A letter from Steve - December 2023

Hey there Voxie Community!

Hope everyone is wrapping up their year happy and healthy. As 2023 draws to a close at AlwaysGeeky Games, we find ourselves in a great place and on the cusp of a new chapter in our journey for Voxie Tactics.

Over the past year our team has been focused on building out our world in Unity! Over the course of this last week, I’ve had the chance to get together with you on a couple of different occasions to provide an update and “state of play” so to speak. It was a lot of fun! I was pleased to see so many Voxie community members join in to learn how Voxie Tactics is no longer just a work-in-progress in Unity; it's playable. More on that next!

As we continue on with the polishing required inside Unity and as we look forward to a Q1, 2024 release, I want to take this opportunity to peel back the curtain and give you a glimpse into what we've accomplished, what lies ahead and of course a few new milestones! It wouldn’t be fun without also touching on that!

I’d also like to take some time in this letter to speak a little bit on security and anti-cheat measures being taken that we know are foundational to our success. This is one area that I am personally very excited about.

Our Achievements with Voxie Tactics and Unity

I'm thrilled to share some of the significant strides made in bringing Voxie Tactics to life in Unity. We've reached that exciting point with our Unity build where our world itself is no longer just a dream, but a playable game! Now, what does “playable" mean exactly? Here's a glimpse!

• Complete 3D Models: Our virtual world is fully realized with the completion of all 3D models. This includes our Voxies, various items specific to Voxie Tactics, and the intricately designed maps that form the backbone of our game's universe.
• Networking Gameplay Mechanics: We've successfully implemented key networking gameplay mechanics. This includes features like multiplayer capabilities and a matchmaking system, ensuring an engaging and connected player experience.
• Core Gameplay Mechanics: The essence of Voxie Tactics – playing and winning matches – is fully operational. These core mechanics are the heart of our game, and we're proud to see them come to fruition.
• New Gameplay Enhancements: We've also introduced new gameplay enhancements that are now fully functional and ready to enhance the gaming experience.
• Revamped Game Architecture and Battle UI: Our team has reimagined and reconstructed the game's architecture and battle user interface, making the gameplay more intuitive and visually appealing.

Looking Ahead and Polishing for Release

As we look forward to the first quarter of 2024, our focus shifts to polishing for the release. What does this entail?

• Adding the Finishing Touches: Polishing up for us means meticulously adding those final touches and rigorously testing every aspect of the game.
• Special Effects: We're excited to bring in special effects, like explosions and magical elements, adding depth and excitement to the gameplay.
• Advanced Mechanics: Our team is fine-tuning advanced mechanics, such as status effects and elemental damage, to provide a more enriched gaming experience.
• Animations and Comprehensive Testing: We are not only enhancing animations for a more lifelike experience but also ensuring everything operates seamlessly through thorough testing.

New Milestones

We set ourselves a goal to not only build Voxie Tactics inside Unity but also to evolve it, taking the game to a higher level. I'm excited to introduce a few of the new milestones that should significantly enhance the player experience, focusing on a more intuitive and engaging game architecture for Voxie selection and team building. These updates are designed to deepen the strategic aspect of the game, making it more accessible and enjoyable for players of all levels. Let’s have a look!

• Firstly, we've revamped our naming conventions for clearer character identification, transforming "Recruits" into "Starter Voxies."
• This change is complemented by an updated Voxie Selection Page, enriched with detailed information about each character's class and race abilities, helping players make informed decisions that align with their playstyle.
• Furthermore, our new Team Selection feature simplifies understanding team synergies, intuitively guiding players in creating powerful and complementary team compositions.
• And, adding a layer of depth, each Starter Voxie now comes with unique, randomly assigned stats, introducing an element of surprise and strategy in character selection.

These new milestone updates represent our commitment to continually enhancing the gaming experience!

Security and Anti-Cheat Measures

One of the most important items in this update for me, and an absolute critical aspect of the Unity game build, was improving upon support for security and anti-cheat measures. Not going to sugar coat this, together we have faced numerous issues with the current Voxie Tactics game client and those issues are often centered around cheating and exploitation by bad actors. Therefore, one of the key improvement components of our Unity build was to support a new 100% anti-cheat environment. I’m proud to say we have achieved this, and done so by executing on the following. Can’t wait to see these new measures in action when the Unity game launches in early 2024. Let’s dive in!

• This first starts with ensuring that all critical game data and gameplay validations are done on the server side. If all the data and game processing is done server side, there is no way that anybody can hack or cheat in their local clients. This is a setup employed by all top quality game studios and how all online games prevent cheating and hacking.
• Second, with this setup, will also ensure that no players will have an unfair advantage against their opponents due to factors outside of the game. Let the skill based gameplay that everyone loves in Voxie Tactics lead the way! So for example, there will be no advantage to players located in different regions around the world and with different internet capabilities or various ‘pings’. Also there will be no advantage to anyone based on their hardware setup or system requirements, so no matter what laptop or physical device the game is being played on, it will be a fair playing field for everyone.
• Next, we’ve ensured that the core gameplay and battle logic of the game was written from the ground up and built using a solid architecture and code-based foundation. Therefore there will be no issues with certain gameplay elements not working as intended, such as overlapping status effects, or some status effects not working and compromising the game.
• Finally, the game client enhancement that comes with the 100% Unity server based architecture for Voxie Tactics means that we will be able to fully remove any data synchronization issues that players have encountered with the current version of the game. Therefore two players will never be able to have their games get out of sync and they won't ever see a different battlefield setup to their opponents.

This is a very exciting chapter for the re-launch of Voxie Tactics on Unity and our goal is to make the playing environment and battlefield as safe and secure for our players as ever before!

Built For The Future

I thought it would be nice to wrap up this letter looking ahead! On this week's streams, Brad and I talked about some of the opportunities that lie ahead as we scale. This part is super exciting! With our Unity build, we are now built for the future in a way that the current legacy game was not intended for. What’s going to be fun is seeing that new and natural part of our games' transition start to occur. Here are a few key snippets from what I had shared on the State of Play Twitch Stream on Wednesday. See below!

• The introduction of a mobile version of the game, designed to bring Voxie Tactics right to your fingertips, wherever you are!
• In terms of gameplay, we're taking things to the next level with improved gameplay and strategy mechanics. This includes the introduction of tile-based modifications and traps, adding a new layer of strategic depth to each battle. We're also excited to unveil summoning spells, which will open up new possibilities in how you engage in combat. Alongside these, improvements in stealth and invisibility mechanics are set to make tactical gameplay even more thrilling. Furthermore, armor sets will now come with unique bonuses, providing players with additional ways to customize their strategies and gameplay style.
• Aesthetic customization is also getting a significant boost. We're introducing a range of cosmetic equipment, allowing players to modify their Voxies' appearances in more ways than ever. This will tie in nicely with our new collections feature, giving players the chance to showcase their unique style and achievements.
• Implementation of a Battlepass system. This system will bring a new dynamic to the game, offering rewards and challenges that keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.
• Finally, we're focusing on enhancing the player versus player (PVP) aspect of Voxie Tactics. Gear score and matchmaking updates are in the works, aimed at creating different tiers for a fairer, more balanced PVP experience. These updates will ensure that battles are matched on skill and strategy, making for a more enjoyable and competitive environment for all our players.

Stay tuned for these exciting developments as we continue to build a game that's not just fun to play but also a delight to explore and experience.

In Closing

In closing, I want to extend my appreciation to each member of our Voxie Community. Your unwavering support and enthusiasm have been the driving force behind me and our journey here together. I think I say this each time I write, and just can’t say it enough!

As we move into next year, we do so with a sense of excitement for the future of Voxie Tactics. The game's evolution in Unity is not just a technological leap; we are entering a new era! Our commitment to innovation, security, and an engaging player experience will continue to be our guiding principles. Together, we are building something extraordinary here. I truly believe that, and I can't wait to share next year with you. Thank you for being a part of this adventure. Here's to a future filled with gaming, community, and an endless Voxiverse. Let's make it a great 2024!

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Best,

Steve and the AlwaysGeeky Games team