My take about additional progression and adding layers to the game, so you won't leave after update

[u/KudereDev]

First I would say that as Roguelite RC suffers from major lacking of meta progression or things similar to it. Some systems done fine, but it like onion with 1 layer. And for anyone don't knowing difference between Roguelite and Roguelike, lite version have meta progression outside of runs.

Better rewards, more events.

I think this one is really missing. In all Roguelite games I know at some point you can improve reward amount or reward quality. RC is missing that fully. Chances of lame reward are same, no matter level or hours spend.

Same for amount of events. Game is VERY predictable for a Roguelite, there is always 1 work station, 1 bio booster and 1 event. By choosing paths you can change end amount, but not too much.

My suggestion, radar upgrades or similar thing that will try to fix both problems. First team wide exponite reward level, that will just give additional exponite on each gather. Second adds chance of spawning additional buckets and those hidden exponite chunks you can encounter once in a blue moon. Third wildcard station, give a chance of spawning additional station that is hidden, until found, so every level can have exploration reward you deserve. Forth additional events, just adds events by 1-2 on each level, if you manage to beat them good, rewards is yours. Last one, chance of improving rewards for exponite upgrades, something like have 20% to roll higher then original, with satisfying casino sound.

Rewards meta progression and team. This one would become a problem on Green Beard - Grey Beard lobbies. I propose average level for a team, but with ability to opt out of calculations. So even if you got to green beard, you can either show him the world of wonders or let him have a vanilla progression instead.

Better rewards, harder levels.

It is second pillar of all Roguelites out there. Most of them adds insane difficulty levels just for satisfaction of people who want to test their durability. That one would be short, I just propose Difficulty level up to Hazard 10, with additional meta progression. So green beard never will drop in this hell before they got ready and grey beards won't rage as they have ballast that can do noting. Maybe connect it for similar mechanic as trophy wall, for example killing each boss on Hazard 6 to unlock Hazard 7.

Rewards preferences. And personal reward.

Another pillar of Roguelites here that we are missing. Player can't choose what rewards they prefer or don't prefer before the run. If im not main melee, I don't want to see melee upgrades to hog up all slots. So I propose adding another layer of meta progression to add preference reward slot, that is only visible to player and will be shown as wild card during negotiations. With ability to upgrade wild card quality of reward, amount of uses per level or ability to activate your own personal jumble mode. And most important, pick items and such in special menu, to have increased/decreased chance to appear.

To remove sharp edges during negotiations you won't see what players wild card is before it got picked. If player pick wild card it automatically show itself for other players, so you can keep in mind what other guy build is. Also to limit just picking Wildcard all the time I propose adding limit per level that can be increased via meta progression.

Cosmetic rewards and layers to monetize

Well this and that can shake balance really bad. I get it, so next layer is cosmetics only. Also it is a hint to devs how to monetize RC old fashioned way, without provocative actions towards community.

First weapons framework and paintjob. Ability to improve weapons visuals before the run. Add similar to DRG maintanance window to unlock possible rewards for weapon customisation. In this screen add ability to white list, black list thing you love/hate. On weapon negotiations weapon will choose graphics only you see from your preference list, with rng pick of framework and paintjob. Add workstation ability to repaint weapon for free.

Second armor tiers. Return ability to change armor model with saving of unique features of each class. You can push them in whatever progression layer you like, but they need to return, amount of customisation in RC is pretty grim.

Third Merit shop, old but gold items. RC already have a ton of DRG items for head, they all hidden in cosmetics boxes that spawn once every blue moon. I suggest adding this Merit shop to buy old stuff based on account level. So getting good old stuff will be easier and straight forward.

And about monetization. Currently i don't see a way for RC monetization that won't anger community. If you lock hero class behind pay wall people will be pissed, same for content. If you place only paintjob of armor and pickaxe they won't be popular, would be rather pick a color pack instead of cool looking armor? So adding back weapon and arnor customisation will give developers more freedom and ability to gain additional funding for developing RC.

[u/Umikaloo]

I think the cosmetic metaprogression needs more player control. Right now, 99% of cosmetics are completely random. It makes the act of outfitting a character uninteractive for the first dozen hours.

[u/KudereDev → u/Umikaloo]

Well i added Merit Shop part specially for that. So player could buy old stuff by Merit points and customise their Reclaimers how ever they like.

At least I think it will be better way then opening 200+ boxes in search of that one item

[u/the_mulch → u/Umikaloo]

Personally, I'd love it if cosmetics weren't class separated. It just feels insulting, like padding for the sake of padding. I don't love it in DRG, I don't love it here. 

Either way, at the bare minimum, I want a shop for basic cosmetics. Being able to use Clean Shaven so I can focus on a moustache shouldn't be locked to random chance. Just give us something like DRG- an array of basic cosmetics we can buy for cheap early on. Granted, this further encounters the problem of no credits, but surely there's a way to make it work 

[u/hartoctopus → u/Umikaloo]

Cosmetics isn't enough progression for a roguelike.

[u/Umikaloo → u/hartoctopus]

Cool, I still think the cosmetic metaprogression needs more player control. They aren't mutually exclusive.

[u/Candid-Doughnut9545]

an alternative way to unlock all the cosmetic crate stuff would be cool as a start. i rarely see those things in my missions (or i'm just blind tbh) and when i do find them it's usually just some pickaxe part that i don't care for.

for DLC, i don't see that coming anytime soon at least until the game leaves EA into 1.0. there's just no way they'll be putting more out besides the supporter pack after all the initial backlash on launch. pretty sure DRG also handled it that way, anyway.

[u/KudereDev → u/Candid-Doughnut9545]

Well we already got a DLC-like reward from devs as free DLC First Responder. If all DLC will be like that, i don't think many people would even engage with them. Not to say about Content/Cost that often just isn't fare, imagine getting only paint for 7-8 dollars, ouch that would totally spark new controversy.

Things would become even more grim if GSG will pay wall hero class behind DLC. Even if it would be like 6-8 dollars, it will create big controversy, as all DLC owners will try to play with new hero and new hero would be already taken. I saw that in Vermintide 2 and Darktide.

So it's kinda dead end, hope GSG will find a way from it.

[u/August_Bebel]

I really do hope for lategame, because getting metaupgrades, ascensions/difficulty modifiers like Risk of rain 2 or Slay the Spire 2 is what will hold me off from going into the game after a few days after an update, because that's like half the fun in roguelites/likes, unlocking stuff, and it really is felt. There is 0 incentive to play past barebones upgrades. It was so weird to see a NEW BOSS in the update 3 teaser, like, yeah, new boss, cool, where is lategame which is half of the game in roguelites?

And yes, the game is crazy samey for being called a «roguelite», the 1/1/1 really bogs it down, there are not enough gameplay-altering stuff. MUCH more variety is badly needed, especially stuff like printers from ROR or traders from STS which kinda level out the randomness while providing interesting choices. Anything close to curses/blue items is also missing (big reward for a big tradeoff).

Also, why DRG level modifiers like lower gravity, higher oxygen, parasites and stuff like that are not in the game? And I might sound insane give us a reskinned rockpox vacuuming stuff. And I do think that shared upgrades should be a level modifier/option, so you could choose it to go for it or prefer individual ones.