Erannorth Renaissance News

Hi folks,

The moment is finally here! After months of hard work, I'm thrilled to announce that Erannorth Renaissance is entering Early Access on July 26th! A special thanks to everyone who participated in the recent closed alpha and provided invaluable feedback – your contributions have been instrumental in shaping this release. I'm beyond excited to finally share this early version of the game with all of you and continue this journey together.

A Word About Early Access

Before you rush to grab the game, let's chat about what Early Access means: Erannorth Renaissance is still a work in progress. It's playable, but it's not perfect yet. There will be bugs, missing features, and room for improvement.

If you're the kind of player who wants a polished, finished experience, I honestly recommend waiting. Wishlist, the game, and check back in a year or three to see how things have progressed. However, if you're interested in helping shape the game, trying out new ideas, and being part of the development process, then Early Access is for you!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

What to Expect in Early Access

• You'll get to play through the beginning of our story and explore the first region, Llanford, which offers 3-4 hours of engaging gameplay.
  
• The core gameplay experience is fully fleshed out. You can dive into tactical turn-based combat, customize your character as you level up, and explore the world to uncover its secrets.
  
• The replay value is baked into the core of Erannorth Renaissance. The story branches in unexpected ways, your choices have lasting consequences, and random events ensure that no two adventures will ever be the same. Each playthrough will feel like a fresh, unique experience if you make different choices.
  
• And for those who love to tinker and customize your games, Erannorth Renaissance has you covered. You can already dive into modding with the built-in tools, adding unique touches like new perks, actions, or even artwork. Plus, we've got full Steam Workshop integration and achievements to make things even more fun.
  
• This is just the beginning. Throughout Early Access, I'll add more regions to explore, quests to undertake, and characters to meet. You can also expect a bunch of new features and improvements that will make each playthrough even more unique and exciting.
  

What will the game cost?

Erannorth Renaissance will be entering Early Access on July 26th for 9.99 USD. The price will use Steam regional pricing to ensure fair pricing in your territory. Please note that the price will gradually increase with each significant content update.

How long will Erannorth Renaissance be in Early Access?

I aim for 2-3 years, but it could be longer. I want to make sure the game is done right, even if it takes a bit more time.

What are your plans for the development cycle during Early Access?

I have a roadmap planned out with at least nine major content updates. Each update will focus on fleshing out a new region, adding new build options like perks, actions, and equipment, and developing the companion characters with more interactions and events. You can see the roadmap here:



How does Erannorth Renaissance compare to previous Erannorth games?

Erannorth Renaissance is a complete overhaul of the original Erannorth engine, offering a deeper, more immersive experience. Unlike Chronicles, which forked off Reborn's code, Renaissance has been rewritten from the ground up, resulting in a faster, more responsive game. You'll immediately notice the brand new graphical style and tactical hex-based combat, replacing the card-based battles of the past. The user interface has also been modernized and streamlined for easier navigation.

While the core spirit of Erannorth remains, Renaissance is a significant evolution of the series. The RPG mechanics have been expanded and refined, offering more depth and customization. A branching narrative with meaningful choices and consequences drives the overarching story, while a new continent with diverse regions, characters, quests, and events awaits your exploration.

It's important to note that, at this early stage, Renaissance's character builds and customization options might not yet rival the depth Chronicles and Reborn achieved over their combined 6 years of development. However, once complete, Renaissance is designed to surpass both games in this regard. The new engine provides a more flexible foundation for building unique characters and playstyles, and the expanded RPG systems offer even more opportunities for customization. With your feedback and continued development, Renaissance will ultimately become the most customizable and immersive Erannorth experience yet. Whether you're a veteran of the series or a newcomer, Erannorth Renaissance offers a fresh and exciting experience for all.

Will this game be as easy to mod as your previous titles?

Yes, Erannorth Renaissance will be as easy to mod as previous titles. In fact, it will be easier to mod as there are UI-based tools for adding, editing, and exporting content. See the following video for a taste of the initial modding support:

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

I heard the game has romance; should I be worried about unwanted advances from my companions?

Fear not! Romances are disabled by default in Erannorth Renaissance. You must actively choose to enable them by adjusting your preferences in your in-game journal. Additionally, the game offers options to customize the level of intimacy in romantic scenes, ranging from fade-to-black to more detailed textual descriptions. This allows you to tailor the experience to your comfort level.

Does Erannorth Renaissance use AI-generated art?

The game uses commercially licensed stock art sold by human artists. Their creative process may or may not involve using AI-powered tools or their own custom AI systems.

Your Feedback Matters

Early Access is a collaboration between us. Your feedback is invaluable to me as I shape the future of Erannorth Renaissance. Share your thoughts, report bugs, and suggest improvements – let's make this game the best it can be together!

Just remember, Early Access isn't for everyone. It's a chance to get involved in the development process, not a way to get a finished game at a discount. If you expect a fully polished experience with tons of content, waiting for the full release is probably best. Don't be that guy who jumps on the bandwagon only to complain that a game in early development doesn't have the same depth as a finished product. This is just the beginning of a long journey, and I'm excited to have you along for the ride.

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Hi folks,

The closed alpha has been underway for 12 days and has been instrumental in uncovering and fixing many critical bugs. It has also addressed other issues that always surface when a game is in players' hands, no matter how much internal testing it undergoes. Numerous valuable suggestions and feedback have already been implemented or are in the pipeline. So, a very big thank you to everyone who has contributed so far.

There are still 5 spots left for alpha testers. If you're interested in getting a first look at the game and helping with its testing and feedback, let me know on our Discord server. It's first come, first served. There won't be any additional spots after the last one is reserved, and the alpha build will continue receiving regular updates until the early access release later this year.

Although there won't be any development journals during the summer, rest assured that development will continue as planned. I'll be working closely with our community members in this early phase. The current priorities are to fix any remaining bugs, tie up loose ends, and finalize the early access content.

Hi folks,

Today, we'll talk about the newest additions to the character sheet, several new combat effects, and customization options through the perks system.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Combat (Part II)[/h2]

Erannorth Renaissance combat is more streamlined and straightforward to learn than its predecessors (Chronicles and Reborn), offering greater tactical depth. You have better control of the battlefield, and you and your allies can work together to create exciting tactics and strategies for dealing with each situation.

We discussed combat and the most common effects your actions will have in this post:

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2657930/view/4110169801308707754

Of course, we barely scratched the surface. Let's now have a look at some additional effects.

• Swap: Swap position with the target.
  
• Push: Pushes the target x hexes in a random direction.
  
• Pull: Pulls the target x hexes in a random direction.
  
• Cure: Cures Bleed and Poison stacks.
  
• Dispel [status]: Removes all the stack of [status] from the target.
  
• Revive: Removes the Dying status and restores HP to the target.
  
• Slow: Reduces the target's AP for the duration of the effect.
  
• Drain: Drains HP from the target.
  
• Opportunity: If the target is Stunned, Afraid, or Vulnerable, they receive damage, and the attacker restores 2 AP.
  
• Parley: If the target's HP is less or equal to a certain amount, they agree to leave combat, and you restore 2 HP.
  
• Morale: Morale boosts Luck and dispels Fear. (Luck affects several things, like your chance to dodge, land criticals, and stabilize if you are Dying.)
  
• Stealth: Makes a character immune to direct actions for the duration of the effect or until a successful Perception check reveals their location.
  
• Rage: Increases the target's physical damage and grants 2 bonus AP, but the enraged suffers 2 additional damage for the duration of the effect.
  
• Sacrifice: It is an additional cost for HP to play an action unless you are Bleeding. If you are, you can skip this cost.
  
• Bloodthirst: If your target is Bleeding, you drain HP and restore 2 AP. Then your target loses Bleeding.
  

[h2]Perks System[/h2]

Like all Erannorth games, perks are the backbone of customizing your characters. However, certain things have been streamlined to make things easier to understand and retain a better balance. In Erannorth Renaissance, you gain a Perk Point at every even level. You can then invest it to purchase a perk from those you meet the requirements. Requirements for perks can be skill ranks, being a particular species, having a specific trait, etc.





Perks can improve aspects of your character, actions, and party and give you unique actions you can't otherwise get elsewhere. They may provide you with bonuses to rolls or even offer bonuses to the rolls of your party members.





[h2] Resistances [/h2]

In Erannorth Renaissance, equipment and perks can provide resistance to various effects and elements. For instance, you may have a trait that makes it harder for others to Stun you or wear boots that make it harder for adversaries to Push you.



Etc. Conversely, you could have a perk that makes it easier to Dominate others or apply Bleeding and bypass any such resistance, making combat more dynamic and your decision of how to build your characters more meaningful.



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

I'm still working on the Woodlands and the Generic event packs. These are sets of random events that you may encounter as you explore woodland tiles and tiles without specific event packs. Since the first area you'll be in primarily has woodland terrains, it makes sense for it to be the first event pack in the game. The generic event pack will provide interesting fallback events elsewhere. There will be more event packs for all the tile terrains you will explore as the game develops.

Other than that, with the progression and combat system in place, the next step is fine-tuning things.

For that, I'll need a few people to participate in a closed-alpha testing of the game in June. If you are a native English speaker, that would be all the better, as any feedback on the story, rules, phrasing, etc., would be greatly appreciated. But anyone willing to spend some time with an early alpha and incomplete product is welcome.

• We'll start in June.
  
• The experience will be even less polished than the upcoming Early Access. There will be more bugs, placeholder content, imbalanced perks, actions, enemies, etc.
  
• There are only 10 to 15 spots available. Please apply only if you have the time and interest to play the game in its current incomplete state.
  
• The goal is to provide feedback and bug reports to help improve the game before its Early Access release later this year.
  
• You'll have to be a member of our Discord server and declare your interest there. If Steam removes my link, that is in the Erannorth Renaissance / Inn. 
  

Invite Link:
https://discord.gg/KfGPyshtTT

Renaissance Inn Channel:
https://discord.com/channels/559131885570097162/1184111622822834238

So, please let me know if you are interested in actively participating in this closed-alpha test.

The Discord part is essential for me to be able to contact you with further details when the closed alpha time comes and, of course, for you to provide the feedback/bug reports and discuss the game and its status.

That's all folks! If you have any questions, please post them in the comments section below!

Hi folks,

The development of Erannorth Renaissance is progressing smoothly. Oh, and I've updated the Early Access details and the store page. That'll be all :)

Are you still here? Did you see how long this text is !? Hmm, let's see.

In the latest development journal, I briefly mentioned my first game, Erannorth the Unfinished Tales. I want to dig a bit deeper into that story, but feel free to jump to the main dish below.

[h2]Back to the Future II[/h2]

I first embarked on the journey to create Erannorth the Unfinished Tales in mid-2013, driven by a blend of passion and audacity. We indie developers are akin to gamblers, staking our time, energy, sanity, and often our financial stability on the dream of creating something unique and impactful. More often than not, we face various degrees of failure. Of course, I wasn't an indie developer back then, and I didn't know that years later, I would be calling myself one.

In the case of Unfinished Tales, "Unfortunately, I didn't have the finances to support its sole server running back then, and it never kicked off." This translates to: I dedicated about three years of intense labor to finishing that game, often working 12-hour days, fueled by the vision of what the game could become. This period was exhilarating and grueling, a true test of endurance and commitment. Despite the immense effort and the dream driving it (financially), the project flopped spectacularly.

Having worked for free for three years and paying money on top of that to do that, and then thinking, let's do it again! It is something only a special kind of idiot does.

Or someone who doesn't want to have regrets in their life. The only way for that is to be true to yourself.

But anyway take your pick.

Here's a random screenshot to break up the monotony of the text wall.



[h2]Seven[/h2]

Today marks a significant milestone—seven months since I started working on Erannorth Renaissance. It's been a thrilling journey filled with challenges, doubts, and breakthroughs. So, what was done, and what is still missing for you to get this game in your hands finally?

In the early stages of development, the idea was crafting a fully narrative-driven experience centered around a main campaign within a somewhat open-world setting.

As someone accurately put it, "Hand holding? How lewd." ;)

But, let's be honest: the primary reason was that starting development from zero is a tedious process without considering all the other moving parts; for convenience, let's sum them up as content.

However, as the development progressed and the parts started to click, it became evident that a narrative-driven approach within an open-world format was fundamentally busted. The more the world opened up, the more the structured narrative felt constrained and forced.

This led to a pivotal decision. I could either reduce the game's scope, with no map or open world, in the true or tried Visual Novel style and tell my story. I would be done with working for free, there would be no Early Access headaches, you'd have a game to play, and we could all move on.

Because we all know that a) Early Access doesn't fund anything, and it shouldn't. b) Early Access paints the game in a darker shadow and limits sales. c) VNs are a less niche market than this.

Or: increase the game's scope, use the whole of our beautiful world map (it did took time to paint it), work a few more years (in practice for free) and instead tell our story.

Here's another random screenshot to build anticipation for the obvious decision.



[h2]The jury's back and the verdict is...[/h2]

Of course, I picked the red pill.

I've decided to broaden rather than narrow the experience. The main story is still here but serves as a (long) introduction to Erannorth's sandbox world rather than the main dish.

After completing this story, you won't see the credits (my name in a hundred roles) rolling, nor will you save the world from a terrible threat.

Instead, you'll find yourself in the shoes of someone living in Elos.

If you could be anyone whom you'd be?
Erannorth Renaissance will let you answer this question instead of telling you.

Choosing what story arc to pursue next is entirely yours. Whether you delve deeper into the lore I've woven into every corner of the map, take on new quests, or explore and interact with the environment and its inhabitants, the world of Elos will adapt and respond to your decisions.

This shift from a primarily linear campaign to a more dynamic sandbox approach reflects my fundamental belief in creating games emphasizing player agency, what you've come to expect, and what most of you are here for. Right?

Presenting our final random screenshot of the day!



[h2]Detailed Progress Update: Recap[/h2]

As we gear up for the new chapter in the development of Erannorth Renaissance, the part you come in, let's recap the significant strides made across the game's core systems in the past seven months.

These are all completed systems in the current build 0.4.77, not the final feature list.

Introductory Storyline

The initial campaign, serving as your gateway to the vast sandbox of Erannorth, is fully fleshed out and playable. This storyline offers a concise yet rich experience, lasting about 3 to 4 hours with multiple paths and companions to discover. It's crafted to be an engaging introduction without overstaying its welcome. Still, it remains optional, allowing you to choose how deep you dive into this narrative or live your life in this expansive world.

Exploration and Interaction

The overworld map is a dynamic playground where:

• Fog of war conceals unexplored tiles.
  
• You can engage with roving warbands in tactical combat.
  
• You can set up a camp to talk to your companions and harvest resources.
  
• Tiles can spring random events leading to mini adventures, lore fragments, or loot.
  
• Tiles can contain fixed stories or let you follow up on quests.
  

Custom Quest and Relationship systems

Initially, I tried to use the Dialogue System's two sibling systems, which could have significantly reduced the development time. Still, I ended up developing homebrew systems that better suited my needs.

Combat System

• Turn-based combat that takes place on a hex grid.
  
• A variety of action effects, tactical choices and diverse play styles.
  
• Opportunities to harvest resources post-battle / quick looting of enemies.
  
• Automatic shortcuts for each action.
  
• Panels to inspect actor status and actions.
  

Town Dynamics and NPC Interactions

Towns have evolved into hubs of activity where you can:

• Build relationships, whether friendly, romantic, or adversarial.
  
• Barter and purchase equipment.
  
• Receive new quests and tasks.
  

You can track and review all your relationships through a tab in your character sheet.

Character Progression

Your party characters can grow and evolve:

• Level up systems to enhance your skills and acquire new abilities.
  
• The perks system will offer new capabilities and gameplay dynamics.
  

Itemization and Equipment

• Core systems for itemization / large variety of equipment slots.
  
• Drag and Drop inventory system.
  
• Free trading with your companions.
  
• A diverse array of items and actions will provide numerous strategic options in and out combat.
  
• Consumables.
  

[h2]What's missing to open the flood gates? [/h2]

While the structure is solid, there are still areas in need of development before you can dive into playing.

• I am still working on the early-level perks, equipment, and actions.
  
• I still need to finish the initial "Woodlands" and "Generic" event packs covering the early game environments.
  

Once these are done, the Early Access can start. I had to re-evaluate my original plan to keep the game in Early Access for a year. The new estimate is at least for 2 years.

If you wishlisted the game before, please check the new store page and Early Access information to make sure it's still a project you want to support.

That's all folks! If you have any thoughts or questions feel free to share them below!

Hi folks,

Creating a new game is always a challenge, especially when you're fortunate enough to have a dedicated fan base. Such support brings high expectations, and the pressure to meet them can indeed be overwhelming. Remembering why you embarked on this journey is crucial, particularly when the path becomes tough, and the workload seems insurmountable. But honestly, I wouldn't trade this experience for anything, not even for a million-dollar buyout. It's been a few weeks since our last update, and I'm thrilled to share some of the key developments that have kept me busy.

[h2]Back to the future[/h2]

But before we dive into that, I'd like to take you back in time to better understand what this game means to me. Feel free to skip ahead if you prefer; if not, let's take a stroll down memory lane together. About a decade back, when I developed my first game: Erannorth the Unfinished Tales. It's unlikely that you played or heard it. Anyway, it was a browser-based game in PHP and JQuery, and the login page proudly stated:

"Erannorth the Unfinished Tales is a Choose Your Own Adventure that incorporates RPG elements and takes place in the open-ended world of Elos. Your character chooses how their adventures will turn out and which adventures they will play."

Does the concept sound familiar? Both its writing and my English back then totally sucked, but it was still fun to play according to the close-knit community it formed. Most choose-your-own-adventure games lock you to a single story, so back then, the idea of Unfinished Tales was to take your very same character across many different stories in the same world, more like an RPG game would.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the finances to support its sole server running back then, and it never kicked off. But I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life: making games. The obvious solution was a single-player game. The problem is that as a web developer, I needed to gain more knowledge or experience in Unity or C#, so I started with something simple instead. This brought us to Erannorth Reborn, an offline single-player game and my first game on Steam. It did evolve into an exciting breed of an RPG-lite card game, but it was not the game of my dreams.

Enter Erannorth Chronicles. The hardest part was working on Reborn's spaghetti code and convoluted systems and trying to bring it closer to the vision of my dream game and its new player base. Having significantly more experience and exceptionally more extended development time than Reborn, it became something much closer.

Something that these lyrics by Eminem describe perfectly, so I quote:

"Who dress like me; walk, talk and act like me
It might be the next best thing, but not quite me!"

Is the third time the charm? I certainly hope so. We are still far from the release date, but it feels nice each week brings us a step closer to Erannorth Renaissance.

So, what have I been up to since we last talked? Let's see. Having developed the ability to trigger willingly or automatically fixed stories or events, the next step was to add a more dynamic factor.

[h2]Dynamic World and Events[/h2]

I've introduced a new system that makes the world around you feel more alive and unpredictable. You may encounter events specific to your terrain as you explore different areas. Whether you stumble upon a hidden treasure in the forest or encounter a wandering merchant in the desert, the game world reacts to where you are and what you're doing. Behind the scenes, after the terrain is chosen, you are directed to a hub full of hand-written events specific to that terrain, and one of them is chosen randomly based on the time of day or other factors.

This is how it appears in Unity's Dialogue System plugin which I am using to create the stories.

First we choose the Hub based on the terrain.



Then we proceed to the hub and select a random event from those that meet the requirements. As you can see, out of these 30 woodlands events, only two are half-done. However, this approach offers extremely high scalability, as adding new events is simply a matter of adding a few nodes, and they will automatically integrate into the game.



The same is true as you navigate urban areas. You may encounter the NPCs who reside there within or outside their schedule, initiate their introduction event, or, if you already know them, further advance your relationship.

[h2]Items and Equipment[/h2]

I've added dozens of new attire, armor, and weapon items to the game to provide gear that complements your play style and role-playing experience. Items in Erannorth Renaissance can offer passive and skill bonuses and new actions you can use in and out of combat.

This is how the weapons look in the in-game editor; there are about 264 at the moment.



They are usable but lack what makes them truly interesting: passive bonuses, their actual effects like whether they'll inflict vulnerability or bleeding, and any bonus actions that accompany them. So, they are still a long way from being finalized, but they provide me with an idea of the kinds of weapons and actions to tinker with, allowing them to show up in merchants' inventories or the loot tables, etc.

You can also collect "physical" copies of books and read them at your convenience.

"Let's first grab a few items from Ennathil's supplies."



Let's see what this book is about!



[h2]NPC Personalities and Interactions[/h2]

I introduced a new system for your NPC interactions powered by distinct personality tags. Your choices will influence NPCs differently based on their personality type.

I also started implementing various interactions with the NPCs other than socializing. Ie. You can now barter and trade with anyone.

Based on their net worth, NPCs can carry an assortment of items. You'll never know what you may find.



All these are just checks to naturally facilitate various interactions, such as bartering, and pave the way for more complex actions down the road, like recruiting characters to your party, or feeding if you're playing as a vampire, among others.



NPCs and your choices could fall into the following archetypes:

Guardians protect order and tradition, always ready to defend those in their care. Their leadership shines in crisis situations, where their calm and organized approach brings reassurance and unity. For example, faced with a threat, a Guardian might rally the community with resolve, saying, "Fear not, for we stand united. Follow my lead, and we shall protect our home and kin together."

Empaths are the heart and soul of any group, intuitively connected to the emotions of those around them. They excel in offering comfort and understanding, making them invaluable in times of distress. When a character is in sorrow, for instance, an Empath would offer a shoulder and a kind word: "I can't begin to understand your pain, but I'm here for you, to listen or just sit in silence, whatever you need."

Trailblazers are adventurers, always eager to explore the unknown and innovate. Their fearless spirit and curiosity drive them to discover and lead, making the path where none existed before. Confronted with the mystery of an uncharted territory, a Trailblazer's eyes light up with the promise of adventure: "There's a mystery in these woods waiting to be discovered. Let's see what secrets lie hidden beyond!"

Visionaries are dreamers, constantly looking to the future and imagining how it could improve. Their big ideas and aspirations inspire those around them to think beyond the present. Gazing upon a neglected part of the city, a Visionary might share their dream: "Imagine this place not as it is, but what it could be—a beacon of prosperity and unity for all."

Beacons are charismatic leaders who inspire hope and confidence. Their optimism and ability to motivate others make them natural leaders in any endeavor, guiding their followers toward a brighter future. A Beacon would lift spirits in the face of adversity, proclaiming: "Let our spirits not be dampened by the shadows. In unity, there is light strong enough to dispel any darkness. Follow me to victory!"

Enigmas are mysterious figures whose depths are hidden behind a veil of secrecy. They reveal their true selves only to those they deem worthy, making their trust valuable. Sharing a glimpse into their hidden depths, an Enigma might confide: "There are reasons for my solitude, secrets from a past that haunts me. Perhaps, in time, I'll share my story with you."

This system is all about immersion and works behind the scenes. You won't encounter colored labels or influence numbers to guide your decisions. It's about your genuine choices and their consequences on your journey through Erannorth.

There aren't wrong or correct choices. Based on your choice and the personality of the person you speak with, your influence may increase or decrease by an amount that now depends on your compatibility as characters. For example, an Empath choice might find common ground with a Guardian's protective nature or a Beacon's communal focus. Still, it may struggle to resonate with an Enigma.

As a player, you aren't locked to a fixed personality type. You can choose whichever option best reflects your RP at any given moment. This system fosters complex and nuanced behaviors, creating a world where personalities interact in realistic and multifaceted ways without you realizing it's the case. Which I hope will make your adventures more enjoyable.

At the end of the day, there are interactions that are only available to your rivals or enemies, so you really don't need to be nice to everyone. Even if you are, not everyone may appreciate you snooping into their affairs.

Let's try to be nice and choose option 1.



While this may work for some NPCs, she is a tough audience.



[h2]The elephant in the room[/h2]

So, when will it be released? I wish I could tell you. The coding and functionality needed to host the content for a 'minimum viable product', suitable for early access, are complete. However, the content itself is not fully there yet. So, the answer is, of course, 'when it's ready.' We can all hope that will be sometime in 2024.

That's all for today folks! If you have any questions or suggestions feel free to comment below!