Game Introduction
This uses a conversation with the System to introduces the game’s premise and basic elements. It’s skippable, so you can get straight to character creation.
I want to make the information available in-game as well, but we’ll see.
Character Creation
This allows you to select a starting path, a starting mana investiture into that path, and a starting profession. These choices aren’t exclusive; you’ll later be able to unlock and progress all of them.
Note that I didn’t want character creation to present you with an overwhelming number of choices, for which a new player would have no context. I also didn’t want a rigid class system; I’d rather allow opportunity cost to determine limits: you won’t be able to max everything, but you should also be able to find many effective combinations (including those I didn’t think of).
I may add other choices, such as starter gear.
Here you can see what the current character creation framework looks like:
Scenario System
The game is now a series of scenarios in a campaign. Completing a scenario detaches the System scavenger base from the current world sector, and attaches it to another, while preserving all base and member progression (including the player’s).
The process relocates any base members not on base back to the core room, and evicts any monsters on base. The spatial jump takes one turn, and disorients all base members (including the player). You get a dialog showing stats from the completed scenario, and information on the next. Finishing the campaign also provides a final stat sheet.
I want to construct a balanced progression of scenarios, from easy to near-impossible, and if I have a permanent demo, it will likely be the first scenario. I’m also considering whether or not to have a high-score list in the main menu, but at a minimum, I want the game to autosave a victory so you can always re-load it and look at the stats.
Ideally, I’d have scenario choices and branching paths, but that’s probably too much. Each scenario will be a hand-built, customized world, with its own biomes, themes, and monsters, and we’ll see how many of those I can make. :)
Another possibility I’m considering is allowing the base members to influence in some way when to leave (such as a vote), so that scenario completion isn’t sudden, and allows you to continue to exploit a scenario’s resources before heading on, but we’ll see. I’d want some kind of downside to that (future scenarios get harder, for instance, or your reward for scenario completion will be lessened).
Victory Conditions
To complete a scenario, the base must collectively complete various quests. These can range from conquering X spawners, acquiring X number of Y resource, and so forth. I’d also like to add optional quests, with quest rewards. (Again, these would be collective, not individual.)
Quest progress is displayed in a quest log.
The current loss condition is the destruction of the System Pylon turret in the base core. This ends the scenario, but not the campaign (unless it’s the last scenario). I’m considering, however, whether it should be a complete loss.
Since the player and all NPCs can teleport straight to the pylon from nearly anywhere, and the turret itself is a powerful weapon, it shouldn’t be easy to lose.
World Interface Layout
Base projects and current quests are now on the left panel, and the incoming log, zone log, base log, and world log are on the right panel. The targeting panel layout should be improved, including warnings for being attacked and being damaged.
I also updated the teaser video and screenshots on the main store page.