Hello everyone, today is saturday, and the Miningdom of Coboldia is waiting for you to buy something, just like every other day! However, before we start, I want to say that this will be the last of the devblogs until the game is released. As the game is basically at end of development, I want to give it 100% of my attention. Don't worry, though! The last 3 "loredays" will come shortly after the game release. With that out of the way, let's start!

Map: Miningdom of Coboldia

Lavic Origins

Long ago, in the depth of the mountains, there was only fire. Magma. From this burning abyss, the Cobolds were born, not in a divine act of creation or cosmic balance, but by sheer and unpredictable geological chaos. According to coboldian myths, the lavic currents shaped their small, muscular bodies while the Ancient Magma Spirits whispered secrets of thought, cunning, and strenght into their molten skulls. When they finally solidified, the first Cobolds blinked against the dark with gleaming eyes and an unexpected muscle mass.

Business is Life

Cobolds do not hunt. They dont farm. They dont paint, sculpt, or write poetry unless someone's willing to buy it. Their entire society is built around earning. Instead of lullabies, cobold children fall asleep to the soothing sound of coins flipping and pickaxes chiseling raw ore gold into splendid lingots. The family unit is... flexible and everchanging. In Coboldia, if your cousin sells you a used mining helmet at a discounted price, its considered an act of affection. If the price is too low, hower, it's a serious insult! Daily life involves fierce underground markets, aggressive bartering, and midday breaks for something called "Fungffee & Contracts", a cherished tradition involving an exciting fungus brew and trade offers. And yet, behind this chaotic capitalism there is something oddly beautiful. Cobolds love what they do. The clink of coins is their music. The smell of wet stone and inked receipts is their perfume. They put their hearth in whatever they do, even if it is just for profits! (Their Syndacus forced me to write the last paragraph).

The Eleventh Election

When the the Dwarves left the Cobold's Kingdom, they sensed a golden opportunity to be indipendent and raise even more taxes. But rather than crowning a king or creating a republic, they invented something new: The Miningdom of Coboldia. It is both a monarchy and a democracy. Every year, Coboldia holds a national election for its Supreme Excavator, or Syndacus, the closest thing they have to a head of state. But the winner isnt the most popular candidate. Oh no. The 11th most voted cobold wins. Why? Because the Moleoids, those paranoid tunnel diggers from the eastern border, taught them well. This way it's not the most powerful who gets the charge, but probably the most humble. Maybe not the smartest, but that's better for taxation reasons. This unique system has produced some truly strange leaders. One was a blind mushroom vendor. Another was elected posthumously and had to be replaced by a ventriloquist dummy until the paperwork was cleared. And yet, the Miningdom thrives.

International Trade

The cobold mining agencies are not only efficient, they are omnipresent. If you dig a hole deep enough anywhere in the world, youll either strike magma or a coboldian branch office offering deals on drills and pickaxes. From Dockiasa, they set sails and travel all around the world. They are the only ones to have succesfully circumnavigated the globe. Infact they have warehouses, fortresses, and small settlements everywhere! Even where they are not welcome... For this reason, they train from a young age to wield hammers and pickaxes. They use them not only as tools for working, but also as weapons. Their skills are unmatched, and even the most skilled swordmaster must be careful around one of cobold descent!

An Underground Life

Sunlight is the enemy, of course. It burns, blinds, and worst of all, reveals true lingots from false ones. Cobolds believe too much light is bad for the soul, and bad for confidential agreements. They live, love, and labor beneath the crust, in sprawling warrens lit by luminescent moss. Their cities are built down, down, and further down, with tiered districts organized by profit. The only cities found on the surface are mostly dedicated to trade with other races. If someone chooses to live on the surface, without never coming back to the underground, they become "shamed", and live in small villages in the Exile Plains.

The Wormida Tradition

One of the oldest and most revered traditions in Coboldian culture is known as the "Wormida". Armed with hammers and pickaxes, cobold warriors venture into the treacherous Wormida Mounts to hunt the fearsome "rockworms", massive, subterranean creatures that can grow up to a kilometer in length. Though only a handful of these titanic beasts exist at any given time, an ancient and mysterious force ensures that for every rockworm slain, another is born. Every ten years, one of them stirs violently beneath the earth, causing the very mountains to quake. When this happens, the entire cobold society rallies together to begin the hunt. The pursuit can stretch on for years and often comes at a terrible cost, claiming the lives of many brave hunters. Yet the rewards are great: the warrior who delivers the final blow is honored with a generous government grant to start their own business, a mark of prestige and a chance at prosperity, and most importantly, profit. Because of this, the Wormida is more than just a ritual, it is one of the most anticipated and celebrated events in Cobold society. I hope you liked this one! Have a great day and great profits! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-06-28 12:14:47 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone! Today is Wednesday, and I'd like to talk about one of the last mechanics of the game, along with the enemy type they are mostly tied with! Let's start!

A Literally Ground Breaking Mechanic

Lets kick things off with a quick introduction to one of the core mechanics: the breaking ground. This feature was one of the first ideas I had when designing the game, but I initially struggled to find a creative way to integrate it into the Tower. In the early zones, its role was filled by the spikes, which I'll leave for you to discover while playing. However, the breaking ground finally found its perfect role in the games fourth zone. Since this part of the game is set underground, it made much more thematic sense. At first, I imagined Shorty falling into an endless void, but visually, that turned out to be pretty boring, given the camera of the game. Then, during a break, I stumbled upon some videos inspired by the the floor is lava challenge. It instantly clicked, this was the visual hook I was looking for! In essence, the ground collapses shortly after you pass over it, revealing a lava pit underneath. Very few elements in the game can survive on it, adding a fresh layer of danger and urgency to your movement.

The Cobolds

And thats where the Cobolds come in!
Right after I implemented the breaking ground mechanic, I started working on these enemies. At first, I actually imagined them with wings, so much so that, in the game files, theyre still called "flying_enemy". The problem? The winged design I envisioned didnt fit within the pixel grid constraints. So, wings had to go, but the idea stuck. Lorewise, if you're curious, youll learn more about them on Saturday, but from a gameplay perspective, theyre the only enemies that can walk on lava. This adds a whole new layer of challenge to the breaking ground mechanic. Players now need to think twice about every step, because Cobolds might still be lurking, ready to intercept, whether theres lava or not!

The Design

From a level design standpoint, they have inspired some of my personal favorite levels: what I call the "labyrinth levels". These are convoluted mazes of breaking ground tiles, sometimes mixed with Cobolds and additional mechanics to push your movement strategy even further.
As for their visual design, I leaned into the idea of warrior miners. It ties perfectly into their lore, and I wanted their weapons to reflect that too. They wield fierce pickaxes and massive hammers in one hand, because yes, theyre that strong! I hope you enjoyed this small behind the scenes look at one of the games unique mechanics and its enemies! Have a great day and look out for cracks on the floor! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-06-25 13:58:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone, today is saturday, and the turn has arrived for the mole people to shine... even in their underground cities! As I say in every ".5" blog, this is an extra dedicated only to the lore of the game. If you are not interested feel free to skip this one! Prepare for a very... unique society of (un)organized people. Let's start!

Map: Moles Organized Anarchy

A Blind Origin

Ancient oral traditions tell of how the Moleoids were born deep within the earth, formed from the leftover remnants of the primordial crucible that created the dwarves. In essence, they were incomplete dwarves: deformed, more beastly in appearance, shaped by some unknown primal force that forced them into existence. From the very beginning, they proved to be despicable, mischievous creatures. Anyone whos ever had a moleoid from Silliseria as a neighbor knows it all too well: they leave trash in front of your door, scream at 3 A.M., and pretend it was never them.

A Disorganized Society

Moleoids have never been capable of successfully managing a government. On the rare occasions when a kingdom or form of governance emerged naturally, it never lasted more than a few months. This is a race in constant struggle for power, riddled with corruption and backstabbing. As you might imagine, running an entire nation of these individuals is... difficult. Rulers are constantly anxious about losing power, while their subordinates would seize any opportunity to climb the hierarchy. Unlike similar societies, such as that of the goblins, there is no standard. The strongest, the most influential, the most ruthless wins. Assassination, kidnapping, blackmail, seduction, threats, every method is valid and more than acceptable. In fact, its the norm.

The Exception

The only period of stability in moleoid history occurred during the "Dwarven Rule", which lasted for several centuries. During those years, the Moleoids knew order, but more than that, they knew fear. The sole reason the nation then known as the Moleoid Monarchy lasted as long as it did was because dwarven patrols constantly marched through the streets. One dirty look could land you in prison, or worse, in a coffin. Extreme policies, some might say, but General Skal had no choice after conquering the lands of the Quakeplain. The war against the various moleoid clans was easy. Keeping the peace was not.

The Return of Anarchy and the Coward King

So when the Fishmen invaded, Skals choice was obvious: abandon the Monarchy. And so was the consequence: Anarchy. The mole people now call their nation "Moles Organized Anarchy", because according to them, there is a logic behind all the repentine exchanges of power... but many doubt this assertion. As if the dwarves had never existed, moleoids immediately began appointing themselves as mayors, dictators, kings, even "Universal Emperors". None of them had much success... except one. Leprot, Grand Duke of Pravra, the "Coward King", managed to gain control of the territories stretching from his city to the Treebeast Forest. His reign was particularly unusual, as was his policy, so much so that it lasted a stunning 3 years! An eternity, by moleoid's standards. Instead of fighting for power, Leprot simply handed it over. Every time a new arrival claimed to be the Grand Duke, he stepped aside graciously. More than 300 moleoids wore the dukes little crown, yet history remembers only Leprot. After each ruler suddenly died, he always happened to be next in line. Unfortunately, Leprot met his end by falling out of bed. Not from the fall itself, but from the dagger of his son, who had sneaked into the room after hearing the thud. The son blamed the servants, of course. Even his sons reign was noteworthy: it lasted a whole week.

The Blind Conspiracy

As you might guess, moleoids dont see very well. In fact, they can barely see at all. Its surprisingly common for them to die by accident... usually at the hands of other equally blind moleoids. Walking down the street is an act of faith: you might get stabbed by a passerby, struck by a stray arrow, or strangled by someone who mistook you for their rival cousin. Rulers and assassins alike often die "by mistake". There are documented cases of entire royal courts wiping themselves out completely... unintentionally.

The Treebeast Forest

Far in the south lies a region the moleoids fear deeply: the Treebeast Forest. Legends speak of a creature made of twisted branches and poisonous leaves, fierce and hostile toward any moleoid who dares to approach. No one knows exactly what the Treebeast is, but all agree on one thing, those who enter, dont leave. And if they do leave, they dont speak. And if they speak... theyre no longer moleoids. I hope you liked this deep dive into the Moleoids and their chaos. Watch your back from sneaky moleoids, and have a great day! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-06-21 14:52:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

Good afternoon! This wednesday, I'll introduce to one of the late enemies of the game: the Moleoids! What makes them unique, and what differentiates them from similiar enemies? Let's take a look!

Gameplay

(they are still work in progress, of course. I think I should position them better on the tile...) The "Moleoids" were created to fulfill a specific need: enemies capable of avoiding traps. Some might argue that dwarves already serve this purpose, but from a strictly technical standpoint, that's not quite accurate. Dwarves can avoid obstacles, but if an obstacle is placed directly in their path, they are forced to stop. Moleoids, on the other hand, are not. If they need to go underground, they will; nothing stops them! The only way to block them is to place an obstacle exactly where they resurface. Otherwise, theres nothing that can truly halt them! They also have a particularly interesting trait: when a Moleoid is underground, the player can stand on the same tile as them! However, this comes with a caveat. While underground, Talpoids are completely immune to any offensive actions from King Shorty. From a level design perspective, implementing them turned out to be more interesting, and less difficult, than I had initially expected. The only real challenge was communicating how this mechanic works to the player. Unlike regular enemies, an underground Moleoid is hard to spot and visually track. The solution being implemented is to show a small mound of dirt on the tile where the Moleoid is burrowed. This mound will be designed to clearly stand out from the surrounding tileset, with special handling in edge cases, for example: if the surface tile is already occupied by a crate, the mound wont appear, but the tile will still look slightly darker than normal ones.
There are 2 Moleoids in this image. One is under the chest (with a darker black, as always WIP), the other one is under the tile below (the arrow is there just for the screenshot.) (The mound of dirt has not been implemented yet, as I'm not yet satisfied with how it looks, so nothing to show!)

Design

Initially, much like the dwarves, Moleoids were quite different. They were meant to follow custom paths in each level, carrying oversized bombs that would explode every few tiles. Although the idea was intriguing, I ultimately decided not to implement it, for three main reasons, one more critical than the others: [olist]

There wasnt much thematic connection between moles and bombs. (This could've been addressed by tweaking the design, but explosions didnt feel quite right in a fantasy/medieval setting anyway.)

The bomb mechanic took up too much space in the levels, significantly complicating navigation and making level design a nightmare. The bombs would also destroy every element in the environment, further increasing complexity. (While this could have been managed by refining the mechanic and making compromises, I felt it wouldve resulted in a gameplay element that lacked identity and inspiration.)

It was extremely difficult to clearly communicate both the mechanic and the enemy. In a game like this, where planning your moves is essential and in which the player relies heavily on being able to predict enemy movements and trap behavior, having a mechanic that changed enemy movement in every level made this predictability impossible, undermining one of the core pillars of the games design. [/olist]
In the end, I decided to focus the Moleoids on being "trap/obstacle-evading" enemies, setting aside the explosive concept, at least for now. It might be an idea worth revisiting in the future. So... Thats all for today! Hope you enjoyed this devblog and found it interesting. -Giuseppe

[ 2025-06-18 13:56:53 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone, today is, once again, Saturday. As always I'd like to remind you that this ".5" blogs are focusing just on the lore of the game. If you are not interested, come next week to discover a new enemy type! With that out of the way, let's start! Here in Italy, summer has slammed the closing doors of spring, and as such... it's damn hot outside! That's the reason for the choice of this devblog, in which I'll tell you something about people that hate hot temperatures... Dwarves!

Map: The Dwarven Skaldom

The Origins

The roots of the dwarven people are cloaked in mystery. The only surviving account of their ancient history comes from the Manual of Western Races, written by an anonymous monk of the Eastern Thunder Order:

• Long ago, Dwarves were grotesque beings born deep beneath the earth, shaped from blood and mud by the will of a forgotten god. All they knew was battle. When that god vanished, leaving behind only strange remnants scattered across the world, the Elves had already become a powerful and advanced race. Yet even they were caught off guard by the relentless advance of a mysterious bearded folk, who began landing on their shores shortly after the god's disappearance.

Sadly, elven records were lost to time, and this passage is all that the greatest scholars of the East have managed to recover from the few surviving documents spared by the Living Hell.

Modern History

Before the rise of Skal the Immortal, the dwarves lived in isolated mountain clans. Each clan ruled its own mountain, and serious conflict only broke out in the gravest of disputes. Everything changed when a young dwarf, whose name would one day become legend, discovered an ancient arcane tome at the base of Mount Sumnia. Some believe this book predates even the formation of dwarven civilization, written when they were still muddy, shapeless creatures, but no one knows for sure. Skal has never allowed a single soul, not even his own offspring, to lay eyes on it. What is known is this: Skal grew older, fathered countless children with countless dwarf-women... and outlived them all. Indeed, Skal has buried every one of his children, 24 generations of dwarves have come and gone. Thats several millennia, by dwarven standards. In time, Skal became something greater than a ruler. He is now revered more than the ancient gods, those remembered and those long lost. To all dwarves, he is the one true sovereign. Hence, the monarch of the Dwarven Skaldom. He led his people beyond the mountains, founding thriving cities throughout the Coldlands and the Wallwoods. It might sound like the tale of a wise and ageless king. And it is. But thats only part of the truth...

Skal the Mindbender

Skal exercises direct mental control over every dwarf in his realm. Only a rare few manage to resist his influence, and those who do are hunted down like beasts. Refugees speak of an overwhelming compulsion to return to their homeland, haunted by a single, obsessive thought before breaking free: Serve Skal.

Moments of Freedom

According to scholars who study mind control, Skal may be using an ancient elven spell, once described in texts now lost to the Living Hell. Escaped dwarves, however, insist in saying the true source of his power is the book, Skals book. According to them, it also... "suggests" to him ancient sacrificing rituals to extend his life. (Some say that Skal kills his own offspring to live eternally, but it has never been witnessed.) Interestingly, the mind control isnt constant. There are moments when his grip weakens, especially in two notable situations:

The High Jump Tournament

Skal is a passionate fan of high jump competitions. For a dwarf, he is said to be exceptionally tall, and this might explain his unusual fascination with the sport. Despite his incredible age, Skal always ranks first. His score is in the thousands. For perspective: each tournament grants the winner just one point. And theyre held once per year. Considering the average dwarf lives around 350 years... its practically impossible to reach such numbers, unless, of course, youre Skal. When a tournament is held, however, Skal control isn't as strong as the rest of the year, maybe because he is too busy focusing on the sport.

The Beardserkers

There exists a special group of dwarves who are almost entirely free from Skals mental hold: the Beardserkers, elite dwarven warriors trained in the arcane art of teleportation (the only form of magic allowed in the Skaldom). Every newborn is personally examined by Skal for signs of magical potential. If any is detected, the child is taken from their family and sent to train in the Beardserkers Pines. There, from the age of one, they undergo brutal daily training: plunging into icy waters, lifting impossible weights, and harmonizing with nature, all to master the teleportation art for warfare. Dwarves are typically slow and sturdy. Beardserkers are the exception. Theyre as fast as lightning (by dwarven standards), teleporting behind enemy lines to strike with lethal precision. They also serve as Skals preferred invasion force, and also as collectors of debts. (As Gnomia learned firsthand during the reign of King Shorty.)

Sworn Enemies of the Dwarves

For generations, the Dwarven Skaldom ruled the western lands under Skals iron mind. That era ended with the sudden invasion of the Fishmen from the North. The attack came without warning, not even Skals prophetic abilities foresaw it. Caught unprepared, he was forced to redirect the full might of his armies northward, ultimately abandoning many vassal kingdoms. The Miningdom of Coboldia and The Molearchy were lost. Skal attempted to hold onto Gnomia, considered a strategically vital location, but, well... we all know how that ended. (And if you dont, go and read Devblog #2.5) To this day, the Fishmen remain a real threat. Though the borders are now stable, their strength lies in their diversity: each fishman is unique, with its own abilities and traits. This makes it extremely difficult for Skal to devise a single, effective offensive strategy.

Business Sense

Still, war is no excuse to neglect the economy. Skal knows this well. Dwarves are master artisans of Runesmithing and Stonecrafting. Any respectable ruler hires dwarves when theres stonework to be done. Shorty, or rather, his aunt, might have a thing or two to say about that... But Ill let you uncover that story on your own directly in game! Thats all for now Have a nice day and may your jumps reach ever higher! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-06-14 11:43:21 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone, Last week, I talked about new enemies that shake up a bit the games rhythm. The second zone is almost entirely built around this very concept. In the previous devblogs, I introduced the Imps, but this week, its time to talk about the Dwarves! I wont hide it: Im a huge fan of dwarves. I love them: stocky, grumpy, heavy, bearded warriors with horned helmets and a cheeky attitude. While their lore deviates a little from the classic fantasy archetype (that you can discover on Saturday), their visual design leans heavily into it, because I love that.
So, you might be wondering: How exactly do they change the gameplay rhythm?

Gameplay

Unlike Imps, Dwarves speed up the pace of the game. They move two tiles per turn! However, theres a twist: the first tile is safe, so King Shorty can pass through those tiles without taking damage! I'm genuinely happy with this design choice. It gives these enemies a unique identity while still playing into the core movement mechanics of the game. In essence, its a small twist on the base enemy behavior, but it turns into something entirely its own: a goal Ive set for every enemy in the Tower. That said, designing levels around them was a real challenge. Theres not a lot of navigable space in most rooms, so placing an enemy that consumes multiple tiles at once is tricky. This forced me to really focus on space management, both during level design and gameplay. As a player, youll need to look for movement options in areas that may seem empty or unused, or find ways to block the dwarfs path (just like other enemies: moving crates work!).

Design

At first, I wanted dwarves to be high jumpers, champions of vertical leaps. But once I started animating them, and building levels around that idea, I quickly ran into some problems. They ended up feeling too slow compared to other enemies, so I tried speeding up the animation. The result? Awful. The jump animation became nearly invisible, it looked like they were just teleporting. Hmm... teleportation, huh?
(the arrow is still work in progress, because I think it doesn't work quite well as I've imagined: I'm investigating other solutions) And so, the idea clicked: the dwarves youll meet in the Tower are teleportation specialists! Their high-jumping feats still exist in the lore, in a very strictly organized league, but gameplay-wise, they blink from tile to tile, and I think it works beautifully. This change streamlined development significantly. The animation is snappy and clear, and it gives the dwarves a strong visual identity that sets them apart from every other enemy. I hope you like it! That was all for today, Have a great day and discover many great games during the current Steam Next Fest! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-06-11 13:43:59 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone,

Today is Saturday, and that means: it's the day of the lore!

As always, you won't find gameplay details here, just a story background for my game!

It is a bit shorter than usual, as I've caught a bad flu and I can't focus that well, but I hope to deliver something interesting nonetheless!

Today I'll tell you about one of the most important places of this world: The Magic Islands!

Let's start!

Map and Inspiration

[img src="https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images/45527515/11a6c664772e958ca3bbe135b18d7f2c2388f8ba.png"][/img]

The "Enchanted Isles" of the mages hold a place of immense importance in the vast and mysterious lands of Silliseria.

When I created them, I drew inspiration from well known literary sagas and iconic video games.

Out of caution Ill leave it to you, to spot the many subtle (and not so subtle) references hidden within the map and mentioned locations.

Consider it a little challenge, one that may not be too difficult for the keen eyed.

The Island Origins

Long ago, these isles were a distant and remote province of the Elven Oligarchy.

It was the most powerful empire of the world for the longest of times, until a corrupted sect of extreme demonic ideology decided to summon the Living Hell.

In mere years, the elven realm was annihilated, and alas most of the elves were exterminated.

Now, the Islands stand as the only place in the world where the ruins of the ancient pointy-eared civilization can still be seen: silent sentinels of a forgotten time.

They also serve as one of two bulwarks against the evercreeping expansion of the Living Hell of Scylla, in an ironic twist of fate.

The Magic Academy Of The World

Anyone in the world who shows even a flicker of magical potential is, quite unceremoniously, kidnapped by the mages in the shadows of night.

They teleport directly into the future apprentices bedroom, shove them into a black sack, and vanish before you can say abracadabra.

Thats exactly how Tip the Archmage, now the royal advisor to King Shorty, began his journey.

Tip was taken to the Academy of Toregwyn, a prestigious magical institution run by none other than Aras'Tor'Rig'Sham'El'Sam'Rig, one of the last three surviving elves following the (nearly complete) extinction of their race.

A small blessing, in the eyes of the most rude civilizations of the world of SIlliseria, given how infamously long their names were, birth registries had grown to absurd lengths.

The Magical Talents of Tip

It was at Toregwyn that Tip discovered his passion for temporal magic, a discipline he would later master.

This is the very reason he can manipulate turn-based time flows within King Shortys Tower, an ability few can even comprehend, let alone replicate.

If you study the map, youll notice the key locations of both the "Isle of Resistance" and the smaller "Trial Isle".

During his (lengthy) stay on the Isles, Tip wandered the Novice Oaks with fellow students, braved the false silence of the Whispering Woods, and explored the ancient elven cities of Manetandor and Tarenemond.

Though once purely elven strongholds, these cities are now melting pots of all races, from the ever-practical Dwarves (the ones that escape from Skal control, that is), to the more exotic Ogres of the distant east.

Like Toregwyn, both cities are ruled by one of the remaining elves, the other two survivors of their entire race other than Aras'Tor'Rig'Sham'El'Sam'Rig, but for the sake of brevity (and your sanity), Ill refrain from naming them here.

The Bravery of Tip

As with all who seek to become a true mage, Tip eventually made his way to the Trial Isle to undertake the ultimate test.

From the moment a novice steps ashore, they begin to hear the whispered and ghostly regrets of those who failed before them. But the real test doesnt begin until one reaches the shadowed base of the Mountains of the Lost Souls.

There, the aspiring mage must confront their deepest fears: manifested, physical, and inescapable. This detail is a well guarded secret among the ranks of the mages.

Tip likes to boast that he fought one of the Drakes of the Resistance Mountains.

In truth, however, he was attacked by a particularly aggressive flock of pigeons that wouldnt stop... ahem... decorating his elegant gnomish linen robes.

Strangely enough, it wasnt this glorious battle with a drake that earned him the title of Archmage.

An Incredible Discovery

Two years after earning his full magician status, Tip revolutionized the field of magic by accidentally inventing a telepathy spell.

Not since Logans Riverine Flow had the Isles seen such a breakthrough: a spell that took Logan years of experimentation on the Isle of Experiments to develop, and ultimately allowed him to drown a monstrous wyvern and her brood (now a tranquil lake visible on the map).

Tip, by contrast, needed only a few days.

Of course, he doesnt tell people that he discovered the spell by complete accident.

Deep, lost in thought, daydreaming about a certain gnome lady he was quite attracted to, he unintentionally contacted her "mind-to-mind". Horrified, he broke the link immediately.

Embarrassed, he tried to confide the deed to a fellow magician... and accidentally did that telepathically as well, just by thinking intensely about who to tell its discovery.

As it turned out, his mistake became his triumph.

Upon returning to Gnomia, Tip was celebrated as a hero. King Shorty made him his official archmage advisor.

But not everyone was fooled by Tips sudden rise through the rank.

One individual, someone very close to him, knew the true nature of his magical brilliance.

But thats another story entirely, one youll have to uncover for yourself.

That was all for today,

I hope you have a great day, and beware your thoughts!

-Giuseppe

[ 2025-06-07 13:08:26 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone, This Wednesday's update is a bit different: instead of talking about an enemy type, I want to focus on the core design of the game: how the genre choices were made, the challenges I faced, and the solutions I came up with. Lets get started!

Why Turns in a Puzzle Game?

This decision dates back to the earliest stages of development, when the game was just a concept for a gamejam. I wanted to blend several genres in a meaningful way, while preserving the key elements of each one of them:

• Puzzles: Every move should be deliberate. The game is best played when the player thinks ahead, since each action has predictable outcomes. I hope that solving tricky situations or escaping seemingly impossible blocks gives that satisfying I got it! moment.
• Turn-based: The idea of "turn economy" forces the player to think strategically within a limited number of moves. Ideally, this leads to decision making like: How can I make the most of this level? Should I move there and perform that action, or do the opposite?
• Dungeon Crawler: This comes from my nostalgia for old games of this type that I played as a kid. Reaching the stairs at the end of a level always made me wonder: Whats next? What new enemies or mechanics will I encounter?

The Challenges

The biggest challenge has been balancing all of these elements. Specifically:

• Some puzzles risk of being too complex or too simple. I want players to think through their actions, but not to face overly convoluted logics or feel like theyre just ticking off obvious boxes from a visual checkbox.
• Turns can feel too restrictive. Its frustrating to almost finish a level, solving everything correctly, only to be killed by the turn limit.
• The sense of discovery needs to be preserved throughout the game. Facing the same enemies repeatedly gets dull. How often should I introduce new mechanics? Will they stay fun? Should each enemy feel distinct?

The Solutions Ive Found

• Given that players have different problem-solving styles, I focused on gradually introducing mechanics. This helps players understand what they can and cant do. If they carefully plan their moves, and study the level, they should be able to resolves the various challenges they'll face in not so many attempts. I hope that it works well. Some levels also allow for multiple solutions, so I had to balance the turn limits accordingly to keep them challenging no matter the chosen path.
• The big brain move regarding the turn limit was adding an easier difficulty mode, because this game lends itself well to that. This way people that want to take a more relaxed approach can. But honestly, it felt a bit cheap. Id rather players finish levels in the main difficulty. So what was the answer? Designing levels that gradually introduce challenges. Every level has its set of obstacles that are generally divided in sections (for example a room or a corridor). If players solve each challenge correctly, they should finish with the right number of turns.
• To maintain engagement, Ive aimed to introduce at least one new mechanic or simple, well designed enemy types, every few levels (on average, every 4 levels, with some exceptions). It was important that they felt unique and meaningful.

The Influence on the Narrative

I wanted the mechanics to be tied into the story. So, throughout the game, there are in-universe explanations for how the systems work. For example, the turn system is the result of a spell cast by Archmage Tip (named so because he gives tips, ahahaha). Other game mechanics like coins, traps, and even the dialogue system are similarly woven into the narrative. This approach, I believe, makes the game more immersive and self-aware, adding a subtle but meaningful layer of engagement. Given the lighthearted and comedic tone of the game, I think this integration was the right call. Thats all for today, I hope you found this devblog interesting! I Wish you all a great day! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-06-04 14:18:49 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey people, today is Saturday so... it's lore day! As always, these ".5" blogs are an extra, meant to be read by those interested in the world's backstory. Today I'll tell you something about the Imps, which are inspired by... Italy! Their culture revolves around the most stereotipical trope of my contry, which is, as you probably already guessed, food! However, their origin story is inspired by the "barbarian invasions", infact they are not a native race to the now called "Impalian Peninsula". Instead, they conquered it thanks to a big crisis that happened in the Holy Human Empire, but that is a story for another time. Let's get into the Imp's lore.

Map: The Impirium

Who Are The Imps?

Little is known about the Imps before their sudden and somewhat clumsy invasion of Silliseria. What is certain is that, being creatures of demonic origin, they were created by the Archdemon Scylla, presumably on a day when its concentration was far from optimal, on the contrary it was awful. According to some dark theologians (who lurk in the most eastern realm of the world), the Imp were accidentally created while Scylla was trying to forge the Devils. Basically, they're a copy gone wrong, with many unforeseeable consequences. They were small, stubborn and stupid, unlike their better counterparts. For this very reason, they were deemed as unreliable.

The Perfect Wasted Opportunity

However, its confirmed that during the famous rebellion orchestrated by the Orcs against the Holy Human Empire, Scylla finally saw the perfect opportunity to return to the scene after millennia of inactivity, so what did he do? He sent a vanguard composed solely of Imps. Their loss would have been neglectable, so the Archdemon sent them first. A move that, in hindsight, Scylla probably would have called bold, or more accurately: a hellish interplanar own goal (soccer is the most practiced sport amongst demons). The Imps, who were theoretically meant to be threatening demons ready to wreak havoc, abandoned their demonic nature within weeks of landing on the Humtalian Peninsula, as it was called at the time.

What happened?

The answer is simple and tragic: they discovered the local humtalian food. Yes, these beings, supposedly emotionless, fell in love at first bite. Something in the sauces, fried foods, and overcooked pasta awakened a soul, one they supposedly didnt have, and sparked the first documented mass epiphany in history. From that moment on, they called themselves Almostdemons, meaning demons who love risottos and cry watching a well-cooked carbonara.

The Food Culture

Having found their soul, and their stomachs, they only needed one thing: a homeland worthy of such appetite. And so, they continued their invasion of Humtalia, but with a unique detail: every conquered city was renamed after the best dish they found there. This explains the case of the ancient city of Rumia, birthplace of the Holy Human Empire, renamed Carbotriciana, to satisfy half the army who preferred Carbotara (a mispronounced carbonara), and the other half in love with Utriciana (a confused version of amatriciana). The supreme commander, Violino I, future Augustimp, diplomatically resolved the conflict by choosing the worst possible phonetic compromise.

A Culinary Eresy

This is the reason why Carbotriciana became the capital. But after Violino Is death and his son Dentone Is rise, the capital was moved to the tiny, unknown town of Impola. Why? Well, Dentone tried to revise the Carbotara... with cream and broken pasta! A culinary disaster that sparked a legendary revolt: The Recipe Rebellion! Dentone, offended by such poor taste (which, of course, wasn't his own), abandoned the city, calling his former subjects vulgar palates, and moved the capital to Impola, which then grew until it became the current heart of the Impirium. Ironically, Violino I is today remembered as the Dump, both for his weight and the legend that he ate every dish that was served to him, except, of course, the Carbotara. Not even his "revised" recipe was allowed! However, out of respect for the imperial family, no one has ever dared to move the capital back to Carbotriciana.

The Lost Recipes and The GGC

Over time, the Imps began to forget the original human recipes. Confused ingredients, exaggerated doses, sauces with strange things inside them. Today, the situation is so chaotic that every attempt to recreate a traditional dish ends in culinary brawls worthy of a show.
And its here that the story of the Muscolimp begins: Imps who have eaten so much they have developed some very big muscles! Yes, because one day, during a civil war to decide the greatest dish of the Impirium, the Augustimp Violino VI proposed a brilliant solution: Lets make them eat. The biggest eater wins, and his region is awarded for the best cuisine. Since then, every year, the epic "Gastronomic Gladiatorial Contest", GGC in short, takes place in the Mangiosseum, a massive arena where the Muscolimp battle it out with lasagna, gnocchi, roasts, and stews, until the last one collapses from satiety (some never wake up again, but they die with honor and a full belly). The winner earns eternal glory, a fork-shaped medal, and, most importantly, tax breaks for their region of origin (and the award for best cuisine of the year). Because nothing unites like a good meal, and nothing divides more than cream in a carbotara dish.

The Forks of War

As you can see, the culinary tradition if the Imps is very present even in their war efforts. They often travel as mercenaries in foreign lands, to seek fortune in order to establish, one day, a restaurant of their own. These mercenary companies are called "Forks of War", because of their Impalian traditional weapons that are shaped like forks (and sometimes segmented knifes).
That was all for today, I hope you enjoyed the read. As always, I'm waiting for you next week! Have a great weekend, and eat nice dishes (preferably not a carbonara with cream). -Giuseppe

[ 2025-05-31 15:09:12 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey Everyone! Its been about a while since I've launched the Steam page, and Im super excited about the small but awesome results Ive gathered. Every step counts! Honestly, reaching this point in the project feels like a big milestone for me. My ultimate goal is to create a fun little (or should I say short-y? Ahaha, so funny, nevermind) puzzle game, centered around pathfinding. It doesnt have to be overly complex, both in terms of story and design, just a fun experience thats a bit challenging at times. If you are curious about the project and its "behind the scenes", I invite you to read the devblogs that are already present in the Steam News/Discussions, and the others that will come in the following weeks. With that in mind, Im thrilled to announce that the demo of "Will The King Escape?" is coming out... right now! Your feedback will be super important to me as I evaluate the design choices I made during development. It also gives you the opportunity to play the game for free and see if its right for you. As of now, I have the game mostly finished, but I plan to revisit some mechanics after the demo's release. Consider following me and adding the game to your wishlist if you want to stay notified about the game release! This whole process is pretty new to me, but I want to deliver the best experience I can. Im not quite sure how to wrap this up, so heres a random thing for bonus points! What a professionally unprofessional thing to do. Check out this Gameover! I hope you wont see it as much as Id like!

[ 2025-05-29 13:04:51 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone, Today I'll tell you something about the first race I've NOT designed around the mechanic of the sunlight: the Imps!

Why Imps?

During the development of the game I realized that in certain situations, during the creation of the levels, I was blocked with some technical limitations that were, apparently, impossible to avoid. They were inherited by the design of the original enemies, which move every turn. One of these problems was that, at a certain point of the game, I wanted to create "tunnels" of two tiles each, or even less, with enemies that guarded them.
The problem was obvius. Given that enemies move by one tile each turn, it was impossible for Shorty to get through these areas. So, whats the solution?

Let Them Sleep!

It came to me while solving a rare bug, in which enemies could not move for a turn. Fortunately the bug was resolved quickly, but everytime it happened I tought it would be a nice mechanic to attach to an enemy. For this very reason I created the Imps, that everytime they move they must rest for 1 turn, allowing players to move even through the narrowest of spaces, IF they think carefully about their turns!

The Design

The sleep mechanic initially was explained only with text, using the dialogues of the game. However, after many tests, I've realized that sometimes it wasn't clear wheter an Imp was sleeping or moving. This problem was especially obvious when there was a level that had an imp after many levels in which there weren't. Because of that, I've added them a unique animation that triggers only when they sleep, along with a particle effect: the very very classical "ZzZzZzZZzzz...".
(TRIVIA: it is the same effect that its used for the stun effect of the goblin, just with another sprite!)

The Consequences

The peculiarity of imps is that they are usually positioned in order to be a nuisance. If, apparently, avoiding them is very simple, they can make the players lose a lot of turns, if they took too much time to arrive to the point in which one is present. Waiting for an imp to move, means that Shorty will lose double the turns! Additionally, I've found interesting that, if they are placed along with other enemies, imps give an unexpected complexity to the level they are in. The player is infact forced to align their "mental route", with two different movement times. This is an important challenge in terms of level design, that in my opinion needs to be discussed along the theme of "timing". Given that the imp is a type of enemy that is encountered in the later stages of the game, the player should be already quite familiar with the game rhythm. The presence of an enemy that moves one tile every two turns, breaks this rhythm, altering the gameplay with a slowdown. Others enemies of the game behave similiarly, Dwarves for example, that will be talked about in the following weeks. These type of enemies, that "break the rhythm", are, in my opinion, a foundamental addition to the game, that throw in a more varied gameplay, and new challenges that do not alter greatly the foundation of the game. Also, there is another enemy type which belongs to the Imp race, but I'll leave it for you to discover. I hope you liked this devblog, and I'll take this chance to remember you that tomorrow (29/05/2025) the game demo will be realeased! I hope you will like it! May you sleep as peacefully as do the Imps! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-05-28 14:38:20 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone! Today I will introduce you to what lies in the land of the filthy Nagas that have invaded King Shorty's Kingdom! As usual, I'd like to remind you that Saturday's posts are extras, tought solely to provide some additional background for those who are interested. If you only care in gameplay mechanics, check out the Steam page next week, on Wednesday to learn about the Imps! For those of you still here, let's begin!

Who are the Nagas?

Forget everything you've ever imagined about Nagas: they are not cursed elves or dragon progeny, but fishes that, millennia ago, human mages used as test subjects for dark experiments, aiming to merge humans and snakes. Contrary to popular belief, they are not very tall, as they are only a few inches taller than the average dwarf. They live in the eastern lands of Silliseria, and what makes them peculiar is their obsessive dependence on water sources. Yes, it is really and extreme obsession. If there is no river in sight, they have a nervous breakdown and become incredibly aggressive. Building something far from water? Never! The few cities in dry territories were, coincidentally, former colonies of the Holy Human Empire, now subjected to the Nagas lords, but why?

Discriminated Serpents

For centuries, Nagas have been part of the Holy Human Empire as second class citizens. The only right they had was to work, under humiliating and degrading conditions. They were forbidden from holding high social positions and were forced to live in ghettos full of dirty pools, lacking personal spaces. After all, according to humans, they owed to them their very existence, so these conditions were considered generous! However, when it was time for meat shields against the terrible vampires of the Necrarchy of the Sands or against the demons of the Living Hell of Scylla, they suddenly became useful citizens, or brothers in arms", as the more empathetic called them. They were pulled out of the ghettos by the tail, armed with the worst weapons made from rust or old iron, and sent to the battlefield. It often happened that a Naga performed a heroic act, but it was a human who took the credit. Yet, this era of social oppression ended thanks to a miraculous event.

The Holy Lake

During the period in which the Orcs rebelled against the Holy Human Empire (a story for another blog), the Nagas initially chose to remain neutral in the conflict. Things changed on a rainy autumn day, when a mysterious figure of pure radiant light emerged from the waters of the Holy Lake (called "the Little Sea", at the time). It was so bright that it blinded many Nagas, but it was worth it. In a luminous vision, it suggested to Sir Serpivo, the Chief of the Nagas' Ghetto and future First King of the Waters, to oppose the Holy Human Empire and lead his kin towards independence, exploiting the chaos of the Orc Rebellion. And so, the human armies, unable to fight on two fronts, retreated, and the few humans who chose to stay in the realm were subjected to the Holy Lakenation of Nagaland, becoming their second class citizens in a sudden history twist!

The Cult of the Lake

Thus, from the founding of the Holy Lakenation, waters became sacred. The Nagas' cities are naturally submerged in blessed waters, and everyone, regardless of race, who wishes to bathe in them must ask the Water King himself for permission. If this seems an excessive gesture, its because you havent yet read about the most devout Nagas: the Knights of the Lake, members of the Drop Table, a symbol that every honorable Lake Knight carries on their helmets.

The Knights of the Lake

This devout knightly group believes that water, and by that I mean literally every drop of fresh water in the world, is nothing but the physical manifestation of the Lady of the Lake, aka one of the many names and forms of the same radiant light that suggested Sir Serpivo to rebel. According to them, she is the only true deity of the world, and to honor her, they vow to perform epic acts, whimsically called... Wet Vows. Whenever they make an oath, they must immerse themselves in the sacred waters of the Lake. Whether its slaying a terrible giant mandrake or shaving the beard of the most mischievous dwarf in Dwarfandy, they do so only after a good swim in the Lake. Its not uncommon to see these knights wandering through Nagas' lands alone, from the southern Hissing Marshes to the northern Unguarded Frontier, fulfilling their vows. According to the leaders of the Order of the Knights of the Lake, anyone who completes 101 feats will be able to find the Humid Chalice, from which they must then drink the Water of the Holy Lake to access Avalak, an island of eternal life, rain, and serenity.

The Naga Expansion

It was the Knights of the Lake who expanded the territories of the Holy Lakenation, making it the second most powerful state in Silliseria. At the time of the Orcs Rebellion, however, in addition to Nagas, the Rebels also included Froglets, Bigsnails, and Prawnlets. Each of these races claimed some territories as their own, but their rights to rule were shortlived. The newborn nations they founded didnt even have time to choose a decent flag: they were immediately attacked by the diligent Knights of the Lake, at the orders of their powerful yet modest master, the Crusader of the Mirror. He, looking approvingly at his gleaming armors reflection in the Holy Waters, declared that bipedal frogs and snails with arms were a clear insult to the Sacred Shores of the Holy Lake. The first to be conquered were the poor Froglets, who, sadly, became the main course of a revisited human culinary tradition: they were cooked and served on silver plates to the knights, with a sprig of parsley on the side for presentation, and a marsh reed sauce to enhance their flavor. The Bigsnails had a slightly less tasty but much saltier fate. In the Hissing Marshes, the infamous Battle of the Lurking Waters was fought, where the Knights of the Lake won with the same effort required to open an open door. The Bigsnail's troops were... slow. So slow that some soldiers (at least 3 out of 4), when the two armies started to battle, had not even finished lining up. The Nagas, clever and a bit cruel, who had already forgotten the days when they were confined in ghettos, sprinkled salt on the battlefield, forcing the snails to curl up (so to speak), until they became perfect targets for archers and crossbowmen. Since then, it is said that Nagas love snail skewers. As for the Prawnlets, they demonstrated some wisdom and fled backrunning towards the sea. Some say they reached the lands of the far North, finding their distant relatives: the Fishmen.

The Prophecy

Still, there is hope for Froglets and Bigsnails. Small rebel groups still exist today: hooded frogs and snails armed with slobbery spears, fighting for freedom and to live without the terror of being eaten by a Naga. The Nagas' prophecies are very clear: one day, these rebels will try, successfully, to reclaim their lands. And then, according to legends, a Naga hero born far from the rivers (pure horror!), in the Fairyqueen Woods, will rise to oppose them. He will marry the witch Morriganan, a lady who has seen more centuries than the immortal elves, and will find the legendary Scaliburex Sword in the Lost Sword Trees. With it, he will lead the armies of the Knights of the Lake in the final defeat of frogs and snails... Or at least, thats what the prophets claim, often after a dinner in the Hissing Marshes.

The Annoying Sun

One last thing, strictly related to the gameplay in "Will The King Escape?", is their hatred for the sun. Unlike goblins, for them, its simply annoying. When given the choice to take a walk in the rain or in the sun, you probably choose not to get wet for convenience, well for them, its the exact opposite. However, if the situation demands it, and the offense committed by King Shorty is of the utmost importance, they put aside their hatred for the sun. These creatures are willing to do anything to pay homage to the Holy Lake!
I hope you enjoyed this deep dive into Nagas. Remember to wishlist the game if you're interested in playing it, and follow the Steam page for future updates! Also, the Demo is coming up very soon! Have a great weekend, and to those of you who read all this crazy stuff about Nagas, well... May the waters of the Holy Lake keep you wet for a long time! Farewell, -Giuseppe

[ 2025-05-24 14:34:08 CET ] [ Original post ]

Good afternoon, everyone! It's Wednesday again, the usual day in which I share my ideas behind the enemies and the mechanics of game. Today, we're talking about the last main race involved with the sunlight mechanic.

Sun Under A New Light

During development, I thought of another way to interpret sunlight as a mechanic. Gnomes are purified, goblins are stunned, what else can I do? In the deeper areas of the Tower, sunlight will have a primarily offensive role, but in the early levels, light has an additional mechanic: that it isn't always an helping tool for the player, and this is where the nagas come into play. These overly elongated snakes, as King Shorty would say, are immune to sunlight (for reasons you can discover this Saturday if you want). This fact introduced a very interesting twist during level design, opening up new possibilities, including the fact that the player is in danger if a naga passes through an open window, something that otherwise wouldn't be possible, because there were no enemies immune to sunlight!

The Consequences of Sunlight Immunity

This new obstacle also increases the complexity of the levels, because there could be situations where goblins and nagas pass in front of the same window, so it's up to the player to figure out the best way to navigate that space without ending up in the game over screen.
Sometimes, it might be necessary to move a crate to block the naga; other times, you need to purify a gnome before passing; and sometimes, the presence of a window might not be a true obstacle at all. Because of their presence, opening a window or simply passing through a lit area is no longer so straightforward. For this reason, I believe that designing a level with a naga in it is more challenging than one without, because, even though their mechanic is very simple and might even be considered a "non-mechanic", the consequences they bring are complex to manage. That's why I think their addition to the game has been essential and stimulating.

The Nagas' Design

I also want to spend a couple of words explaining their design. Each naga that has invaded the Kingdom of Gnomia wears a water drop on top of their helmets. This choice is heavily influenced by their lore, but I think it is also effective in giving them a distinct look from their counterpart in other games, and from the goblin themeselves in mine (afterall they are a very similiar race, aesthetically). They are also very small, at least if compared to their equivalent in other popular medias. This choice has been done in order to make them feel unique, fresh and a bit over the top. They are basically a little bit taller than the average gnome! After all, you have to imagine them standing no taller than your waist, looking up at you with a ferocious, zealous grin. I think it would look quite silly! I hope their design intrigues you and that their presence in the game encourages you to try it if you're undecided. If you want to learn more about nagas, their culture, and their very peculiar religion, make sure to check out the Steam page this Saturday! Thank you for reading this devblog and have a great day! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-05-21 14:12:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

Welcome Everyone, Today I'll tell you more about the most important people of the game: the Gnomes! As always, I'd like to remind you that the Saturday blog is an extra, dedicated to those who wish to know a little bit more about the world in which the game is set in. If you are only interested in the mechanics... the correct devblog is the Wednesday one! With this out of the way, prepare yourself because this is a long one and let's start: I present to you the Kingdom Of Gnomia!

Where is Gnomia?

The Kingdom of Gnomia has never stood out for its strategic position: the gnome nation is, infact, surrounded by bigger, more powerful countries, often more... invasive than other, remote, states. The Gnomes, often called "the little people" (or "the smallest people", as the Dwarves say), are notoriously peaceful. The reason? They are awful fighters. Their technique is... extremely lacking, but they make up for it with their extreme bravery, which is very rarely sufficient. According to many scholars of the East, this tame nature comes from the land they inhabit: the Fertile Valley, a prosperous region made up of the Dotwoods Land and The Farmrivers, that has always guaranteed plenty of food and little predators. This is the reason that, many centuries ago, caused their ruin: when Gnomia was a disputed crown among many petty (and small) kingdoms, the Dwarves attacked! They were attracted by the fertile land, as they came from mountainous, sterile, and wooded regions.

The Dark Years of Slavery

During their time as slaves, Gnomes were forced to work in the iron mines that are scattered in the Contested Mounts, in service of the dwarven Forge Lords. Their lands also suffered a similiar fate, as they were exploited to the last resource, and every free space was occupied by dwarven military camps, as they feared an invasion from the Holy Human Empire, that at the time was at the peak of its power. However, as often happens, there is always a dim light at the end of the tunnel.

The First King of All Gnomes

It was Lilfred "the Short", ancestor of the current King Shorty, who first sparked the flame of rebellion. One day, he stabbed the dwarf guard overseeing his labor group and, wielding pickaxes and shovels, he and a band of brave souls fought their way through the bearded soldiers. From there, he liberated every slave camp, stole dwarf weapons, and gradually reconquered every kingdom of the Fertile Valley. It is said that, on the eve of a battle, the dwarves would flee at the mere sight of the silhouette of his extraordinarily long nose. Some dwarves even started shaving their beards just to run faster! Thus, at the head of his Nasal Knights, Lilfred faced the dwarf armies in a decisive battle on the banks of a small river that now bears his name, among the Bearded Pines. In an epic charge, riding his trusty war pony, he pierced Ragnar Warmcloak, son of the legendary Skal the Immortal, breaking the enemy lines and driving the long bearded slavers back into the mountains where the borders between Gnomia and the Dwarven Skaldom remain to this day. With the dwarves in retreat, Lilfred returned to Lowdon and was crowned King of Gnomia, marking the birth of the First Kingdom to unite all gnomes into a single free nation.

A Nasal Nobility

To this day, Gnomia is ruled by Lilfreds descendants, and its people live in a feudal society... but with a peculiarly gnomish twist: power is not measured in gold or armies, but in the length of ones nose. Thats right, the nose. A symbol of status and power: the longer it is, the more respected a gnome is. The roots of this tradition date back to Lilfreds rebellion, as everyone aspired to have the nose of the First King. Some even say that the legendary monarch had the longest nose in gnome history, but its true length is known only to his direct descendants, who hide top secret documents somewhere in Lowdon. Thus, being born with a short nose means dishonor. Nobles with short noses are immediately disowned and demoted. They join the House of Curtnose, a surname that says it all.

The Tragic Revolt of Robin Curtnose

A prime example is the tale of Robin Curtnose, son of King Miniarthur II, born with a distinctly unroyal nose. The King tried to hide him for years, but one day Robin escaped from the rooms where he had been confined, and the entire court discovered his secret. The reason for his escape remains officially unknown, though rumor has it that he was desperately searching for a toilet after eating a fish pie for the first time, a dish that was, coincidentally, banned from the royal kitchens shortly thereafter. Alas, Robin was exiled, though his mother, who was said to have great affection for her unfortunate son, sent him to a farm run by a respectable family who didnt care about nose length. Nevertheless, sources say Robin grew bitter and, at the age of 25 (the age of majority for the Gnomes), decided to rebel against his fate and his father. He gathered all the Curtnoses in the Kingdom to lead a grand uprising, even comparing himself to Lilfred the Short. But his nose continued to haunt him. He traveled from village to village, trying in vain to gain support from blacksmiths and nobles, but everywhere they went, they were met only with slammed doors and unstoppable laughter. Eventually, they marched against the King, armed only with pitchforks and vain hope. Yet even at dawn, as the battle began, the royal soldiers burst into laughter at the sight of them, so much so that they turned back from the battlefield. Chroniclers of the time reported that they were too amused to fight. Upon witnessing this, the entire rebel army deserted. Robin, left alone, charged at the royal army. He managed to kill only one soldier, named Robert Longnose, before being pierced in the heart by an arrow. Some say it was King Miniarthur II himself who shot it, too embarrassed by his own bloodline... but no solid evidence exists. The deserters scattered: some returned to their humble lives in silence, ashamed every time they met the mocking gaze of their fellow gnomes. Others fled to the Strip of Nothingness, where they founded the city of Nosebury. To this day, it remains a haven for all those unfortunate gnomes born with short noses, outcasts often drawn to dark arts...
(The nose you see is a magical illusion).

Even Monsters Have Noses!

The cult of the nose has even inspired local legends. In Squatness, there's talk of a strange seabird that occasionally surfaces from the Holy Lake of the Nagas. At first, no one believed it, until an anonymous gnome artist drew the creature with an extraordinarily long nose. Ever since, people have flocked to Squatness hoping to catch a glimpse of the mythical beast. (Some say that "nose" is actually a giant horn, poorly drawn by the embarrassed artist who chose to remain anonymous. But until someone captures it, the mystery lives on...)

The Tower

Lastly, let me tell you about the Tower, the setting of the game. Initially built of wood as a northern border outpost by King Shorty's father, the late King Lilfred IX, it was meant to aid the gnome patrols guarding the frontier. But after the kings death, his son, King Shorty, decided to complete the construction with stone, to prove he was wiser than his father. He followed the advice of his elderly aunt, a member of his private council... and squandered the kingdoms treasury on a tower that was, in the end, abandoned. No garrison. No purpose. King Shorty recalled the troops to guard only the city of Lowdon after raising taxes for his wedding. Some say the tower was built atop an ancient burial ground where a powerful human sorcerer once dabbled in forbidden magic. Who knows, perhaps there's truth in those claims. Only by playing the game you will discover the truth.

Conclusion

And with that, I conclude this deep dive into the world of the Gnomes. I hope you enjoyed it! If you made it this far, thank you from the bottom of my heart. See you next week when well talk about the serpentine Nagas! Have a great weekend! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-05-17 13:40:33 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hello everyone! Here we go again with the usual Wednesday devblog, where I dive into the design ideas behind the games enemies and mechanics.

The Game's Protagonists

Today, I want to talk a bit about Gnomes: how they interact with the sunlight, the core concept that shapes their behavior, and a special mechanic regarding one the most important of them. As those of you who read the post about Goblins already know, sunlight is one of the central mechanics the game was built around from the start. Last week I explained how it affects Goblins, however it also has a unique effect on Gnomes!

The Army of Gnomia

While working on the early stages of the game, I felt that King Shorty was a bit too limited in terms of what he could actually do. Its easy to imagine a king trained for battle, but handing Shorty a sword and letting him fight off the invaders felt like a quick and lazy solution, that did not quite fit this kind of game, especially in the early levels. I still wanted players to be able to take out at least some of the invaders, but indirectly, by thinking strategically and leveraging the level design. So I thought: how have rulers throughout history fought their enemies? Through the their armies of course, rarely stepping into the front lines themselves. And thats where the Gnomes come in.

A Cursed Fate

King Shorty's gnome guards have been corrupted by mysterious magical forces, and the only way to break the spell is... you guessed it: sunlight! Whenever a corrupted gnome is exposed to sunlight, usually by opening a curtain or allowing light to filter into a specific part of the level, they become purified and will fight once more in service of King Shorty. In short, theyll take down any enemy in their path. But be careful! A corrupted gnome is just as dangerous as any other tower invader, and if one crosses paths with King Shorty while still being under the curse spell, it wont hesitate to take him out.

A Princess in Danger

In the later stages of the game you will also meet the Queen of Gnomia, Sylvia. She will pose a new challenge, because she will follow Shorty at every step, staying always behind his movements, potentially making herself a target for the invaders. You will have 2 gnomes to guide through the dangers of the Tower! Also, do you see those two bearded guys in the upper screenshot? Well... There are more mechanics tied to other types of gnomes, as you might have guessed from the cover image, screenshots, or the games page, but I dont want to spoil everything in these blog posts. I hope youll enjoy discovering them yourself during gameplay.

What about the Story behind those Long Noses?

As always the lore and backstory of the Gnomes will be released on Saturday! If you are interested, remember to take a look! If not... come back next week (always on Wednesday) to learn more about Nagas! See you soon and have a nice day! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-05-14 12:23:02 CET ] [ Original post ]

The Green Saturday

Welcome everyone! I believe weekends are the perfect time to explore lighter topics, things a little less tied to gameplay, at least directly. That's the reason why I've chosen saturday to tell you about the background story of the game! If this, and all the future, "x.5" blogs don't interest you, I fully understand, but the "lore" of a videogame is essential to me, hence why I've chosen to dedicate the saturday to this "events". If you are only interested in the mechanics and the enemies of the game, come back every wednesday, because I'll write something about them. If you are still here, lets talk about some goblin lore!

Inspiration

When creating their lore and culture, I drew some loose inspiration from the steppe civilizations of Asia, particularly the Mongol Empire, mixing that with classic fantasy tropes about goblins: greedness, cowardly warriors, and grubby citizens. I wondered: How would intense greed shape a nomadic society that suddenly expanded and centralized? Starting with a more serious idea, I ended up turning it into something a bit more bizarre. Lets begin!

Map: Supreme Domain of Goblikhania

The Stinky Steppe and The Rise of Gobligis

Goblins inhabit the lands of the Stinky Steppe. Until just a few centuries ago, they lived scattered across caves and crevices around the Birthplace Heights and nearby mountain ranges, divided into countless small clans constantly fighting over pits or holes to claim as home (what a taste!). Everything changed with the rise of Gobligis Goblakhang, once Chieftain of the Patumi Tribe near the Trash River. Through sheer ambition (and maybe a bit of luck), he seized the rival clans' caves and set out to become the most powerful goblin in history, and he, unexpectedly succeeded. He expanded goblin territory all the way to the Teteaine and Queuet rivers, and then founded a pseudo feudal society, abandoning the traditional tribal customs. Thus, the Supreme Domain of Goblikhania was born.

A Nobility of Tongues

Unlike traditional feudal systems, goblins dont pass down their blue blood through family ties. Instead, goblin nobles are chosen either for their prowess in battle or, more often, by rising up through the ranks of the social caste of the Bootlickers. Yes, Bootlickers! Thats an actual social class in goblin society. Its said this caste was born during Gobligiss rise to power: goblins who praised him loudly were rewarded with land and gold. The tradition stuck. Bootlickers follow nobles obsessively, often annoying them. Nobles are free to punish them as harshly as they like. A bootlicker who complains about punishment gets branded with a tongue symbol and sent to the gold mines of the East as a slave. Cities like Orotsk, Aurelitau, and Goldqul are mostly inhabited by these unfortunate workers. The extracted gold is then shipped to Richgoz and Noblethara, where its smelted into ingots for the capital, Goblikorum. The more suffering a bootlicker endures without complaint, the greater their chance of being elevated to nobility. Its the only way to be released from their oath of servitude. Technically, goblins could also gain status through valor and bravery in war, but lets be honest: most are far too cowardly for that route. Once they become nobles, they select new bootlickers, often from those who once served their own former master.

Horses? NEVER!

Another odd goblin trait: they refuse to ride mounts. Some say theyre embarrassed that horses are taller than them, so they simply wont even look at them, out of spite! Instead, they sprint across the Stinky Steppe on foot. It's said that they sweat so much while running that it's the very reason the steppes got their name. Nobody sweats better than them! After centuries spent in the dim shadows of caves and big holes, sunlight affects their bodies very badly, so they usually sleep by day and travel by night. Theyre excellent runners, but they need a very long rest afterwards. Because of this, after invading the Kingdom of Gnomia they were very tired and, in game, they move only by one tile per turn in the Tower.

The Exhausting Marches

When marching, goblin commoners, which are mostly bootlickers, form chains to carry nobles on their backs. Ironically, nobles get exhausted trying to maintain order, as every bootlicker tries desperately to gain their attention. After a night march, both nobles and bootlickers are completely drained, and they rush to find caves or crevices to sleep in before daylight. If they get caught in the sun, their skin reacts badly to its hot rays and, worse, they cant sleep, meaning theyll have to march the next night without recovering their energy. This rarely happens, but when it does it is said that some goblins even cry from the stress.

The Golden Pyramids (surrounded by stink)

The goblins are incredibly proud of the Golden Pyramids of Globakhorum, the grandest achievement of Gobligis Goblakhang. When he conquered the city from his rivals, he demanded golden architecture to make himself immortal in the eyes of his people (inspired by ancient human rulers). A whole district in the capital is now filled with golden pyramids where the nobility live for free. Every noble has a residence in one, and they show it off in battle by wearing golden pyramid-shaped helmets. Also, goblins only use swords, never spears, which are seen as weapons of low status, used only by slaves, rabble and bootlickers of course!

A Golden Obsession

A peculiar event among the upper class is the Gold Feud: Goblins argue over who is more noble based on the gold weight of their armor and weapons. They hold weighing contests, though in the end, for the nobles there is little to gain. All that changes is how many goblins choose to serve one noble over another. This idea also inspired the design of the goblins you encounter in the Tower.
Some, infact, wear their beloved helmets with golden symbols to make clear for everyone that they are nobles. Also, see their armor? Most of them are very heavy!

What About The Other Places?

You may have noticed other places on the map too, like The Useless Forest, which goblins avoid because it makes them slow and tired, or The Woods Wood, the only place they harvest lumber. But those are just extra details, I dont want to spoil everything about this weird little world. So for now, Ill leave it to your imagination to guess whats hiding in the Yetei's Wastes, the Forbidden Pines, or the Fishmen Murkyocracy... Thats all for today, thanks to everyone who stuck through this long and stinky goblin journey! Next week, well turn our attention to the protagonists of the game: the Gnomes! So if youre curious, dont forget to check out the games Steam page! Have a very nice weekend, and may many Bootlickers serve you, or... maybe not! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-05-10 12:15:29 CET ] [ Original post ]

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today marks the first time Im sharing a bit about the games mechanics, so I thought Id start from the very beginning, with the main game idea and the first enemy type I implemented: Goblins!

The Theme and the Idea

When I first came up with "Will The King Escape?", I was partecipating in the Godot Wild Jam #66. I had a few days to create a short game and there was a main theme to follow, along with optional wildcards suggesting mechanics to include. The main theme was "escape", which later inspired the game's title and the gameplay loop, and one of the wildcard mechanics was "sunlight". That optional card immediately got me thinking about a system that would encourage more interaction between the player and the environment. The only problem? I didnt have a game yet to build that mechanic into!

The Game and the Goblins Origin

I decided to create a turn-based system where both the player and the enemies take 1 turn to move. The peculiarity was that enemies follow predefined paths, acting as obstacles to the player escape. This made level complexity emerge naturally from the number and placement of enemies, and since their path was predetermined, it was like a pathfinding puzzle! To add an extra level of difficulty, I've also added a turn limit in which the King is forced to reach the stairs. This way the player must carefully think about every action, in order to make the best of each turn.

The First Invaders

The first enemies I designed and implemented were Goblins. As an avid fantasy fan, it just felt instinctive! They also happened to match well with the Tower tileset I had created, which is designed on a small 32x32 pixel grid. Since goblins are typically small creatures, they fit perfectly within that scale.

The Sunlight

The sunlight mechanic came shortly after: opening windows to stun or block enemies, creating opportunities for the player to forge new, previously hidden, paths.
To make this interaction clearer, I visually linked the windows with bright yellow (an infamous color that unironically fits the game very well) cords to help the connection stand out. However, after testing some levels, I realized that sunlight could be a double-edged sword: sometimes players could accidentally trap themselves! So in later levels, for example, I added scenarios where you need to close windows instead, in order to reopen a viable escape path. It added a simple and nice layer of puzzle-solving.
Also, to introduce the player to the mechanic in a way that felt more organic, I've decided to create a few levels with very simple windows, which are always open (in other words: these don't have a curtain). There are more sunlight-related mechanics in the game (as you may have seen in the trailer or read about on the Steam page), but since they involve other enemies in the Tower, Ill cover those in future devblogs. So if you enjoy behind the scenes insights, be sure not to miss any updates! (Shameless self-promotion: complete.)

What about the Story of these Goblins?

If you're curious about the Goblins themselves, their background and quirky habits (which influenced their design), make sure to check out Saturdays post! Ill be sharing their territory map and I'll dive into their culture, including why they really cant stand the sun! Have a great day, Until next time! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-05-07 11:57:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

A Short Introduction

Hello everyone! Welcome to the very first devblog of the game: Devblog #0! Im taking this opportunity to let you know that, starting from this coming week, Ill be posting short development updates twice a week. These devblogs will be shared through Steam announcements and will give you glimpses into the game's mechanics, the enemies you'll encounter during Shorty's escape, and the worlds lore. Also, Im excited to share that the games demo is currently in testing and will definitely be ready in time for the Steam Next Fest this June. But Devblog #0 isnt just an announcement about announcements, so...

A Fantasy World to be Created

For this first Devblog, I have decided to focus on a topic thats close to my heart: Let me introduce you to the world where the game takes place and lets start from the beginning! During development, I realized that even though the game is set in a single location - the Tower - I needed a solid foundation to make the enemies feel more believable and alive. A "real" place they could actually come from. In the world of "Will the King Escape?", goblins are dazed by sunlight, and imps skip every other turn, but in time I've started asking myself "why?". To answer that question, about a year ago I started building the soul of this world: a fantasy setting that doesn't take itself too seriously. So dont expect tectonic plate accuracy or biomes governed by realistic climate rules. Instead, youll find a lot of over-the-top and quirky details, because I think it is a better fit for the tone of the game.

The First (Bad) Map

I started by drawing a map. It was... awful, honestly. Hand-drawn, then painfully (and very quickly) redone with a mouse using a very well-known graphics program. Ill share it with you for a laugh, or a cry, depending on your perspective. Unfortunately, I've lost the original paper version, so Ill just show you the digital one, that also incorporates the (terrible) political map that I made afterwards.

Bad Political Map

Even though the map was just meant to help me decide where King Shorty's enemies lived, the more I looked at it, the more it felt... lacking, to say the least. Because of that, after staring at that mess for far too long, I decided to redo it completely, with better preparation this time!

The New Maps

I have invested a bit in Wonderdraft (which I highly recommend to anyone interested in making fantasy maps!), and I've spent a couple of days recreating the world using its tools. Normally, Id draw everything by hand, which takes me ages, but I didnt want to detract too much time from game development. This seemed like the perfect compromise. (But in the end, I have done the """"heraldry"""" of each nation by hand in Inkscape). The result? Maps that I genuinely like and which I want to share with you, to help you immerse yourselves a little more in the bizarre world of King Shorty.

Good Physical Map

Good Political Map

If youre like me and love fantasy maps, spending hours analyzing every potentially meaningless detail, I hope youll enjoy these too!

What's Next?

Will I be showing more? Absolutely. But... I want to keep things short (see the pun?! Incredible!). So, for today, Ill leave you with just these two maps. I hope you enjoy them, or at least that theyve made you curious to learn more. If the world of "Will the King Escape?" has caught your interest, dont forget to add the game to your wishlist! Next week, right here on Steam, Ill be telling you more about the goblins. I will talk about their behavior and gameplay mechanics on Wednesday, but their lore will come on Saturday (complete with a map of their homeland!). I plan to follow this format for most of the games enemies, with a steady schedule of weekly updates. So get ready to spend 10 minutes (less or more) with me every Wednesday and Saturday! I wish you all a nice weekend! -Giuseppe

[ 2025-05-03 14:31:54 CET ] [ Original post ]