Archmage Rises News

[p]This is my second last post of 2025. As the year winds down, I’ve been reflecting on 2025 and making some plans for 2026 which may be of interest to players.[/p][p]I’ll cut to the most exciting news: I’ll be working on Archmage Rises full time January and February. I had a small bit of good fortune wrapping up a client project end of the year and it should see me through the next two months.[/p][p]When I first started the project I came from building my own game engine in C++ and releasing two titles to the app store. I needed to decide to continue building out my game engine or switch to one of the popular ones. While I could keep building my engine, I could never keep up with dozens of dedicated engine developers in Denmark or North Carolina. In the end I decided to go with Unity because of the vast asset store, community, and C# - my preferred programming language.[/p][p]But I needed a lot of help learning this new engine, especially the new UI system they introduced, and so I got a lot of help from an experienced unity dev, Nic. Nic was so helpful that eventually we formalized his help by hiring him fulltime. He would focus on the Unity aspects of the game (scenes, game objects, UI) and I would focus on the simulation and data side.[/p][p]That division of labor worked well, but it hid a problem: I didn’t have to learn many of Unity’s deeper mechanics because someone else always handled them.[/p][p]When Nic left to pursue other projects, and I started building out the team to handle increasing client work, the team handled all the details like making an automated build and signing system, UI systems integration, combat system, and map generation.[/p][p]Kind of like the cruising passengers on the Axiom at the end of WALL-E, in a programming sense, I got flabby because whenever something needed to be done, there was someone to do it.[/p][p][/p][p]When our funding didn’t come through last year, the team couldn’t continue, and the project reverted back to just me. It’s pretty daunting to pick up where four other programmers left off, in an engine I hadn’t touched in a while. Up till that moment I had been working in pure C# building, a research prototype for what will become the dynamic quest system.[/p][p]Fortunately, starting in late 2024, I picked up some excellent client work. I had to dive head first in and get my hands dirty with things like Right to Left language localization, tricks of the unity UI layout system and prefab variants, rock solid state serialization, parallelization coroutines and tweens, particles, queued server API integration, asset bundles, and mobile shop integration.[/p][p]In short: It feels like the last year has been a non-stop high-intensity programming workout regiment forcing me to touch practically every major part of Unity.[/p][p]But there is something else that came from this client work besides just getting into shape.[/p][p][/p][p]I have been making Archmage Rises for a while now, and it’s just really hard to make: the procedural systems are difficult to work with. I hope it is because there is nothing else like it and we’re forging a new path.[/p][p]My secret fear is I’m just stupid and suck at game dev. Maybe it is some of both.[/p][p]It’s hard to describe if you’ve never been through the creative project journey, but there is a dark point of the soul (chart) where, if one is honest, you wonder “Can I really do this?”[/p][p]The client work has answered this decisively: Yes. Yes I can.[/p][p]I took the experience and confidence gained from the client work and brought it to the latest update of Hex Events & Resources. I managed to learn and rewrite the resources system in two weeks. It would have taken double or triple that time before.[/p][p]I am really excited to work on Archmage for the next 2 months. I still have to learn the combat system, but other than that, I think I’ve touched all the rest of the major systems and can now make significant changes to them.[/p][p]I hoped the recent changes would be well received – it is hard to tell until release. While writing this update, I was thrilled and really encouraged to see Splattercat felt the game was worth another video. I’m so grateful![/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Thank you all for your interest in this project. I’m working hard to bring you something unique in the RPG space. With your help, we’ll get there![/p]

[p]I'm happy to release a significant new feature update to Archmage Rises.[/p][p]This Build IS NOT BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE - Saves and Worlds have to be created again.[/p][p]For many of us, it's been a while since the last update. If you just started playing, I'm sorry to wreck your game, but it was necessary.[/p][p][/p][p]This Update contains two significant new Feature updates: Hex Events and Resources[/p][p][/p][p]While traveling the world, you’ll now encounter dynamic narrative Events. These are unexpected situations that offer choices, skill tests, opportunities to roleplay, rewards, and consequences.[/p]

• [p]You’ll see events appear directly on the world map as you explore[/p]
• [p]We’re starting with 30 events, more will be added as we develop other features[/p]
• [p]Replaces the old Tracks system - you now spot tracks from afar and choose to engage with them or not[/p]
• [p]Added a new Item type - a “giftable” which you can get out of certain events. These can be sold, but they are special unique items that can be gifted to NPCs to provide big relationship bonuses.[/p]
• [p]Some events are repeatable, some are once per lifetime. Some of the rewards can be quite significant.[/p]
• [p]For the first time, it's now possible for you to mod and create custom content in Archmage. More about this below.[/p]

[p]The events system is a critical component of the game design and very robust and dynamic. It will be used by future features like Regions and Dynamic Quests.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In adding random Events I changed how you interact with a map hex - specifically how resources are found and collected. In Beta people didn't like the changes. So we collectively redesigned to something much better.[/p][p][/p][p]What it includes:[/p]

• [p]Resources are now available from Sources on the map. They are either Organic or Mineral.[/p]
• [p]Sources have a level, starting at the wild untamed version at level 0. [/p]
  • [p]Levelling up will come when I have more time to build it out. All the structure is in place.[/p]
• [p]Mineral sources have a surface deposit at level 0 which you can mine with the right tool. Once they are empty, that’s it. Levelling up is what allows larger harvesting operations that allow you to access more of the deposit.[/p]
• [p]Organic sources are like a mini-farm sim. They grow on a set calendar, example a Rose Bush blooms in Spring. Organic resources die at a certain season, like Roses die off in winter. Each source has its own cycle.[/p]
• [p]Spells (for now, just Haste) can be cast to enchant an organic resource and speed its growth. Example: a rose bush takes 1 year to grow (spring to spring), but with haste it will bloom in only 6 months – Fall. You can use your magic to double yields. The spell lasts until the next growth. There is a calendar system under the hood, but it gets weird: when a haste spell is cast for 9 months, but the plant yields in 3 months, and you don’t come back for 12 months – how many should be there? It’s complicated![/p]
• [p]Spells can also be cast to enhance harvesting. Sure, you can swing a pickaxe and get some silver, but it’s more productive to cast Mage Hand and get 50% more! No, you don’t need a second pick axe for the mage hand, but thanks for asking. :-)[/p]
• [p]There are specialist harvesting spells that allow you to just extract the resource magically – without a tool. These will always be the most productive and take the least effort (beyond casting).[/p]
• [p]How to find resources? There are four new spells to search for them. Each detects different kinds of resources. They are: Earth Sense, Harmonic Burst, Bloom Sense, Deep Root Sense. Cast them and they cover a 3 hex radius. If they find something, great! If not, that area is used up, you’ll need to move elsewhere. The game will tell you if you aren’t in a new search area.[/p]
• [p]How do you get these new spells? For now, go to the Chapter House and the master there will teach you one of them, for a fee. Travel around to get them all.[/p]
• [p]In summary, there are 7 new world spells: Earth Sense, Harmonic Burst, Bloom Sense, Deep Root Sense, Haste, Mage Hand, and Earth Rip[/p]
• [p]There are 2 new items at the outfitter: Knife (harvest fruit, flowers) and Hammer (harvest stone)[/p]
• [p]This build marks the beginning of casting spells in the world, something long needed![/p]

[p]Resources uses a new Location Interaction system, a critical new system for future features of things you can do in a map spot. For example, I've always wanted to have buildings out in the world but it wasn't possible to interact with them in complex ways, until now![/p][p][/p][p]Here is a playtest video focused on the new functionality by starting a new game:[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]I want to thank everyone on Steam forums and the Discord for helping with responses, advice, and general encouragement as I built the feature out.[/p][h3]Real Time Dev Blogging on Discord Channel[/h3][p]I like writing updates, but when I'm actively working on a feature and have a question "Should it be more like A or B?" steam forum posting is just too slow of a turn around. The inability to post a pic is a big limitation.[/p][p]So I tried a new idea: A real-time dev blog. It gives me an outlet while I work on the game, and a chance to chime in on design decisions in real-time. You can check it out here: "real time dev blog".[/p][p]I’ll continue posting full dev blogs every week or so. The real-time channel is just another form of interaction.[/p][p][/p][h2]What about Mods and User Content?[/h2][p]For the first time, you can add custom content to the game. The Events system was designed to allow anyone to write events. You write them in JSON text files and the game will use them. [/p][p]I will post full instructions on how to do it in the Wiki before year end. [/p][p]For the adventurous who just want to try it out now, here is a demo video showing how it works and you you can probably figure it out from that.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]As always, thanks for your interest in Archmage Rises! I really enjoy making it![/p]

[p]I’m happy to report I really focused the last 10 days and built the new Resources feature. Hopefully this will fix the experience people had with the Hex Events feature.[/p][p]I want to thank everyone on the "real time dev blog" Discord channel who helped with responses, advice, and general encouragement as I built the feature.[/p][p]The build is available for play on the BETA steam branch.[/p][p]This Build IS NOT BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE - Saves and Worlds have to be created again.[/p][p]What it includes:[/p]

• [p]Resources are now available from Sources on the map. They are either Organic or Mineral.[/p]
• [p]Sources have a level, starting at the wild untamed version at level 0. Levelling up will come when I have time to build it out. All the structure is in place.[/p]
• [p]Mineral sources have a surface deposit at level 0 which you can mine with the right tool. Once they are empty, that’s it. Levelling up is what allows larger harvesting operations that allow you to access more of the deposit.[/p]
• [p]Organic sources are like a mini-farm sim. They grow on a set calendar, example a Rose Bush blooms in Spring. Organic resources die at a certain season, like Roses die off in winter. Each source has its own cycle.[/p]
• [p]Spells (for now, just Haste) can be cast to enchant an organic resource and speed its growth. Example: a rose bush takes 1 year to grow (spring to spring), but with haste it will bloom in only 6 months – Fall. You can use your magic to double yields. The spell lasts until the next growth. There is a calendar system under the hood, but it gets weird: when a haste spell is cast for 9 months, but the plant yields in 3 months, and you don’t come back for 12 months – how many should be there? It’s complicated![/p]
• [p]Spells can also be cast to enhance harvesting. Sure, you can swing a pickaxe and get some silver, but it’s more productive to cast Mage Hand and get 50% more! No, you don’t need a second pick axe for the mage hand, but thanks for asking. :-)[/p]
• [p]There are specialist harvesting spells that allow you to just extract the resource magically – without a tool. These will always be the most productive and take the least effort (beyond casting).[/p]
• [p]How to find resources? There are four new spells to search for them. Each detects different kinds of resources. They are: Earth Sense, Harmonic Burst, Bloom Sense, Deep Root Sense. Cast them and they cover a 3 hex radius. If they find something, great! If not, that area is used up, you’ll need to move elsewhere. The game will tell you if you aren’t in a new search area.[/p]
• [p]How do you get these new spells? For now, go to the Chapter House and the master there will teach you one of them, for a fee. Travel around to get them all.[/p]
• [p]In summary, there are 7 new world spells: Earth Sense, Harmonic Burst, Bloom Sense, Deep Root Sense, Haste, Mage Hand, and Earth Rip[/p]
• [p]There are 2 new items at the outfitter: Knife (harvest fruit, flowers) and Hammer (harvest stone)[/p]
• [p]This build marks the beginning of casting spells in the world, something long needed![/p]

[p]Here is a playtest video focused on the new functionality by starting a new game:[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]I'd love to get your feedback on this build and see if it is ready to release to all!

As always, thanks for your interest in Archmage Rises![/p][p] [/p]

[p]I’m working on the new resource interaction, so I can fix it, so the quests will be completable again, so I can get the Events update out. I took out the “Hex view” in doing the Events update but that kinda broke the game, and now I need to put in the replacement sooner than i expected.[/p][p]The solution is to create interaction ‘tiles’ for stuff you can do in a map location.[/p][p]I’m not trying to solve it for everything, but I do need a solution that scales for all the game interactions, not just resources.[/p][p]Trouble is, I don’t have a team anymore, so I don’t have anyone to talk to in the middle of the day with questions like “A or B?” Posting to Steam once a week and waiting several days for responses is too slow for the kind of micro-design decisions I’m speaking of.[/p][p]I decided to do an experiment: I created a new channel on the Archmage Rises Discord server called real-time-dev-blog where I just started posting my questions, conundrums, and challenges as I work on the feature. I didn’t know if anyone would read it or respond.[/p][p]But respond they did! I was able to dialogue in real time with fans just like you and collectively we got somewhere pretty good with how the resources will work.[/p][p]I’m going to continue using the channel as I work each day on the feature.[/p][p]Normally I do a lot of writing, but today I’ll just let the screenshots of the feature evolution do the talking:[/p][p]This is where I started from before engaging the channel[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Other possible interactions[/p][p][/p][p]Used this as a thought template for the design[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Experiment with “simple” and “complex more data” types[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I was just about done, but decided to take another stab at the global layout. [/p][p]The channel liked this better so I continued with it.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I’m happy with where we landed for the “Resource Tile” so i started figuring out how interacting with it might look.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Tooltip vs embedding the info[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]A simpler organic version[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I’m satisfied I’ve explored this enough, it works.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I had to figure out the kind of data that will populate these resource producers[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This is as far as I got it this week. It’s in unity now in the various prefab pieces, hooked up, now I just have to get the game data displaying.[/p][p][/p][p]Game Design seems like the fun part of Game Development. And it is, but it is also a lot of groping in the dark looking for solutions. I’ve worked with experienced full time designers and a common trait to all of them is feeling like their ‘work product’ is low compared to all the time and sweat they poured into it. Designers generally make documents with pictures, but are afraid everyone looking at it is secretly wondering “really, it took you 3 days to come up with this?”[/p][p]Real solutions look ‘obvious’ after the fact, its an iterative work process to build up to a conclusion.[/p][p]Special thanks to Dagy, Odynn, KafkaExMachina, CrisisSDK, Monster Tamer Bloba for dialoguing in the channel with me![/p]

[p]I’m working on location resource sources. I got it so a location can have multiple resource sources. When the player moves into the hex a new UI pops up asking how to interact with it. This new contextual UI is part of the new way of interacting with map locations - a replacement for the old context switch “hex view” screen. This is when I needed to spend time thinking through the UI.[/p][p]I use a tool called Balsamiq to do quick mockups to figure out placement and size of things relative to each other. I’m sharing this Work in Progress (WIP) because it is where I left off before needing to deal with the kids and Halloween. Some of it I like but some of it isn’t right.[/p][p][/p][p]Which reminds me of this great indie game dev video from Jake Birkett “11 years without a hit”.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Jake is a Britt, and there is a moment where he confesses his shock at what a big deal Halloween is in American (and Canada).  I have to agree, he has a point![/p][p]I mentioned a few months ago our team made a demo for a new physical card game called Challengers of the Realm. I’m happy to report the COTR kickstarter is now live! There is a link there to the free demo. Check it out. I’m real proud of what the team put together in a short period of time to make the kickstarter possible. The game COTR is more complex than Hearthstone but less so than Magic the Gathering.[/p][p][/p][p]While I get the resources UI working, let’s continue with the third part of the Core Loop refinement[/p][p]What is Archmage Rises? Managing the three spheres of life: Self, Magecraft, and Realm.
You could think of it as Self, Work, and Society.[/p][p]Realm is being part of a fantasy world. Belonging to it and how you matter in it. This is made up of Possessions, Relationship, and Legacy.[/p][p]But before I for further I need to explain a new kind of Action:[/p][h3]Commission (or Contract or Odd Job)[/h3][p]What is a new young mage to do to make money? One of the reasons the resources change in the Hex Events build is such a problem is I changed the way many players made money in the earliest part of the game.[/p][p]While I am fixing that, the real solution is to provide an action a newbie mage can do to make money and experience. That is where Commission work comes in. Instead of hunting down lumber in a forest to sell, players can do odd jobs trading time for gold and maybe pick up some experience along the way.[/p][p]You already see a small version of this in the game with cleaning dishes or the stables in the inn.[/p][p]Many Commissions are magic related. Meaning expanding your known spells (through the spell progression system) is important.[/p]

• [p]Cost: Time (few days, week, month)[/p]
• [p]Requires: Nothing, or a Skill, or a specific spell[/p]
• [p]Result[/p]
  • [p]Gold - based on time – a 5 day tutoring gig will pay less than a 12 day one.[/p]
    • [p]Friendship and Legacy status factor in for better rewards[/p]
  • [p]XP if magic involved[/p]
  • [p]Likely Fatigue[/p]
  • [p]Likely Wellbeing especially from doing boring work like dishes or cleaning stables[/p]
  • [p]Possible Renown[/p]

[p]Examples:[/p]

• [p]Ice - chill cellars, create ice for skating, Frostbite kill pests on crops or fungi[/p]
• [p]Fire - Heating baths/ignite forge/house, light street lights or mines,Detect heat for rats in basement[/p]
• [p]Arcane - Mage hand, seal door, minor illusion on painting or statue[/p]
• [p]Earth - Bind wood, haste grow crops, dig out a mine shaft, patch stone fill cracks in cobblestone street or reinforce walls, earthsense for metal, stone, minerals[/p]
• [p]Storm - create water for street sweeping, storm clouds for irrigating crops, clear cess pit/graveyard foul air with wind, help herbalist locate herbs/flowers[/p]
• [p]Tutor in astronomy, natural philosophy, Arcanics (the ability for non-casters to use scrolls and other magic items)[/p]

[p] [/p][h2]Possessions[/h2][p]This is both the player inventory, and things they own in the world like buildings or resource sources. A mage tower is a special kind of possession.[/p][h3]Sinks[/h3]

• [p]Reagents are spent for experiments and spell discovery/upgrades[/p]
• [p]Resources are spent for building, quests, gifts, enchanting, sale[/p]
• [p]Books are spent for study XP and improving libraries[/p]

[h3]Rules[/h3]

• [p]Equipment is used for combat and is never ‘spent’[/p]
• [p]Quest items are found and ‘spent’ by turning them in rather than keeping them.[/p]

[h2]Actions[/h2]

• [p]Possessions can be Bought (--Gold), Found (--Time), or Fought for (--Health)[/p]
• [p]Quests and Events can reward with Possessions[/p]

[h3]Gather Resource[/h3]

• [p]Cost: Time, Fatigue[/p]
• [p]Requires: Tool, Resource Source[/p]
• [p]Results[/p]
  • [p]N resources in a good, better, best scenario[/p]
• [p]Note[/p]
  • [p]Can enchant tools for greater yields (more and faster)[/p]
  • [p]Cast spells at higher power to get more[/p]

[h3]Build Resource Gatherer[/h3][p]A very expensive resource collector.[/p]

• [p]Cost: Gold, Spells, Time[/p]
• [p]Requires: Tool[/p]
• [p]Results[/p]
  • [p]Resources collected automatically for you to pickup[/p]

[p][/p][h2]Relationships[/h2]

• [p]Relationship is gained through conversation, gifts, and fulfilling requests[/p]
• [p]Relationships constantly decay at a set rate of X per week – this won’t be punishing, just realistic that it takes some effort to keep up relationships. For instance, I have a friend where if we don’t talk once a month, it will bottom out to zero and I become “Somebody I used to know”[/p]

[p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

• [p] Relationships are valuable because NPCs are an access point to gameplay features, Items, and Information in the simulation[/p]

• [p]Relationship can be spent on Favors[/p]
• [p]There will be three flavors of relationship: Friends, Family, and Romance. I don’t have anything more to say on Romance until I get to building it.[/p]

[p]Friends[/p]

• [p]Primary player activity: Leveling up their profession[/p]
• [p]Cost: They generate Help Requests which are mostly professional[/p]

[p]Family[/p]

• [p]Primary player activity: Keeping up their needs for food, shelter, etc.[/p]
• [p]Cost: They generate Help Requests which are mostly personal related.[/p]

[h2]Actions[/h2][h3]Favors[/h3]

• [p]Cost: Relationship (Each ask has a differing cost)[/p]
• [p]Requires: Relationship >= Casual Friend[/p]
  • [p]Exception Innkeepers start at Acquaintance and will tell you of Commissions and Quests at that level[/p]
  • [p]Favor available depends on profession and wealth level - a noble can lend a powerful weapon, or 1,000g, a beggar cannot[/p]

[p]Favor Examples:[/p]

• [p]Tell me one of your interests[/p]
• [p]Commissions and Quests[/p]
• [p]Information: Resource location, about a Rival[/p]
• [p]Influence Person: Increase my relationship with someone else (at 25% exchange)[/p]
• [p]Influence Town: reduce suspicion, increase unrest[/p]
• [p]Join me: adventuring, magical experiment[/p]
• [p]Labor: Work my mine! Collect resources for me[/p]
• [p]Vote: sway council or election[/p]
• [p]Training: improve skill, unlock conversation topic[/p]
• [p]Resource: loan money, tool, book, weapon[/p]
• [p]Romance: deepen personal bond or intimacy[/p]

[h3]Help Requests[/h3]

• [p]A Commission with no pay, just relationship reward, with a time limit. If incomplete, relationship suffers.[/p]
• [p]Relationships above Casual Friend make requests for help. Could be simple dumb things like ‘get me a loaf of bread’. Somewhat gamey, but it does capture the constant nagging of friends, kids, spouse “do this for me” like picking up something at the store, helping them with their computer problem, casting a minor spell to heat the bath.[/p]
• [p]I don’t know what your life is like, but I end up doing tech support for my mother, in-laws, wife, and three kids. That’s seven people’s digital devices I need to keep running smoothly! And yes I’m venting all my frustration into Archmage Rises, this is where art imitates life. :-)[/p]

[h2] [/h2][h3]Conversation[/h3][p]This is a significant change to the current conversation/relationship building system. It will now be Topic interest based (Character creation choices matter!) and the player can ‘win’ by playing it smart. It avoids mindlessly spamming “Ask about Day” and “Flatter”.[/p][p]Every NPC talk is a single, meaningful gamble: you speak from your own interests, they react from theirs. Over time you learn who you click with, who you don’t, and what subjects bring people alive — just like real life.[/p]

• [p]Topic driven - the mini game is figuring out what the other is interested in. A topic connection leads to great bonding, a miss is a big miss. Topics are categorized. A noble never wants to talk about dirty farming techniques, and a peasant doesn’t care to talk heritage of nobles. But everyone can dialogue about monsters or philosophy![/p]
  • [p]Category: Everyone (4)
    Arcanics, Magic, Monsters, Philosophy[/p]
  • [p]Category: Peasantry (9)
    Charms & Cures, Domestic Arts, Family, Farming, Folk Lore, Food, Livelihood, Local Affairs, Nature[/p]
  • [p]Category: Nobles (14)
    Architecture, Art, Astronomy, Commerce, Diplomacy, Estatekeeping, Fashion, Heritage, Hospitality, Horse Breeding, Law, Politics, Society, Tournaments, Warfare[/p]
• [p]You start with 3 topics you like, and 1 you hate[/p]
• [p]NPCs start with 1 Love, 2 like, 1 dislike, 1 hate[/p]
  • [p]As you reach each friend level you automatically discover one of their preferences[/p]
• [p]You converse with an NPC and choose a topic you know and like. The result is the relationship adjustment:[/p]
  • [p]Love = Big Increase, Like = moderate increase, Neutral = nothing, Dislike = small decrease, Loathe = Big decrease[/p]
• [p]You only get one conversation attempt per npc, then they go into cooldown. The cooldown is based on your last conversation whether they loved (short) or hated it (long)[/p]
• [p]Hitting a Loathe is a relationship bomb, they are offended, relationship hit[/p]
• [p]Nobles[/p]
  • [p]Any topic that is not one of their Loves or Likes automatically counts as a Dislike. It’s really hard to build relationship with nobility.[/p]
• [p]Talking about the same topic as last time gives 50% reduction (one dimensional relationship)[/p]
• [p]If none of your interests match an NPC’s Love or Likes, you’ll never connect conversationally.[/p]
• [p]You learn a new interest by reading 3 books on the topic. There are other means like result of an Event[/p]
• [p]People change interests over a long time: that keeps them feeling real. They add one, they remove one[/p]

[p] [/p][p]Conversation Action[/p]

• [p]Cost: Time[/p]
• [p]Requires: Conversation Topic[/p]
• [p]Results: Relationship[/p]

[h3]Social Activity[/h3][p]Context dependent for the building or location you are in, but this is how you play a game of chess, drink a pint, play music with someone[/p]

• [p]Cost: Time[/p]
• [p]Requires: Building features[/p]
• [p]Results: Relationship[/p]

[h3]Gift[/h3]

• [p]Cost: Possession, Gold[/p]
• [p]Requires: Giftable[/p]
• [p]Results: Relationship[/p]

[p] [/p][p]Legacy measures the total mark you leave on the world — reputation, power, prestige, and permanent recognition. It combines four pillars. Generally the number goes up, but as a designer I have to ensure there are interesting trade offs that occur: Do I sacrifice some power for renown? Do I sacrifice Prestige for a possession? I haven’t finished thinking through all the ways to utilize these values.[/p][h3]1. Renown (Reputation)[/h3][p]Definition: Renown is your fame and reputation. It is what precedes you before anyone meets you. It is tracked by town, so it is possible to be a hero in one town and unknown in another. However, it is also at the region level so being high in a town in the region, the other towns have heard of you
Source: Deeds, relationships, public heroics or infamy.
Effect: Changes how towns, nobles, and factions respond to you. Renown is how you break the nobility barrier and get recognized.
Permanence: Decays slowly over time[/p][h3]2. Power (Might)[/h3][p]Definition: The influence earned through magical strength, victories, and mastery.
Source: Spells discovered, rivals defeated, powerful artifacts.
Effect: Raises respect or fear from peers and enemies.
Permanence: Stays[/p][h3]3. Prestige (Refined Wealth)[/h3][p]Definition: The elegant expression of success — how tastefully you live and what beauty you create.
Source: Mage tower design, art, books, relics, rare wine, and cultural patronage.
Effect: Turns wealth into admiration; impresses elites and scholars.
Permanence: Stays[/p][h3]4. Titles (Recognition)[/h3][p]Definition: Formal honors that record your rising status — the world’s acknowledgment of your accomplishments.
Source: Achieving milestones, earning noble ranks, completing exceptional deeds.
Effect: Permanently increases Legacy; some titles grant ongoing mechanical or social benefits.
Permanence: Stays[/p][h2]Funeral[/h2][p]Every life is a story. The funeral scene is the final chapter of a life.[/p]

• [p]When you die, your funeral is based on your Legacy score.[/p]
• [p]Who attends is based on relationships[/p]
• [p]What they say about you is based on relationship[/p]
• [p]Fun story from The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England: In 14th century England the number of people who attended a noble’s funeral showed how impactful or important they were. So, naturally, some nobles started prepaying peasants to attend their funeral. How they ensured these people actually showed up, I don’t know![/p]

[p] [/p][p]There you have it, how all the pieces of the game fit together into a, hopefully, sensible enjoyable whole! Did I get it all right? Probably not. But this is enough of a foundation and perspective to build it right as I go![/p]