The most recent developer’s blog demonstrates the game’s character generator, in the form of a fun little game: Pick which two of the ten potential disciples knocking at the door to allow into your group.
Oh man, every single update makes me more excited about this game. I just hope they manage to make an enjoyable and cohesive game out of all these various mechanics.
I feel reasonably confident about that. They are experienced, and they sounds like they know what they are doing. If I have any worry at all, it is that they are so perfectionist about small details that they will take forever to get the game out the door. But even if so, I plan to get involved in their closed beta so I won’t have to wait until they think it is done. :)
I find it hard to get excited when we don’t even know what form the gameplay takes. All the background stuff is interesting, but how is the game actually played?
That’s the big question isn’t it? We know about our role and that of the disciples, the management of the spire, the expeditions and so on, but little about the UI, so it’s hard to envision the actual moment to moment gameplay. I could imagine various ways to structure it, but that would just be idle speculation. We will just have to wait for @FinnegansFather to report back.
To be clear, I don’t have any specific doubts about this project. Only, I have learned not to get carried away over developper’s diaries in the past.
It’s so strange to me. It could play like practically anything from a text-based sim to an action rpg to an RTS and manage to incorporate the elements they have described.
From the diaries I’ve read, an ARPG or RTS would really surprise me. I could see anything from a wizard spire take on Football Manager to something like Thea.
Yeah, I’m not expecting that either. My point is more that they have been extremely vague about what the game actually is (as far as the material I have seen, I could have missed something)
Based on screenshots I had thought it was a text adventure with a map, sort of like Curious Expedition or the like. You mean no one actually knows what kind of game this is or how it plays out, even 9 months after we get an announcement? That seems kind of … alarming to me.
I don’t think so? Again, I could have missed something, but I don’t recall it being made clear in the dev diaries. I agree that it appears to be text-based but to my knowledge it’s never been explicitly spelled out what the actual game flow is.
The impression I’ve gotten from reading through all their posts is that it’s going to be a real-time sim of some sort. Probably with pause to issue orders from your wizard. I agree that they haven’t exactly spelled it out yet and I agree that’s kind of odd at this point with the game only about 2 months from EA release.
I guess we will figure it out when EA starts.
Yes, that is my impression. Continuous action where you set up a schedule for your characters and they follow it (study in the morning, craft in the afternoon, etc.) pausing often to send groups on various missions such as exploring, and to address messages/events such a prospective disciple has arrived at the gate, and taking specific actions of your own such as casting a particular spell or deciding to add a particular room to the spire.
I would have imagined the flow to be somewhat like CKII, but the decisions you make more similar to those in King of Dragon Pass. There is a map, but you yourself do not travel on it, you send groups out on missions to explore, bring back resources, etc. It seems to me that, like Dragon Pass, there is a lot of attention to artwork representing these distant places, but it is static, not walking through the lands.
Many updates since May, but today’s struck me as particularly interesting – some information on the magic system.
Really, really liking what I am hearing. Not only is this not a typical game fitting neatly into an established genre, but their portrayal of magic is considerably more refined and subtle, as well.
No firm dates yet for the closed beta nor for early access, but it does not sound too far off, they are listing specific features to include and not include in the initial early access release. Early winter would be my guess.
Reading through their updates has me drooling.
Long rambling video about development:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUKfkb8YQus
Lots of details about iterations of artwork, some looks at the way the map is shaping up, discussion of gameplay, quite a bit of silliness and off topic chatter. My guess is that only the middle section will be of interest to most people. (Although of course I did appreciate footage of Daisy, their dog.)
For those who may want to get involved in their closed beta, this from their Discord:
Mep The Map MakerLast Saturday at 12:49 AM
We still haven’t hit offical launch of the beta yet right?
theAgamer11Last Saturday at 12:50 AM
Nope. Late July is the last I’ve heard. Is that still the plan, devs?
sergei_klimovLast Saturday at 10:22 AM
That is still the plan!
So how does one get involved?
Spire of Sorcery looks very interesting.
This post on Steam has directions and links for their Discord and forum, and it sounds like that is where they will sign people on for the beta.
https://steamcommunity.com/games/637050/announcements/detail/1600378462815528458