS

• Contains a wider range of Weapons, Modifiers and Arenas for a closer taste of the full game.
  

LETHAL

• Contains every Weapon, Modifier and Arena for the full Fragmental experience.
  

FULL ONSLAUGHT UPDATE

Onslaught has had a lot of attention to make sure that it was as well balanced as possible for 1 to 4 Players.

• We’ve updated all 3 Tiers for every single Challenge.
  
• We’ve added new behaviours for the AI Enemies per weapon type, and made them stand out from each other using colour variation and different masks / headgear.
  
• We’ve also altered how Melee attacks and Thrown Weapons affect the Enemies too. Rather than killing them, they just stun the Enemy now.
  
• Enemies now spawn in staggered rather than all at once.
  
• Only a few of the Enemy will chase down a target now, rather than all of them coming at you at the same time.
  

16 NEW DEATHMATCH ARENAS

We’ve added another 16 Deathmatch Arenas to the game, which takes out total number up to 64 Arenas.

HARD BOILED

• One of the smallest and tightest Arenas in the entire game. 4 Corridors with doors at either end of each of them. You need to decide when to jump through and when to sit and wait.
  

CELL BLOCK

• Another small Arena. This one is rotationally symmetrical and has a lot of little corners to hide in, or to bounce projectiles off. Rounds tend to end quickly in this Arena.
  

CHOPPER

• Inspired by the blades of a helicopter, this constantly spinning Arena has 4 Teleporters at each point of the compass and a death pit at the centre. Plenty of cover options available, but there are so many angles for lines of sight that you’re never safe.
  

BATTLE BRIDGE

• Each character starts in a corner room with a window looking across to the enemy on the other side. Each room opens up to one bridge that connects them all. Things come to a head fast in this Arena.
  

BINOCULARS

• Possibly the simplest Arena design in the game. Two overlapping circles with a pillar in the centre of each. Absolute chaos if you end up with bouncing projectile Weapons being spawned in.
  

MIX TAPE

• Two circular platforms, each with two bridges crossing at their centre. Each of these platforms spin in opposite directions and there are no outer or inner walls to stop you falling to your death. This is a dangerous little Arena.
  

RED DEAD REDEEMER

• 4 platforms set out on their own at the four corners of the screen. Each platform has a single pillar at it’s centre and one Weapon spawn point that only spawns Redeemers. Now you need to choose a target, then steer your Redeemer towards them while steering your character away from any incoming Redeemer Rockets. It’s like patting your head, rubbing your tummy and dancing a jig at the same time.
  

DOUBLE-DEE

• A very tight S shaped path with another vertical path that connects it all together, which has Teleporters at the top and bottom. Half height walls split the walls along the path as well, so you really need to pay attention in this Arena.
  

JUMP AROUND

• One of the few Deathmatch Arenas that uses Jump Pads. There are 4 raised platforms each with a Weapon spawn. A single Jump Pad creates a path to 2 of the platforms while another does the same for the other 2. So you always meet another character at the Jump Pad as you race to grab a Weapon.
  

BLITZ

• A mid size incredibly varied Arena with lots of angled walls for cover. 2 Teleporters either side of the Arena make it feel larger and more connected than it’s size initially suggests.
  

HEXBRAWLER

• A symmetrical honeycomb style Arena, with 4 internal walls that split the space into an exterior path with some sheer drop offs, and an interior space with central pillar that has two back to back Teleporters, creating cover from some angles and a clear line of sight on others.
  

RISE AND FALL

• Another honeycomb style Arena. This one has 8 hexagonal platforms that each have a Weapon spawn point on them. All of the platforms are raised, then two will randomly lower at a time, giving access to two of the Weapons. They will then lift back up as another two lower. This brings constant conflict and an Arena that constantly changes where the cover is and isn’t.
  

LONGSHOT

• A long wide honeycomb style Arena. At each of the four corners there is a Teleporter angled at 45 degrees. Along the centre there are cover opportunities, but you need to keep your eye on lines of sight through the angled Teleporters.
  

DOWNFALL

• 4 circular platforms with walls shaped like cross hairs. Each platform has 4 sheer drop offs at the edge, and ever platform is constantly spinning. This is a really tricky Arena to judge where the angles are and where they’re not.
  

RICOCHET

• A large symmetrical Arena with 4 separate, octagonal platforms, each containing internal and external walls, with lots of gaps and half height sections. At their centre is a smaller octagonal platform that connects with each of the outer platforms with 45 degree aligned Teleporters. A great Arena for bouncing projectile Weapons.
  

SALTIRE

• A mid sized Arena, with 4 corner rooms that connect to each other by corridors with swinging doors. At the centre is a spinning circular platform with crosshair shaped walls. At either side there are 2 Teleporters that open up what looks like a really tight little Arena.
  

7 NEW SURVIVAL ARENAS

We’ve also added another 7 Survival Arenas to the game, taking our total up to 41 Survival Arenas. Combined with our Deathmatch Arenas, we now have a total of 105 Arenas in the game!

CROSSBEAM CANNON

• A large circular Arena with 8 raised circular starting positions for characters. The large lower platform has 4 Jump Pads and 4 Stinger Weapons on it. At the centre of the Arena is another raised circular platform which has a Repulsor on top of it. This central platform also spawns Cross Beams which fly outwards from the centre from random angles. This is a seriously dangerous Survival Arena.
  

DISC DODGER

• A large spinning outer ring with curved blades. Characters spawn at the centre on a smaller circular platform with a sheer drop all around it. The inside of the spinning outer ring spawns deadly Discs in from random positions at random angles. These Discs collide with each other at the centre making this Arena extremely difficult to navigate.
  

SLICE AND DICE

• A circular Arena with a hole at it’s centre, where two spinning Lasers criss cross across the diameter of the platform. 4 smaller, raised circular platforms placed equidistantly along the outer edge of the platform contain a Repulsor, and in front of each of them is Jump Pad. There’s a lot going on for such a simple design in this Arena.
  

REPULSOR RAYS

• Shaped like an octagonal sun dial. A central octagonal platform which has an octagonal hole at it’s centre and no outer walls. The octagon also has Bouncers placed at each other point of the Octagon. Outside the Octagon are 8 triangular platforms that each spawn Repulsor Rays that fire in towards the centre of the Arena. There’s nowhere to hide on this Arena.
  

LET’S BOUNCE

• Two wide paths cross each other at the centre to make a large X. Each path has a slim cross section path at either end which contain Stinger Weapons. Each path also contains a huge Bouncer at either end, and 2 buttons jut off centre. Hit any button and all of the Bouncers slide into the middle then back to their starting places, and the buttons become active once again.
  

DODGEBALLS

• 4 separated octagonal platforms, divided by Lasers. Each platform has 3 Stinger Weapons. You need to grab a Stinger then throw it at your opponents to knock them off their platform or into one of the Lasers.
  

POWCHINKO

• Inspired Pachinko. The 4 characters spawn at the bottom of a large platform with walls to the left and right, a sheer edge to the bottom and a tall wall to the top which has Bouncers stuck up on the wall. A constant stream of Death Spheres start to roll down the wall, hitting the Bouncers and flying down the platform towards you.
  

NEW WEAPON

We’ve added a new Weapon to the game. We thought we were all done with our Weapons, but one of our Designers – Dave Hoare – created this new one, called the Stinger. It’s a single shot, non-lethal thrown Weapon that will stun anyone it hits. Dave always wanted to create a Dodgeball Survival Arena, and that’s what this Weapon was created for. We’ve had so much fun with it, it’s now been added to any Survival Arenas that we felt needed a little more action.

NEW MUSIC TRACK

We’ve added one more music track to the game, taking our total up to 10 full tracks. This new track by a new addition to Ruffian – Dale Smith. The track has a bit of a Stranger Things vibe to it. We hope you like it.

LOTS AND LOTS OF BUG FIXES AND TWEAKS

As ever, our test team have found so many little functional and usability bugs with the game, and we’ve fixed everything we could to give you the most polished and balanced game we could.

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So, that’s the game finally out of Early Access. We’ve still got some features we would like to add to in the future, but we hope you like what we have created for v1.0 of Fragmental, we’re extremely proud of the game as it stands.

As ever, we really want to hear what everyone thinks of the game, so if you have any feedback or questions please add them to the Steam Discussions board and we’ll do everything we can to respond to your comments as fast as possible.

The Ruffians