As the year draws to a close, the EverCraft Online Team is excited to share some updates and insights into the game's development and what lies ahead.
I want to open by stating how pleased we are with the progress and direction of the project. We continue to grow our mechanical capabilities, the world of Adrullan, and our team! Additionally, I’d like to get the bad news out of the way. We had been hoping and sometimes inferring a test by the end of the year. Although we have made huge strides in areas discussed below, none are quite ready for their first impressions. With that in mind, we are not looking at any planned open testing before the new year. We are however incredibly anxious to show you what we’ve been working on and fully expect a planned test in the first quarter of 2024.
Internal Content Testing
We are thrilled to announce significant progress in developing new game areas. Osgul, the Ogre starting city, has been a major focus for our team. We are happy to report that the content for Osgul is now in the Closed phase and is almost ready to be showcased. This marks a big step forward as we prepare to open up this vibrant and unique part of the EverCraft world to our players.
Parallel to this, Harvest Reach, our next major zone, is swiftly approaching completion. Harvest Reach is the agrarian heart of Leont. Separated from Leont and flanked on all but its south end by the Harvestflow Firth, the soil is rich in nutrients and its habitants rich in intrigue. Three farming families all live out their different fates. Discover Wheatward, the fields, and dense woods of Harvest Reach.
Quality of Life and Playability Enhancements
This year, we've focused heavily on quality of life and playability improvements. These refinements are designed to make EverCraft Online more intuitive, immersive, and enjoyable for both new and veteran players. Player Window Self Level, Horizontal Bar, Right Click Hail / Interaction Enhancements, and so much more. We really can’t wait for you to discover all we’ve added to enrich the EverCraft Online Experience!
Interactions and World Dynamics
Adrullan is intended to be a lively, animated world. Enhancements such as Casting Lights, Phased Resource Nodes, and our new World Space Deployment and Placement System push us further in creating a rich world that feels alive and less static.
Crafting System Implementation
One of the most exciting developments this year has been the initiation of our crafting system. This system promises to add a rich layer of depth and strategy to the game. We're incredibly pleased with the progress made so far and believe it will offer an experience that is both rewarding and innovative. Our Crafting system is complex and heavily integrated into the rest of the pillars of our experience. We’re currently in the early phases and are bringing some of our base recipes, with their interconnections, full loop. We’re excited to share more as we bring some polish to these systems.
Looking Ahead: Public Testing and Future Plans
Again, although we’d like to have conducted a public test by the end of this year, with the momentum gained in crafting system development, we've decided not to rush this phase. Our focus remains steadfast on delivering a well-rounded and polished experience.
Rest assured, more information, teases, and sneak peeks will be shared as we gear up for the public testing phase. We fully expect to be ready for a public showcase early in the new year.
This next content drop puts us just one more city (and its surrounding content), which is deep in pre-development now, to the completion of our next MVP! This region (about a 6th of our planned world) is designed to function as a microcosm for the overall game and should allow us to capture information and feedback that will be useful to the overall completion of the game world.
A Note of Gratitude
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our dedicated community for your enthusiasm, feedback, and support. Your passion fuels our commitment to making EverCraft Online a truly remarkable gaming adventure.
Here's to an exciting future for EverCraft Online. We can't wait to embark on this journey with you in the coming year as we truly believe it will be a huge one for ECO!
Warm regards,
The EverCraft Online Team
