Dev Feedback | Oct 13

Dear Pathfinders,

We've heard a lot from you lately about Operation: Egg Heist, from Sanctum exploration and rescuing teammates to Chaos Mode's difficulty and Aniimo Training. We've been following your discussions closely and taking a fresh look at the gameplay experience to figure out what we can improve.

In this Dev Feedback, we're tackling some questions, sharing where things stand and what we're planning next.

Q1: Since the update, why does it feel like we're running into more Aniimo, and they're harder to shake off once they spot us? Why wasn't any of this mentioned in the patch notes?

First, we'd like to clear something up: we haven't made any numerical changes to things like Aniimo (or Chest) spawn probabilities. We're taking a close look at the spawning, combat disengagement, and enemy aggro issues you've reported to see if anything isn't working as intended. If we find a bug, we'll get it fixed as quickly as we can. It might also help to explain a little more about how Aniimo spawns work in the Sanctum. Not all Aniimo appear at the start of a run. As your exploration unfolds, more Aniimo may appear over time. When you dig up rare Aniimo Eggs or Rare Treasure, you disturb dormant Aniimo and attract them over! Any official changes to the game will be documented in our update announcements. We'll also make an effort to give you an earlier heads-up about major upcoming updates, so you know what to expect well in advance.

Q2: Whether you're down and calling for help or trying to rescue a teammate, the experience so far can be really frustrating. Are improvements on the way?

Absolutely! Exploring and fighting are a big part of Operation: Egg Heist, but having each other's backs should matter, too. We know the current rescue experience isn't quite where we'd like it to be, so we're planning new mechanics to make helping a downed teammate easier. We also want to give Pathfinders who go out of their way to help others some well-deserved recognition and rewards. Ultimately, we don't want rescuing a teammate to feel like just another task. We want it to be a rewarding part of working together as a squad, where lending a hand really makes a difference."

Q3: If I'm still missing some Collectibles when S1 ends, will I get another chance to collect them?

You will! We've got new gameplay coming in the second half of S1, giving you more reliable ways to get Collectibles. And even after the season wraps up, we'll bring back Collectibles from previous seasons through future events, so you'll still have plenty of chances to fill in the gaps.

Q4: Chaos Mode feels way too punishing right now. I always get knocked, and there aren't many viable Aniimo or team comps to choose from. Any plans to improve it?

Chaos Mode is meant to be the toughest challenge in squad-based Operation: Egg Heist, where greater risks come with greater rewards. But we don't want higher difficulty to simply mean getting knocked down more often. We want you to have more ways to deal with danger, adapt to different situations, and find strategies that work for you. With that in mind, here's what we're planning based on your feedback: 1. More team composition options We're adding more Aniimo suited to Operation: Egg Heist, opening up new team compositions and strategies for you to experiment with. Keep an eye out for new Aniimo in upcoming updates! 2. More Chip acquisition methods We'll gradually introduce more ways to obtain Chips, including new sources for Heal Chips and Chips that improve the melee combat experience. 3. More ways to tackle challenges in the Sanctum We're planning to introduce more interactive gameplay elements throughout the Sanctum. Like by activating certain mechanisms or defeating specific Aniimo, you'll be able to gain temporary abilities that help you adapt to different combat situations. 4. A more flexible approach to high-difficulty challenges Going forward, high-difficulty content will tend to follow a format similar to the current Limited-Time Challenge, with reasonable rewards. You'll be free to choose whether to take part."

Q5: What's the update plan for Operation: Egg Heist, and how often can we expect new content?

We'll be rolling out major updates each season, alongside smaller updates every two weeks to keep things fresh. Here's a look: First half of the season: Updates will focus primarily on PvE content. Second half of the season: We'll shift our focus to casual competitive modes. Fresh content every half-season: We'll introduce new Collectibles, along with new maps, Aniimo, and gameplays. Small updates every two weeks: Smaller updates will bring new content, including new Aniimo and their drops, as well as balance tweaks and other adjustments. New Alphas and mobs with unique mechanics: These new foes will bring more variety to combat with their own unique mechanics, and we'll introduce exclusive challenge rewards to go with them. By combining major seasonal updates with smaller updates every two weeks, we want each stage of Operation: Egg Heist to feel fresh, while giving you new things to collect and new challenges to take on throughout.

Q6: Why doesn't increasing ATK always mean more damage for certain Aniimo?

We believe an Aniimo's role should reflect its specialty in combat, not limit how you choose to train it. Even if an Aniimo isn't particularly good at dealing damage, we still want you to be able to bring it into battle, make the most of its strengths, and enjoy experimenting with different builds. To make this possible, we've built a safeguard into the damage calculation for non-DPS Aniimo. When their ATK is low, they receive an ATK boost based on their level (or their BREAK stat, for BREAK Aniimo) when damage is calculated. This ensures they can still break through enemy defenses rather than struggle to deal damage at all. However, this safeguard comes with a downside. When an Aniimo's ATK falls below the guaranteed minimum, investing more in ATK won't immediately translate into higher damage. This explains why some of you have noticed that your Aniimo's damage stays the same even after boosting its ATK.We understand how confusing this can be. After all, investing in a stat should feel rewarding! That's why we're planning to refine the damage calculation in Version 1.1, so that ATK increases have a more direct impact on damage while keeping the overall combat experience largely unchanged. We'll share the details in an official announcement ahead of the update. And that wraps up this edition of Dev Feedback, dedicated to Operation: Egg Heist. Feel free to leave any other questions. We look forward to hearing from you and answering more of them in the future.

The Aniimo Dev Team