Hello, friends!
It's been a while since our last update, and as the new year begins, we've decided to bring you a gift: lots of exciting news! So, it's the perfect time to sum up the past year and share our plans for Plague Lords in the upcoming year!
Results of the year for Plague Lords
As many of you know, last year, we released the demo version of Plague Lords. It brought us a lot of new feedback and attention, which is especially rewarding. Feedback is crucial in game development – until you directly encounter players' opinions, you don't know if your ideas are truly working or not. Judging by your reactions, it seems like we're on the right track!
However, we've also taken note of constructive criticism: the combat system, interfaces, inventory, and other game elements have undergone significant rework! And that's not to mention the addition of new features!
And now, for the exciting part! When can you experience all these improvements for yourselves? And what does the future hold for Plague Lords in the upcoming year?
Plans for 2024
Plague Lords Prologue
In the spring, we will release the free Plague Lords Witch Hunt prologue. Soon, you'll be able to see the revamped mechanics and new features, which we'll discuss a bit further in this devlog. Currently, we're making the final adjustments and refining the game, but most importantly, a separate epic awaits us with the game's localization.
Community Building
Finally, before the prologue release, we are launching DISCORD server and Twitter for Plague Lords, where you can connect with each other, interact with developers, participate in closed playtests, and receive exclusive news. Join the community!
Plague Lords Release
We continue our work on the main version of the game, which we plan to release this year. Many features developed for the prologue will be included in the main game, but we also have several surprises in store for you. Get ready for dark adventures in lands plagued by the epidemic!
It's challenging to provide a specific release date, but let's aim for the middle of next year. There might be some adjustments to the schedule, and we'll keep you informed if anything changes!
Now, let's delve into the details of the changes made over the past year!
No more teasers! Let's get into the specifics.
We carefully examined your feedback and implemented numerous improvements to the game. New mechanics and aspects have been added to make the game more user-friendly, and the mechanics are now more transparent and understandable. Much has been done to diversify the gameplay.
Tactical Combat
Many reviews touched upon the simplicity of the game's combat system, so we decided to enrich it with new mechanics.
Introducing tactical combat! Our main goal in developing tactical combat is to provide players with more control over the outcome of battles and emphasize the importance of diverse skills, equipment combinations, and the influence of defensive structures.
In tactical combat, the game camera zooms in on the battle tile, allowing you to control each unit in the squad. Battles unfold step by step, with each character in your group attacking an individual opponent. This way, you can plan each move and make the most efficient use of your resources.
The group in tactical combat forms two lines: the front line is for melee fighters capable of withstanding more damage, while the back line is for archers and workers. Additionally, you have the opportunity to move fighters between the lines during the battle. This organization reduces damage to vulnerable characters and ensures the maximum efficiency of your strategy.
Tactical combat is not just a part of the game; it's an opportunity to immerse yourself in a strategic world where your intellect and tactical acumen become your main allies. Be prepared for challenges, and let the strongest prevail!
Character Abilities
In tactical combat, characters can use special abilities. With different combinations of skills and equipped weapons, characters have access to various abilities. Here are some of them:
Finish Off: Available to Archers and Hunters armed with a bow. It's a special attack that, if it finishes off an enemy, triggers another attack and can continue up to five times.
Point-Blank Shot: Available to Crossbowmen armed with a crossbow, inflicting double damage. To use this ability, the crossbowman needs to move to the front row, exposing themselves to enemy attacks.
Raid: Available to Swordsmen armed with a shield and sword, this attack targets three random enemies in the midst of battle without receiving counter damage.
Many abilities require a character to have high morale. Morale can be boosted by consuming delicious food, completing quests, skill progressing, and, of course, drinking – because what mercenary doesn't enjoy a good drink?
Commander Interface
To engage in tactical combat, a squad needs a captain with leadership skills equipped with a special item horn or banner.
An active commander receives a special interface displaying the level of their leadership – a skill that affects the maximum size of the squad under their command.
Separate Inventory Window for the Group with Characters
We've added a new convenient window where you can easily view your group's inventory, monitor the status of each member, and get detailed information about characters, including equipped items. Distributing equipment within the group has become much easier now.
Updated Tutorial
We have revamped the tutorial in Plague Lords, providing a detailed introduction to every aspect of the game. These changes aim to make your initial steps in the game more enjoyable and understandable.
Now, the tutorial consists of panels with detailed explanations of each aspect of the game. We've also placed them all in a separate menu so that you can revisit them at any time.
Expanded Tile Information
We've added popup menus displaying information about the tile and the structure or resource on it. Now you can learn all this by simply hovering over the tile.
Revamped Squad Merging/Trading System
We have completely overhauled the mechanics of interaction between squads, providing you with a convenient and informative menu where you can easily move characters, merge squads, and create new ones.
A special menu provides all the necessary information for merging and trading between squads, making the process intuitive and convenient. Easily move items with a single click or use special buttons for quick trading of items of a specified type. The menu also simplifies the creation and merging of squads: just move the party members in the direction you want.
Hunting
Now, wildlife appears on the map that you can hunt. However, be careful: you'll only have one chance to shoot the game, as any movement of the squad will scare off the animals.
If you don't want to scare off the animals, include scout hunters in your squad; their radar ability allows them to spot game from a distance.
Localization
At the moment, we plan to add localization for 11 languages: English, Russian, Spanish, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Polish, Turkish, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese. The number of languages may decrease by the release, so don't consider this a firm commitment; it's just a small teaser!
And many other small changes, such as these:
- Squad splitting with Shift
- Expanded pop-up menus on enemies with defense, attack, and possible actions indicators
- Links, hiding the event log in the lower-left corner
- Reworked calculations in combat
In conclusion, we thank you, our players, for your support. We are doing everything we can so that you can immerse yourself in the adventure in lands plagued by the epidemic!