it's time for a sneak peek into the few upcoming features.
We are hopeful and excited to have a new version released this very month, and these are the two major additions to expect.
Blacksmith NPCs and ordering their products
We'll be featuring blacksmith NPCs to be found in the villages, and possibility of ordering various iron goods directly from them. You order, they'll forge, and you will then pay and obtain the item when it's ready. This will be a fundamental new addition, and will also bring in numerous related spin-off features.
Not all the villages will have a blacksmith, but it will still be easier to find one to make you that knife, axe, sword or tool you need than to run through several storehouses in several villages in a search for a missing equipment. The available blacksmith products will vary a bit depending on the cultural areas, but all the blacksmiths can make at least the most basic and essential iron goods, tools and weapons.
Animal droppings - an indicator and a fertilizer
Smells like a new feature? Yes, indeed.
Certain animals will leave visible droppings, i.e. feces, that can be found in the terrain on zoomed-in map level. The droppings aren't featured for all the animals, but for those whose droppings are commonly noticeable and relevant. For example: hare, fox, badger, lynx, wolf, reindeer, elk and bear. The domestic animals such as sheep, cows and pigs also leave droppings.
The droppings of different species look a bit different, and upon looking at the droppings with game commands you will be told which animal's droppings it is. For example: "You see here an elk droppings."
If the droppings are somewhat recent, less than a day old or so, you will be also be told that it's fresh droppings in question. Even if you wouldn't be able to specify their age the droppings work as an indicator of the animal presence at the area.
What will be featured as well, is that the droppings can be used as a fertilizer on your fields.
It will be possible - if you feel like it - but not necessary, as the slash-and-burn cultivation already includes fertilization with the ash from the burned wood. However, the extra fertilization helps your crops to sprout and grow more successfully, so somewhat higher yields can be expected from the fields fertilized with droppings.
In these screenshots our adventurer has found bear and elks droppings - indicating the presence of the animals at the area.
Now we'll go forge some more code, and you can expect the release news in this month.
Cheers! ːurw_sageː