[h1]Hello everyone,[/h1] It's me, Lukas, and in today's devblog, we're excited to share insights into the redesign of the main menu, the introduction of new loot chests and their mechanics, and the introduction of hero class-specific quests! [h2]Main Menu[/h2] Our main menu redesign aims to set the tone for Darfall, capturing the essence of our world through both visuals and music. We envisioned the menu as an “iconic” view that immediately immerses you into the game's atmosphere. [h3]The Portal[/h3] Initially, we explored the idea of a demonic portal, visualizing the invasion's onset. This concept featured an army of demons pouring out, set against the backdrop of Darfall Wastes. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/e97de0367fec283cafb737427f3651c5000e6070.jpg[/img] You can see the initial sketches, then the 3d model and finally how would it look like in the menu. While looking amazing, even though this was far from final art, we wanted to try another perspective, which would more capture the actual gameplay and main goal of the game. [h3]City Under Siege[/h3] Our next idea brought the focus to a city under siege by the undead. This direction required experimenting with various architectural designs to find the right fit for Darfall, exploring different perspectives to achieve a balance between scale and detail. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/3c5ed52c02e6d9c8071624c7e8a81913f966a791.jpg[/img] We then needed to capture the best point of view, to create a sense of scale, while being able to show off the undead army. You can see we even modelled the entire scene, this is so we can dynamically adjust the camera to check all of the angles, which would be very problematic with concept art only, as you need to redraw basically entire scene each time you want to try a new perspective. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/a74b0ad2ba6e4c76f39930ca64f5c2350018809c.jpg[/img] The final product, thanks to Dalibor's exceptional talent, not only showcases a city fighting against the undead but also embodies Darfall's color palette of blue, orange, and purple. This, combined with the main theme music and dynamic menu animations, aims to be a memorable first impression for you. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/9ddd798f71559c8458ff5e7eb5e5e8cccd396e0f.jpg[/img] [h2]Hero Class Quests[/h2] We're also introducing unique quests for each hero class to enhance their distinctiveness and provide engaging objectives within survival maps. Each hero has one unique quest that can be completed on any survival map, the quest always fits the thematic of that hero. [h3]Magus[/h3] For the Magus class, exemplified by our main character Ardan, the quest involves a corrupted obelisk that you must cleanse using your magical abilities. This mission tests your ability to defend against demonic assaults while maintaining your focus on the obelisk. Moving out of obelisk area will decrease the quest progress, so stay close! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/2ccc5ec5fbd2f24241fa89cd401d56af7162d63a.jpg[/img] [h3]Slayer[/h3] Kalen, our Slayer, faces a formidable demon lord powered by demonic sigils. You must disrupt this power sources, facing lesser demons after each sigil, before confronting the demon lord himself and having a “nice conversion” with him (using your Greataxe). [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/da1bf8dad0438a59a406cad3fd2fb67b75c70f20.jpg[/img] [h3]Ranger[/h3] Nariel, the Ranger, is tasked with finding and purifying a mutated ancient tree and its guardian. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/f190823db1db77ae22d17f79a7c223ebeb2cc54d.jpg[/img] Then you need to track the beast and end its misery. But be prepared, it won’t be an easy fight. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/14eab8c67df186ec3f162610608ce2012608d61d.jpg[/img] [h3]Quest Design[/h3] You can also see behind the scenes into the initial design of all 3 quests done in Figma. As with any mechanics, we always design the concepts in whiteboard first to get the flow and details down before actual implementations. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/b7c63c613b5fed7094f6fb14ce9504068e6e2f30.jpg[/img] [h2]Treasure Chests[/h2] To add depth to the looting mechanics, we've introduced three tiers of treasure chests: Poor (Gray), Fine (Green), and Epic (Purple), each offering loot of varying quality and difficulty to access. [h3]Nature Chests[/h3] These forgotten chests, found throughout the map, require keys for access, which can be discovered in monster camps or crafted, adding a layer of strategy to your exploration. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/dd64b70734c2ea8f0726197bb6f098c94a1ca6da.jpg[/img] [h3]Orc Chests[/h3] Protected by orc warbands, these chests vary in difficulty, with the most valuable ones located within heavily guarded orc fortifications, challenging you to engage with fort defences and orc warlord in combat. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/047db335312f6f0c05f2f2af62a1976c8e9c57bf.jpg[/img] [h3]Undead Chests[/h3] Situated in undead territories, these chests demand a resource sacrifice for their treasures, introducing a tough decision-making aspect to your looting strategy. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/9a10c7129a8487f3e0457e294ee992c0728f99b8.jpg[/img] You can pick any of 3 resources offered you wish to sacrifice, which will open the chest. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/a8c33a039367a56a9b1d876eebe2cbec9a13570d.jpg[/img] To make the exploration more interesting and reduce the amount of times you need to return to base to heal up or get energy, there will be also rare spawns of healing and energy fountains. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/48a11cc5ff881264022c37627573899fa2624cef.jpg[/img] There are many, many new additions to mechanics and map features, but we want to leave some also for the next devblogs, right? [h3]Visit in Paradox Interactive HQ[/h3] Lastly, we had the pleasure of visiting Paradox Interactive HQ in Stockholm, discussing Darfall's future and how we can make it the ultimate RPG city-building experience for you. However, we all got surprised by sudden snow haha! 😃 [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/42663831/ca03bbaf39047db7e8e837410a47cb34ac89b465.jpg[/img] Thanks for reading this update. We're eager to share more with you in our next devblogs. Lukas and rest of the team from beyond the darkness of Darfall