GIF: Beautiful ambient backgrounds. Watch dancing shadows turn to conversation. Hello again everyone! 2019 was a busy year for us, but 2020 will be the biggest year yet for Luckless Seven. Each of us at Deckpoint hope all of you have had a great start to the new year. It's been a while since we last posted a devlog but we started off 2020 with a bang with Ohayocon! A big thank you to everyone that stopped by our booth to check out our game or just to chat. Ohayocon remains one of the most popular conventions we attend, and we love every minute of the crowded chaos. Over the next couple months, well be going over the great feedback we received from everyone that tried the game.
Photo: Ohayocon 2020! Front center in the dark blue collar is Jesse Kooner (Lead Developer), back right with the beard, glasses, and white shirt is Brandon Ledbetter (Composer), and behind him is his brother Casey Ledbetter (supportive friend). https://store.steampowered.com/app/433370/Luckless_Seven/ WISHLIST and follow Luckless Seven on Steam! and play the demo! Last year saw some of the biggest quality of life improvements to the game so far. We are also closing out on some massive changes for the beginning sections of the game. These changes include a completely new opening section for the story campaign, additional story quests scattered throughout the first few days, and a redesigned movement system. With these changes, we feel the game will be in a great state going into Early Access in Q1 2020.
GIF: Explore the beautiful island of Arithia! Cross bridges and make some of your own with the people you meet!
GIF: Ekosi cards! Battle your way to the top. Winning, stealing, finding and buying cards!
Screenshot: New primary dialogue system! Much bigger and feels much better. A frequent suggestion we receive at conventions is that players want to have control of the character immediately, even if its just a short segment where they can run around and interact with things. The opening of the game now starts at The Mind Lounge, an eerie dreamscape room that the player will visit occasionally throughout their story. The Mind Lounge will contain shadowy reflections of the people and things Mark will encounter during the journey.
GIF: New Secondary Dialogue System. This doesn't stop the player from moving around! Easier than ever to chat with more people! The area will serve as a way for Mark to reflect on his choices and actions: items he stole may appear in the lounge, and an NPC may confront him about this. Story-centric conversations may play out between his party members reflections that reveal some of his backstory.
GIF: The MindLounge. Spooky nightclub/bar with even stranger patrons. This new story area helps introduce Mark and will be a place that is revisited several times.
Screenshot: Talk with your friends around the campfire!
GIF: Sunsets await these weary travelers. Also, we wanted to give a shoutout to another Ohio game developer, Shawn Tanner (another Ohio game dev?! (yes, we will do this every time))! Shawn is the man behind the 1-man studio ANProductions. Shawn has over a decade of experience making easy-to-pick-up games, from popular flash games to the Soda Dungeon series. He also posts videos on his YouTube showcasing his game dev journey. Shawn is currently hard at work on Soda Dungeon 2. If you are interested in fantastic turn-based RPGs and dungeon crawlers, go check it out on Steam and give it a wishlist!
Photo: A good friend of ours is Shawn Tanner! Indiedev working on Soda Dungeon 2 and is the creator behind Soda Dungeon 1!
Screenshot: Soda Dungeon 2 is a laid-back dungeon crawler. Featuring adventure, a whole town to upgrade, crafting, new classes, alternate dimensions, and beautiful pixel art!
GIF: Entering a new dimension changes the background and setting of your town! https://store.steampowered.com/app/564710/Soda_Dungeon/ https://store.steampowered.com/app/946050/Soda_Dungeon_2/ Getting back to Luckless Seven, weve also made some major quality of life changes such as a completely redesigned movement system. One of the flaws of the previous movement system was that Mark did a little circling maneuver sometimes he tried to turn a sharp corner. This new system makes his turns more snappy and feels smoother in general. The camera is also now locked to his position rather than slowly following behind him.
GIF: Ambient backgrounds in Neropolis City!
Screenshot: So many paths to take in Luckless Seven. Will you maintain an open mind or focus on Friendship, Glory, or Fortune? We cant wait to showcase the Mind Lounge in our new demo. In our next dev log, we will have a comprehensive look at 2019 and give a proper reflection at the new additions to Luckless Seven. The Early Access version of the game is so close to being complete. Once we hit Early Access, it will be a sprint to the finish line. We dont plan on lingering in Early Access for an extended period of time. Thats the plan, anyway! All of us at Deckpoint hope everyone had a pleasant holiday time and a happy New Year! Until next time, Jonathan https://store.steampowered.com/app/433370/Luckless_Seven/ Wishlist and follow Luckless Seven on Steam! and play the demo!