It's been a while since we last mentioned what we're working on to improve Rise. Though it is hard to bring everything up in a list, its at least worth a try to showcase to you guys our next steps in development.
Because we got entangled in multiplayer stability, our timeline is currently compromised in accuracy, though it is being followed, and many concepts not present there which we'll list here show the commitment of our team.
One of the many things you'll notice when you play Rise is that Visigoth units look different than the rest. Our initial plan when developing the game was to have different traces and artstyles for units of different cultures, to better explore the idea of alienating warriors who see themselves different from others of different tribes. We scrapped the idea due to budget concerns, but it is still present with the initial four Visigothic soldiers, the Captain, Bowman, Spearman and Horseman (the Bow Rider and Infantryman were later on done by our present artist).
To adapt the Visigoths back to our new vision of attempting to showcase different tribes by attire and general looks rather than artistry, our idea is to redesign the four back to the traces of the other units. The first in the list is the Horseman.
All animations were kept as close as they are today
In order, after we are finished animating the new texture, the Captain, Bowman and Spearman will follow, thus fully standarizing the units' graphics in-game.
Next, we have item quality finally being impactful in the game. Numbercrunching is essential to make better quality items worthwhile, but not overpriced, since it is going to be included together with the market mechanics. You'll be able to sell your loot, buy better weapons/armor and in the future, trade supplies such as healing items to speed up your units' recovery, food, alcohol and other items to improve your warband. Finally, we hear your common complaints about black outlines in a dark UI, and to fix this, we're providing support for white outlines in several items; it won't 100% fix the problems, but can alleviate it somehow.
Comparison in-game pending
Suebians are still under development, currently in animation phase. There's a great surprise for players coming, because the tribe meshes perfectly with a new mechanic we're developing. It's not unknown for cavalry to use charging attacks, and this function has been held in Rise until we could properly animate them. This is almost complete; after it is implemented, several units will be able to sprint or gallop at least half the distance of their maximum movement to deliver a more impactful strike at an enemy. Cavalry units, additionally, will be able to "ride by", galloping and striking while moving away of harm's way, reducing somewhat their offensive potential but making for great hit-and-run tactics, something light cavalry will highly benefit from.
Flashiness and brutality in combat are some of Suebians' qualities in warfare
Also in the works, we are aiming to have both Suebian and Frankish village maps done before the new tribe comes. This will add the map count to five, which can add a lot of variety for gameplay strategies. There are several surprises for each map which you'll enjoy.
And to close this news report, it is very nice for us as developers to see the community joining together to play our game. A special thanks to the players who enjoy and want to see more from our title.