Major Graphics Update for DoN! (Video, Pics within!)

A major graphics update has been released for Nature & Life - Drunk On Nectar!

Significantly improved visuals for all game modes and species come with this update, so be sure to give it a try!

Aside from graphics, various gameplay improvements have been made as well, read on for complete details!


Be sure to watch this short 1 minute video for the improved visuals :)
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]



[h2]Lighting & Colors[/h2]
Overall lighting has been improved to make longer playtimes more comfortable for your eyes. The new lighting is more consistent and should significantly improve player experience across the game.



[h2]Camera Focus Effect[/h2]
Since much of DoN's gamplay takes place in the foreground and the game's current creatures are so tiny, keeping the player's visual attention focused on the gameplay elements (flora like leaves and flowers) was considered very important. To help with this, background elements are now taken out of focus.



As game's older players will remember, this was already part of the game before, however the effect was somewhat inconsistent and could not cope with the game's complex requirements of modes like Lifecycles. The effect was eventually removed in 2023 for this reason.



This update however, has finally answered the gargantuan task of configuring the lens effect for every game mode, for every lifecycle and for every creature's instar! After rigorous playtesting. the graphical feature has now been restored again!



[h2]Atmosphere & Fog Effects[/h2]
Draping the entire game world in two layers of fog, this graphical effect brings an additional layer of immersion and realism for the game.

Note: This scene was created using the Nature Sandbox mode

Currently this effect is somewhat intense and some players may indeed prefer a clearer air for their favorite creatures. However for now this was deemed necessary to minimize the visual influence of the background environment. In the future this will probably be reivsited, depending on how much progress is made on the game's background environment visuals.






[h2]Improved Perspectives[/h2]
Camera perspectives have been improved for nearly all creatures in the game! The new perspectives complement the graphical improvements and should greatly enrich the experience of players across all fauna species.



[h2]Flight Experience[/h2]
Flight experience has been improved, particularly noticeable for species such as Monarch Butterfly, Dragonfly, Bee and Blue Mud Dauber



[h2]Faster Lifecycles! Consumption Rates Increased[/h2]
Completing a lifecycles is now faster than ever before! Consumption speed has been significantly increased across all species, doubled in some cases.

The goal is to help players focus on their gameplay and complete the lifecycles as quickly as possible. With multi-gen lifecycles around the corner (Gen2/Gen3/etc), it was deemed critical to make it as easy as possible for players to complete each Generation and move on to the next.

Note: This update changes only the speed of the consumption visuals - i.e. how fast you eat a given prey. The amount of food provided by a prey remains the same as before! Therefore, this does not affect difficulty level in any way whatsoever, only the speed with which you progress.

[h2]Performance Improvements[/h2]
The Ladybug Lifecycle now has various performance improvements, particularly for the later instars. This should make it easier for players to complete the entire Ladybug lifecycle.



[h2]Various Bugfixes[/h2]
This update also includes an entire range of bugfixes across the game.

Some of the notable bugfixes include Praying Mantis and  Ladybug Lifecycle quest related bugs, Monarch Lifecycle Racing (Courtship Mini Games)  related bugfixes.

Also improved is AI Flight Landing for Pollinator Insects (like Bees, Butterflies, etc) onto Orange Lily and Knapweed Flowers!




The game's current focus is on polishing and improving the existing product to ensure that the full potential of all the existing game modes and species is fully realized.

While this update focused on important graphical improvements, the next set of updates will focus entirely on gameplay and overall quality. Before adding any new features or content to the game it is now considered essential that the existing product is properly polished, optimized and uplifted to a point where players can truly enjoy hundreds of hours of solid gameplay from the existing roster.

Once that goal is achieved the game will look towards building on this foundation :)




Thanks to everyone for your interest in this game!

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy the improved visuals of this update. There is a lot of potential for more great things and the game will keep striving to improve with each day.

I want this game to reach a point where it is the most fun and most enjoyable game to play in their game library for all players who come by this way.

With your support, enthusiasm and feedback, this goal will be realized one day!

Thank you!

With Love,
Venugopalan Sreedharan
(Developer of Nature & Life - Drunk On Nectar)