Development Update - February

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Aetherdale February Update


Status Report

Last month's update focused on the conversion of Aetherdale from an MMORPG to a Roguelite type of game. This process has required a significant amount of groundwork, and in some senses set my development timeline back. However, the results so far have been promising.

I've implemented quite a few new features since January, so let's dive in.

In this update:
  1. Scaling and game balance
  2. Sequences
  3. Gauntlet Mode
  4. Progress saving system
  5. Loadout system
  6. Wraith Weapon system
  7. Playtest


Scaling and Game Balance

Scaling is a critical component of any game. It determines how the players and enemies become stronger as the game progresses. 

    In order to create an engaging experience, Aetherdale needs various scaling formulas to come together in different ways. These include:
  • Enemy strength
  • Weapon strength
  • Idol strength
  • Innate player strength
  • Upgrade costs
  • Loot quantities and rarities

    All of these components contribute to the feel of the game, so being able to balance them efficiently is important to developing it in anything resembling a timely fashion. Aetherdale now has the mechanisms in place to quickly adjust these things, saving precious development time that would otherwise be wasted tweaking individual items/creatures.



Sequences

A "sequence" is the development name for a series of areas the player fights their way through. These areas are categorized into themed groups - as of the first demo version of Aetherdale, these will be as follows:
  • Forest - a great forest concealing dangerous secrets in its furthest reaches
  • Refinery - a mining facility created by a long-gone civilization

Each time you complete an area, the enemies you face become stronger in that sequence. Loot is accumulated from killing enemies in these areas, and given all at once at the end of a sequence.

    This feature is now fleshed out better, with a menu to select a sequence difficulty and depart located in the hub. If you should happen to die in a sequence, the rewards from the area you died in are sacrificed.



Gauntlet Mode

An optional way to enter a sequence is in Gauntlet Mode. Gauntlet mode is designed for those who wish to push their abilities to the limit - the difficulty will rise much more aggressively than in normal sequences, meaning death is all but guaranteed eventually. The rewards from this mode will rise aggressively too, but be warned - if you die in Gauntlet mode, you'll receive none of the rewards you've accumulated.

    Gauntlet is intended to be well worth its rewards, with future rewards being exclusive to this mode. It does, however, add an element of risk, so players heading into the Gauntlet should steel themselves for a fight.



Progress Saving System

This is about what you'd expect - player progress is now saved instead of created from scratch every time the game launches. This was a critical system to put in place before continuing development



Loadout System

What martial weapon do you, the Wraith, wield?
What Idol will you transform into to turn the tides of battle?
What trinket to you carry with you, and invoke to augment your abilities?
    
    These are the questions that must be asked before each sequence. The loadout menu changes these things, and your decision will last throughout the sequence. These decisions determine your abilities, and it's important to make selections that work with your playstyle, and your other selections, if you want to brave the dangers deep into a sequence.



Wraith Weapon System

The first component of the Loadout System to be implemented is the Wraith Weapon system. This allows the Wraith to equip a variety of different weapons. Use the battleaxe for heavy chops, use the sword for versatility, or use the greatsword for devastating slices




Additionally, weapons can be improved with the help of Bartham, the hub blacksmith. Bring Bartham crafting materials, and he can forge new weapons, and make your existing ones stronger.


Bartham



Playtest

I'm setting a deadline for myself, to produce a demo version of Aetherdale worthy of being playtested.

I still need to do the following:
  1. Add some polish to combat
  2. Add a couple more trinkets
  3. Improve inventory management
  4. Finish implementing Overgrowth
  5. Finish implementing Shade
  6. Add to player in-sequence progression (power-ups and such)
  7. Add random NPC encounters at random to sequences, creating optional additional challenges for additional rewards
  8. Add sounds
That said, I plan to have this all done by June of this year, and will do the first official playtest then. If you're interested in giving early feedback on the game, please join the Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p238XaQe

Thanks for reading!

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