Yesterday, we updated the DEMO to version 200.
The update delivers a few things that were high on the request list, and takes the game one step closer to its release in Early Access! Let's through the major points:
- The 4 tutorial chapters are removed, since they were getting outdated. We'll bring back a proper tutorial a couple of weeks ahead of the EA launch, but for now we want to focus on the new mechanics and the new content.
- The Mulligan at the start of the campaign changed: we no longer preview stats of the characters, or their driving forces, and we no longer limit your choice to 10 characters generated at start. Now you can keep refreshing the pool as many times as you want, without affecting the characters already selected for the initial party! Full focus on what sort of a group of mages you want to get. As to their stats and preferences... like in life, people are different!
- We re-designed the first chapter of the campaign: it is a new map, with new challenges, and a few new opponents.
- The first chapter, "Into the Wild Lands...", starts with the search parties of Inquisition pursuing the mages. The good news: Inquisitors have problems navigating the forests, so you can use this biome to get confuse them.
- Together with Inquisition, we introduce a new biome: plains. You'll see more of this biome when you'll attempt to infiltrate the Empire later in the story, and then again when you'll try to cross the Deceiving Plains in the east on the way to the Distorted Lands.
- This update brings 2 different Inquisitors to the game: friendly axe-smashing Guides and merciless sword-wielding Liberators (who also possess artefacts that can set mages afire).
- You asked for more "wow" in encounters, and we deliver! This update brings a re-done animation of "RETREATED" outcome (we still are not happy with it, by the way, and will try to change it later this month) and a new animation of "BURNED" outcome (it's a different outcome since you get different loot). We didn't post a GIF here to save on bandwidth, so you'll need to run the demo to appreciate it! (the animation will get own sound effect in a couple of weeks, too).
- Even more importantly, this updates introduces the first spellcasting animations! It took us a while to conceptualise it, since these are connected with spell names, and spell results, but we think we nailed it. In this version, all three levels of Fire spells (Fist of Fire, Firefall and Wall of Fire) have their own custom animations (sound effects are coming in versions 201 or 202).
- The Spellbook design got a bit of a facelift, with a more clear indication of current essences used to upgrade it and larger buttons to switch between "Spellbook" (known spells) and "Cosmic knowledge" (new spells) sections:
- Character profiles received handy arrows that allow to switch between characters left and right once the profile is open; we forgot to hook up the keyboard arrows, though, so that part is coming later =).
- A new status for opposing parties: "Standing guard". Such parties typically protect a location, and will not move from it even when challenged. The icon for this status is a grey shield (see below).
- This update brings re-balanced attacks of all gigglers and shadows (smaller creatures now have additional one-turn simple actions):
- Finally, we changed the formulas for how parties are seeded across the map, and introduced mixed creature parties – so that opponents from different realms can cause you trouble acting as one team:
In addition to the points above, we've added new sound effects (you will hear special themes as you get closer to Anomaly and to Magic Node, among other improvements) and fixed a number of bugs – as well as introduce a few new ones ;-D.
Next week we're working on the second chapter ("First contact"), more animations, new creatures and a few new mechanics such as indication of pre-spawning (so that you'll know where to expect the new party of shadows to crawl out of the ground).
With a big THANK YOU to everyone who gives us feedback about the game here on Steam and on the game's Discord, yours as always –
Team Charlie Oscar
Vilnius, Lithuania