[http://i.imgur.com/t0EBUDEl.png
The Expert: Player Progression Part 2](http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/updates/461205838/1437503742)
Hello, Kleptomaniacs! This week’s Feature Topic is a continuation of our three part series on character progression discussing the Expert tier. In case you missed it, here’s Part 1: The Amateur.
The Expert takes great pride in their craft from the careful planning and cunning disguises to the precision execution of getting in and out without leaving a trace. There’s a lot to discuss about the new gameplay mechanics unlocked when players advance from Amateur to Expert so lets get started.
Progression
We are still finalizing the details of how an Amateur progresses into the Expert class. The current plan involves a list of prerequisite purchases including a basic tool set, one disguise and one vehicle. We may extend this to also include a performance based requirement along the lines of successfully completing X amount of burglaries without being caught or raising suspicion.
Advancing into The Expert tier will unlock additional neighborhoods, the ability to purchase and wear disguises and purchase your own vehicle used for navigating the neighborhood, hauling more loot and enhancing your disguises.
Level Options
In addition to new neighborhoods, the player will also be able to revisit previous neighborhoods while taking advantage of the newly unlocked gameplay features.
The player will also have a new option of “casing” the neighborhood. This option will allow a player to enter the neighborhood to identify potential targets prior to their planned burglary. To do so, players will select the time of day for casing and for their burglary. By taking advantage of this feature, players can greatly reduce their level of suspicion. We’re currently looking into additional ways of utilizing this new feature. Have a suggestion? Post it HERE.
Pro Tip: When casing a neighborhood, look for signs that the owners may be away for an extended period. Things like unmowed grass, newspapers and full mailboxes may provide the evidence you need.
Missions & Contacts
At the start of the level, the player may receive an optional mission as a freelance burglar. These are essentially optional bonus objectives. By completing them, the player will gain reputation with the associated contact and possibly unlock knew contacts through their referral.
Some mission examples:
[Loot Specific Item] Break into specific house at X address and steal X item. - Mission request may also include helpful info like “The pin for the alarm system is 897765”.
[Loot Generic Item] “I need X item (generic camera/laptop/etc). If you find one, I’ll pay double what the pawn shop offers.”
[Car Repo] Break into X house, retrieve car keys and exit neighborhood with specific vehicle.
This mission system will play a much larger role later in the game when players progress into The Professional tier. This will be further discussed in a later Feature Topic article.
Disguises
What could be more obvious than someone lurking around a neighborhood wearing all black carrying a duffle bag? Players will have the option to purchase an assortment of disguises to help reduce their suspicion. Some examples include cable technician, moving company, delivery service, etc.
Simply wearing a disguise will not guarantee your activities will go unnoticed. Seeing the plumber carrying out paintings is sure to raise a few eyebrows. However, this would be a common activity for a moving company but what if their nosy neighbor sees the moving truck and decides to investigate? These are just a few examples of things that need to be taken into consideration when planning your burglary.
Vehicles
No more hitching a ride from your unreliable friends. You’ve finally “earned” enough for your first vehicle. Player owned vehicles serve multiple purposes in Klepto including the following:
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More Loot: You’ll no longer be limited to what you can fit in your bag. If you have time, unload your bag at your vehicle and make another trip back inside. Additionally, you’ll be able to haul larger loot items like paintings, instruments, statues, etc.
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Better Disguises: Enhance your disguise with matching liveries and vehicle upgrades to increase their effectiveness.
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Navigate Neighborhood: Drive around the neighborhood and find the optimal location to park your ride. Remember to obey the posted speed limits and follow the laws of the road.
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Store/Display Collectibles: Some rare items in the game can be added to your personal collection. Select vehicles will support showcasing these items.
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Hold loot: Opportunities will present themselves for a larger payout for a specific item. However, the buyer may require you to hold the item until their ready to pick it up. Be careful not to get arrested during that time because all assets, including those held from previous levels will be seized (this excludes collectibles).
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Vehicle Upgrades: This will play a greater role in The Professional tier where players can use the modular upgrade system to setup a mobile high-tech command center. However, we plan to offer a few upgrade options with The Expert tier to introduce the feature.
Tools
Expert players will have a wide selection of tool options available. Some of these items will have requirements before being unlocked. These requirements may be disguise related or progress related.
Tool Examples:
Various Lockpicking options (Basic, Advanced, Pick Gun)
Various loot bags
Socket wrench (To open Telco boxes)
Wire Cutters (To cut phone/data lines)
Bolt Cutters (Remove padlocks)
Door Hinge remover & Hammer (Remove French doors)
Selling the Loot
After a successful level completion, Expert players have multiple options available for offloading their loot:
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Pawn Shop - Safest and easiest method to sell loot but offers the lowest payout.
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Fence (Contact) - Selling items directly to a contact. This method offers a higher payout and is relatively safe. However, they only buy items of interest.
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Fence (Strangers) - Posting items for sale through an online classifieds page. Higher payout but risk of possible police (or criminal) setup.
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Hold - Allows you to save a specific item and sell it at a later date.
IndieGoGo
I hope you enjoyed this week’s feature topic. If you’d like to help support this project, we’ve setup an IndieGoGo campaign. Funding from this campaign is being used to build a larger library of 3D assets so our art team can focus on more custom modeling work rather than reproducing assets readily available on the market.
Backers of the $50+ level will automatically be enrolled in the closed beta group expected to launch 1-3 months prior to Early Access.
If the funding goal is met, backers of all levels will receive an exclusive in-game cosmetic item (or items) based on their selected reward tier.