Hey👋 everyone this is announcement #2/3 in a string of announcements that are picking up where we left after the first playable version of the adventure map. This announcement will talk more about what is coming in the future updates for the map whereas the first announcement (two below this one) covered feedback/how that feedback affected the map update **that just came out on February 13th**(in free worlds download channel).
Much of the time spent working on the map has been talking and sharing ideas over long phone calls(Dhakhar in England and me in the U.S)... about game mechanics that we've implemented vs regular Valheim game mechanics, about future mechanics we want to add based on new things that we've figured out and based on need, about level design and how we could do it better, about Ashland's content that we've been working on, and finally about the main story throughout the map which ties everything together. So let's talk about each one of those - what ideas we've come up with already and what ideas we are working on now:
**Our game mechanics vs Valheim game mechanics:** Dhakhar and I have used well over 25 of our own game mechanics inside of the map. What do I mean by *our game mechanics*? These are the ways that we've figured out how to use what we have in Valheim to make something for the player to overcome. Like changing the `tool tier` of a door(blockage) and then hiding the tool(somewhere nearby) that would be above that tool tier, thus allowing the player to break through. In fact, in the recent Feb 13th update, many of our mechanics that are new or old(and surprisingly some Valheim mechanics) have been explained better(based on feedback) so that the player understands that *this crate over here* `can be broken with loot in it` and *this crate over here* `is for decoration`. We feel that we have explained most, if not all, of the mechanics that need to be explained for the time being. Here are a few of the bigger mechanics that are being worked on for future updates: - Shops(Could be used for buying allies, buying clues, vending machines, etc.)(Idea pics included) - Keys(Programmable* doors that will only open with a specific item that we give at a specific time) - Improved roles for party members(Preset characters instead of creating a new fresh character with preset skills and unique items, etc.)
**Level Design:** On top of new game mechanics coming in the future we also have improved level design. We are very happy with all of the locations in the map so far but going forward we want to focus more on improving the level design inside of them. In the recent update there are already 9 new locations that are beginning to implement some of the new ideas that we've put together to improve our level design: - Crypts or dungeons in locations that are already at max capacity - More pathing = more player choice - Visibility of places the player will go - Etc.
**Ashlands Content:** This is what we have so far/ideas being worked on: - Two very large locations(behind the scenes pics below) with new level design ideas in mind with much longer quest lines than old locations - Dyrnwyn fragments questline - Fader boss arena - LOTR tie in - Etc.
**Main Story:** The main story does a good job of connecting all of the towns and tying everything together but we have plans to make it better: - *Possible* Dream like path revisiting each of the towns - Reworked passphrases - More things to find to complete - Ashlands and Deep North additions - Etc.
So there is a little bit of insight into our ideation process and of what's coming in the future updates of the map. Ill see you again soon in announcement **#3. Organization** where I will explain a bit about how we've kept organized in a project of this scale.
ninebyte
Hey👋 everyone this is announcement #2/3 in a string of announcements that are picking up where we left after the first playable version of the adventure map. This announcement will talk more about what is coming in the future updates for the map whereas the first announcement (two below this one) covered feedback/how that feedback affected the map update **that just came out on February 13th**(in free worlds download channel).
1. Feedback✔ - 2. Ideas/Conceptualizing✔ - 3. Organization(comin soon)
**#2: Ideas/Conceptualizing:**
Much of the time spent working on the map has been talking and sharing ideas over long phone calls(Dhakhar in England and me in the U.S)... about game mechanics that we've implemented vs regular Valheim game mechanics, about future mechanics we want to add based on new things that we've figured out and based on need, about level design and how we could do it better, about Ashland's content that we've been working on, and finally about the main story throughout the map which ties everything together. So let's talk about each one of those - what ideas we've come up with already and what ideas we are working on now:
**Our game mechanics vs Valheim game mechanics:**
Dhakhar and I have used well over 25 of our own game mechanics inside of the map. What do I mean by *our game mechanics*? These are the ways that we've figured out how to use what we have in Valheim to make something for the player to overcome. Like changing the `tool tier` of a door(blockage) and then hiding the tool(somewhere nearby) that would be above that tool tier, thus allowing the player to break through. In fact, in the recent Feb 13th update, many of our mechanics that are new or old(and surprisingly some Valheim mechanics) have been explained better(based on feedback) so that the player understands that *this crate over here* `can be broken with loot in it` and *this crate over here* `is for decoration`. We feel that we have explained most, if not all, of the mechanics that need to be explained for the time being. Here are a few of the bigger mechanics that are being worked on for future updates:
- Shops(Could be used for buying allies, buying clues, vending machines, etc.)(Idea pics included)
- Keys(Programmable* doors that will only open with a specific item that we give at a specific time)
- Improved roles for party members(Preset characters instead of creating a new fresh character with preset skills and unique items, etc.)
**Level Design:**
On top of new game mechanics coming in the future we also have improved level design. We are very happy with all of the locations in the map so far but going forward we want to focus more on improving the level design inside of them. In the recent update there are already 9 new locations that are beginning to implement some of the new ideas that we've put together to improve our level design:
- Crypts or dungeons in locations that are already at max capacity
- More pathing = more player choice
- Visibility of places the player will go
- Etc.
**Ashlands Content:**
This is what we have so far/ideas being worked on:
- Two very large locations(behind the scenes pics below) with new level design ideas in mind with much longer quest lines than old locations
- Dyrnwyn fragments questline
- Fader boss arena
- LOTR tie in
- Etc.
**Main Story:**
The main story does a good job of connecting all of the towns and tying everything together but we have plans to make it better:
- *Possible* Dream like path revisiting each of the towns
- Reworked passphrases
- More things to find to complete
- Ashlands and Deep North additions
- Etc.
So there is a little bit of insight into our ideation process and of what's coming in the future updates of the map. Ill see you again soon in announcement **#3. Organization** where I will explain a bit about how we've kept organized in a project of this scale.
9 months ago | [YT] | 54