Most venerable Knights,
The public demo is coming soon! Everyone (read: You) will be able to download it for free and enjoy hours of gameplay. Mind that this is not Early Access, and it will not yet be what I have in my mind as the full vision of this game. For example, you will not be able to join factions yet or play past the third chapter. But it is going to be a very representative demo, and if you like it, it is safe to say you will like the finished game even more.
I am about halfway through the development cycle for this version and can now share the scope. The list is still subject to (minor) changes, but in general, this is what you can expect:
Quickdemo
So many demos to try, so little time. The quickdemo is a separate adventure called "Aldhelm's Path" which showcases some of the game's highlights. You will play a premade character named Aldhelm Sanderford who got himself in trouble... help him out, and then help him get rich!
Following the plot tightly, you should be able to complete this story within two hours (the original plan was 30 minutes, but that turned out to not be enough to make the story immersive). The background story is presented with a new "slideshow cutscene", similar to those describing the history of the valley.
Of course, aside from this quickdemo, the main game will also be available.
Early on, Aldhelm was forced to steal to survive. But maybe now, life has a bit of luck in store for him?
Crafting
In this version, you will be able to craft a number of items utilizing your crafting skill and corresponding "schemas". Over time, more schemas will be added, and the feature will be extended to also include smithing and alchemy, as well as maintaining and even improving your equipment.
You will need the skills, materials, and a "schema" to craft an item. Some items might have additional requirements, like only being craftable in certain places.
Prison mechanics
As part of the "Crime and Punishment" feature set, handling of your character being in prison has been added. You can try to break out in various ways (some are faster than others, but also riskier). Alternatively, if your sentence is short, you can choose to sit it out and get released with a clean criminal record. This comes at a price, though, as you might lose a few skill points due to malnutrition and neglect for the time you spent in the foul cell.
Unsurprisingly, you will spend most of the time in your cell while in prison. But sometimes, you might get an opportunity to leave the stinking hole. Here, the guards need help picking the lock of a rich man's villa who lost his key. Do you think they will share the reward?
New gameplay mechanics
Some QoL features have been added, including the option to upgrade your satchel for an extra quickslot, and attaching a lantern to your belt to keep both hands free for your weapon and shield when exploring a dark place.
Two new items expand your inventory's capabilities. The "Lord's satchel", a fine leather pouch of exquisite craftsmanship, can hold a bit more than the standard variety, but comes with a hefty price tag.
The "belt clip" allows for attaching certain items to the belt, including a lantern.
Interactive tutorial
Knights of Frontier Valley is a complex game with many features, and some of them are presented in unique ways. The new interacive tutorial will guide you through the most important and interesting ones.
Design goal for the interactive tutorial: "make it not be annoying". Let's see if I can pull it off.
Improved NPC behavior
Like in every prior version, NPC behavior including daily routine, reaction to threats, handling of combat, and more has been tuned. But this time, entirely new behavior patterns will be added for city inhabitants, making cities feel much more alive.
New content
There are new items, objects, and characters. There are also new graphics, animations, music, sfx, and PC voice output.
Many other improvements
There are improvements to the UI, the handling of audio playback, the main menu, the credits screen, and many internal things for performance and stability. 23 bugs have also been fixed so far.
I hope you are getting as excited about this release as I am... there is a bottle of Zinfandel I have been saving for this moment for eight years.
Until next time,
Martin