Development Log – February 2026: Mission and Quest System Enhancements, Level Selector UI, Weapon Proficiency System, and Procedural Level Generation

[MILESTONE]

• Completed the Mission Start Flow, providing a clear path from level selection to mission deployment.
• Fully implemented the new level selector UI, allowing players to choose their next mission.

[GAMEPLAY]

• Implemented support for multiple missions per level, including optional quests and a guaranteed epic loot fallback mechanism.
• Introduced a new assassination mission type with specific target goals.
• Integrated a new Mission Processor and extraction flow for improved mission progression.
• Implemented a comprehensive weapon proficiency system, allowing players to improve weapon handling over time.
• Introduced an action conditions system to enable more complex ability interactions.
• Implemented a new weapon feature system, allowing for modular and extensible weapon behaviors 
• Introduced weapon templates and action templates to streamline weapon configuration and balancing.
• Enhanced weapon feedback by displaying equipment stat bonuses and refining weapon sway mechanics.
• Introduced ‘Heist-style’ replay handling for epic loot, providing new gameplay opportunities.
• Implemented a new bark reaction system, providing dynamic character vocal responses to in-game events.
• Implemented a hitstop (freeze frame) system to add impact and feedback to combat and key actions.

[GRAPHICS]

• Implemented a new dynamic portrait capture system for characters
• Refined portrait camera behavior, including alignment, background handling, and caching for performance.
• Introduced map node path visualization with bidirectional paths, enhancing level selection clarity.
• Integrated new Cartography Pack assets, including tilesets and sprites, enhancing map visuals.

[AUDIO]

• Integrated the Mumble voice system, enhancing in-game character dialogue delivery.
• Streamlined Barks UI integration and made various runtime fixes for stability.

[UI/UX]

• Enhanced the loading screen experience with crew portraits, a progress reporter, and displayed level information.
• Integrated new UI elements and locks to reflect weapon proficiency progression.
• Added ‘New Item’ badge support to inventory UI elements.
• Implemented a complete level selection flow, integrating UI, input, and mission state management.
• Enhanced UI navigation with robust grid navigation support across various selection screens.
• Introduced detailed character selection and character details UI.
• Introduced a new UIScreen system, migrating various level and mission screens to a unified architecture.
• Significantly improved character and inventory selection UI, including enhanced grid navigation, layout adjustments, and tooltip fixes.
• Streamlined crew selection UI and refined menu flow for a smoother player experience.
• Completed the character selection screen layout and integrated new UI prefabs.
• Revised Asset Card display and other core UI templates for improved consistency.
• Introduced a new UIButtonAnimator component to enhance button visual feedback and interactivity.
• Updated default button visuals and refined the Map Cart UI.
• Added new ButtonBar UI prefabs and button overlay elements.
• Updated fonts (SDF) across the UI for visual consistency.
• Minor update to the Stars Screen UI prefab.
• Implemented a centralized UI input blocking system, improving input consistency and preventing unintended actions.
• Refactored UI widgets and integrated the new UIButton system for a more robust and unified UI architecture.
• Introduced a dedicated Difficulty Selector screen and refined the Mission Detail Screen.
• Enhanced the Map Cart UI with improved layout, new glyphs, and header overlays.
• Further developed the UIButton system with input gating and screen control capabilities.
• Minor updates to the Map Cart scene and associated level scripts.
• Refactored the level selector and added a mine cart animator for improved visual feedback.
• Added new Help UI prefabs for in-game guidance.
• Developed a comprehensive mission icon library and metadata system for clearer mission presentation.
• Integrated the new Map Cart scene and supporting assets for level selection.
• Refactored the Books UI with new editor tools and hardened prefabs for improved stability.

[FIXED]

• Minor fix to health potion script functionality.
• Addressed minor UI inconsistencies and refined weapon burst spread calculations.
• Fixed inventory instance ID handling for better item management.
• Corrected ricochet reflection count and resolved race conditions/null checks in ability buttons.

[TECHNICAL]

• Refactored inventory equipment slots and head wearable management for improved consistency.
• Refactored inventory management, ensuring items persist globally and improving wearable state handling.
• Reorganized UI prefabs and established new UI templates for consistency.
• Integrated Odin buttons into inventory templates to streamline item debugging and testing in Play Mode.
• Ensured character initial status is consistently applied from templates.
• Integrated new profiling tools and markers to aid performance analysis.
• Implemented an Act metadata system and optimized map node caching for better performance.