over 3 years ago - /u/Ubi-AJ - Direct link

Greetings Contenders!

Three months ago, we released Hyper Scape to the world. We were thrilled with the response, as millions gave our take on Battle Royale a try, telling us specifically how much they love the movement and fast pace of the game. While July’s launch and Open Beta on PC were successful, we were not able to achieve the high expectations we set for ourselves with our full release on console that followed in August. We also know we didn’t fully meet the high expectations of our players, so we are taking action. We have more work to do to get there, but our team is fully committed to the challenge.

We are focused on a single goal; We want Hyper Scape to be a game everyone can play and enjoy.

To this point, we wanted to provide insight into the areas we have found as key priorities to reach the game’s full potential. Below you will find the five pillars we want to build the future of Hyper Scape on.

Combat Comfort

We always intended for Hyper Scape to have a high skill ceiling, but it is clear from our data that the floor is also too high. This results in a difficult experience for new players. Currently, it is too hard to aim, track and consistently damage players and eliminate them, especially on consoles.

Onboarding

The game does not currently provide enough time and opportunities for new players to learn and succeed. We need to protect newcomers and provide training activities to help them become proficient with the game.

Game Modes

Our core game mode, Crown Rush, can be quite unforgiving, so we want to provide players with a variety of formats in terms of activity and match size. This will start with introducing respawn systems in the game and "deathmatch" style game modes. We are also rethinking how we manage limited time modes and the player base split that is required to support multiple modes at once.

Player Goals

Currently, there are not enough medium and long-term goals for players to stick around in the Hyper Scape. We are introducing first version of our Player Ranking system in Season 2, and we will bring more progression systems and match-to-match flow improvements as well.

Cross Play

While Cross Play has always been intended for the game, we want to add it earlier than planned to help address the current issues of lobby size.

To deliver on these pillars, we are restructuring our development team into a cell-based format, which we have seen our colleagues on Rainbow Six: Siege use to fantastic results. These interdisciplinary cells allow greater focus and autonomy in tackling the work ahead. Each pillar has a dedicated dev cell.

As you can see, all these pieces depend on each other to get where we want to go with Hyper Scape. We have started our work on these pillars, and plan to release more frequent updates in Season 2 than in Season 1. We will also communicate often to keep you up to date on our progress. As always, we cannot do this without your valuable feedback, so keep it coming!

Thanks for reading, and we will see you in the Hyper Scape.

-The Hyper Scape Team

External link →
over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by Time-emiT

Does the Cross Play feature you’re planning force Console players in the same lobbies with PC players?

Nope, per platform requirements console players can never be forced to play with PC ones.

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by LordOfBrightnes

Just a thing

please please please please please please please

please please please please please please please

please please please please please please please

please please please please please please please

please please please please please please please

please please please please please please please

Bring fov slider to console or at least make the default fov more at start of season 2

u/MrEricPope

We're currently doing FOV work right now. I don't have any timelines to share, as it's a bit complex to manage FOV and performance on consoles, but we're on it.

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by RafaFez

Could we get a player leveling system, that's not the battle pass level.

A core level that would bring rewards to players, specially F2P players. Maybe every so many levels we could get a loot box or some currency to exchange in the shop.

Those are the kind of things that helps players and makes us stay for longer... Honestly after I reached level 100 I didn't see much reason to keep on playing. Instead I moved to other games and worked on their passes or simply leveled up for rewards.

Progression systems are part of the focus of that "Player Goals" pillar indeed. The player ranking in Season 2 is a start of that.

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by jijigri

I've been asking for months now, but please could you take a look at the usual crashes some people and I are getting?

Gonna need more specifics on the crashes you're talking about, including platform please!

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by [deleted]

im gonna say this just in case: id feel a lot better about playing a game that slowly pushes out quality content than a game that does it faster but with overworked and depressed developers

Part of the direction to the team with this new cell structure is not to rush to ship new features and ideas, but rather to give each the time they need to be fully baked. So we're with you on this desire :)

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by A_disappointment47

Will there be a FOV slider for console anytime soon?

Work is being done on this currently but I don't have any ETA to share at this time.

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by SpabRog

I wouldn’t mind a respawn mode that isn’t ranked or stat tracking either, respawn is important because it gives ppl reps on their shot too. I’m hoping for more polish, I wish the game was more dramatic in like how ppl die and just the theatrics of it, the fundamental game is great imo and aesthetics play a huge role for casuals even if the game does seem difficult, plus it’s even better for content creators to push content and promote the game

Anything can change for the future of course, but the current plans for modes with respawn is for them to exist outside of the player ranking system.

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by Dead-Sync

As someone who's been a fan of the game since it launched for me on PS4, this message addresses exactly where I'm at. I love the core gameplay, but the unforgiving nature of the skill ceiling and Crown Rush as a mode makes it hard to enjoy the experience sometimes. Pair that with the player base population, and now at the end of S1, it has resulted in a bit more deflated experience admittedly.

That said, this is the right type of message and I think the right type of approach. Offering other deathmatch style modes, I think will be a huge win for Hyper Scape. Not only does it offer more casual players a chance to participate in the fun gameplay more, but it also will allow Hyper Scape to stand out among other F2P games which are BR only and needlessly limit themselves to that one game mode. I truly believe the best games are not just "one trick ponies", and can extend beyond the definition of a single mode.

I genuinely feel sympathy for all of the team members at Ubi who poured their heart and soul into the game. They are undoubtedly incredibly talented and have still made an incredibly fun game. Heck, even the community team members have been fantastic at communicating here since the beginning. I imagine it must sting to not see the game take off as they hoped.

There are so many factors which might have led to this outcome, many of which are not even Ubi's fault: the state of the industry, the competition, people's temperature on BRs right now, etc.

Realistically though what is done is done, what has happened has happened. Nothing can change that as I'm sure we're all aware. The reception at launch unfortunately fell flat and that is the state of things. However all Ubi can do now is steer the ship in a new direction, and for what it's worth, it sounds like it is being steered in the best way possible by the team. All of the things listed here seem like spot on assessments of what Hyper Scape needs for the future.

With this approach, and a bit of luck, I do believe Hyper Scape can still find it's groove and deliver an arena FPS experience people can enjoy. I certainly wish Ubi success, and I hope to be a player who continues to check out the latest developments over time.

Best wishes!

such a great note, thanks for taking the time to write it! <3

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by Axellonsticks

Do you plan on nerfing the riot one at some point?

Oh, we have lots of plans...

(jokes asides, we know the Riot is currently not loved a ton by the community right now, stay tuned)

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by Richierens

This game is not for noob lol, i decided to give up after 2 week trying to hide from other player.

in your opinion, what could have eased your 2 weeks playing and made you more likely to stay?

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by [deleted]

[deleted]

  1. Red Skull is NOT being removed. It's being moved to a less obtrusive spot in the UI, next week!
  2. Have you noticed the queue times being longer, as in the time you wait to get to the lobby? Or longer times waiting around in the lobby? We recently made changes to help lobby sizes overall but it comes with a tradeoff for longer matchmaking times. Totally hear you on bringing in new/old players, but truly our focus in the immediate future is on nailing the retention side stuff (as you mention) first so those players are more likely to stick around and hang out when they do arrive.
  3. We currently have no plans to introduce SBMM.

Thanks so much for your post! Hope to see you sticking around and seeing what we can do together to make Hyper Scape shine.

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by XxThreepwoodxX

So there WILL be crossplay when season 2 starts? Is there a date for this as well? Want to start telling my console frands.

Season 2 starts next week on October 6. Crossplay is not ready to go that soon. We're moving as quick as we can on that though.

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by RayT3rd

This is good. On console, I can't get one darn kill because everybody seems to be beasts that can jump, spin and still shoot me in the head without missing.

I practice a lot but once I'm in game, it just get too hard. Every other game I'll get over 5 kills in most matches. This one? One if I'm lucky.

I think this is a pretty fair summary of many of our players' experience in the game, and we look forward to hearing what you think as we make changes in the weeks ahead!

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by MystBluue

I'd consider coming back for TDM, I really wish there was a DECIMAL point for sensitivity. My sensitivity changes when I switch to hyperscape which is difficult for minor adjustments

Are you talking about Mouse sensitivity or something else? We indeed changed it to allow decimal point sensitivity on mouse earlier this season. Patched on September 1 in case you missed it! https://www.ubisoft.com/en-ca/game/hyper-scape/news-updates/6vssr2AEvdxIRT4CrdD8OQ/hyper-scape-patch-notes-11

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by TheAnticipated

I don't think they are adding a ranked mode. They keep saying Player Rankings and it makes it sound much more like a leaderboard than a separate playlist - not to mention they know they can't add any other modes (that includes ranked) without splitting the player base up too much.

We plan to have a playlist for ranked players to get sweaty, but no it's not a full on ranked mode where the matchmaking matches you against players of your similar rank. Still general matchmaking with ranking based on your overall performance. More detail to come in our patch notes next week.

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by Plasmapug0019

I was hooked on this game since the second day of release and I'm really excited for these changes, especially cross-play. But one thing I hope you guys do special events for holidays and such as Halloween and Christmas. That would be really cool to see and play during. Keep up the good work! You built such an amazing game and I dont want it to die so soon.

Hmmm that's true Halloween is right around the corner isn't it?

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by Complete_Sandwich

I love that you guys are bringing faction war type modes back. To me, that's what made Hyper Scape stand out. But I'm on xbox, and I'm not really too excited to be playing against a bunch M&K players. It gives players a huge advantage for fast paced games. I'll wait and see how the skill gap is lowered before I make it too big of an issue for me.

Also, I'm a big fan of the exterior of the map, gives me Old City Montreal vibes but the interiors need to be more diverse, it's hard to make call outs. To the average person trying the game out, I believe it makes the map boring. Half the fun in a new BR is to explore the map. Thanks for your hard work though, I love that you guys are listening to the community and not going the BFV route. Cheers

I answered it elsewhere in the comments here but so it's clear: we're not going to force console players to go up against PC players.

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by lilPrimeN8

With the addition of new respawn mechanics and game modes, do you have any intentions on adding more squad flexibility (I.e. duos, quads, etc.)?

yep we'll be trying out duos soon :)

over 3 years ago - /u/MrEricPope - Direct link

Originally posted by Acft0989

So it seems the road map is to increase player base and player investment in the game then work on game balance.

In my opinion the decreasing player base is indicative of the overall balance of the game. New players don't like being shot 3 times by a Riot 1 and killed from distance only to not get revived. Experienced players grow tired of the showdown being a bunch of hexfires shooting back and fourth. As far as the hacks its basically all gas no breaks. I understand the overall emphasis of this game is evasion however there needs to be more effective counters to that movement rather than chasing. The Wall- situational and like Castle in R6S it can screw your team if used incorrectly. The Magnet- was great at what it did, exactly the kind of hacks that are needed but RIP until its put back in game.

Long story short there are limited play styles players have to choose from which is where this game loses its appeal in the long term.

no no, balance work is always ongoing, we're not putting balance on the backburner while doing these other things

over 3 years ago - /u/Ubi-AJ - Direct link

Originally posted by jijigri

I'm playing on PC, I have an Intel core i7, an RTX 2080 Super and 32go of ram. The game freezes my whole computer for around 5 minutes, then crashes without any error message or anything. It mostly happens in the first 15 minutes of a game, and it is pretty common. (Around half of my games)

Have you tried verifying your game files in Uplay?

If that does not help please do open a ticket with Ubisoft Support as they are best equipped to help you trouble shoot!

over 3 years ago - /u/Ubi-AJ - Direct link

Originally posted by moskosmash

The biggest turn offs for me personally were lack of FOV slider on console (at least 100 would be great) and lack of auto-sprint. If it’s added it will be a pleasure to come back to Neo Arcadia

An auto-sprint option is coming next week with the Season 2 launch and we are currently working on FOV options for console!