So, patches are few and far between at the moment so I thought it might be good to at least post a development update to let you know that the bee that is me is busy as all heck.

This post will be mostly about... drummest roll... MAPS!

First off, there will be a pretty noticable change in the graphics design of maps. I will go all the simple fools' way and change the graphics style to be stylized instead of the current semi-realistic textures. There are a lot of things that will be better with this. The trade-off is of course just that as a serious game developer you are chucking your creative soul into some offskirt of hell. Note that it will just be the maps that will have a more stylized esthetic, not heroes, enemies, weapons or traps.

What will improve then?

- Well, stylized graphics means less detail and more flat areas with accentuated edges, thus, it is easier to create your own textures using appropriate software but it's also easier to purchase textures if you're in a pinch. It is almost always easier to get decent height maps and normal maps with stylized textures too than it is from more real-life textures.

- Stylized graphics will make maps more "flat" and make them have more of a background effect while more complex entities walking around will pop out more. This does not mean that the maps will consist of one-colored flat quads, there will still be a lot of detail from colors, height maps, normal maps, etc. It will still look good.

- Having a semi-realistic approach to map textures gave uneven results. Like, it looked very good in some small areas while the textures made other areas look a lot more bland, boring and... well.. bad.

Besides changing the overall esthetic of textures, what else is changing?

Well, FINALLY, the maps are getting more detail and props that will have both pretty and practical effect. I am also trying to get a more even (or consistent) feeling of the lighting used in the maps.

Act 1 is getting reworked completely. All level colliders are being recreated and changed for the better in some cases. There are a lot of things that will change in either a noticable or a computer-will-thank-you way.

As mentioned above, the maps are getting stylized and they will get more detail and more props. The props in particular will shape enemy paths for your benefit and also let you access different parts of the maps more easily. Less running around half the map to get to the platform that's just 4 meters above you.

More areas of the maps will get ceilings/floors changed so you can get more effect out of distance-challenged traps like the Crusher. However, there will also be less cheatzzz supported, e.g. the Flipper will be less of a win condition in some places.

There will be a smaller memory imprint in many levels (even considering the additional props that are coming), because of either less materials, smaller textures or more optimized light maps.

Act 2 IS coming. The maps are progressing nicely. With act 2, here are some things coming:

- Permanent stat buffs (as level rewards)

- More challenge maps (reused act 1 maps with specific rules and great rewards)

- More endless maps (reused act 1 maps with chance to get a lot of extra currency)

- Another adventure (maps 5-8 of act 1)

- More act-specific curios to (luckily) find

- Special consumable items to (luckily) find

- More enemy types

- 1 more weapon/spell per class + 1 classless weapon

- 1 more trap per class + 2 classless traps

- 1 more minion for Anthia

- Siege machines, weapons in the maps for subduing many enemies at once

Working for a prettier game overall, I am also looking to incorporate cloth physics. This was always the aim but priorities have been elsewhere. Cloth physics will mean a slightly more dynamic visual experience with e.g. banners waving slighly. Cloth physics will mostly enhance the look of (some of) the maps but it will also play a small part in some of the hero skins, to a point where it looks okay but does not distract from everything else going on in front of you.

Visual quality changes that are coming will overall mean LESS polygons for most level components, such as walls, floor and ceilings, but still MORE apparent detail becuase of more use of height maps and ambient occlusion maps. Toggling different quality levels in the settings will now affect what texture sizes and texture maps are used instead of just cranking down the number of polygons on screen (the polygon count is already absurdly low in the maps, and that should be obvious just by looking at them).

On a more generic note then...

When it comes to bug fixes in the next patch, most of them will probably pass by unnoticed. The most annoying thing that is fixed is when you destroy your inventory items in the lobby because you get all silly with your mouse buttons for no reason while dragging the items around.

Balancing the maps with different enemy types will be changed a bit going forward. The main reasons for this are:

- There should just be a school class when looking at the bestiary, not a whole village

- Gearing and skilling up for a level should mean something; with less enemy types comes the opportunity to set the "tone" of the enemy force, whether it be heavy enemies, arcane resistant enemies or whatever else

- With less enemy types used at the same time comes less memory imprint

The numbers of enemy types that will be used in the maps look like they will be:

For normal levels: max 15 for the whole level, max 11 for any given round.

For boss levels: max 17 for the whole level, max 11 for any given round.

And finally, with all this new content-mongering that's being done, it would be nice to expand the range of testers. I want the whole shebang tested in singleplayer and multiplayer variations of 2p, 3p and 4p.

If you're interested in being a game tester, please let me know!