Oct 3, 2023

Drakantos - Ninah

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to our September Devlog! In this edition, we will provide updates on the game's development and also unveil our first Official Gameplay Trailer. 👀

🎮Development🎮

- We've completed all the necessary environmental art assets for the Coliseum, a huge structure located in the heart of the Human Empire. This arena will be the setting for various survival modes and challenging duels in the future! ⚔️

- Moreover, we've designed a range of other environmental assets, including boats, fountains, new structures for the elves, and more.

- As mentioned last month, we created environmental assets for different kingdoms. We're now finalizing the construction/decoration of the cities of Akamond (Mage Tower🔮) and Ereluna (Elven Kingdom 🍃). Every detail has been planned to give these places genuine depth and authenticity.

- We've completed two more complex bosses and their introduction cinematics. Check out a sneak peek of the creation process for each:

"Urijor" Boss:

"Korz" Boss🪓:

- We've finalized the HUD for emotes, skins, pets, and character abilities. Specifically for abilities, we've integrated animated videos that showcase each attack, making it easier to comprehend the functions of both the abilities and orbs.

- We've completed all the animations and sounds for the first World Boss, which we won't reveal to avoid giving away story spoilers. Moreover, we've also designed the art for its arena, tailored specifically for this battle. Next month, we'll create the mechanics of the boss itself. As mentioned earlier, this one, along with the other world bosses, will feature a high level of complexity, showcasing at least 10 stages and a variety of distinct attacks. 🔥

- We’ve created a new monster, a sub-boss, called Doppleganger.

- We welcomed a new team member who will assist us with level design! 🤝

- We continued creating a variety of new missions/dungeons. Currently, we have over 100 handcrafted maps for these missions, not to mention the numerous 'surprise' elements that can vary within each mission.

- We've finalized our pet system! Although we haven't begun developing the pets themselves, the interface and the system are ready. Who's excited about having a pet in the game? 🐾

🎥First Official Gameplay Trailer🎥

We are thrilled to share our very first official gameplay trailer with you! With a plethora of scenes, monsters, and content to choose, it was a challenge to pick just a few highlights. We truly hope you enjoy it!

We can't thank you enough for your continued support and encouragement. It's heartwarming to see our community grow, and we'll continue to update you on our progress here and through our official Discord.❤️

Remember to leave a like and comment if you enjoyed this Devlog!

See you next time!👋

Oct 3, 2023

Upcoming Update and Hidden Cats & Dogs

Epic Battle Fantasy 4 - Kupo Games

Hey guys, the Steam store page for my new game - Hidden Cats & Dogs - is live, so I would greatly appreciate it if you wishlisted the game to boost it. The game is around a year away from release, so there's a lot of work left to do, but I'll try to have a demo out in the next few months.

Hidden Cats & Dogs features...

Thousands of items to find, and 20+ hours of gameplay.
3 difficulty modes, with different goals in each, allowing for multiple playthroughs.
Spot-the-difference challenges, and other secret game modes.
Diverse areas including ancient Egypt, volcanic islands, European forests and castles, arctic tundra, fantasy jungles, and many more.
Occasional dark humour. (which can be disabled for a family-friendly experience)
100% DRM-free, so you can make a copy for your grandma.

Epic Battle Fantasy 4 Version 3

In other news, I'm working on a mobile port of Epic Battle Fantasy 4, which includes some new features and content, which will also come to the Steam version as a free update.

This isn't going to be finished any time soon - but maybe some time in the next year or so!

New stuff includes:

Widescreen support! (at least in battle, maybe on the map)
4 new weapons for each character.
8 new summons.
Some UI improvements, such as a better minimap and player emoticons added to in-battle dialogue.
New dialogue for 12 of the bosses.
Some minor bug fixes.

Oct 3, 2023

Zephyr 7.5 out now!

3DF Zephyr Lite Steam Edition - 3Dflow

Good news, everyone!

3DF Zephyr 7.5 is finally out now!

This latest update comes, among the many changes, with significant improvements in both quality and speed like never before in the quality of the reconstructed mesh (especially for thin structures), an all-improved UI and a lot more!

Check out the new major features in the video below or find the full changelog slightly further down!

3DF Zephyr Steam Edition 7.500 changelog

+ Improved mesh algorithm. Thickness is now computed automatically to better maintain thin structures.
+ The options dialog has been reworked and improved. You can now quickly search among the options.
+ Added an option to reset the gizmo rotation. Additionally, the camera doesn’t reset on cancel, and the object visibility doesn’t change when ok is pressed.
+ Added options to change the gizmo thickness and its screen size.
+ Improved 3D constraints importing and added an option to specify a projected coordinate system.
+ Improved Nira exporter with native SDK support.
+ Added progress bar and cancel button on several filters.
+ Many minor fixes and QoL improvements.

Oct 3, 2023

2.0 development direction vote! - October edition

ΔV: Rings of Saturn - Adrian W.

This month vote is here to figure out the development priorities as we move towards 2.0. Things you don't vote for will still be done, just a bit later. Vote for things you want to see sooner! Remember, you can vote for more than one thing. Or all the things. Or none of the things.

Let us know all the areas where you think we need to push forward!

🔧 Mod Support: Steam Workshop integration, modding API, expanded mod loader and mod compatibility checks, or Koder directly helping make mods.
📈 Performance: Optimizing the game further is always an option. Pick this if you think the game should run smoother.
🎮 Gameplay and mechanics: Make the game do new things or do things better. Expand mining companions, have ships leave their processed cargo when they blow up, new unique services, and similar changes to the base gameplay.
🚀 New ships: New ships! Need we say more? It can include ship variants or completely new ships. This also includes new HUDs for those ships.
🧘 NPC ship behavior: We could work on making NPC ships a little smarter and more wily. This will bleed into other areas, as things like your companions and THICCs, and the EI autopilot all utilize NPC behavior, and autopilot behaviors in general might be improved.
🛠️ Hardware: We should get some new toys, like the spinny launcher ore even a LIDAR upgrade category. Maybe finishing up the groundwork to get NSWR drives in play for big ships, or a point defense laser, or other interesting utility options.
🛣️ Story Arc 2.0: Let's begin the next chapter! Our second arc will involve the future of AI in the rings.
🙋 Events: We need more things that happen. Crew agendas, encounters in the rings, sights to see. Rare mineables seem like they were a popular suggestion, but this also includes a number of random encounters that could spice up the game.
🖼️ Immersion: Flesh out the world with new details, try and make it breathe a little more, perhaps working on more options for existing dialog, adding extra interactions for rare coincidences, giving you more ways to solve quests.
🛋️ Quality of Life: Generally UI and interface improvements to make like easier; things like filters for the hiring panel.

The vote has concluded - view results here!

Oct 3, 2023

Dev Log: Talk with the Dev Team behind Conqueror’s Blade

Conqueror's Blade - Max_CM1

1. The Season "Knightfall" was released on September 14th. What inspired the creation of this season?

Response: Initially, after two seasons with Eastern themes, we aimed to introduce content from Western battlefields to enrich the game. When considering themes, we sought to capture the raw, early-warfare essence that the game had during its initial launch. This led us to the concept of the Teutonic Order, which was a popular choice among players in one of our previous surveys.

2. The units have a medieval German-inspired look and names. Can we refer to this as a "medieval German season?"

Response: We did draw inspiration from the Teutonic Knights and the combat styles of that time and region. However, the Teutonic Order included members from various countries and cultures across central and eastern Europe. While it conveys a hint of a Germanic theme, it doesn't represent the entirety of what "German" means to us. So, we can't definitively label this season as exclusively "German."

3. How did you choose which units to add to the Season?

Response: Firstly, we examined authentic historical references to understand how knights of that era engaged in battle and identified the most iconic weapons and combat styles that could pique players' interest. Secondly, we considered how introducing these new units would positively contribute to the diversity of the battlefield in the current game ecosystem, offering gameplay experiences players may not have encountered before.

4. The T3 Archer unit, Schutzdiener combines both offensive and supportive abilities, including the ability to heal allies. Can you tell us about the process of designing this unit?

Response: We believed this unique gameplay style would introduce different tactical possibilities and alter the game's dynamics. Inspired by the stories surrounding the Knightly Orders and their association with holiness and healing practices, we created a unit that possesses the ability to provide healing and support in addition to combat prowess.

5. The Zweihander is an iconic weapon carried by the new T5 unit. Many players are asking if there are plans to introduce this sword as a separate Hero Weapon class in the future. Do you have any plans for this?

Response: For this year, we don't have plans to introduce a new hero class. Currently, we have a variety of hero weapons and units, and our focus is on balancing and developing new mechanics for units. However, we recognize that the Zweihander is a highly anticipated weapon. If we were to introduce a new hero class in the future, it would certainly be a strong contender.

6. The overall tone of the Knightfall video trailer is notably different from the previous Sengoku season, being darker and more brutal, which many players praised for its "warlike" feeling. Was this intentional?

Response: In the previous season, we experimented with a style reminiscent of action-packed manga in our video trailer, which is a characteristic Japanese artistic approach. For the Season Knightfall, we aimed to portray how they engaged in warfare driven by their faith. They were more zealous, and their environment and struggles were harsher, naturally resulting in a heavier atmosphere. Every video trailer atmosphere we create is indeed intentional, aiming to convey the essence of the season's theme.

7. Can you share some details about the development team's future plans?

Response: Our top priority is improving the game ecosystem, addressing several challenges such as the gap between new and veteran players, PvE content, Territory War gameplay, unit and hero balance, and the upcoming Performance Optimization Campaign "Nirvana."

8. Previously, you engaged with players during China Joy, directly answering their questions. Do you plan to organize more meetings like this in the future?

Response: Absolutely, engaging directly with players face-to-face is part of our ongoing strategy. We will continue to hold similar events to communicate with players, share our thoughts, and listen to your feedback. Your input helps make the game better, and we're preparing to meet players around the world in various regions.

9. Finally, is there anything you would like to wish or say to Conqueror's Blade players?

Response: Conqueror's Blade has been online for over four years, nearly five, and we're immensely grateful for your support and companionship throughout this journey. As we make significant adjustments to the game's ecosystem and optimization in the future, if you have any thoughts or suggestions, please don't hesitate to reach out to the development team via livestream events and social channels. Serving you is an honor for the whole "Conqueror's Blade" team.

Oct 3, 2023

Wield the Might of an Empire during the March Of Magadha!

Kurukshetra: Ascension - Mihira

A forgotten legend returns to the fray, rallying the glorious might of the Magadha empire. Brace yourselves![[/i]

Greetings Yodhas!

Swift was a fun property, wasn't it? But boots on the ground, Yodhas! We are visiting Prithvi this season to join the warrior king Jarasandha, and encounter some familiar faces in mankind's seat of power, Magadha. A new Karma Pass is here and with it, we’ve got ten new cards entering the card pool, including a welcome surprise!

New Karma Pass: March Of Magadha

New Cards

Grab the all-new Karma Pass to instantly unlock the fearsome warrior king, Jarasandha. March up the season track to acquire Jaddan Bai, the wily ex-courtesan who disarms your enemies. Unearth the Mines Of Magadha to collect a valuable Spell Card and deploy your next two units in that turn for free!

New Properties

Two new properties enter the game this season - Disruptor can be devastating in the right hands, allowing you to disable enemy row protection and overwhelm the backline. For defensive play, the Rescue property can come in clutch, returning units to your hand and lowering Soma Costs.

Arjuna gets a new look

Everyone’s favorite lightning archer has been reskinned! Arjuna now has a new look which we think better reflects his legendary status.
We had a lot of fun designing this and wanted to share it with all of you… so we are! Arjuna’s new skin is a free update for all players.

Tutorial Rework

With this update, new players will experience a reworked tutorial with a clearer explanation of the gameplay mechanics. This should make it easier for new players to dive right in! That’s your cue to invite your friends to the game as the tutorial is now more user-friendly than ever!

Card Pool Expansion

Shikhandi is finally here! The winning entry from the first Community Card Contest stands ready to enter the battle. Inspired by their origin, Shikhandi randomly deploys in either row, buffing up your defenses with the Guard property!

No army is complete without its chariots, so we've added a few as a new faction in-game. The current king of Magadha, Pradyota, has also joined the battle and can be found in card packs along with many others.

QOL Changes

As a major quality-of-life change, we have optimized load times across the board.
Oh, and don’t miss the slick new victory screen animations for all heroes, as well as quest UI tweaks. We hope these additions make smashing your opponents feel all the more rewarding.

Remember to check in over the next two months for Daily Quests and Chapters while chaining in win streaks for that extra Karma. Other rewards include a ton of gold, shards, and even random cards! With so many new additions in the mix, we're looking forward to your valuable feedback.

If you’d like to get involved with our community and look for early updates, here are our links: Discord, Instagram and YouTube.

See you on the battlefield!
Studio Sirah