Patch Notes

Below is a list of the most recent patch notes that have been released, older patch notes are viewable in the page Older Patch Notes.

Patch 1.21 (30/10/2019)
Hello Inmates,

We are releasing patch 1.21 with the objective of fixing several bugs and preparing for the full release of Darwin Project this winter. There are no big gameplay changes in this one but several updates for both the backend and the UI. The intention of this patch is also to test the technical stability after those changes are implemented to ensure nothing will break at launch.

New main menu layout
The main menu gets a facelift! We reworked the navigation and the visuals on the main menu in order to support future additions to the game.

New dressing room and shop
You can now access all of the cosmetics from the dressing room! All the available items can be bought at any time. The previous shop is replaced with a tab called ‘Shop and Sales’ which will display some special offers from time to time.

Back end technical update
We are updating our backend systems to prepare for Darwin Project’s official launch this winter. This will help us to increase the backend stability. These changes also remove the current career profile, stats and leaderboards.

Spectator experience on Twitch
Darwin Project’s Twitch extension also gets a facelift! While implementing a new UI, we disabled Darwin Coins, Twitch leaderboards, Betting and Spectator Powers in order to prepare for the official Launch. Votes are the only interaction enabled…for now!

Gameplay
Despite saying we didn’t do major gameplay changes, we couldn’t resist making a few tweaks:


 * Updated side roll attack: we changed the animation and the collision for side roll attacks in order to remove the ‘whirlwind’ effect and get something more steady and clear. It now uses similar animations and collision than the front roll attack: a vertical top-down slice.
 * Removed Scavenger mode in custom match as it was the least used mode in the pre-set custom matches modes we released.
 * Replaced the ‘First win of the day’ bonus xp with the ‘First top 3 of the day’ bonus xp.
 * Arrows are now automatically picked up when walking on them

Special Event: Easter Egg Hunt
From April 16 to April 24, you will have to be on the lookout for Easter eggs scattered around the arena in public Solo and Duo matches. This limited time event will run right after maintenance until Wednesday, April 24, at 11:59 PM UTC. You can read more information about it in our previous blog post.

Medium Setting for AIs on Practice vs AI Mode
These new Artificial Inmates are more advanced than their predecessors, with more accurate attacks and dynamic movements in combat.

Gameplay

 * Increased Arena size by 80%

Developer comment:'' While the initial intention of the Arena was to be an offensive power to catch opponents and force them into combat, it has turned to be a very powerful defensive power as well with no real counter play. We are still working on a solution to make it work as originally intended. In the meantime, this change in the size should make it more balanced with the other powers.''


 * Inmates now can’t carry more than 2 of each Consumable

Developer comment:'' Stacking Consumables has shown to be too valuable especially during the later parts of the matches. Capping its usage to two should decrease the impact they have on the outcome of a match.''


 * Added a small delay before inmates can jump or swing their axe after a roll attack

Developer comment: This change should allow for more opportunities to counter roll attacks while preserving the satisfying movement fluidity.


 * Increased the characters’ size while using the Shrink by 10%

Developer comment:'' With patch 1.19 and the addition of directional axes, shrunk inmates have become very hard to hit with the Axe. This change should ensure more enjoyable fights against those tiny opponents.''


 * Slightly increased the time window for parrying or deflecting
 * Improved the consistency of some Axe attacks
 * Inmates with equipped Armors now have floaters on their arms when the Beach Party power is activated
 * Improved deer behaviour
 * Ensured that the holographic maps in cabins no longer collide with the environment

Visual

 * Polished placement of lava particles
 * Added wind to the clothes on the clotheslines in Gould City Tile
 * Refined the visual effect for Axe trail
 * Refined the visual effect of Arrow trails
 * Refined visual effect of the impact of Arrows when hitting another player
 * The colored trails when players load Arrows added in Patch 1.19 are now also applied after the Arrows are released
 * Updated the timing of the visual effect for the Arena
 * Reworked the visual effect for parrying
 * Added an animation to the embers in burned textures
 * Replaced the deer model with a new one
 * Replaced the deer death animation with a new one
 * Updated the visual effect of the Turret laser

USER INTERFACE

 * Updated the Show Director Deck Menu
 * Made small visual adjustments to the following:
 * Status bar and player icons
 * Name and bar above inmates’ head when viewing as a Spectator or Show Director
 * Challenges section in the Main Menu
 * News section in the Main Menu
 * Added a section for the Easter Egg Hunt collection (limited time only)

OPTIMIZATION

 * Optimized the visual effect for when an Electronic is activated in the arena
 * Optimized the visual effect of the mist
 * Optimized the visual effect of the Turret
 * Optimized the visual effect when an Armor is broken

OTHER

 * Added Color Blind Mode option
 * Added Easter Egg collection leaderboards (limited time only)
 * Added Advanced Graphic option (Steam only)

Bug Fixes

 * Fixed a bug that sometimes caused Arrows to not get released towards the reticle
 * Fixed a bug that sometimes caused stats to be incorrectly displayed on the End Game menu
 * Fixed a bug that would cause a duplicate sound when an armor was broken
 * Fixed a bug that would cause the axe trail to remain visible longer than intended when using invisibility
 * Fixed a bug to the female character that caused all visual effects to be less accurate than on the male
 * Fixed a bug that prevented some lights from being turned on at night in the Gould City Tile
 * Fixed a bug that caused the top of the church to light up at night in the Gould City Tile
 * Fixed a bug that sometimes caused the voice chat to stop working until a Show Director would use Telepathy in Duos
 * Fixed a bug that sometimes caused the voice chat to stop working after using the Play Again button
 * Fixed a bug where players could sometimes hear the voice chat while loading into a lobby
 * Fixed a bug that caused the female character to not have the same size than the male in the Dressing Room and the Shop
 * Fixed a bug that would cause the Radar to not detect Turret
 * Fixed a bug that caused the card of an activated Spectator Power to be duplicated in-game

Axe Rework
We said we’d mercilessly tackle the axe and just as promised, we put a lot more focus on improving the axes and the melee combat experience for this patch update. After months of discussions, development, and playtesting, we think that the changes and improvements we did this time addresses many concerns about this mechanic.

Reworked Timing
To make the axes feel more dynamic and responsive, we reduced the duration of its wind up animation, resulting in a melee combat that is more about reacting to your opponent’s actions rather than having to anticipate them. Moreover, the timing required to land a hit, parry an attack, or to deflect an arrow should now feel more intuitive and consistent.

Directional Swings
Instead of swinging horizontally all the time, your character will now attack with the axe towards the direction of your reticle. This adds a new layer of skill and enables players to fight more effectively along steep slopes or against jumping opponents.

Reworked Visual Cues
An issue we identified with the melee combat was the lack of visual cues that players can refer to when engaging in combat, making the experience seem more inconsistent than how it is supposed to be. To address this, we first tweaked the camera’s position so inmates can see what they hit more easily and thus estimate their distance from the target better.

Next, we made slight adjustments to the axe animations to better suit the changes in timing and the implementation of directional swings.

Lastly, we also reworked the visual effects for the axe trails so players can better see the trajectory of the axe swings, improving feedback and visibility for both players engaged in combat. These new visual effects will also aid players in identifying which melee Perk and to which level their opponent’s axe is crafted to. This would be useful information to have, more particularly if your opponent crafted an Axe Sharpener. You can read more details about this on the Visuals sub-section below General Improvements.

New Show Director Power: Lava Floor
Lava Floor is a new Show Director Power that fills a Tile with scorching molten rock, forcing inmates to flee or move to high ground immediately. Similar to the Nuke, Show Directors can drop the Lava Floor on any Zone of their choice, or call for a vote to let Spectators decide. Once activated, it fills the floor of an entire Zone with rising lava and creates a deadly wall around the edges of the Zone, which cause immediate death to players in contact with the lava.

However if you manage to find higher ground in a Zone with an activated Lava Floor Power, you will start warming up. This lava stays for 10 seconds after it reaches its maximum height, after which it will start falling back to the abyss.

Show Directors can only have one Lava Floor Power in their deck and costs five Action Points to activate. To unlock it, you simply need to level up as Show Director!

A New Way to Train: Practice vs A.I. (Artificial Inmates)
Practice vs A.I. is a new game mode that players can enter to practice their survival skills before joining other inmates in the Arena. While Lancaster D.O.D. and the Training Yard (formerly called Playground) were designed to help new players learn about the basic game mechanics and equipment available, the first set of Artificial Inmates will help inmates practice combat playstyles and tactics to help them be better prepared for the real challenges out in the Arena.

This game mode uses a static map and places a player in a match against 9 Artificial Inmates, which are designed to gather resources, craft Tools, and engage in combat just like a real inmate would. It is currently only available on Easy Mode, but we plan to bring more advanced AIs in the future with higher difficulty settings so even players who are more familiar with the game mechanics will find them helpful.

Joining and Creating Custom Matches
We’ve completely revamped the Private Matches feature to allow players to find and join those matches more easily through the Custom Match server list. Creating your matches also just got better as you can now customize specific settings to truly make these matches your own.

Each custom match generates a four-letter password, which hosts can send to other players they would like to invite. If the host chooses to make their match visible to everyone, the match will be shown in the Custom Match server list where other players can find it and join by clicking on the match of their choice. Otherwise, other players will only be able to join a match that is set to private through the password.

We prepared some pre-set matches for you to start with which you will see when you create a custom match, but you’re more than free to set up one on your own by pressing My Custom Match. We’re working on bringing more customizable settings in the future, so you can look forward to making these matches even more interesting!

Join a Custom Duos Match with your Friend
Players can now join custom Duos match with another inmate of their choice! Simply invite them to join your party by clicking the Invite a Friend button, then join or create a custom Duos match.

Only the Party Leader will be able to choose a role, and they must select an Inmate role so they can be paired with their friend once the match starts.

GAMEPLAY
Updated the stamina system


 * Reduced sprint stamina cost from 18/s to 6/s
 * Reduced jump stamina cost from 33 to 25
 * Reduced roll stamina cost from 40 to 30
 * Axe attack nows cost 10 stamina
 * Aiming with the bow now costs 6 stamina per second


 * Increased the speed of roll attacks
 * Removed the brief stop that would occur after roll attacks
 * Resized the female character’s height to be the same size as the male’s
 * Improved character hitbox to better suit the player’s movements

OPTIMIZATION

 * Servers tickrate has been increased from 32 to 59 updates per seconds
 * Multiple improvements due to engine updates
 * Optimized character model and animations
 * Optimized visual effects
 * Optimized day and night cycle
 * Optimized level of detail in the Mt. Borlo Deer Workshop Tile
 * Optimized physics computation of players that are not in sight

Visuals

 * Added colored trails to Axe swings to indicate the type of melee Perk that is being used. The visual effects for these trails will increase as the Perk levels up:
 * White when no Perk has been crafted
 * Red for Axe Sharpener
 * Green for Lumberjack
 * Yellow for Scavenger Axe
 * Added colored trails when players load Arrows to indicate the type of Arrow that is being used:
 * Red for Berserk Arrow
 * Blue for Basic Arrow
 * Green for Hunter Arrow
 * Orange for Fire Arrow
 * Added a flashing light to indicate when an arrow is ready to be fired
 * Updated the visual effects for the Fire Arrow, including the lingering burning damage fire
 * Updated the visual effects of Blood Moon and Beach Party
 * Removed the Christmas lights from trees in all Tiles

User interface

 * Updated the Play menu and the flow to start a match
 * Added a clearer “On Air” notification while being followed by the Show Director
 * Updated the bottom left part of the interface while playing a Custom Match with a disabled Player Minimap setting as an inmate
 * Polished in-game notifications text

OTHER

 * Renamed Playground to Training Yard
 * Renamed Daily Rehab Program to Daily Challenges
 * Reduced the volume of the sounds found in the Show Director Soundboard
 * Increased the volume of inmates’ footsteps
 * Increased the duration of Invincibility and Speed Up to 30 seconds (For Spectator Powers only)

Bug Fixes

 * Fixed an issue that would cause the axe to scale up during rolling attack and could cause hitbox inconsistencies
 * Fixed a crash that would sometimes happen when joining a lobby [Xbox only]
 * Fixed an issue in which players could get stuck in burnt tree trunks in the Mt. Borlo Deer Workshop Tile
 * Fixed an issue which caused some lava lighting to not work properly in the Mt. Borlo Deer Workshop Tile
 * Fixed an issue where player would get stuck over lava around the middle island of the Mt. Borlo Workshop Tile
 * Fixed an issue where a few bows had incorrect materials
 * Fixed an issue where some trees would have an incorrect trunk texture applied to them
 * Fixed an issue where various snowman Hats would have no visible neck when used with the male character
 * Fixed an issue where players who equipped the Ponytail Hair would have incorrect eyebrow colors
 * Fixed an issue where some Helmet sizes were incorrect
 * Fixed an issue in the Gould City Tile where some tree leaves would intersect through house roofs
 * Fixed an issue where the Kiwi Climber Hat would have an incorrect icon
 * Fixed an issue which could prevent some lava splashes from appearing
 * Fixed an issue where the Armor crafting sound duration would not match its actual crafting time
 * Fixed an issue where trees would keep moving if a player died in it
 * Fixed an issue where the headshot hitbox would remain the same size when using the Shrink Electronic Power
 * Fixed an issue wherein changing the graphics quality during Beach Party while playing as female character could cause two skins to overlap
 * Fixed an issue where joining a Twitch tournament with a controller could sometimes prevent any further menu navigation

= 25+ New Cosmetic Items =

Taking on new challenges such as the new Lava Floor Show Director Power demands new outfits. Over 25 new items will be obtainable from Fan Gifts and will also be purchasable with Ramen from the Shop.

New Tile: Mt. Borlo Deer Workshop
Volcanic, rocky, and scorched all over, Mt. Borlo is the perfect fiery backdrop for fierce showdowns. Its glowing lava falls and towering peaks are inviting, but make no mistake: Mt. Borlo Deer Workshop is one of the most treacherous Tiles yet. Lots of uneven terrain and pools of lava mean that inmates will have to pay more attention to their surroundings and carefully evaluate the trajectories of Power Leaps and BoomShroom bounces.

On one of the tallest cliffs stands the Deer Workshop. A large building that inmates can fight in, the Deer Workshop produces what many consider a key resource of the Darwin Project arena. The goods are transported using metal wagons on elevated rails, with a number of industrial lights and pipelines supporting the mysteriously self-sustained production.

Some of you might recognize one of the islands in Mt. Borlo Deer Workshop from the pre-Tile Mapping System map!

New Show Director Power: Give Leather
Some of you may have seen this coming, but… The leather makes it better!

When activated, the player targeted by this Power will receive two Leathers. Give Leather costs one Action Point to use and Show Directors can have a maximum of three copies of it in their Decks.

Just like other Powers that require a target, the Show Director can let any stream viewers vote for the player who will receive the Leather.

To unlock up to three copies of Give Leather for your Show Director Deck, continue leveling up as the Show Director.

New Show Director Power: Open Zone
Open Zone allows Show Directors to reopen a zone that was previously closed. It costs five Action Points to activate and Show Directors can only have one copy in their Decks.

Just like other Powers that require a target, the Show Director can let any stream viewers vote for the zone that will be reopened.

Note that Open Zone can be used on a zone that is becoming forbidden (as soon as the countdown begins), but not on a zone in which sudden death is active.

To unlock Open Zone for your Show Director Deck, continue leveling up as the Show Director.

60+ New Cosmetic Items

Whether you’re facing the cold head-on or looking to cozy up in festive wear this holiday season, patch 1.18 has some outfits for you. Over 60 new items will be obtainable from Fan Gifts and will also be purchasable with Ramen from the Shop. Here’s the overview:

Note: The Santa Hat will not be obtainable through Fan Gifts or purchasable in the Shop, but will instead be given as a free reward to all players who log in between December 21, 2018 at midnight UTC and December 31, 2018 at midnight UTC. The cosmetics list has been updated to reflect this.

Hike up Mt. Borlo in style with these mountain climber outfits:

Spectator Interaction Improvements [Steam only]
New Feature: Events

Since we’ve introduced Betting to spectator interactions on Twitch, viewers have been able to watch a variety of streams to build up a wealth of Darwin Dollars (still a work-in-progress currency) and use them to wreak havoc in Private Matches that have Spectator Powers enabled. The new Event feature allows the streamer to place all viewers on a level playing field and see which one manages to make the best use all available spectator interactions and finish with the thickest wallet at the end of a stream.

To create an Event, streamers on Twitch with the official Darwin Project Spectator Experience Extension enabled will need to click the new button called Create Event directly on their stream, then create a Private Match.

When the streamer has an active Event, stream viewers will receive a special Event wallet containing 1000 Darwin Dollars, and any Bets and Power Bids made during the Event will use this dedicated wallet. All stream viewers of the match, even if watching a different streamer than the one who created the Event, will have the dedicated wallet made available.

Streamers can end an Event at any time by going to their stream again and clicking Finish.

If the streamer does not end the Event, it will end automatically after 24 hours. Note that streamers cannot begin or end an Event while already in a match or in a lobby.

At the end of the Event, three leaderboards will appear with the top 10 spectators in each: Current amount of Darwin Dollars, total gain, and largest gain in one shot. The leaderboards can also be viewed at any time by clicking the crown icon next to the Event wallet.

Viewers will still earn Darwin Dollars for their regular wallet on top of the dedicated wallet when watching a stream in which there is an active Event.

Betting Update

First off: we’ll be resetting all spectator wallets and leaderboards. Don’t be alarmed!

As a first step to balance Darwin Dollars, we’ve set a maximum amount that spectators can bet at once: 5,000 Darwin Dollars in Private Matches and 100,000 Darwin Dollars in Public Matches. We’ve also updated the formula that determines the payout multiplier.

Voting Update

The Electronic Show Director Power has been added to the list of Powers that can be voted on by the audience. When the Show Director chooses to let the audience vote, spectators will be able to click on the zone where they want to see an Electronic resource be activated.

GAMEPLAY

 * Added three new Private Match options (the following can now be toggled on or off by the Private Match host):
 * Player Minimap Hidden (off by default): Removes the minimap in the bottom left corner of the screen and replaces it with a compass at the top of the screen Developer comment: Finding cabins with Holomaps becomes much more important when this option is turned on, especially when zones begin closing!
 * Auto Zones/Electronics (on by default): Zones will close and Electronics will activate without the Show Director’s help
 * Names on Holomaps (off by default): Names will appear on Holomaps (maps present inside some cabins)


 * The Axe swing will now be more closely tied to the player’s latency Developer comment: We adjusted the Axe’s lag compensation such that it works similarly to Arrows, making it no longer possible for players to take a hit from an enemy with high latency without seeing it coming. This also results in a tighter synchronization of swing animation and hitbox.


 * Slightly lowered the Axe hitbox for the spin attack and strafe jump attack Developer comment: We noticed that players would often swing their Axe in mid-air expecting to connect with the enemy’s head, only to miss by a few inches.


 * Increased Armor crafting time from 3 seconds to 5 seconds Developer comment: This balance change is intended to add a higher level of risk to crafting Armor in the middle of a fight.
 * The Hook will no longer grapple players frozen by Ice Bolt Developer comment: This improvement will make the Ice Bolt behavior consistent with other Tools in the game, while also preventing situations where a frozen player could be Hooked toward hazardous ground with no opportunity to react.

OPTIMIZATION

 * Slightly optimized fog effects
 * Slightly optimized smoke effects
 * Slightly optimized cloud effects

visuals

 * Added Christmas lights to trees in all Tiles [for a limited time only]


 * Updated lava texture and behavior so that it can flow in a specific direction

ANIMATION

 * Replaced the death animation by four all-new animations


 * Added a front hit reaction
 * Updated the Arrow nocking animation

OTHER

 * Reworked the menu flow upon defeat
 * When defeated, players will automatically be turned into spectator drones (not to be confused with support drones in the case where your ally is still alive in Duo Mode). Pressing Esc with mouse and keyboard or Menu with a controller will bring up the match stats and allow players to go back to the main menu or play again. Developer comment: This change will allow players to more easily view the different ways other people play and potentially pick up a few tips!
 * Removed the Play Again button while in a party to prevent the party leader from interrupting their ally when reviewing match stats
 * When viewing stats at the end of a match, players will automatically be queued for matchmaking in the same game mode after 40 seconds
 * Reworked the pause menu
 * Daily Rehab Program progression and some Career stats will now be visible in the pause menu
 * Players will now be able to give the Show Director Prestige during a match through the pause menu
 * Updated navigation [Xbox only]


 * Added an option for players to set a distance between the edge of their TV or monitor and the game UI in Video Options


 * The cursor will now always appear at the center of the screen when Show Director opens the Power Bar [Steam only]


 * Added a second input for the roll, bound to the middle mouse button by default [Steam only] Developer comment: Don’t forget to rebind any inputs you currently have on the middle mouse button if you’d like to use the roll there instead!


 * When defeated, players’ match stats will now be compared to their average instead of their all-time best for that game mode

UI

 * When clicking to see the details of a set in the Shop, players will now get a 3D preview as opposed to seeing only a 2D image, giving a much better idea of how the items will look when worn in the arena or in the Dressing Room. Note that this feature will be updated to include individual items in the future.


 * Added a loading icon on a player’s avatar when they are in the process of loading into the lobby


 * Moved Scavenger Mode into Private Match options


 * Made small visual adjustments to:
 * The icons above stray Arrows
 * The tips that appear when approaching a lootable item
 * In-game news
 * The Connect to Twitch or Mixer button location
 * The Connect to Twitch or Mixer menu
 * The Daily Rehab Program
 * The ally information in Duo Mode
 * The latest news pop-up
 * The victory screen
 * Names above player heads
 * The Dressing Room

Bug Fixes

 * Fixed an issue related to the new character skeleton introduced in patch 1.17 where some Axe swing animations were slightly out of sync with damage windows
 * Fixed an issue where the roll attack would sometimes not play the Axe swing animation
 * Fixed an issue where the Tripwire was not destroyed like other Traps if placed underneath a player frozen by Ice Bolt
 * Fixed an issue where players would sometimes not have their movement speed reduced when walking backwards or aiming
 * Fixed an issue where players would sometimes not have their movement speed increased when sprinting
 * Fixed an issue where swinging the Axe right before touching the ground would interrupt the attack
 * Fixed an issue where player microphones would be turned on before fully loading into a lobby
 * Fixed an issue where inmates would not be able to craft if they hadn’t fully loaded in the lobby when the match began
 * Fixed an issue where inmates would see other players’ names above their heads if they hadn’t fully loaded in the lobby when the match began
 * Fixed an issue where activating Hide HUD (F10 by default) would only hide some parts of it [Steam only]


 * Fixed an issue where Teleporting on land would sometimes make the player skip the hard landing animation the next time they jump from high ground
 * Fixed an issue where drawing the Bow after rolling would sometimes play the Bow drawing sound twice
 * Fixed an issue where trying to roll while performing another action would sometimes still consume stamina
 * Fixed an issue where the deer would disappear when killed in the Playground
 * Fixed an issue where deer in the Playground could not be Hooked
 * Fixed an issue where players would burn when deflecting a Fire Arrow
 * Fixed an issue where Electronic resources would be harvestable in the Playground before they were activated
 * Fixed an issue where it was possible to report dummy inmates in the Playground
 * Fixed an issue where dummy inmates caught by Tripwire in the Playground would be temporarily released from the rope tying them to the post
 * Fixed an issue where the latency information displayed when choosing a region would no longer be color-coded
 * Fixed an issue where players who died with their HUD hidden would cause some inconsistencies the next time Hide HUD was used [Steam only]
 * Fixed an issue where the Cloak would fly wildly when hitting a BoomShroom with the male character
 * Fixed an issue where the Axe attack sound was missing when playing as the female character
 * Fixed an issue where pressing B to close the pause menu would activate an Electronic Power bound to B when using a controller
 * Fixed an issue where the male character’s Cloak would not be animated while crafting
 * Fixed an issue where joining a Private Match would display the region selection menu (reserved for the host) upon first starting the game
 * Fixed an issue where stamina would not be refilled when receiving a hit in the lobby
 * Fixed an issue where Beach Party swimsuit textures would sometimes not load correctly
 * Fixed an issue where the Show Director could still use Manhunt when only two players remained by using the spectator vote feature [Steam only]
 * Fixed an issue where the Show Director could still use Nuke when one zone remained by using the spectator vote feature [Steam only]
 * Fixed an issue in Duo Mode where a Manhunt being activated while players were viewing the animation to become a support drone would not let those players control their support drone for the duration of the match
 * Fixed an issue where the Almost Champion Boots would have the incorrect picture when viewing the Dressing Room with the female character selected
 * Fixed an issue where the Radar visual effect would stay frozen while switching perspectives as the Show Director or as a spectator drone
 * Fixed an issue where it was possible to destroy an ally’s unactivated Cage Trap by shooting an Arrow into it in Duo Mode
 * Fixed an issue where it was possible for players to use two Smoke Bombs within a single Smoke Bomb animation
 * Fixed an issue where the default key bindings to move up and down as the Show Director were reversed
 * Fixed an issue where the Gravity Storm image would appear in the spectator Betting interface [Steam only]
 * Fixed ghost vertices (white lines) that would appear around some items in the Dressing Room
 * Fixed an issue where walking diagonally backward would cause the character to not look or face the correct direction when attacking
 * Fixed an issue where the Show Director’s mic icon that indicates when they are speaking would not work correctly
 * Fixed an issue where players landing an Axe hit on an enemy who uses the female character would hear both a male and female character scream reaction
 * Fixed an issue where playing Show Director in a Private Match would set the Public Match game mode to Show Director

3 New Ways to Make Private Matches More Spectacular and Interactive
As you know, our objective with Darwin Project is to further connect players and spectators, which means navigating the dichotomy between player interest and viewer entertainment. We’ve already seen that giving spectators and Show Director the power to influence matches in significant ways was at odds with the experience that many players expect―and in response to that feedback, we’ve made specific changes such as not permitting the Show Director to activate a targeted Power during a fight.

But in Private Matches, where players deliberately join with friends and agree to play by the host’s rules, where’s the harm in a little chaos?

We’ve added new options to spice up Private Matches and re-empower Show Directors and spectators―to a potential point of extreme unfairness, yes, but also of extreme entertainment and interactivity with viewers. In fact, our vision is to progressively build the Private Match into a small build-your-custom-show toolkit.

Note that all these are optional and can be disabled by the Private Match host. Show Director Unleashed and Spectator Power checkboxes have been added to the options bar when choosing between the inmate or Show Director role, while Scavenger Mode can be freely turned on or off in the lobby.

Show Director Unleashed

Show Directors ignore all the rules of normal play and have access to unprecedented privileges. Enabling Show Director Unleashed in a Private Match allows the Show Director to:


 * Have immediate access to all Show Director Powers (Powers will be unequipped from non-unleashed Directors in other modes)
 * Have access to the Invincibility Power that was previously removed
 * Use equipped Show Director Powers as many times as they want
 * Use Show Director Powers on players in combat
 * Use the Megaphone every 5 seconds (compared to 90 second cooldown in normal play)
 * Use the Soundboard as often as they want (compared to 30 second cooldown in normal play)
 * Gain Action Points at 10 times the normal speed
 * Close zones with no restrictions

Spectator Powers [Steam only]

UPDATE 11/20: Spectator Powers are now expected later in the week. Please stay tuned to our official channels!

With Spectator Powers, spectators on Twitch have the opportunity bid for Powers usually reserved for Show Directors using Darwin Dollars (the same currency earned through Spectator Betting) during the lobby. The spectator who wins a bid for a Show Director Power will see it added to the stream’s interface and will be able to launch it at any point during the match they’re spectating―without having to boot up Darwin Project.

At the beginning of each match, three Powers among the following will be randomly selected and made available for viewers to bid on:


 * Nuke
 * Close Zone
 * Manhunt
 * Speed Up
 * Warm Up
 * Invincibility
 * Heal (300)

Broadcasters on Twitch, are you ready for your spectators to wreak havoc in your Private Matches? Just make sure the host leaves Spectator Powers turned on in the Private Match options and your streams will be more interactive than ever. Note that the official Spectator Experience Twitch Extension is needed to experience the mayhem of Spectator Powers.

Scavenger Mode

In this new mode, added as a prototype, players begin with an empty Crafting Wheel and must rely on finding Blueprints for new craftable items (Arrows, Tools, and Perks) in Loot Chests and deer. These Blueprints will be added to players’ Crafting Wheels until they fill up. In addition, harvesting an Electronic will grant players an Electronic Power that’s ready to use as opposed to a resource.

Because players won’t know which equipment they’ll have access to before they start searching, Scavenger Mode puts a heavier emphasis on their ability to adapt as well as their proficiency with all available Arrows, Tools, and Electronic Powers―not just those they usually equip.

We’ve decided to add an optional version of this mode in Private Matches for players who like to be kept on their toes or just want to freshen up their Darwin Project experience. We’re interested to hear whether Scavenger Mode is a hit among you and your friends in Private Matches. Please send us your feedback on any of our official channels!

PLAYGROUND
The Playground is a new training room type game mode that players can enter to practice their survival skills safely. While Lancaster the Darwin Orientation Drone provides tasks to help inmates with the main mechanics, we wanted to provide new players with a way to interact with resources and experiment with their equipment without having to worry about being attacked by another player.

The Playground is a small map divided into areas meant to help players get acquainted with specific mechanics. In the Trap Museum, players can see what Traps look like when laid by another player (and even get caught inside them to understand their effects). The Archery Range is perfect to practice aiming and shooting with the Bow, and dummy inmates are also present to take any Axe swings, Arrows, and Electronic Powers coming their way. Resources (trees, leather armchairs, and Electronics) as well as Loot Chests respawn after being harvested in the Playground. More areas, marked “under construction,” will be added at a later date.

In the Playground, players can easily make changes to their Crafting Wheel by going back into the chalet (the main structure). They can also clear their inventory at any time by pressing V on a keyboard or A+B on a controller.

In this first iteration, players can only enter the Playground as an inmate.

SHOW DIRECTOR SOUNDBOARD
The Show Director Soundboard allows the Show Director to play various sound effects, either for all inmates to hear or only those in the vicinity. The Soundboard can be used by pressing R or Y during a match and lobby, and has a cooldown of 30 seconds.

This new feature is meant to allow the Show Director to make matches more show-like and highlight the coolest moments of the match with increased emotional and narrative impact.

In this first iteration, these 12 sounds are available in the Soundboard:


 * What
 * Nice shot
 * Oh Yeah
 * Hot Damn
 * Sweet
 * Awkward
 * Lol
 * Boo
 * Disappointed
 * Laughs
 * Love in the air
 * Gasp

SPECTATOR BETTING ENABLED IN PUBLIC MATCHES [STEAM ONLY]
Betting is a work-in-progress improvement for spectator interactions that allows viewers on Twitch to place bets on which inmate or team they believe will be the last one standing.

Following positive feedback from a previous update in which we enabled spectator betting in Private Matches, we decided to integrate this feature permanently to Public Matches. The crowd favorite vote that normally appears at the beginning of a match will now be fully replaced by the betting interface in both Private and Public Matches as long as at least one player is streaming on Twitch with the Spectator Experience extension enabled (and, in the case of Private Matches, as long as the Spectator Betting option is turned on).

Note that the economy will be balanced over the next few months, so please don’t grow too attached to your wallet of Darwin Dollars as it will be reset!

80+ NEW COSMETIC ITEMS
Patch 1.17 contains the largest amount of new cosmetics items we’ve added at a time since April’s customization-focused update! Over 80 new items will be obtainable from Fan Gifts and will also be purchasable with Ramen from the Shop. Here’s the overview:

October 16 – November 13
The Death and Life of Roger D. Glanton is the first-ever Darwin Project Battle Pass! To learn more about why we decided to add this content and exactly what it entails, please read our dedicated blog post. For details about how the Battle Pass works, please head to the FAQ.

Playing this new Halloween-themed content will involve progressing through Tiers to unlock a variety of rewards, including 5 cosmetic item sets and even more ways to customize your character. For the first time, inmates will be able to collect fresh Haircuts and Cloaks, as well as an all-new category of items in the Dressing Room: Face Details. All rewards will be viewable from the Rewards tab in the new Battle Pass menu, but check out some of what you’ll be able to obtain below.

NEW COMBAT MOVE: ROLL
The roll is a new stamina-consuming move that inmates can use in combat as a fast dodge option or to quickly get into close range with an enemy.

We’ve added this first new basic move to deepen gameplay following feedback from players asking for additional ways to achieve more advantageous positioning in combat―something that often determines the outcome of an encounter in Darwin Project.

Players can roll with Caps Lock on a keyboard or by pressing down on the right stick with a controller. With the roll replacing the crouch input on the controller’s right stick, we’ve remapped the crouch to the left stick by default and added an option to swap it with the sprint in Controller Options.

The roll can be used in a variety of different situations depending on the result players are after: swinging the Axe during a roll will combine into a roll attack, trading some stamina for the chance to surprise an opponent, and performing a roll might sometimes be the only way to avoid an incoming projectile spotted at the last second.

We hope inmates enjoy their newfound acrobatic ability and use it to make Darwin Project matches even more spectacular to watch. The roll is the first of major combat enhancements coming to Darwin Project as our Fight Strike Team continues to work on improving fight mechanics.

New SHOW DIRECTOR POWER: BEACH PARTY
Beach Party is a new Show Director Power that transforms the arena with a tropical atmosphere that warms up all inmates, helps them detect resources (including deer and Loot Chests) in the same way as the Detector, and doubles the amount of items received when inmates harvest all resources except Electronics. It costs 5 action points to activate.

Beach Party is sure to be a hit among inmates on the verge of freezing or low on Wood or Leather. But because this Power affects all inmates still alive, players using this opportunity to chop down as many trees as they can must still be on the lookout for well-placed traps or freshly stocked up enemies flying in on a Glider.

We had a blast putting together the visual and audio effects for Beach Party and hope Show Directors will have just as much fun surprising inmates by changing the climate of the arena!

Want to add Beach Party to your Show Director Deck? Just keep leveling as the Show Director to unlock it!

NEW ELECTRONIC POWER: SHRINK
Shrink is a new Electronic Power that inmates can craft and use on themselves after looting an Electronic resource. It can be equipped in the Crafting Wheel immediately once patch 1.15 releases.

Activating the new Shrink Electronic Power will turn inmates very small for 15 seconds, making them jump higher, leave no footprints, be more difficult to see and hit, and safely walk over Traps without activating them. However, shrunk inmates will deal 100 less Axe and Arrow damage and be knocked back farther when hit.

The Shrink Electronic Power will prove particularly useful for inmates who enjoy sneaking up on their opponents to catch them off-guard, and it can also come in handy in a fight where the only way out is to suddenly become much more difficult to aim at. Use the Shrink to lay Traps and loot defeated players unseen, or whip out the world’s tiniest Glider in a pinch!

NEW SPECTATOR INTERACTION FEATURE: BETTING
UPDATE: 9/18: We’ve decided to postpone this update to spectator interactions in order to further test it with your help. Stay tuned to our official channels for more information!

We’ve updated the Darwin Project Twitch Extension with a new feature for spectators: Betting

When watching a livestream on a Twitch channel with the Spectator Interaction Extension enabled, spectators will be able to become even further involved by placing bets on which inmate or team they believe will be the last one standing. Spectators can place bets even if there is no Show Director in the match.

This betting interface will replace the Crowd Favorite vote as the main way spectators can select their champion in each Darwin Project match (votes launched by the Show Director remain unchanged).

To bet, spectators use a currency we’re currently calling Darwin Dollars. Spectators will earn 50 Darwin Dollars per minute they watch the stream, or 100 per minute if they are a channel follower. [Known issue: Refreshing the stream prevent Darwin Dollars from accumulating normally] Spectators will be prompted to choose the amount of Darwin Dollars they want to bet on their preferred inmate, with the payout multiplier based on each player’s performance. The multiplier will update every 10 seconds depending on how spectators place their bets.

Note that betting will be unavailable in Private Matches for the time being, and that spectators will not earn Darwin Dollars by watching the stream when the players are in the lobby.

Spectators will be able to access three leaderboards at any time while watching the stream: Current amount of Darwin Dollars, total gain, and largest gain in one shot (shows top 10 of each). These leaderboards will display the top 10 spectators in each.

This betting feature is just the beginning! We plan to keep improving our spectator interaction feature to further connect Darwin Project broadcasters and their viewers.

SAFETY PSYCHO (MALE CHARACTER) AND SENTIENT HARDWARE STORE (FEMALE CHARACTER)
You can purchase these items individually or as 5-piece sets that include the Helmet, Shirt, Armor, Pants, and Boots. The 5-piece sets will be featured during the week of Tuesday, September 18 in the Weekly section of the Item Shop. All Safety Psycho and Sentient Hardware items, including the Nonstop Axe (not pictured) and Screw You Bow, can also be found in Fan Gifts starting September 18.

Plated Denim (male character) and Copper Computer (female character)
You can purchase these items individually or as 5-piece sets that include the Helmet, Shirt, Armor, Pants, and Boots. The 5-piece sets will be featured during the week of Tuesday, September 25 in the Weekly section of the Item Shop. All Plated Denim and Copper Computer items, including the Nuqkarit Axe (not pictured) and Bronze Drill Bow, can also be found in Fan Gifts starting September 18.

Foreign Exchange Student (male character) and Recycling Czar (female character)
You can purchase these items individually or as 5-piece sets that include the Helmet, Shirt, Armor, Pants, and Boots. The 5-piece sets will be featured during the week of Tuesday, September 25 in the Weekly section of the Item Shop. All Foreign Exchange Student and Recycling Czar items, including the Ice Scream Axe and Pink Pipe Bow (not pictured), can also be found in Fan Gifts starting September 18.

Boots and Armors to be Equippable by Male and Female Characters
Patch 1.15 marks a change to the way Boots and Armors can be worn in the Dressing Room. Starting with the Highway Bandit items above, Boots and Armors can be equipped by both the male character and female character. Boots and Armors released after patch 1.15 will also fit both characters in the Dressing Room.

Note that this change will not apply to existing Boots and Armors.

REPORT SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS
Players who violate the Code of Conduct will be more quickly warned, with higher level sanctions continuing to be applied if the violations persist

As part of our ongoing efforts to minimize the amount of hateful language that Darwin Project players are exposed to, warnings for abusive chat will now be delivered more frequently. Players who receive a warning for abusive chat are strongly advised to pay closer attention to their use of voice chat; failure to improve this behaviour may result in a voice chat restriction, temporary suspension, or permanent suspension. Note that this also applies to other Code of Conduct violations such as teaming.

When action is taken against a player who has violated the Code of Conduct, a “thank you” message will appear for players who have reported the offender

A big part of our improvements to the report system is letting our players know that their reports actively help keep Darwin Project matches fun, safe, and positive. We’ll now display a message to players who have helped us take action against an inmate violating the Code of Conduct the next time they go to the main menu. We hope this small gesture helps demonstrate our appreciation for your help!

It will now be possible to report teammates for match sabotage when playing Duos

We’ve heard feedback from players who had unpleasant experiences in Duo Mode when playing with a teammate who deliberately attempted to throw the match. With patch 1.15, it will be possible to report an ally who is inactive, intentionally disruptive, or otherwise engaging in sabotage during a Duo match.

Please review the updated Code of Conduct.

GAMEPLAY

 * Improved the Axe’s visual consistency Developer comments: As part of our continued efforts to make Axe combat feel better, we tweaked the Axe collisions and trajectory so they are more visually consistent with the character animation.


 * Temporarily undid the change from patch 1.13 that made it easier for inmates to hit enemies above or below them with the Axe by looking up or down Developer comments: Because we don’t have specific animations in place for these directional Axe swings, this change from patch 1.13 proved difficult to understand and led to fighting inmates believing some missed Axe swings should have connected. We’ve undone this change until corresponding animations are ready. The drawback is that fighting on uneven terrain will become more difficult.


 * Show Directors will no longer be able to activate a targeted Power on a player engaged in a fight Developer comments: We understand that it felt frustrating for inmates to have the Show Director interfere in a fight with such influential targeted Powers as Heal or Speed Boost. By limiting the use of those Powers to inmates not in combat, Show Directors will still be able to impact the overall match while letting the outcome of individual fights be determined only by the inmates’ skills.


 * Removed jump height and distance bonus when stamina is full Developer comments: This change from patch 1.14 was meant to address how the jump made player trajectories so predictable that the first advice any new player would receive is “don’t jump.” However, the jump height and distance bonus made it a bit too difficult to calculate and time Axe swings, especially on Xbox One, resulting in fights with many swings that don’t connect. Note that we did not make changes to the air control and gravity.


 * Reintroduced the Canyon Tile Developer comments: The Canyon Tile (North-West zone prior to patch 1.13) was incompatible with some configurations generated by the Tile Mapping system, so it was removed in patch 1.13, but our level designers have tweaked it and it’ll now be back in the bank of possible Tiles that can appear in the map!


 * Added more BoomShrooms in the On-The-Rocks Shipping Co. Tile


 * Being hit by a Turret will no longer interrupt players drawing their Bow


 * Added a slight aim assist for targeting enemy Turrets with the Bow when playing with a controller (can be turned off in the Controller Options)


 * Players can now Hook an ally with the Hook
 * Increased the delay between two Hook throws by 0.2 seconds
 * Holomaps will no longer display player names  (does not apply to Private Matches)  UPDATE 9/14: Holomaps now will not display player names in Private Matches either
 * Damage notifications will now only display damage dealt to you or by you, and to or by an ally in Duo Mode
 * In Duo Mode, quitting when an ally is still alive will not result in any Fans for that match, and the quitting player’s final match rank will be determined by their current position, with no chance to be improved by their ally’s performance
 * When playing as the Show Director, middle-clicking on the mouse or pressing down on the right stick of the controller will toggle follow camera to the nearest player (to easily switch points of view between two players in combat)
 * Pressing the Show Director Megaphone button again while using it will turn it off

Optimization

 * Optimized lighting day cycle, storm, particles, ambient lights, northern lights, birds, footprints, Fire and smoke effects, Electronic activation effects, and Arrow trail effects
 * Removed back heat and ground smoke effects on Show Director drone [Xbox Only]

Visuals

 * Reworked the equipment menu layout
 * Updated various buttons (work-in-progress)
 * Added a small axe icon to player avatars when in combat that is visible only to the Show Director and spectators
 * Players will now see their Boots, Armor, and Cloak in the lobby (they will still not be visible in the arena until related Perks are crafted)
 * Added a visual icon to cosmetic items in the Shop, Dressing Room, and Fan Gift menus to indicate whether they were obtained as part of a special event
 * Added an exclamation mark to indicate new Shop items

Animation

 * Added new animations for inmates hit by an Axe from the side, from the back, and from a spin attack (currently only available for the male character, but we plan to add them to the female character as well)
 * Added a new animation when propelled as a result of attacking a BoomShroom (currently only available for the male character, but we plan to add it to the female character as well)

Audio

 * Added a sound effect when players are out of stamina
 * Reduced Loot Chest sound range by 30%
 * Added a sound effect when purchasing an item from the Shop

Shop

 * Reworked the Shop layout
 * The Shop will now offer 4 weekly items and 4 daily items at a time, and is now split into tabs