Alder Forge 2 News

[p]Greetings,[/p][p][/p][p]As we're heading toward the Alder Forge 2 EA Launch, it's time I resume the tradition of the Devlogs, showing the Alder Forge community, veterans, and newcomers, behind the scenes, starting with the first Devlog, focusing solely on environment design.[/p][p][/p][h2]Pipeline:[/h2][p]The pipeline of the environment design of the Alder Forge 2 is a bit similar to the previous entry, albeit technically, with an important addition of a new process (Blockout and Scaling), and also focusing on PBRs and cultural identities from the lore built from the previous entry. The pipeline established in November 2023 for the Alder Forge 2 and prior to the start of its first environment, "Minerva Underground," is as follows:[/p][p][/p]

1. [p]Real-life environment research and establishing a "MoodBoard."[/p]
2. [p]Preparing the environmental master shaders. (Example: Bricks, Concrete, Wood, Metal, etc).[/p]
3. [p]Grey Blockout and Scaling. \[Footnote 1][/p]
4. [p]Designing the Largest Modular Assets from the Blockout shapes. \[Footnote 2][/p]
5. [p]Designing the Middlesized Modular Assets from the Blockout shapes.[/p]
6. [p]Designing the small Modular Assets from the Blockout shapes.[/p]
7. [p]Designing the props, debris, and decals.[/p]
8. [p]Lighting, Atmosphere, and Color Grading.[/p]
9. [p]Optimization and testing. \[Footnote 3][/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][p]\[Footnote 1]: This is the new process that was ignored in the previous entry to gain speed in delivering the four chapters to the Alder Forge community, but established in the Alder Forge 2 as it has proven its importance in the environment design, especially when it comes to scaling.[/p][p][/p][p]\[Footnote 2]: This is the most well-known strategy used in the video game industry, and specifically the environment design, as it is advised when moving from "Blockout" to "Designing the Modular Assets," to start with the largest pieces, then move gradually to the smallest.[/p][p][/p][p]\[Footnote 3]: This process is similar to the one explained in the Devlog of the previous entry, with the addition of a Ray-traced lighting inspection mode.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p] Image subject: Example Master shaders PBRs prepared for the Minerva Bailey.[/p][p][/p][p] Image subject: A Few of the Largest Modular Assets Designed for the Minerva Bailey.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Image subject: A Few of the Medium Modular Assets Designed for the Minerva Bailey.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Image subject: A Few of the Small Modular Assets Designed for the Minerva Bailey.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Image Subject: A view of Minerva Bailey.[/p][p][/p][h2]About Minerva:[/h2][p]Minerva is the new fortress built in the Valley of the Twelve, after both the Fourth and the elderly Third Squadron agreed on Adriel's idea of taking over the "No Man's Land," and turn it into a High Council command center, this, of course, influences the type and style of architecture of the fortress in question, as the High Council is an international confederation, the style should be a mix of its member nations and their cultures.[/p][p][/p]

• [p]Exterior: Orvysian Gothic Architecture \[Footnote 4][/p]
• [p]Interior: Elysian Gold trimmed interiors (Minerva Central Style)[/p]
• [p]Gardens: Meredithian Expertise (Pax Gardens)[/p]
• [p]Wood and Craftsmanship: Roynar Way (Shop Area)[/p]
• [p]Steel Work and Bridges: Orphelian Style (Elevators and Light Posts)[/p]
• [p]Cuisine and Library: Kurnian Style [/p]
• [p]Cooling and Heating: Potravian Expertise[/p]
• [p]Armors for the Silver Helmets: Sun Empire[/p]
• [p]Textile and Fabric: Saltrian Expertise[/p]

[p][/p][hr][/hr][p]\[Footnote 4]: These are in-game cultures of nations established each in July 2020 when the previous entry's development began.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h2]In Video:[/h2][p]From late November to December 2023, I recorded the design process, sped up, of course, of designing the modular assets and environment previously outlined. Please check the following videos, as they cover the environment design of the "Minerva Bailey" as a whole.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Video Subject: Part 1 of Minerva Bailey Environment Design.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Video Subject: Part 2 of Minerva Bailey Environment Design.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Video Subject: Part 3 of Minerva Bailey Environment Design.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Video Subject: Part 4 of Minerva Bailey Environment Design.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Video Subject: Part 5 of Minerva Bailey Environment Design.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Video Subject: Part 6 of Minerva Bailey Environment Design.[/p][p][/p][h2]Conclusion:[/h2][p]The new pipeline established for the Alder Forge 2 differs from the previous entry as it has proven to produce better-scaled environments, but at the price of time compared to the previous entry. [/p][p][/p][p]I hope that the Alder Forge 2 will prove entertaining for both veterans of the Alder Forge and newcomers as well, and thank you for your interest in this world, story, and characters.[/p][p][/p][p]Kind Regards,[/p][p]Zine. E. Falouti[/p]

[p]Greetings,[/p][p]As promised in the latest "Progress Point," the Alder Forge 2 EA phase 1 & 2 will launch in the first half of Q1 2026. At the EA start, members of the Alder Forge community will access the following:[/p]

• [p]The Prologue (Demo Content)[/p]
• [p]Intermission 1 [/p]
• [p]Chapter 1 (Magna Lumen)[/p]
• [p]Intermission 2[/p]
• [p]Chapter 2 (Le Théatre Macabre)[/p]
• [p]Intermission 3[/p][p][/p]

[h2]Proper Date:[/h2][p]A proper date will be shared with the Alder Forge community early to mid-December 2025, alongside the plan of the EA Launch, similar to what happened in the previous entry.[/p][p][/p][h2]Progress So Far:[/h2][p]I'm currently at the last stretch of Chapter 2, "Le Théatre Macabre" and its final battles. The moment I finish this, I will focus on playtests and the preparation of the EA Launch Build.[/p][p][/p][p]Similar to the previous entry, I also intend, if possible, to share the Devlogs as we all get closer to the EA Launch.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Image Subject: From Chapter 2, Duchy of Elysia, a distant view of "Château Des Lions" from "Les Champs Maudits."[/p][p][/p][p] Image Subject: From Chapter 2, Ariolian Ocean, west of the Duchy of Elysia. The ruins of an ancient civilization factory.[/p][p][/p][p] Image Subject: From Chapter 2, Duchy of Elysia, Saint Marianne City, "Les Couturiers" District.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you again for your patience and interest in this world, story, and characters.[/p][p][/p][p]Kind Regards,[/p][p]Zine. E. Falouti[/p]

[p]Greetings,[/p][p]Since the announcement in October 2024 and the NextFest demo in February 2025, the development of Alder Forge 2 was paused for seven months due to health issues. Development resumed in late April 2025, and I’m now able to share a progress update.[/p][h3]Currently, work on Chapter 2, Le Théâtre Macabre, has already begun. This is because, unlike the previous game, Alder Forge 2 will launch in Early Access with both Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 available simultaneously, that is, Phase 1 and Phase 2 will release together at launch.[/h3][p]A confirmed release window and date will be shared with the Alder Forge community as soon as the development and testing of Chapter 2 are complete.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Image Subject: From Chapter 1, Kingdom of Meredith, Gover Castle.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Image Subject: From Chapter 1, Kingdom of Meredith, Lunaria City, Port District.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Image Subject: From Chapter 1, Kingdom of Mereidith, Lunaria City, The Moon Palace.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Image Subject: From Chapter 2, Duchy of Elysia, Saint Marianne City, Les Pêcheurs District.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Image Subject: From Chapter 2, Duchy of Elysia, Saint Marianne City, Arc Des Lions District at night, a view of Arc Des Lions, La Grande Guillotine, and Dame Sangclaire Cathedral.[/p][p][/p][p]The development of Chapter 2 will continue over the coming months, with regular “Points of Progress” updates shared periodically with the Alder Forge community alongside technical development previews, much like in the previous entry.[/p][p][/p][p]Time will also be dedicated to the creation of optional events, particularly the optional bosses and their rewards. Unlike the previous game, these features will be available from the start of each phase.[/p][p][/p][p]Thank you for your continued patience and for your interest in this world, its characters, and its story. I also want to apologize for the lack of updates since the announcement of Alder Forge 2.[/p]

Veterans of the Alder Forge or newcomers alike, I welcome you all to the Alder Forge 2 community, where we will continue this journey if possible into its second arc: Magna Lumen.

The Alder Forge 2 is built upon the Alder Forge which in turn graduated from Early Access as well a year and nearly a month ago and was in that process since January 7th, 2022. I'm following the exact story written in July 2020, and as I have respected the first arc to the smallest detail while working on the previous entry, I intend to do the same for this one as well.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Video Subject: The Alder Forge 2 - Announce Trailer


As mentioned in the introduction, the Alder Forge takes the system that upgraded from early access and was built upon it with additional linking mechanics, though, the environment, characters, and cinematic systems were fully redesigned thanks to the two years time jump in the story between the previous entry and this one, please check the list that summarizes to a certain extent the current features of the Alder Forge 2.

• Enhanced Adaptive Turn-Based Combat system with party boosts, hybrid Anima Stones, follow ups, and better controls.
  
• Battle Speed: Control the battle Speed (x1, x2, x3)
  
• Battle Heat System: rewarding you for chaining battles without rest by an XP multiplier that keeps iterating.
  
• Gaia’s Blessings System: Everything you do outside the battles can enhance your boost points and Max BP in battle by leveling up the same system.
  
• Merchant Discounts: By leveling up your Gaia’s Blessings you will start unlocking permanent discounts by all the merchants within the game no matter the location.
  
• Refined Crafting system: The crafting system is enhanced with amount control, better equipment checking, and split between the following: Chemical, Weapons’ Upgrade, and Anima Stone Fusion.
  
• Party Lineup: 4 as the attacking party and 4 as the reserve.
  
• Enemies are now split into Adaptive and Normal.
  
• Bosses are split into four categories as the following: Classic (Like the previous entry), 3rd tier (More powerful than the classic with advanced abilities), 2nd Tier, and 1st tier.
  
• Better character movement enhanced with a new base system either be in battle areas or sanctuaries.
  

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Video Subject: 17 Minutes of Gameplay from the Alder Forge 2 chapter 1: Magna Lumen


During your journey, you will visit the following:

• Kingdom of Meredith: Western province and the Capital city.
  
• Duchy of Elysia: Saint Marianne city, Chateau des Lions, and their environs.
  
• Kingdom of Orvys: White Dome city, the Raysark mines, and their environs.
  
• Hidden Location: The name of this realm which veterans of the Alder Forge have heard of will be unveiled during the final intermission and will take you east of the continent for the first time.
  

Note: All the locations are new and have never been visited during the previous entry except the Valley of the Twelve and it is fully redesigned. (Members of the Alder Forge community who finished the previous entry know why it is redesigned).


The year is 947 AGC, two years after the Orvysian invasion of Royne and the final battle between the Fourth Squadron and the Equilibrium which its aftermath has forced the Magna Lumen to emerge from the shadows in a world-scale violent conflict with all the branches of the High Council, the same conflict will be amplified by the destined clash between the 9 remaining Knights of the Alder Forge and their respective Guardians.

Meanwhile, in a society where commoners can rise high thanks to their skills and hard work, the noble traditionalists are using the larger conflict between the Magna Lumen and the High Council to make their violent and wicked last stand while other shadowy organizations are using the chaos to further their hold on the politics and economics of this world.

Experience the events that will shape the future of this world and reconcile it with the old one (Pre Great Cataclysm) and learn the inner works and mechanisms of the Alder Forge and its functions in regards to what remains of the planet.

• Adriel: Inspector General. (In Party from the start of the game)
  
• Fiona: Military General. (In Party from the start of the game)
  
• Leo: Intelligence Division. (In Party from the start of the game)
  
• Mirabelle: Leodorian Academy Student. (In Party from the start of the game)
  
• Cassandra: Head of Maintenance. (Joins from Mid-Prologue)
  
• Gilbert: Ancient. (Joins from early Chapter 1)
  
• Jeyne: Shadow Squadron. (Joins from late Chapter 1)
  
• William: ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ???????? (Joins from mid Chapter 2)
  

Image Subject: Posters of the 8 Party Members.



Is it mandatory for newcomers to play the previous entry?
"No! Of course, veterans of the Alder Forge who finished the previous entry will have the advantage and they will immediately know what's going on, but you don't need to play the previous entry and you can easily jump into the Alder Forge 2. Please do not skip the cinematics or the Quill points, because they're designed and added there specifically for players who do not wish to play the previous entry. Veterans on the other hand, you're welcome to skip through the Quill points and flashbacks because you know, visited, and fought there."

How long the Alder Forge 2 is planned to be compared to the previous entry?
Slightly a bit longer I believe, because in the finale if we get there, is going to be in a new realm entirely, east of the continent to be precise.

What are the technical differences between the previous entry and this one?
The Alder Forge 2 uses Ray Traced lighting and DirectX 12. The anime skin shaders are also different than the previous ones and use different types of functions. The Alder Forge (Previous entry) uses Unreal Engine 4.25, the Alder Forge 2 uses Unreal Engine 4.26.

Will this game have similar updates and progress points reports like the previous entry?
Yes, if everything goes well during the start of Phase 1, immediately after that event I will begin both reports, extra activities, and of course gathering your feedback from the community hub and translating it into "Community Updates" just like the previous entry.

Is the story going to focus on the 9 remaining Knights of the Alder Forge and their respective Guardians, or the Magna Lumen?
Both are going to be intertwined as you will discover by the end of the prologue: The Silver Maiden. Of course, the Magna Lumen as Veterans of the Alder Forge know very well, are deadlier and darker than the Equilibrium, which means a lot of characters are going to die, (Your party members are not safe either), the destined clash between the 9 remaining Knights of the Alder Forge and the Guardians which are considered weapons of mass destructions, is going to amplify the violence to another level entirely.

Is the pricing model going to be similar to the previous entry?
Yes, as I said in the previous entry and I will say once more, you pay for the content you get at the time, so in case the unexpected happens, you lose nothing. A month before a chapter is released and the game transitions to a new phase, the community will be warned about the pricing change.

What are the planned chapters for the Alder Forge 2?

• Prologue: The Silver Maiden (Phase 1)
  
• Chapter 1: Magna Lumen (Phase 1)
  
• Chapter 2: Le Théatre Macabre (Phase 2)
  
• Chapter 3: Prince Of Chaos (Phase 3)
  
• Chapter 4: Ozymandias (Phase 4)
  
• Epilogue: The Oculi (Phase 4)
  

If this Q&A doesn't answer a specific question you have, please do ask in the Alder Forge 2 Community Hub, and I will answer as soon as I can.


I welcome you all once more, and I hope that I deliver something that will surpass the previous entry in gameplay, design, and experience.

Thank you for your interest in this world, story, and characters.

Kind Regards,
Zine. E. Falouti