Major Update: Map Events and Resources Are Live

I'm happy to release a significant new feature update to Archmage Rises.

This Build IS NOT BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE - Saves and Worlds have to be created again.

For many of us, it's been a while since the last update. If you just started playing, I'm sorry to wreck your game, but it was necessary.

This Update contains two significant new Feature updates: Hex Events and Resources

Map Event Features

While traveling the world, you’ll now encounter dynamic narrative Events. These are unexpected situations that offer choices, skill tests, opportunities to roleplay, rewards, and consequences.

  • You’ll see events appear directly on the world map as you explore

  • We’re starting with 30 events, more will be added as we develop other features

  • Replaces the old Tracks system - you now spot tracks from afar and choose to engage with them or not

  • Added a new Item type - a “giftable” which you can get out of certain events. These can be sold, but they are special unique items that can be gifted to NPCs to provide big relationship bonuses.

  • Some events are repeatable, some are once per lifetime. Some of the rewards can be quite significant.

  • For the first time, it's now possible for you to mod and create custom content in Archmage. More about this below.

The events system is a critical component of the game design and very robust and dynamic. It will be used by future features like Regions and Dynamic Quests.

Resources

In adding random Events I changed how you interact with a map hex - specifically how resources are found and collected. In Beta people didn't like the changes. So we collectively redesigned to something much better.

What it includes:

  • Resources are now available from Sources on the map. They are either Organic or Mineral.

  • Sources have a level, starting at the wild untamed version at level 0.

    • Levelling up will come when I have more time to build it out. All the structure is in place.

  • Mineral sources have a surface deposit at level 0 which you can mine with the right tool. Once they are empty, that’s it. Levelling up is what allows larger harvesting operations that allow you to access more of the deposit.

  • Organic sources are like a mini-farm sim. They grow on a set calendar, example a Rose Bush blooms in Spring. Organic resources die at a certain season, like Roses die off in winter. Each source has its own cycle.

  • Spells (for now, just Haste) can be cast to enchant an organic resource and speed its growth. Example: a rose bush takes 1 year to grow (spring to spring), but with haste it will bloom in only 6 months – Fall. You can use your magic to double yields. The spell lasts until the next growth. There is a calendar system under the hood, but it gets weird: when a haste spell is cast for 9 months, but the plant yields in 3 months, and you don’t come back for 12 months – how many should be there? It’s complicated!

  • Spells can also be cast to enhance harvesting. Sure, you can swing a pickaxe and get some silver, but it’s more productive to cast Mage Hand and get 50% more! No, you don’t need a second pick axe for the mage hand, but thanks for asking. :-)

  • There are specialist harvesting spells that allow you to just extract the resource magically – without a tool. These will always be the most productive and take the least effort (beyond casting).

  • How to find resources? There are four new spells to search for them. Each detects different kinds of resources. They are: Earth Sense, Harmonic Burst, Bloom Sense, Deep Root Sense. Cast them and they cover a 3 hex radius. If they find something, great! If not, that area is used up, you’ll need to move elsewhere. The game will tell you if you aren’t in a new search area.

  • How do you get these new spells? For now, go to the Chapter House and the master there will teach you one of them, for a fee. Travel around to get them all.

  • In summary, there are 7 new world spells: Earth Sense, Harmonic Burst, Bloom Sense, Deep Root Sense, Haste, Mage Hand, and Earth Rip

  • There are 2 new items at the outfitter: Knife (harvest fruit, flowers) and Hammer (harvest stone)

  • This build marks the beginning of casting spells in the world, something long needed!

Resources uses a new Location Interaction system, a critical new system for future features of things you can do in a map spot. For example, I've always wanted to have buildings out in the world but it wasn't possible to interact with them in complex ways, until now!

Here is a playtest video focused on the new functionality by starting a new game:

I want to thank everyone on Steam forums and the Discord for helping with responses, advice, and general encouragement as I built the feature out.

Real Time Dev Blogging on Discord Channel

I like writing updates, but when I'm actively working on a feature and have a question "Should it be more like A or B?" steam forum posting is just too slow of a turn around. The inability to post a pic is a big limitation.

So I tried a new idea: A real-time dev blog. It gives me an outlet while I work on the game, and a chance to chime in on design decisions in real-time. You can check it out here: "real time dev blog".

I’ll continue posting full dev blogs every week or so. The real-time channel is just another form of interaction.

What about Mods and User Content?

For the first time, you can add custom content to the game. The Events system was designed to allow anyone to write events. You write them in JSON text files and the game will use them.

I will post full instructions on how to do it in the Wiki before year end.

For the adventurous who just want to try it out now, here is a demo video showing how it works and you you can probably figure it out from that.

As always, thanks for your interest in Archmage Rises! I really enjoy making it!