Thyrian Defenders - 80

Hey space jockeys! Here's the latest from a far far away galaxy we call Thyria.

After analyzing the feedback from testers, and observing their relatively slow progress into the game, we've realized this game is just too demanding for most gamers these days. We've already made significant balancing changes since the start of the beta, but we're still not seeing a satisfactory engagement with the game, as only one player has beat the final boss so far, and most players seem to have nearly given up. To address the issues of difficulty without implementing shameful accessibility options, we are about to roll out some significant changes in the next update.

First, we are eliminating the 'full armor' target, which requires the player to complete the level with full armor. This is by far the hardest target and puts a kink in most players progress, however, it's the most satisfying to achieve for that reason. Therefore, to maintain the incentive to not get hit, and to make it rewarding to do so, we've added a GP bonus based on the damage inflicted during the level. If you don't take any damage you can double your rewards, on top of the difficulty level multiplier! This allows you to really cash in on a stellar performance, which also makes progression of upgrades faster and more rewarding.

Also, we are changing the way GP is displayed. Now, when you start a level, the in game tally always starts at zero and the multiplier doesn't take effect until the end of the run. This makes the final tally much more exciting to see, and the GP count feels more like a meaningful score. The trade off is you only see your total GP in the upgrades menu. So, to keep it practical we've added an indicator by the Starhulk that lets you know when upgrades are available. Personally, I don't miss seeing my total in gameplay, and seeing the specific gains feels much more meaningful. Also, I get a kick out of seeing the upgrades indicator turn yellow, meaning you have enough for the most expensive upgrade.

To replace the full armor target, you now receive a medal for defeating a boss. This also improves the sense of reward and rate of progress.

We've also implemented an auto-shield feature. If a hit will be fatal and you have shields in stock, the damage will be nullified and the shield will automatically activate. Works for both the player and wingman. A real life saver!  

Next, I wanted to mention we updated our homepage http://thyriagame.com/
It was completely out of date, with over 2 year old images and descriptions. Things have changed a lot since then, and our site now reflects the current product and includes thorough descriptions of all aspects of the game. Check it out if you haven't yet!

Lastly, the final image is an early look at the The Hyperspace Beta intro scene. Still just making assets, and will work out the composition as I go.

Well, that's all your designs insights for today.