That is looking great! And the video got me very interested how the integration of combat and normal movement is going to work.

For example, can you trigger the turn based combat mode everywhere or does it trigger automatically when you get close enough to the enemies or enter the room with them? Since it might be a bit of a disadvantage for spellcasters and archers if you can only attack once you get close to the enemies. On the other hand a bigger team also means more meatshields to protect the casters.

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Legends speak about an unarmored madman running around in the Wyvern mountains punching Wyverns to death

There is a chance of enemies detecting you depending on distance and field of view, and you can also initate combat providing you are within certain range. the initial combat distance is yet to be balanced, but the initial distance can't be as large as to trivialize any encounters against non-ranged opponents. More about that in the future.

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It looks great! I hope that mobile version will be launched not that far from the launch of PC version.

I just want to make a short note about what a BUCKLER is.

Historically a buckler was a very small round shield, often metal, that would be held in a "fist grip". They were very common, very portable, very portable - you can wear them on your hip. A swashbuckler is someone who rubbed their rapier against their buckler (swash is a kind of grating noise). The best example of a buckler I've seen in film or television is SPARTACUS when Kirk Douglas fights Woody Strode. (Side note, "Woody" from Toy Story is named after that actor - he also did a lot of westerns).

The name buckler basically means "the boss of a shield" (the umbo) which is the convex or pointed centre of round shields. And that's what bucklers are, basically, the centre part of small shield, on it's own, with a fist grip.

However, it seems Gary Gygax thought a buckler was a shield that buckled onto your forearm leaving your off-hand free, e.g. archers could use them and still fire.

There's no historic basis for that, though there are illustrations of knights strapping shields to the upper arms that might be a lack of accuracy on the part of illustrators (another common feature of manuscripts was to have knights fight giant snails - goodness alone what that was all about).

Now, yes, I know bucklers in EK (perhaps the sequels) are a universal shield, Warriors, Clerics, Rogues, Mages. It gives them a role. And you can't use them with bows etc. so I know you're not using the AD&D template there.

But for a future game could I suggest something?

(1) Heaviest Shields = Warrior Only (we get that already, e.g. Scutum)
(2) Heavy Shields = Warrior, Cleric (e.g. Hero's Shield).
(3) Bucklers = Warrior, Rogue and NOT Clerics. (Bucklers are a roguish, literally swashbuckers as said)
(4) No Mage Shields

I understand the utility of some of EK's shields for a Mage, but I think that functionality should have gone into some of the more defensive orbs, an Attribute that ups the minimum damage resistance like having a shield does.

Also, can some of the smaller shields get Targe in there somewhere? A Targe is the Celtic name for a small forearm shield, strapped and gripped, it's a really iconic name up here, as much as Claymore is. Even if you don't have class of them, Targe of the Ancients or whatever would be a joy for Scots to see in a game.

That was interesting! It's curious how fantasy imagery has built its own "reality", and it's good to remember it's merely inspired by actual medieval history.

Here is a vid demonstrating camera controls (also added to 1st post):



Development keeps going on, of course. Right now I just completed two "prototype" areas: one large outdoor map, and one dungeon. With these "prototypes" in place I can now develop and test other features with practical cases, seeing how they actually work in the game. I am working simultaneously on NPCs AI and navigation, dialogue engine, containers, secrets doors, etc.

The world map is organized similarly to EK map: it's divided in square "sectors", so you can explore moving to adjacent ones. Archaelund (similarly to EK) will have around 50 such sectors, but they'll be larger than EK outdoor areas, resulting in a much bigger world. I wish I could already share the world map, it looks great, but it's full with spoilers and also I'll likely make heavy changes to it during content development.

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I hope there will be an option to change to 3rd person view for exploring.

Maybe this was already said, but I can't find information about it in the thread.
Will dialogue be audio based, with text only as support, or entirely text based like EK?

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As a wise man once told me on Twitter:
The secret isn't knowing what you're doing. It's knowing who you are.

I will create the dialogues with EK as model in many ways, initially as text only and likely the Early Access release will see only text. Depending on the success or not of the Early Access, and the feedback provided, I'll make a decision. It's also possible that it's added after the game is complete.

As a player, I am not very keen on voice acting, even when it's well done. I read much more quickly than I can listen, and even if it starts out good it can eventually be tiresome. However I am aware that it's just my personal opinion and voice acting is immensely popular and has become a "standard feature", even more for consoles.

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Greetings n all,

I've just joined the forum after completing EK with an insane archer rogue build with hopes of becoming a tester for further EK updates. It truly was a perfect game to keep the old D&D Baldurs Gate/Fallout 1&2 throw backs entertained on our mobiles.

Im glad to see yourselves and the company grow and focus on new projects but I can't help but shed a tear of the sea queen that any further development of EK will sease. I truly was looking forward to seeing the map fulfilled and would pay for a future expansion.

As much as I'm grateful and glad to see you progress, I can't help but highlight that you had a nice little niche market with a classic, quaint, isometric RPG. I certainly played nightly once my PC gaming was done and needed one or two horizontal adventures before I let the dreaming take over

In many ways its the simplicity that made it enjoyable and I haven't found any other mobile games as charming.

If there's anything I can do to further EKs expansion or if you have any recommendations to fill that tablet based RPG void I may now be facing, just let me know

LuckFast
"Luck IS one of my skills"

Certainly I'm not done with isometric 2D games, and I also value simplicity which likely is the key why so many older games are unforgettable and more fun than modern ones. Eventually I'll shift my focus to 2D and mobile again, and even if now my focus is on Archaelund, I'll likely add more (free) content to EK some day. There's a couple quests I always wanted to add but were left out, so at least that I am sure I'll add.

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