The team at Compulsion Games has been hard at work improving We Happy Fewand is today launching a set of major optimizations called the Clockwork Update, which introduces a new tutorial area, improved encounters during conversations and quests, a visual overhaul in the village of Hamlyn, and more.
Under The Hood
• Quest state system: Every encounter/quest in the game is now built using a new quest state system. This system changes quest tracking from a scripting-based system to a code based system, where the game knows at all times exactly where you are in any given quest. This makes it much simpler for us to create encounters, and also much more reliable. We no longer need to have complicated scripts tracking save/quest/item situations, and instead can focus more on gameplay and making cool things.
• Improved save/load: The quest state system also ties into a new save system, which should allow for much more robust saving. Please keep in mind that when you load a game you may find Arthur on a bench reading a paper. Likewise there are some areas (eg the Mystery House) where you will no longer be able to save, as to do otherwise allows exploits and errors when completing encounters.
• Faster save/load times: As a consequence of the new quest state/save systems, autosaving is now significantly faster, and loading is faster too.
• Conversation mode: When talking with an encounter NPC (eg someone with specific dialogue and purpose, rather than the systemic NPCs), you will now enter conversation mode. Little black bars will come down around you, and you will effectively be isolated from the outside world while you talk to them. This means we can place better animation with the VO, and quest givers can’t be interrupted by other NPCs, or you, or them. Aka, the game won’t lose the plot as much any more, and it’ll be slightly better more cinematic.
• Puppet system: NPCs can now have highly scripted behaviour, instead of their normal systemic behaviour. The puppet system allows us to remove their systemic brains and give them specific actions to do, rather than having the two systems fight (which led to all manner of crazy shit).
• Consistent map marker behaviour: Map markers should now be reliable and operate consistently. When you see an encounter, you will see an encounter marker to let you know that something is over there. Once you are given the first stage of the quest, you will have encounter markers telling you where to go.
• Improvements to manual quest tracking and map markers.
The Clockwork Update is live now on PC (Steam, GOG.com) and Xbox One. For more information and details on the update, read the latest blog post.
We Happy Few is currently available on Steam Early Access, GOG.com Games in Development, and Xbox Game Preview.
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