Hey, I've got big news!
Over the past couple years, I've slowly generalized the block-based grid system that powers Battle Map Studio. I call it Hewn Core. Since many games use a block-based grid, I thought a generalized 3D hex/square grid system might be useful for a lot of devs.

Today I'm releasing Hewn Core on the Unity Asset Store! Check it out here.



Hewn Core is a grid system and worldbuilding framework that functions as the foundation for any block-based game.

Hewn Core provides easy-to-use methods for creating and manipulating world entities, like blocks and block decorations. Simply use the add, update, and remove methods, and the system will take care of the rest.

Hewn Core lets you build big without sacrificing performance. Powered by Unity's Data-Oriented Tech Stack (DOTS), Hewn Core is blazing fast when spawning, updating, and rendering world entities.

Hewn Core is super adaptable to many game types. Choose between hex and square coordinates, toggle voxel mode, and add grid layers to get the look and feel you need.

Whether you’re building a small puzzle game, a giant sandbox RPG, or anything in between, use Hewn Core and worry less about building your own grid system.

• High-Performance Framework: Powered by Unity DOTS, Hewn Core is optimized for speed and efficiency, ensuring smooth gameplay even in vast block worlds.
  
• Block Components: Blocks can be decorated with props, plants, rocks for infinite visual combinations.
  
• Real-Time Grid Manipulation: Blocks and block components are entities that can be added, interacted with, modified, and removed on the fly.
  
• Grid Mathematics & Management:Hewn Core is equipped with intuitive tools and methods to handle grid calculations for features like fog of war and pathfinding.
  
• Flexible Coordinate Systems: Whether it’s hexagonal charm or the classic square grid, Hewn Core has you covered.
  
• Layers: Hewn Core layers can help organize your world, display or hide regions, and quickly move large groups of blocks.
  
• Voxel Mode: Hewn Core’s voxel mode unlocks 3D coordinates to more easily create overhangs and caves.
  
• Extensibility: Visuals, grid properties, and other aspects of Hewn Core can be extended, modified, and toggled on and off to better adapt to your project.
  
• Lots of Samples: Hewn Core comes packed with a dozen sample projects to guide and inspire.
  
• Full Source Code Access: With full access to the source code, you have the freedom to tweak, modify, and truly make the framework your own. New to DOTS? Hewn Core is a great way to introduce yourself to ECS and DOD concepts.

Thanks! Voxel update coming soon ~

Bradley

Greetings Chefs!

Kebab Chefs! release is less than a day away! Are you ready to run your own restaurant business on your way to becoming the best chef in town?

Can't wait for the release? We're broadcasting on steam right now!



Join developers broadcasting a brief gameplay of Kebab Chefs! - Restaurant Simulator live on Steam right now!

Also don't forget to join our discord community. Come and chat with us in the last hours!

Kara Mergen is the greatest of the fallen shamans. Unlike the wise god Mergen, he strengthens himself with dark teachings.



It is one of the biggest obstacles in Erlik Khan's return to the world.

Discover new ways to play with Scribing, arriving as part of The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road.

In The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road (arriving June 3 on PC/Mac and June 18 on Xbox and PlayStation consoles), you can unlock access to an all-new game system: Scribing. With Scribing, you can manipulate the nature of magic itself by collecting and customizing special skills, granting you even more ways to tailor specific builds and play your way.
When designing this new system, the team focused on improving opportunities for roleplay and choice for ESO’s adventurers by providing greater agency when it comes to selecting and adapting the skills that are right for them. What exactly does this mean for you and your characters? Scribing introduces Grimoires, which are new types of skills for your existing skill lines. You can customize these Grimoires beyond their basic functions, transforming them into exactly what you want on your action bar.

For example, one new Grimoire, called Soul Touch, allows you to pull soul magic from the core of your being and cast it at a nearby enemy or ally. You can customize Soul Touch by choosing its Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Scripts. You could use the Primary to create a Damage Shield for an ally, pull an enemy to you, or even change it to Magic, Shock, or Physical Damage. In addition, you could use the Soul Infusion Secondary to enable the ability to consume a soul gem and gain Ultimate, or you can use a Recovery Secondary to regain resources for a targeted ally.

Customize your Grimoires with Scripts

The above is just one example, but the Scribing system will give you a ton of new ways to change your build and playstyle, since you can unlock a host of Grimoires and Scripts at launch.
To master the art of Scribing you'll need the Gold Road Chapter, which grants access to a brand-new questline. In this unique story, ancient magic arising in the world attracts the attention of the Mages Guild, who send one of their best to investigate. 

Working alongside a brave Knight of the Lamp, you'll discover a mysterious new location and altar and discover the secrets of the mage who built it. Throughout the questline, you'll learn how to scribe, gain a Grimoire or two, and meet new friends along the way.

Ally with the Luminaries of magic

Fantastic untold lore awaits those willing to delve into the esoteric mysteries of magic, but those who commit to unraveling its secrets will find new power and freedom as they do.
With the ability to mix and match a wide variety of classes, races, skills, and gear sets, ESO has always striven to provide you with the freedom and power to customize your characters’ unique playstyles.

In the spirit of this core pillar, Gold Road also introduces a new type of collectible, called Skill Styles. Skill Styles are color variation of popular abilities from various weapon, guild, and world skill lines, helping you further stand out on the battlefield.

Customize existing abilities with Skill Styles

At the launch of Gold Road, you can unlock these Skill Styles as in-game rewards, but there’s a lot more planned for them beyond the Chapter, too.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road’s new Scribing system will be a powerful and flexible new tool for Tamriel’s adventurers, and we can’t wait to see how the community reacts to it. Are you ready and willing to explore the mysteries of magic? Are you excited to experiment with Grimoires and Scripts to create a playstyle uniquely your own? Tell us via X (Formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook. 

The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road arrives for PC/Mac on June 3, 2024, and for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 18, 2024. Pre-purchase Gold Road now to receive unique bonus rewards at launch and immediate access to Welkyndstone Ruins Wolf mount and Welkyndstone Ruins Pup pet*. Don’t miss out!

*The Welkyndstone Ruins Pup pet is available only until March 18, 2024.

Discover West Weald, ESO’s newest zone just announced as part of The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road!

In ESO’s upcoming Gold Road Chapter (arriving June 3 for PC/Mac and June 18 for Xbox and PlayStation consoles) you can explore and quest within the West Weald zone, which introduces brand-new locations, characters, challenges, rewards, and stories. If you’re already familiar with southeast Cyrodiil, this Chapter allows you to explore this bountiful part of Tamriel for the first time since 2006’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Recently, strange happenings have thrown the region into turmoil, changing the landscape in bizarre ways and introducing new threats you’ll have to contend with. In the southeast lies the Gold Road, a temperate environment similar to that found on the Gold Coast. It's home to the region’s capital city, Skingrad, the bustling center of the zone and lynchpin for the Colovian Imperials who call the province home.

Discover (or rediscover) Skingrad

Toward the southwest, you will find Dawnwood. Formerly under Imperial control, this area is now home to the encroaching jungles of nearby Valenwood. There, you’ll discover a dense wilderness and the Wood Elf settlement of Vashabar. Even more alarming is the Wildburn, a dangerous area that separates Dawnwood from the Colovian Highlands and Gold Road, comprised of sickened, magically twisted land and even more warped beasts.

In the north of West Weald lies the Colovian Highlands, a mountainous region that is home to an Imperial settlement and numerous ruins. 

Venture into ancient Ayleid ruins

Classic Colovian architecture inspired many of the zone's structures, although as you explore its varied terrain you’ll also encounter many Ayleid ruins that speak to an older heritage. These ruins are less “spoiled” than many other similar locations and show off structures and architectural pieces of Ayleid culture never seen before.
While the land itself is changing, it is also under attack from a host of new, unfamiliar foes, bringing all-new dangers to West Weald’s adventurers.

These challenges include new delves and public dungeons to explore, world bosses to face, and a bevy of stand-alone quests that tell stories unique to this zone. In addition, new world events, called Mirrormoor Incursions, set you and your fellow adventurers against waves of invading Daedra.

Gold Road also introduces a 12-player Trial, the Lucent Citadel, which has you and your band venture into a long-forgotten Daedric vault—new bosses, mysteries, and rewards await!

Prepare for a new Trial

Speaking of rewards, if you venture into the zone, you’ll find that West Weald is home to no shortage of new riches. This includes 10 item sets to wear, more Antiquities to dig up, fun collectibles to unlock, and a host of Achievements and Titles to earn.

Seize the treasures of West Weald

Finally, Gold Road also introduces an entirely new type of reward collectible called Skill Styles, which provide visual changes to popular abilities, with more planned for future updates!
The return of Ithelia and the Wildburn introduces threats both old and new in West Weald. Will you meet these rising dangers? Or perhaps you’re excited to return to Skingrad and discover the Colovian Highlands of Tamriel’s Second Era? Let us know via X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook. 

The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road arrives for PC/Mac on June 3, 2024, and for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 18, 2024. Pre-purchase Gold Road now to receive unique bonus rewards at launch and immediate access to the Welkyndstone Ruins Wolf mount and Welkyndstone Ruins Pup pet*. Don’t miss out!

*The Welkyndstone Ruins Pup pet is available only until March 18, 2024.

Discover new adventures and revelations in The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road Chapter and Scions of Ithelia dungeon DLC, announced during the ESO 2024 Global Reveal.


A secret long held by Hermaeus Mora has been uncovered and the existence of the Forgotten Prince has come to light. Now, Ithelia’s return puts reality itself at risk.

Arriving March 11 for PC/Mac and March 26 for Xbox and Playstation consoles, the Scions of Ithelia dungeon DLC pack continues the story from last year's Necrom Chapter. Learn more about the spreading threat via the two dungeons featured in this pack, then experience its stunning conclusion in the upcoming Chapter, The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road (arriving June 3 for PC/Mac and June 18 for consoles).
Begin 2024’s adventures with the Scions of Ithelia dungeon DLC pack in March, which introduces two new 4-player dungeons, Oathsworn Pit and Bedlam Veil.

Scions of Ithelia

These dungeons allow you to explore a training ground for the followers of Malacath and a secret vault within the Oblivion demi-realm of Maelstrom. Both dungeons help set the stage for the upcoming Chapter in their own way, but their storylines can be enjoyed individually, too.

Battle the followers of the Forgotten Prince

These two new dungeons are set to challenge you and your team with Normal and Veteran difficulties (including Hard Mode) and each feature their own Achievements and rewards (including unique collectibles and item sets).
Featuring a new zone, storyline, Scribing system, rewards, and more, The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road is now available for pre-purchase on all platforms. This new Chapter takes you to West Weald, a region situated on the borders of Cyrodiil, the Gold Coast, and Valenwood. Those Elder Scrolls fans who played 2006’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion might be familiar with this part of Tamriel, including its capital city of Skingrad.

The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road

Ruled by the Colovian Count Calantius, this province is an independent nation allied to the Imperial forces occupying nearby Cyrodiil. However, seemingly overnight, the sweltering jungles of Valenwood have replaced a third of the region, and the Count seeks answers to avoid losing any more of his realm.

The unraveling of reality is everyone’s problem

That said, the new forest (that the Wood Elves call Dawnwood) may not be the most pressing concern for you and your allies, as you must also investigate the reappearance of Ithelia, the Forgotten Prince.

Beware the Scions of Ithelia

While her followers cause chaos in her name, many mysteries remain. Why does she now walk West Weald, and what are her Scions’ plans for her return? Reality itself hangs in the balance! While it continues a narrative that began in 2023, like Scions of Ithelia, Gold Road tells its own stand-alone tale and does not require having played the Necrom Chapter.
The Forgotten Prince may soon return to power, and fate itself trembles in anticipation. What impact will you, a mortal adventurer, have on West Weald and its myriad threats? You’ll have to play Gold Road to find out!

In the meantime, let us know your hopes and predictions for how this conflict will play out via X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook. Keep an eye out for more information about both the new Chapter and dungeon DLC in the future, too!

The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road arrives for PC/Mac on June 3, 2024, and for Xbox and PlayStation consoles on June 18, 2024. Pre-purchase Gold Road now to receive unique bonus rewards at launch and immediate access to the Welkyndstone Ruins Wolf mount and Welkyndstone Ruins Pup pet*. Don’t miss out!

*The Welkyndstone Ruins Pup pet is available only until March 18, 2024.

A new adventure begins in Visions of Mana – the first mainline title in the Mana series in over 15 years!

Immerse yourself in the vibrant graphics of this beautiful world, where the powers of nature blend with the elemental aspects of mana to create a rich tapestry of life. Journey through enchanting locations with near-seamless transitions in a semi-open field that’s yours to discover. Brace yourself for fast-paced, multi-dimensional actions in battle to enrich your fighting experience. Use the magic of the Elementals to explore this vast world to your heart's content!

Story:
In Tianeea, the Fire Village, everyone is preparing to celebrate the coming of the Faerie and the naming of an “alm.” Every four years, alms from around the world are chosen to travel to the Tree of Mana and rejuvenate the flow of mana power. A soul guard is also chosen to ensure the alms' safe pilgrimage. Val is one such guard.

On the day of the Faerie’s arrival, Val brings his childhood friend to the festival. As the sun falls beneath the skyline, all the spectators wait with bated breath, hoping to be chosen as an alm. The Faerie finally descends before Val's friend, appointing her the Alm of Fire.

The villagers bid them both farewell, praying for their success as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

Visions of Mana is out Summer 2024!

SENTIENT STEEL has changed a lot since the original Demo released. As the list of improvements grew, I realised you were all left with a largely outdated version of the Demo, so today I'm here to fix that!

Ver. 2 includes the first two Missions of the game: both of which have been almost completely overhauled, and include some brand new surprises. Unfortunately, as the structure of the game has solidified in the lead-up to release, I've had to remove the third Mission (don't worry, it's still in the final game!) I apologise for this, and hope that the two reworked Missions will suffice until February.

You'll also find improved visuals, improved UI, requested features such as adjustable music and SFX volume, and, of course, many, many bug fixes.

Thank you for your continued support. SENTIENT STEEL is coming soon!

- etcher

Happy 2024 Everyone!

We are back from our holiday break and hit the ground not just running, but sprinting. We saw a big rise in players during the month of December and we want to officially welcome all the new soldiers onto the battlefields.

In our December sitrep our canary let some info slip about some things we are working on and, as promised, we will be going into more details about what’s coming. The Devs’ Desk will be going over the latest features being worked on by the development team in addition to what you can expect in the next updates. In the Community Center we will go over some updates about custom maps and the VRML season.

You already waited through December, so let’s not wait any longer.

Before we jump into what's going to be coming out next, we wanted to give you an update about our voice chat system. Many have inquired and made reports about the voice chat system not working, voice being unable to connect, or being unable to hear teammates. Onward was designed so that communication was an important part of the gameplay experience and this is a big priority for us. We are working with our service providers and will be making improvements so the amount of disruptions are addressed.

Our next update will be Update 1.14. This update will have a much tighter focus for what is included because of the amount of work it takes to get these types of features included and running in the game.

In 1.13 you saw some of our maps get a big visual upgrade, not just in resolution, but in the overall feel of the environments. The next map to be upgraded is..… Bazaar!

The markets and hotels appear to be back in business. Make sure to check out the birds in the sky if you visit during the day or the exotic moths that will come out at night. The textures have been improved throughout the whole map. Additionally, the lighting has been improved for Day, Night, and in buildings.

Another one?! You bet!
This time it’s for PVE. Co-Op and Single Player will now have a completely new style of game mode to play that will include scoring and a global leaderboard. Get ready to see how far you can make it.

You wake up and you know today is going to be different. You're not going to start your day going to the base like you normally do. No, today you got called in for a special operation, a contract. After you psych yourself up and get ready, you make your way over to “The Hideout”.

Once you're there you meet up with your squad that will be joining you on this set of missions. You like these folks, for the most part. You just hope VolkH8ter16 isn’t going to try and push everyone to get RPGs like the last mission. I mean, we were able to reload but once our stash was out, PizzaGrunt ended up having to use their knife to get us access to our radios again. What a disaster that was.

Everyone takes a look at the board for the available missions. You discuss all the details with them. You mark which of the missions you think your squad will be able to show off your highest performance, while also being able to get your gear to ensure you are prepared for the next missions. Because you know they will be more difficult.

Once the mission has been decided, you all head to the outpost to talk strategy for how you want to handle this mission and gear up accordingly.

Before you know it, the first mission has started.
After this, 6 more to go.
Mercenary mode is a multi-mission operation where you (solo or with friends) are trying to complete the contract & get the highest score. Choose from a variety of missions with different types of objectives, some of which are totally new to Onward. One of the bigger hurdles will be how you handle your rewards and craft a loadout to be able to scale with the missions as they increase in difficulty.

The majority of our focus for Update 1.14 went into this new game mode. A few features for this mode have been in the works for quite awhile. Some of the elements in this new mode will be familiar to you, yet it will be a completely new way to experience them. It takes everything you know, or don’t, about running ops and challenges you to be able to complete missions and get through the whole contract.

This mode required a lot of design and play testing to make sure elements of the mode were balanced and provided a challenge. Communication will be critical. There are lots of decisions to make throughout the game and sometimes one choice your team makes can cause you to have some major setbacks.

We are thrilled to be bringing something so new and unique to PVE in Onward. Even if you are not a routine PVE player, we think you will want to invest some time being a Mercenary. We will release more details about the mode on our social media channels and in next month's Sitrep.

The VRML just wrapped up a very successful season 15. This season had 73 teams competing. After several months of practice, scrims, and intense battles the finals were down to two incredibly talented teams, The Raptors (Season 11 champions) and Imperial. After 4 Maps, The Raptors had to hand over their title to Imperial. You can check out all the highlights and matches from Season 15 on their YouTube.

Congratulations Imperial!

We wanted to also follow-up on several inquiries we have been getting regarding the removal of custom maps from the Co-Op game mode. When we updated the behavior for the bots in Update 1.13 this caused any custom maps that supported Co-Op to not function properly. To ensure the quality of the maps, we temporarily took these maps down.

The custom map makers are working hard on updating their maps to have the new bots. In fact, some maps have already been updated and are available again. Custom map makers continue to update various maps to be available for Co-Op. Before creating a new lobby, check the workshop to see if the custom map you are looking for has been updated.


As we continue to work on Update 1.14, keep up to date with information that will get shared on our socials and join the official discord to chat with other players.
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Stay Frosty!

The installer is now more resilient. This update fixes several issues.