All that time ago I split my soul in two.

Welcome everyone, to the release of V1.0!

[previewyoutube=nBZi9WyK6hI;full][/previewyoutube] This release marks the completion of something massive all major features for the game have been finally integrated!

So, what does this mean?

Let's start off with the biggest new feature: storyline integration. Story has been a long-planned element to add to the game. It begins 1,000 years in the past, focusing on the actions taken by great Grandmaster Knulxevra... [previewyoutube=8L04-SDp8fo;full][/previewyoutube] I didn't stop there, either: even more story and lore, integrated directly into the game as you play it, has been added. These are simplified cutscenes, allowing for a dialogue sequence between multiple characters to occur. [previewyoutube=l7qWqC_CUE8;full][/previewyoutube]

From there, I overhauled the gameplay mechanisms.

My goal: a simplified RTS experience, of which I'm dubbing an "Action RTS". So what is an Action RTS? Its quite simple: I want the simplistic playstyle of only having to manage a single character (think "ARPG"), but mixed with the best element of an RTS: multiple units. My control scheme has been adapted to fit this style; you control a primary Unit, while the rest of your Units follow you, attempting to be near your lead unit at (almost) all times. From there, spellcasting commands work like normal. Based on whom you have selected, those Units will be chosen to cast their issued spell command. After playtesting it, it works quite seamlessly, and I'm quite happy with this being the core gameplay direction to move in. Some additional benefits of this Action RTS style: you can advance Units down different class-paths separately, essentially making it so you can have different units to cover different weaknesses. This is meant to be a squad-based game, and you'll be able to tailor the attributes and classes of each of your warriors according to your liking. Still want to play the game as a true RTS? I've of course covered this feature too: I added a Custom Game option prior to beginning a New Game, and you can play around with a variety of options to customize the playthrough, great for replaying the game. [previewyoutube=X-RXx9ZwA0s;full][/previewyoutube]

Saving

A saving overhaul has been long overdue, and is critical for replayability. In this update, I've improved the saving system to now account for multiple savefiles, each with a small description + playtime. I'm also integrating Steam Cloud support, to ensure your save is secure regardless of which system you play it on. This does unfortunately mean that your savefile from version Demo 2.0 cannot be carried over, but coupled with the story and gameplay overhauls, I believe this should be acceptable.

Final words

With the launch of this event posting, the V1.0 update is now live! There have been many additional features added into the game I didn't cover in this blog post, from gameplay rebalancing, to new spells, to new research, so go and check it on out for yourself! Curious about the game, but don't have a copy? I've got you covered there, too: a new free to play Demo has been launched, allowing you to get directly into trying the game out for yourself and seeing if you like it!