Today PlatinumGames and Square Enix published new information about the upcoming game Babylon’s Fall, including further beta phases and responses to feedback from the first beta test.
First of all, we learn that phase 2 of the beta will include the PS4 version (the first phase was exclusively on PC) and will happen at the following times.
| JP Server | NA Server | EU Server |
|---|---|---|
| Friday, September 10, 2021 19:30 ～ 22:00 (JST) | Saturday, September 11, 2021 19:30～22:00 (PDT) | Monday, September 13, 2021 19:30～22:00 (BST) |
Those who have been selected have already been notified and those who participated to the first phase will have automatic access.
We also learn that a third phase will happen around November 2021 and that’s when the PS5 version will make its debut. That being said, the PS4 version can be played on PS5 as well via backward compatibility.
November is also when new information about the game will be released. The game will not be showcased at Tokyo Game Show.
Speaking of the direct response to feedback from the first phase of the beta, the developers promised several changes. It’s worth mentioning that most won’t apply to the second phase of the beta, which will be mostly a stress test. They will be implemented during the third phase.
About the game having a slow pace with action that doesn’t feel very exciting:
During this first phase of testing we received a lot of really valuable feedback saying that movement and responsiveness felt slow, and that the gameplay didn’t have a sense of exhilaration. When we released the E3 trailer in June earlier this year we also saw similar opinions about the action. In light of this feedback, we’ve begun work on reviewing and improving these aspects.
To make BABYLON’S FALL a game that players enjoy playing for a long time, we’re focused on designing a gameplay experience that stands up to repeated play sessions.
To give the game replayability, we aimed to implement straightforward controls and, in terms of difficulty, we envisaged a style that would focus on simple choices – such as whether to attack or defend – rather than a more demanding style of action, which would require players to read the individual frames of animation. However, this focus ended up slowing the pace of the game and reducing the sense of exhilaration. We’re aware that this is something that needs to be resolved and have begun work on enhancements.
Unfortunately, due to the development schedule, we were unable to reflect these changes in Phase 1 of the beta test, but we are planning improvements in the following three major areas.
- Player character movement and responsiveness
We’ll be implementing the following improvements to make the game feel more responsive.- Adjust attack startup animations
- Revise attack startup frames
- Revise attack transition frames
- Revise hitstun frames
- Add characteristics to each type of player weapon
In addition to improving the gameplay, this should improve the pace of the game and the sense of exhilaration.- Add upgrade cycles to each weapon
- Conduct major rework of Rod and Shield
- Add abilities that trigger when equipping multiple weapons of the same type
- Revise enemy behavior and enemy reactions upon receiving damage
Improve the sense of exhilaration from the action by improving gameplay.- Improve enemy reactions when taking damage
BABYLON’S FALL uses a “Client-Server System” to provide greater security, maintain a smooth gameplay experience, and prevent cheating. This system will always cause some issues with synchronization, no matter how short a delay, due to the time lag from data on player movements being processed on the game server side before being sent back to the client. We are looking into implementing a new structure to improve the existing latency.
While we are working full steam ahead on all these improvements, we also want to make sure that the game will be solid and stable the next time we show it to you, so the changes may take us some time. We are working toward having you play that version of the game with all these improvements implemented in Phase 3. Please bear with us while we continue to work wholeheartedly on further development!
To all the players looking forward to BABYLON’S FALL, I would like to offer my sincerest apologies for making you wait so long, and I thank you for your understanding.
About the Brushwork Filter worsening visibility:
We’ve received feedback that the current brushwork filter impedes visibility, and have received requests to change it. Throughout development, one of our aims has been to make players feel immersed in a painted world reminiscent of classic fantasy art. We now see that the balance between the painted world concept and visibility needs further adjustment.
The development team is working on some major improvements to the art – we’ll be considering visibility as a top priority, alongside the original concept of an atmosphere that feels like stepping into a painting.
At the moment, we’re working on additional features to support these changes, as well as the associated adjustments to all the environments. I apologize for the wait, but this may take some time.
Further responses to feedback can be found in the official post.
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