( cross posted from the Evenfall website )

This is the first ever public Evenfall Arcane devlog, and I'm very excited to be writing it. I've been developing Evenfall Arcane for just over a year, and bringing it to the public has been an exciting period of time for me. I look forward to sharing more of the development process, playtest / beta updates and more.

Let's start off with where the game is right now. As I've said, after just over a year of development, I'm at a point where I'm settling down on the basics of gameplay and playstyle, and focusing more on content, UI, music and (eventually) art. The game that I want Evenfall to be is a huge undertaking, with so much content that I believe I still have quite a journey ahead.

What's In Place

So much work has gone into what results in a humble build right now. The game can be "beaten" in a matter of a few hours or less, but the way it plays has been the focus over the past year.

Things that are "done"

From a mechanics perspective, here is what is more or less "complete." Minor variations may take place, but for the most part, these are settled:

• Core infrastructure
• Player control
• Spell casting / damage systems
• Inventory / items
• Perks ("Traits")
• EXP/Levelup system
• NPC interaction
• Quest system
• Dialogue tree system

Things that are "nearing completion"

• SFX / Music engine
• What kind of music will go where is still up in the air, but the controlling system is working
• Weather system
• Realistic weather is something I've wanted from the get-go. A storm shouldn't suddenly disappear. The weather system is location-aware and persists weather events.
• UI
• The UI has been in flux for a while, and I'm currently revamping pretty much all of it. Hoping the new UI sticks, as it is much more technologically sound.

Things that are "in the works"

• The world
• So far, I have built out about one and a half out of about 11 cities. There's a while to go.
• The main questline
• This is still in the writing phase.
• More spells
• Evenfall Arcane is all about spellcasting. There are about 8 spells per school right now. The goal is far above that, closer to 30 spells, plus some more unlockables per school.
• Art and Music
• I am no artist, but I am doing my best. I plan to continue to iterate on the art until it becomes something I feel good about.

Timeline

While it is still too early to tell what the timeline for development will be, I have a rough sketch. I'll be focusing on content more and more as time goes on, and I'm hoping to at least reach the beta stage by this time next year (Mid 2018). After that, it really comes down to dialing in the gameplay, balancing the spells and enemy progression, and listening to beta feedback to make something great.

The goal I have for Evenfall is to make the game that childhood me wanted to play. Something to get lost in, to challenge me, to give me a reason to play it again and again. I am incredibly proud with what I have so far, and will continue to pour my free time into making a game for people to enjoy.

Thank You

Right now, support from others and spreading the word of Evenfall is a driving factor for me. If you are interested in receiving updates, consider signing up for the Evenfall mailing list to get major updates and notifications about playtesting opportunities. I take mailing lists very seriously, and will not be sending obnoxious daily reminders of anything - just the good stuff.

You could also follow Evenfall on twitter and help by tweeting / retweeting posts.

Even just for reading this update, thank you. It is truly humbling to have gotten the great feedback I have received, and I look forward to working with people to make something great.