[img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40723431/1c9ab2f0a7434862bb472e8c02f845e929b3f14d.png[/img] Hey everyone, Hopefully you’re in a reading mood, because we have a special bumper-size devlog update in store for you today. We’ll begin with the reaction to our recent demo, talk a little about our recent trip to Pax West, and round things off with a nice piece of lore for those who would like to know a little bit more about Ezekiel’s companions. Let’s dive right in! [h1][b]Playtest Summary[/b][/h1] Let’s take a trip down memory lane to June when Summer was in full swing. Days were long and sunny, but few noticed because the[b] SacriFire Playtest[/b] was [i]finally[/i] made available for the first time. This was our biggest opportunity yet to have a large number of players try out SacriFire for themselves and deliver their opinions, and they did so in great numbers. Let’s look at some figures: [list][*] Over[b] 6500[/b] Steam users joined the Playtest [*] [b]15,000[/b] new people wishlisted the game on Steam, allowing us to surpass the goal of [b]100,000[/b] outstanding wishlists [*] Over [b]110[/b] players took the time to fill out the feedback survey - a special thank you for those of you who did that![/list] [h2][b]What have we learned?[/b][/h2] [list][*] Overall, we are pleased with how the playtest was received. Clearly, there's a lot of work still to be done, and there are still many problematic areas, but the twin pillars of gameplay and story both held up [*] The new battle system, which has undergone dramatic changes (basically a complete rewrite) compared to the previous version of the game is generally considered to be a major improvement, with stronger fundamentals [*] Many people, both on Steam and, recently, at PAX, were pleasantly surprised by how unique the gameplay experience was. We consider this our biggest win from Demo 3. [/list] [h2][b]Key Areas to Improve[/b][/h2] [h3][b]NEW TUTORIALS[/b][/h3] The Playtest Demo wasn't that long, but it was VERY dense, with tutorials explaining complex mechanics in a short time. This resulted in an unintuitive experience that could be difficult to understand. The full game has a big sequence dedicated solely to easing new players into the game. But the takeaway from the playtest is that the tutorials will be spread out more and introduced organically with the unfolding story. Existing tutorial screens will also be improved. [h3][b]PERFORMANCE[/b][/h3] Both in terms of framerate and loading times. The game can be heavy and is easily bottlenecked by the CPU. A memory leak bug was present in the build, which degraded performance over time. Finally, loading times for battles were long, bordering on unacceptably so. We will resolve this by pruning the number of objects loaded and by moving some data into different contexts - for example, loading it when the player enters a dungeon. Internally, we have already reduced the load time by 30% and we expect this number to improve more as we keep refining the code. [h3][b]CHARACTER PORTRAITS[/b][/h3] New players on Steam generally didn't vibe with how the portraits were drawn, and thought they failed to meet the quality of the game's other visual elements. Our illustrator, MeganUosiu, is working on a brand-new set of character portraits done in a different style. Rest assured, we are also going to leave the old set as an option in the settings, so if you liked the old ones better - you can still use them! [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40723431/5e1a1e3d329eb0d6ef964815b6b03d455ed85b9e.png[/img] [h3][b]ALL THE SMALL THINGS[/b][/h3] We are adding an option to use items outside of battles, improving the controls, adding new options to the settings panel, polishing the user interface screens to make them more intuitive... and much more! [h1][b]PAX WEST 2024 TRAVEL LOG[/b][/h1] In other news, we returned to Seattle this year, with our valiant delegation showcasing the new Demo to hundreds of convention attendees. In an exciting twist, [b]SacriFire[/b] has been selected to be a part of the Pax Rising Showcase. How sick is that? [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40723431/b35542cd29224661ab738475ad96a20fe29f5835.png[/img] It was really fun to be a part of Pax again, and we even managed to meet some familiar faces who also visited our booth last year! Many new players tried out [b]SacriFire[/b], we gathered A TON of useful feedback, and the general excitement regarding the game has really given us a much-needed dose of optimism. If you visited us - thank you! [h1][b]Devlog: Player Companions[/b][/h1] Finally, as promised, a healthy dose of lore. Let’s take a closer look at two of Ezekiel’s companions! We hope there may be a few surprises in store for you during SacriFire, but for the purposes of this spoiler-light[1] update, we’ll be focusing on your first two companions: [b]Zephaniah Milto[/b], and [b]Ava Valeri[/b]. Like Ezekiel, Zeph, and Ava are committed to serving the Church of Sheol and protecting the city of Antioch against the looming threat of the demon lord Amaymon. [h2]Player Companion: [b]Zephaniah Milto[/b][/h2] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40723431/f13ab6ce9fb87518a666d62a0b8d33bb1cd8d12b.png[/img] Age: [b]21[/b] Birthday: [b]19th of Malkios [/b] Favorite Food: [b]Zapi [/b] Siblings: [b]2 Sisters [/b] First up, let's meet [b]Zephaniah Milto[/b], Ezekiel’s best friend and fellow novice. Zephaniah (Zeph to his friends) is known for his flippant humor and happy-go-lucky attitude. Don’t underestimate him, however – Near the beginning of SacriFire, Zeph’s prowess in combat earns him the rare title of bishop aeternus, marking him as one of the most formidable warriors in the Church of Sheol. Zephaniah was born in 552 M.N in the district of Ivanstone, where he grew up with his parents (Jeriah and Martha) and two sisters (Beth and Dinah). Throughout SacriFire, players will have the opportunity to explore Zeph's family dynamics, uncovering the sacrifices that shaped him into the man he is today. [h2]Player Companion: [b]Ava Valeri[/b][/h2] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/40723431/0f776bcbfad2d98efeef02dd9176d7c449b672f6.png[/img] Age: [b]21 [/b] Birthday: [b]5th of Limbios [/b] Favorite Drink: [b]Soothing Herbata [/b] Height: [b]164cm[/b] [b]Ava Valeri[/b] is an acid-tongued novice who gets off to a somewhat rocky start with Ezekiel and Zephaniah, as those who have played the most recent demo will attest. While Ava initially keeps her companions at arm's length, perhaps you'll see her evolve over the course of SacriFire (or perhaps you won’t; as Ava herself would say, “Why tamper with perfection?”) Ava was born in 552 M.N in the district of Rivarol to the district’s noble families: the Valeris. Her parents being extremely wealthy and extremely cold, Ava eventually ran away from home to join Koritsi Novitiate. Initially she faced a lot of challenges (having been granted special treatment her whole life; the adjustment to anonymous novice was not an easy one) but she proved more than equal to the challenge and soon rose up through the ranks. Ava has a particularly long road to walk through SacriFire, and you’ll get to learn a lot more about her (and Zeph) throughout the course of the game. We hope you enjoy meeting these characters as much as we’ve enjoyed creating them! That’s All! And that's a wrap for today's (hefty) devlog! We've only just skimmed the surface of the world of SacriFire so far, but we hope you will warm to these characters as we have; they are integral to the narrative, helping to shape the history and heart of Antioch through their personal stories and interactions. We look forward to sharing more about them – and hearing your thoughts as we continue to unravel the rich tapestry of SacriFire. See you next time! [hr][/hr] [1] But not spoiler-free, as we talk a little about the first mission