Jay Topping
- Nov 25, 2023
- 8 min read

MACABRE GAME DEVELOPMENT UPDATE 13 - Many Exciting Announcements for Macabre

Updated: Jan 19

A rather large Game Development update, discover What's Brewing in the World of Macabre.

Greetings, Macabre community! We'd like to start by extending our heartfelt apologies for the four-month gap since our last communication. It's been a whirlwind of activity here at Macabre, and we can't wait to share all the exciting developments that have been taking place.

My mates and I have sacrificed more than just our social lives for the past two years to develop our dream game. To our amazement, Macabre is almost the 300th most wishlisted game on Steam. It's been a wild ride for our small team, and every message, wishlist, like and share has been like a high-five from you to us.

As you can imagine, we've had a lot of interest from publishers, but the terms? They don't make sense. We believe in a fair go, and more than that, we believe in the power of our community. So, we're taking a stand and keeping our independence—because Macabre isn't just our game, it's yours. And we won't let anyone hinder our vision.

Introducing Macabre Community INSIDER Program

We've just launched the Macabre community INSIDER program, where you can show your support with our first exclusive limited edition skin inspired by our Dev shirts.

As a token of our appreciation for your unwavering support, we're excited to introduce the Macabre Community INSIDER Program. By becoming an INSIDER, you'll gain access to a world of exclusive benefits, including:

Exclusive Skin: A unique in-game skin that's not just a limited rare item, but a symbol of your influence and a thank you for your support.
Exclusive Updates: INSIDER information on Macabre's development, playtests and giveaways!
INSIDER Badge: Wear the "INSIDER" tag in Discord, marking you as a founding member of our community.

This program is our way of saying thank you for being part of the Macabre family and helping shape the game's future. A big thank you to everyone who has already signed up!

BECOME AN INSIDER

Kickstarter Campaign on the Horizon

We're gearing up for a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, where you'll have the opportunity to support the development of Macabre and unlock exclusive rewards and early bird prices. Signup to our mailing list for more details on how you can get involved and help us bring this game to life.

SXSW Sydney Success

We're thrilled to announce that we've been incredibly busy preparing for our demo showcase at SXSW Sydney, and the event went off without a hitch! It was a fantastic opportunity to give players a taste of the eerie world of Macabre. We received invaluable feedback and had the chance to connect with others who share our passion for the game.

Featured in Realms Deep

In case you missed it, Macabre was proudly featured in the Realms Deep indie game showcase! We're honoured to have been part of this incredible event and grateful for the opportunity to share our progress with a global audience. The positive feedback and support from the gaming community have been motivating and inspiring.

Development Highlights

Now, let's dive into the exciting developments that have been taking place within the game:

July 2023

In July, we worked diligently on several key features, including animation cues for the enigmatic Crawler, a Rural Pack update featuring Smart Splines and a PCG Forest overhaul, and the implementation of various gameplay abilities and UI enhancements. We also fine-tuned gamepad controls and iterated on the demo Flowgraph. Under the hood, we enhanced various Python scripts and made directory overrides for smoother debugging. We addressed a few bug fixes, made various audio mix changes and converted scripts to Python to facilitate debugging.

August 2023

August brought a fresh wave of features and improvements to Macabre. We introduced a Key Card System, along with power breaker assets and environmental updates. Reception doors received Level Sequence additions for added suspense, and we updated PCG Tools while adding new content to the Demonstration map. We also made significant updates to the equipment and inventory systems and addressed Metahuman-related issues.

One of the major changes involved converting the crafting system to use prerequisites to streamline the gameplay experience. Additionally, we fixed equipment inspect tags and resolved head/hair mesh visibility issues. We also took care of a few animation sequences, blood trail, and lighting updates. Lastly, we implemented TrueFPS rig anim nodes for smoother animations.

August was also dedicated to addressing bug fixes, including reception dressing updates and exterior stone wall spline additions. We optimized the PCG Forest and made material updates while fixing CarPark Vehicles' materials and adding menacing thorn bushes. We also improved CarParks' snow shader and PCG Graph while working on PCG Foliage, Snow footprints, and optimizations.

The master material for the Rural Pack & Lodges received optimization work, and we implemented a prerequisite system for conditional interactions. Additionally, we introduced the FCTween plugin and updated the subtitle displays to create a more immersive experience.

September 2023

September introduced a wide range of features and improvements. We implemented various UI updates to make the user experience more intuitive. Animation improvements and bug fixes enhanced the overall game feel, while audio enhancements intensified the immersive soundscape.

Inventory and loot container setup fixes ensured smooth gameplay, and we added initial extract flow effects and audio sublevel additions to ramp up the suspense. New meshes for lootboxes, torch adjustments, and additional lighting improved the overall visual experience. Backpack items now load in loot containers, and frontend UI elements received crucial updates.

The ambient music got a boost with the addition of a dynamic Flow Graph Node, and we added dynamic time of day changes. We also worked on crafting system updates and introduced UI buttons from our style guide.

On the gameplay front, we introduced Seeker B and other features, along with adding the Space Shifter BP to the forest camp area. We also integrated the UMG RADAR Plugin and updated loot systems for a more streamlined experience.

As with previous updates, we tackled various bug fixes related to gameplay, UI, and audio. We smoothed out bottlenecks in the gameplay flow, addressed issues with crafting, loot indicators, and material updates, and fixed a few crashes. Various collision issues and audio-related problems were also resolved, along with issues related to the main menu and loading screens.

In addition to bug fixes, we reorganized assets and fine-tuned lighting and environmental dressing. We continued to implement various gameplay improvements and polish, adjusting timings and animations. We added more assets and environmental elements to enrich the game world and continued to work on UI and dialogue. Prerequisites were introduced to loot containers and world pickups, and we integrated death sequences and animations for added immersion. Various visual and audio elements were updated for maximum impact.

October 2023

October was a month of continuous progress. We implemented various gameplay features and improvements, including the introduction of Seeker C and Space Shifter functionality. The Space Shifter UI was introduced to enhance your gaming experience, and we continued our work on crafting and inventory systems.

Audio played a significant role in creating atmosphere, with the addition of various audio assets and effects. Death sequences and animations were further integrated, and gameplay tag notifies and interaction enhancements were implemented for smoother gameplay.

As always, we addressed various bug fixes to ensure the experience remains smooth. We sorted out collision and interaction issues, focused on crafting and looting, and resolved various animation and visual glitches.

On the artistic front, we continued environmental dressing and lighting improvements. We added various assets and elements to enrich the game world and improved audio mixing and effects for added immersion. UI elements and animations were added and updated, and various aspects of the game received that extra layer of polish.

November 2023

November marks another milestone in Macabre's development journey. We've introduced localization support, making Macabre accessible to a wider audience. Various gameplay features and improvements continued to shape the game, and work on UI and dialogue progressed steadily.

A noteworthy addition to Macabre in November is the hardware benchmarking functionality, ensuring optimal performance and visuals on a wide range of systems.

Bug fixes remained a priority, ensuring that your gaming experience is as smooth as possible. Collision and interaction issues were sorted out, crafting and looting received further fine-tuning, and various animation and visual glitches were resolved.

In addition to bug fixes, environmental dressing and lighting improvements continued. More assets and elements were added to enhance the game world, and audio mixing and effects were refined for a more immersive soundscape. UI elements and animations were added and updated, and various aspects of the game received that extra layer of polish.

Until next time

We hope you're as excited as we are about the progress we've made on Macabre. The game is taking shape and becoming more immersive with each passing day.

Thank you for your patience and unwavering support. We couldn't do it without you!

Be sure to join our mailing list for updates and information about our upcoming Kickstarter campaign and the Macabre Community INSIDER Program.

Thank you all for your continued support,

The Macabre Development Team