Super Creative held a showcase today (the 28th) ahead of Season 4 for its collectible deck-building RPG, 'Chaos Zero Nightmare.' The live stream featured Live Director Choi Seung-hyun, DD Kim Ki-bum, and Mr. Navi, who explained the Season 4 updates, balance patches, and future roadmap.

Adjustments Necessary for Long-term Stability; Future Power Levels to Align with Season 3 Standards

Before beginning the presentation, the development team apologized for the sudden announcement of the Season 4 balance patch in the developer note released on the 21st. That note had outlined restrictions on the 'Discard' keyword—a core mechanic of Season 3—limiting the maximum number of discarded cards to 200, capping the maximum stacks for 'Morale,' 'Indomitability,' and 'Resolve' buffs at 15, and adjusting Persona Bounds and overall card power.

The patch also previewed comprehensive changes, including buffs for certain combatants, a nerf to the damage cap for Orlea's core card 'Mallang-i' (which had seen increased usage following a previous buff), and adjustments to equipment effects. Following backlash from global users regarding the sudden changes just one week before Season 4, an additional developer note on the 23rd adjusted the maximum stacks for Morale, Indomitability, and Resolve to 20 and fully retracted the Season 3 power adjustments. However, the team confirmed that the damage cap for Orlea's 'Mallang-i' card and the equipment effect adjustments would remain as originally planned.

Regarding this situation, the developers explained that their internal review staff and processes were insufficient and that there was a lack of internal policy regarding the timing of such responses. They stated they would secure maximum review resources and schedules to refine their processes and prevent recurrence, promising to communicate with users to ensure that their time and effort are not wasted if critical defects are discovered.

The team then explained why Season 3's power levels disrupted the game's balance. Previously, the design philosophy focused on creating seasonal combatants that utilized specific keywords or mechanics while maintaining a baseline of versatility for various combatants. However, they admitted that while developing multiple seasons simultaneously, Season 3 suffered from a lack of power verification, leading to inflation beyond what the team had intended.

Conversely, as Season 4 was designed to match previous power levels, the initial developer note was intended to bring Season 3's power back within the original baseline. Acknowledging that they had overlooked the value of user effort, the team explained that they would now use Season 3's power as the design benchmark. They aim to design future seasons to offer different types of appeal rather than simply making them stronger than the last. Additionally, they noted that elements of Season 4 that users found unengaging due to low power during the pre-season will be buffed alongside the update.

Furthermore, the team will clearly distinguish between the usage of previous season data and season save data to broaden the value of the latter. For example, while Phase 1 will allow the use of off-season data, Phase 2 will provide higher bonuses for season-specific data.

The team also addressed the adjustments to Orlea, common buffs, equipment, and the card limit for the Graveyard. While these figures underwent a full review, the adjustments were deemed unavoidable after assessing risks related to long-term service. However, because the adjustment to Orlea's 'Mallang-i' card was a result of a developer error that was inadequately compensated, users can choose to participate in a recall for three weeks starting July 29. This is separate from previously mentioned rewards like combatant selection tickets and Rescue Anchors, and will allow users to receive back growth materials, including Spectral Cubes equivalent to the Ego manifestation stage. Additional measures regarding the impact of the buff stack caps on characters will also be announced soon.

The team also addressed the 'Mutation Core,' a save data enhancement element added suddenly during the pre-season. Previously, it could be purchased up to 30 times for 4k Black Matter—earned through the core roguelike content 'Sortie'—but the figures will be adjusted to allow 10 purchases for 1k Black Matter, followed by unlimited purchases for 2000 Black Matter. After the adjustment, Black Matter used for Mutation Core purchases during the pre-season will be retroactively refunded. The team also plans to reduce farming fatigue by narrowing the variance between enhancement options obtained through mutations.

Fatigue from 'Sortie,' a frequent topic in the community, will also be alleviated. The entry fee will be reduced from 30 to 10 Aether, and the Aether refund point will be changed to the rest area immediately before the first boss. Additionally, 'Fate' obtained through the 'Iridescent Fate' effect will no longer count toward scores, reducing the reliance on Iridescent Fate in Sortie rankings. A 'Sweep' function will also be added to improve the situation where players feel forced to play Sortie to acquire core-type items.

An improvement plan for text notation issues, which have been mentioned since launch, was also announced. While box tooltips were improved on July 8, the team will prioritize improving other items as users have consistently pointed out a lack of intuition and consistency. Given the volume of text and the need for cross-verification, these improvements will be implemented sequentially through October.

Starting July 29, the team will first address the ambiguity of the phrase "by the number of ~," which is currently used for both cards that increase effect magnitude and those that increase the number of hits. Effects where the magnitude is multiplied will remain as is, while cases where the number of hits increases will be notated as 'Effect' x 'Condition.' Other ambiguous or inconsistent notations regarding damage will also be cleaned up.

On August 19, cards that grant non-stackable effects will be clearly marked as such. The term 'Extinction,' which is currently ambiguous as it refers to both the keyword and the pile where cards move, will be clearly distinguished as 'Extinction Pile' and 'Extinction Card.' On September 9, the distinction between 'Activate' and 'Use' will be clarified to help users understand and utilize cards more effectively. Furthermore, the team will clarify whether continuous effects increase the duration or the magnitude, and will explicitly state the application range (ally or self) to prevent confusion.

On September 30, the confusing "by ability" text will be completely overhauled. Previously, phrases like "when drawing by ability" were unclear regarding the specific method of drawing. The team will add box tooltips and case expressions to ensure users can see at a glance what conditions must be met to trigger an effect. Equipment text will also be thoroughly reviewed and clarified after a full investigation of effects and rules.

Large-scale Improvements: Growth Guides, Build Presets, and UI/UX

The team then discussed improvements for Season 4 and beyond. First, after the Season 4 update, growth guides for each character will be added to help players quickly identify combatant growth progress and missing elements, allowing them to proceed directly to necessary content. Preset functions will also be supported to make it easier to refine desired decks. Players can pre-design three target builds per combatant, and if the corresponding cards and 'Flash of Insight' appear within Chaos, they will be specially marked for immediate selection.

Additionally, the team will support a function to copy and share build data in code format. Beyond presets, 'Tactical Delegation,' a feature for quickly clearing Chaos, will be changeable to allow up to 5 charges per day using Crystals after the Season 4 update. Players will also be able to freely change the background when placing combatants in home background settings. Other UX improvements include the ability to check detailed information immediately on the results screen after summoning, an improved 'Fragment of Memory' recommendation system, and better UX for synthesizing potential resources.

Save data-related matters will also be improved. Rules will be more clearly stated to prevent user inconvenience when editing save data, and a save data sale function will be added on August 19. Finished save data can be acquired through achievement rewards or purchased with Crystals; this data will be applied as standard data, not seasonal save data, and can be modified at any time using Cores.

The cumbersome Codex synthesis will be improved to allow re-synthesis directly from the results screen, and the charge limit for 'Time Springs'—used for various captain skills like turning turns or rerolling dice—will be removed. In-game UX for Fragment of Memory effects, unique Flash of Insight information, and card information will be unified, and the save data editing UI/UX will be aligned to make checking the Flash of Insight list easier. Starting September 9, a function will be added to automatically dismantle unnecessary Fragments of Memory based on user-set options. Additionally, options never selected in psychological counseling will display a red dot, making it easier to obtain first-selection rewards.

Theme: Desire Manifestation Cards, Season 4 'Broken Light and Claws''

Following the announcement of improvements, the background, theme, and seasonal power of Season 4, 'Broken Light and Claws,' were introduced. This season is set in the 'Kaleidoscope Hatchery,' a new Chaos on the planet Pigna, where users investigate a series of disappearances of 'Firsts.' With the First Killer 'Anes' identified as the mastermind, the story will depict the intertwining lives of those with different desires and goals.

In this season's Chaos, Invader bosses 'Vercula' and 'Formica,' who have Instinct attribute weaknesses, will appear. The core mechanic is the 'Desire' card, which can be upgraded up to 3 stages, as seen in the pre-season. In Season 4, the team plans to increase the fun of play by strengthening synergies and adjusting card costs to 0.

Two new Fragment of Memory sets, 'Crimson Thorn' and 'Evolution of the Battlefield,' will also be added. The 'Crimson Thorn' set increases critical damage by 25% for 1 turn when applying 'Fissure' with a card, stacking up to 2 times. When applying a total of 10 or more Fissure stacks with cards, critical damage from continuous damage increases by 15%. The 'Evolution of the Battlefield' set increases the 'Evolving Battlefield' effect by 1 when performing an additional attack, generating an attack card in the draw pile, or drawing with an attack card, increasing critical damage by 10%. The Evolving Battlefield effect can stack up to 3 times, with an additional 5% critical damage increase at 3 stacks.

Instinct Attribute Unification, Seasonal Character Arabella, and 3 New Characters

This season introduces three new characters previously teased at Anime Expo and the pre-season: Hilde, Arabella, and Olga. All three share the Instinct attribute, and character pickups will proceed at 3-week intervals starting with Hilde on July 29. Arabella will appear as a seasonal character.

Hilde, the first to be added, is an Instinct Ranger who acts as a sub-damage dealer that assists with drawing. Her core cards are 'Homing Arrow' and 'Quiver Loading.' She is specialized in drawing, as players can generate Homing Arrow with Quiver Loading and then use it to draw, or keep it to trigger resonance effects through drawing. Additionally, every time Hilde attacks an enemy, 'Point Aim' stacks on the enemy with the highest HP, and the 'Ionization' debuff stacks on the attacked enemy, increasing damage taken and boosting the overall damage output of the team.

Hilde's partner, Uni, possesses an effect that increases the additional attack damage of the assigned combatant by 40% until used when an Instinct attribute attack card is generated in the draw pile. If the card is unusable, the combatant gains 1 'Live Fire Preparation' buff, which increases critical hit rate by 10%. Live Fire Preparation can stack up to 1. Uni's Ego skill deals damage to all enemies and grants the assigned combatant a 'Bullet Handover' buff, which increases the damage of the next additional attack, while increasing the 'Please Finish It' effect by 1, which reduces stacks by 1. If an enemy is defeated by the Ego skill, the Bullet Handover buff increases by the number of enemies defeated.

The subsequently released characters, Arabella and Olga, are a Striker and a Psionic, respectively, and like Hilde, they possess the ability to inflict 'Rift,' a new damage-over-time effect. 'Rift' deals 40% damage per stack at the end of the turn, after which the number of stacks is halved. Rift can be applied up to a maximum of 30 stacks. Hilde supports damage output through card draw and an ionization debuff, while Olga features a structure that accumulates stacks by triggering the 'Fragmentation' debuff—which deals fixed damage at a certain ratio when damage-over-time is triggered—and by activating the Rift effect itself. Arabella, whose damage increases in proportion to the number of harmful effects on the target, is expected to create synergy by triggering Rifts or using 'Rift Expansion,' which applies additional Rift stacks upon activation, to deliver both burst and sustained damage.

'Chaos Zero Nightmare' Shifts Atmosphere with Comic World Participation and Relaxed Summer Events'

Finally, in-game and offline events, as well as swimsuit-themed 'Outing Wear,' were revealed for the summer. Outing Wear is a cosmetic item that adds new exclusive stories, touch motions, voices, stickers, and special illustrations. Outing Wear can be applied in the Ark City, lobby, and combatant windows, but is not applied in certain environments like stories, combat, or psychological counseling.

In Season 4, swimsuit Outing Wear for Hilde, Arabella, and Olga will be released sequentially alongside their character pickups. To celebrate the release, Ray's new Outing Wear, 'Exciting Summer Vacation,' will be distributed for free on August 19.

Season 4's in-game event will be themed around a Beach Cafe Festival. This 9-week event consists of content missions that add new objectives every 3 weeks to earn rewards, and a sub-event where players complete an album after enjoying the Beach Cafe Festival story.

In the mid-season of Season 4, on August 19, the 'Stella Market' event will be held. This is an investment-type event where players analyze and predict market conditions for the next day by watching news that updates daily for 3 weeks. Since the news contains false information, identifying the truth is key. In the latter half of Season 4, the 'Sea Breeze' event will unfold, where players serve cocktails to characters and listen to their honest stories. With hidden endings in addition to the basic ones, it offers the fun of trying various approaches to uncover them.

Chaos Zero Nightmare will also participate in Comic World, held at KINTEX in Ilsan on August 15 and 16. The booth will be themed around spending a unique summer vacation with Season 4 combatants, and popular cosplayers dressed as Season 3 and 4 characters will welcome users. Various events, from free drinks to special on-site merchandise, will also be available.

Chaos Zero Nightmare Season 4 will be updated on July 29, and further details can be found in the official community.