Mandate Order News

[h3]Greetings, City-Builders! Happy Friday.[/h3][p][/p][p]As we’ve entered the accelerated phase of development, we’ve come to realize that some topics are far more worth sharing than just “what’s been updated”. This week, with the completion of a more robust logistics resource management and conversion system—one grounded in authentic historical logic and deeply integrated into core gameplay loops (as detailed by “Historian Gong” in the attached video)—we’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely share the fundamental design philosophy behind Mandate Order.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Our original vision is simple: we don’t want to create just another “recruit troops and conquer” war game. Instead, we aim to portray why wars break out, and how an entire society is mobilized and sustained to support them. In our view, the essence of Eastern warfare strategy often lies hidden in these subtle, system-driven details that grand narratives tend to overlook.[/p][p][/p][h3]I. The Purpose of the System: Giving Meaning to Choices, Breathing Life into the World[/h3][p]In-game, this system takes the form of a complete chain: from resource collection and processing, to its eventual application in agricultural production or military defense. It’s not designed for novelty—it exists to answer three practical questions:[/p]

• [p]How do you maintain basic sanitation and hygiene in your camps and cities to prevent non-combat casualties?[/p]
• [p]How do you convert the most basic of outputs into nutrients that fuel long-term development (as fertilizer) or emergency defensive tools (as specialized equipment)?[/p]
• [p]How do your management decisions create a ripple effect that impacts crop yields, medical supplies, and even the resilience of your city’s defenses?[/p]

[p]The system’s design is rooted in simulating the mandatory sanitation management needs of ancient societies—especially military camps. In-game, the placement of relevant production structures (such as “Public Latrines”) is no longer a mere functional task, but a multifaceted strategic decision. The very existence of this system ensures that every long-term choice you make—like “prioritizing agriculture over military buildup”—is backed by tangible, traceable resource flows and management efficiency. We want your chosen development path to be supported by a series of interconnected, playable system mechanics, not just an icon on the screen.[/p][p][/p][h3]II. Core Gameplay: Building a Two-Way Resource Conversion Loop[/h3][p]The strategic heart of this system lies in designing two distinct conversion paths for a single resource, forcing players to make decisions based on real-time strategic conditions.[/p]

1. [p]Agricultural Conversion Path (The “Fertile Soil” Route)[/p][p]a. Mechanic: This resource can be composted.[/p][p]b. Strategic Impact: The resulting fertilizer can be directly applied to farmland. Players can choose to allocate it to “grain crops” or “medicinal herbs”, which will influence the next production cycle’s food security baseline and medical supply stockpiles.[/p]
2. [p]Military Conversion Path (The “Deterrence” Route)[/p][p]a. Mechanic: In workshops, this resource can be processed via specialized craftsmanship into a siege weapon material called “Golden Juice”.[/p][p]b. Strategic Impact: In defensive battles, “Golden Juice” inflicts unique debuff effects on enemy units. This provides an asymmetric tactical tool based on resource preparation, adding a new layer of strategic depth to battles.[/p][p][/p]

[h3]III. Our Long-Term Vision: Building an Interconnected “Ecosystem”, Not Isolated “Gameplay Features”[/h3][p]This resource system is just one piece of the in-game ecosystem we’re striving to build. It is not a standalone “mini-game”—in the future, it will inevitably intersect with more systems:[/p]

• [p]It will directly link to the upcoming farming system, determining the productivity of your land.[/p]
• [p]It will interact with the subsequent medical and disease system, affecting the health of your population.[/p]
• [p]It may even tie into future diplomacy and trade systems, as certain resources become strategic bargaining chips during times of scarcity.[/p]

[p]This is the direction we’re committed to: making the world of Mandate Order feel like a slowly operating, yet tightly interconnected organism. Every rule influences the others, and your strategies must account for the bigger picture. We believe that this complexity, derived from real-world operational logic, is the source of deep strategic enjoyment.[/p][p][/p][h3]IV. An Invitation & Our Aspirations: This Is a Shared Journey[/h3][p]Today, we’ve used this system to talk about our design philosophy, hoping to give you a clearer understanding of the experience Mandate Order is pursuing. This is by no means an end—it is only the beginning of a vision.[/p][p]We’re eager to hear your thoughts: What do you think about this design direction that emphasizes interconnected systems and simulates societal operational logic? In your opinion, what other seemingly “trivial” details that profoundly shaped the rise and fall of civilizations are worth being turned into engaging in-game systems? And within Mandate Order’s current gameplay experience, which aspects would you like us to delve into and share our underlying design thinking?[/p][p]Your ideas are invaluable to us. Feel free to leave your insights anywhere—they will help us grow the world of Mandate Order into a more immersive experience, together. Thank you.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3][/h3][h3]About Mandate Order[/h3][p]Mandate Order is a single-player Eastern-themed warfare and city-building simulation game. Set in a turbulent era where “nations have no fixed borders, and survival hangs in the balance each day”, you don’t play as an emperor ruling over vast lands—instead, you take on the role of a “City Defender” standing guard at the frontier. From building city walls brick by brick, managing craftsmen, integrating strategies from diverse schools of thought, to thriving as a small state caught in the crossfire of great powers—this is a story of survival with heart and soul.[/p][p][/p][h3]Steam Playable Version Highlights (Full devlogs available via official channels)[/h3]

• [p]Wildlife Ecosystem: Wolves, bears, and boars now roam with fully realized behavior patterns and lairs. Defeat them to harvest bones and hides.[/p]
• [p]Laborer Backgrounds: New character profile interface with randomized hairstyles and facial features, making each laborer feel more distinct.[/p]
• [p]Dynamic Four Seasons: Terrain snowmelt, tree color changes and leaf fall—weather system fully implemented.[/p]
• [p]City Defense Upgrades: Gates can now be opened/closed, knockback mechanics added, and charge combat feel optimized.[/p]
• [p]Building QoL Improvements: Batch construction, snap-to rotation, warehouse categorization, production progress UI, and more.[/p]
• [p]Immersive Audio-Visual Overhaul: Season-themed BGM inspired by The Book of Songs, refined environmental sound effects, and a complete UI restructure.[/p]

[h3]Wishlist & Playtest Now![/h3]

• [p]Add to Wishlist: Get instant updates and beta notifications: [/p]

• [p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Join the playtest: Click 【Mandate Order 】 on the store page to participate.[/p]

• [p]Join our community to chat directly with the development team[/p]

[p][/p][p]Sincerely,[/p][p]The Mandate Order Team[/p]

[h3]Greetings, Builders! Happy Friday！[/h3][p]The New Year's celebrations have just wrapped up, and flipping through the lunar calendar, we can see "Beginning of Spring" peeking around the corner—soon followed by Little New Year and the Lunar New Year, a string of moments to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. This solar term is quite meaningful: on the surface, it’s the transition from cold to warmth, but beneath the scenes, all living things are quietly striving to push aside the outdated, letting new shoots break through the soil.[/p][p]Over the past few weeks, Mandate Order has been showered with your "sunshine and rain"—though let’s be honest, it’s mostly come in the form of gentle prodding (and some well-deserved tough love). Your feedback is the finest fertilizer we could ask for. In this dev log, we’ll take stock of the "new shoots" sprouting in our development field, and share how we plan to nourish the "soil" you’ve helped turn.[/p][p][/p][h3]I. We’ve Heard Your Feedback (and We’re Acting on It)[/h3][p]The whiteboard in our office has stayed covered in "battle reports" from before to after the holiday—we’ve read every comment, categorized them, and mapped out our next steps. Here’s a straightforward update on how we’re responding:[/p][h3]● "Crashes, lag, and failed constructions" (Bugs & Performance)[/h3]

• [p]Feedback: All sorts of experience-ruining "features."[/p]
• [p]Our bad: This is a bottom-line issue—no excuses.[/p]
• [p]In progress: We’re maintaining a rolling fix list. Whether the problem is big or small, our stance is zero tolerance: these must be resolved.[/p]

[h3]● "Confusing start—all guesswork" (Tutorial & Onboarding)[/h3]

• [p]Feedback: The tutorial feels like a riddle; getting started is a crapshoot.[/p]
• [p]Our bad: We fully own this. The current framework is far too simplistic.[/p]
• [p]In progress: A brand-new onboarding flow—from visual guides to progressive quests—is already in design. Our goal: let you comfortably "claim your throne" in the full release, not scratch your head solving puzzles. (Top priority!)[/p]

[h3]● "Piles of goods with no one to move them" (Logistics System)[/h3]

• [p]Feedback: Carriers move like they’re sleepwalking; depots aren’t very smart.[/p]
• [p]Our bad: Admittedly, the current logistics logic is a bit rigid—not intelligent enough.[/p]
• [p]In progress: This is our current "core campaign." We plan to rebuild the movement logic from the ground up, with one key goal: make depots learn to "replenish when low, stop when full." It’s a big project, but our excavators are revved up and ready.[/p]

[h3]● "Awkward camera angles and misaligned roads" (Controls & UX)[/h3]

• [p]Feedback: The camera is clunky, roads won’t line up—total OCD trigger.[/p]
• [p]Our bad: We get it—this directly kills the joy of building.[/p]
• [p]In progress: Camera feel improvements and road snap-to-align functionality have been flagged as "high priority." We’ll make construction smoother ASAP.[/p]

[h3]● "Warehouses are messy junk shops" (Resource Management)[/h3]

• [p]Feedback: Items are disorganized, buildings lack depth, and upgrades feel unrewarding.[/p]
• [p]Our bad: Resource management is the soul of a strategy game—it can’t be chaotic.[/p]
• [p]In progress: Warehouse storage logic and richer building upgrade trees are already on the drawing board. Our goal: make every construction decision feel like a meaningful long-term calculation.[/p]

[h3]● "Little difference between units; siege weapons are overpowered" (Combat Balance)[/h3]

• [p]Feedback: Combat strategy is shallow, and siege equipment is too strong.[/p]
• [p]Our bad: Deep, engaging combat is one of our core goals.[/p]
• [p]In progress: Right now, though, our focus is on "laying a solid foundation"—polishing core experiences like survival, economy, and logistics first. Once the game’s world feels stable, we’ll focus fire on refining "upper-level" combat systems: unit counterplay, formation tactics, and more. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is great combat.[/p]

[p][/p][h3]II. New Shoots Breaking Through: Sneak Peeks at the Farming System[/h3][p]Interestingly, some of the new features we’re cooking up align perfectly with your wishes:[/p][p][/p][h3]● ✅ Farmland Cultivation System (Responding to: "Want to farm and raise cattle")[/h3][p]Coming soon! You’ll now be able to order land reclamation and make choices: Grow grains for food and stability, or cultivate medicinal herbs for medical emergencies. Farming isn’t just about waiting for harvest—it’s the starting point of your resource strategy. Ideas you’ve suggested, like "wells," "irrigation," and "fertilizer," are already in active development.[/p][h3]● ✅ Disease & Medical System (Responding to: "Can’t tell villagers’ statuses")[/h3][p]Villagers can now get injured or catch colds—and if left untreated, they’ll die. Medicinal herbs from the farming system, plus new buildings like apothecaries and clinics, create a complete chain from diagnosis to treatment. In the future, we’ll make health statuses more visible in the UI, so "caring for your people" is more than just a slogan.[/p][h3]● ✅ Epidemic System (Responding to: "Want more exciting events")[/h3][p]Beyond tornadoes and meteorites, epidemics were the greatest disaster ancient people faced… We’re bringing these uninvited guests to add unexpected variables to the world. They’ll tie closely to the medical system (e.g., plagues will rapidly consume medicinal herbs), testing your ability to plan ahead. But every cloud has a silver lining—could disasters bring unexpected benefits? (Spoiler: It’s not just meteor iron.)[/p][p][/p][h3]III. A Promise for the Beginning of Spring: Keep Cultivating, Await the Harvest[/h3][h3]●New Winter BGM Added[/h3][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Before we wrap up, have you noticed we’ve updated the BGM and sound effects? From environmental ambience to UI clicks and work animations, we hope these sounds bring a touch of the journey’s vastness and nostalgia—whether you’re marching through snow or resting in camp. In war stories, these intangible emotions are often the most touching.[/p][p]Every piece of feedback—whether criticism or advice—is like a seed full of life. This month, our top priority is to carefully sort these seeds, plant them in the right "plots," and tend to them with care.[/p][p]As the seasons cycle, development won’t stop. Right now, we’re focusing on "strengthening the foundation": prioritizing smoother core experiences (logistics, controls, resource management) while integrating new systems (disease, farming) seamlessly into the game world. Once these roots are firm, the "branches and leaves" of combat will flourish.[/p][p]Thank you to everyone who endured the test version and generously shared your insights. You’ve made the future of this "land" clearer than ever.[/p][p]When spring blooms and the beacon fires rise again, we’ll see you on the battlefield.[/p]

• [p]Wishlist now to get updates and test notifications first: [/p]

[p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

• [p]Join the playtest: Click 【Mandate Order 】 on the store page to participate.[/p]
• [p]Join our community to chat directly with the development team[/p][h3][/h3]

[p]Sincerely,[/p][p]The Mandate Order Team[/p][p][/p]

[h2]Dear Builders of Mandate Order,[/h2][p]Since the launch of this Playtest, Mandate Order has been able to move steadily forward thanks to your continued support and thoughtful feedback.[/p][p]Every suggestion shared during your time with the game has helped us better understand its current shortcomings and clarify the direction for future improvements.[/p][p][/p][h3]For this, the project team would like to express our sincere appreciation.The Playtest was originally scheduled to conclude on January 4, but after careful consideration, we have decided to extend the testing period for the following reasons:[/h3][p][/p][p]1. To give more players time to participate[/p][p]We are aware that the original testing window coincided with exam and review periods for many players. To ensure that more people who are interested in Mandate Order can take part without pressure, we have chosen to keep the Playtest open.[/p][p]2. Ongoing issues require continued iteration[/p][p]The current version still has notable issues in areas such as logistics systems, guidance clarity, and overall stability. During the extended testing period, we will continue to release updates and fixes, and we invite players to follow and evaluate our progress.[/p][p]3. Laying a stronger foundation for the full release[/p][p]This Playtest is not just a version check—it marks the beginning of a longer journey in which the game is shaped together with its players. Every piece of feedback you provide directly contributes to making Mandate Order more complete and more stable.[/p][p][/p][p]As a result, the end date of the Playtest will be announced at a later time.[/p][p]Throughout this period, we will maintain a steady update cadence to address issues and improve the overall experience.We sincerely encourage you to continue sharing your thoughts and suggestions during the extended Playtest. All feedback will be carefully reviewed and taken into account as we push forward with optimization efforts.[/p][p]This city may still be rough around the edges, but it is precisely because of your attention and scrutiny that it can grow stronger day by day.As 2025 comes to a close and a new year approaches, the Mandate Order team wishes all builders a Happy New Year.[/p][p]May the year ahead bring steady progress, successful expansion, and the fulfillment of your ambitions.[/p][p]We look forward to continuing this journey with you and writing new chapters of construction and governance together in the world of Mandate Order.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Mandate Order Project Team[/p][p]December 31, 2025[/p]

[p][/p][h3]"Mandate Order" Winter Solstice Version: Grilling the Producer[/h3][p][/p][p]The Winter Solstice Version Closed Beta has been live for 5 days. Thank you to all the city-builders for your enthusiasm—we’re truly touched![/p][p]With over 20 team members working around the clock, we’ve rolled out 1-2 updates per day recently, and we’re practically running on fumes. That said, we owe you an update every Friday—so today, we’re dragging Producer Niko into the spotlight to answer for the key bugs and issues you’ve encountered.[/p][p] [/p][p][/p][h3]Let the criticism rain down![/h3][p] [/p][h3]● Crash, Freeze, and Loading Issues[/h3][p]● Player Feedback: "Crashes, freezes, and snail-paced loading—are we even supposed to play this?!"[/p][p]● Player Feedback: "The game gets stuck at around 80% loading, and the cursor freezes completely."[/p][p]● Producer Niko: The main cause of crashes has been identified as GPU failures on first launch. We take this extremely seriously and are fully committed to resolving it. The issue stems from resource loading during startup. We released an update on the morning of the 26th to address this, and we’ll continue monitoring and troubleshooting closely![/p][h3]● Tutorial and Guidance Issues[/h3][p]● Player Feedback: "The tutorial is terrible—building functions are unclear, soldiers are dumb, and workers often just stand around doing nothing!"[/p][p]● Producer Niko: We’ll rebuild the tutorial once core features are finalized. For now, we’ll add enhanced prompts in in-game tooltips and the quest log to reduce confusion. As for worker inactivity, the root cause lies in flaws in the underlying logistics and transportation system. We’ll overhaul this system after New Year’s Day to minimize "slacking" and ensure workers stay productive![/p][h3]● Model Disappearance Bugs[/h3][p]● Player Feedback: "Soldiers’ body models vanish—they become floating heads or invisible! Some workers carrying wood also disappear."[/p][p]● Producer Niko: We’re aware of this issue, but it’s proven difficult to replicate and diagnose (player save files don’t exhibit the bug when loaded on our end). Please give us a little more time to investigate.[/p][h3]● Logistics System Issues[/h3][p]● Player Feedback: "The game won’t succeed unless the logistics system is fixed. I have resources, but no idea how to transport them!"[/p][p]● Player Feedback: "Can you optimize the logistics? Warehouses are a hassle—if I don’t check stock constantly, other villages run out of food or materials. Manually sending supplies takes time and is super inconvenient."[/p][p]● Producer Niko: We’ll conduct a major iteration of the logistics system in January. The goal is to reduce manual player intervention and make the system more automated.[/p][h3]● Resource and Building Visuals[/h3][p]● Player Feedback: "Did you steal models from overseas? The walls look like they’re just covered in a layer of cloth in the middle of winter!"[/p][p]● Player Feedback: "I don’t want to live in tents—I want brick houses! Can’t buildings be upgraded?"[/p][p]● Producer Niko: Great news! We’ve scheduled the building upgrade feature for development. As workers’ living standards improve, you’ll be able to upgrade buildings to unlock new traits and gameplay. We’re also iterating on existing building models to enhance their detail and visual appeal.[/p][h3]● Model and Perspective Requests[/h3][p]● Player Feedback: "I want to enter the city I built and admire the scenery up close."[/p][p]● Player Feedback: "Please add a protagonist perspective—let me whip those lazy workers who refuse to work!"[/p][p]● Producer Niko: We’ve noted the request for a character perspective![/p][h3]● Other Bugs and Optimization Requests[/h3][p]● Slow army assembly/unable to operate before assembly completes: We’re developing features to end assembly early and speed up response times.[/p][p]● Warehouses not storing/transporting resources as expected: This will be optimized alongside the logistics system overhaul.[/p][p]● Bug preventing occupation of village centers: Fixed! You’ll need to start a new save.[/p][p]● Workers failing to chop wood nearby: Scheduled for a fix.... And many more—we won’t list them all here.[/p][h3]Next Up: Version Roadmap (Teasers Ahead!)[/h3][p]● Player Request: "We want a peaceful mode and larger maps!"[/p][p]● Producer Niko: Our future main mode will be a sandbox (not the current beta map). The sandbox will let you customize settings like development paths and enemy difficulty—we hope to launch it soon.[/p][p]● Player Request: "How is this a farming game if we can’t farm freely?!"[/p][p]● Producer Niko: You absolutely will be able to farm and raise livestock—this is confirmed! We already have an internal build of the farming system. Silkworm farming may also be added later.[/p][p][/p][p]● Player Request: "We want more unit types/hero units, improved combat, and battles against other lords!"[/p][p]● Producer Niko: That’s a spoiler![/p][p]● Player Request: "We want a complete campaign storyline!"[/p][p]● Producer Niko: Spoiler alert![/p][p]● Player Request: "We want natural disasters and human conflicts to have a significant impact!"[/p][p]● Producer Niko: Another spoiler! We have some cool ideas in the works—we’ve even implemented partial disaster effects in the internal build.[/p][p]We sincerely apologize for the many gameplay issues in this beta. At the same time, we’re thrilled to see everyone’s discussions and suggestions. We’ll keep working tirelessly to make Mandate Order live up to your expectations.[/p][p]To all city-builders: Keep the questions coming—we’re ready for more grilling![/p][p][/p][h3]Contact Us[/h3][p]● Join our Communities to talk with producer[/p][p]● Overseas Email: [/p][p][email protected][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]A Promise for the Future[/h3][p]Please add Mandate Order to your Steam Wishlist—stay tuned for the next wave of updates![/p][p]Mandate Order on Steam[/p][p][/p][p]The MandateOrder Team[/p]

[h3]To All City Builders[/h3][p][/p][p]We will perform a version update at 10:20 AM on December 26, 2025:[/p][p]This update attempts to fix the GPU crash issue, and we will continue to monitor and resolve this problem.[/p][p][/p][p]Other Fixed Issues:[/p]

1. [p]Adjusted the attack power of certain ranged siege weapons and added a minimum attack range (requires a new gear level to take effect).[/p]
2. [p]Fixed the issue where enemy city defense weapons would not attack our structures.[/p]
3. [p]Tuned the parameters of handcarts and transport wagons, increasing both their production time and durability.[/p]
4. [p]Added more loading points at the Weapon Workshop.[/p]
5. [p]Adjusted the tree-felling animation for more precise motion matching.[/p]
6. [p]Added additional loading slots at the Siege Workshop to prevent congestion.[/p]
7. [p]Fixed the issue where soldiers in formation would not update their target-locking logic.[/p]
8. [p]Added movement sound effects for handcarts and oxcarts.[/p]
9. [p]Fixed the issue where Steam Cloud Saves were not functioning.[/p]
10. [p]Adjusted the display order of the Village Center construction UI to prioritize residential buildings.[/p]
11. [p]Fixed the issue where ballistae would not draw enemy aggro when attacking.[/p]
12. [p]Added death animations for siege weapons.[/p]
13. [p]Fixed the flickering issue of tabs when opening the building panel.[/p]
14. [p]Attempted to fix the issue where the Priority Construction function was not working.[/p]
15. [p]Fixed the incorrect loading range prompt for water wells.[/p]
16. [p]Fixed the issue where closed city gates could still be passed through after loading a save file.[/p]
17. [p]Fixed the false "insufficient copper ingots" prompt when setting tree-planting areas.[/p]
18. [p]Fixed the issue where enemies would attack hunting spots.[/p]
19. [p]Fixed the issue where other tabs would display prematurely when constructing new buildings.[/p]
20. [p]Fixed the issue where city walls could be relocated.[/p]
21. [p]Fixed the issue where storage depots were unable to transport water.[/p]
22. [p]Fixed the issue where battering rams could not attack city gates.[/p][p][/p]

[p]Thank you for your support. Happy city-building![/p]