Hi Spacers! Maria here, as usual.
There are days when an update practically writes itself. The structure is clear, and everything just flows. But sometimes, especially when the material gets more technical, things need to slow down. At that point, writing starts to feel a bit like working on a Learn to Play book. You have to be careful and keep in mind that the person reading this might be seeing the game for the first time. That was very much the case with this update.
We have reached a point where the focus shifted from adding new pieces to refining what is already there. A lot of our work has been about iterating on existing systems. Some of those changes were small at first, but once tested together, they often led to bigger adjustments and opened space for further improvements. We approached this step by step, making sure each layer supports the next and that everything holds together once it hits the table.
That is where we are right now.
And that is what you will see in this update.
So let’s get back to the Shepherd.
Welcome to the Machine: Learn to Play overview
Built by a coalition of several Earth nations and corporations, the Shepherd was a joint-venture deep space research vessel designed to operate self-sufficiently for extremely long stretches of time. Its stated purpose: to explore the outer reaches of the Solar System and establish a permanent outpost at the edge of the Kuiper Belt for the benefit of all humanity.
Sometime after the vessel entered service, just as it passed the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, on its way to Neptune and beyond, contact with it was lost. The Shepherd disappeared.
The people of Earth and its Colonies were simply perplexed: a fully operational vessel could not just vanish without warning. Rumors ranged from technical failure to catastrophic accident, to corporate sabotage. Some fringers believed it was secretly destroyed to cover up a technological experiment gone wrong or was part of some military or political operation, aimed at removing it from public scrutiny, to be used at a future undisclosed date to control or coerce the Colonies — even at that time there were whispers of independence.
Few had proof; most accounts were based on second-hand reports or official briefings, which were often vague.
Now — after eighty years — the Shepherd has returned, appeared as suddenly as it first disappeared, amidst the Trojan asteroids of Jupiter’s L5 Lagrange point.
The first to notice is a small science outpost over Ganymede. A mission of volunteers is quickly put together under the International Convention on Space Search and Rescue. They launch towards the derelict in their short-distance shuttle, the NASF Coventry.
At the same time, a second mission commences from Earth. The NASF Forrest, an experimental eleventh generation warship equipped with a prototype laser-sail drive and crewed by military personnel and advisors from PATER Capital, hurtles towards Jupiter at previously unheard-of speed.
The Forrest intercepts Coventry in the last stretch. Not without protests, the two forces agree to run a joint operation under the leadership of the former’s captain, David H. Holloway.
This is the opening narrative of the Learn to Play scenario.
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Over the past weeks, a lot of our attention has been directed toward one of the most critical parts of the experience: the moment you first step onto the ship.
We know how much depends on that first contact. It defines how you approach the game and how quickly things start making sense once the situation begins to unfold. We wanted to approach it carefully, especially with the lessons we carried over from previous projects.
Getting the Learn to Play right turned out to be more demanding than expected.
The earliest iteration simply did not hold up. The scope was growing, deadlines were tight, and we were pushing into areas we had not explored before. There was a strong drive to introduce new ideas and systems, but once everything came together, it created too much weight. The experience was harder to navigate than it should have been.
Then came the first version written by Marcin.
It was a major step forward. It brought structure where things felt loose and clarity where things felt uncertain. The flow improved, and for the first time, the experience started to resemble what we had in mind. But once we put it through testing, another issue became clear.
The systems were working, but the upkeep was still too demanding, especially for new players. Instead of focusing on surviving the situation, too much attention was going into managing the structure around it. And from there, the process became more focused.
Marcin spent a lot of time refining the system, adjusting the flow, and looking for the right balance between clarity and depth. We would test a version, go through it carefully, and then come back with feedback that was not always easy to deliver. Some parts worked, others needed another pass, and sometimes that meant going back further than expected.
That cycle repeated more than once. And over time, the results started to show.
The current version of the Learn to Play is where it needs to be. It introduces the game in a way that feels structured and controlled, while still keeping the tone and tension we want from Enormity.
From a narrative perspective, it begins with your crew arriving on the Shepherd aboard a small shuttle. You are part of NASF’s scientific division, sent to investigate something that does not fully make sense yet. Signals are being picked up. Signatures that are difficult to classify. Something is clearly wrong, and you are not fully equipped to deal with it.
From a gameplay perspective, the Learn to Play walks you through your first turn step by step. You learn how to interact with Discoveries and acquire Engrams, how to equip Gear, how the Alert system builds pressure, and how to resolve attacks – both your own, and those coming from the enemy. After the first round, the structure opens up and you are given full control.
The scenario itself unfolds in three stages. It begins with an Extraction, transitions into a boss fight – an Incursion – at level 0, and ends in the Safe House. It is there that the wider context starts to emerge. You are not alone on the Shepherd. Other factions and crews have arrived, drawn by the same signals, and tensions begin to rise as different groups compete for control and understanding of what is happening.
There is also something else hidden in this setup, a small gimmick that Marcin insisted on adding. If you decide to play the Learn to Play again, you may start noticing things that were not visible the first time. There is more to uncover if you look closely.
The structure guides you at first, but that guidance does not last forever.
At some point, it steps back.
You begin to recognize patterns and make decisions with more confidence; the game starts to make sense. And then you realize that understanding the systems does not mean it’s getting any safer, because now, it is on you.
And that is when things start to get interesting. 😉
Everything Counts
Understanding tokens
At the core of Enormity, just like in our previous titles, are tokens. However, this time they take on a more defined role as Spacer tokens, representing what your crew brings from their rigorous NASF training.
In Enormity, tokens are not just support tools for boss fights. They need to carry their weight during Extraction Runs, where you face waves of enemies, complete objectives, and gather resources, all under constant pressure. Because of that, their usefulness has been significantly expanded.
Discipline allows you to convert a single Potential into Power during Attacks, Skill Tests, or Scan Rolls. It can also slow down a Blip’s movement by 1, down to a minimum of 1. It is a token that rewards control and precise play.
Confidence gives you a way to recover from uncertainty. You can re-roll any single die during an Attack, Skill Test, Armor Roll, or Scan Roll. It also helps to manage the situation by reducing the Alert generated from a single source by 1, again to a minimum of 1. It is often the difference between a risky move and a safe one.
Expertise improves both survivability and flexibility. It allows you to roll an additional white Armor die during defense. It can also be spent as Ammo if you run out at the worst possible moment, up to the weapon’s maximum capacity. It is the token that keeps you going when things start to fall apart.
On the reverse side, all Spacer Tokens carry a value of 2, making them easier to manage and helping reduce clutter during play.
Ammo and Charge
Ammo represents universal ammunition used by most conventional weapons. It reflects the standardized design of Spacer gear, where compatibility and efficiency matter. Most weapons rely on the same pool of Ammo, and suits are equipped with multiple magazines to keep you in fighting shape.
Charge is a different kind of resource. It powers more specialized equipment such as flamethrowers, energy weapons, and experimental tools. It cannot be reloaded in a standard way. At the same time, Charge tokens are also used to track the number of uses for certain support systems, making them a limited but powerful resource.
Radiation
The visual language of Enormity is built around three core colors. White represents what is known and human. Red represents danger. Black represents the unknown.
Condition tokens follow this philosophy and are built around red, emphasizing their role as immediate threats.
Radiation fits this idea perfectly. Known since the late nineteenth century, it is a force that can be used for progress or become a source of destruction. In Enormity, it reflects dual nature, something that exists between utility and danger.
Blips
From the very beginning, Enormity has been about confronting the unknown. Blips represent that uncertainty. Divided into three pools based on color (white, red, or black), they keep you on your toes throughout your time on the Shepherd. The longer you spend in the bowels of the ship, the more danger they pose.
As the game progresses, the balance shifts. The proportion of empty Blips, simple echoes, decreases, while the number of enemies increases. What starts as manageable tension slowly turns into constant pressure, forcing players to adapt.
Suppress
Suppression tokens ensure that even unsuccessful attacks can be very impactful. If you fail to wound an enemy, you still suppress it. The exact strength of that suppression is represented by the Suppression tokenens and based on your weapon. Each token reduces the enemy’s AT by 1, making it easier for the next attack to land.
However, timing is critical. During its activation, the enemy removes all Suppression tokens. This means that coordination between players becomes essential. Well-timed attacks can break through defenses efficiently, while poor timing may waste the advantage entirely.
Under Pressure
Stress, Adrenaline and Vitals
Some of the recent design work has been focused on how your Spacer holds together under pressure. Marcin took a closer look at these systems and pushed them further, making sure they reflect the kind of tension Enormity is built around.
Just like in our previous titles, the state of your character is defined by three core statistics. In Enormity, these are Stress, Adrenaline, and Vitals.
At the core of it all lies our Inverted Combat Paradigm™ approach. The closer you get to the edge, the more options begin to reveal themselves. What once felt like a losing position can suddenly become an opportunity, depending on how far you are willing to push your Spacer.
Stress works in a way similar to Fate in Aeon Trespass: Odyssey. You spend it to push yourself further, to activate abilities that would otherwise remain out of reach. As it rises, however, things become increasingly unstable. Stress can open additional enemy gates, and if it exceeds your Vitals, it triggers a Nervous Breakdown.
A Nervous Breakdown is resolved by drawing a card with a test roll. If you manage to hold it together, you may gain a short-term benefit. If not, the result is a temporary negative effect that reflects your Spacer losing control for a moment, followed by consequences.
Vitals represent how much of you is still holding together. Like Vigor in Kingdoms Forlorn, they drop as you take damage. As they fall, your suit begins to take over, activating life-support systems that help you stay functional just a little longer. The shift is visible, reflected in the changing colors of the cells, from white to red and eventually to black.
Adrenaline is different. It builds as you act, as you move, as you fight. It is close to Rage, but more fluid, because it can be shaped. Through Engrams, Safe House facilities, and Action cards, you can push it further, sometimes more than once in a single turn. It becomes something you actively manage.
This is where playstyles begin to diverge. You can push forward, chaining attacks and riding momentum. Or you can stay mobile, repositioning, controlling the flow of the encounter. Every choice feeds into the system, and the system feeds back into you.
And somewhere in between, your Spacer keeps going. Until they don’t.
Should it stay or should it go
Which Format Stays?
We would also like to get your opinion on something small, but surprisingly important for the overall flow of the game.
Below you can see a sample Action card that includes two effects: an Attack followed by a Move 1. Mechanically, both effects are resolved in sequence, but the way this sequence is presented on the card can influence how clear and intuitive it feels during play.
We are currently testing a few different ways of writing this, especially in situations where all effects are meant to be resolved one after another, without any ambiguity.
Here are three variants we are considering:
- (1) Attack. Move 1.
- (2) Attack AND Move 1.
- (3) Attack THEN Move 1.
Each version communicates the same mechanical outcome, but the reading experience is slightly different. The first is compact and fast. The second emphasizes that both effects are part of the same action. The third highlights the order of execution more explicitly.
This may seem like a small detail, but these kinds of decisions have a real impact on how smooth and readable the game feels during intense moments.
We would love to hear your thoughts. Which version feels the most natural to you? Let us know in the comments below.
Course Correction
The path through the Shepherd is rarely a straight line, and today we need to share an update regarding our current heading.
First of all, we are sorry. We know many of you are eager to get the game to the table, and sharing news like this is never easy for us. Our original goal was to reach the Digital Copy milestone by the end of Q1. Due to complications during the miniature molding phase, this target has shifted by roughly one quarter. As a result, we need to update the delivery window. We now expect Enormity to reach your tables in Q4 2026 instead of Q3.
While the delays on the production side have been frustrating, the time has not been lost. Almost the entire team has been focused on the project. Marcin has been deeply involved as well, reviewing systems, testing gameplay, working on the narrative, and making sure all elements of the game align with the overall vision.
This additional time allowed us to take a closer look at many parts of the game. And the result is a more cohesive and better structured experience that remains true to the core ideas behind Enormity. We are aware that the timeline has shifted again, and we understand the frustration this may cause. As a small studio, we sometimes run into challenges in production that are difficult to predict in advance.
Our goal has not changed. We want to deliver a game that feels complete, polished, and worth your time. Thank you for your patience and for being part of this journey.
Come together
See You at UK Games Expo
Most of the elements you see in this update - like action cards or tokens are new iterations. They are still being actively refined as we move forward, as we prepare them both for the upcoming Digital Copy and for presentation at the UK Games Expo.
We are not slowing down. The goal is to show you how Enormity actually feels on the table.
Here are a few examples of gear we are currently working on, pieces designed with live demos in mind. They are built to be readable, giving players clear decisions during fast-paced runs while still allowing for interesting combinations and builds.
At the same time, we are finalizing the demo scenario. You will go on a Scavenge Run set in the Engineering section of the Shepherd. Your objective is to push through enemy resistance, deal with environmental threats, and gather as many resources as possible. This includes Engrams, new gear, and anything else you can carry out of the run. Along the way, you will also encounter random Discoveries, forcing you to adapt.
This scenario represents the roguelite layer of Enormity, the part of the game that sits between narrative missions. Most of what you have seen so far focused on story-driven gameplay. With this demo, we want to show how the game behaves in this more systemic, repeatable structure, where each run can unfold differently and decisions carry forward into the next one.
If you are planning to attend UK Games Expo, you will be among the first players to try Enormity at the table. You can sign up HERE. There are still some spots available, so feel free to join us.
At the booth, you will also be able to play Aeon Trespass: Twelve Sins of Heracles for the first time on a real table, and take a closer look at Kingdoms Forlorn demo if you have not had the chance to play the game yet.
For the first time, we are also bringing new merchandise beyond Aeon Trespass. You will be able to pick up Enormity and Kingdoms Forlorn T-shirts and tote bags, alongside classic Aeon Trespass: Odyssey apparel.
These items were prepared specifically for this convention season. We will also bring them to SPIEL Essen, and if anything remains after that, we will make them available in our online store.
You will also be able to purchase Aeon Trespass: Odyssey, AT:O Expansions, Kingdoms Forlorn, and Ten Thousand Succulent Fears (KF Expansion) directly at the booth.
We will also have a selection of add-ons for AT:O and KF and miniatures from our store (including those that have been sold out for quite a while), and yes, the plushie will be there too!
If you are at the show, come find us at stand 4-373. We would love to put Enormity on your table and hear what you think.
Next Update Schedule
A quick technical note regarding the next update.
The upcoming Enormity update was originally planned for June 4th, but we will need to move it by one week to June 11th.
I will be just coming back from the UK Games Expo around that time, which means the days leading up to the update will be quite tight on my side. On top of that, June 4th is a public holiday in Poland, which further limits our ability to properly prepare and review the content, as the team will not be working that day.
Taking all of this into account, we felt it would be better to give ourselves a bit more time and move the update by one week. This way we can make sure everything is properly written, reviewed, and presented in a way that meets the standard we want to maintain, rather than putting something together under unnecessary time pressure.
Thank you for your understanding, and we hope you do not mind this small change.
That’s all for today’s transmission.
As always, thank you for being here with us, for reading, commenting, and sharing your thoughts. A lot of what you see in Enormity is shaped through this ongoing conversation, and it genuinely makes a difference.
If you haven’t already, join us on Discord. And if you are still considering whether to join the Enormity crew, you can head over to Gameflight and take a closer look at everything.
Until the next transmission.
Stay safe out there, Spacers.
