Hey everyone,
This one’s a fun update. Not just because we’ve been pushing some big systems forward but also because today happens to be that day where you should maybe read things twice.
Objective-Based Leveling
Goodbye XP grinding
We’ve reworked how leveling works during raids and honestly… it feels way better.
Previously, progression was tied to experience points. It worked, but it didn’t really encourage the kind of gameplay we want. So we scrapped it.
Now, leveling is fully tied to objective completion.
Complete objectives
Get randomized upgrade choices
Adapt your build mid-raid
Each completed objective rewards you with a choice between three randomized upgrades, pulled from:
- Weapon Mods
- Ability Mods
- Talent Options
This shifts the focus from “farm everything that moves” to playing smart and making meaningful decisions during a run.
Sometimes you won’t get the perfect upgrade, and that’s kind of the point.
Gameplay Systems Status
This is a big milestone internally:
Most core gameplay systems are now in place.
There’s still polish and iteration ahead (there always is), but we’re finally at the stage where systems are connecting together instead of living in isolation.
What’s next?
We will be shifting focus toward:
UI / UX
Time to turn all those functional systems into something that actually feels good to use and doesn’t look like a late-night debug panel.
Procedural Animation
Animation Warping + Motion Warping
Movement has been getting a serious upgrade.
We’re now leveraging:
- Animation Warping
- Motion Warping
This allows animations to dynamically adapt in real-time based on gameplay context.
What this means in practice:
- Better alignment during interactions
- More natural movement across terrain
- Less “pre-baked” feeling overall
It’s subtle but it makes a huge difference in how the game feels moment-to-moment.
Dynamic Time, Sky & Weather
The world is no longer frozen in time.
We now have a fully dynamic system driving:
- Time of day
- Sky atmosphere
- Weather conditions
So a raid might start at sunrise and end in a storm, or the opposite.
Safehouses benefit from this too, making them feel less static and more alive.
It’s not just visual, it sets the tone for everything.
What’s Next
We’re getting very close to something we’ve been waiting on for a while:
🎬 Actual game previews
Not just isolated systems. Not just clips.
Real gameplay.
We’re excited. Slightly nervous. But mostly excited.
One More Thing…
We’ve also been hard at work on a deeply immersive carb-based gameplay system.
Introducing: Bread Physics™
Players can now find, throw, stack, and strategically deploy bread during raids:
- 🥖 Baguettes → blunt weapons (high durability, low dignity)
- 🥐 Croissants → temporary morale buffs
- 🍞 Toast → still under investigation
There’s also a fully simulated crumb system that persists in the world and may or may not impact stealth.
Yes, enemies can track crumbs.
We felt it was important to push realism where it matters most.
More details soon. Or probably not! 🐟
Hopefully we didn't scare you 😄
That’s it for this update.
Things are starting to come together in a way that finally feels like GraveRaiders.
More soon.
Member discussion