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Monday Dev Update #18

To secure and speed up the release pace, and minimize the occurrence of delays, you can support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/winterfallgame


Today our Dev Blog post will take a somewhat different form as we will mostly use it to evaluate the work done in 2021 and the work yet to do in 2022.


2021 was a pretty good year for Winterfall's development as we managed, against still unfriendly odds, to take care of a lot of systems and mechanics. Some were old work that we salvage from the previous version of the project, some were entirely new systems, some were adaptations.


By now you are all aware of the composite nature of Winterfall: part survival game, part base building, part life sim, part grand strategy, all-around ARPG. The goal of the game, as stated previously, is to allow you to either play in a traditional goal-oriented, short play sessions manner, or a complete responsive sandbox that doesn't have to end, where you do whatever you want and the game has an answer for your every choice and action of note. Some of you will want to explore endlessly, others will just want to watch their characters go through daily life. Those are the scenarios we have to design solutions for: building the platform for your memorable stories and unforgettable experiences. All of this, of course, in a hand-designed world so big you should never be able to say "I have seen everything here".


So let's take each broad category of gameplay and comment on the things we did in 2021.


Survival Game

In 2021 we:

- Restored Stamina Loss & Regeneration functions

- Restored the Survival Needs/Conditions system

- Restored Inventory Functionality & Consumables, with Equipment Logic

- Tied all those aspects together

- Began revamping the Camping & Camp-building mechanics

- Built the Grid/Cell-based Exploration & Surveying System

- Implemented Core hostile Patrol Mechanics

- Implemented Core Tracking mechanics

- Implemented core Surveying Incidents Mechanics

- Updated Core Weather & Hazard Mechanics accordingly

- Implemented Hearth & Respawn Mechanics

- Implemented Woe (Defeat types) Mechanics and assorted (Grit, Recovery, etc)

- Vastly overhauled Notice Mechanics (think a deeper version of the Stars system in GTA)


Base-Building (Outpost)

In 2021 we:

- Implemented Outpost Primary Stats

  • Food

  • Supplies

  • Treasure

- Implemented Outpost Secondary Stats

  • Readiness (convertible into Sentinels & Usable for Action Expeditions)

  • Resourcefulness (convertible into Explorers & Usable for Exploration Expeditions)

  • Goodwill (convertible into Agents & Usable for Relation Expeditions)

  • Labour (convertible into Specialists & Usable for Labour Expeditions)

- Implemented the Outpost RTS Camera

- Implemented Outpost Core Resources Management (Food & Supplies)

- Implemented Outpost Quality of Life & Security Meters

- Implemented Outpost Crisis Mechanics in case of low Core Resources

- Implemented basic Crisis Events & Interplay with Outpost Stats (type, gravity of Crisis, etc)

- Implemented physical tile-based Outpost building & customization

- Implemented Facility menus, inventories & upgrade slots

- Implemented Core Facility types and their extension relationships


Life Sim

- Restored & Expanded the Environment Mood System

- Restored the Character Mood System

- Built the Character Interactions, Relationships & Emotions System

- Built the Character Lifepath Generator (gameplay & choices-based Story Generator)


Grand Strategy

- No specific items implemented in 2021, although connected to Base-building & Life Sim aspects


ARPG

In 2021 we:

- Improved Attack Inputs and behaviours across the board

- Fixed Camera Snap combat mechanics & aligned attacks with Camera look direction

- Dealt with various quality of life elements

- Applied many fixes and improvements to various Controller issues


And much more.

The first months of 2022 will be about completing Survival, Base-Building and ARPG functions towards installing the Gameplay Loop in its fundamental functionality:

  • Venture out in the wilderness

  • Survive

  • Experience Adventures

  • Bring back resources

  • Build your Outpost


Which will later expand to accommodate functions such as

  • Recruit Followers & Companions

  • Send out expeditions

  • Colonize the map

  • Deal with Crises

  • Fulfill Character Lifepaths

  • Deal with inter-Character Drama


Advancement on the RPG Progression mechanics (leveling up, etc) is also in the crosshairs.


Thank you for your patience and support as we keep making progress in the huge task of building Winterfall against all odds: technical, financial and even personal. The commitment remains 100%.

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