DEV OPERATIONS LOG. . .

Hello! It's been a few months since our last update, so we wanted to check in.

This is our first official "Dev Operations Log," a new series of dev-authored posts in which we'll share behind-the-scenes looks at the development of SCP: 5K, provide previews of upcoming content, and dig into what's new or next for the game. We've published dev diaries in the past, but with our operations logs we hope to post more updates more often, ramping up to monthly updates if and when we can!

We'll keep our inaugural post pretty brief, with more meaty stuff coming later. These are the highlights:

• Quick recap of what 1.0 work we've already done (i.e. a refresh of our roadmap drop from July)
• Preview of what we've been working on these past few months, all still WIP
• Update on opportunities for playtesting 1.0 content

Let's dive in.

First, a refresher and reminder that we've already completed work on our first two 1.0 milestones!

Here's an overview of what that work included...

MILESTONE 01_CoreFeatures

Status: COMPLETE

• Overhauled player movement to feel more tactical, emphasizing moment-to-moment decision making while still improving overall responsiveness
• Added A.M.P. Injectors, which can be found at dedicated stations around Area-12 and provide players with temporary benefits unique to each injection type, including healing wounds (Panacea), aiding in the revival of fallen players (Amnestics), and countering the unique self-censoring properties of the facility's sensitive intel and inhabitants (Mnestics)
• Added distinct ammo types for each different class of weapon (pistol, rifle, shotgun, etc.) and implemented a new system (the "S.P.E.A.R. standards") that displays how gun attachments affect a player's stats, increasing the impact of individual loadouts and your control over them
• Added Anomalous Interference, a new environmental feature that affects Night Vision Goggles and flashlights whenever anomalies are nearby, allowing observant players to not only detect an anomaly's presence, but also determine its position and threat level
• Upgraded the tablet to better interface with Area-12's digital infrastructure and systems, granting players access to tracking, map kiosks, and various computer terminals throughout the facility

MILESTONE 02_Enemies+Combat

Status: COMPLETE

• Upgraded enemy behavior so that combat encounters with both enemy humans and enemy anomalies should now feel more challenging, engaging, and distinct
• Added ability for enemies to sometimes grab nearby players, triggering a first-person encounter that's unique to each enemy (with different consequences and ways to escape)
• Added new types of enemies as well as new variants of existing enemies
• Added environmental modifiers that can be activated intentionally, providing players opportunities to create distractions, manipulate spaces, and use positioning more effectively
• Improved doors (yes, doors! ), perfecting how these objects and the surrounding space behave for players when interacted with both before and during combat

This is just a snapshot of what we shared back in July, so be sure to visit our official 1.0 Roadmap // Development Atlas page to learn more and see additional work-in-progress screenshot and GIFs!

To return to the present, we're just about to wrap up core design work for our third milestone.

This particular milestone has been very focused on the look of SCP: 5K (i.e. its art, animation, and UI), but it's also brought improvements and additions to the game's sound design and music, as well.

Here's a quick status update on where and how we've spent our time...

MILESTONE 03_VisualUpgrades

Status: IN PROGRESS

• Improving and refining existing assets across characters, enemies, environments, and more
• Creating new assets for new environments and effects (like particles, blood, and gore)
• Creating new animations for combat encounters and even deaths
• Creating new first-person animations for environmental interactions (switches, doors, etc.)
• Reworking the game's menu with a strong focus on loadout menus for customization
• Implementing new music and sound to create a compelling atmosphere and enemy presence

Once this milestone is complete, we'll be sure to provide a formal update to our 1.0 Roadmap website (along with a post here), with a bigger and better breakdown of what's new and what's changed.

In the meantime, though, here are a few sneak peeks.

MILESTONE 03_VisualUpgrades

A look at your inventory . . .

MILESTONE 03_VisualUpgrades

Updated menu system, including the player loadout . . .

MILESTONE 03_VisualUpgrades

No comment :) . . .

MILESTONE 03_VisualUpgrades

New environments and updated enemy behaviors to support horror . . .

SCP: 5K PLAYTESTS_ComingSoon

As we discussed in our last post, we've paused intermediary updates to the Early Access version of SCP: 5k so that we can focus on finishing 1.0. This is still our plan. However, we know there are players who'd love to test out and share feedback on our in-development content. (This kind of testing and feedback would also be a huge benefit to our team to ensure what we're building matches our goals for 1.0.)

So, we’re excited to announce that we'll be hosting SCP: 5K playtests in the coming months!

We don't have a start date to share just yet, but you can sign up now via FirstLook to be the first to hear whenever our first playtest goes live. The current plan is to begin playtesting before the end of this year.

Playtest signups will be open to everyone, regardless of whether you've previously purchased or played SCP: 5K. And while some playtests may have limited spots, we’re working to make them available to all interested Early Access players. We’ll share more details closer to when playtests are set to start.

Expect more frequent updates moving forward, and more news about 1.0 early next year!

Thanks again for your support.

-- Affray Interactive

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