[img]https://media.tripwirecdn.com/052824/worldsfinest.png[/img] [b]Upcoming Features Preview Agents, we are fast approaching our next update and we have some major changes coming that will change how Deceive Inc. is played in significant ways.[/b] We wanted to give a sneak peek at some of the big elements that the community has been discussing for a while now. Let’s get into it! [b]Suspicion Mechanic[/b] We are shaking up the meta this update with a [u][b]massive[/b][/u] change that will have significant ramifications on the game. One of the most common feedback pieces we receive is that there is no incentive not to run around everywhere once you get a hang of the game. This is an inherent differential between new players that will always walk carefully and experienced players that will almost always run. Introducing the “Suspicion” mechanic. When in cover, you will now have a new bar that fills around your cover bar while being suspicious, such as sprinting around a party (which is currently the only thing that will trigger this new mechanic). Once filled up, this will start draining your cover bar, putting you at risk of blowing your cover. [url=https://media.tripwirecdn.com/071924/sus.webm][img]https://media.tripwirecdn.com/071924/sus.jpg[/img][/url] (Click on image to see WebM of Suspicion Mechanic in action) We know this is going to be a polarizing change, and we will keep a very close eye on feedback for the future steps of this mechanic. To help calibrate that feedback, our design goals with this are as such: [list] [*]Adding decision making in movement. Having to manage a resource that could put you at risk makes normal traversal more tense and adds moment to moment decisions to the game. [*]Putting a limit on the ability for a player to cross the entire map to third party an active fight. They could always push themselves and blow their cover to get there, but at that point it gives a better chance for the defending player to react. [*]Level the playing field a bit more between overly careful new players and extremely reckless experienced players, giving a bit of required downtime to these players to slow down games. [/list] Crucially,[b] suspicion is no longer active when in the extraction phase[/b]. When everyone is on high alert, running is not suspicious anymore, allowing the final phase to continue as the high octane chase it always was. [b]Bot Behavior Upgrade[/b] Bots have received a lot of love this update to make them fully capable agents that can drive the game forward. [u][b]They can now progress every phase of the match, from disabling vault terminals to printing themselves a gold keycard and even evading rival players to go and call the extraction![/b][/u] With this massive step forward, bots are now much closer to the behavior of real players and we hope to continue future work from this point to make them even more interesting and layered.