Hey there FTKers! In an effort to keep everyone up to date, and keep the community engaged with progress before we release a patch: we’re going to try and provide occasional news, and upcoming design implementations that we feel will be of interest to you all. Especially if we think this will have an impact on gameplay, or player strategy.
With this in mind, let’s talk about Chaos.
The Current Chaos System
As with any Rogue-Like: there is a mechanical driving factor behind a player’s progression. In FTK: it’s Chaos. As you work your way towards your goals, there is an ever-present threat of encroaching Chaos that, as it increases will change gameplay and add new challenges. Namely:
- Chaos hexes that add traversal challenges
- The inability to revive characters
- Scourges activate with various effects
Chaos can be incremented when a character dies, or when the time limit of a quest is exceeded. After the quest time limit is exceeded: Chaos will increment each round. As it increases, new ways to lower the Chaos are unlocked, or made available so you can mitigate the negative effects. These include:
- Destroying Chaos statues
- Destroying Scourges
- Killing Chaos Beasts
What we’re after
We see it throughout some reviews, and community posts that some people feel too pushed by the “time limit” factor of the game. Telling a player they have a set amount of time to finish a quest, and then penalizing them pretty harshly if they fail to do so. We understand this, and we agree to a certain extent.
We know we need a Chaos system that pushes players forward – this is an essential Rogue-Like mechanic – but we want players to better understand when chaos will increase, what it will do when it does increase, and be able to prepare for it better. We want to remove the feeling of being blindsided by these harsh effects with little to no warning, and treat it more like a hunger mechanic in a survival game. That is to say; do what you want, explore, fight, experience, but you know you’re going to get hungry eventually so plan with that in mind.
We want players to know what’s coming up, and plan for it; so inclusive of changing how Chaos works: we’re going to revisit the visualization of the Time Line to make things more clear.
Why this next? What about Free Adventure Mode?!
Yes, yes, ok. We all want FAM. And you’re going to get it too. But this new design, and it’s back-end system is a prerequisite for it. Don’t worry: we’re working on Free Adventure Mode as I type this.
Final Thoughts
Chaos is the main threat in the land of Fahrul. It’s supposed to feel ever present, and foreboding. So we want to treat Chaos as part of the setting, and not so much part of the story. Our vision is always that you will be pushed forward with a sense of urgency, but you’ll be able to adapt better, and in some cases push back! (Albeit, not forever). We think that this simple, yet fundamental change will result in a more well rounded experience that will grant you even more opportunity to play the way you want.
If you’ve made it this far: thanks for reading!
Stay tuned for more information about the maniacal machinations of us here at IronOak.
-Jay-Nic