Hi everyone! I wanted to share another update on our development progress for the game. Currently we’ve been working on key aspects of the game, focusing on progression, combat, and exploration, which are the core elements that shape player experience. From refining how players progress to improving combat interactions and enhancing the sense of discovery, there’s been a lot happening behind the scenes. So with that said, let’s get started! [h1]Core Progressions[/h1] Being a roguelite game, creating a meaningful progression system is a key aspect, as it keeps players engaged through a sense of growth with each run. Because of this we’ve created two layers of progression that work together to keep gameplay engaging. [h2]Session Based Progression[/h2] Session-Based Progression consists of temporary upgrades and changes that only last for the duration of a single run. If a player is defeated or quits, all progress from that run is lost, meaning each session is a fresh start with new opportunities to adapt and experiment. As players explore, battle, and complete various activities in the game, they will earn XP. Once they accumulate enough XP, they will level up. Every time this happens, they’ll be prompted with an upgrade screen, allowing them to choose which stat they’d like to improve, shaping their playstyle as they progress. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/f77af264d552d50136a7f784c879f0b0258cfc8b.gif[/img] In addition to normal stat upgrades, upon reaching certain levels, players will be prompted to choose between special abilities, or mutations. These mutations provide unique bonuses that enhance different aspects of gameplay. For example, the Infectious Strike ability grants the ability to inflict infections on enemies, causing damage over time, the Brace ability provides a chance to absorb incoming strikes, reducing damage taken, the Focus ability increases XP gain from various activities, helping players progress faster. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/2b4534327761979d014b49a5038c7db1bdb056ae.png[/img] These mutations encourage different playstyles, allowing players to adapt and experiment with new strategies in each run. In addition to XP and upgrades, players will also earn Survival Points by completing activities. While both XP and Survival Points reset after each run, they serve different purposes. XP allows players to level up when they reach the required threshold, granting upgrades within that session. Survival Points, on the other hand, act as the primary measure of a region’s completion and serve as the main objective for progressing through an area. Additionally, they contribute to overall progression by unlocking new dinosaurs, regions, and other long-term rewards, which will be discussed in the next section. [h2]Overall Progression[/h2] Overall Progression consists of persistent unlocks that are permanently saved once achieved. Whether it’s unlocking new dinosaur tiers, new regions, or other permanent rewards, these elements ensure that every run contributes to a lasting sense of progress. This system allows players to gain access to new content, and push further into the game with each milestone reached. For example, here’s a look at the Herbivore character screen before unlocking new tiers, and how it changes after unlocking Tier 2 and Tier 3 dinosaurs: [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/59d254f4fbf074226b70a8c3a14c9e8159398744.png[/img] [i]Herbivore Dinosaur Selection Screen with only Tier 1 Dinosaurs Unlocked[/i] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/ca5fa507156859fa2d62eeec02b18ac8e5f15324.png[/img] [i]Herbivore Dinosaur Selection Screen with both Tier 1 and Tier 2 Dinosaurs Unlocked[/i] [h1]Combat[/h1] Aside from progression, we've also made advancements in our combat system, from integrating additional dinosaur species to refining their behaviors and interactions. These improvements aim to make combat feel more dynamic, rewarding, and strategic. One of the key changes is the introduction of Combat States for AI-controlled dinosaurs. Dinosaurs now have a Vulnerable State and a Fortified State, which dictate how they react to player attacks. During a Vulnerable State, such as when a dinosaur is roaring, it becomes exposed, meaning attacks will stagger or interrupt its actions. However, during a Fortified State, when the dinosaur is actively attacking, it will resist stagger effects and continue its actions. Here’s an example to visualize the difference between a Fortified State and a Vulnerable State and [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/d2f05aa48c350e67af817aec6d272d5b24773e26.gif[/img] [i]Tyrannosaurus attacked during Fortified State[/i] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/47995b88798e885587fc703b1455c8756ca1406a.gif[/img] [i]Tyrannosaurus attacked during Vulnerable State[/i] This system not only prevents cheesing but also adds a strategic layer to combat, encouraging players to time their attacks carefully, knowing when to keep their distance and when to strike. We've also introduced a Poise System to ensure that lower tier player dinosaurs can't easily disrupt higher tier AI opponents. This system is still a work in progress, but the goal is to create a sense of progression that motivates players to experience stronger higher tier dinosaurs without restricting them from engaging in tough encounters In addition, we've also refined the AI movesets to improve the flow of combat and further differentiate dinosaur tiers. For example, Lower tier dinosaurs will now have a faster attack pace but deal lower damage, whereas higher tier dinosaurs will now attack more slowly but hit significantly harder. Beyond the combat system itself, we’ve also made design changes to combat encounters, ensuring that battles feel more engaging, strategic, and meaningful. We're still actively iterating on these systems, especially on how stagger and disruption mechanics interact with light attacks, heavy attacks, and upgrades. Our goal is to make these mechanics feel impactful, rewarding, and fun while reinforcing player progression. [h2]Combat Encounters[/h2] Previously, dinosaurs were scattered throughout the map, leading to a more open-ended approach to combat. However, since the game is designed around intense 1v1 encounters, we realized this system didn’t fully capture the weight and strategy we wanted in battles. To address this, we redesigned combat encounters to make each fight feel more like a true 1v1 duel or a mini-boss battle rather than just a random skirmish. Now, each encounter takes place in a designated combat area with enough space for dynamic movement, evasion, and strategic positioning. Battles will also feature dedicated music to heighten the tension, and instead of AI health bars floating above them, they AI’s stats are integrated into and displayed by the HUD for a more immersive combat experience. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/f585498f3f4240aafe630c12c4ae06e77e60ebb0.jpg[/img] This change also helps reduce jank by ensuring that fights happen in well-structured spaces, allowing for smoother movement and better overall combat flow. But beyond gameplay improvements, this shift serves two key design goals. First, it makes combat feel more personal and engaging, ensuring that AI controlled dinosaurs have more presence and impact rather than feeling like generic wandering enemies. Second, it reinforces the game’s “Dominion” theme. When a player defeats an AI opponent, they’re not just winning a fight, they’re gaining influence and asserting their dominance over the region. This makes earning Survival Points more meaningful, as it represents conquest and territorial control rather than just racking up victories or points. However, this new approach comes with a challenge: player fatigue. If every fight feels like a boss battle, combat could become overwhelming or overly demanding, making it feel like a major commitment rather than a flexible and fluid experience. To counter this, we’ve introduced another system, which we’ll discuss next. [h1]Discovery System[/h1] While combat is a core part of the game, the Discovery System offers a meaningful counterbalance, allowing players to uncover the world’s history, secrets, and rewards at their own pace. This is achieved through lore items, landmarks, and collectibles, all of which encourage players to engage with their surroundings in a deeper way. [h2]Lore Items and Landmarks[/h2] Scattered across the world are landmarks and lore items that provide insight into the land’s history and hidden narratives. Landmarks give players a better understanding of the regions they traverse, while lore items reveal narrative details about specific events, offering insight into the history and key moments that shaped the world. Gaining these insights into the world rewards players with XP and Survival Points, reinforcing the idea that understanding the land and its history is key to establishing dominion over it. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/3d4ebb6b4b85baa741ed90eacac92b6f9e7e0041.gif[/img] (Note: The lore item shown is still a work in progress and will be revised as development progresses.) Beyond storytelling, landmarks also help shape level design. They serve as natural focal points, making the map feel expansive yet structured. Players are free to roam, but the presence of landmarks provides a sense of direction, ensuring they can navigate the world without feeling lost. [h2]Collectibles and the Exhibition[/h2] In addition to lore elements, collectibles are scattered throughout the world, further enhancing the Discovery System. These items serve as rewards for keen eyed players who take the time to search every corner of the map. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/ed4b45ceab4a7af04a34165393b90ff677175b66.gif[/img] Collectibles are tied to Collections in the Exhibition. Once a certain number of collectibles are gathered, players will unlock a new entry in the exhibition scene, where they can preview their discoveries up close. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/d4d4bf4414b73eb96fa720409f7605262915e788.png[/img] (Note: The objects shown in the gallery are still placeholders and will be revised as development progresses.) While these collectibles don’t directly impact the core gameplay loop, they add extra layers of discovery, reward, and world-building, making the game feel richer and more immersive. [h1]Regions[/h1] Initially our goal was to create one medium to large sized map. However, as the core mechanics took shape, it became clear that having multiple regions would provide a better more rewarding experience. Dividing the world into distinct areas allows each biome to stand out, enhancing both visual variety and gameplay depth. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/24401bd94512d7ee550ae8f3e0a719f33ac5edf7.png[/img] While the regions remain fully roamable, structuring progression through multiple areas helps create a stronger sense of achievement, as new locations gradually open up. This approach not only improves pacing but also ensures better dinosaur distribution, preventing any single map from feeling overcrowded. By giving each region its own space, players can enjoy a natural flow between exploration and combat, with enough breathing room to make encounters feel meaningful rather than overwhelming. Additionally, having multiple regions helps balance the challenge of session based progression. Losing progress in a single large map could feel overly punishing, but with multiple maps, each session remains risky yet fair. Players can still feel the weight of the challenges they have to overcome, but setbacks become more manageable, making each run a fresh opportunity to adapt and push forward. The maps are still heavily in development, and a major reason for this is directly tied to the next topic we’ll be discussing. [h1]Engine Upgrade and Soft Overhaul[/h1] Over the past couple of months we’ve been experimenting with various ways to improve the game. One of the biggest undertakings we’ve taken on is an engine upgrade. For a long time, we’ve been working with Unity 2021.3, but as development progressed, we started running into limitations especially when it came to leveraging newer, more visually impressive environment assets, advanced lighting and post-processing, and improved VFX. Many of the tools and resources that could elevate the game’s atmosphere simply weren’t accessible in our current engine version. This ultimately led us to reassess our approach, and finally decided that upgrading to Unity 6 was the right step forward. We’re still in the early stages of migration so there’s still backend work to be done, however, our initial builds have been relatively stable so far. Of course, we were initially hesitant about making such a major shift, as it extends development time. Yet, after testing and seeing the benefits firsthand, we believe this transition is well worth it. We’d like to think that this is not just an engine upgrade, but a soft overhaul that enhances the game’s overall feel, environment, and visual quality. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the new WIP environment assets and maps we’re working on: [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/991541026e58075498d992a6c93c8c6f39e11a20.png[/img] [i]Forest Work In Progress[/i] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43691934/5742acd1c4978a5ada7359461622f979acd87c96.png[/img] [i]Ashen Wilds Work In Progress[/i] [h1]Next Steps[/h1] We've covered a lot of topics in this Devlog, from core mechanics to exploration and even an engine upgrade where every change, adjustment, and experiment ultimately contributes to strengthening the foundation of the game, ensuring that everything comes together into creating a meaningful and cohesive experience. With our core foundations in place, the next step is to bring everything together. This means finalizing the core gameplay loop, core progression, and other gameplay systems, as these elements serve as the main framework of the game. Once that’s complete, we can integrate both content and mechanics in a meaningful way through thoughtful game and level design. Afterward, we will focus on finalization and optimization, ensuring the game is stable, polished, and running smoothly. Once the game is well optimized and stable, we will finally shift our focus towards release preparations, making sure everything is ready for launch. Thank you again for your patience and support as you join us on this journey. To close, I want to emphasize that despite the shifts in development, our goal remains the same: to deliver a compact, well crafted single player dinosaur gaming experience for you to enjoy, only now, with a more refined and polished execution. That’s currently it for this devlog and more updates coming soon!