Kingdoms and Castles News

Hi Everyone,

Before we get into the latest news I wanted to mention that we're far enough along that we have opened a public alpha branch. What does this mean?

[h3]Alpha Access[/h3]
The update is in 'alpha' and you can play it now (if you dare) and see everything we've been showing in these development update posts, but it'll be rough, a bit buggy, and unfinished. If you want a smoother and more stable experience, you'll want wait for beta or for the update's final release.

Here's how to access the latest alpha version:

• Right click on the game in the steam library
  
• Click properties, then choose betas
  
• Enter 'alphatester123' without quotes into the box, press enter
  
• Choose the newly available alpha-unstable branch
  

Please send all your bug reports to our email [email protected] or post them on our discord. We'll get them addressed as fast as we can. We'll be uploading new alpha builds as we fix and add things.

Now, on to more stuff we'll be still adding!

[h3]Color Selection[/h3]
Since now you'll have the option of playing with other AI kingdoms, we've implemented a system to select a color for your kingdom. This can be changed at any time from your keep (even on old saves) and the original color palette is still available.


[h3]Minimap[/h3]
We're adding a minimap! It's a nice way to keep track of military units and ships, dragons, envoys, and more. The minimap you'll see in the alpha is a little different from this one but we'll be adding this newer rotating version soon as it helps with navigation.



Until next time,
-Pete & Michael

Hi Everyone,

Got some more news on the AI Kingdoms progress! Again huge thanks for your patience as we work on this big update. We know it's super hard to wait and we are also anxious to get it out there as fast as we can!

[h3]Diplomacy[/h3]
You'll be able to talk to the rulers of the AI Kingdoms, having conversations, making requests, forging alliances, and establishing trade relations. Here's a little preview of meeting an AI ruler for the first time and making them grumpy.


[h3]Transport Carts[/h3]
We'll also be adding a much requested feature: transport carts! They can transport resources over land from stockpiles, granaries, produce storages, butchers, and more. This should give you a way to make more types of city layouts viable. For example, cities with huge farming areas far from housing can now get the food into the housing districts much faster with transport carts.


You can set up their routes using draggable waypoints. As you add and drag them onto a storage building they will auto populate an entry in the cart UI where you can set desired resource amounts to pick up and drop off. It should be pretty quick and intuitive - it will use the same new system we've been implementing for the cargo ships.


Until next time,
-Pete & Michael

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to update you all on how the AI Kingdoms work is progressing. We really appreciate everyone's patience while waiting for this update. We're quite a small team and this is the biggest update we have ever released - it's turning into a bit of an expansion pack at this point!

Here's another look at some of what will be coming:

[h3]Siege Workshop + Catapults[/h3]
If you choose the path of war with the other kingdoms on your map you'll need some way to get through their walls. We'll be adding a siege workshop which can build catapults.



Catapults can be ordered around and loaded on to ships like any other military unit. They are very effective at attacking walls and buildings. The AI kingdom I'm invading here perhaps should have upgraded their walls to stone...



[h3]Theater[/h3]
There's also a new happiness building on the way, the theater! Let your peasants enjoy a fine show, and if you are able to provide the theater with food they'll be extra delighted. The seats are populated with idle peasants.



More to come in the future!

Until next time,
- Pete & Michael

Hi everyone,

We wanted to share some more progress on AI Kingdoms update. There's still much to do but things are starting to come together and each day it gets more exciting. Here's what we've been working on lately:

[h3]City Building AI[/h3]The city building AI has come a long way - the city on the cover image for this update was built by the AI! It can reach the 1000 peasant mark in about 100-130 years with a happiness of about 75-80. This is a major milestone for the AI. It handles building all the things peasants need including bathhouses connected to aqueducts and noria. The AI also builds defensive walls and spins up archer towers quickly to protect against early attacks. Here's a timelapse of the AI growing its city:



[h3]Sea Gates[/h3]The AI Kingdoms update will also include new buildings, including the Sea Gate. You can use this to allow your ships and friendly ships to pass freely while blocking hostile ships from entering:



Until next time,
- Pete & Michael

Hi everyone,

We're still hard at work on the AI Kingdoms update. Currently we've been diving into expanding the city building AI and tying it into a diplomacy and trade system. Still mucking around in the guts of that so we'll have more to show there later, but we did want to show off a couple other things that'll be part of the update:

[h3]Visibility System[/h3]
We've been working on a fog of war style visibility system. So far we're thinking you'll have full visibility on your own landmasses, but AI controlled landmasses will be hidden unless you have units to scout them. Here's a little demo of the effect where I walk my knights through an AI's kingdom. This looks a lot better at a normal frame rate (steam only allows gifs 3mb in size, so I had to reduce the frame count to fit).


[h3]Jousting Arena[/h3]
We'll also be adding a jousting arena. If it's properly supplied with food and armaments, jousting matches can take place and spectators will arrive to watch - if you have idle peasants. This will be a late game happiness building with a very large effect radius. The system that places idle people in the crowd will also be used to let idle people visit statues, taverns, cemeteries and other buildings like that.


Until next time,
- Pete & Michael