We're back! What, already? Yes, we are!
We figured that we haven't taken enough time to prattle about Edge of Eternity's progress, so here we are!
First of all, a little glimpse on what we are working on right now:
1. The Derelict Temples
Remember how on the last update we rambled on and on about the Nexus Grid, this hexagonal map where battles will take place in Edge of Eternity?
Well, there is something more to that!
Some of your encounters in Edge of Eternity will take place in some strange ruins. There, the Nexus Grid will become even more important than in usual combat encounters - for these ruins will be full of strange devices, impediments and mortal dangers.
To survive these dangerous death-traps, you will have to use both your brains and brawn. Each of these special areas will pose a specific challenge that you will have to solve in order to progress...
... or to obtain some unique reward.
2. Traditional Weapons on Heryon
Edge of Eternity is a JRPG; of course weapons are a big deal! We want them customizable, we want them craftable, we want them full of unique effects and properties... and most of all, we want them AWESOME.
In this chapter we will take interest in their particular designs.
At the time of Edge of Eternity's events, the world of Heryon has been subject to many technological upheavals. Before the arrival of the dreaded Archelites, the Sanctorium was in the middle of a spectacular technological boom.
The people of Sanctorium had recently discovered how to manufacture tools capable of cutting magic crystals.
This was an unprecedented breakthrough. To perform magic and miracles, spell casters usually needed crystals to channel their powers. The problem was that natural crystals were often too big and too heavy for people to carry them around to practice their magic. Finding small natural crystals - small enough for a scrawny sorcerer to carry - was a very rare occurrence.
...Until the day the Sanctorium discovered how to cut and shape them.
When that feat happened, the world of Heryon went through an unprecedented technological leap. Sorcerers and practitioners of magic flourished, and researchers even began to experiment many things with magical equipment.
In particular, they discovered that they could socket weapons and outfit them with crystals to give them many magical properties. The implications of this discovery were ground-breaking and as a result, the Sanctorium sped up the extraction of crystals.
But there was a second, even more spectacular technological leap coming: the Archelites, and their own brand of mechanical technology.
For a few years after their arrival, the Archelites were - it seems - quite peaceful and benevolent, as they presented the people of Heryon with many technological gifts. It took them some years for to get acquainted with this new form of technology, but they ultimately adopted it.
When the war erupted between Heryon and the Archelites, people became wary of this new technology they came to rely on. They began to resent it and suspect it of carrying the source of the horrible blight that was plaguing Heryon : the Corrosion.
But the wheel of technological progress has gained too much momentum, and very few people were inclined to relinquish a progress they have grown accustomed to, even if it is a progress that might spell their ultimate doom.
But in the interim, before the rejection of Archelite's technology, many experiments were conducted on Heryon. Experiments aiming to combine Archelite technology and Heryon crystals.
Gameplay
So, we discussed earlier how people on Heryon could outfit their weapons with crystals to imbue them with many special effects. This is of course something the player will be able to do in the game.
Get weapons, customize them with crystals. Sounds logical enough.
Except there are rules to weapon customization: each weapon’s slot has its own properties, and each crystal has its own properties too.
In practice, it means that:
- A weapon slot dictates: the kind of bonus the wielder of the weapon will get if he insets it with a crystal. It could be stat enhancement of several kind or custom effects that influence the weapon's associated skill.
- A crystal dictates: the kind of spell or skill you can unlock if you put into a weapon slot, as well as some minor stat bonuses.
Another noteworthy rule is that you won't be able to fill up all the slots of your weapon - you will have to make choices at some point of the customization process. Each weapon's "Crystal Chart" branches into several possibilities. Thing is, when you come down a path, you lock some others.
As a consequence, it is impossible to "fill" a weapon up completely. You will have to make choices, and experiment with the many possibilities the weapon customization offers you. Will you keep this awesome crystal for the next weapon you might dig up later? Is this weapon *the one*, the one that will accompany you for the first half of the game? Should you try *this* combo instead of *that* one?
Choices.
Choices, choices, choices... *CHOICES*!
(Don't fear, though, as this system is built in such a way that you will be able to experiment to your heart’s content without the fear of "botching" it.)
Gamescom
The Gamescom is coming soon!
This will be special, as we will be showcasing the game in its latest version. Many journalists will able to indulge into much deserved Currywurst-induced beta-testing sessions, under our own weary, anxious eyes.
... And of course they will provide us with valuable feedback that will allow us to polish Edge of Eternity further and further.
Sad news is that we will be in the business area, mostly. So most of you guys won't be able to play it yet - well unless you successfully sneak into the business area.
One can hope, though, that some previews will bloom on the internet after the fair. We sure hope they will!
So, this is now the time for us not to drop the mic, but to put it gently back on the stand where it belongs (these things aren't cheap), to get back to work and to make customary strange grunting noises as we trudge through the many tasks left on Edge of Eternity's Trello.
We are glad we were able to share this update with you!
The major thingies we have teased in the previous update are still on the way, and we can't wait to be able to announce them properly!
Don't forget to wishlist us on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/269190/Edge_Of_Eternity/
And you can follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EoeGame/ or Twitter https://twitter.com/eoegame or even... Join us on our Discord to discuss the game and your love of JRPGs, directly with us! https://discord.gg/uXkp3rv
We hope you have found this update interesting and thank you for reading it!
Midgar Studio