Here's a brief overview of what we're working on right now : [olist] [*]Redesigned Gun Wheel and Hot Bar. We're adding more shooter friendly Gun Wheel as well as hotbar for the commonly used items. Here's some WIP design concepts for you https://imgur.com/a/X215wUj Here's how usage of the meds and other "insta use" items will work. You'll need to press and HOLD for a few seconds hot key to activate item. This will "combat" Gun wheel and a Hot Bar will not be available while you're galloping on a horse. So to use item, you will need slow down ( no need to go full stop - just release "sprint" button ), wait till Hot Bar appears and then activate item such as a med. [*]Redesigned Rewards System and Economy. This is something we're working on to make sure that different types of activities will give you different types of rewards. Basically each type of activity will be offering you unique items - mining/stealing/Bank robbery/stagecoach will be offering ways to get gold aka MONEY in a game. Town Captures will be focused on getting XP and a guns related customizations and upgrades. Relic Hunt and Air Balloon events will be focused on progressing your characters, rare gameplay items, etc. Quests specific for each "class" will be focusing on special items and cosmetics. Camp Crates will be still "all rare items grab bag" type of thing, but since it's 100% luck related, it'll be more of the side dish to procuring all those items. As result of these changes, players will be getting a better more predictable progression toward getting what they want in a game. It also opens up trading opportunities for the players. Economy side of the things are being changed as well. Vendors will only be selling certain items that you can't get by other means - mostly consumables used by players a lot - meds, basic ammo, etc. [*]Novice servers. All new characters will be spawned on "noob" servers, where all other players will be level 20 or less. We'll be adding additional mechanism to make sure that seasoned veterans will be able to go right away to "general population" servers. [*]Factions. Existing rigid factions structure will be gone. You will not be required to choose faction when you create your character. Instead all characters will be starting as "Settlers". Settlers will not be able to kill or deal damage to other Settlers OUTSIDE structured PVP Events. So basically when you join any of the Events - including town Capture, Stagecoach, Bank Robberies, Relic Hunts, etc - you'll be able to kill and be killed anytime. Outside those events - certain rules will apply - see below - meet newly redesigned Sheriffs and Outlaws system. [*]Sheriff vs Outlaws. We ditched McFarlanes and Steeles for now and instead will be focusing on a Sheriffs and Outlaws. Think of both roles as a faction choices for players. To join either lawmans or outlaws, player will need to either go into Sheriff's office or into Outlaws camp and choose to join that faction and play that role. Choosing each role will give you some perks as well as have some downsides. Lets start with Outlaws. Outlaws can kill or be killed by anyone on a map anywhere and anytime. There's only one place where they're relatively safe - Outlaws camp and Outlaw controlled Towns - in those places they can't be killed by anyone except Sheriffs. Outlaws get two primary bonuses related to their status - they're only ones who can lockpick safes and chests ( there'll be plenty added to the map - towns, farms, etc ) outside Bank Robbery event ( which is open to all players ). And in all cases those safes and chests will be offering a gold or rare cosmetic items ! Second thing is that Outlaws can rob miners. Ie - just random "Settler" player will not be able rob or kill miner carrying gold. Only Outlaw can do that. So basically Outlaws have more wait to make money in a game. It comes at price thought. Outside being vulnerably to all other players, Outlaws will be receiving "Most Wanted" status each time when they commit crime ( break into safe/chest, kill or damage other players, rob miners, etc ). While you have Most Wanted status active, sheriffs can hunt you easily. No merchants outside Outlaw Camp or Outlaw controlled Towns will deal with you. And when you try to sell "hot loot" they will offer you much lower price - so you'll either need to accept it or wait for Most Wanted status will disappear. you will be able to use special NPC in a outlaw camp or at Outlaws controlled town to remove Most Wanted Status for a fee. Outlaws will have special quests available only to them offering unique rewards - items that will only be available thru those quests. So why you want to be an outlaw ? 1) Have more opportunities to make money, even though it will come at risk, 2) Roleplay, be able to kill anyone - once again at price, 3) have access to unique quests and activities only open to outlaws. Now lets get to Sheriffs. Deputies are here to hunt outlaws and Most Wanted. They're here to protect and help Settlers. While they do not have as many ways to make a gold as Outlaws do, but they do receive "salary" once in a while for performing Deputy duties. They also can engage in a manhunts - hunting down Most Wanted Outlaws and receiving rewards for the bringing their scalps to the Sheriffs stations. Sheriffs can "guard" Settlers, and for that they will be getting percentage of the experience that Settlers around them are getting. Sheriffs can pickup gold dropped by killed miners and after that they can receive rewards if they will deliver that gold to the Sheriffs station. They won't be able to sell it though or keep for themselves. This will be more like a quest for the that will be activated as soon as they'll pickup gold from either dead miner or dead outlaw. If they'll deliver gold from the killed miner, killed miner will receive it back minus fee to the sheriff and sheriffs office. And yes Sheriffs will have quests only available to them. Just like Outlaws have their own quests. BTW some guns will only be available to get this way. [*]Town Captures, spawn camping, etc. Town captures get some "remodeling". It'll be "Sheriffs vs Outlaws" war now. When Town Event starts, Sheriffs calls all who want to be on a side of the law to join them, and Outlaw Gang is calling all to help them to control the town and drive sheriffs out. Clearly players who choose to play role of the sheriffs or outlaws will join for their respective sides only, yet Settlers will be automatically assigned to either group using auto balancing. During the match system will be actively checking if one side is getting advantage in number of players, and will move Settlers to the opposite team if needed. Some other mechanics to autobalance game will be happening and will not be required user's intervention. We've already did some work toward eliminating or curbing spawn camping, and with upcoming patch we will introduce more guards against that, making sure that one team can't just raid other teams camp, that players are spawned in a wide spread protected areas, etc. Unfortunately lots of those things are requires us to observe real world players - thus making it's harder for us to get everything working right from the start. Not trying to make excuse for a being small indie team, but at the end this is the price we pay for that. [*]Barricades placement. You will only be able to place barricades at : - During Town Capture Events - In a radius of the Campsite you've deployed. - Inside your Plantation perimeter [*]Hideout Cabins changes. you will not be able to access Global Storage at Hideout Cabins anymore. You will not be able to use Fast Travel feature if you have active Most Wanted Status, or been actively engaging in a combat. [*]Stream Gold Miners. Well you'll be only be able to place them near streams or other bodies of water. DUH. [*]Plantations. You will be able to place any farming block inside Plantation's perimeter except for the Gold Miner Stream Miners. You also will be able to place Crafting Stations. We have more stuff coming to Plantations, but it's to early to talk about it as of now. [*]Map Expansion. We're opening up rest of the map - large area on the North, and smaller areas on the West and South. Here's very early WIP progress - Blue represents our Stage 1 expansion and Red zone is Stage 2 expansion. https://imgur.com/a/5B1iYTi One of the biggest differences is that all of the north part of the map will be mostly wilderness - Alpine Forests, with a small number of very small settlements and log cabins. There'll be plenty of space to hunt and mine there. Area will be featuring Taller pine trees, cedars, Lots of rocks, as well as meadows. There'll be a few a Plantations here as well. And in a west we're building our more modern town that features stone buildings, paved sidewalks, things like that. It will definitely have a different vibe from the rest of the world, so we planning to get it done at same time as our other more social activities for players such as saloon entertainers, PVP card games, new take on bank robbery heist event. [*]Hunting. Deers and bears are coming first. When you kill animals, you'll be able to get pelts, claws, meat, etc from it, that can be sold for the good amount of money. You won't be able to find them just lying as a loot on a ground anywhere in a world. [/olist]