Hey everyone! I’m Andrew, one of two Andrews working on Elixir Emporium, a crafting-focused RPG where you play as a traveling alchemist with some unique abilities. Today, I’m excited to share what we’ve been building.
You can also see a video version of this devlog here:
But if you, like me, prefer a good blog post… read on!
The Core: Infinite Alchemy
At the heart of Elixir Emporium is our innovative alchemy system. As an alchemist, you can combine any two items in the game to create something entirely new. And when we say “any two items,” we mean it. Want to make a potion with a piece of amber and a bee? Go for it. The game will generate brand new item data on the fly, complete with an image, description, effects, and more.
What makes this system special is that it’s both random and deterministic. The first time you combine two items, you’re discovering a brand new recipe that’s different every time you play. But once discovered, that recipe becomes permanent in your world — and documented in your notebook for your reference. Every playthrough offers new discoveries as recipes are generated differently, making each adventure unique and reactive to how you play.
From 2D to 3D: Growing with Player Feedback
Fun fact: Elixir Emporium started as a 2D demo focused solely on the alchemy system. During our playtest weekend, players loved the crafting but wanted more — they wanted to explore, to forage, to discover, and to do more things with the unique items they’ve created. So we expanded, building an entire 3D world filled with materials, tools, equipment, and consumables waiting to be discovered and combined.
You can still play the 2D demo in your browser on Itch.io — just click here.
Beyond Basic Crafting: Tools and World Interaction
Every tool in the game can interact with any object in the world. Use an axe on a tree? You’ll probably get some logs. But what about using a frost-enchanted fishing rod on that tree? You’ll get something different — perhaps you’ll grab some chilled leaves. The first time you use any tool on any object, you’re researching a brand new interaction, which then becomes consistent throughout your playthrough.
This system extends beyond obvious gathering spots. The ground, broken boats, furniture — everything is interactive. Right-click any surface or object and you can use your tools to harvest more resources in unique ways, each generating new materials and possibilities.
Closing the Loop: NPCs and Quests
But what do you do with all these crafted items? Enter our dynamic quest system. The town is home to various NPCs, each with their own profession, personality, and problems. Instead of traditional fetch quests, NPCs use AI to generate open-ended problems that you can solve in multiple ways.
For example, if a blacksmith complains about their forge burning too hot, you could solve it with a fire resistance potion, enchanted leather gloves, or any creative solution you craft — and how they respond is based on the solution (or non-solution!) you choose. These quests often chain together based on your solutions, creating organic storylines that evolve throughout your playthrough.
Skills and Systems in Development
It’s still very early, but we’re building out several skill systems to give players new ways to acquire new items, including:
- Alchemy (our core crafting system)
- Smithing
- Herblore
- Mining
- Woodcutting
- Farming
- Fishing
While combat isn’t implemented yet, we’re thinking carefully about how to make it unique and integrate it meaningfully with our crafting systems.
Looking Ahead
There’s still plenty to develop, but we’re excited about where Elixir Emporium is heading. We’re drawing inspiration from classics like RuneScape and Skyrim while creating something uniquely our own. The magic of combining items and discovering new recipes, the freedom to solve problems creatively, and the joy of exploration — these are the core experiences we’re building toward.
A playable demo is coming soon, and we’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. If Elixir Emporium interests you, please wishlist it on Steam and join our little community on Discord.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue development. We’ll be sharing more about our AI-driven NPC system, combat mechanics, and other features in future devlogs.
See you in the next update!