Hello everyone!!
The day is (finally) here! Chapter 5's release date is contained within! If my lack of communication isn't sufficient to imply it, I will state here that I've been QUITE busy with it and...other life events. The more and more I worked on it, the more I believe that splitting Chapter 5 up was the right move. Between several life surprises (and a WEEK without electricity...), things have been anything but smooth. Enough of that though, let's get some context on progress and then, on with the news!! =)
Test's Been Good To Me, So Far
With the exception of Chapter 5's tail-end, and a couple of historical cinematics, beta testing of story content for Chapter 5 is completed! While it may not sound like much, this means roughly 90-95% of the work is done. THAT was the portion that takes up the most time, so it's a huge relief to have it out of the way. So what's the verdict on Chapter 5's content so far?
While Chapter 4 had a sort of "inverted bell curve", the beginning and end having a dense concentration of content (with the middle being rather "unbalanced"), my Tester has said that Chapter 5 is VERY consistent and the quality of content is excellent. The pacing is good, story content in areas feels properly balanced, and the content in general fits well together.
Without any encounters or Boss battles included, the content during the playtest was about 8 hours, meaning around 8.5 hrs for the finished product. Since things aren't 100% finalized yet (still need to polish and may expand a few parts), it could be even more. One of the other issues with Chapter 4 was the perceived lack of content, I feel Chapter 5 will not suffer from that same issue.
The Mysteries of Histories
I had thrown out a number before about the "living history" segments, which DID make for a great expansion of content, but since the chapter is being split I'll give an updated number on what to expect in terms of historical entries...
Sahaiah of Myrador = 1 entry
King Robert MacLeod = 2 entries
King Namath MacLeod = 1 entry
Queen Cora MacLeod = 1 entry
Prince Edgar = 2 entries
King Phillip Norton = 1 entry
With the exception of Sahaiah's, these are all repeatable in their designated locations. There will be a part in Chapter 6 where you can replay/recall ALL of them if you wish to (with the exception of Sahaiah's). All but Sahaiah's are 100% voluntary, but a lot of love and work went into making them. The story will be far richer and the context much clearer if they are experienced when possible. I've had very positive feedback on these from Testers, please be sure to give them a try!!
The To-Do List
As far as what's left, I do have some testing and another dialogue revision lingering. This is for the last 30 or so minutes of Chapter 5. Once this is completed, it will be on to encounters, item/gear creation, combat balancing, and a final pass to buff out the rough spots. Combat aside, up until the last 30 mins or so is completely done and in a playable state. Bugs are going to happen though, and keeping in mind that I work a full-time job, I'll try and squash them as soon as possible. It's typically not figuring out the fix, but having the time to sit down and apply fixes that's the problem. Patience with me on this is greatly appreciated!
Drum Roll, Please!
The current planned release date is....August 23rd, 2024!
While this may seem excessive, given the progress I noted up above, some issues can only be found by playing the Chapter in its entirety. Pacing and other such things can be done in segments (no need to replay the whole thing), but even a single playthrough is checking through 8 hours of content at a careful pace. Combat balancing and testing can also be time-consuming, as some folks grind a lot to reach max level, while others play through in one shot.
I want to make sure that battles are fun and engaging, without forcing someone to radically alter their play style. If it's too easy, you can always self-impose more difficulty! Try defeating a boss without items or heals! You can also equip old gear to make the fight more challenging! Just remember to save often before you do!! =)
Chapter 6...finally?
Obviously, I don't have a release date for Chapter 6 (the final Chapter of Kedemara) at this time. To get the possible disappointment out of the way, this one may not be as long as other Chapters have been. Some of the teaser trailer content WAS from what's now Chapter 6, but the mapping and other content is in a VERY alpha state. I also have none of the living history segments for Chapter 6 completed.
I may be able to finish this in less time than previous Chapters have taken. My IDEAL release date will be Spring/Summer of 2025. The living history segments are sort of a wild card right now (even though the outlines are already written), but I wouldn't count on Chapter 6 being a full 8-9 hours either. It will likely be somewhere in the ballpark of 5-6 hours total. Candidly, I'm looking forward to wrapping things up and moving on, as I've been working on Kedemara for a very, VERY long time! What was planned as a 20 hour game will be over 50 when all is said and done!
There's a lot of emotional attachment to the game for me, but I look forward to introducing new friends and new stories to everyone! I'm also looking forward to taking a break on a weekend or two! Of course, until I start on Kedemara II...speaking of!
Kedemara II, anyone?
A few people I've spoken to are QUITE excited about the alternative mechanics of Kedemara II. I'll state that like many facets of life, you can't please everyone (...even when it happens to be free lol). I wouldn't call it "better" or "worse" than Kedemara I, just different. Your characters in Kedemara I have a set class designation, but have access to all abilities because of that. You learn Shield Bash, you always have Shield Bash!
Based on what gear you equip, characters in Kedemara II will have access to different skill sets and abilities. One character may function more like Deirdre with a sword and shield equipped, but has the ability to heal with a Mace and Tome equipped! This helps you find combinations that work best for the situation and the characters in question. Again, not better or worse but different!
The story in Kedemara II will DEFINITELY be fun and engaging, but past the Prologue, "Episodes" will be playable in nearly any order (working in a very broad "tier" set) and can be replayed later on too. The tightly interwoven narrative of Kedemara I is not necessarily feasible with the format Kedemara II will have. Each episode will be enjoyable and story-rich, but will function more like an episode of Star Trek: TNG, where Kedemara I's story could be compared to a show like Breaking Bad...where it is a clear, linear progression from start to finish. To reiterate, not better or worse...just different!
Voyage Length?
The first installment will be the Prologue (probably about 5-6 hours long) and a couple of episodes as well. We'd be looking at about 8 or so hours of content total in that first installment. Kedemara II will ALSO be 100% free, so no worries about paying per-episode or purchasing the "Elite Naval Commander Gear Package" for $4.99 upon release. As long as I can keep these free, I will!
Due to it's episodic nature, Kedemara II will be able to go indefinitely...in theory. There MAY be a wrap-up point at some time (maybe after 40-50 hours of content?), but there won't be any cliffhangers or something along those lines to contend with in the story. A different approach, but hopefully one that allows me to reclaim some of my personal and social life! Who knows, I might even pick up an MMORPG or two ;-)
Trying for a Trifecta?
Kedemara II isn't even released yet, and I've had people asking about releases coming after it! XD
True enough, I am on record saying there could be 5 games in total. I have sets of characters and "worlds" built for that many entries in the series if I so choose. The issue is that by Kedemara III, there's too much about that game that would necessitate a 3D environment. It COULD be doable in 2D, but a lot of what sets it apart would be lost. It would also be set MUCH farther into the future (we're talking a few CENTURIES here...), which could cause some confusion for people jumping straight into that entry first.
I've explored the possibility of other 2D projects, and while a partnership with a developer/publisher sounds nice, I am uncertain if that's a plausible scenario for me in the foreseeable future. I DO love the end result of game development (people enjoying and having fun playing the game), but this is by far not my only creative outlet. I've performed music for MUCH longer and my D&D experiences pre-date game development too. Who knows though? Kind of hard to shake any "bug" that manages to latch onto me ;-)
Well, I hope this was more than tolerable to read! As always, I truly appreciate everyone who has played and streamed Kedemara! Without everyone who does, making this game would be like telling jokes to myself! My driving force as a Dungeon Master was the enjoyment of my players, game development is no different for me. Thank you all for your support, and look forward to Chapter 5's release next month!!
- Andrew (Creator)