Monday Dev Update #19

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This past week, most of the work went into continuing to implement mechanics for Camp-building, the central feature of Wilderness gameplay. As a matter of fact, one of the very first public screenshots produced for Winterfall illustrated that system:

Beware, oldie! But those were also simpler times.

It's another big system that's crucial to get out of the way because it combines various components into one experience within the greater experience. It's another rabbit hole, of the type Winterfall is full of but thankfully, that one is pretty limited in scope. The interplay of systems just adds design & development complications, and we can't address anything linearly, but that is the way those things work. If we'd wanted it straightforward gameplay-wise, we'd have stuck to a Metroidvania or a souls-like!

So let's get into this week's developments and where that takes us concerning the plan in the coming weeks:

- A camp can now be created by Surveying a Landmark and plopping down a Hearth (fire)

- The Camp area is then contoured by little markers

- Camp space is made of tiles, on which can be placed Camp Facilities

- At the moment, Camp Facilities have to exist in the Player Inventory first (will change)

- Camp Facilities can be moved around and rotated 90% before placement

- Camp Facilities can be un-placed (currently by pressing n to enter "un-place mode, but will change)

- Un-placed Facilities return to the Player Inventory (will return to Camp Inventory later on)

- A Sleeping Spot can be designated and used

- The Sleeping Spot is your Character's respawn location in case of Woe (gameplay defeat)

- Using the Sleeping Spot will pass the time to the next day

- A tent can be placed over the Sleeping Spot

Another oldie featuring a camping snapshot

Next developments in the coming 2-3 weeks:

- Master/Slave logic to Facilities, so we can add extensions to placed Facilities

- A little bit of UI work, for Camp and Player Core Stats

- Adrenaline Mechanics (base Stamina multiplier when in-combat and targeted by Hostile)

- Conditions Effects: Hunger, Thirst, Injury & Exertion stacking debuffs as they increase

- Basic Buffs/Debuffs for various purposes: Traits mechanics, Items, and actual Buffs/Debuffs

- Mood Spells: Character Mood used to purchase Buff/Debuff Effects at Camp for the next day

All those will flesh out the Survival gameplay by bringing all its systems closer together.

The step after these should be some work on streamlining Urges & Environment Interactions, implementing some Crafting mechanics, some Itemization and additional Camping developments/improvements.

It's a lot of work, it's slower than we'd like, but it's a vast vision so it's important to remember that what matters with the little time we're given is what we get to do, not what we would like to do. Crucial mindset here with something of this scope.

Again, thank you for your continued interest.