Hello everyone, and Happy New Year! It's been a little while, but I've been working hard on Wish Creatures! Let's go through the news for 0.7.1...
Area Updates
Here's the Lavafrost!
It existed in the game for a while but needed more substance, so it became a focus of this update! The Lavafrost is an imposing ice mountain west of Vern, a village in the north of Monstoria. Vern folktales claim the Lavafrost is actually the body of a giant Cold Dragon who saved Monstoria from an eruption of Fire-type Monsters long ago! I wonder if that's actually true...
New system: Offerings
When adventuring, you can come across Star Power-infused pieces of the Moon called "Debris." Use Debris to upgrade the power of your Monsters' battle actions! But what happens when your Monster turns into a Star and leaves for space?
You can still upgrade their Star Power if you work very hard!
Make an offering in the Cosmos menu. Depending on pair of Debris you select, you'll be able to enhance certain types of Star Powers. There are even unique Debris that upgrade corresponding battle acts... so get involved with your teambuilding! Remember that stronger Star Powers cost more Stardust to Wish for, so use your Debris wisely!
Screen Transitions
Since the last update, I took time to consider... time! Earlier builds of Wish Creatures had no screen transitions. Everything instantly appeared on-screen as soon as the game loaded assets as needed. It was a little too much information happening a little too fast. I decided to slow it down a little! The protagonist will open doors as they enter buildings, music will fade in and out smoothly between battle and adventure, and the battle transition animation is much smoother too. Check these changes out in the video below!
New Music
Check out two new pieces of exploration music! The first piece plays on Holo Highway and the second plays while exploring the Lavafrost.
Development Timeline
Thanks for sticking around!
I managed to get a part-time job so development has slowed a little. The past few months of work has laid a foundation to implement the story. Here's what's left...
Version 0.8.x
First pass story implementation! (this will take a little while)
Includes cutscene sequencing, special battle rules, new artwork, finalizing story music
Version 0.9.x
First pass story playtesting and feedback (narrative and bug reports)
Implement changes based on feedback
Make a release candidate build for all target platforms!
Add Steam-exclusive features (Achievements, maybe Steam Deck Verified)
Non-game engine work (at the same time as 0.9.x)
Soundtrack volume balancing for in-game use, prepare for release outside of the game
Final build upload to steam, upload soundtrack files to Bandcamp (and maybe streaming?)
Final trailer
Ramp up to release...
Then, release!?
It's a lot to do as a solo developer. That's ignoring the fact that I have a life outside of game development, too! Life has felt especially difficult lately. A number of major family health issues sucked a lot of time and energy away from me in the 2nd half of 2025. I want to spend more time with my family while I can.
I'd like to live some more... so for my own sake, I'll get this done as soon as I can. Without compromising much on the game's quality, of course.
Release Window
I've shifted the release date to TBA (to be announced). I fully believe I can release this year, but unlike previous years, I want to give myself the time and understanding it takes to finish a project like this. It started 4.5 years ago. I can go slow and steady if I need to. I will begin marketing in earnest once the game is in a releasable state. In the meantime, enjoy the new year!
forteXP