Amongst the patches and the secret project (join the discord to learn more about that), I've been working on the next themed free content update for Bulwark.
So just gonna drop some teasing images here. These are of the "Behemoth Class" surveyor which has been discussed and requested first on the forums here. And it is coming and will be one of the main additions for that upcoming (likely late summer) update.
So this is going to be a three tier upgradable big ass surveyor. I am thinking you need to both buy the various tiers and make sure the commander building it has maxed out resources of everything to get all the tiers. It's going to be wildly OP and thus wildly expensive as it should dominate any combat engagement. (we all want something OP eventually right?)
I also want to address the following:
I read a user review criticising my use of small DLC as it gave them a feeling of only owning part of the game. And I think that is an absolutely fair criticism, we enjoy games in a time where there is so much exploitative by game makers and publishers. So fair enough.
But let me provide my reasoning and lets have this discussion. So Bulwark is doing good but it's no Manor Lords, this is by all accounts a niche experimental game with a mid sized/small but dedicated audience. Folks who enjoy the risks the game takes by deviating from established norms and tropes. And I hope you all enjoy the continued effort I put into free content updates regularly in what is now over a year of dedicated support, even if recently I am also working on another project simultaneously. Your continued support is amazing and motivates me to keep going! Couldn't do it without you. (and the Behemoth is a nod to that gratitude).
But to also always need to find a stable source of revenue. But steam revenues are super launch driven and you make the long tail revenue proportionate to a the launch. So a lot at the start, not so much later on.
Small DLC offsets the deep discounting Steam forces on games nowadays (to gain visibility in festivals and seasonal sales, to get opportunities like daily deals etc). It allows me to sell bundles (which are really popular and always on sale) and have extra tools so the game can be discounted without succumbing to bargain bin practices and the slow slide into zero revenue.
So it's a vital tool in being a gamedev that's (working towards, not there yet) somewhat independent of needing a launch hype every few years. And not abandoning games at some time after launch. Something I had to do for Falconeer after 1-2 years cuz it just wasn't paying the bills. (Something I deeply regret and am using all your support to remedy in the near future, tease!!!).
I chose DLC items that feel harmless, some ships, some cosmetic stuff mostly, a few extra units here and there. And it's all a few bucks at most. Now the reason there is now quite a lot of DLC is that I do some every time I make a major free content update, so when I added the mongress trading pack, there were also free ships added in that free update, and every DLC represents a major free update that came with it. And there have been a lot!
For me all of this doesn't feel exploitative, would I prefer not to do it? Hell yes. I would love to sit here make video games and get them to my audience. Even for free, that's why I did the Moonpath Mods for Skyrim. But in the end I have a family and a house and a 17 year old car..;) and I need to survive.
Being a dev that is passionately bound to improve and support their game year after year has seen me use every tool Steam gives me to survive and use them well.
I hope that clarifies things a bit. I know selling of separate bits and bobs might feel like you are missing out, but has over the last year or so literally enabled so much free content and updates. The revolution update, the edge update all the smaller content drops. The game has had daily deals, those are opportunities Valve only provides to games they feel deserve it. And making smart use of Steam's features is part of that.
Again thank you for all the support and keep also dropping both your honest criticisms and your desires. I do appreciate both and will keep working at making this game (and the Falconeer) worth your purchases.
Cheerio,
Tomas
