Cataclismo News

Here at PC Gamer's office in the city of Bath in the UK, there is only one constant: it is always raining. So when my soldiers in this fantasy realm ask me to build a bit of overhead cover to keep their bowstrings dry and their spirits up while they defend my castle walls, I feel a lot of sympathy for their plight. But what they don't know is, I am a terrible architect...
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[h3]Greetings, Hogardians![/h3]

We’re proud to announce that Cataclismo will be coming to Steam on July 16th, 2024!

Dropping as an IGN First exclusive, our newest trailer is packed with details and never-before-seen scenarios and mechanics. An in-depth look at the world of Cataclismo and some of the characters you’ll be fighting with.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Everyone at Digital Sun is working hard to deliver an experience with a towering level of quality (pun intended), just like we did with Moonlighter and The Mageseeker.

Discover a real-time strategy game about building castles brick-by-brick and defending the last bastion of humanity against the sinister horrors threatening to destroy it. Withstand the siege and rise above the haze night after night.

Add to your wishlist and stay updated!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1422440/Cataclismo/

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Beware the mist,
Hogardian Herald

Fellow Hogardians!

We recently gave you all the details about how brick-by-brick construction works. Stack pieces together to construct the sturdiest fortress known by Hogar. However, that’s not enough to withstand the relentless attacks of horrors every night.

In Cataclismo, you need to deploy and command your troops strategically. From skillful bowmen to versatile partisans, they all devote their lives to fending off the monstrosities rushing the walls.

Each unit has distinct traits and abilities you need to master to survive the siege. You already knew some of them, but there will be more units in the final version.

Let’s meet the brave soldiers defending Hogar!



That's it! Let us know in the comments who is your favorite Hogardian, and join our Discord to share your ideas for new units.

See you in the next update!*
Israel - Hogardian Herald

PS: *It'll be HUGE.

Fellow Hogardians!

In the previous update, we mentioned how our shared experience playing with LEGO as kids was the main inspiration for Cataclismo. Most of the team grew up stacking blocks with no limits but their imagination, and we tried to turn that experience into a fully-fledged video game.

As a result, Cataclismo’s core mechanic and main appeal is its brick-by-brick building. But how does it exactly work?

[h2]Build fortresses brick by brick[/h2]

If you’re reading this, you know that Cataclismo lets you build an entire stronghold one brick at a time. With plenty of materials and countless types of pieces, players can raise their citadel as they see fit.



[h2]Different pieces, different endurance[/h2]

Not all blocks are the same, though. Stone pieces are stronger than other materials as they have a higher base health, and there are even tiers within that category. A simple stone block has 105 HP, a merlon has 82 HP, and a wider brick has up to 287 HP on the maximum toughness level. But wait, what’s toughness?

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]A tough nut to crack[/h2]

Stone pieces benefit from a stat named toughness. Toughness makes pieces increase their maximum health as the player builds high walls, with up to 3 different levels of robustness that can also be perceived visually.

A quick, useful way to increase toughness as well as add extra range to your units’ attacks is putting a merlon on top of your structure, which will increase the toughness in one level.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Falling isn’t failing[/h2]

Even the sturdiest walls can be demolished. If support blocks happen to be destroyed, the structure will fall. The good news is that they will damage the horrors below!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Mix and match blocks[/h2]

The optimal way of building a tough wall is to combine bricks vertically and horizontally. If your structure has several points of support, losing one block won’t cause an instant collapse.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]But most importantly…[/h3]

[h2]Build with your units in mind![/h2]

Create space to make the most out of your troops and receive some juicy bonuses. Take the wall that Barry shared on our Discord as an example. There’s a spot for lobbers and a different one for bowmen, both performing better at distinct heights.



I could be writing about our brick-by-brick mechanics all day, but you better start practicing with them in our free demo. And if you have a chunky wall you’re proud of, feel free to share it on Discord!

See you in the next update.

Israel
Hogardian Herald

Fellow Hogardians!

Cataclismo’s release is closer by the day. While we push ourselves to release the best possible game in a few months, we thought it might be cool to share the inspirations upon which Cataclismo is being built.

Whether it’s an entire childhood toying with legos, those endless teenage nights playing Age of Empires II, or these last years grinding hours in They Are Billions, we had plenty of inspirations to look up to.

• LEGO. This won’t catch you off guard by now, but LEGO has been a huge reference for us. Everyone on the team has a story building stuff with the Danish bricks, and Cataclismo tries to mimic that same experience through its core mechanic: the brick-by-brick construction.
  
  
• Castle Story. The game by Sauropod Studio pioneered the brick-by-brick building, even if we believe there’s a lot more to do with that mechanic, especially in terms of complexity and strategic depth. That’s what we’re trying to achieve with our game!
  
  
• Age of Empires II. According to Vicent, our creative director, Age of Empires II is “The best RTS ever made." It kind of started it all, and it’s still a best-seller to this day. We would be pleased with half of the same long-term success and overall praise.
  
  
• Warcraft III. Blizzard’s Warcraft III is probably one of the best RTS in terms of narrative. Well, it’s one of the best RTS, period. However, developing a real-time strategy game that actually cares about the story is what we value the most of it. Plus, many on the team spent a zillion hours playing it back when it was released, and that undoubtedly influences our work with Cataclismo.
  
  
• Warhammer. In Cataclismo, tactical positioning is a huge deal, and that’s something we learned from Warhammer. Making sure that every unit is in the most optimal position that best suits its role is crucial, and we try to emphasize the feeling of being a military commander in f*cked-up world, too.
  
  
• Other inspirations. In terms of aesthetics, Borja Gonzalez’s Grito Nocturno, Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, and Caspar D. Friedrich’s Wanderer above the sea of fog set the tone for Cataclismo. In addition, Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke shares the same concern for nature and the future of our planet as Iris and the rest of the Hogardians.
  

That’s it! Future updates will focus more on the game itself (new features, presenting the characters…), but we wanted to give prominence to the games, and media that have brought us here.

What about you? Which games come to your mind when you think of Cataclismo? Let us know in the comments!

Israel
Hogardian Herald