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August 28, 2023
August Updates - Looking Forward to Closed & Open Alpha
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The entire team has poured their heart and soul into the development of Sipher Odyssey.
After months of tireless effort, weekend OTs and countless sleepless nights, we are excited to bring Sipher Odyssey into its Closed Alpha phase.
Let’s tune in to one of the most important updates and milestones of Ather Labs!
A LETTER FROM OUR WORLD ARCHITECT FOR CLOSED AND OPEN ALPHA
LATEST PATCH NOTES AND KNOWN ISSUES
LIST OF IMPROVEMENTS FOLLOWING 1ST FEEDBACK ROUND
Tweaked the new player FTUE tutorial for a better onboarding experience. |
Capsule drop chance has been slightly lowered in Endless Mode to offset the increased rewards. |
Increased the drop rate for Endless Mode Shards to make obtaining them a bit easier. |
Endless Mode rewards have been improved across the board, with higher XP, Byte, and Chip rewards. |
Slightly increased XP rewards in early story dungeons to help new players level up faster. |
Adjusted Byte rewards per dungeon completion. Players will now earn more Bytes in early-game dungeons. |
Lowered the drop rates for Epic and Legendary gear outside of Capsules. Legendary gear is now only available from Capsules. |
Power cores are now separated into tiers. To craft an item, you now need a Power Core of the same tier. Drop rates have been rebalanced across the tiers. |
THINGS BEING COOKED AND CONSIDERED IN THE KITCHEN FOR POST CLOSED-ALPHA
➡️ A lot more Augment content: Melee, Conditionals, Nested Triggers etc.
➡️ Zendor & Sera Enemies and Boss Encounters
➡️ In game random loot drops for story & endless mode
➡️ Special enemy/Minibosses/RandomBoss Encounters
➡️ Other Game modes ⚔️
➡️ Ricochet and other mechanics
➡️ Energy System
➡️ Player Profile and Account Level
➡️ In-game Mailbox
➡️ Achievements in User Profile
➡️ Character XP Consumables can be activated in Inventory
➡️ Integrate data-tracking for new features.
➡️ Emporium Content: Banners, Power Core Capsule, Specials
➡️ Spaceships
➡️ Interactions with other party characters in Home: Add/Remove Friends, View Profile.
➡️ Add splash arts with tips
➡️ Improve UX for generating a new character.
➡️ Leaderboard
➡️ In-game Marketplace
➡️ Time Limited Events
… and a whole lot more
…AND ISSUES WE’RE SOLVING
Gameplay
- Lagging movement effect for some characters
- Sometimes, the shooting ability doesn't work even when the Shoot button is pressed, but the aiming indicator still appears.
- The character's movement speed doesn't work right when continuously shooting.
Meta
- Unexpected texts displayed during the tutorials.
- Weapon/gear crafting are working not right.
- No hero displayed at the lobby.
- Hero getting stuck at the lobby when launching the simulated map.
Ather Login
- Game crashes after signing in with Ather ID via the Safari browser.
- Game crashes after signing in with a fresh Ather account.
Matchmaking
- Sometimes shows the wrong username for each player.
- Players cannot join the battle if one of the party members had the game app minimized.
- The game gets stuck at the lobby screen when the user's account logs in from another device during matchmaking.
UI/UX
- Camera focus needs adjustment when viewing the hand blueprint.
- Power core tiers are not displayed in the post-match rewards screen.
- Unexpected popup sometimes appears in Shop
…AND WE’LL LET YOU BE THE JUDGE OF THESE OOPSIES
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GAME DEV UPDATES
WEAPON COLLECTION
This collection celebrates the 2023 Lunar New Year - the year of the Dragon, in splashes of red, gold, and intricate dragon accents that bring good misfortune to any target hit.
New Bokuto skin. Each hack and slash now feels like scoring the game-winning touchdown!
VISUAL EFFECTS — SHOTGUN
This shotgun puts on quite the fiery show with every pull of the trigger.
Why bother burying enemies when you can burn them to ashes in a blaze of burning brilliance?
VISUAL EFFECTS — GRENADE LAUNCHER
The perfect firework display, courtesy of the grenade launcher.
Reduce enemies to rubble in a radiant blue bursting blaze.
VISUAL EFFECTS — REVOLVER
Even target practice is glamorous with this revolver.
Bring down your enemies with pink flair and a smug sense of style.
VISUAL EFFECTS — IRON FISTS
These iron fists are itching for a fight and ready to light things up.
Pulverize puny foes into the ground with these glowing gauntlets of might.
VISUAL EFFECTS — WHIP
This whip leaves a dazzling pink trail with every swing, delighting the wielder as it slashes enemies with glittery grace.
VISUAL EFFECTS — KATANA
Wielders of this katana will feel a thrilling rush, as it swiftly slices and dices through enemies and unleashes powerful shockwaves.
INU HOLIDAY COSTUMES
From fortune-bringing trinkets for Lunar New Year to bells and treats for Christmas, INU celebrates each event with enthusiasm, brightening the seasons for all.
ZENDOR CUTSCENE
Oops, looks like you messed with the wrong Pig! Can you survive the fury of the Wujing, or will this be the end of the line?
MYSTERIOUS QUEEN CUTSCENE CONCEPT
Want to face the Queen? Then get ready to be crushed by her fearsome power…
… unless you are skilled enough to defeat her.
IMPROVED ANIMATIONS
Attention to detail is essential to bring these characters to life. Try to identify the subtle movements that make the INU, BURU, and NEKO feel more real!
MORE IDLE ANIMATION VARIATIONS
Think that’s cool? Wait ‘till you see the differences when wielding a different weapon type.
From grenade launchers to SMGs, try to spot the differences!
WINNING ANIMATIONS
From BURU’s boisterous shout to NEKO’s acrobatic jumps, and INU’s composed air punches, these winning animations capture each character's distinctive personality and flair as they claim victory.
KNOCKED DOWN ANIMATIONS
Though brought to their knees, these vessels have a strong will to rise again.
SERA ENVIRONMENT CONCEPT
Sera's lush environments teem with hidden nooks, each revealing new layers of detail that invite exploration.
AND A WHOLE LOT MORE!!!
HEADING TO CLOSED ALPHA
Members from all departments are playtesting together to make sure gameplay feedbacks are collected and addressed to pave the way for a hopefully less buggy experience for external play-testers. Which then allow us to collate more meaningful feedback from all of you!
DATA-DRIVEN GAMEPLAY AND ECONOMY DESIGN
With our technical infrastructure, gameplay and game analytic systems in place, we are ready to be building together with our community while being qualitiative and data-driven.
We have invested alot of efforts into ensuring product data analytic is solid. Here are some of the sneak peeks into our internal product dashboards. We are able to drill down to the tee of each individual Player, their progress, health loss, items acquired, augments chosen etc at each and every encounter.
MESSAGE FROM OUR GAME PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
Hey Sipher Odyssey Explorers,
It's been an incredible journey over the last two years, filled with challenges, excitement, and relentless dedication. Our team of over 150 passionate individuals has been working tirelessly, refining ideas, overcoming obstacles, and pushing the boundaries of creativity. There were moments of triumph, moments of doubt, and countless hours of hard work that went into developing Sipher Odyssey.
We're extending an invitation to participate in the Closed Alpha version of Sipher Odyssey. Your feedback and experience will be crucial in shaping the future of our game. This exclusive playtest is a result of the endless effort and commitment, and we can't wait for you to be part of it.
Your thoughts, experiences, and feedback are essential to us. We're keen to hear what you think, what you love, and what you believe needs improvement. Every bit of your insight helps us refine the game and bring you an even more engaging Sipher Odyssey experience.
Even as we roll out this Closed Alpha test, I want to assure you that our team is not resting on its laurels. We're concurrently diving deep into the development of new content and features. Our vision for Sipher Odyssey is vast, and this testing phase is just one of the many steps we're taking to realize it fully.
We want to take a moment to express our gratitude for your unwavering support. Stepping into the world of Sipher Odyssey wouldn't be the same without you, and we're filled with excitement to continue this journey together.
Happy exploring, and see you in the game!
With appreciation,
GAME PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
THANG NGUYEN
PARTNERSHIPS UPDATES
We're delighted to announce that the response to our closed alpha playtest has been nothing short of remarkable. We're humbled and excited to reveal that more than 30 of our partners & backers have eagerly signed up to be a part of this exclusive phase.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each partner who has chosen to join us on this exciting journey. Your commitment to helping us create a memorable and immersive gaming world is both inspiring and invaluable.
Thank you for being a part of this adventure!
MESSAGE FROM OUR COMMUNITY MANAGER
Hi guys, hope you've all been well. The team has been hard at work to get the playtest out ASAP, and the build is being intensively tested internally amongst the company and other close proximity playtesters in Vietnam. This is for a few reasons:
- The build still runs into the occasional game-breaking bug, and while these have been mostly patched up, it is much easier for us to handle/trouble-fix for players who are on-site with us
- The playtesting has given us information that our FTUE (First-Time User Experience), is still lacking.
One of the most important data points for us is to see how our game interacts with the player in their first experience…
Do they get confused? Are they stuck? How do we get them to stick with the game? The data for answering these questions can be gathered in its most accurate and valuable forms upon your first trial of the game, which is why we have made the decision to roll out these two key fixes before continuing with our Closed Alpha.
We believe that this will let us deliver the best product, one that appeals to both Web2 and Web3 players, and one that truly engages the player. I am personally very excited to finally let many of you experience the game for the first time. Please stay tuned for that, and see you in Sipheria!
COMMUNITY HEAD
PEEK
LATEST DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP
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NOTABLE COMPANY MILESTONES
650 HOURS FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH
Through the success of the Sipher Nurse Neko auction, a very special milestone was reached thanks to the amazing support of our community & BCRF.
CELEBRATING ALL MOTHERS
Our sweet Inu prepared beautiful flowers to celebrate all the special mothers in our lives.
SALUTE TO ALL THE FATHERS
To all the wise Burus out there who have guided their young Inus through life's ups and downs, thank you.
HAPPY PRIDE MONTH
Let's continue to spread inclusivity, joy, and acceptance in and out of Sipheria.
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GENERAL STUDIO UPDATES
ATHER LABS UNPLUGGED - BUSY SHIPPING OFFLINE & ONLINE
Boxes of merch are multiplying like enemies in Sipheria and have started their journey to your doorsteps! We’re seeing the excitement from the community as they unbox their merch so stay tuned for what’s to come.
ATHERX ECOSYSTEM
Campaigns to reward new & existing users within the AtherX ecosystem as we continue to innovate and build products.
ATHERXPLORER
Our free weekly curated report, covering top news about gaming, AI, blockchain, metaverse, and more!
Check it out here https://atlas.atherlabs.com/atherxplorer, and don’t forget to Subscribe!
MESSAGE FROM OUR BRAND MARKETING DIRECTOR
Let me start with a phrase I spotted from the community “Sipher is busy shipping offline & online!“, special thanks to @Bard_Eth for this as it pretty much sums up what the last few months have been like for Ather Labs. It has been inspiring to see the effort being put by everyone in the team for our upcoming game Sipher Odyssey. But it’s not all fun & games, we’re also hard at work behind the scenes building innovative products with the power of AI (can’t wait to share with you soon), shipping your well deserved merch whilst also developing our official merch, and giving back to the community. I am equally as proud of reaching company milestones such as the 650 hours of breast cancer research funded, all thanks to your support. As we blast off into the next phase of Sipher Odyssey, we will continue to find ways to enhance your experience in and out of the game. I’m excited to see you all in action soon and stay tuned for exciting times ahead!
BRAND MARKETING DIRECTOR JUSTIN COHEN
GENERATIVE AI EVENTS FEATURING OUR WORLD ARCHITECT
Our very own World Architect, Tin Nguyen was part of an amazing group of panels discussing Generative AI and how we leverage this new technology in Ather Labs to make Sipher Odyssey production process better.
LEVERAGING GENERATIVE AI FOR SIPHER
Our team is constantly innovating, finding ways to make the game development process more efficient. Check out some of our in-game splash screens that were created with the support of generative AI, under the creative decisions our talented artists. Feel free to pick any for your personal use!
LEARNING HOW TO LEARN
This was a special Training and Development Workshop as we got some insights from World Architect Tin on how to learn. This gave us the tools we needed to learn more efficiently & effectively.
FINAL WORDS FROM OUR WORLD ARCHITECT
Wow - what an update!
We had to delay this Closed Alpha as we just simply needed more time to clean up the build of critical bugs, some of which are especially challenging and required our Lead Engineer 1 whole month to track down and debug. Here’s an internal comm I shared with the team explaining the thinking. We hope for your understanding!
However, Closed Alpha is finally here, on ALL MOBILE PLATFORMS! We are rolling it out for selected members over the upcoming days!
Expect to receive an email from Ather Labs in the next few days. There will be instructions and guidelines on how to get access. Please remember, all your gameplay progress will be reset every time the game releases a new Closed Alpha Build update in order to synchronize gameplay data. We will announce this ahead of time before every reset.
If you have Sipher Inu and Neko NFTs, make sure you connect the wallets holding them with your AtherID whitelisted for Closed Alpha and enjoy them 🙂. We hope you love seeing them for the first time in game as much as we do.
All the above, has been due to the heroic efforts of all team members at Ather Labs and the support from families & friends and backers who visited us in person at the studio. Thank you to you all.
“Punching up” with the top studios
With the recently releases of Diablo IV, Honkai Star Rail, Baldur’s Gate 3, Metal Slugs Awakening and Gamescom trailers of upcoming games like ZZZ & most notable Mugen, the gaming worlds have never stopped innovating and challenging standards, in both story-telling and gameplay. We are greatly inspired and will strive to do the same, albeit being a small and unproven studio.
Finally, we have been on what seems to be a really long journey, but in game development, it is what it takes. We’ll continue to focus on fun and exciting core gameplay, tactical and wild theory-crafting meta game and finally, delivering a deep players-driven economy via our game marketplace.
Thank you, we could not have gotten here without your support and I hope to see many of you in Sipheria throughout Closed Alpha and Open Alpha!
FOUNDER
TIN NGUYEN
Thank you for reading this edition of our
ATHER LABS DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
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