Hello all,
We’ve been up to our necks into the development of Edge of Eternity. It is about time we share with you a bit of the good things we’ve been working on, lately.
First of all, what we have here is a...
A new Logo!
The previous logo was good for what it was, but it was still a bit far from the epic scope of a project like “Edge of Eternity.” As time went by and as the game began to evolve, we felt that our logo should be a little more fleshed out.
So Manon Sam has been working tirelessly to produce something that would be representative of the game, its story and its concepts.
Nifty! What’s the story behind this one, I wonder.
Now, for a bit of lore! (And screenshots! Most of all, screenshots.)
The Importance of Home in Heryon
The Crystals are Home to the Gods
The Sanctorium is Home to the Crystals
As you walk the threshold, bow down
For who is without reverence
Deserves no Shelter
Home is a central concept on Heryon. In the same way the Crystals are sacred to the people because they are Home to the Gods, the traditional household is sacred because it is the shelter of the faithful. Home is not merely a dwelling for its owners to live in, it is also an item of considerable spiritual importance: it is a place of living as well as a place of everyday worship.
Most people are associated with a household. Those without a home to claim as their own are shunned at best, hated at most.
Burning one's home down is a grave offense. In times of war, even the cruelest warlords abstain from committing such a deed - not only because they fear divine punishment, but also because they know it would tarnish their name - honour being one of the few values most tyrants still hold dear.
Those who commit the abject crime of house-burning are reviled, pursued and put to death - sometimes without trial - while those without a home - paupers, castoffs and orphans - are systematically viewed as second-class citizens.
(Some characters of the main cast are afflicted with that condition.)
People who have lost their home - either due to misfortune, fire or monsters attack - are considered to have lost the favour of the Gods. To be without a Home is both the sin and its punishment, for the Gods would not allow anyone but the sinful to be without shelter.
Occasionally, homeless people and children can be adopted by some households (often because they are distant family) where they must face a period of probation until they prove themselves as worthy members of their new community.
This custom has sometimes led to abuse, as homeless people are sometimes "welcomed" into a household only to serve as indentured servants, before being finally cast out a few days before the term of their probation.
This abuse, used only by most unscrupulous families, is somewhat frowned upon by the other "honest" households... but the larger part of the disgrace is mostly befalling the wounded party : the vagrant who has lost shelter, once again.
Each home has to elect a householder - often a parent, or in some case, the most successful heir of the family - before the house is officially "blessed" by a Sanctorium Priest: nobody dares to live in a Home that hasn't been blessed beforehand, lest they are considered sinners.
During the ceremony of blessing, the householder is bequeathed a House Seal, a sacred signet bearing a Crystal imprinted with the Soul of the Household it represents. The householder can use the House Seal for one use, and one use only...
... But that is a topic for another time.
Now, it is time for...
A Bit of Gameplay!
As you already know, the combat in Edge of Eternity will be turn-based. We felt that keeping the combat turn-based will allow the player to properly plan their strategies and come up with their own devious tactics to beat their enemies.
But we also felt that we could add another layer of strategy to the game by allowing the players (and their enemies) to exploit their environment.
The Nexus Grid
Combats in Edge of Eternity will take place on Nexus Grids. When it comes to combat, Nexus are represented by hexagons, one of the most potent sign of magical power on the world of Heryon.
Nexus represent a unity of terrain. They can contain basically anything: a group of enemies, heroes, hazards and even bonuses! On top of the already existing skills - traditional to most JRPGs: elemental spells, heals, etc. - each of the character of Edge of Eternity will possess their own unique set of skills that will address and exploit this Grid system.
One character just might lay out a minefield on a chosen Nexus while another - just biding it’s time for the right moment to jump into action - might savagely push, seize, throw or attract some enemies on that trapped Nexus.
Another case might be as follows: there is a green crystal on the center of the map, it radiates its pure-healing energy: anyone on the map, heroes or enemies, will be racing towards that Nexus and take advantage of this auto-regen open-bar. That’s precisely one of the cases where pushing, blocking or trapping your enemies may sound like a good strategy.
The idea behind this is to give the player new playthings, new possibilities.
Let’s consider this: you are suddenly facing an overwhelming foe and you’re quite outmatched. Most RPGs will basically force you to back off and grind until your characters are strong enough to beat that boss. Here, in Edge of Eternity, the game will allow you to pause, think and ask yourself: “Now, if I use this kind of strategy, wouldn’t I be able to still beat that foe, and get this awesome reward while still underleveled?”
The general answer is: yes.
The general idea is that we want you, the player, to have a genuine choice in how you tackle your challenge - and that everytime you triumph, you will owe it to no one but yourself.
You will be able to grind if you prefer to beat down the boss with sheer power, get back to the crafting station to craft and customize your weapons properly or - like in this case - get those brain juices flowing and beat those overwhelming odds.
Wow, did I say crafting? I did say crafting. But it’s too soon, it’s not for now. It’s for a next update.
Now, for something completely different. Let’s jump away from those technical specifics and meet...
The Pilitch
See that fluffy ball of feathers over there? This is a Pilitch.
Despite a plump and comical exterior which often makes people want to either hug or kick it, Pilitches are often left alone: it is common knowledge that a happy and peaceful Pilitch lays ten times more eggs than an unhappy one. At the end of the day, people often prefer a good omelet to a quick snuggle with a soft, but unwilling, pecking-like-mad gallinaceous.
Pilitches are fond of music; bards and singers are often hired by countryside farmers to play their entire repertoire in front of pens crowded with Pilitches: after a proper performance, their eggs are both plentiful and succulent.
For reasons unknown, though, Pilitches prefer songs about personal loss, existential anguish and impossible love. They cackle like there's no tomorrow when the final drama unfolds.
You can expect some pretty major announcements during the Gamescom next month! We will also be showcasing Edge of Eternity to the Press during the event. It will be a with a hands-on our latest content and features, so you can expect some juicy info and tidbits in the near future!
You can follow us on [url= https://www.facebook.com/EoeGame/]Facebook[/url] or Twitter if you fear to miss it, or even...
Join us on our Discord to discuss the game and your love of JRPGs, directly with us!
Stay tuned! We will come back after the holidays!
Midgar Studio