Devlog - Back to Work Season 💪
With September coming to an end, we find ourselves returning to our work routines, even though we never truly paused. Summertime tends to bring a slightly slower pace that benefits our well-being.
Now you might be wondering, what's the latest scoop?
As you might have read on our Discord, one of Astrolabe’s accounts was hacked. We have since restored the situation and secured any other port of entry. We want to assure you that the development of the game was not hindered by this situation and is still moving along at a good pace. However, as a security measure we removed the demo on steam to make sure it would not infect the build. While we have now recovered the accounts, we want to take this opportunity to finish working on the next update before putting the demo back online this fall.
Before then, the Aloft demo has been continuously online since June 2022. We hope that bringing the demo back after a short break, along with a substantial update will be better for the game reach and discoverability. We thank you for your understanding, patience and ongoing support, we promise the wait will be worth it!
In the meantime, as we said, we’ve been busy and growing! Allow us to introduce not one, not two, BUT THREE fantastic new members to our team: Betty, our gifted UX/UI Designer, Joseph, our exceptional VFX Artist and Hayley, our amazing Community Manager.
Bringing these talented individuals on board meant saying goodbye to our old office and relocating to a new one! We’ll share some more pictures of the workplace on our Discord, you’ll have to join it to see for yourselves.
We are thrilled about our new spacious location, which accommodates everyone comfortably. As our team expands and our game continues to evolve, our happiness knows no bounds! This beautiful space does not come easily, we had a month of construction work that slowed the development a bit.
You might already be aware that we took part in the Future Games Show at Gamescom, unveiling a new trailer. In case you missed it, here's your chance to catch up!
Our game is now available on a new platform, Green Man Gaming!
We work hard to increase the visibility of our beloved game, so we are absolutely delighted about this new addition. Here's to hoping that many new players discover our game through this platform! Don’t worry though, the game will stay available on Steam!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
HOW FREAKING NEAT IS THAT?
We're genuinely thrilled about this upgrade, no doubt about it. We believe it's a game-changer to introduce this new combat mode along with these fresh animations and sounds.
This is a first step and there's plenty more in store to enhance our combat system. Think along the lines of combo moves and special techniques inspired by defensive items, each with its distinct combat flair. But, I'll save the juicy details for another time 😉.
At its core, Aloft isn’t just about combat, but we know that overcoming challenges makes the rewards even sweeter. These new combat animations allow players to build an expertise, improve their skills, and will allow us to make the monsters better, faster, stronger!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Did we tell you that the Guard will be able to throw its shield at you?
At this point he is practically Aloft Captain America right? Except… he is not really helping you save the world, but it’s a tiny detail we wanted to share.
CUTE CUTE CUTE!
That’s it. Nothing else to add.
More seriously: Roaming around on your own can be lonely sometimes, so we made critters to add some life to your adventure! Critters can be seen living their best life on the islands, and we hope they bring you some joy just as they do for us!
The first two art pictures are the Concept Art from Kenzie and the third one is the first part of Calvin’s adaptation in 3D.
Our decorating fairy does everything to make your homes increasingly cozy.
You might have already seen some of the decorations on our Discord, but now the walls no longer need to be empty! More hanging decorations are coming! We increase our customisation a little bit more everyday!
MJ is still working on the Emerald Islands to fine tune our first biome while Anthony is working on the next one…
We can’t say more about this for now, but here is a sneak peek of something coming ;).
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
No time for rest! Joseph just arrived, and he's already producing fantastic work!
He began by suggesting three ground pounds placed side by side, as depicted in the first video.
We've selected the second video, which showcases the in-game situation for added impact :)
Do you like our choice? Let us know in our Discord.
This is, of course, a work in progress, but we were eager to share with you a glimpse of what you can anticipate for the future of the user experience. Betty's contributions are bringing remarkable transformations in the game, and this is just the beginning!
Just a quick screenshot to show that Simon is still working hard on the multiplayer mode, notably on synchronization of NPCs and interactables.
So far, the team is having a lot of fun testing it, and we can't wait to share this update with you. Look at this happy mess; how could you resist trying this game? 😂
If you remember the roadmap correctly, our next big step is the combat update.
The good news is that we are actively working on it. However, we are unable to provide an official release date at this moment. Rest assured, as soon as we have that information, you will be the first to know.
PS: The multiplayer beta test is also in the making, we will of course keep you in the loop 🤩
To stay updated and be among the first to receive new information, consider joining us on Discord!
