Rise of the Settlement – Dev Diary Community Update #5

[p][/p][p]I am excited to share big strides made in shaping the heart of your settlement: the people who live, work, and grow within it. The world is no longer empty—your villagers now have names, faces, stories, and needs![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]👪 A Living Population[/h2][p]Villagers are now born, grow up, age, and eventually pass on. Your settlement is no longer static—it’s alive with generations.[/p]

• [p]🍼 Children go through distinct life stages: baby, toddler, teen, and adult. Each stage affects their appearance, behavior, and abilities.[/p]
• [p]🧒 Only adults can work, while teens may help in limited ways in future updates.[/p]
• [p]📸 Every villager has a unique hand-drawn portrait that reflects their age and identity, helping you connect with the people you’re guiding.[/p]

[p]These life cycles add depth to your village, and you’ll start to feel the story of each family unfold over time.[/p][p][/p][h2]❤️ Relationships & Families[/h2][p]Villagers now form couples and start families, allowing your population to grow naturally over time through generations.[/p]

• [p]💑 When two adults pair up, they may eventually have children, beginning the next chapter in your village’s story.[/p]
• [p]👶 Pregnancies, births, and birthdays now trigger meaningful changes—from new villagers entering the world to children aging into useful members of the community.[/p]
• [p]🧬 Family ties also influence legacy traits, such as inherited profession tendencies, making lineage a core part of long-term development.[/p]

[p]As families grow, your village begins to feel truly alive—woven together by bonds of work, survival, and heritage.[/p][p][/p][h2]💼 Work and Skills[/h2][p]Your villagers now learn by doing. As they work, they gain experience tied to the job they perform—whether it's gathering, farming, building, or crafting.[/p]

• [p]🪓 Experience accumulates over time, and once a threshold is reached, the villager is granted a profession title such as Apprentice, Journeyman, or Master.[/p]
• [p]⚙️ Each title level brings an increase in job efficiency, making skilled workers much more valuable.[/p]
• [p]🧬 Professions can also be inherited as legacy traits from parents. A child born to skilled workers may begin life with an innate talent in that profession, giving them a head start.[/p]

[p]Over time, you'll develop a population of highly specialized villagers, shaped by their experiences—and their bloodlines.[/p][p][/p][h2]😊 Happiness and Needs[/h2][p]Villagers now have basic survival needs—specifically food and water. These are essential for maintaining their health and happiness.[/p]

• [p]🍎 If food or water is missing, villagers will become unhappy.[/p]
• [p]The system is already built to support more needs in the future, such as clothing, shelter, and social fulfillment.[/p]

[p]While only the most essential needs are active right now, this lays the groundwork for a deeper simulation of village life, where wellbeing becomes as important as work.[/p][p][/p][h2]📸 A Village of Faces[/h2]

• [p]I've added a large variety of hand-drawn villager portraits, tailored to each life stage. Babies are swaddled in linen, teens sport youthful looks, and elders wear the years with pride.[/p]
• [p]These portraits will grow with your people, making your community feel alive and personal.[/p]

[p][/p][p]I’ve laid the foundation for deeper simulation and emergent stories. In the coming time, I’ll be expanding on:[/p]

• [p]Housing & living space systems[/p]
• [p]Individual equipment and clothing[/p]
• [p]Social dynamics and personal preferences[/p]

[p]Thanks for following development and being part of this journey.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Stay tuned — there’s much more to uncover in Rise of the Settlement.[/p][p]🎮 Please consider joining our community: [/p][p]👉 https://discord.com/invite/WSdrFVX9Ys[/p][p][/p][p]See you in the next update, — Luki[/p]