Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Indie
Ghostlore
November Update: Skills Overhaul Beta and 20% off on Ghostlore!
The skill system overhaul is currently live on the beta branch. This is by far the largest change made to Ghostlore to date, so we are going to be leaving it in beta for a month before updating the main game.
Here is a preview at some of the new skills: In order to participate in the beta, simply right click 'Ghostlore' in the steam library list, go to 'properties', and in the ‘Betas’ section simply switch over to 'beta':
We have decided to release this beta so players can theorycraft and plan out their builds with the new skill system. But many things in the beta are work in progress. Tooltips are a little bit messy and skills are totally unbalanced. But rest assured that we are working as hard as we can to fix these issues. Here is a look at our Trello board which we use to track bugs:
Ghostlore is currently 20% off on Steam so get it while you still can!
Map update, plus Skill Revamp sneak preview
For this monthly update, we have changes to some of the maps, as well as a highly requested change involving Alkahest (finally!). We are also excited to share with you our plans for the skill revamp.
Map Changes
We have currently made some changes to the various maps in the game.
Pulau Pasir Puaka now has some industrial stepieces.
Batu Sinaran now features a crystal cave complex.
The leadup to the final dungeon has seen an expansion too.
In addition to all this, certain maps have been redesigned to have more open areas as well. For those of you who have already tried the game but have not picked it up in a while, you might want to start a fresh save so that you can see some of these changes yourself firsthand! The game is also story complete and playable from start to finish.
Changes to Alkahest
This is something that keeps slipping our minds, but we finally changed Alkahest so that broken down items give Alchemic Reagents (Impure Essence, Frozen Flame, Radiant Dark, and Demon’s Blood) that is proportional to the rarity of the original item.
2x materials for Uncommon
4x materials for Rare
8x materials for Legendary
This month’s update is not as big of a change as the previous months. It is a bit of an interim before the big skill revamp, which we are still working on, but are excited to share more about below.
Skill Revamp
One of the main criticisms of Ghostlore that we see coming up in reviews, streams and discussions was how basic the skill system was, especially compared to other ARPGs on the market. Because of this, we have decided to do a complete overhaul of Ghostlore’s skill system to be more in line with what players expect and deserve.
This new skill system is going to be complex, but we know that ARPG fans are discerning and intelligent, they rarely complain about a system being too difficult to understand. The opposite, however, is far more likely. Complaints arise when systems in long running franchises get dumbed down in order to appeal to the lowest common denominator. That said, the most important thing is to provide a skill system which is deep, invites players to think about their options and tradeoffs, and gives them a chance to showcase their ingenuity and creativity with builds.
The idea for the Skill Link system came about when we asked ourselves the question, “what if players were allowed to build their own skill trees?”. We also looked at the comparatively more well-received Glyph system that we had for stats. Here is a walkthrough of the new skill system.
Each class comes with a “skill set”, a pool containing active skills, skill modifiers, and class bonuses. Skills must now be assigned to a grid in order to be usable. More grid spaces unlock as you level up. Things can be placed in or taken out of the grid at will.
In addition to their own active skills, each class comes with a set of skill modifiers that you can use to change the characteristics of any skill from any class.
Skill modifiers link together with skills both across and down. (see green highlighted area in image)
Some skill modifiers have tradeoffs. For example:
Increased skill damage, but increased MP cost
Reduced skill cooldown time, but reduced skill damage
Increased skill damage, but you take damage on cast
In addition, some skill modifiers are trigger modifiers. Trigger modifiers allow a skill to be used automatically, as long as there is enough MP, the skill is not on cooldown, and the modifier’s specified conditions are met. Examples:
Trigger on Critical
Trigger on Kill
Trigger on Transform
Trigger on Movement Skill
Combo Skills
Each active skill is also now able to combine with two other skills across classes to form an advanced skill that incorporates the characteristics of both base skills.
For instance, the Exorcist’s Mandala, a skill which creates a circle on the ground where your damage and the damage of allies are boosted, could combine with the Adept’s Mind Over Matter defensive barrier skill to create Battle Aura, a skill which forms an aura around your character that boosts yourself and allies with both offensive and defensive properties.
Alternatively, Mandala could also combine with the Sentinel’s Summon Crows ability to create Summon Doves.
Personally, I am most excited about the skill Maelstrom, a combination of both the Sentinel’s Chakram and the Geomancer’s Thunderstrike. The result is an electromagnetically charged chakram that levitates slowly across the battlefield while releasing sparks of electricity along the way. Fun stuff.
Class bonuses
Class bonuses are essentially the passives from the old skill system, but you now have 6 to choose from instead of just 4. They also now have a component that functions as Skill Modifiers. Much like before, Class Bonuses have an additional requirement of investing a certain number of active skills and skill modifiers from a single class onto your grid, before you can place them.
Estimated Time of Arrival
This is a very big change and we will need another month to work on it. In addition to the required art assets, we are still iterating on the systems design and working out all the loose ends. For now Ghostlore is still 20% off, so get it before time runs out! You can drop by our Discord if you have any questions about the new system. Thank you!
Andrew
Ghostlore 20% off
Ghostlore is 20% off! Get it now! Friendly reminder that the game is now story complete!
Ghostlore is finally story-complete!
Well, this update took a little longer than usual, (two months instead of one) but we’re finally done with the final story act of Ghostlore!
The reason it took so long is because the ending has many scripted sequences. This means that aside from new art assets which I had to create, I had to coordinate quite a lot with Adam who does the programming.
This final act is suitably dramatic. If you are Singaporean, I hope you will enjoy the parts that relate to the local Redhill legend. For the people who have supported Ghostlore in the past, there is a sequence you should look out for as well.
It's all still extremely rough around the edges and we are working on polishing whatever we can. If you are trying in Early Access and already have reached the Sewers, you may experience some weirdness in the story event triggering since the Sewers mission is supposed to lead directly into the final one, but hopefully nothing that stops you from actually completing the game. If you want to experience the full story as a cohesive thing, it is recommended that you start a fresh game and play from beginning to end.
The conclusion of Ghostlore’s story is a major milestone for us, but development is far from over. We will be doing a major revamp to the game’s skill system to allow for customization and character builds. We also have a plethora of post-game and side content planned. We have updated the early access FAQ to reflect this. Thank you!
- Andrew
Ghostlore Early Access FAQ (Updated)
Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access? We intend for the game to be in early access for a few months, but less than a year (12 months).
How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version? Ever since early access launch, we've been working diligently to push out regular content updates at a pace of 1 - 2 months, with more to come. Here are some of the things that players can look forward to, roughly in the order of when they would be complete:
Map refinements - More interesting setpieces added to the various locations in the game.
Skill system revamp - Based on current player feedback, we are looking to revamp the skill upgrade system. There would be a variety of new skills and skill upgrades.
More monsters - more monsters from other Southeast Asian regions, such as Philippines, Vietnamese and Thai folklore.
Side-game and post-game content - We have plans to add side content to the game, as well as greatly expand on the current post-game experience.
Polish, balancing and co-op/controller support - The full version of the game will be more polished than what is currently in Early Access. The game will be balanced so that a large number of playstyles will be viable. Controller and co-op mode will be refined.
What is the current state of the Early Access version? For the early access launch, we ensured the core essentials of the game - fighting monsters, getting loot and progressing your character - were already present and polished to a high degree.
In addition, as of September 2022, we have hit a major milestone of Ghostlore being story complete. Players can now play through the entire story from start to finish. After completion of the story, the procedurally generated endless mode becomes available. So even in Early Access, players can look forward to hours of entertainment and ever greater challenges.
The later portions of the game, being more recent additions, are noticeably ‘jankier’ than earlier portions. They will of course be polished for launch. Nonetheless, we have done our best to ensure that said portions are crash free.
In terms of controller support, currently, the default keyboard and mouse controls is the best way to experience the game. We hope to improve the experience with controllers in the future.
How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process? Based on community feedback, we have in fact increased the scope of our project from what we have originally planned. The decision to revamp the skill system, add more monsters and greatly expand on the game’s side and post content has all been in direct response to what we have been seeing in our Discord server, forums and game reviews so far. So if there is anything you would like to see in Ghostlore, these three avenues are the best way to get your voice heard.
Get the time-limited 20% discount for Ghostlore!
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The Nightmarket Festival 2022 is the first-ever Steam sales event focusing on promoting games from the SEA region, breaking cultural barriers, and raising awareness for the region’s gaming scene. We introduce awesome games with a local touch, just like the night market culture commonly seen here -- filled with creativity, diversity, and great fun.
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New Map and Features
Hey everyone, we are back with a new update, bringing about a ton of exciting new improvements and content to the game.
New Map
The new map once again takes place in Seaport itself, this time bringing you underground, deep into the heart of darkness… …well, actually, the map ends in a pretty awkward place. This mission, being the penultimate story mission, is supposed to lead directly into the final mission. But the final mission isn’t ready yet. So the ending to this one is a little placeholder-y right now. Please bear with us as we work to finish the final mission, which should be out by next month.
New Enemy: Aphotic Lurkers
We also have a new enemy to go with this sewer-themed area: These new enemies are swordfish. Geddit? Fish? With swords? Hahahaha... Okay, sorry about that. These ferocious creatures are based on the swordfish found in the famous Singapore legend of Red Hill.
New UI Features
We are also providing a bunch of cool new features that are meant to improve the user experience, based on player feedback.
Shared Stash
We finally have a shared stash, allowing you to transfer items between characters:
Gem Pouch
For those who still struggle with inventory clutter, there is a gem pouch that you can purchase to store your gems away:
Work will continue on the UI. Some players have mentioned that the stat descriptions can be a little bit ambiguous, so the next thing on my agenda is clearer descriptions for stats, and possibly a way to filter/organise them. This is something that I will have to work closely with the programmer Adam.
To give a bit of insight into how we work: I (Andrew) do the art, and Adam does the code. The game design, however, is a shared duty between the both of us.
For example, for the level design I would build various segments of the map, while Adam’s procedural generation algorithm connects them together. For systems design, I would give broad ideas of how things like the glyph system and skill upgrades should function, and then leave the maths to Adam. Occasionally, things will not quite add up, so Adam might tweak certain mechanics to ensure a more balanced and satisfying play experience.
This has resulted in embarrassing situations where players on the Discord will ask me how certain things get calculated, and honestly, I don’t know! You have to ask Adam. But nevertheless, with clearer stat descriptions, hopefully these questions will be put to rest.
In the near future…
Based on player demand, we have decided to significantly extend our project scope to include more post game and side content. Here is a sneak preview: I’ll leave it to you to google what ‘Orang Bunian’ is ;)
Remember Nadir mentioned something early on about an ‘Institute of Paranormal Studies’? Well, let’s just say you’ll get to pay a visit...
So rest assured, we have a clear direction on how we want to expand the game and provide a more varied experience. Do note, however, that these new features are still in the planning stages and might get adjusted along the way. We got one last story map to go, and then we will focus on these. Till next time!
Andrew
New Location, UI and visual updates.
Hi all,
We are glad to see that people are enjoying Ghostlore. Presently, we are hard at work developing the game in accordance to our early access plans.
NEW LOCATION: BATU SINARAN
We have just released another new map, Batu Sinaran. Batu Sinaran continues the main narrative of the game, and will be added into the pool of maps in endless Hell Gate mode.
When we initially released Ghostlore with 6 locations, we mentioned that we are 60% done. With the addition of the Hospital in the previous update and with Batu Sinaran in this one, this brings us to 8/10 of the planned locations. A number of people have expressed that this means the narrative is quite short. This is intended; As a first-timer when it comes to writing a videogame, I decided I wanted to keep the story simple.
That being said, since you guys have asked, I have started to think of some ideas for new content. These ideas will expand the lore of the game and will require brand-new art assets. I also will need some time to propose these ideas to the people working with me, and even more time to implement/refine them. I hope to be able to share these ideas with you in the near future.
UI UPDATE
We are aware that the tooltips for some items, especially legendary items, could sometimes end up being larger that the screen space, which results in information being cut off. Because of this, we have decided to switch to using a more compact font.
This is just one of the many quality-of-life changes we have on the list for the UI. In the coming days, I hope to be able to re-look at the UI and clean up some of the other issues, for a smoother and better experience.
OTHER SMALL CHANGES
Those of you who are observant might've realized there have been some subtle changes to the visuals over the past few weeks. Basically, the colours for some of the objects have been edited to look more cohesive. Post processing has been tweaked to be easier on the eyes as well. Overall, the game now looks more naturalistic and less like (as someone on Reddit had said previously) 'a technicolor bomb had just went off'. This was actually a pretty serious issue as some people were reporting eye-strain with how strong some of the colours were. Doing this was a lot trickier than one might imagine, different screens are calibrated differently and the game must look good on all of them. It was the result of a great deal of trial and error.
During this time I also took the chance to add some new props and brush up some of the old ones. I was looking at pictures of old Singapore to see how I can make it more evocative of the locale and time period. This is an ongoing effort, new props and set pieces will eventually be added to the maps to better flesh out the world of Ghostlore.
In addition, there is a new shader effect that makes the grass and plants sway gently in the breeze. It's a pretty cool effect that this gif does not give any justice to, so do try the game to see for yourself. We have also improved the lighting for light sources in game and adjusted the lighting at night.
Well, that's all for now. Please look forward to more updates and as always, you can reach out to us via our Discord or Twitter.
- Andrew
Update 0.312
New sprite and audio import system for modding. See example ghostlore mod on github for more.
Slight performance improvement for creatures.
Fixed unchosen quest rewards appearing in Seaport.
Hospital map size reduced.
Improvements to various spell effects.
Visual and post processing tweaks.
Weeklong Discount for Indie Live Expo!
Hey everybody,
We're excited to announce that Ghostlore will be taking part in the Indie Live Expo! This is a huge global showcase of indie games which has a combined more than 42.5 million viewers across four shows to date. The event will be simulcast over YouTube, Twitch, and Twitter in English, Japanese, and Chinese.
To celebrate this, Ghostlore will be sale for the next seven days! Don't miss out this chance to get it while it is on discount.
GAME UPDATES
To give a small update, Adam has been working on the sprite importer for modding, as well as other quality of life changes and bug fixes. You can expect that to go out into the Beta branch some time during the Discount week. The documentation for modding is pretty lacking (i.e nonexistent) right now, but you can always head to our Discord to ask us directly on how to use the modding tools.
We hope to be able to provide monthly updates going forward. By the end this month, there should be a new map and a re-look at some of the UI. After that, for the next month, we would be focusing on side content. Thank you.
