1. Oppidum
  2. News

Oppidum News

Dev Update #7 - New screenshots and media coverage

Hey scouts!

By the guardians, summer has finally hit us with all its strength, and we're longing to take a swim at Litore's beach. Who's joining us?

Another thing that comes with summer is usually a wardrobe update. Well, in our case we decided to go with a different kind of update, and give our Steam page a fresh coat of paint. We also have some exciting news to share, so let me tell you all about it 👇

[h2]We updated our screenshots, and here's why![/h2]
One of the things we had been meaning to do for a while is to update the screenshots on our Steam store to better show off how the game looks currently, much closer to what you'll see when it's released. The previous screenshots had been taken at a very early stage of the game's development, back when we launched the store around a year ago.

We've tried to keep the spirit of the previous screenshots, while also introducing new stuff that we've been implementing into the game. I think we did a pretty good job!


Our first enemy screenshot looked cool and dynamic, but the effects, posture, and even some of the items were outdated. We decided to take the opportunity to show a more exciting battle by implying higher stakes. We also know how important it is for the user to see what the game actually looks like when you play it, which is why we kept the interface.

You might also notice some post-processing effects on the old pic, which are not included in the new one. We added those manually for the placeholders, as we considered them for the final game, but we're still on the fence about it. Do you think we should still give it a try? 🤔


This is a funny one. Multiplayer has always been one of the top features we wanted to define our game, so we implemented it pretty early on. However, at this point in the development, there wasn't much to do! We definitely wanted to let you know about the resource gathering in the game, but our new screenshot also lets you know what you can do with those resources.

You can see one player chopping wood, while the other processes that wood at the lumber mill... also built with gathered resources! This was a neat chance to show off the buildable camp, different equipment, and other activities, like tending to your crops. 🌾

Narrative is a huge part of our game, bigger than it usually is for most survival games, so including some dialogue and characters was essential. Obviously, a lot of quests and storylines are dependent on the features that are included in the game, so at the time we didn't have a lot to work with. This was probably the most placeholder-y image of the bunch.

The dialogue, the NPC, and even the camera angle as you see them there are not present in the current version of the game. We also thought it would be a good opportunity to introduce, arguably, the most important character aside from yourself, our best boy Kay, and give a small glimpse of the main quest and the places it will take you to. 🏰


Last but not least, in spite of the BIG CLUB and all of the spiky rocks, it's hard to deny that almost any monster looks scarier at night. And you should be scared of them. It's a good moment to remind you that the game has a day and night cycle, displaying a more than appropriate enemy to haunt you in the dark. But also, it’s a very good chance to show off the different enemy types you'll be facing in the game, their effects, animations, and even their attached mechanics. See the chest they’re defending? That's your reward if you manage to get past them. Good luck! 💪

There are even more new screenshots on the store, so do go over there and take a good look at them. We’d love to hear your opinion.

[h2]We got some media coverage![/h2]
Yesss, we're pretty excited about this! We've been featured in a few articles from some big media outlets. Looks like Oppidum is getting some attention, and people are liking what they're seeing. PC Gamer was the first article we noticed, followed by IGN and 3DJuegos! Not gonna lie, I'm loving this kind of attention and hoping that it will only snowball from here 😁

If you take a look at the articles, do tell us what you think about them. Little-known (not really) secret about the video game industry: getting attention is hard, and you need to work hard for it, so of course we're pumped about this. Here's hoping you get to see us featured again in the near future!

By the way, we’ve also included a longer-than-usual gameplay video on our Steam page and YouTube channel, which we think might have helped make people notice us. In this video, we show a section of the game and how it feels to play it. Take a look!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
That’s our dose of exciting stuff for today. I hope you join us in celebrating achievements like this, and keep giving us your support!

See you for the next update!

Temtem veterans are working on a Breath of the Wild-inspired narrative survival game for 1-4 players, set to arrive later this year




If you've been looking for something a little Zelda-like in your life, Oppidum might be worth a look: It's a "narrative adventure with survival elements" for 1-4 players inspired by Breath of the Wild being developed by EP Games, a team that includes former members of Temtem developer Crema, and it's set to release later this year...
Read more.

Dev Update #6 - Dynamic weather, NPC behaviours and scrolls

[h2]Hey scouts![/h2]

Does anyone else feel like summer is closing in? Just me? Temperatures are rising over here, and it looks like we're in need of something to keep ourselves comfy and hydrated. So let's talk about different ways in which we're making the world of Oppidum more immersive. Here we go! 👇

[h3]Mind the weather[/h3]

I hope you're as excited as me about this. We've implemented a weather system into Oppidum! If you're one to enjoy nature as its fullest, then you will surely appreciate the atmosphere meteorological changes bring to the experience.

Of course, rain is the most obvious example 🌧 There's a whole different ambience when rain pours over Insule, as you get to enjoy its sights and sounds. There's more to it than a simple effect, however! You will be able to tell the forecast for the following hours of the day straight from your UI:



What did you say? Ain't nobody have time for that? Don't worry, the rain still won't be able to catch you unprepared. If you notice the day getting gloomier out of a sudden, you might want to look up! How do the clouds look? You'll be able to tell straight away if it's gonna start raining soon! No need to water your crops 🌽



And of course, no weather system is complete without some intimidating stormy effects! But don't take my word for it, and have a look instead at this video we've prepared showcasing some of the weather effects of Oppidum:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]When the storm clears up[/h3]

But calm comes after the storm, and we want to make sure you're not the only one enjoying a clear sky after the tempest. As you can see in the video above, inhabitants of Insule now will occasionally stretch their legs and take a stroll! No more standing in the same spot (unless that's actually their job, I guess!)

Other characters will behave in more natural ways than before, interacting with their surrounding, changing places, or maybe just finding the best possible spot to dig a good hole without ruining the lawn.



[h3]Let's get back home[/h3]

And to do so, we're gonna close up the devlog with some new cool mechanic that will make your life much easier. See this scroll? There are different types to discover on your adventure, but let's focus on this one for a moment.



Just use it from your inventory and...



Yup! This scroll will instantly return you to your camp, so whether your sleepy, need to drop a few items on your storage or need to craft a new sword to fight some foes, this will make the process much easier. I'm gonna let you guess what other types of scrolls you might encounter 📜

[h3]See you next time![/h3]

Thanks once again for sticking with me until the end. How does the weather system look? You can join us on Discord or follow us on social media to let us know your thoughts about what you’ve seen today.

I’d also like to remind you that Oppidum offers an experience that can be enjoyed either as a single player, or with some friends! Do you have anyone in mind you would like to share it with? We’re more than happy to welcome anyone into the community and it helps us a great deal.

In any case, I hope you guys have a great rest of the week, and see you for the next update!

Celebrating the Open World Survival Crafting Fest!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Hello and welcome to all the folks excited about the Open World Survival Crafting Fest. We're so pumped ourselves to be in this event and, specially, about creating our own game within this genre!

For newcomers, Oppidum is a game inspired by epic adventures, set in a fantastic world full of magic and mystery, with an engaging story that you can enjoy on your own, or share with up to three friends. From challenging combat, to thrilling storylines, all set in a world open for you to explore freely. As you explore the island of Insule, you will be able to engage in other fun activities like fishing, farming, treasure hunting and more!

Also, be very welcome to join our community on Discord! We're having a little contest to celebrate the event there, with a physical prize: an exclusive Oppidum keychain! 🥳



We're still working very hard on the game's development, and we like to share our progress with you with monthly devlogs on Steam, as well as fun and cool stuff on social media.

Follow us on social media! 👇

If you're a fan of Survival Crafting games, we're putting our hearts into making something that you will like, so don't forget to hit that wishlist button!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2115760/Oppidum/

Enjoy the fest, and see you around!
EP Games 🌊

Dev Update #5 - Creating a dangeours land

[h2]Good day scouts![/h2]

I hope your weapons and armor are ready to rock, because today's update comes filled with perils. Much like Oppidum since some of our most recent updates, which we're gonna discuss right away!

Arm up!

[h3]Enemy integration[/h3]
This is a big threshold! The first version of every enemy has been coded into the game. That means every foe that will be present during launch is ready to put on a fight. They can not only attack you, but they'll also use special abilities unique to each of them.

Turtles hide in their shells and charge at you. Nature Giants are able to heal themselves. Slimes divide into smaller versions as you defeat them, so they take a while to get taken care of. And many more!



Not every enemy will behave the same way, either. Wild goats are timid and flee when you get too close. Bats might surprise you as you explore caves, because that's what bats do! Any gamer knows that, right?

With that said, there's still work to do. Sound and visual effects are not ready for many of them yet. Oh, and many still need to be tested and adjusted to make sure they're fun and challenging to play against. This is something we test ourselves during our weekly sessions!

[h3]Stronger, scarier foes[/h3]
As you will learn when you step into Insule for the first time, the land has been corrupted. What corrupted it and how is something I'm not telling you about right now. What I CAN tell you about is that this corruption has made Insule more dangerous than ever.

Some of the most territorial inhabitants of Insule have become bolder and more aggressive. Meet the Thudulks, a tribe native to Insule with settlements all around the island. They're perfectly willing to block your path and attack on sight. They use arcane magic, and you will likely find yourself engaging in conflict with them.



But they're not the single most dangerous thing that can cross your path. Some weird storms have been sighted throughout the island. These storms are followed by the appearance of strange, corrupted, and extremely aggressive beasts. Keep your wits about you, specially when you're travelling at night!



[h3]Ok, I might have lied…[/h3]
Yeah, it's true; we've integrated every common enemy into the game. That's exactly where we make a distinction, because there's actually a few more enemies left that still need to be worked on. I'm talking about the game's bosses.

Obviously, they will be more complex, challenging enemies that will require special conditions and strategies. They're their own different category, that's why I'm not counting them in with the rest.

You'll have to wait a bit to see them, but if you follow us on Twitter, or if you are a part of our Discord community you might have seen small glimpses of them recently 😏 (and if you don't, what are you waiting for!)



[h3]That’s it for today![/h3]
Thanks for reading this far. What are you most excited about from today's update? You can join us on Discord or follow us on social media to let us know.

The development isn't over yet, and there are still many cool features to be added or polished. Personally, I'm very excited about our new weather system. Perhaps you'll catch a glimpse of it not too far into the future 😉

See you next time!