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Experimental - now with revised End Game

Hello Elders!

I just completed work on a new big change, which will be first tested on the experimental branch.
Patch 1.0.1.003b on experimental is now up and brings several changes that mostly affects the second year of the game, and harder difficulties. Remember: these changes are all up for testing, so nothing is set in stone, I am looking for more player feedback.



Here are some highlights:

Mini-Apocalypse events
This mechanic adds four lower level simil-Omens to the Apocalypse. This will spice up the Apocalypse a bit, making it less of a simple set of checks, and more similar to

Second Year balancing
The second year of the game (past first winter) is now a bit faster, harsher, and filled with events. This should make the pacing of the game keep up with the players advancement, and also make runs a bit shorter (from 310 to 280 turns total). Please do send me feedback about how it feels!

Hemp Rebalanced
Hemp has been given a complete rebalance, making it more on par with wood-based buildings

Difficulty Revision
This affects only games in Hard or higher difficulty. Difficulty now scales more with each Threat Tier and each Research Tier, basically pushing the difficulty up at laster stages of the game to counteract the exponential growth of strategic players.

Remember, these are not in the main game yet, as the changes are delicate and I am looking for feedback, but if you want to experience them right away, be my guest!

Oh, yes, I also added a new hat for carpenters.



Have fun!
- Michele

V 1.0.1.003 b

Balance: Flow
  • Added mini Apocalypse events: they work like Omens that do not increase threat level, and they come at a reduced strength compared to the current threat
  • Reduced second Autumn from 35 to 25 turns
  • Reduced second winter duration from 45 to 35 turns
  • Reduced Apocalypse duration from 30 to 25 turns
  • Reduced total number of turns from 300 to 280
  • Reduced multi-Omen safety net from 6 to 5
  • Reduced pre-Omen safety net from 5 to 4
  • Reduced post-Omen safety net from 10 to 6
  • Reduced post-Boss Omen safety net from 5 to 4
  • Reduced pre-Boss Omen safety net from "Boss Turns" to "Boss Turns - 2"
  • Reduced third domain time start from 13% to 12%
  • Reduced third domain time completion from 80% to 60%


Bugfixes
  • Fixed bugs with research slots changing during runs
  • Fixed bug with Jester listing Books in the Agepedia
  • Fixed bug with Agepedia not showing the output effects of tasks
  • Fixed Captain showing an unreachable slot after Buoy
  • Fixed threat generation algorithm
  • Controller fixes and updates


System
  • Refactored research container assignment logic to support multiple building variations
  • Optimized dynamic trait save/loading


Graphics
  • Carpenters now have their own fancy hat



V 1.0.1.003 EXPERIMENTAL

Balance: Buildings
  • Great Barbecue cooked Meat output from 10 to 12 (Fish unaltered)
  • Large Campfire cooked Fish output from 10 to 12 (Meat unaltered)
  • Reverted Plums to work on Spring and Summer
  • Plums depletion rate from 10 to 8
  • Strawberries depletion rate from 10 to 8
  • Apples depletion rate from 20 to 12
  • Onion output reduced from 7 to 4
  • Papyrus Cutter water input reduced from 2 to 1
  • Papyrus Cutter output increased from 3 to 4
  • Scrub Pyre's Hemp cost reduced from 4 to 3
  • Hemp Wood Maker max output increased from 8 to 10 Wood
  • Hemp Wood Maker building cost increased by 4 Hemps
  • Hemp Wood Maker trait bonus increased from 2 to 4
  • Reduced Buoy's road distance from 3 to 2 (the new Large Buoy is unaltered)


Balance: Flow
  • Increased Danger generation at Threat 7 from 45 to 50


Redesign: Difficulties
  • Mastery level now goes from 250% to 500%
  • Maximum mastery level reduced from 10 to 6
  • Difficulty scaling for Danger now affects only Threat generation
  • Difficulty scaling for Danger tied to Threat is now intrinsic into the Threat generation value
  • Difficulty scaling is now exponential based on the threat level and the current difficulty
  • Research scaling is now exponential based on research tier and the current difficulty
  • Easy and Relax mode are unaffected


Experimental 1.0.1.002c

I just completed a redesign of higher difficulties, which should now move some difficulty from early to mid-end game, affecting Experimental. Hemp also received a big rebalance. Let me know what you think!

- Michele

V 1.0.1.003 EXPERIMENTAL

Balance: Buildings
  • Great Barbecue cooked Meat output from 10 to 12 (Fish unaltered)
  • Large Campfire cooked Fish output from 10 to 12 (Meat unaltered)
  • Reverted Plums to work on Spring and Summer
  • Plums depletion rate from 10 to 8
  • Strawberries depletion rate from 10 to 8
  • Apples depletion rate from 20 to 12
  • Onion output reduced from 7 to 4
  • Papyrus Cutter water input reduced from 2 to 1
  • Papyrus Cutter output increased from 3 to 4
  • Scrub Pyre's Hemp cost reduced from 4 to 3
  • Hemp Wood Maker max output increased from 8 to 10 Wood
  • Hemp Wood Maker building cost increased by 4 Hemps
  • Hemp Wood Maker trait bonus increased from 2 to 4
  • Reduced Buoy's road distance from 3 to 2 (the new Large Buoy is unaltered)


Balance: Flow
  • Increased Danger generation at Threat 7 from 45 to 50


Redesign: Difficulties
  • Mastery level now goes from 250% to 500%
  • Maximum mastery level reduced from 10 to 6
  • Difficulty scaling for Danger now affects only Threat generation
  • Difficulty scaling for Danger tied to Threat is now intrinsic into the Threat generation value
  • Difficulty scaling is now exponential based on the threat level and the current difficulty
  • Research scaling is now exponential based on research tier and the current difficulty
  • Easy and Relax mode are unaffected

Nominate dotAGE for the Steam Awards!

Hello Elders!

This first month has been truly exciting for me, I'd say even exhilarating, I spent two weeks filled with adrenaline (and a few more filled with post-stress illness!) and I could not have dreamt for it to be better. Thank you once again for the incredible launch! I am still sorting out all existing work contracts, but as you see from my updates I am also taking time to work more on the game with fixes, QoL changes, balance, and more content coming in the future! I'm happy to be able to work more on this dream project of mine (yes, I know, I need to take some time off but it's very hard to do).

Seeing the success of dotAGE, I am also trying my luck at the Steam nominations, and I need your help with that! dotAGE is a weird game, as it could fit into multiple categories... For some, it is already a "Sit back and Relax" type of game, for others it is a "Best game on Steam Deck" (even if not verified yet!), and for some of you may very well be the "GOTY" (it surely is for me!). However, I think we can definitely agree that given the nature of the game it could get nominated for the "Best game you suck at" award, and it sounded like the most fun of all of them! Since I can only choose one and Baldur's Gate will win GOTY, well, here I am asking you to nominate it for Best game you suck at!



Work on the balance patch and the controller support is going forward nicely. If you are curious, remember you can peek at the Experimental branch if you want to try them out, I do multiple weekly updates there, and I'll be putting everything on the main branch when I am happy with the results!

I prepared a new visualization to show you what I am working on at the moment:



So what am I working on?

Doomsday Mechanic & Balance Patch 1.01
Both of those will come at the same time, and it will take a while to complete the balance patch as there are many changes that are to be tested throughoutly, and also more that I am adding weekly to the experimental patch, to make the game better. Expect hemp to get several changes, as well as the second stage of the game and harder difficulties.

Controller Support
I uploaded a first version of controller support on the experimental branch that uses Steam Input, and I am actively working on it daily to make it better, and to fix the various bugs that arise from it. Once it is ready, I will push it to the main branch and then contact steam to get the cool Steam Deck Verified badge! Let me know what you think of the control scheme!

Bugfixing
The line you see on the right is constant bugfixing. Even if the major bugs have been solved, this will continue as long as there are bugs!

What next?
I do not have an ETA for all of these as I need to make sure they are working correctly and that I leave no bugs behind, but I'm working on them daily! After that, I want to focus on more QoL changes, also taking into account the many suggestions I received in the past month. Keep them coming!

Patch 1.0.0.027
In the meantime, I just pushed a patch with a couple of UX changes and some bugfixes on the main branch for you to enjoy!


V 1.0.0.027

UX
  • Chance bar now lists how much Protection you have accumulated above 100%
  • You may now open the research tree while placing your first Building


Bugfixes
  • Fixed bug with Research not being correctly unlocked if a Boon event arrived at the same day
  • Fixed Cats not being buried correctly
  • Fixed Rebellious ailment making Cats become adult Pips
  • Fixed research modifier UI not getting reset on a new game
  • Fixed bug with resetting won games giving double the memory points


Have fun!
- Michele

Experimental 1.0.1.002c

More fixes for the experimental branch. These will be soon on the main branch.


V 1.0.1.002c EXPERIMENTAL

Balance: Buildings
  • Highly Fertile and Soil now work for all Fruits and Field buildings


UX
  • EXPERIMENTAL ONLY: All mastery levels are now unlocked for testing new difficulty system (WIP)
  • You may now open the research tree while placing your first Building


Bugfixes
  • Fixed bug with Research not being correctly unlocked if a Boon event arrived at the same day
  • Fixed Cats not being buried correctly
  • Fixed Rebellious ailment making Cats become adult Pips
  • Fixed research modifier UI not getting reset on a new game
  • Fixed bug with resetting won games giving double the memory points

Experimental 1.0.1.002b

Fixes for the experimental branch. Please note that you will find the current balance data number at the feet of the elder in your Current Game screen.

Have fun!
- Michele


V 1.0.1.002b EXPERIMENTAL

Bugfixes
  • Fixed bug with traits not being refreshed correctly on different balance versions
  • Fixed bug with Quarry disappearing on load
  • Fixed bug with some techs not being correctly loaded
  • Various controller fixes
  • Load optimizations