Attack Dog Studios - Method of Entry

About

"Method of Entry" is an upcoming 5v5 tactical shooter aimed at revitalizing the genre with a focus on competitive play, enhanced by authentic mechanics. The game's development is guided by our 'C.F.R.F' principle: 'Competitive First, Realism Follows,' which prioritizes competitive elements in gameplay decisions and design.

MoE is designed to be accessible and engaging, avoiding the complex hero abilities or arcade-style power-ups that have infiltrated the genre, and instead emphasizing realistic Special Forces or Counter-Terrorist scenarios that enforce, or dare we say, demand genuine skill. Drawing inspiration from foundational titles like the SWAT and the Rainbow 6 series, as well as classics like Counter-Strike and contemporary games like Escape from Tarkov and Rainbow Six Siege, "Method of Entry" taps into a deep well of tactical shooter heritage.

This project is a response to the competitive community's desire for a streamlined, 5v5 tactical shooter where competitive elements take precedence. Realism is then seamlessly integrated, with attention to weapon dynamics, player movement, environmental design, hit detection, and overall intensity. However, this integration never overshadows MoE’s core competitive mechanics, ensuring a balanced and stable competitive experience.

Are you ready for MoE? Join us!

Updates

Dev Blog - The next step is now, the next step is a big step. Architecture, Implementation and Unreal 5.4.x

PART 1:

First and foremost, I want to acknowledge that our team is aware of the current state of the game, and this was expected. When building something from broad strokes and abstract ideas, you start with just that: broad strokes. It's similar to watching a digital artist who begins with rough sketches and penciled lines to outline the structure before adding that new photoshop layer, to create the final drawing. These rough lines guide the creation of the polished piece. What we've all been playing and testing is just the rough sketch, and now we're ready to start the new layer and polishing process.

In software development, it’s about turning ideas into implementation. This means converting the functionality you envision into code (and Blueprints with Unreal) so that we can see how it will work. Every piece of functionality, no matter how simple, needs to be implemented and supported by the necessary infrastructure. As your software takes shape and you combine these "proof of concept" implementations, you begin to identify issues from the initial development stage. This isn't a negative; it's a crucial part of the process. We've reached the point where we have the core features and mechanics we want and understand how they work together.

With this new level of understanding, it's time to take the pivotal step and begin the real development of our end product. This involves developing the core architecture of the game, essentially outlining how the system should be built and operate. Once this architecture is complete, we will rebuild each piece of implementation within it, resulting in a concrete, performant, and stable product. As we build each feature and mechanic within this architecture, the end product will take shape; the releasable product.

We will not be doing any more feature-additive play tests for some time. At least not until we're done with concreting our core mechanics within the new architecture. Moving forward, many of the future play tests will focus on testing the stability of the core mechanics and features under the new architecture. Every play test moving forward will feel smoother, stronger, cleaner and more stable than the previous. Now, I say "no more new features" but that’s not entirely true. When going through this next stage of development, there is often a side-effect of new mechanics surfacing because of how well written everything is. Additionally, this paves way for our release UI/UX, our completed dedicated server, matchmaking and so much more. With this new Architecture, we will be migrating to Unreal Engine 5.4.x. This will deliver an incredible amount of performance improvements, fixes and stability.

Finally, there will be a Part 2 in the next couple of days.@The_Simon_Sez, @Hubert 'AstroPolski', the whole team and myself have a lot of work ahead of us and I mean a lot of work. Over the next few days we will get the new architecture laid out and when we have the new development plans in front of us, I will write up a plan of action and I will write up Part 2 , to deliver a timeline for the community to digest. Understand that this is a massive step, a very complex step in the SDLC (Software Development Lifecycle) so be patient with us while we figure out proper timeframes.

"Slow is smooth and smooth is fast" - US Special Forces / SEALs

Damon B. - CPO

Dev Blog - The next step is now, the next step is a big step. Architecture, Implementation and Unreal 5.4.x

PART 2:

It's been nearly a month since we began the process of transitioning our Proof of Concept (POC) of MoE to our new architecture, and I must say, it's progressing wonderfully.

First and foremost, Unreal Engine 5.4.2 has been fantastic. There are numerous "out of the box" improvements that will directly enhance the player experience, quality of life, and overall game performance. We can’t wait to share these enhancements with our playtest team. The updates in 5.4.2 have significantly improved general performance, input responsiveness, lighting, animations, and much more. We are very grateful for these advancements.

With the new architecture, @The_Simon_Sez, myself and the team have been closely collaborating to implement it and re-integrate pre-existing features more efficiently. We've shifted a significant portion of the core game functionality to C++, while retaining high-level functionalities within Blueprints. This new C++ architecture base has given us much greater control over the core game and the engine, opening up exciting possibilities for new systems that we are eager to implement.

In addition to converting the original POC game to the new architecture, we have started implementing key systems such as core match/round/overtime mechanics, matchmaking, multi-online service support (Steam, Epic, or standalone), cosmetics, foundational elements for the release UI, player management, and much more.

If you see us in the Dev-Stream, feel free to drop by, ask questions, and maybe learn a bit about game development along the way. Your support means a lot to us as we strive to create an amazing game for our community.

We still have a lot to do, and I’ve recently started a new career path, which has introduced a few time-based challenges. Also, lets be honest, Star Citizen can be quite addictive... Despite these distractions, I’m confident that we are on track to have something ready for team testing in the next few months. With all that being said, we do have something exciting coming in the meantime, and I can’t wait to share it with you all.

Thanks, Damon "Damo" B - CPO

Media

Explore our latest videos and get an inside look at Method of Entry. From gameplay to behind-the-scenes insights into the studio, this collection gives you a ton of insight into the current state of Method of Entry, the development, and a personal connection to the people behind the game. Stay tuned to keep up with all things Method of Entry.