April Development Update - Overgrowth Idol, Traits, and Forest Areas

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Status Report

April's development progress has been steady. Part of the month has gone into developing the second Idol form that will be available in the playtest - a nature-element Idol named Overgrowth. Alongside a new upgrade system, and visual improvements to the levels, Aetherdale is closer than ever to feeling like a fully fledged game.

In this update:
  1. Overgrowth Idol Form
  2. Forest Areas
  3. Trait System
  4. Other Improvements
  5. Timeline Overview

Overgrowth Idol Form

Overgrowth is rampant vines incarnate. She is a damage-oriented Idol, meant to maintain a consistent damage output on foes as opposed to Shade's "bursty" style of damage-dealing.



    Overgrowth's abilities are as follows:
  • Furious Lash - Overgrowth unleashes an upward slash in a long line in front of her. Enemies hit by Furious Lash are knocked into the air.
  • Ensnaring Rush - Overgrowth sends a grappling vine where the player is aiming. If it hits an object, Overgrowth is pulled towards that object. If it hit's an enemy, the enemy is additionally pulled towards Overgrowth.
  • Dominion of Vines - summons 2 Lashing Vines near overgrowth. These will rapidly attack nearby enemies, but can be killed themselves.
These abilities might be tweaked for more synergy over time.

Additionally, Overgrowth represents a new benchmark for my animation implementation. While most creatures play a full-body attack animation when they attack, Overgrowth will continue to run while attacking if she is moving. I intend to expand this functionality to more characters now that it's created. Fortunately Shade doesn't have legs so it isn't a concern with him.


Forest Areas

My blockouts for the 2 other forest themed areas I have planned for now have been improved, representing the next step in Aetherdale's level design evolution.

The second forest area in Aetherdale is the Forest of Titans - a series of giant tree stumps that have been repurposed by the denizens of the forest. Primitive bridges connect the platforms, and a fungal shortcut can be used to cross them more efficiently, for those agile enough to do so.

Forest of Titans



Forgotten Ruin is the third forest area, and potentially the last one for the playtest. This isolated ruin was the site of many ancient rituals. Nowadays it is inhabited by various hostile forest-dwellers. The blocky, floating objects will eventually be pillars that can be activated for temporary effects within the circle in the middle of the map. The intent of this level is to create a chaotic, fast paced battle in the middle of the map.

Forgotten Ruin


Trait System

Any Roguelite needs a good in-run progression system. Aetherdale's in-run progression will be derived from the Trait System. Each time you enter a new area, you can select one of three random traits. Once a trait is acquired, it affects both your wraith and your Idol forms, so selections that work with both are essential.

As of now, the following 10 traits are implemented:
  1. Fortitude: adds a percent max health
  2. Haste: adds a percent movespeed
  3. Ferocity: increases attack damage
  4. Attunement: increases ability damage
  5. Mastery: reduces ability cooldowns
  6. Agility: increases attack speed
  7. “Strike” upgrades: add percent elemental damage on top of base attack damage. Only one can be possessed at a time. If a new element’s upgrade is acquired, stacks are converted to the new element:
    1. Light Strike
    2. Dark Strike
    3. Fire Strike
    4. Water Strike
    5. Nature Strike
    6. Storm Strike
  8. Obliterate: adds percent damage to enemies you haven’t damaged
  9. Shapeshifter: percent idol charge rate. Stacks.
  10. Rampage: kills grant a stack of Rampage that lasts a short while. Rampage increases damage dealt. Stacks, increasing damage boost.

I would like to add at least another 10 before the first official playtest.


Other Accomplishments

The prototype for a water-element crab enemy has been implemented. The Archer Crab will barrage unwary players with jets of imbued water, and flee when opponents get too close.



Timeline Overview

I've made reasonable progress towards the goals outlined in March's update - adding sound is the main one I haven't touched yet. I think it will require some focus to acquire all the sounds I need, so I'll likely spend a few days in May doing that.

One thing I've realized needs to be a bigger priority is boss fights. I have one boss fight that is worked into the game right now - the Rogue Wraith Guardian. But one is not enough - I want at least 2 more boss fights for the playtest.

The extra/optional goals remain mostly the same:

  1. Player account level, and permanent upgrades unlocked by increasing it
  2. More enemies (no such thing as too many common enemies)
  3. UI improvements
  4. Improving animations

 Aetherdale's playtest is now on Steam - please contact me on Discord if you would like a game key. You can join the Aetherdale discord here.


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