Hello everyone, it has been a quarter since the last development log. On behalf of our team, I would like to update you on our recent work.
First, we need to apologize: with only one and a half months left until the Spring Festival, we will not be able to deliver the complete demo of the official redeveloped version as promised by the 2026 Spring Festival. We sincerely apologize for this delay.
In the official version, we are focusing all our efforts on preserving and enhancing the core content of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), including key concepts such as Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment, Authentic Medicinal Materials, Adapting to the Times, Adapting to Local Conditions, and Yin-Yang Balance. Our goal is to ensure every design element in the game aligns with TCM logic.
Speaking of "Adapting to Local Conditions," our first step was revamping the exploration system. Instead of randomly generating exploration maps (as in the original version), we plan to create a clear Ming Dynasty-themed map for the exploration module, referring to the Ming Dynasty’s courier routes [1] and administrative prefectures [2]. During exploration, the "prefecture and town grids" are fixed—when the exploration team reaches a prefecture or town grid, they can enter the corresponding administrative prefecture. Other grids retain the functional roles from the original version, but their types will be randomly updated every quarter to preserve the element of random fun in exploration. Additionally, the official version removes the restriction of only allowing one exploration team at a time: as long as you can afford the transportation rental fees and labor costs, you can dispatch multiple teams to explore simultaneously. Two major functions—assigned tasks and business plans—have also been integrated into the exploration gameplay.
The game’s turn system is being adjusted from three turns per month (early, middle, and late months) to 24 turns corresponding to the 24 solar terms. Solar terms have a closer connection to TCM, allowing us to set the probability of epidemic outbreaks in each town based on the current solar term.
Thanks to the new geographic system, a large number of medicinal materials previously sold uniformly in the market will now be sold in different towns based on their status as Authentic Medicinal Materials [3][4]. The herb garden module in each town will also be simplified: instead of frequent sowing and harvesting, each town will have multiple herb gardens that specialize in producing Authentic Medicinal Materials. By purchasing the land and paying labor costs each turn, players can receive a stable supply of these medicinal materials to their warehouses at regular intervals. Moreover, the herb gardens in each town can switch between a limited range of Authentic Medicinal Materials.
Rival medical schools will no longer be just a set of cold data—they will now have their own distribution of medical clinics on the map. In fact, our programmers just delivered the "Medical Clinic Map Editor" to the planning team today; this tool is used to map rival clinics and mark land parcels in other towns where players can purchase and open their own branch clinics. If you wish, you can open branches in towns with rival clinics to compete, encroach on their market share, and eventually force them out of business. The total number of patients per turn is fixed, determined by the town’s population size and health level. If your reputation far surpasses that of your rivals, they will be driven out due to poor operation. Since the number of patients per turn in each town does not grow indefinitely, there is no need for blind clinic expansion. Thus, we have decided to reduce clinic scale: players can operate multiple branches, but each branch will not need to be as large as those in the Early Access (EA) version.
Finally, let’s discuss the most complex TCM module: Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment. We are referencing various books on TCM quantification, such as the concepts of "syndrome elements" (the core basic unit of TCM syndrome differentiation) [5] and "prescription elements" (common components of prescription formulation and compatibility) [6]. Our goal is to effectively simulate the TCM model of Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment using computer programs—only then can we develop basic, meaningful mini-games and gameplay mechanics that align with TCM concepts. However, this work is extremely challenging. To connect concepts like [Symptoms - Syndromes - Treatment Methods (Herbs - Prescriptions/Acupoints - Physical Therapy)], I have built 11 interconnected data configuration tables. We have selected 425 syndromes as referenced in the WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Chinese Medicine [7], which ensures accuracy during translation and localization. That said, populating and verifying these 425 syndromes still requires significant time. Additionally, we will reselect approximately 120 types of medicinal materials for the official version, prioritizing those that are easier to formulate into prescriptions or more commonly used in TCM practice. All these tasks involve enormous workloads, so we ask for your patience and request that you give us more time.
"Diagnosing Internal Conditions Through External Manifestations" is the core principle of TCM diagnosis. Modern research has integrated it with the cybernetic black-box method and systems engineering principles: the human body is like a "black box," and we can infer internal problems through external symptoms—a process that lies at the heart of TCM.
Personally, I view TCM as a "human-driven large model." The only difference is that AIGC is trained using chip computing power, while TCM is refined through the wisdom of hundreds of generations of TCM practitioners. Although TCM may have limitations such as underfitting, overfitting, and low interpretability, its practicality and empirical value are equally worthy of recognition. I hope to incorporate the simple yet noble TCM values—such as the sincerity of great physicians, naturalism, and humanism—into our game.
If we had to summarize our current work in four characters again, it would still be "Diagnosing Internal Conditions Through External Manifestations": we "observe" the external aspects of TCM and reflect on how to internalize them into an engaging game.
Additionally, our team remains fully committed. We are now working to maintain cash flow (e.g., by taking on ancient-style art outsourcing) to keep the team viable, with the ultimate goal of completing this game. If you encounter any issues while playing the currently released EA version, please feel free to submit feedback—we will resolve them as soon as we receive your reports.
References
[1] Grossner K. Ming Dynasty Courier Routes and Stops [EB/OL]. Harvard University: China Historical Geographic Information System (CHGIS). https://chgis.fas.harvard.edu/maps/grossner/
[2] Anonymous (Ming Dynasty). Daming Yudi Tu (Map of the Ming Dynasty) [G]. Colored manuscript, Jiajing Reign of the Ming Dynasty (1547–1559). Held in the Library of Congress, USA. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002626776/
[3] Hu Shilin, Chi Qun, Zhao Zhongzhen, et al. Chinese Authentic Medicinal Materials [M]. Beijing: China Medical Science Press, 1998.
[4] Hu Shilin. Color Illustrated Handbook of Chinese Authentic Medicinal Materials [M]. Jinan: Shandong Science and Technology Press, 1998.
[5] Zhu Wenfeng. The Science of Syndrome Element Differentiation [M]. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House, 2008.
[6] Li Yuhang, Zheng Fengjie. The Principle and Practice of "Prescription-Syndrome Element Correspondence" in TCM Formulation [M]. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House, 2024.
[7] World Health Organization (WHO). WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Chinese Medicine [M]. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2022. ISBN 978-92-4-004232-2. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240042322