Aug 9, 2023

Yomaia - sam

Central Covenant - Project Leader

Hello everyone! Welcome to the first Yomaia Dev Blog, where you can delve deeper into our game. As many of you already know, I'm Central Covenant, and in this inaugural Dev Blog, I, as the boss, game owner, and Project Leader, reserve the right to use it as an "introduction letter" to explain and present what Yomaia is all about. I aim to provide clarity to our followers on our development progress, our intended approach, and what you can expect from the different phases of our game.

As you are aware, Yomaia is a Survival Horror MMO, a massively multiplayer game that immerses players in an intense survival experience, allowing them to embody both carnivorous and herbivorous beasts and beings, as well as humans. It showcases the immense potential of each species and presents a challenge to determine the ultimate champion.

In the Survival aspect, whether playing as dinosaurs or humans, the game revolves around the struggle to survive on an expansive map (island), where conditions, including weather and gameplay mechanics are perpetually against the player. Survival is at the core of the game, encompassing tasks such as feeding, drinking, managing stamina, adapting to diverse temperatures based on different map sections, and even delving into the intricacies of reproduction and forming groups. These elements collectively contribute to the Survival Horror experience that defines Yomaia.

Throughout the game, players will encounter various challenges, such as navigating the darkness of night, where instincts and unique abilities as a dinosaur or human will be essential for survival. Additionally, the map features specific areas like laboratories that can be accessed by dinosaurs of suitable size. However, it is important to note that there are far more dangerous entities than mere dinosaurs lurking within these locations. Even if you are the largest creature around, there will always be a more formidable threat hidden in the depths of the map, capable of unleashing chaos upon the land at any given moment.

At Yomaia, we aim to create a truly immersive and thrilling experience, where players must navigate a hostile environment and confront their deepest fears. We have carefully crafted an intricate world where danger lurks at every turn, ensuring that each playthrough is filled with suspense, adrenaline, and unexpected encounters.

ROSTER

Regarding our dinosaur roster, our initial plan for Early Access is to launch a group of ten carnivores and ten herbivores. However, we may start with fewer species initially and gradually expand the roster based on feedback. From a sustainable development perspective, we propose starting with five carnivores and five herbivores as minimun, which may change and improve over time. We will use player feedback to add the remaining dinosaurs in a more refined manner.

INTENDED EARLY ACCESS ROSTER

CARNIVORES

Tyrannosaurus Rex, Spinosaurus, Giganotosaurus
Ceratosaurus, Carnotaurus, Allosaurus, Suchomimus, Baryonix
Deinonichus, Dilophosaurus

HERBIVORES
Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Therizinosaurus
Iguanodon, Parasaurolophus, Corythosaurus
Pachycephalosaurus, Gallimimus, Dryosaurus

This will be our complete roster for the Early Access version. However, please note that we are referring specifically to the Early Access version, which will undergo updates and improvements. While we strive to add more species at the start of Early Access, we are still in the process of finalizing and preparing them. We have plans to include a significant number of additional dinosaurs, and we are open to community suggestions for additional species. As we transition from Early Access (alpha playable) to the beta phase, our aim is to introduce AI-controlled dinosaurs first, followed by playable ones.

We greatly appreciate and encourage community proposals, and we will make efforts to implement them as quickly as possible. In terms of gameplay, Yomaia offers high replayability as each dinosaur has its own unique playstyle, mechanics, and skills. Additionally, each species will have its own exclusive skill tree, known as the DNA evolutionary chain, providing players with different ways to play and develop their dinosaurs. Although this may not be immediately apparent at the beginning, it is a feature we plan to fully implement.

For example, each dinosaur's skill tree will allow players to choose between three different types of mutagens, which significantly impact the gameplay experience. By selecting different mutagens, players can modify the way they play with a particular dinosaur. This dynamic gameplay system offers various possibilities. For instance, taking mutagen A in the first line, mutagen B in the second line, and mutagen C in the third line will create a different experience than taking mutagen B first, followed by mutagen C and then mutagen A in subsequent games. This dynamic approach ensures that each encounter with a dinosaur feels unique, as their abilities and gameplay mechanics change based on the chosen mutagens.

Furthermore, every dinosaur will possess its own set of special mechanics. For example, the Kentrosaurus, a smaller species resembling the Stegosaurus, has spikes on its tail and back. When the Kentrosaurus attacks with its tail, it inflicts bleeding damage on the target. Additionally, the dinosaur has a passive ability that enhances bleeding damage inflicted when another dinosaur bites it from behind or from the sides, depending on the location of the spikes. This example illustrates how each dinosaur will have species-specific mechanics, such as bone-breaking, localized bone damage, and armor, which give them advantages in certain situations.

However, in Yomaia, we will also feature human characters divided into two factions: the Biogenesis Corporation Military Branch and the Test Subject branch.

The Biogenesis Corporation Military Branch offers unique roles, including the trapper, engineer, Shock troop, support, and healer. Only five players can play as military characters per server, and each role provides exclusive gameplay. For example, the trapper specializes in temporarily immobilizing dinosaurs or using tracking darts to locate them. The healer focuses on supporting and healing teammates, even having the ability to revive them. The Shock troop serves as a tank with high damage and resistance, capable of engaging and eliminating dinosaurs if necessary. The engineer is responsible for activating traps, unlocking areas, and solving puzzles to assist the team in achieving objectives. The Biogenesis Corporation Military Branch not only engages in survival but also has missions across the map to unlock resources and reach the core of the island. By reconstructing the hidden artificial intelligence of the Biogenesis Corporation, they gain powerful buffs that make them capable of facing dinosaurs with less difficulty.

To balance gameplay, we will limit the number of players in the military faction to five per server. If all five roles are already filled, new players will enter a waiting queue. If a player occupying a role leaves, the next player in the queue will fill that vacancy. This approach ensures a balanced team composition.

In the event that a player dies, the next player in the queue automatically takes their place. This mechanic allows for continuous gameplay and leveling of the team. The military group has access to various tools and vehicles such as choppers, jeeps, and more if necessary. By limiting the number of players per server to five, the game is kept balanced and fair.

The humans are the only group with the ability to craft, with the military faction having a lower crafting capacity compared to the next group, the Test Subjects. The Test Subjects represent the survival-focused and crafting-oriented branch of humans. Players will start as male or female characters within three human subspecies: Caucasoid, Negroid and Mongoloid , each with unique attributes. Starting with minimal resources, players must focus on survival, collecting resources, and crafting items. This aspect of the game will resemble survival-focused games like ARK.

Both the military and the test subjects will have access to the abandoned laboratories and industrial areas within the Biogenesis Corporation labs. However, the military faction will have access to more specific areas compared to the test subjects. Nonetheless, test subjects will also have unique areas to explore due to their crafting abilities.

While dinosaurs may have limited access to these areas, they will depend on humans to unlock or open them through specific actions or passages. Only smaller dinosaurs will be able to access these areas directly, while larger dinosaurs will need to wait for certain events or conditions to occur before entering the laboratories.

In conclusion, humans in Yomaia will possess unique abilities and gameplay mechanics, just like the dinosaurs. Within the human factions, the Biogenesis Corporation Military Branch and the Test Subject branch offer distinct gameplay experiences. The development team plans to introduce also a robust underwater ecosystem and underwater caverns in the future, allowing for underwater gameplay when aquatic dinosaurs are added. The goal is to create a seamless experience where players can choose to play as a dinosaur or a human, and within those choices, engage in gameplay on land, in the air, or underwater. The addition of underwater lab sections and a well-developed underwater ecosystem ensures that players who prefer underwater gameplay won't feel left out.

Please note that while these features may not be fully implemented during Early Access, they are part of our plans for the beta version.

So, from the development team, our primary focus is to provide the community with diverse and immersive gameplay within our game. Players will have the opportunity to experience the game in various ways, including exploring the underwater habitat. It's important to note that the underwater habitat will be part of the same map, not a separate map. However we also have plans to implement fully dedicated underwater maps, allowing players to choose whether they want to play exclusively in the sea, on land, or both, especially when setting up their own servers.

Speaking of servers, our intention is to establish centralized servers in each major region. Initially, there will likely be one server per region. Our servers will have the capacity to accommodate between three hundred and five hundred players, although meeting these requirements may take time as we are a growing development team. However, we will strive to achieve this goal, and it's possible that we may even reach it by the beginning of the Early Access phase. We appreciate your understanding and support during the development process.

At the outset, the gameplay we offer will be foundational, though enjoyable and with a considerable amount of content. However, it's important to note that the amount of content available will significantly expand over time, potentially within six months or more.

Returning to the topic of servers, our plan is to have centralized servers in North America, South America, Europe, and Australia, with a minimum capacity of three hundred simultaneous players. If demand exceeds the capacity of these servers, we will consider opening additional servers based on the community's needs and feedback. While I have the final say as the game's creator, I value and listen to the community's input. If, for example, the North American server consistently reaches its capacity and players request more server space, we will gladly accommodate their needs. However, for regions like China or the Middle East, we will need to assess the game's capacity and the population's interest to determine whether it warrants additional server support.

MECHANICS

The game will feature a robust set of mechanics that aim to make Yomaia the best survival horror game ever, with a focus on incorporating special, general, and unique elements that set it apart from other games in the genre. One notable example is the map mechanics. What does this mean? The map itself will be interactive, requiring players to adapt their gameplay in certain areas due to specific mechanics that can either complicate or favor their approach. In these areas, you will notice variations in temperature, with some regions being colder or hotter. As a human or dinosaur player, you must exercise caution, as entering an area unsuitable for your species can result in debuffs such as hypothermia or heatstroke.

Additionally, the map will have zones that only specific dinosaurs can access. This design choice aims to activate the survival element within the community and groups, as well as encourage gameplay diversity across different dinosaur species. The intention is to avoid a scenario where players exclusively favor one dinosaur, such as Rex, and neglect playing other species. However, it's important to note that accessing certain areas of the map may require waiting for specific events, changing to a different dinosaur, or accepting that certain areas will remain inaccessible.
Another aspect of map mechanics includes environmental events such as droughts, landslides, and hurricanes, which can be considered as atmospheric processes. These events will directly impact the map, affecting gameplay dynamics. For instance, lakes can fill up and flood during certain seasons, while rivers may overflow or dry up. These changes will both enhance and hinder different types of players, who must adapt their strategies accordingly. Hurricanes, for example, may pose a threat to smaller dinosaurs, requiring them to seek shelter in caves or other designated areas. The survival challenges presented by these events extend to larger dinosaurs as well. Droughts can lead to limited water sources, resulting in intense competition for survival, especially considering that some dinosaurs require more water than others. These map mechanics and environmental events, including droughts, floods, hurricanes, and even snowfall that can decrease the temperature below freezing, create a dynamic and unpredictable gameplay experience.

These mechanics represent a unique feature in Yomaia that, to the best of our knowledge, hasn't been implemented in any other game to date. Or at least, not with this relevance. They contribute to making Yomaia a truly immersive and authentic survival game. Moreover, besides the environmental and map mechanics, we also incorporate specific mechanics tailored to individual dinosaur species. For example, the Kentrosaurus and Ankylosaurus possess distinctive abilities. The Ankylosaurus, with its tail club, can deliver devastating blows, while its thick armor greatly reduces the damage it receives. When facing an Ankylosaurus, players will need to adopt specific strategies to overcome its defensive capabilities. Furthermore, we plan to implement a localized damage system that will add depth and strategy to melee combat, allowing players to utilize various techniques to overcome barriers.

These dinosaur-specific mechanics, as well as the mechanics applicable to humans, ensure that Yomaia's combat system goes beyond simple hit-and-run or repetitive strategies. The combat system aims to be ambitious, offering localized damage, dynamic combat mechanics, and enjoyable, intuitive gameplay that requires thoughtful decision-making. This applies not only to combat but also extends to other aspects of the game, such as test subjects and crafting.

In addition to these mechanics, we are focusing on intrinsic game mechanics that will be integral to Yomaia's main mode: Survival. We aim to achieve a realistic or semi-realistic style without relying on external rules since not all players may have access to our Discord or other communication channels. These intrinsic game mechanics will guide players to adopt a semi-realistic playstyle without imposing excessive restrictions or unrealistic rules. While players will still have the freedom to play as they wish, it's important to note that certain actions may result in buffs or debuffs that can significantly impact their gameplay experience. For example, we have implemented a population control mechanic to prevent issues like overpacking or mixpacking, depending on the class and species of the dinosaur.

The visual representation of these population control mechanics appears as a red (or green for buffs) icon in the corner of the user interface, accompanied by a name such as "stressed predator." Players can find more information by accessing the dinosaur's user interface and selecting the corresponding icon. Depending on the dinosaur type and the acquired debuff, players may experience a damage reduction of 35 percent or more. Despite the potential debuffs or penalties, we do not intend to prohibit any particular playstyle, as it would be counterproductive. However, these game mechanics will naturally encourage players to engage in a semi-realistic or realistic playstyle, minimizing issues like overpacking or mixpacking.

Overall, these mechanics, encompassing map interactions, dinosaur-specific abilities, and intrinsic game mechanics for reproduction, combat, survival, feeding, hunting, scavenging, air, weather, etc, aim to make Yomaia a standout survival game, offering a comprehensive and immersive gameplay experience. We will explain the mechanics in detail in a future Dev Blog where all the mechanics are described.

RAIDS

One exclusive type of event in Yomaia is the Raid. Raids are special areas such as caves or dungeons that can be unlocked by certain actions performed by players on the map. Once unlocked, certain groups of dinosaurs or humans can access these areas to face a mutant boss. As a dinosaur, defeating the boss can grant genetic buff that allow for mutations and growth in specific ways, leading to improved gameplay. As a human, engaging in Raids can provide better loot. However, these benefits are lost upon death.

The Raid system is still under discussion, but it is an exciting feature that we believe the community will enjoy. Players will face mutant bosses, such as a combination of Triceratops, Velociraptor, and a human, and by defeating them and consuming their meat, players will receive unique rewards and access evolutionary advancements for their dinosaurs.

ALPHAS

Moving on to another point, we are proud to introduce the Alpha system. These mechanics serve as an End Game feature, allowing players to enter in the challenge mode once they reach their maximum adult potential. By accessing the Alpha System through the skill tree and consuming other players to unlock certain skills, players can unleash their Alpha version. The Alpha version represents a more powerful and beastly form of the dinosaur compared to the regular models seen from small to adult stages.

Because every species within Yomaia will have the ability to become the Alpha of their species within the server, it will not only change their way of playing and their abilities, but also their overall experience. For instance, if we have an Alpha Spinosaurus, becoming an Alpha will transform their gameplay. However, to become an Alpha, certain post-game requirements must be fulfilled. Once the dinosaur reaches its fully grown stage, it needs to meet specific criteria and compete with other players to claim the Alpha position. Once someone becomes an Alpha, they must maintain their title.
What does being an Alpha mean? It means that the server can only accommodate two Alphas. As soon as a third Alpha emerges, or even with two Alphas, an icon will automatically appear above each of them, allowing Alphas to locate one another. This system is designed to make the Alpha title a reward for those who excel or possess superior gameplay skills. However, it also limits the raw power of the Alpha and encourages rotation within this role. In other words, anyone can achieve Alpha status, but once you reach that stage, you'll be directed to eliminate the other Alpha at the risk of losing your own dinosaur.

These mechanics will be further explained in the mechanics section or through our Discord server for any clarifications. We are extremely proud of this system in Yomaia, as it is a unique endgame or post-game mechanic that sets us apart from other games. It ensures that players won't get bored of their gameplay experience and enjoy of a big variety of choices.

DEVELOPMENT & IDEAS

In this stage of development process, we are currently dedicating a significant amount of effort to finalize the animation process for all possible models. We are animating both the basic models and the alpha models, which is an enormous task and requires double the effort. Rest assured that we are striving to release the game in Early Access as complete and polished as possible.

I'd like to explain also our ideas regarding Skins and our concept surrounding them. As a developer, my intention is to give the game a visual aesthetic with realistic dinosaurs. However, as always, we want to offer the option for players to choose a more stylized dinosaur appearance that they may be familiar with from various sources. Therefore, we have implemented the concept of Skin Models and Basic Skins in the development process.

The Skin Models concept corresponds to a skin that completely changes the appearance of the model and potentially even certain animations. On the other hand, we have Basic Skins, which only alter color patterns and similar aspects. Players will have the freedom to choose from various types of skins for each dinosaur, whether male or female, within the options we provide.

Thanks to this type of skin development, we can virtually implement infinite possibilities that allow players to customize their dinosaurs not only in terms of color and pattern, but also in terms of model. This feature is one of the main attractions of Yomaia. Players will have a wide selection of specific options for both male and female dinosaurs, including special skins that can change the model and appearance of their dinosaurs. It's important not to confuse this color and skin selection mechanic with the previously mentioned Alpha models, which closely resemble the Jurassic Park style. Skin models are only applicable to the basic models, namely juvenile, sub-adult, and adult. The Alpha class has only one type of model, with variations in skin depending on the gender.

As the level desing development, our intention is to create at least three different maps on each server, namely Zone A, Zone B, and Zone C. Each map will consist of various sections and interactive areas, as explained earlier, featuring themes such as flooding and drought. We take it a step further by implementing interactive areas within the maps that can be unlocked from one side to another. For example, reaching a base at one end of the map as a human player may require coordination with a teammate at the other end. By simultaneously pressing a switch in a specific area, players can unlock a main area of the Biogenesis Corporation laboratories. This development process brings unprecedented dynamism to the game, enhancing both player experience and exploration within the map.

With this level of map desing, players can work as a team within their respective areas, unlocking secrets and discovering interactive zones, thus expanding the gameplay within the map. Additionally, our intention is to create distinct biomes within the maps. For instance, Zone C features a heavily forested and tropical landscape, resembling a rainforest island with plains and swamps. On the other hand, Zone A is predominantly desert-themed. Our development idea is to ensure each map reflects its respective biome style and characteristics.

GAME MODES

Yomaia also offers a diverse range of gameplay modes. The main mode, codenamed Primal, is a classic survival mode that provides players with a semi-realistic or realistic experience. It captures the core gameplay of Yomaia, where players must survive in challenging environments. Additionally, we are introducing a Sandbox mode for players who enjoy open-ended gameplay, allowing them to explore different dinosaur species and playstyles without the need for the progression found in the Survival mode. This mode, called Survive The Hunt, caters to sandbox enthusiasts. Furthermore, we have the traditional Deathmatch or FFA (Free For All) mode, where all players can engage in combat, including dinosaur versus dinosaur and human versus human battles. This mode is called Rampage. These three modes are the primary ones that will likely be available during Early Access. However, we are also developing other concepts and playstyles. For example, "Capture the Egg" is a mode similar to Capture the Flag, incorporating elements of territorial control within the dinosaur theme.

Alright, and what else will we say about Yomaia? The truth is, I could spend hours and hours explaining things about the game (as it's evident from the massive wall of text I've put up as the initial Dev Blog). In fact, I'd like to cover the topic of the game's narrative and lore, but I think we'll do that on another occasion.

If you've made it this far, I give you my sincerest thanks for having read the entire text. Without a doubt, you now understand what Yomaia is and all our intentions and ideas for this game. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart, for dedicating your time to read and understand. Please give us your vote of confidence and let us show that we can indeed create one of the best simulation and survival games set in the Mesozoic era. I hope we can all start and witness the end of this marvelous journey together.

As for the next Dev Blog, don't worry. From now on, they'll all be the typical informative blogs about what we're developing and who's involved. However, I really wanted to provide all this information because we're not creating Yomaia blindly and haphazardly like some other games in this genre that have made little progress over the years.

Stay tuned for future information, where we will dive into specific gameplay mechanics, character progression, and other exciting features that await you in the world of Yomaia. Thank you for joining us on this journey, and we look forward to sharing more with you soon!

Thank you very much for your attention and support, Maians! See you in the new world!