The Sacred Acorn DevLog #12 - Exploring Lava Flows and Making New Music
Hello travellers!
We know you've been eagerly waiting for another dev log update, so here it is!
We have a bit of a recap of all the work we've managed to get through in the last 12 of so months since we received Screen Australia funding, including more of a look at the lava filled Obsidian Cliffs, and a sample of some of the new music we've created.
If you'd like to see some of our earlier dev logs you can find them on our YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe so you can get updates on The Sacred Acorn and any other cool things we're working on.
The Sacred Acorn DevLog #11 - New Boss and Icy Enemies
Hello travellers!
Another dev log already? Absolutely! We want to make sure we bring you all along for the journey as we make progress and get things lined up for the home stretch of making The Sacred Acorn.
We have a brief recap of more events we squeezed into the end of last year, a well as yet more new content to share with you all, including some QoL many of you have been asking for. Watch and enjoy!
If you'd like to see some of our earlier dev logs you can find them on our YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe so you can get updates on The Sacred Acorn and any other cool things we're working on.
The Sacred Acorn: Developer Playthrough
Vivian from A Few Dragons playing the demo of our game, The Sacred Acorn.
The Sacred Acorn DevLog #10 - A Long Overdue Update
Hello travellers!
It's been a minute since our last devlog, and we have lots of updates to tell you about as well as some sneak peeks at some brand new content to show you all the hard work we've done behind the scenes.
The progress we've made in the last year wouldn't be possible without the funding we received from Screen Australia, and you can find out more about the funding opportunities they have for Australian game developers here: Screen Australia Games Funding Programs
Anyway, enough from me. Here is the devlog.
If you'd like to see some of our earlier devlogs you can find them on our YouTube channel. Make sure you subscribe so you can get updates on The Sacred Acorn and any other cool things we're working on.
Meet Gotlas, Your Loyal Map Companion
In the enchanting world of Tansira, where danger and adventure lurk around every corner, you play as brave little squirrel Ima, embarking on a perilous journey to save your tribe.
The Sacred Acorn is not just your typical action-adventure game; it's a heartwarming tale of courage and determination, and to help you on your quest are a myriad of cute companions, each with their own unique abilities. The newest critter to travel by your side is an unlikely but indispensable companion - Gotlas, the map-bearing creature that adds a unique twist to gameplay and navigation.
Unlocking the World: Map Stones and Map Pieces
Tansira is a vast and diverse world, filled with mysterious forests, ancient ruins, daunting mountains, and much more. Navigating through such a complex environment would be a challenge without something to guide you or refer to, but we also didn’t want there to be an always visible map. We call our game deceptively cute after all, and for us that means we don’t want anything to be too easy.
The heart of the navigation system lies in the Map Stones. As players discover and activate these stones through exploration, they unlock new map pieces for each area they explore. This gradual discovery mirrors Ima's journey of uncovering the secrets of her world one step at a time. With Map Stones scattered across Tansira, players are encouraged to explore every nook and cranny to unlock them.
The challenge is that Ima is only able to view the map for the area she is in by looking at the map stones themselves, and she will only be able to view the piece of the map that she has unlocked. For those players that want to be able to bring up the map to check at any time, we have something else.
A New Companion: Gotlas, The Walking Map
The newest companion to be added to the game is Gotlas, a magic infused golem-like walking map creature with map on his back; a living cartographic tool that follows the player around and shows them any unlocked map pieces for the area they are currently in.
To have access to the map any time they want, players need to actively choose Gotlas as their current companion. This adds an interesting layer of decision-making to the gameplay - do you stick with a combat-focused companion or opt for Gotlas to ensure you're heading in the right direction?
Balancing companionship and utility becomes essential for a successful journey through Tansira. Players won’t be locked into traveling with Gotlas though - they can return home and switch him out with any other companion they have already unlocked at any time, allowing them to be strategic when it comes to exploration, tackling challenging areas, and defeating bosses.
Can’t wait to give our squirrely action adventure game a whirl? We have a free playable demo for The Sacred Acorn available now.
Or, if you want to join the conversation, you can join us on Discord. We look forward to seeing you there!
Are You Ready to Unlock the Power Within?
The Sacred Acorn is a deceptively cute top-down action adventure game about a small squirrel on a perilous journey with stunning hand drawn art and a bespoke, atmospheric soundtrack. In it, you play as an adorable squirrel named Ima and embark on a quest across a vast world filled with puzzles, enemies, secrets and huge boss battles.
If this sounds like your kind of game, keep reading, as we’re here to talk about how abilities work and how you can use them to customise your gameplay experience.
As you play your way through The Sacred Acorn, you will unlock four main abilities as you play your way through the story: Dash, Swipe, Projection, and Blast. These abilities form the foundation of your powers, allowing you to navigate treacherous terrains, vanquish formidable foes, and ultimately save the world from impending doom, and we’re enhancing that with an ability upgrade mechanism that empowers you to find and build on the gameplay style that works best for you.
As you progress through the game, you’ll be able to unlock various ability upgrades. The upgrades will evolve in a hierarchical tree structure, requiring you to unlock lower-level upgrades before accessing higher ones. Our aim with this design is to give you a sense of progression and strategic decision-making, as you’ll need to carefully choose which upgrades to pursue based on your playstyle and preferences. We want to let you experiment a bit, and work out which abilities work best with each of the companions in the game as well (more details on those coming soon…)
For now, let's delve a little deeper into the four main abilities and the upgrades available for each of them.
Swipe
This is the ability you start with; a basic but essential attacking move used in combat to damage enemies and to break barriers found throughout the world. Since you have it right from the beginning it has the most upgrade options to be unlocked.
Extra Combo - Unlocking this upgrade grants you a third magical attack within the combo sequence, empowering Ima with a devastating flurry of strikes that can overwhelm foes.
Big Hit - By holding down the swipe button, you’ll be able to unleash a powerful, wide swing, inflicting massive damage on enemies caught within its path.
Martial Artist - This upgrade enables Ima to skillfully hit projectiles back toward where they came from, granting you the ability to neutralize ranged attacks and turn your enemies' weapons against them.
Dash
The first ability you’ll get to unlock is Dash, which allows you to move fast in short bursts to better dodge enemy attacks, cross barriers and avoid environmental dangers. It’s a must for accessing some areas within the game and finding hidden secrets.
Dashflection - This upgrade lets you reflect incoming projectiles while dashing, turning your dash maneuver into a defensive tool. No longer will you have to evade projectiles; you can simply dash through them, turning the tables on your adversaries.
Quick Dash - With this upgrade, you can reduce the cooldown time of the dash ability, granting you more frequent opportunities to swiftly maneuver through the battlefield or dodge oncoming dangers.
Projection
This is one of the tricker abilities to master, but arguably one of the coolest. It allows Ima to astral project a spirit copy of herself that can move around while her corporeal body stands still in a trance, and then drag her body instantly to where her spirit has moved to. The upgrade options only make this more powerful.
Explovise - When you project yourself to a new location, this upgrade leaves behind an explosion where your body was, damaging nearby enemies and creating opportunities for tactical advantage.
True Spirit - With this upgrade, you can ethereally pass through enemies and obstacles while in projection, making you untouchable and enabling you to traverse hazardous environments unimpeded.
Blast
Finally, the Blast ability is your ranged attack, firing off a blast of essence energy to damage both enemies and terrain.
Bounce - This upgrade allows blast projectiles to bounce off walls, increasing their range and enabling you to hit enemies around corners or attack foes from unexpected angles.
Unlocking these upgrades in The Sacred Acorn is no easy task. You’ll need to explore the game world meticulously, uncovering secrets or defeating powerful bosses to obtain the necessary unlock items. Each upgrade also comes with a cost, meaning you’ll have to make strategic choices about which abilities to invest in. But experimenting to find your perfect ability combo is part of the fun.
Can’t wait to give our squirrely action adventure game a whirl? We have a free playable demo for The Sacred Acorn available now.
Development Update - The Canyon Region is finished!
Exciting news on the Sacred Acorn front! The development of The Canyon region is now complete, and it's packed with stunning visuals, hidden secrets, and exciting combat that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
We've also added new enemies and NPCs with unique abilities to make the Canyon experience unique and challenging. And for those who love cute creatures, you’re going to love the final reveal of the little birds (concept art only for now, sorry!).
We’re about to commence development for the next region, and that’s going to have a very different feel to the three we already have. Stay tuned for more updates on the game's development, and if you haven’t already, join our Discord for more regular updates.
The Sacred Acorn - Live Gameplay + Q&A with the Dev Team!
The A Few Dragons dev team will be live streaming the demo for our upcoming game The Sacred Acorn during the Dream Hack Beyond Steam event! Download the demo to play it yourself and don't forget to add our game to your wishlist!
Found a bug? Have some feedback? Or just want to know more about our game? Join our Discord!
The A Few Dragons dev team will be live streaming the demo for our upcoming game The Sacred Acorn. Make sure you download the demo to play it yourself and don't forget to add our game to your wishlist!
Found a bug? Have some feedback? Or just want to know more about our game? Join our Discord!
The A Few Dragons dev team will be live streaming the demo for our upcoming game The Sacred Acorn. Make sure you download the demo to play it yourself and don't forget to add our game to your wishlist!
Found a bug? Have some feedback? Or just want to know more about our game? Join our Discord!
