More time to think, more ways to build
A major pacing and buildcraft pass gives players more time to make decisions, adds Shield and Armor as distinct defensive tools, and makes build identity easier to understand during and after a run.
Pacing
- Market timing was expanded so later waves no longer demand faster decisions than the opening of a run.
- Later encounters now use more breathing room between spawns instead of relying on extreme enemy density for intensity.
- Build windows between waves give players more time to read offers, inspect their machine and prepare for the next threat.
Defense
- Shield, Armor and Hull now form distinct defensive layers instead of asking Repair to solve every low-health situation.
- Shields absorb pressure before Hull and can recover after a safe window, while Armor reduces damage that reaches Hull.
- Repairs restore Hull only, and repeated emergency repairs in the same wave become progressively more expensive.
Build identity
- BUILD and run results now summarize the identity of the machine, including active synergies and defensive direction.
- Upgrade previews show which owned weapons are actually affected instead of presenting isolated abstract bonuses.
- Important build-online moments receive restrained feedback so major synergies are easier to notice without adding visual noise.
Playtest readiness
- Telemetry now separates run provenance and can connect multiple runs from the same playtest session.
- Engineering verification covers deterministic combat, desktop/portrait parity and the new defensive pipeline.
- Human pacing, balance and voluntary replay remain open until normal-speed playtests are completed.