It's time to get crack'in on the next update, InDev 15!
InDev 15's major focus will be the new influence system. In a nutshell, this update is all about finally adding the long awaited "God like" features to our little simulation. :)
Why only one planned feature? Well, it's pretty simple. I try to find a good balance of features to add from build to build, my main goal when I plan the next major update is to try to keep each update about a month apart. (InDev 14 broke the mold, taking two months!)
The Influence System may sound fairly simple to add on paper, it'll require a bunch of foundational code. I want to make sure I don't get locked into adding too much at once before I can get another stable build shipped out to you guys, and since the entire system seems pretty encapsulated (AKA: It shouldn't have much of a major effect on the rest of the game's code) it just seems ideal to focus on it alone, while doing my usual optimizing, bug fixes and working on fan-generated ideas and suggestions on the side as I go.
InDev 14 Road Map
Influence System
The major addition to InDev 15 will be the influence system. As currently planned, the influence system will be a new tab added to the work tab on the left hand side. When selected you'll have various "godly" influence command you can use to manipulate the environment. These abilities will not be unlimited though, you'll slowly gain influence points as you play based on how many villagers you have and how happy they are. The overall purpose of the system is to bring a little more "god like" elements into the simulation.
Some examples of what the influence system will be used for;
- Scare villagers and monsters.
- Resurrect ghosts and corpses.
- Zap a monster with a fire bolt or twelve.
- Regrow a small chunk of trees.
- Heal a group of villagers.
- Spawn in extra essence.