Hi folks!
Before we get to the news about the upcoming expansion, it's that special season again! Time for two brand-new community contests, starting today, 20/05/2023, and running all the way till 20/06/2023, which gives you a full month to showcase your creativity.
Community Contests - May/June 2023
Like our past contest, we'll have two separate competitions — one for the modders and one for YouTubers. Feel free to participate in either, or if you're up for it, both - double the fun, double the chance to win!
Erannorth Chronicles - May/June 2023 - Modding Contest
- Create a unique mod for Erannorth Chronicles.
- You're free to choose any category for your mod (archetypes, locations, events, NPCs, etc.), apart from Cosmetic mods - PC Portraits are not eligible.
- Upload your mod to the Steam Workshop before Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
- Post the workshop link in our #modding-contest Discord channel.
- Small Prints:
- The mod must be created specifically for this contest and uploaded to the Steam Workshop between 20 May 2023 and 20 June 2023.
- Only one participation per person. If you submit multiple entries, kindly specify which one is your final contest entry.
Erannorth Chronicles - May/June 2023 - YouTube Contest
- Create an engaging video about Erannorth Chronicles. This could be a tutorial, strategy guide, tips, playthrough, etc. - as long as it revolves around Erannorth.
- Upload your video to YouTube before Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
- Share the link to your video in our #erannorth-videos Discord channel.
- Small Prints:
- The video must be crafted specifically for this contest and uploaded on YouTube between 20 May 2023 and 20 June 2023.
- Only one participation per person. If you submit multiple videos, please specify a playlist to count as your entry.
How to Win
After the contests end, our community will vote for their favorite entries. The number of subscribers to your mod or likes on your video won't affect the outcome. The power is with our Steam community - it's all up to you.
I'll provide more details on voting closer to the end of the contest.
Prizes
- 1st spot: 5x Steam keys of your choice from my following products: Erannorth Chronicles, Ancient Ruins, Relics and Armaments, Guilds and Secret Societies, Untold Tales and Legends or early access to the upcoming DLC5: Exalted heroes.
- 2nd-3rd spot: 2x Steam keys of your choice from my following products: Erannorth Chronicles, Ancient Ruins, Relics and Armaments, Guilds and Secret Societies, Untold Tales and Legends or early access to the upcoming DLC5: Exalted heroes.
- You can request multiple keys for the same product, in case you wish to gift them to friends.
- All 3 top winners of the Modding Contest will receive the honorary title of 'Modder' in our Discord community (if they don't have it).
- All 3 top winners of the YouTube Contest will receive the honorary title of 'Influencer' in our Discord community (if they don't already have it).
I'm really looking forward to seeing what you all come up with. Don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries or need any support.
Let the games begin!
Exalted Heroes
The upcoming expansion has now an official name "Exalted Heroes" and is packed with new additions that are sure to elevate your mid to high levels experience to new heights! if everything goes smoothly, I'm targeting a mid-to-late summer release. But as the saying goes, it'll be ready when it's ready ;)
New NPCs and narrative-driven quests.
The "Exalted Heroes" expansion will pick up where "Untold Tales and Legends" left off, adding a generous helping of narrative events and characters. These new additions are designed to further immerse you into the rich lore of Erannorth Chronicles and present fresh challenges to put your skills to the test.
What does this mean for you as a player? Firstly, if you didn't find the storytelling in "Untold Tales and Legends" appealing, it's quite likely that this expansion might not be to your taste - feel free to give it a pass. Secondly, while "Untold Tales and Legends" isn't a prerequisite for this expansion, it is highly recommended. The NPC in "Untold Tales and Legends" are designed for the earlier levels, whereas the NPC in this expansion cater to the mid and higher levels of the game.
New Enemies & Enemy tactics
Of course that's not all. There will be new enemies and unique tactics for them consistently with all the previous expansions for an additional layer of challenge to keep you on your toes.
New Perks
Hundreds of new 'exalted' perks will allow your characters to tap into greater depths of power. It's been a lot of fun developing these perks, and I can't wait for you to try them out.
Weather effects
On top of all this, I'm integrating weather-based bonuses and maluses for all species. I've always found the idea of the weather affecting gameplay intriguing, and I hope you'll enjoy this new aspect of decision making in your adventures.
New cards
Finally, I'm busy fleshing out new cards and rewards. Every choice and every victory in Erannorth Chronicles should feel meaningful, and every town a unique place to be. I hope that these additions will only amplify that sentiment.
Final thoughts
Each step of creating this expansion, "Exalted Heroes", has been a labor of love. The goal? To propel the Erannorth Chronicles experience to new frontiers - an adventure that's truly one for the books!
But remember, this expansion is a delightful extra, not a necessity. Think of it as a bonus journey you can choose to embark on in the vibrant world of Erannorth Chronicles. If the narrative and characters of "Untold Tales and Legends" didn't resonate with you, you might prefer to continue exploring the core game.
You may be curious why I keep making the point that these expansions are optional content. It's because as a developer, the "DLC backlash" I see daily on Steam can be a disheartening experience; especially when in 90% of the instances are - in my humble assessment - undeserved. We pour countless hours, creativity, and technical expertise into crafting these additional experiences to enhance the core game, often aiming to offer new adventures and more value to players. It can be disappointing when our efforts are met with negativity, especially when the intention behind DLCs is to enrich the game's world, not to withhold content. Content doesn't come out of rabbit hats, yet we all want to play the game today and not in four or six years time. It's always easy judging other professionals without walking with their shoes. But let me tell you, this kind of response can often discourage innovation and dampen the creative spirit that drives us to push boundaries in game development. Nonetheless, we continue to strive to build and provide engaging content, hoping to satisfy as many players as possible while remaining true to our creative vision.
Let's not forget the powerful modding framework at your disposal, either. It's the very same tools that I've been using to craft this entire expansion. With them, you can create content that's uniquely suited to your tastes. It's the perfect way to tailor your own Erannorth adventure.
In the end, whether you dive into "Exalted Heroes" or chart your own path with mods, I hope your journey in Erannorth Chronicles continues to be an exciting one!
And, as always, I'm here to assist if you stumble into any hurdles in your gaming or modding endeavors.
See you in the world of Erannorth!