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Lost Isle News

Missives and Musings: A Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

It's 2024. New year, new stuff. Here's what we've been working on this month!

[h2]What's New?[/h2]

[h3]Traveling NPCs[/h3]

The roads of the Lost Isle will often be quite dangerous, but will also be ripe with opportunity! We're adding traveling NPCs that will offer optional quests and rewards, as well as additional functionalities like selling unique items and offering repairs.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]Tech Tree UI[/h3]

There's just something satisfying about progressing through a good tech tree. You'll have the opportunity to play the game however you like - working with friends each specializing in a particular branch, or becoming a jack of all trades unlocking everything the tree has to offer for yourself.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]Enemy AI Base Raiding[/h3]

Players are going to have a love/hate relationship with this feature. AI enemies will now raid your base! Don't freak out just yet... they'll only occasionally attack, and only while you're home, so there's no need to worry about coming back from resource gathering or being offline to your base destroyed. We can't say the same thing about enemy players, however.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]Cloth Physics[/h3]

In the pursuit of making Lost Isle as immersive as possible, we've been focusing on some of the smaller details - in this case, cloth physics. Cloth armor, cloaks, flags, banners, etc. will be subject to the physics of all manner of movements.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h3]Other Notable Changes[/h3]
  • Asynchronous World Streaming with constant time performance - meaning we can now build the world as big as we want without impacting frame rate
  • Polished new iterations on HUD/UI
  • Network, server, mesh and material optimizations
  • Air Drops (video coming soon)
  • Underwater and floating aquatic loot piles
  • Traveling NPC cart variations
  • Interior NPC functionality
We regularly upload videos and images to our socials @playlostisle that showcase new features, so if you want to stay in the loop about updates and progress make sure to give us a follow!

Missives and Musings: Decking the Halls

Hello all!

The holidays are upon us and we're squeezing in as much fresh development as possible before the end of 2023. Here's what the team has been working on this past month!

[h2]What's New?[/h2]

[h3]Vehicles[/h3]

Still in early development, this exciting feature will allow players to travel across the vast open world in both speed and style. For now we're starting with the classic horse on land and rowboat on water, with more varied options on the road map.


[h3]Enemy AI Overhaul Cont.[/h3]

The overhaul continues with some interesting modifications. A new stat system for damage calculations, limb colliders for more dynamic combat, and new AI models with unique behaviors, including:
  • Dark Summoner - a type of necromancer who continuously summons the dead to fight for him as long as he lives
  • Skeleton Rogue - a stealthy backstabber that becomes skittish if you see it coming
  • Skeleton Defender - a shield bearer specializing in blocking incoming attacks
There are now patrols of diverse skeletal warriors - the Forces of Mauroth - who patrol the roads and guard loot piles. And lest you make the mistake of assuming they might be pushovers like I did, I assure you after meeting my end at their hand many times that they are formidable foes.

[h3]Lore Primer[/h3]

Our collection of lore for Lost Isle has long been gathering dust, and the time for it to finally come forth is now! We've started production on a lore teaser video that will premier early 2024, but in the meantime we'll be dropping some bite size chunks like this brief history overview.


[h3]Other Notable Changes[/h3]
  • Now possible to toggle between building and upgrading when building hammer is equipped
  • Automatically utilize upgrade resources from anywhere in your inventory
  • Crafting, audio mixer, and tooltip UI improvements
  • Added cloth physics to player armor and NPC models
  • Harvestable trees and rocks, and breakable loot containers now break into many pieces when harvested or destroyed
  • Bug fixes related to maps, door keys, consumables, and deployables

We regularly upload videos and images to our socials @playlostisle that showcase new features, so if you want to stay in the loop about updates and progress make sure to give us a follow!

Missives and Musings: AI is coming for us all

Hello all!

The team has been hard at work this month making improvements to existing systems and adding lots of new and exciting features. Let's dive right into it!

[h2]What's New?[/h2]

[h3]Enemy AI Overhaul[/h3]

A total AI overhaul is underway. This AI will be much smarter and have more dynamic combat. The core enemies in the game will be the mysterious Forces of Mauroth and the Goblin Tribes. These factions are at odds with each other and with the player survivors. It won't be out of the ordinary for a player to encounter a battle between these two groups.

These two groups will be much more active in the open world, with several different main behaviors:
  • Monuments - enemies that patrol and defend monuments
  • Road Patrols - groups of enemies that march along the roads
  • Loot Piles - enemies guarding various loot piles
  • Raiding Parties - enemies that will attack player structures (only if a base owner is home and online)

The AI also has new high fidelity models and animation technology. It'll look and feel a lot better in game. Along with the new behavior system, enemies will feel smarter and will be much more of a threat.

Check out the progress in the preview below:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]Wild Animal Enclosures[/h3]

With this new feature you'll be able to place a cage trap anywhere in the wild, put food inside as bait, and eventually catch animals like foxes, squirrels, frogs, and rats. If you're starving and resource deprived, maybe these critters will turn into your next meal; however, if you decide to keep them around as a pet and feed them properly, they will produce items for you. A well-fed fox, for example, will produce fur.

[h3]Open World Loot Piles[/h3]

Littered throughout the Lost Isle you'll be able to find around 10 different variations of miscellaneous loot piles. It may be an odd looking stump, a broken cart, or a few arrow-filled corpses lying around with their bags just sitting there for the taking. Over time you'll want to train your eyes to quickly locate these valuable items that will give you an advantage over the other survivors on the island.



[h3]Other Notable Changes[/h3]
  • New radial view for most deployables with fresh 3D icons and corresponding actions
  • New door and window model variations for building
  • New voice and FX packs for new AI models
  • New Well minor monument
  • New Northern Port major monument
  • Equipped gear on player corpses now updates as you loot them
  • Some items have a "Take All" button now for quicker looting
  • Improved countdown timers and other feedback on item conversion devices

And the list goes on!

We regularly upload videos to our socials @playlostisle that showcase new features, so if you want to stay in the loop about updates and progress make sure to give us a follow.

To everyone who celebrates it, have a very happy Thanksgiving tomorrow! The Lost Isle team is thankful for people like you taking this development journey together with us.

Missives and Musings: Home on the Isle

Hello All!

It's been a crazy last few weeks. Thankfully the good kind of crazy. While a few things have changed about how and when we can give you access to the game, our goals for Lost Isle itself have not changed. You’ll see more details here, on our socials, and in our Discord as we nail those details down into some kind of roadmap or schedule.

In the meantime, we have a few new things that we’ve added into the game. The kind of details and gameplay we’re hoping you’ll enjoy in an upcoming playtest.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

First we’re adding adobe to the classic building materials of wood, stone, and metal. Making the adobe bricks is a bit more involved than stabbing a rock with a dagger, so these new walls are going to be stronger than stone. It might not outright stop every arsonist and raider that comes knocking, but it will make their lives harder.

We’ve also got the realization of my farming sim dreams up and running. You can now plant crops and trees, watch them grow, then cut them down for those sweet, sweet resources. There may not be enough room on the Isle for everyone to become an industrial farmer, but there’s more than enough room to become self-sufficient.

Next, our answer for turning your 2x2 shack into a 2x2 home. Chairs, fireplaces, tables, rugs, and more storage have been added to our list of craftable items. While some of these items may not have a direct impact on your gameplay, they really help build out the fantasy. Just make sure that you’ve got strong walls and defenses before you craft yourself a little table to eat on.

What isn’t in the latest update? So much processor usage. Our team has spent an unholy amount of time optimizing the game so that it runs better and faster on your machine. Individual mileage may vary, but you definitely won’t be hitting loading screens every time you open a door. Which has got to be a plus.

For those of you who have already jumped in, we’re hoping the increased performance also allows you to notice some of the UI improvements. INCLUDING world markers on lootable items. No more losing copper nuts and bolts in the grass. Everything that can be picked up now has a beam of light above it.

Thank you to everyone who has joined us in the last couple of weeks. We saw an incredible response to the PC Gamer article and we’re very, very glad to see you here. We’re even glad to see those of you who came over from the “Loot Isle” article. Stay tuned, there’s more Lost Isle on the way.

- Patchwork from Wunder Entertainment

Missives and Musings: Navigating New Horizons with Freedom Games

Hello All!
We're thrilled to unveil our latest news – Lost Isle is officially joining forces with Freedom Games, and the journey ahead is looking more exhilarating than ever!

For those who haven't heard the buzz, having a game publisher like Freedom Games on board means we can devote our undivided attention to making this game the masterpiece it was meant to be. They handle all the behind-the-scenes magic – from helping manage store pages to crafting ingenious marketing campaigns, and even helping us shine at digital and live events. 🎮✨

Now, let's address the elephant in the room – the tales of publishers tampering with a game's essence. But guess what? That's not our story with Freedom Games.

They're our allies, our comrades, standing by us and wholeheartedly supporting our vision. We picked Freedom Games because they share our passion and are committed to seeing Lost Isle reach its full potential, just as we envision it. Our creative and development freedom remains untarnished, and that's the way Freedom Games likes it!

[h3]If you’re new here you may be wondering….so, what's Lost Isle all about? [/h3]
Imagine this: a place poised on the brink of reality itself, which awaits your exploration. It's a world where your destiny is yours to shape, your choices defining your story.

In Lost Isle, you'll find an open-world survival game set in a breathtakingly crafted, procedurally generated fantasy world. Here, you're the master of your fate. Will you choose to build and protect, or will you embrace the thrill of siege and plunder?

Your journey can take many paths. Harvest resources and master the art of crafting to create your own legacy, or become an intrepid explorer, delving into the darkest corners of forests and caves, where memories are swallowed whole. Are you among the valiant, daring to venture into ancient monuments, banishing the ominous darkness that grips our world? Or perhaps you're one of the devoted, seeking to unearth the long-buried secrets where a fallen god rests. Your adventure awaits, and the possibilities are boundless.

[h3]Did someone say multiplayer??[/h3]

Whether you decide to brave this world alone or forge powerful alliances with fellow players, the Lost Isle is yours to claim, protect, or even risk losing as you see fit. It's a world brimming with opportunity and challenge, where every decision you make shapes your fate.

Ready to embark on this epic odyssey? Stay in the know about all things Lost Isle by following our socials for the latest updates and joining our Discord community for exclusive sneak peeks, discussions, and more. Together, we'll craft a legendary tale of survival and discovery! 📢🔥

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