WAVEN - Mobile Early Access
One of the high points of 2024 was the global launch of the mobile app. On July 2, the Google Play and App Store platforms welcomed the latest episode in the Krosmoz trilogy: WAVEN! With that major milestone behind us, we can now focus on the future, with version 1.0 in our crosshairs.
We have already announced that we no longer want to link the availability of the mobile version to that of version 1.0 of the game. Why? Quite simply because we still have a long way to go to get there. Several features and improvements are already in the works. We're using this early access to continue our work and new content while addressing existing aspects of the game that require our attention.
One recent and significant example is that we have been forced to update the entire game engine (Unity) following an announcement by Android to developers. The Mountain View company strongly recommended using a more recent version of Unity or risk having all future updates of the application be blocked. This requirement explains, in large part, why versions 0.19 and the upcoming 0.20 offer limited content. Our technical team has been focusing its efforts on this port. It is a colossal undertaking, one that is invisible to players and yet absolutely necessary.
Now, back to the main subject. The mobile release received a warm welcome. You've probably noticed increased community activity, either directly in the game or on discussion and mutual help platforms. Your engagement has been palpable and it makes us very proud. Thank you very much, all of you!
What's Next?
Upcoming Seasons
The Trool Fair has barely set up in WAVEN and we're already talking about the next adventures waiting for you in the Time Portal. Starting on September 24, play as the three members of the Brother Knights: Oblero, Ferrero and Baron Romero. The Chafers have discovered a way to invade the World of Twelve, and it's up to you to stop them from bringing their sinister, terrifying, deadly plans to fruition!
Then, starting October 22, the Vampyres will be causing havoc. Escape from the hold of the Vampyre World-Boat and send Ghouls and Vampyres scuttling back to their coffins. Wake up these blood suckers, poison their favorite beverage, and neutralize them once and for all!
And the Bulk of the Content?
You know us well enough to know that Ankama is cursed to not keep its promises when it comes to release dates (it's a curse or a nasty habit depending on your point of view). For that reason, the content we're going to announce won't have any precise dates.
Progression
Reworking progression isn't a feature as such, but an iterative underlying process that can spread over several updates. Rest assured, we don't intend to start over from scratch with the tutorial (not this time) because, overall, it fulfils its role well as the data we collect from new players shows. However, certain explanations and tooltips could be adjusted to make it easier for beginners to immediately understand the mechanic being presented the first time they read them.
This work improving legibility will also extend to descriptions of items, their effects, combinations, and characters, which will have an impact on the overall balance of the game. Our goal is to make WAVEN less frustrating to understand when it comes to theory crafting and building while also preserving the depth and identity of its elements. These reflections will apply to both the difficulty curve and overall progression.
Sacrier and Osamodas
Every day, we get an impressive amount of questions on the release of these two gods and their heroes. We know just how much travelers in the Krosmoz love the Sacrier and Osamodas classes, whether it's in DOFUS, WAKFU, or WAVEN. We're just as impatient to add them to the roster as you are to play them.
However, we've decided to delay their arrival until we've made solid progress on the game's progression and balancing (see above). We want to be certain that adding these new deities is done as smartly and smoothly as possible without compromising quality, the meta, or the gameplay experience.
We know that this delay may be disappointing but the decision is motivated by your determination to offer content that meets your expectations and we want to take as much time as needed rather than risk rushing the release.
Echoes of Past Seasons
As early as the first monster seasons, you had told us that you would like to see the season fights stay in the game. It would be a shame to deprive new castaways of fun and original content or prevent veteran players from going back to their favorite fights. We have not yet decided exactly what form that would take. Will there be rewards? Will we make these former fights competitive with a ladder? We're still thinking about these questions and more.
Guilds
This social feature, highly anticipated by the community, could very well be the content that will be added to the game first. Like they can in DOFUS and WAKFU, castaways in WAVEN will be able to band together in guilds for different activities, to unlock bonuses, or just chat with each other. The headquarters (HQ) of each guild will be a customizable hub from which they can set out on cooperative missions with their members or to face off against other guilds. It's the perfect opportunity to introduce two new competitive and seasonal game modes.
Boss Fights
Some of you might already know these under another name (Q4), but this game mode will be unique because it will be the first to offer content for four players. Some of you had the opportunity to test an early version during previous conventions, and we've already talked about this game mode in a livestream Q&A where it had already caught our attention… In our minds, we want to revitalize the PvPvE aspect of WAVEN by adding a pinch of exoticism inspired by roguelite mechanics. Four castaways will face off in a challenge in which only the best will survive. Start the session with a bag of kamas to distribute in your deck, face successive waves of monsters, summon allies to your territory that become enemies on your opponents' territories, and use rest turns to spend the kamas you earn at a kiosk to adjust your deck based on events on your board. Special waves will put your strategy to the test, and only the best will take home the win.
Story Mode – Book II: Chapter 1
Book I has been available in the game for more than one year now. During that time, players have been able to investigate the mysterious rift that appeared in Astrub from which Shushus are trying to invade the World of Twelve. While Evangelyne tried to uncover the secret of the floating entity in the middle of the island, you accompanied Percedal and Pin into the island's underground tunnels where a Shushu labyrinth had formed. During this adventure, you had to face off against the goddess Cra herself, under the thrall of the Shushus. Despite your efforts, she was carried off by an enigmatic demon. All efforts to save her failed. Your goal is now clear – you must protect the gods!
In Book II, you'll try to untangle a new intrigue, accompanied by Evangelyne and other… surprising… characters. As your investigation progresses, you'll find yourself involved in troubling business in the middle of the island nation of Brakmar. What horrible secret will you uncover this time? Just how far has the Shushu threat spread? And above all, will you be able to save the gods? Only time will tell.
Asynchronous Mode
This game mode is one of the pillars of WAVEN. We already discussed this last year. We intend to completely overhaul this facet of the game, which you were able to test in an old Alpha. We would like to keep the minions – those monsters you could recruit to your crew throughout your adventures on the monster islands – and their role while putting more of a focus on ships, which are currently purely cosmetic. Why not send your crew to sail the seas of the World of Twelve and explore uncharted territories? Maybe they'll come back with valuable resources, or perhaps they'll sink under the attack of another pirate ship? One thing is certain: We want to develop a new gameplay loop that is solid and has depth as part of an asynchronous mode.
Island Nations and Dungeon Detour Zones
We are aware that the island nations are not some of our castaways' favorite zones, and for good reason. All the same, the challenges offered there are both original and fun to overcome. The problem lies mainly in the lack of peddlers. When a coveted item shows up in an island nation's rotating loot, players often don't bother to farm it. In the best case, they may turn to another goal but often they end up dropping out. This isn't the type of experience that we want to encourage because we know just how frustrating the situation can be. This is why we're thinking about ways we can improve the island nations and dungeon detour zones, which are equally neglected.
Final Words
The entire WAVEN team hopes that this overview of our next (major) projects has reassured about the trust you've given us. Your support and feedback are essential to us, and we are extremely impatient to roll out these next stages of our adventure together with you. We are determined to offer a satisfying experience and continue to expand our universe with the same passion that has driven our team from the start. Once again, thank you!
The WAVEN Team