It's been a couple of months since I published a proper developer's log. Sorry to keep you waiting!
Going forward, with each new log, I will:
Provide information regarding development progress,
Make any necessary announcements,
And follow up on the roadmap and the likelihood that Chapter 1 will meet its release deadline.
The hope is to provide plenty of transparency regarding the game's production and whether or not a delay is possible. I am (currently) still confident in Chapter 1 releasing by the end of this year, but I want to make sure that everyone who has supported the game up to this point knows well in advance if things might not go fully as planned.
With that, let's see how Legends of Astravia's development is going!
Demo Release Recap
On February 14th, I released the demo for Legends of Astravia on Steam for Windows and MacOS.
Since then, the game has been downloaded over 2,500 times! Many of you have provided me with useful feedback, reported bugs, and even showcased the game via Let's Play streams and videos.
Having consistently worked on the game for the past 4 years, I could not be happier with such a reception. I am so grateful for everyone's support and enthusiasm about the game so far, and I can't wait to share more of it with you.
Thank you so much!
Progress Report
A lot of progress was primarily made on the "backend", that is, programming, planning, and preparing the game for developing all of the content within Chapter 1.
Under the Hood
Rework the character speed algorithm
Character stat balancing adjustments
Battle code optimization
Improved controller checking on startup
Other misc optimizations and fixes
Map Progress
I began roughing out some of the next areas of the game, including a large cave (treasures to be added!):
Mordin Village was one of the first maps I made for Astravia, so it's funny to look back at it now. It'll probably have a few small changes made before release, but here's what it looks like:
Mordin Village
Speaking of Mordin Village, its main story and quests have all been planned out, and character dialogue is being worked on.
Here's a teaser of some of the characters you'll see. Some of you who remember Astravia in 2019 might remember them:
There are still several more residents who fill the town, each with their own personalities and stories to share.
Character Reveal - Minerva
With almost 900 followers on twitter, I am going to skip ahead of the milestone to reveal the next playable cast member early:
Minerva offers a wide range of abilities--and knowledge--to Oliver and his team later in Chapter 1. She's fascinated with mysticians, and offers to help Oliver search for answers regarding his memory in exchange for knowledge about his magic prowess.
Minerva is a member of the elves, who reign from a town hidden away in the deserts of Bymere. The elves have been around for many years longer than Astravian humans, and it's said that some who witnessed the Great Cataclysm may still be alive in the present day.
However, among the elves, there exist no mysticians...
With Minerva revealed, there is only 1 more playable character to show off. They'll be revealed when the official twitter reaches 1000 followers!
Secret Announcement?
The reason why progress appears to be a little thin is because I have spent the better part of March working on something extra special, that I cannot yet share.
I can't wait to announce it, so keep an eye out!
Final Demo Patch Plans
There will be one last patch to the demo before the pre-game release one later this year. It'll serve to address a few more issues with the demo to hopefully make players' first experience with the game best it can be.
Here are the things planned for that patch:
Better user experience when an incompatible controller is detected
Audio balancing adjustments
Addressing several bugs:
Fix missing SFX on some attacks
Fix dungeon jump gap softlock
Fix essence tutorial window auto-closing on input
Additional polish on the dungeon end sequence
Improved battle target handling and UI
Linux support
(Secret!)
This patch will be made available by the end of April.
Linux & Steam Deck Support
As I mentioned upon the demo's release, native Linux support would take some additional time to publish. With the release of the Steam Deck, I will be prioritizing this, so that folks can enjoy the demo on the go, too.
At the moment, the game does not support the Steam Deck even through Proton conversion. I am looking into this and am aiming to have it working and supported with the release of the next patch.
Roadmap Update
As promised, I will be detailing the game's roadmap and whether or not things are on schedule for Chapter 1's release.
Currently, I am a little behind. The demo release and all of the things I did afterwards took some time that would have otherwise been used for creating game content.
That said, the roadmap is still as follows:
If you are interested in participating in beta testing, please keep an eye on these developer's logs, and join the Official Discord server to be notified.
Beta testing is a core aspect of the game's success, and I'm incredibly grateful for the time folks have volunteered to provide feedback on the game when it's in an incomplete state.
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That's all for now. Thank you as always, everyone, for your support as I continue development.
-Jaiden
Small Demo Patch - v0.1.9
Hi folks,
The demo gets another small patch today, ahead of the standalone release due to hit a few other platforms this week.
This further addresses some issues reported via the feedback form. If you've already played the game, there is nothing really new to share, but it should improve the experience for those who are trying the game out for the first time.
Changes
Opening a Skill or Item list in battle now drastically slows down the time bar, making it easier to read and make a choice without being punished. This can still be toggled in the options menu.
The save menu now delays for a bit and gives proper confirmation of the save action. Additionally, saving manually from the menu is permitted until you step off of the save point.
"Quit Game" in the main menu now permits returning to the title screen.
Improved the clarity of "Unleash" skills' availability in battle.
Improved the clarity of Escape Crystal's unlimited uses.
Fixed an issue where pressing F11 would crash the game (whoops...).
Fixed an issue where evading could happen with actions that should not miss, like self-buffs and healing.
Fixed an issue where Soulich's vine attack was missing SFX.
Fixed an issue with, and improved, Azel's "Arcane Arts" animation.
Fixed an issue where having 0 ME would also highlight LE in red.
Fixed some animation transparency issues.
Of course, if this results in any crashes or new issues with the game, please let me know ASAP, preferably in the Official Discord
There are still one or two small patches due to finalize the demo ahead of Chapter 1's release later this year. An up to date list of issues can be found on Steam here.
-Jaiden
Demo Release Follow-up & First Patch
Hey everyone!
First off, a massive thank you to all of you who downloaded the demo. Hundreds of you have given it a spin, and I can't express how exciting that is. I'm incredibly grateful that folks have enjoyed a piece of the experience I've been crafting for the past several years.
Many of you also gave some feedback through streams and videos or filling out the feedback form. This has been a huge help! Being able to see at a glance the different weak or strong points the demo has gives me a good idea of where to prioritize when developing the game.
If you didn't get a chance to fill out the feedback survey, but want to, you can do so below. If you played the demo, but quit out of boredom or frustration, please be sure to let me know in the form below, too! All feedback, critical or positive, is always welcome:
I've gone ahead and pushed a small patch today in order to address some known issues and new issues reported by players this week. Mainly, regarding the battle controls and the dungeon boss, which ended up being significantly more difficult and frustrating than I intended.
Changes
When starting a new game, there is now a prompt to select your preferred battle control style. This option actually always existed, but I never called attention to it. With folks expressing frustration with learning the battle controls, I've decided to provide the option right away.
The menu can no longer be opened during one of the cutscenes (most of you didn't notice, though)!
Additionally, fixed a bug where the cutscene before the dungeon would replay when loading a save.
Fixed a bug where the player would softlock if approaching the 2nd floor dungeon shortcut from the side.
Rebalanced the EXP distribution across the demo to make the boss battle difficulty more consistent.
Additionally, modified how the "Bound" state is applied during the boss battle and reduced the boss's HP to make it feel a little more fair.
Fixed an incorrect button prompt display on the Cataclysm cutscene.
Oliver layers with the trees in Mordin Forest a little better now.
Fixed some typos.
Shuffled around some Essence, and added an extra piece of equipment to experiment with.
Of course, if this results in any crashes or new issues with the game, please let me know ASAP, preferably in the Official Discord
What's Next?
I'm aiming to apply minimal patches to the demo, as my focus is going to be 100% geared on getting Chapter 1 out by the end of this year.
That said, some more fixes should make their way into the demo hopefully soon. I'm constantly keeping an eye on the reports that are coming in. An up to date list of issues can be found on Steam here.
Some other issues that I intend to fix in a future patch are:
Preventing the message window from closing when skipping text in the Essence tutorial
Addressing SFX, audio balance and animation issues
Offering a way to view skill descriptions outside of battle
Making skill and target selection in battle a little more intuitive
Fixing MacOS controller support
There will also be a standalone version of the demo available on other platforms on March 1st.
And, I will get back to regular, monthly developers logs starting at the end of March, so everyone can see how the Chapter 1's development is going.
Thank you again for your support & patience as I continue development.
-Jaiden
The Legends of Astravia Demo is Now Available!
Fight monsters, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets alongside a mystic companion as you explore the twisting pathways of Mordin Swamp in this one hour introduction to the world of Astravia!
The demo can be downloaded for free right here on Steam! It is currently available for both Windows and MacOS. A Linux release will arrive at a later date.
Any bugs or issues can be reported via the Community page or in the Official Discord Server. Please be sure to read the guidelines for both places before making a report. Otherwise, any feedback is more than welcome, and will help make the game the best it can be when Chapter 1 releases, hopefully, later this year!
Thank you for your endless support, I really hope you enjoy the game. After several years of development, I'm beyond excited to finally be able to share something playable with the world.
-Jaiden
Free Demo Launching February 14th!
I'm very excited to announce that the free demo for Legends of Astravia is going to be launching right here on Steam next Monday, February 14th.
Fight monsters, solve puzzles, and uncover secrets alongside a mystic companion as you explore the twisting pathways of Mordin Swamp in this 1 hour introduction to the world of Astravia!
[previewyoutube="YzQdbJs0L1g;full"]
The demo will be exclusive to Steam for the first couple of weeks. However it will release as a standalone version on other platforms such as itch.io and GameJolt on March 1st. It will be playable on Windows and MacOS, and a Linux version may also be made available in the near feature.
This launch comes a lot earlier than originally anticipated, and it would not have been possible without the help of all of the beta testers who volunteered their time to testing the game:
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And especially those who took the time to provide live feedback via a video playthrough:
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Thank you, as always for all of your support. I hope everyone is excited to see what Legends of Astravia has to offer!
2021 Year End Summary
(A small aside: I either did not notice, or Steam recently added, a "News" category for announcements. I will ensure all future developer's logs fall under "News").
I realize this developer's log comes a week into January, but this one has taken me quite a bit of time to write up.
2021 has been a great, but challenging year for Legends of Astravia's development. I figured it would thus be appropriate for December's devlog to be a summary of how the game is shaping up, plus a few fun announcements about the plan ahead for 2022.
December Progress
Here are some detailed breakdowns on the features added and progress for the month of December.
Demo - Done!
While I wasn't able to release the demo publicly as I originally hoped, I was able to complete the release candidate for the demo. That's right--the demo's content is 100% complete!
There are still some things I need to sort out before releasing it to the public, however, which I'll talk about more in the "Roadmap" section below.
Steam Support & Linux Build
The has been tested and successful launches from Steam! Being able to launch it like other games feels really satisfying.
I was also able to successfully build the game's engine for Linux, which is very exciting. I cannot promise incredible support for many distributions, but it will allow some folks on this platform to give the game a try!
Tutorial Button Prompts
Knowing which button to press is important in RPGs, so a little extra TLC went into the UI to have animated buttons whenever prompted to press something.
Eventually these will be used in the menus as well, which should be helpful when navigating.
Speech / Explore Icons
A little more UI polish: a speech icon appears over characters that have something to say:
Additionally, if you've exhausted all of their dialogue options, the icon changes as a quick reminder. This way, you only have to listen to Azel's lectures once ;)
Explorables also utilize the same system:
2021 in Summary
In June of 2020, I announced that the game would be put on a pretty large "hold" while I took a step back and worked on the engine. It has been a long journey since then, but the way the game has evolved is truly special, and this is all thanks to the early feedback from testers and design advice from colleagues.
Here are some screenshots of how the game has changed in the year, visually, from December 2020 to December 2021:
And, as a fun little bonus, here's an example of just how far the battle system has come along over the years:
Announcements
I have a few announcements for some opportunities regarding the demo and the game's community.
Demo Closed Beta Test Signups
Currently, the demo release candidate has been issued to a very small pool of individuals. I'd like to expand this a little bit to get some proper information about how the game behaves on a variety of machines.
If you'd like to try out the demo in its beta state before it’s available to the public, please fill out this form.
I will be issuing demo keys to those who qualify in a couple of weeks. (In all honesty, if you fill out the form, that's pretty much a qualifier since you've gotten this far through my rambling to see it!)
Discord Moderator Applications
The game's public Discord server has been very quiet as the game has been developed. I anticipate a lot more activity once the demo becomes public, and thus will need a little help to manage the community. This will ensure that the scarce free time I have is spent with the game's development.
Please note that this role is unpaid. There will be no financial compensation for moderating the server, and it is entirely voluntary. Moderators will, however, be provided with a free copy of the game and early access to beta versions.
Moderators have kick/pan permissions and are responsible for ensuring a safe & pleasant community. This means redirecting off-topic discussions, removing spam/bots/rulebreaking content, and diffusing any issues that may arise. Legends of Astravia currently does not have "general" or "offtopic" chat channels—all discussions remain relevant to the game. As a result, moderation should be fairly laid back.
I anticipate this year to be a very busy one, as I'd like to release the demo and Chapter 1 of the game. Timing of both is rather important, given a lot of big games are coming out this year. Here are some rough plans for both the public demo and the first part of the game.
Public Demo Release
While the demo is truly complete outside of a little more polish, I admit timing the release is very important. I don't want to release the demo too soon before Chapter 1 is ready, as I want folks to be excited for, and be able to enjoy, a full game experience shortly after.
As it stands, I will be releasing the demo publicly, and for free, approximately 1-2 months prior to Chapter 1's release. There may be some special key giveaways and opportunities to try the game prior to this, so keep an eye on Twitter and Discord.
Chapter 1
Content development has moved very quickly, and while Chapter 1 is entirely planned, I need to give myself proper time to ensure the game can be released on time and any big bugs can be worked out. The tentative release for Chapter 1 is thus Fall of 2022.
A formal date and pricing will be announced along with the public demo's release.
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I am feeling very optimistic about this year, and I can't wait to share more progress with you.
Thank you to everyone who has given me invaluable support by lending their time to the game for advice, playtesting and feedback, and to all of you who take the time to read through these logs every month.
It means the world that so many people believe in the work I do, and it helps me carry on regardless of the setbacks that I face.
Happy new year! -Jaiden
Developer's Log - November 2021
Hi everyone, here is the developer's log for November. I apologize for the delay in publishing it.
This one is admittedly going to be a little shorter, as I've had a few things come up in my personal life that have affected progress a bit. There are also some important announcements to share regarding the roadmap.
Demo Announcement
The past several months, I’ve been working incredibly hard to create a free demo of the game that showcases what Astravia is about. I was aiming to release the demo this month, to generate some interest and excitement for the game ahead of its first chapter release next year.
To be blunt: The demo is no longer expected to release this month, December 2021.
There are a couple of key reasons for this. While I believe I have the capability to launch it in time, I think it is better for myself and the game if I delay a bit longer. I like to remain transparent, so I will go into these reasons below:
Health: I have been considerably ill the past few weeks, and I need to prioritize my mental and physical wellbeing. It’s too early in the game’s development to further subject myself to long hours and sleepless nights. A pile of dust on the ground isn’t particularly good at shipping video games, after all.
Quality: I believe it is better for me to ensure the game is the best it can be, instead of rushing to launch something that still has issues. I’ve run into a few more bugs and problems, and I’d rather take the time to make this “first impression” a long-lasting one.
Finances: I have spent the better part of 3 years working on this game and commissioning very talented individuals for assets and help, all entirely out of my own pocket. It’s becoming more and more difficult, and I would like to start looking for funding opportunities for the game. This requires holding out a little longer before a public release. The hope is that I can gain the resources to assemble a proper team to ensure the game can be released in a timely manner, and in the way I envisioned it.
All of this said, I do still need to get some eyes on the game for testing. Those who have been faithfully supporting the game up to this point will still have an opportunity to try it out. Feel free to drop into the Discord Server if you are interested in testing the demo out when the release candidate becomes available.
I appreciate everyone’s support up to this point, especially those who have stuck around for the past several years as the game has found its identity and flourished into something special. Here are a few more screenshots of the demo, hopefully to help ensure the delay will be worth it:
Soundtrack Progress
Soundtrack composition has been going very well. Harmless has been doing a phenomenal job capturing the essence of Astravia in their work.
Here is a preview of the track that will play in the first dungeon: [previewyoutube="CSVtwP5Gom4;full"]
Harmless Games is posting updates on their Twitter regularly, so be sure to follow them! Here are a few more from their account:
After a little while, they will also be posted to the official Youtube Account.
Remaining Cast
The key artwork for the remaining main cast members has been worked out. Their names, profiles and sprites will be shown as a follower milestone on Twitter, but in the meantime, here is a little preview:
MacOS Universal Build
Lastly, thanks to the work of Struma on MKXP-Z, and their help with building the app, Legends of Astravia will have a Universal MacOS build that will support both Intel and Apple Silicon machines. This is really exciting and an amazing opportunity for both the game and the demo!
Linux support is currently still pending. While the functionality exists for me to create Linux builds, I may not have the time or resources to ensure it's possible in time for the demo right away. So for those few Linux users reading this and interested in the game--I haven't forgotten you, and I’m actually hoping to make this game available on as many platforms as possible.
Thank you to everyone who has been following me on this journey. I hope that the wait will be worthwhile for all of you who are eager to try the game out.
-Jaiden
Developer's Log - October 2021
Hello everyone, and happy Halloween! Here is the developer's log for October.
There are a few important announcements regarding the state of the project, but things are otherwise moving along at a good pace.
On to some news!
Composer Announcement
The first bit of news and perhaps the most exciting, I'm very pleased to announce that Harmless Games will be composing music for the game!
I'm very glad to have the opportunity to work with them, and am looking forward to sharing some of the game's music in the coming months.
Release Structure Revision
There have been some minor revisions to the game's roadmap proposed in earlier developer's logs.
Early Access
Some "bad" news: After a lot of thought, I have opted out of releasing Chapter 1 as Early Access first. Some of you may have already noticed the Steam page has been changed to reflect this.
The biggest reason for this decision is that early access doesn't really fit the episodic structure of the game. The game is already being split into 3 parts, so splitting the first chapter further would create more challenges.
That said, the timing of the free demo and the first chapter remain largely unchanged, and player feedback will always be considered. The Demo and Chapter 1's reception will be reflected in Chapter 2 and 3's release.
Free Demo Timing
The free demo is still planned to release in December, but we are falling behind schedule just a little bit. There may be beta testing available for the demo in November, so look out for any announcements for this on the Official Twitter or in the Discord Server.
Chapter 1's Release
I have updated the Steam page to reflect the game's episodic nature and can say with certainty that Chapter 1 will release in 2022. As it stands, I am currently shooting for Q1, sometime between March and May 2022. As always, these things are subject to change (making a video game by yourself is hard!), and I won't be formally announcing a release date until that aspect is certain.
Demo Progress
Minus a few setbacks, progress on the demo has gone exceedingly well this month. We're finally in the content creation stage! I usually go into detail in these sections, but I think just sharing some visuals will really illustrate the idea.
Introduction and Tutorial
The introduction cutscene and tutorials are just about done.
At the start of the game, you're free to explore and learn the game's systems with optional tutorials. And, occasionally, you might get some assistance...
Mordin Swamp
Mordin Swamp turned out to be a pretty large area, with several maps and plenty of explorable areas. It's coming along well!
First Dungeon
The first dungeon is also complete, now with ambience, puzzles, and enemies.
Like the other areas, Azel will offer some gentle assistance, only if the player prompts him to.
And that’s all until next month. Thank you for your continued support and patience as the game continues to be developed.
