May 9

Developer's Updates: Soul Container - The Rise of the Mask

Soulmask - Peter

Hi Chieftains!

We hope you're enjoying your time playing Soulmask! We are Peter and Maggie, just like you, we too are striving to rebuild our tribe in Soulmask.

Have you seen our latest trailer? We must say, after this incredibly impressive showcase, we couldn't resist mentioning in the developer's updates the most crucial aspect of this game - the core that gives it its name: Mask.
Once you wear the Mask, you embark on an extraordinary adventure in Soulmask. Wearing it completely transforms you - your consciousness is uploaded, your soul becomes immortal, and you gain the power to control your tribesmen. Together, you will face challenges across this expansive continent.

At the same time, it is your greatest source of strength and the ultimate goal of your adventure. There are 10 masks awaiting players to acquire, each bestowing unique abilities upon its wearer.

And, in the end, it all boils down to a ultimate question: what is it about the mask that grants such immense power, making you and your controlled tribesmen extraordinary?

I reached out to Drizzt, our head mask craftsman. He is a focused and rational dude, but also quite chatty. He has carefully laid out the "Path of Masks" for us, which I think we should also share with all of you.

Alright, let's dive in!

1. The Beginning of the Mask

After narrowly escaping a deadly sacrificial ritual and acquiring a mysterious mask, players find themselves disembodied. As they enter the game, they are faced with their first crucial decision: choosing one of three initial masks.

In the designer's vision, the three initial masks represent three unique combat styles that are popular among mainstream survival game players. This essentially defines our early gameplay experience:
Civilization is ideal for new players seeking a steady development, this mask is intended for enhanced defense and increased load capacity rather than powerful offensive abilities. Its rapid growth guarantees a comfortable pace for development and survival, making it easier to overcome challenges.

Conquest is perfect for experienced survival game players or war enthusiasts - offering enhanced stealth capabilities, increased combat damage, and even some life-steal effects that make it particularly well-suited for close-quarters combat.

Rich is an irresistible choice for players who enjoy long-range combat, as all of its abilities are designed to enhance the lethality of your arrows. However, please be aware that it does not provide any assistance in dealing with attacks from nearby enemies.

For players who have trouble in making decisions, for example, my dear friend Peter - which is tough for them to choose the initial mask, Drizzt has cleared up any doubts: the remaining two masks can be obtained by defeating the Plunderer Leader in the giant ancient ruins of the Rainforest. This should satisfy all collectors out there!

"However, since these are mass-produced masks from the mysterious civilization, they are designed more to assist new players entering the world.. Don't expect them to be omnipotent, our journey with masks has just begun.

Since these ancient relics have lost their power, unveiling their potential requires your effort. I believe each of you will be amazed by the variety of nodes when first pressing and holding down the "T" key in-game:

What are the functions of skills and how should they be upgraded? When the first time I had the Green Crystal (the most common material for repairing masks) in my hands, I felt just as lost as you might. However, I approached Drizzt with these questions and he kindly shared his design ideas with me:

Since the initial design, there has been a focus on dividing the potentials of masks into two main components: permanent enhancements for controllers and unique abilities that are bestowed to each mask. In the game, this is organized into general nodes located in the top and mid lanes, as well as distinct nodes found in the bottom lane. For the mask nodes on top and mid lanes, once repaired, they affect all masks and controllers while the one on the bottom lane varies for each individual mask.

Drizzt has categorized the general mask nodes into two distinct types: core nodes that require defeating guards from the Pyramid and being restored through data downloads, as well as Exp Booster nodes primarily aimed at accelerating player's growth. Perhaps you’re looking to expedite your logging EXP? Spending some Green Crystals will grant your wish. However, to truly revive your tribesmen, challenging the Saber-toothed Predator is your only option.

But I understand that, everyone does the same when they first played the game: within the first hour of gameplay, you might ignore all this seemingly 'useless' information. When your first step into Soulmask, you will probably only use the "Perception" feature of mask by pressing 'Q' on keyboard.

Have you ever think about how many times the skill "Perception" has saved your life? I've honestly lost count of how many times it's helped me escape from Jaguars and Giant Alligators. Together with the "Deter" skill for recruiting tribesmen and the "Control" skill for transfering controls between controllers, these three abilities have become the strongest "force" throughout the whole game within the first 10 hours of playing Soulmask — just be sure to gather sufficient Sunstones to keep them charged up.

And thanks to the generous chief designer ZIMA, these skills have been made by default in comparison to the Next Fest demo version, where aims to make the game less challenging for new cheiftains...

One thing is for certain, as our tribe continues to expand, the strength of our masks will soar to new levels. And most importantly, there are new masks on the horizon.

2. Evolution of the Mask

As you gradually strengthen their initial mask and master its abilities, you will encounter the first guard in Rift Valley Holy Ruins - Saber-toothed Predator. Defeating it will unveil the relic from ancient civilization: the prime brand new mask - the Torch of Eternity. A mask that purely designed to save you from the clutches of death. Drizzt desires for this powerful mask to guide players through the treacherous rainforest and safeguard them in this perilous world.

*After venturing out of the rainforest and facing numerous challenges, you will come to truly appreciate it...

According to the designer's vision, it takes around 10 to 20 hours of gameplay for the true power of the mask to gradually manifest itself. The initial mask gradually becomes more specialized as nodes are repaired. Only after defeating the second guardian, Fogfrog, and unlocking the final node can you truly unleash the mask's transformative power - a crucial ability known as Mimicry.

Activate the primal stance of the mask, enabling chieftains to gain powerful ability boosts at the expense of consuming a significant amount of energy in a short time. And if that’s still not enough, perhaps unleashing the ultimate skill of Mimicry will surely satisfy your thirst for power—temporarily endowing you with a power akin to that of "Gods."

Mimicry, one of the mask's most unique abilities, was originally given as a reward for defeating the first guardian in earlier versions (if you've played the Next Fest demo version!) However, Drizzt believed that utilizing Mimicry required players to have a better equipment and a deeper understanding of the game. This was especially true if players did not prioritize fixing specific nodes from the bottom lane during the early stages. Without doing so, they would be unable to effectively utilize it. As a result, producer ZIMA was convinced to put clan data entry into the initial pyramid:After all, no one wants their beloved tribesmen to die permanently, right?

Based on the Mysterious Stone Table stolen from the Holy Ruins, you can also find eight other distinctive masks scattered in ancient corners of the world. Among them, Drizzt's favorite ones are several advanced masks that have further evolved from the three initial ones:

Take the "Shadow Walker", for example. All the assassination techniques you've mastered by conquering the masks can be fully exploited when wearing the Shadow Walker. It allows you to directly utilize optical invisibility, making entering enemy camps as easy as entering your home.

Or the "Wilderness Mark", a mask that renders "Civilization" mundane and unappealing for archery enthusiasts. This long-range specialized mask not only enhances the power and speed of your arrows but also grants them the ability to bounce off surfaces. With its ultimate skill, the tracking arrow, Wilderness Mark can turn an area tens of meters in front of you into a deadly zone where no one can set foot.

The last one is "Ironblood Guardian," which, when combined with a shield and blade, transforms you into an impenetrable fortress. Its ultimate skill allows for quick stamina recovery, ensuring that your shield remains unyielding even in the face of hordes of enemies.

As we enter the Iron Age, unlocking the potential of masks empowers us to endure even more treacherous battles. However, it’s essential to recognize that mastering these masks is far from a simple task. Whether it involves acquiring the Particle Module to unleash Mimicry’s ultimate form, securing the Yellow Crystal necessary for using Mimicry, or collecting various ruins modules for repairing incomplete masks—all these valuable resources must be sourced from perilously dangerous locations like Holy Ruins and Dungeons. But then again, isn't the level of risk always proportionate to the potential reward?

However, it is clear that the mask's growth potential extends well beyond the initial phases. As players grow stronger, the true power of the mask will be revealed in the later stages of the game.

Drizzt has been eagerly looking forward to this, and I have decided to give everyone a sneak peek in advance.

3. Where does the mask end?

I am confident that the power bestowed by the mask mentioned above will allow you to explore the wilderness with ease, effortlessly defeating numerous Wasteland Wolf as if it were a walk in the park. However, trust me when I say that this might not be adequate for what lies ahead. While having stronger tribesmen and more advanced technology will undoubtedly assist you in overcoming future obstacles, your mask requires a whole new level of enhancement compared to before.

From the moment you defeat your first opponent in the Holy Ruins and acquire an additional mask, you will discover that each piece of mask has 6 slots for "multi-functional modules". These slots allow you to equip different magical Red Crystals, which provide various types of enhancements for yourself.

Based on Drizzt's concept, the Red Crystals function as enhancement components that are not lost upon death. They mainly offer players percentage-based boosts, meaning they can amplify all related attributes, even when advancing to the Iron Age or obtaining more advanced gear. These amplifiers are designed to provide substantial numerical enhancements. Additionally, each Red Crystal comes in different rarity and affixes—perhaps it's time to take down some more Slayers?

*Oh, no. You're gonna kill them all again.

As you venture into the most perilous realms—volcano and snow mountain (which we'll delve into later) - you will come across enigmatic masks from ancient civilizations. These masks possess the ability to tame fierce creatures, navigate treacherous landscapes effortlessly, and make your long-range attacks almost undetectable...

*Check out my new pet...

They have transcended the conventional notion of combat. As they ascend towards "godhood," a profound question arises: why did the civilization that forged these masks, once so powerful, vanish without a trace? And you, a soul already bound within a mask. Are you still the same person who first evaded sacrifice , or have you transformed into something entirely different - maybe even all of you players in front of the screen?

These seemingly unanswered questions can only be found through your exploration later on.

What? More?

As the title of the game suggests, masks play a vital role in Soulmask.

However, we are well aware that this is not enough. What you have witnessed thus far is merely the content of the initial Early Access version. The journey into masks knows no bounds. In future updates, additional enigmatic masks can be unearthed in ruins, enabling you to construct a wider variety of core structures, introducing a fresh mask system, and even revealing the ultimate truth... All of these possibilities may be presented to you at a later stage.

In our upcoming update, I want to invite everyone on an adventure to explore every corner of this world and witness its breathtaking natural beauty. You will also be introduced to those life-threatening dangers that can end your journey in a matter of seconds.

Follow us, the most dedicated Maggie & Peter! We'll see you in the upcoming update. If you have any feedback or suggestions for our game, feel free to join our Discord server and share your thoughts.

Join discord: https://discord.com/invite/4G2K7FDbtp