[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43792072/4359f13464d70583210fab7bf83bd02ec8ea598a.jpg[/img] Hello, Survivors! So far, we've talked about the “Memory Bonding” System to fulfill the Narrative Goal of “Connecting the Memories of the Dead,” the Diversification of Characters from 3 to 6, the changes to the Character System to accommodate this diversification, and the changes to the Weapon System related to this. We've created a working internal test build with the abovementioned changes to see how far we've come in realizing the goals we've been working on for the last six months, and we're pleased with the results! (Although we still have a long way to go!) Today, we're going to introduce some of the changes to the Camp System, We should stress that unlike the other Systems we've introduced so far, the changes to the Camp System are all in a state of [b]Ongoing Implementation. [/b] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43792072/97216fdb3f0f2cef005956d3eb9a1fce58376eb6.gif[/img] Of course, even the things I've introduced so far have used a lot of dummy resources for quick testing, and the UI still has a lot of room for improvement, including the overall quality, but the difference is that the Camp System is a dummy system, not just a production/resource, but the system itself. Unlike traditional Single-Level designs, “Continuous Multiple Map Play” is required to validate things like the “Memory Bonding” and “Stat System,” but in order to design the Meta-game System in a way that won't “change,” we needed to finalize the battle stage experience. To solve this, we decided to use the resources of the Early Access version of the Camp but removed all existing systems and implement the minimal "bare bone" elements of the new environment as quickly as possible, using temporary systems and a temporary UI. In other words, the systems that are currently implemented are not so significant in and of themselves, as they are designed to help drive the battle stage experience to the intended shape. In fact, for that reason, I was considering skipping the "Current" implementation of this metagame altogether. I decided that it would be more consistent to show the current state of the game as it is, since we're pretty much sharing the state of the game we're developing in real time, and the next formal design will be based on the "results of feedback related to the current implementation." Due to those special circumstances, today's introduction is a bit long, but I'll start with [b]Changes to the Inventory System.[/b] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43792072/e06fef806dcf9b32f965b27f63305457279d7512.gif[/img] [h3]Consolidating and Simplifying Inventory[/h3] In the Early Access Version, the Inventory was separated by "Type" of Item, and was designed with the goal of being able to take [b]everything[/b] you can get on a given stage. On the other hand, since one of our new meta-game design goals was "unlimited access to farming maps," we felt that "you can get everything on the map" was likely to be more of a stressor than a benefit if we kept the existing inventory system. The new farming maps don't have an "Entrance" and a single "Exit" like the original Early Access version, but rather, it's up to the player to decide where to go and how many items to get on a large map. With multiple "Exits," players can always escape if they feel like things aren't going well. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43792072/f5d3502ac07557bc8973a36aba559f1b283f8cde.png[/img] In this structure, if you can play an unlimited number of farming maps, and if you can get all the items on a map, the natural optimal strategy is to scour every map you enter and collect all the rewards. At least for the balance designer who wants to keep difficulty at the "right level," they have to assume that players will behave this way and spec enemies accordingly. This goes against the current farming map design philosophy of "let the player decide for themselves how much they want to farm, and then return to the farming map", which is why we added a maximum inventory constraint of [b]16 spaces.[/b] Once your Inventory is full, you'll have the option to either "Accept some inefficiency and continue exploring to get better items" or "Call it a day and return to the escape route". You'll have to make strategic decisions based on your Party's Current HP and Weapon Durability, as well as the Difficulty of the Stage. The Items you can pick up are the ones you're already familiar with from the Early Access version, such as higher-tiered "Weapons", "Iron Ingots" to repair those Weapons, and consumables like Bandages, Equipment, Repair tools, and Throwing Daggers. Now we've thrown a new important Item to the mix: [b]Firewood.[/b] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43792072/6b447f550ad10adb1c78a471e44db10884f02b7c.png[/img] [h3]Feed the Fire with Kindling![/h3] When we introduced the setting of Ember’s Fire, we mentioned that it's the most important key to the direction of the narrative we're currently revamping. The new core system, Memory Bonds, is based on this setting, and the Ember will be heavily involved in the overarching story of the entire game and the origin of the creatures. In other words, the new narrative can be described as a contrast between [b]“Fire” and “Darkness.” [/b]The crisis that has engulfed the world of Remore is darkness, symbolized by the "Dark Shroud" and players overcoming this darkness by harnessing the power of the "Flame," represented by the Ember, is one of the main keywords in the visual imagery that reflects the overall narrative. We wanted this feeling to be incorporated into the game's setting as well as the actual gameplay, and we aimed to replace the Character's [b]Corruption System[/b] due to the “Dark Shroud” with the [b]Radiance System[/b] of the Ember utilizing “Firewood,” respectively. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43792072/34cf49f57dec538600baf62fb739986f7e1123ba.gif[/img] Here's a rough setup, [list] [*] The world of Remore is shrouded in a "Dark Shroud" and players can only be protected from it by the flames of the Ember. [*] However, the Ember’s "Radiance" decreases with each passing day, and Players must keep it alive by collecting "Firewood" when they venture out to farming maps. [*] If they don't have enough “Radiance”, the “Corruption” rate will increase dramatically, which can lead to the death of their characters. [/list] So, in a way, the Firewood that players gather on their expeditions becomes a resource that they must collect in order to survive, much like the "Food" in a survival game. Red Dust, Wood, and Charcoal can be gathered, and each has a different value, so collecting as much of the highest value Charcoal as possible will help you "last longer". As a result, players must farm "Firewood" and "Weapons" to defeat powerful enemies, while managing their resources and minimizing their losses to defeat the boss guarding the "Embers" to complete an Act. This completion of an Act moves the entire narrative forward and sets the stage for the Final Boss to be defeated and the game to end. (Please forgive us for only revealing the big-picture design goals, as revealing more detailed narratives would spoil the fun for later!!) However, when we actually tested it, we got a lot of feedback that "Firewood" and "Weapons" weren't enough of an incentive to keep coming back to farming maps. This is because we were focused on testing Memory Bonds and other changes to the Combat Experience, and as we mentioned at the beginning, we were focusing on Items that were "instant gratification," so there wasn't much in the way that Camps could be used to set up or grow something other than the Ember. If we had a wider variety of items that could be dropped, and a wider variety of Camp facilities and crafting that could utilize them, it would definitely increase the "fun of farming," but we're not sure if "pushing that direction" is really the best way to contribute to the overall fun of the game given our limited development resources. However, regardless of how we end up solving the above issues, our goal is to maintain the intent of inventory constraints, the way farming maps are organized, and the overall flow of the game as we move forward. Next week, we'll share a more general update on the current build testing and our plans for the rest of the meta game systems. Thanks as always! See you soon. REMORE