Under a Desert Sun: Seekers of the Cursed Vessel News

I figured I’d start posting smaller updates now and then. This one shows the tooltip and tutorial features in action.

Testers pointed out that a bit of help text really speeds up understanding of the game mechanics—and they’re right. It’s a common method in many games, and now Under a Desert Sun: Seekers of the Cursed Vessel supports it too.

Some example usage of the new tech!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The system behind it is pretty flexible. It allows almost anything in the game to trigger a tooltip or a short tutorial popup. And of course, if you prefer a clean screen, you can turn them off in the settings menu.

More to come soon.

Hi everyone! I’ve been working on further developing the skill system for the two playable classes currently in Under a Desert Sun: Seekers of the Cursed Vessel.

The goal is to give players meaningful choices through a layered approach to character customization:

On the right side of the screen, you'll find a classic Diablo II-style skill tree—both in appearance and philosophy. It’s deliberately old-school: no free respecs, so each decision matters and helps shape a distinct build.

Complementing that is a more flexible card slot system, which lets you adjust your playstyle on the fly. These cards introduce powerful modifiers and unique mechanics that can significantly alter your approach to combat and exploration.

The interaction between the two systems should create exciting variety. For example, one skill card available to the Adventurer disables rifle usage but unlocks the ability to dual wield pistols, enabling faster, close-range aggression.

The footage included in this update shows the player selecting a Frost or Burn bullet skill card—activating elemental bullets that apply freezing or burning effects to enemies on hit. This is just one of many ways skill cards can evolve your character’s abilities.

Choosing the frost bullet skill:


Using the frost bullets:


ANd use of burnBullets - same card system ofcourse:


More updates soon as the system continues to take shape!

Hey everyone, I'm excited to share a sneak peek into our new skill system! We're taking inspiration from classic ARPGs—with that nostalgic commitment to your skill choices—and merging it with a modern twist: a dynamic card system that lets you swap abilities on the fly. This means you get the best of both worlds: the depth of traditional builds and the flexibility to experiment and adapt as you play. I'm really looking forward to your thoughts and feedback on this approach!

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I have made the choice to start making video games and digital art full-time and have founded my own game studio, Revolving Gear Studios! This marks the beginning of an exciting journey—one that has been a lifelong dream of mine.

I've had many years of experience as a manager, head of development, developer, and in project execution and leadership, and I finally feel that I have the experience to take the plunge. Not to mention that I've always kept honing my skills as a game development hobbyist. My previous steam release as an example.

The first project under the new company, Under a Desert Sun: Seekers of the Cursed Vessel, is already in development, The progress can be tracked on this very steampage.

For those of you who know me and my previous works, you might recognize the name Under a Desert Sun from my earlier VR game. So yes indeed... I've started a franchise 😉.

Jokes aside, I wasn’t quite ready to let go of the desert theme just yet and wanted to tell more stories in the same universe. This time, I’ve decided to do so in the form of an action RPG, which you can play alone or with friends.

None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of my wife, family, and friends—thank you for always believing in me!

I’m looking forward to connecting with fellow developers, gamers, and creatives as I bring this vision to life. Let’s make something amazing together.

Want to stay in the loop daily? Join our Discord:
Discord server!

Stay tuned—more updates coming soon!