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Dev Update #1 — New Graphics, Bug Squashing, and Launch Approaching

[p]Rotary Knights is getting closer to takeoff. Here's what I've been working on.[/p][p][/p][h2]Visual Overhaul: Dogfight Hex Map[/h2][p]I'm overhauling the dogfight combat screen with a new visual direction inspired by classic hex wargames.[/p][p][/p][p]What changed:[/p]
  • [p]Aircraft now sit inside faction-colored unit counters — RFC khaki for your side, German feldgrau for the enemy — with altitude badges, heading indicators, and HP bars. Readable at a glance, the way a proper wargame board should be.[/p]
  • [p]The hex grid itself has been cleaned up with a uniform sky palette that keeps the focus on tactical positioning instead of visual noise.[/p]
  • [p]HUD panels now match the Western Front campaign map's board-game aesthetic — warm brown borders, opaque panels, faction roundels.[/p]
[p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I want every dogfight to feel like you're commanding chits on a squadron table. The old dark leather look is gone — replaced with a sky gradient and crisp grid lines that make altitude, range, and firing arcs easy to read at any zoom level.[/p][p][/p][h2]Bug Squashing[/h2][p]I've been grinding through the bug backlog with extensive automated testing — running play-throughs against the live build, then fixing what they find. The last two passes alone addressed 112 issues across combat, events, the terminal UI, and edge cases in the 6-act campaign.[/p][p][/p][p]The current build has 1,414 automated tests passing. The goal is a stable, tight experience on day one of Early Access.[/p][p][/p][h2]What's in the Build[/h2][p]For anyone new — Rotary Knights is a text-based RPG spanning WWI aviation from 1914 to 1918. Fly 37 aircraft, fight hex tactical dogfights, manage your aerodrome on the Western Front, and survive a branching 6-act campaign with permadeath. Full details on the store page.[/p][p][/p][h2]What's Next[/h2][p]
Launch is close. I'll announce the date soon. In the meantime — wishlist if you haven't, and join the Discord to follow development in real time. [/p][p][/p][p]Clear skies, [/p][p]— Steve, ChoiceRealms[/p]