The year is nearly done and it's been a while since our last development update, so we wanted to share a bit about what we've been working on these past few months.
In every game's development cycle, there comes a time of reckoning!
A time when every developer has to stare into the eyes of all their ambitions and pay a price for each and every one of them. The time of slaying bugs and the toil of polishing. "The dreaded last 10% that is really the 90%".
And so, this time has arrived for us, and what a glorious ordeal it has been! Menus upon menus, features upon features, systems upon systems! Sleeves have been rolled up times beyond counting. To-do lists compiled on scraps of paper, digitally etched in apps, and sinfully heaped upon sleazy back alleys of Discord chats. Devlogs have swelled with entries to such an extent that if written on a piece of paper, they would comically unfurl onto the ground and keep rolling into the far horizons.
But finally, FINALLY! There is a light at the end of this long tunnel. What was once an ocean of work has now dwindled to a mere handful of puddles. In just 2 or 3 weeks, we will complete all the features planned for the game.
Once we are done with improvements and our tests are blissfully free of bugs and our features start to gleam with a well-polished sheen and sparkle, we can move on to the next stage of development.
So, what comes next?
Next is the fun part! We'll be assembling all the quests, locations, battles, and mechanics that we designed, and we'll be developing the remaining content for the story campaign. We'll share some of it as demos and beta tests, and we'll improve our game based on your feedback.
But what are the fruits of such labor we imagine you ask with a gusto?
There are many!
All game systems and RPG mechanics were rewritten with custom implementations to support the numerous features we wanted to include in the game.
The game now accommodates two combat modes: Turn-based and Real Time With Pause. Players can switch between these modes at any point during battles and can save the game mid-battle.
Complex battle situations can now be tracked, allowing for the creation of interesting skills and status effects. For instance, stances that increase damage based on the number of surrounding enemies, or altered victory conditions for specific battles to fit intricate story scenarios.
New fishing, hunting, and trapping systems promise to enhance gameplay immersion and enrich exploration, providing more rewarding experiences.
An entirely new layer has been added to fort and outpost management systems, offering more immersive UIs and strategic options. For example, constructing a scouting camp to spy on enemy camps to warn you of impending attacks, or learn of vulnerabilities in their defense.
Additionally, there are numerous new gameplay features we'll delve into next year, such as an advanced pet system and a new mastery exploration skill tree.
Visual updates include new shaders, fog, and lighting effects! These range from fluffier snow with dynamic trails, to advanced armor shader that highlights the complexity of our model design, to weather effects. The game graphics have been upgraded.
The audio system has undergone an overhaul. Different surfaces now produce distinct footstep sounds, while dynamic audio creates atmospheric effects, such as a whistling gust of wind from cracks between cliffs, intensifying as you approach.
The game can be played with a Mouse and keyboard or a controller. And you can switch between them at any time on the fly. We have designed custom UI and controls for each device!
Speaking of controls, you'll be able to use A,W,S,D, direct movement, or point-and-click style movement. The camera also took on more of a third-person game aspect during exploration.
And speaking of UI. We made ours super modular. So now we can have multiple menus and font sizes, and we can override each individual menu on different devices. What works on a giant TV, might not work on a handheld device. And we can have that covered.
When will the game be released?
We'll announce the exact release date in a few months. We have a very good idea of how much time it will take us to finish the rest of the game content, but we still have to deal with some unknowns, such as Q/A and polishing time. The extent of polish and tweaking required will become clearer once the game reaches more players. Bearing this in mind, we're working very hard for a 2024 release.
We wish you great holidays and we'll come back with awesome new stuff next year!
