Erannorth Renaissance News

Hi folks,

Thank you all for being part of this fantastic journey in Erannorth Renaissance Early Access!

We have a long way ahead, and before I start following our roadmap, I am going through all the initial feedback and suggestions. We'll eventually get into a more regular rhythm of updates that expand the world, enhance your interactions and footprint in it, and implement various QoL additions you want to see in the game while also fixing any issues or annoyances.

But in the meantime, what is a launch, if not dull, without its share of 0-day hotfixes? This small patch addresses some of the issues that you reported. You can read more details in the patch notes below:

You can read more details in the patch notes below:

26/07/24 # 0.5.41

• Fixed an issue where custom characters' names in the dialogue system were stored as "You" instead of their actual names, leading to some awkward introductions. The fix should also work on your Saved characters.
  
• Fixed an issue with the achievement-related shortcut choices in Ennathil's Camp not showing up correctly.
  
• Fixed an issue with custom characters' bios not scaling correctly in specific resolutions.
  
• Tools and Adventuring Gear will no longer show as "Junk" as their category but will be correctly categorized as Tools or Adventuring Gear, respectively.
  

Hi folks,

The past few days have felt like a race against the clock. I've been pushing myself to the limit, working tirelessly to add as many features and improvements as possible for the day one patch. I wanted it to be the perfect Early Access launch. But let's be real – it won’t be perfect. There will be bugs I couldn't catch, balance issues, and a long journey ahead to refine and improve.

It's like the tension before an exam, dreading the moment when the instructor says, "Pens down," but also anticipating the relief of completing this chapter. I finished the build, and now time seems to have slowed to a crawl.

Waiting for the sake of waiting feels a bit silly, doesn’t it?

Oh, wait... It must be the 26th somewhere in the world!

So, as I was saying, Erannorth Renaissance is out now.

If you know what you're getting into, then welcome aboard!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2657930/Erannorth_Renaissance/

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!