Hello wonderful people from the internet!
welcome to the tenth chapter of our development journey! We’ve hit double digits, and we’re still going strong, sharing the ups, the shifts, and all the behind-the-scenes action as Enu continues to take shape.
After getting back on track last week, we’ve got a busy few days ahead, but don’t worry, development is still moving forward. This week, a lot of our time will be spent applying for funding, which means navigating the joys of German bureaucracy and tackling a mountain of paperwork in a very short time.
What is the current state of play?
In Game Design, we’ve finalized the tutorial concept. This is a key step in giving the programming team a clear roadmap of what gets unlocked when, how it’s introduced, and what needs to be communicated to the player. It’s also crucial for ensuring that players don’t feel overwhelmed by the game’s complexity, which, as we know, is definitely part of the experience. In the picture below is a example of how it looks.
In the Art department, we’re still developing concepts for the four realms. Finding a minimalist visual style that does justice to the distinct identities of each world is a challenging process but we’re making steady progress. We’ve also completed a first version of our teaser image! It still needs some final touches, but if all goes according to plan, we’ll be ready to share it with you next week.
In the Programming department, the rune upgrade system is now fully implemented! We can collect runes during gameplay, head over to the RuneWeaver, the in-game location for upgrading, and enhance their runes directly. The system is already functional, with the UI set to be refined in the coming weeks. We’ve also started integrating the tutorial system: for example, certain obstacles now allow us to progressively unlock the rotation mechanic, helping players ease into the game’s core features step by step.
Game Design
The tutorial level concept is now complete, and it’s time to bring it to life. We’ve set aside a few weeks to build it, with the goal of having a fully playable version ready for live testing at the university exhibition in September. This level will also be our first encounter with the new layered level structure. Previously, we focused on building a single level, but now, we’ll be creating four interconnected levels, nested within each other. This will lead to fresh challenges and exciting new design opportunities.
Art
As mentioned earlier, while we continue developing the concepts for the four realms, we’ll also begin shaping the overall art style and creating the first environment assets. On top of that, we’ll be putting the final touches on the teaser image, aiming to have it polished and ready to share soon.
Programming
This week, we’re shifting focus to the gear upgrade system, following the implementation of the rune upgrade last week. While the concept is similar, working with gear is a bit more complex from a technical standpoint, so it’ll require some extra time. The foundation of the inventory system is already in place, but it won’t be worked on specific until later in this milestone.
Additionally, we’ll continue building out the tutorial system, including the help functionality and progression logic. This involves implementing specific requirements to ensure players are guided smoothly and effectively as they learn the game.
That’s it for this week’s update! There’s still a lot of ground to cover, but seeing everything come together step by step is incredibly motivating. The vision we’ve had from the start is slowly becoming reality.
Thanks for sticking with us, whether you’re reading, chatting in streams, or simply watching from the sidelines. Your support means the world, and we’re excited to share even more with you soon!
