Hello everyone!

We're only 19 days from releasing AWAKEN - Astral Blade into the wild, and things are progressing nicely! But it's been a while since we stopped by to let you know how the game's development is advancing.

Since we've never really taken the time to introduce the project here on the community hub, we'd have a quick look at how this game is supposed to work and share more info about its lore, creatures, main character, and much more. So, today, we'll be telling you the backstory of the world of Awaken: Astral Blade and its roots.

On the Horace Islands, a mysterious alien ship crashed, unleashing the arcane Karpas energy. This energy, with its transformative power, turned the islands' ecosystem into a marvelously diverse landscape. The native inhabitants, influenced by this energy, built an impressive civilization, but it was eventually torn apart by civil war. Over time, this lost world was buried deep in history, forgotten until it was rediscovered by modern explorer Professor Loir.



Karpas energy is essentially a form of alien radiation that alters the human body, causing mutations that divide people into two groups: those who can react to the radiation and those who cannot. Those who react develop supernatural abilities, often perceived as magic, called Sensitives. The ones who show no reaction are considered God’s forsaken.

Over time, the differences between the Sensitives and the Forsaken grew, sparking a relentless struggle. The Sensitives gradually seized more and more power, eventually fully enslaving the Forsaken. This power shift created a deep divide in society. The ruling Sensitives took control of rituals, politics, law, and the arts, while the Forsaken were forced into subjugation, performing hard and menial labor.



Social tensions escalated daily, and after many violent clashes, the Forsaken, unable to openly confront the Sensitives, decided to flee from the Black Python Clan, settling in the sparsely populated regions of the islands. After discovering the remnants of the Karpas ship, they gradually learned to harness its alien technology and tap into the power of Karpas energy. Over time, this newfound knowledge allowed them to establish the independent and free federation of Jacha City, which swiftly entered the industrial age. However, the rise of the new democratic system further escalated tensions with the Black Python Clan, making war inevitable.



The Horace Islands feel ancient and mystical at first glance, but behind the whole fantasy part and ancient civilizations' vibes, they hide traces of human influence — modern technology and a research center in underground caves. The islands are scattered with ancient ruins that add to the lore. And, of course, Molla is the heroine of Jacha City, playing a key role in the story.

When it comes to the mysterious Karpas energy, it should feel magical and almost beyond comprehension, even with our understanding of modern technology — much like how, 500 years ago, flight was seen as a fantasy, something only magical creatures could do in fairy tales. The combination of shrines, symbols of an ancient forgotten religion, and modern technology not only looks cool but also enhances Tania's abilities. The worship of the Sacred Tree is the spiritual foundation of ancient tribes, while reverence for technology defines the core spirit of Jacha City. The alien ship’s technology and the powerful Karpas energy evoke a sense of wonder and admiration for magic and technology.



If you haven't yet, don't forget to wishlist the game so you don't miss any news and updates, and join the official ESDigital social media accounts if you'd like to chat with us and your fellow fans.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Jacha City!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1716310/Awaken__Astral_Blade/

Game Mechanics

Card Gameplay

Finding Pairs: Click on cards to match pairs. If they match, they remain face-up, and you earn points. Incorrect attempts impose a time penalty, which increases with your score.
Bonus for Pairs: Each matched pair grants points and an additional time bonus, which is amplified by your multiplier.

UFO Mechanics

Movement and Collision: UFOs move through the scene, collecting nests and avoiding collisions.
Time Penalty for Nest Collection: Each collected nest imposes a time penalty, which is higher when the overall time is high.
Destroying UFOs: Destroyed UFOs grant points and a short time advantage. Consecutive destructions increase the kill-streak multiplier, giving additional points.

Turret Mode

Activation: The mode can be activated manually or by finding two consecutive pairs. Manual activation costs extra time.
Target Options: Use the mode strategically to destroy UFOs and nests. Destroyed nests cause point deductions, which increase with the number of destroyed nests and your score.
Countdown: The turret mode time is limited and is displayed in the HUD.

Nests and Time Penalties

Nest Destruction by UFOs: If a UFO destroys a nest, you incur a time penalty that increases with the remaining nests and playtime.
Nest Destruction by Player: You can destroy a nest to avoid a UFO-imposed time penalty. However, this deducts points – the higher your score, the greater the deduction.
Multiplier for Destroyed Nests: Each destroyed nest increases the multiplier, which also impacts your time penalties.

Points and Multipliers

Points for Pairs and UFOs: Each matched card pair and destroyed UFO grants points, influenced by the multiplier.
Multiplier System: The game multiplier increases with successful pairs and UFO destructions. The kill-streak multiplier for UFOs rises with quick destruction and resets if too much time passes.

UI Elements and Notifications

Displays: The HUD shows remaining time, score, turret mode time, and multiplier.
Notifications: Important events like time penalties and high scores are displayed as brief messages.

Strategies

Pairs and Multiplier: Find pairs quickly to use the multiplier and avoid penalties.
Effective Turret Mode: Activate the mode near UFO groups to maximize multiplier and points.
Keep an Eye on Nests: Destroy UFOs near nests to avoid time penalties.
Tactical Multiplier Use: Apply the multiplier strategically, especially with high score opportunities.

Advanced Tips

Precision Gameplay: High scores lead to stricter penalties. Minimizing mistakes is crucial with a high score.
Special Abilities: Use power-ups to gain significant time bonuses or extend turret mode.



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Spielmechaniken

Karten-Gameplay

Paare Finden: Klicke auf Karten, um Paare zu bilden. Stimmen sie überein, bleiben sie aufgedeckt, und du erhältst Punkte. Bei Fehlversuchen wird eine Zeitstrafe verhängt, die mit deinem Score steigt.
Bonus für Paare: Jedes gefundene Paar gewährt dir Punkte und einen zusätzlichen Zeitbonus, der durch deinen Multiplikator verstärkt wird.

UFO-Mechaniken

Bewegung und Kollision: UFOs bewegen sich durch die Szene, sammeln Nester ein und weichen bei Kollisionen aus.
Zeitstrafe bei Nest-Einsammlung: Jedes eingesammelte Nest bringt eine Zeitstrafe, die bei hohem Zeitstand höher ausfällt.
Zerstörung von UFOs: Zerstörte UFOs bringen Punkte und eine kurze Zeitvergünstigung. Mit aufeinanderfolgenden Zerstörungen steigt der Kill-Streak-Multiplikator, was dir zusätzliche Punkte einbringt.

Turret-Modus

Aktivierung: Der Modus kann manuell aktiviert oder durch das Finden von zwei Paaren in Folge ausgelöst werden. Das manuelle Aktivieren kostet zusätzliche Zeit.
Zieloptionen: Nutze den Modus strategisch, um UFOs und Nester zu zerstören. Zerstörte Nester verursachen jedoch Punkteabzüge, die mit der Anzahl zerstörter Nester und deinem Punktestand steigen.
Countdown: Die Zeit im Turret-Modus ist begrenzt und wird im HUD angezeigt.

Nester und Zeitstrafen

Nestzerstörung durch UFOs: Zerstört ein UFO ein Nest, erleidest du eine Zeitstrafe, die mit der Anzahl verbleibender Nester und deiner verbleibenden Spielzeit zunimmt.
Nestzerstörung durch Spieler: Du kannst selbst ein Nest zerstören, um eine UFO-Zeitstrafe zu vermeiden. Dies zieht jedoch Punkte ab – je höher dein Punktestand, desto größer der Abzug.
Multiplikator bei zerstörten Nestern: Mit jedem zerstörten Nest steigt der Multiplikator, der auch deine Zeitstrafen beeinflussen kann.

Punkte und Multiplikatoren

Punkte für Paare und UFOs: Jedes gefundene Kartenpaar und jedes zerstörte UFO bringt Punkte, die durch den Multiplikator beeinflusst werden.
Multiplikator-System: Der Spiel-Multiplikator erhöht sich bei erfolgreichen Paaren und UFO-Zerstörungen. Der Kill-Streak-Multiplikator für UFOs steigt bei schneller Zerstörung und setzt sich zurück, wenn zu viel Zeit vergeht.

UI-Elemente und Benachrichtigungen

Anzeigen: Das HUD zeigt die verbleibende Zeit, den Punktestand, die Zeit im Turret-Modus und den Multiplikator an.
Benachrichtigungen: Wichtige Ereignisse wie Zeitstrafen und Highscores werden als kurze Meldungen angezeigt.

Strategien

Paare und Multiplikator: Finde Paare zügig, um den Multiplikator zu nutzen und Strafen zu vermeiden.
Effektiver Turret-Modus: Aktiviere den Modus bei UFO-Gruppen, um den Multiplikator und die Punkte zu maximieren.
Nester im Auge behalten: Zerstöre UFOs in der Nähe von Nestern, um Zeitstrafen zu vermeiden.
Taktischer Multiplikator-Einsatz: Setze den Multiplikator gezielt ein, besonders bei sicherer Punktegewinnung und hohem Score.

Hinweise für Fortgeschrittene

Präzises Spielen: Hohe Scores führen zu strengeren Strafen. Minimale Fehler bei hohem Punktestand sind entscheidend.
Spezialfähigkeiten: Nutze Power-Ups, um große Zeitboni oder einen längeren Turret-Modus zu erhalten.

Hello Citizens,

After a bit of waiting, we're finally ready to unveil our plans for the future of City 20, as well as what you can expect from us in the next few months!



As you can see, most of October will be dedicated to fixing bugs and making sure that the game runs the way we like it! We'll then move to November, when you can expect NPCs to start acting smarter - with new quests, improved AI and a new tracking system. December will be all about making it harder for you to reach certain parts of the map - with armored doors, a new keys, locks, and picks system and new secure areas that you'll need to find a way into. Finally, February will see our first major systems update - with radioactive areas, a pollution system, and the possibility for you to poison NPCs!

If you want to know more about each update, take a look at the dedicated trailer we created for the announcement below!



Thanks for your support so far! We're doing it!

There is now a new section called Downloadable team section. Teams not featured in any competitions will be stored in the cloud instead of being pre-loaded into your local storage. You can add these teams to make them usable in tournaments.

Currently there are few teams in the section, but in the future, you can expect more new teams to appear in this section, as adding teams to the cloud is a lot easier for me and doesn't require updating the entire site just for that.


Basque Country is one of the downloadable teams.


- Added one more team called Wang Kuang to the League of the Three Kingdoms.



- Redesigned the custom group stage team selection UI.



- A "Select" button will appear next to the pagination if there are more than 10 total pages available. This button lets you enter a custom page number to quickly navigate to a specific page.

Hi adventurers,

v0.318 is now available on the demo and playtest branches:

• Improved combat visual layers
  
• Added lines of sight display when starting a combat or moving a unit
  
• Improved hauling job for constructions priority
  
• Fixed memory issues in combat or when restarting a game
  
• Fixed issues with the taunt combat ability

Thanks again for testing, and don't forget to leave a review for the demo, it helps a lot!

Fix the problem that SnowVillage_01 may get stuck when an enemy commando is locked up.
Fix the problem that the plane may get stuck.
Fix the problem that the rocket launcher must pass through the side of the turret

Dear players, our plan during the National Day is still focused on Bug fixing and detail optimization. After the National Day, we will officially start the next stage of work, and at the same time, we will release an updated plan. If you have any questions or game feedback, you can put them in the steam forum or QQ group. Thank you for supporting our game!

Hello everyone!

We recieved a few reports about bugs so we fixed them.

Changelog:
- Folders in collectables are now expanded by default
- Added setting to invert inventory scrolling direction
- Smoking cigarrets now does consistent damage
- It's possible to get "Green sludge" achievement
- Drones behavior improved

And as always if you find any bugs don't hesitate to contact us and report it.

Hello, everyone!

Mark your calendars: Mistwinter Bay will be released on November 15 2024! We’re really looking forward to all of you finally getting your hands on the full version of the game then.

If you want a little sneak peek of what to expect, the game’s store page has been updated with a new trailer, gameplay video and screenshots.

We hope to be seeing you on November 15!

//The Swordlake Entertainment-duo

Three busy months after Early Access starts and several major updates are behind us, but the most important thing is yet to come.

We are sharing with you an updated development map.

-Improved scrolling during general selection and events
-Added return button to info menu