[h2]Greetings valiant defenders of Ithaca,[/h2] The recent playtest of Legendary Hoplite has been an enlightening journey, providing invaluable insights into the game's strengths and areas for improvement. As we sift through player feedback, several key points have emerged that we are happy will shape the future of our game! [h2]Musical Ambiance: A Symphony of Feedback[/h2] While the original music of our game was undeniably cool, the playtest unveiled a consensus that the soundtrack needed a thematic adjustment. The biggest point was that players wanted music that fit with the game's ancient Greek theme, bringing musical life to the legendary world of hoplites and epic battles against mythological beasts. We have taken this feedback to our hearts and even now are working on the finishing touches to a truly epic, (and Greek) improvement to the music! [h2]Balancing Act: The Challenge of Fighting a Boss![/h2] Boss battles and balancing were one of the biggest points of discussion during the playtest. The reason? Some bosses were no challenge at all, while others proved to be a challenge that Hercules himself would struggle to overcome. Arachne in particular was pointed out to be far too powerful. What did this mean? At the heart of the issue, it meant that the game's balancing needed fine-tuning to ensure a more consistent and satisfying level of difficulty across all encounters. The aim is to strike a balance between challenge and accessibility. However, the story does not end there as a joker/wild card was thrown into the mix. Several players commented that the same boss (Arachne) was too easy, so the question we had was, what was the cause of these two hugely different experiences? This brings us nicely to the next point. [previewyoutube=ouZVgTTQRY8;full][/previewyoutube] [h2]Items: The Unsung Heroes of Victory[/h2] When one thinks of a Tower Defense game, items, in a more MMO style (equipping a character with swords, armor, shields, etc) tend not to be the first thing that comes to mind. However, in Legendary Hoplite, items are core to the game as the levels are balanced so that items (thanks to their rarity, stats, and abilities) are required to win. The good news is that the playtest underscored the critical role of items, however, due to the rarity system that we have, and how the abilities that a player has access to are tied to the actual items, victory relied on items just a little bit too much. Players quickly discovered that a well-chosen item could transform a seemingly impossible challenge into a walk in the park. We saw the importance of items surpassed initial expectations. As items are so close to the game, we’ll end this one by simply saying that we’ve approached this in a few different ways, some direct, others indirect, and the game is now much more balanced. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40968691/e3debe17a0805258f221b5de505840ab2f526679.gif[/img] [h2]In-Game Information: Lighting the Path Ahead[/h2] This was a relatively easy one. If you've read everything up to this point, you probably would have realized that Legendary Hoplite has many more layers to it than what is typically expected in a Tower Defense game. As such, even the most experienced Tower Defense player would encounter something new. To provide everyone with game information in an unobtrusive manner, the game has several hints/tips, and also a built-in wiki/encyclopedia that stores the tips. Often, information that is vital to winning can be found here, however, we noticed that this feature was either often overlooked, or, in some cases, was missing the most important points. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40968691/7aaa5cfe95d12055242fb6b2efa62157c5f5d6c9.png[/img] Solving this was an easy one, the in-game wiki/encyclopedia, has been reformatted to be easier to read, and, thanks to guides that the players shared in their chats, we've been able to expand on it. Finally, to be prepared for the full launch, a series of game guides are being prepared! [h2]Theory-Crafting Triumphs: A Community of Strategists[/h2] We want to end on a high note. Legendary Hoplite emerged as a haven for theory-crafters and strategic masterminds! While we somewhat expected this, the result was still beautiful to see. The community engaged in in-depth discussions about tactics, character development, and army composition, identifying the best ways forward, interesting gaming tactics, and a lot more! It was great to see the depth of strategic possibilities thrust front and center of the game, fostering a passionate player base eager to unravel the complexness of our game's mechanics! [previewyoutube=6uxsEs0vtZY;full][/previewyoutube] [h2]About Legendary Hoplite[/h2] A combination of Action RPG and Tower Defense: slay monsters, find weapons, upgrade your armies, defend your base… Prevent humanity from extinction at the hands of monsters from Greek mythology and ancient tribes. Don't let them cross the gate, commander! A special feedback form is available in-game, but you are welcome to ask your questions here, or on any of our Social Media platforms. [b]Make sure to follow us on all our channels![/b] ⚔ Twitter - https://twitter.com/HopliteGame ⚔ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/legendaryhoplite ⚔ Discord - https://discord.gg/F9p8CX5TpP ⚔ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@legendaryhoplite May the gods favor your defenses!