I'm happy to announce that early access for Rift Wizard 2 will begin March 25th.
It has been a long road with many twists and turns. Ive tried a lot of wacky stuff including progression overhauls and multi-tile snake tails, but in the end I settled on equipment, spell upgrades, and procedurally generated bosses as being the main features for RW2.
Going from RW1 to RW2, there are three main design goals:
Increase run variety. Make each run feel special. In RW1 about 80% of your power came from player decisions, and was independent of the current run. RW2, through the equipment system, brings it closer to 50%, which I think is the ideal for a roguelike. The open SP system still gives the player quite a few options for how to develop their character, but the variety of potential equipment drops also dramatically shape what builds might work in a given run.
Increase tactical depth. RW1 highly incentivized pouring resources into one spell, and once a player has done this, it becomes a no-brainer to use that spell each turn. I think the game is more fun when you have a few more options of what to do each turn. The upgrade changes, and the transition from shrines to equipment, are aimed at reducing how much the player ends up investing into any one spell. Actually, I think I still have a ways to go for this goal, and it'll be something I think about quite a bit during early access. I've got a few ideas that I'd love to try out here over the coming months.
Preserve the magic of RW1. RW1 was really fun... and quite a few players, I think, just want more. More spells, more upgrades, new monsters, new levelgen patterns. I want to make sure the game doesn't stray too far from the original formula and remains familiar to fans of the first, and I want to make sure the game has plenty of new toys to play with and challenges to face.
Satisfying all of these goals at the same time isn't easy, but I feel like the game is on a very good path right now.
I want to remind everyone that the game is by no means finished. That's not what early access is!
I consider the current build to be a beta. It requires feedback and testing so that I can hone it into something polished and finished. But it is stable enough- both technically speaking and balance wise- that I'm comfortable opening up to feedback and testing from a wider audience.
My expectation is that early access will last for 1 year, but that is certainly subject to change. Ultimately, it will last until I feel the game is ready.
I'm really excited to launch, and can't wait to share the game with ya'll. In the mean time, heres a beautiful screenshot of khoops blowing and everything else up:
Version 2.3.7 (1) Add generals' skills, Huang Zhong: Acquire strafing skills, attack up to 10 targets, and increase hit rate by 100%; (2) Add generals' skills, Sun Shangxiang: Every attack or skill hit increases the damage of all ally skills by 20%, up to 80%; (3) Change runeword Chains of Honor, change physical damage to lightning damage; (4) Change runeword Ice, Modify the ice damage to 50%-60%;
Score Boosting Rules: Score Boosting is against the rules, if you are found to be score boosting the following will apply: The first offense, your score will be reset to zero, and you will be put on the wall of shame. The second offense, your score will be reset to zero, and you will receive a 3 day ban. The third offense, you will be permanently banned. This does not apply to trading wins, but if one player is benefiting from raising their score in 1v1 or 2v2 either from their own alts or other players, action will be taken. League Boosting rules: Creating new accounts to claim league tickets and feeding yourself or others in a sealed league is against the rules. Action will be taken if you are found to be doing so. This is a bannable offense if abused. Using Programs and Autoclickers to do bosses and other content for you: The use of autoclickers and other such programs and scripts to complete bosses and other content instead of clicking yourself is against the rules. This creates an unfair advantage as it is possible to complete bosses while you are not at your computer and gain experience and items you have not earned. This is a bannable offense if abused. Harassment of other players: If a player has asked you not to message them privately and you continue to do so, this constitutes harassment. Please also refrain from using slurs and hate speech in the public chat, as that is not acceptable. We have taken action for this and will continue to do so if abused. Bug Abuse: Deliberate bug abuse is against the rules. If you find a bug in the game please report it either through the discord bug abuse channel, through the customer service email, or if deemed serious enough, please private message one of the community managers.
This is Flint’s development team for ASTRA: Knights of Veda.
As winter fades and a new season approaches, we're thrilled to share the forthcoming launch date for "ASTRA: Knights of Veda."
We sincerely appreciate the patience and excitement that all of you who are eagerly anticipating the game's release have shown. Today, we're here to update you on the final development strides, particularly regarding improvements to the economic system and rewards.
Enhanced Farming Location Information
In "ASTRA: Knights of Veda," materials required for improving your characters and weapons are crucial for progress. As these items are scattered across the lands of Planis, we've prioritized making this information more accessible. Through the ‘Adventure Guide’, you can now easily see drop information for all areas. Clicking on any item in the Adventure Guide will take you to the stages you can get them, streamlining your farming experience. We've also refined the routes to align with character progression, ensuring a smoother and more engaging leveling experience. Adjustments to the drop rates and quantities of key items aim to minimize grinding stress, offering multiple ways to obtain materials. This flexibility allows for a tailored farming strategy based on your character's current development stage.
Material Acquisition Through Event Dungeons
In addition to regular adventures, you can acquire various materials through event dungeons that occur frequently in the Adventure Zone. Gold can be acquired through the Calydon dungeon, and ores can be obtained through the mine dungeon. Make sure to check these event dungeons out, as we work on preparing even more event dungeons for you to explore in the future.
Material Acquisition Through Various Missions
There has been a lot of feedback that the rewards for missions are insufficient and the types of rewards are the same, making the choice meaningless. In response, we've diversified the rewards for different types of missions and increased the quantities so that players can choose missions based on the materials they need.
Multiple Ways to Earn Starstones
In "ASTRA: Knights of Veda," Starstones are a very important resource for acquiring characters and equipment. The feedback was that the first clear rewards for adventure dungeons were insufficient. In response, we’ve placed Starstones as rewards for clearing a stage for the first time and Starstones can also be earned by collecting trophies from adventure dungeons. You can also earn Starstones by completing a variety of achievements.
Increased Drop Rate for Relics and Addition of Relic Enhancement Materials
We recognized that it was difficult for players to collect and enhance relics, one of the key items in "ASTRA: Knights of Veda," due to their low drop rates. To improve this aspect of the game, we've boosted the drop rates of relics and added specialized enhancement materials, simplifying the process of setting up their relics. Additionally, we've converted essential materials from random drops to guaranteed drops, allowing players to plan their farming strategies more effectively.
Implementing Auto-Play
The "ASTRA: Knights of Veda" development team has made a pivotal enhancement based on comprehensive testing: the integration of auto-play. This addition aims to streamline game access and alleviate the tedium of repetitive farming, ensuring that gameplay remains engaging without compromising its depth. Auto-play manages the routine combat activities, but players will need to thoughtfully engage in character selection and timely dodging to navigate the challenges effectively. While auto-play simplifies routine battles, strategic manual control remains essential for navigating the game's more challenging content, such as Nightmare Dungeons and Sealed Prisons, ensuring that the thrill of hands-on gameplay is preserved. This feature significantly reduces grind fatigue, allowing players to enjoy the rich storyline and diverse content more comfortably.
Note that the Arena, a core aspect of "ASTRA: Knights of Veda's" action-oriented gameplay, will continue to require manual control to maintain fairness and the integrity of competitive play.
Since the last FGBT, we've listened to quite a bit of feedback and made improvements accordingly, and now we're just waiting for you to see it for the first time.
"ASTRA: Knights of Veda" is a celebration of the 10th anniversary of "Dragon Blaze," marking it as a milestone project filled with enthusiasm and dedication from the development team. We have poured our hearts into crafting a game that lives up to your expectations and garners your continued support. We’re incredibly excited to welcome you to the lands of Planis on April 2, 2024! We hope that the game brings you as much joy as we’ve had crafting it over the years.
Thank you for your continued support. Warm regards, The "ASTRA: Knights of Veda" Development Team and Kim Youngmo
