Everpixel Tactics Devlog: 9-26-21
Upcoming Feature: Traits
I've been surprised at some of the feedback regarding character creation. I will admit that as it is, character creation is quite randomized. Players have little control over many of the details of their avatar. Players have spoken and their feedback is that they want a lot more control. I'm going to make that happen in an upcoming update, but I first need to implement a planned feature into the game: character traits.
Before discussing traits, let's discuss some Everpixel Tactic's "philosophy" regarding character customization, squad setup, and the game's difficulty curve.
First and foremost, Everpixel Tactics encourages players to experiment with zany character builds. But it also requires that those characters can specialize into roles while still being a team player. The game will let you succeed with a a berserker pyroknight build just as much as it will a teleporting assassin - so long as those builds synergize well within their squad.
As has been noted by some feedback already, the difficulty curve can be quite punishing in the game. That is unlikely to change. I want players to be encouraged to try and make "overpowered" builds in the game in order to survive the difficult endgame of Everpixel Tactics. More importantly, I want players to get attached to certain rockstar mercenaries in their squad who help them overcome these difficult challenges. This aspect of the game is a page ripped directly out of the playbooks of games like XCom and Battle Brothers.
Finally, circling back to traits. As it is now, mercenaries spawn with a number of factors. The most important distinguishing feature is their race. But they also spawn with different talents and different backgrounds (which determine their skills.) To this list of spawned features I'm going to add "traits." These traits will be very similar to the traits you might find in Battle Brothers. Of course, because this is the irreverent world of Everpixel, these traits will be on a spectrum from the mundane to the fantastical.
For example, one of your characters may spawn with the "Corpulent" trait. Corpulent characters, for example, will have less stamina but more hit points (more cushioning, as it were.) Similarly, characters may spawn with a trait like "Pyromancy Virtuoso" which will grant them bonuses while casting pyromancy spells. Should a character spawn with that trait as well as "Pyromancy Prodigy", they may well become your squad's fiery God of War.
Your average mercenary will spawn with these traits being randomized (though I will eventually implement a feature that lets players change these traits - at a cost of course...) The exception, of course, will be for the player's avatar. The player will be free to pick up to 3 such traits at character creation for their avatar.
Finally, I will also take this opportunity to tease an upcoming feature: "Legendary" equipment. Legendary equipment is similar to legendary equipment in the Diablo series - it's powerful equipment that spawns with unique affixes present on no other equipment. It represents yet another way in which Everpixel Tactics will encourage players to experiment with character builds.
I plan on having most if not all of these features out the door in an update around late November. In the meantime, enjoy a preview of a Giant Killer Penguin that will be a part of that same update.
