This post will be focused on detailing exactly the current state of the game overall. And the direction for the coming months.
Asteria Crowns Of Lawlessness - Review Of Overall Progress
A bulk of the game's original planned look and feel has been created and implemented since first laid down over 2 years ago as an initial concept. Time was spent to design, think on and improve upon while acquiring necessary assets in that time.
This year I would like to make a year where I push to create and complete this project moreso. So as an introduction to where we are in development and as to what to expect next, I've provided this post.
Between January 1st. - March 31st - organization & re-attachment to this project was my focus, These are the major points detailing where we currently are in development.
Progress: The Lore
The lore is refined so far down quite far to the people level, the concepts and general regions already shaped and places named and themed for future stories. The main story has been fleshed out in event descriptors but not written in any way for dialogue. This will be going to a later update so that full focus can be given as a way to sustain high quality for that content.
Part of the lore, will be improved in this upcoming update though, fleshing out more detail with the new map and refining further down to a complete awareness of the asterian landscape. Which I will accompany with more in-game text descriptions in a later update.
Progress: The Game User Interface
Almost all parts of the UI (User Interface) work as intended with only the still "in prototype parts" requiring attention and updating. This accounts for the remaining workload. I could say this is fully completed because it technically is, but I know that I will improve, tweak and possibly add more parts over time.
Progress: The Game Mechanics
Game mechanics are currently sitting at various levels of completion. As part of the initial user interface mechanics, we already have implemented lots of the complex stuff like hiring all the soldiers, building of buildings, selection of advisors as well as many other parts. User settings, Options settings etc. However they do not really have any effects as of yet past the basic variables.
However, at the writing of this post we are currently in the middle of hooking variables up to a saving and loading system. Once this is done, game mechanics will start to connect more with one another and will begin to deepen in some areas and reach a more final form. As well as being reset on new games and saved between continued games.
This is part of the necessary updating so that I can begin to create a game experience rather than a cool concept.
Progress: Sound
Sound is one of the first things I did in game in terms of mechanics. Which is all set for anything of this nature. I've some test audio and have already set it up. This has been so far considered a final polish item, and thus I've spent no time or money on creating anything for this side of the game yet.
However, I have planned the sound themes. So with some audio commissions at the right time and a weekend of implementation, a sound update can surely come.
Progress: Funding, Art, Information, Development Stuff
I began the project by first getting a basic level of mental scope together and into actual art. To help form the game. This means I've a good collection of character portraits, the game logos are already done. Other areas I've done myself and there are things still being worked on that will improve and be added as time progresses on.
I'm not going to be asking for anything from you. I'm all good on the funding and for what I do not have, I will acquire. So if you were worrying about any aspect of that, don't.
Progress: Steam Preparation
One of the other things I've been doing while working on the game is preparing for a steam release purely brought on by the fact I need a good way to have people test the game and the steam platform even before an official release is great for this. I browsed the alternatives. Locations of stores and what's best and steam seems to be the best method of delivery to the people for this game. So I've spent time setting up and paying the steam fees to get it out of the way. All of the store, community and artwork needed has been labeled, marked, and steamworks itself is understood. The whole thing is planned and now it will cost no time for me to do this alongside development. The process is simple.
What about steam extras? We will have cards, emoticons, backgrounds, foils. Achievements will be coming. These are all confirmed as doable and possible. And I've already tested the steam integration for these if required. *thumbs up*
It will serve, as I said, as a way to test things. If anyone wants to test the steam version when it is possible, message me and I can give you a Steam key you can use to download a test version.
What Next?
I am aiming for a 6 month build. The goals of build are as follows:
New main menu art. Better quality.
Improved world map. More detail.
Improved local area map. More detail. (View region image mode, View detailed map mode.)
Finalized prototype of unique combat system for this game.
New narrative scene art to represent each region and be used in future main story content.
New narrative scene frame with UI, mechanics, strings for future main story content.
Improved Law Screen / Mechanics (Used to be 1 enactable at a time law per section, now it is 3 per section. )
Advance building and troop training screens to save, load. And set up some basic values. So production of buildings now shows and gives. And so that troops correlate might correctly. In preparation for more game content.
Be test ready on steam (As in no placeholder files or file install issues or problem from from any copyrights, in third party usages of licences of some minor placeholder art etc.)
A polished and updated UI. Ironing out bugs and conflicts.
A polished Options, Sound, Saving system tied into all the variables so I can begin game balancing as I add game mechanics on top of the interface and begin to craft the game.
Advanced lore in many areas, both in reference, descriptions and refining of overall concepts as they tie together more.
Install Ready On non developmemt computers (I've about 40 conflicts on this game that need fixing, embedding or altering in distribution so that users can play game while viewing correct art).
Connection of other game areas such as the diplomacy screen and advisors screen to basic gameplay elements. To be refined in a later update.
While this is a hobby project and not a full time job for me, And thinking it's still going to be a while before public testing. I do think it's highly valuable having a gauge to look back on and a deadline to look forward to, Drives the creation process forward I find.
I'll be making a similar post for the project Nobody Astral Travels soon as well to update you on the basis of that. So I'll see you then. However, For future build updates on this project look here in the forums. I may write future blog posts on the project but only at major points. I see no need to waste time on that when I could make a quick post in the dev forum and just get myself lost in the workside of this. I hope you understand. Thank you.