Vanishing Realms News

Edit 3/8/2017: Development on Vanishing Realms continues, with new content and support for new hardware in the works. To keep the following post relevant, I've removed the original reference to a fixed, near term shipping schedule, however. As it required over 2500 hours of dev time to create ch1 & ch2, I've concluded it's quite beyond me to accurately estimate a delivery date for new chapters! When posts about playtesting start to appear in the community hub, we'll be getting close though. Following is the ongoing work plan:
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The next large update will launch the first two chapters of Vanishing Realms out of Early Access. This major update will mark the completion of all the technical work I had envisioned for the base game, as well as all the content I'd hoped to deliver in the first 2 chapters. Integrating community feedback and adding the Warrior's Challenge, the 2 handed weapon mechanism, throw/break/burn interactions and the newly expanded environments has very much helped to fill out the duration and quality of the game. Around 5 months of additional full time dev work have been integrated and shipped since the initial Early Access release, and I feel pretty happy with the overall state of the game.

Post launch, I'll continue to support ch 1 & ch 2 as needed with fixes/technical updates, while the majority of my dev time will be spent creating completely new content for ch 3 and beyond.

The new content for ch 3 will likely be delivered as DLC, unless the new chapters(s) become too large, or require significant new technology. The alternative would then be a separate expansion, however I'll know more only when the new work is closer to playtest. I don't have a clear idea on pricing yet, and I've historically been overly optimistic on delivery dates, so I'll exercise some restraint and hold off until I know a bit more. After launch, I very much look forward to focusing on new weapons, magic, creatures and environments for ch 3! Feedback on the Community Hub has been extremely important in improving the game, and I hope the thoughtful ideas and contributions presented there will continue.

Edit 3/8/2017: Development on Vanishing Realms continues, with new content and support for new hardware in the works. To keep the following post relevant, I've removed the original reference to a fixed, near term shipping schedule, however. As it required over 2500 hours of dev time to create ch1 & ch2, I've concluded it's quite beyond me to accurately estimate a delivery date for new chapters! When posts about playtesting start to appear in the community hub, we'll be getting close though. Following is the ongoing work plan:
___________

The next large update will launch the first two chapters of Vanishing Realms out of Early Access. This major update will mark the completion of all the technical work I had envisioned for the base game, as well as all the content I'd hoped to deliver in the first 2 chapters. Integrating community feedback and adding the Warrior's Challenge, the 2 handed weapon mechanism, throw/break/burn interactions and the newly expanded environments has very much helped to fill out the duration and quality of the game. Around 5 months of additional full time dev work have been integrated and shipped since the initial Early Access release, and I feel pretty happy with the overall state of the game.

Post launch, I'll continue to support ch 1 & ch 2 as needed with fixes/technical updates, while the majority of my dev time will be spent creating completely new content for ch 3 and beyond.

The new content for ch 3 will likely be delivered as DLC, unless the new chapters(s) become too large, or require significant new technology. The alternative would then be a separate expansion, however I'll know more only when the new work is closer to playtest. I don't have a clear idea on pricing yet, and I've historically been overly optimistic on delivery dates, so I'll exercise some restraint and hold off until I know a bit more. After launch, I very much look forward to focusing on new weapons, magic, creatures and environments for ch 3! Feedback on the Community Hub has been extremely important in improving the game, and I hope the thoughtful ideas and contributions presented there will continue.

The second major update to Vanishing Realms is finally available! Highlights:

• Hard mode with new AI that can parry, dodge, pursue, strike at vulnerabilities and execute combination moves.
  
• The mid-game has been expanded to include a number of large new indoor and outdoor playable areas.
  
• Two-handed bow aiming is now supported, and there is a new two-handed melee weapon which requires some skill to master.
  
• From the opening screen, it is now possible to select and replay any previously reached checkpoint.
  
• Checkpoints may be replayed on either 'classic' or 'hard' mode.
  
• Many previously inert items may now be grabbed, burned, thrown, broken, and these behaviors are integrated with puzzle design and gameplay.
  
• Skeleton swordsmen are divided into three distinct difficulty types with new custom model changes for each type.
  
• Monsters have approx 40 new melee animations.
  
• Teleporting uses a new spline that better shows range limits and interacts with terrain.
  
• Achievement stats are now visible from the pause room.
  
• The Rite Of Steel arena retains the two-death restriction, but the time constraint is now relaxed so that all players will have ample time to strategize.
  
• The final game room contains an End Game button and a summary of all achievements and checkpoints.
  
• Many more small changes than can be listed here - please find more detail pinned in the dev post under 'Players Post Here' in the Vanishing Realms Community Hub.
  

As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated!

The second major update to Vanishing Realms is finally available! Highlights:

• Hard mode with new AI that can parry, dodge, pursue, strike at vulnerabilities and execute combination moves.
  
• The mid-game has been expanded to include a number of large new indoor and outdoor playable areas.
  
• Two-handed bow aiming is now supported, and there is a new two-handed melee weapon which requires some skill to master.
  
• From the opening screen, it is now possible to select and replay any previously reached checkpoint.
  
• Checkpoints may be replayed on either 'classic' or 'hard' mode.
  
• Many previously inert items may now be grabbed, burned, thrown, broken, and these behaviors are integrated with puzzle design and gameplay.
  
• Skeleton swordsmen are divided into three distinct difficulty types with new custom model changes for each type.
  
• Monsters have approx 40 new melee animations.
  
• Teleporting uses a new spline that better shows range limits and interacts with terrain.
  
• Achievement stats are now visible from the pause room.
  
• The Rite Of Steel arena retains the two-death restriction, but the time constraint is now relaxed so that all players will have ample time to strategize.
  
• The final game room contains an End Game button and a summary of all achievements and checkpoints.
  
• Many more small changes than can be listed here - please find more detail pinned in the dev post under 'Players Post Here' in the Vanishing Realms Community Hub.
  

As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated!

I'm very happy to announce that the first update to Vanishing Realms is now available! In this update, my first priority was to address player feedback on usability, then sneak a few new features in. Highlights: a new expandable visual inventory system, 'family friendly' support for multiple save games, new melee weapon dynamics, monster movement changes, haptic feedback support, in-game checkpoint visualizations, improvements to auto pause, new system to maintain comfortable wall distances when teleporting, misc bug fixes. This update doesn't address all of the issues folks have discovered, and I've posted more detail on the Community Hub, top of the Player's subform. As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated!