Producer's Letter #2

Greetings and welcome to the second Producer's Letter for Solace Crafting.

I'm Fab, and today, we're diving deeper into the exciting features coming on this journey toward version 1.5. While we've previously shared our broader vision, today we’ll explore the nitty-gritty of what lies ahead.

But first, let’s take a moment to celebrate another milestone: Kyle, the brilliant mind behind Solace Crafting, is now a proud father!

Insert from Kyle:
It's been a crazy week! I've got a healthy new baby boy, who will be home with my wife in another 36 hours from the time of me writing this!
We had some problems with our version control that completely stopped development but the support from the service that we use was quick to respond, all thing considered, and I was hard at work getting things sorted out when my wife's water broke and we were off to the hospital on Sunday night! It was a chunk of hours I knew I was going to have to take off at some point, but was hoping to get the first preview patch we've been working on up before then. The past few days I've been commuting home from my in-laws to work during the day and had to redo some things that got lost in the version control problems, but I'm planning to have the patch up tomorrow so I can take another day or two off to try and help my wife get some at home rest and recovery which she's very much in need of.

So, sorry again things got delayed a little, but we're still on track in our overall progress 👍
You should hear from me again very soon!
- Kyle

Congratulations to Kyle and his growing family. It's truly poetic to see both a life project and personal life evolve simultaneously. With this in mind, we officially kick off the next chapter of Solace Crafting, starting with the new beta branch updates, outlined in our Patch Notes.

Let's go to the plans and Roadmap!
[h2]In the last month[/h2]
[h3]Player Controller[/h3]

What we've done: We're starting out with improvements to the controller, to make it more responsive and make the character's handling more pleasant all around. That means smoother locomotion controls, which in turn will become more permissive gameplay-wise. Combat is also receiving a major update, where improved animations and controls will make the experience more dynamic overall.
What we're planning: Further improvements to the Player Controller involving additional locomotion features to create class abilities like Blink, Slow Fall; advanced features like Sliding, Gravity adjustments and Swimming, as well Mount functions. As the worlds of Khora are receiving massive updates, so should your ability to navigate, explore and enjoy them.

[h3]Bot AI[/h3]

What we've done: Bot AI also gets its upgrade path. Monsters can now fight. They move around, attack, combo, block, dodge, melee and attack at range dynamically, and fight each other; not just through math and hit/miss notifications.
What we're planning: This foundational update allows us to open the door to more ambitious features, such as social mobs with interdependent behaviors and strategies, as well as companion NPCs and pets, which can follow you around and obey orders.

[h3]Game Art[/h3]

What we've done: The first visual updates are locked in, with new assets for several biomes, such as plains, deserts and swamps, and early post-processing effects. We also have updated the player character. For the time being, this also means temporarily deactivating some functions like weather, skyboxes or NPCs in this beta branch, as well as character customization. We have a bit of work to make them all catch up with the update, which in some cases requires dedicated production. As it's nothing deeply technical, it's just a matter of time until everything is back in the game looking and working better than ever before.
What we're planning:
Short term, further updates to game art, especially in the realm of Solace/Building/Settlement textures and objects, allowing you to build better, more beautiful or expressive homes and villages. Improved atmospherics and post-processing are also planned for more atmospherics, more beautiful and more surprising worlds.
Long term: New, better textures for environment assets and players, as well as texture variants to create a greater range of visuals for the same objects, whether trees, rocks, animals, clothing, etc.

[h3]World Generation[/h3]

What we've done: Considerable work has been added to updating the biomes, giving them specific flora and placeables, improving placement as well as overall shaping of biomes. Plains, Desert, Swamps, Highlands have received their first update. This too is a work in progress but another foundational update nonetheless. Weve also added a custom landscape feature system that now allows the procedural spawning of hand built features, such as mountains and oasis.
What we're planning: Updating the Snow biome, finishing up the Ocean biome as well as fine tuning terrain shaping and landscape features spawning parameters to get richer, more immersive worlds overall. Dungeons will also receive the same kind of treatment, as we update their assets and ensure more intriguing and richer dungeon layouts.

[h2]November & December[/h2]
[h3]Character Creation[/h3]

What we’re planning:
A solid character creation, mixing lore, stats and visuals, is the best entry point into an RPG, so we will be seeking to bring Solace Crafting’s up to standards. This will be a way for us to begin distilling elements of the updated lore of Khora, which always sat far in the back, and give you a sense of identity and purpose for your character. It will also be a way to introduce Classes and their dynamics in a more seamless way.
Also, as of the visual revamp we’re deploying on the beta branch, we’ve had to suspend the character customization features. We’re planning to reintroduce them, enabling you to make good-looking characters that insert themselves seamlessly into the revamped world. This process will be an ongoing one rather than a one-off, as new assets, such as new clothes, textures and styling options gradually make their way into the game.

[h3]First Hour & Restructured Game Narrative[/h3]

What we’re planning: we’ve redesigned the game’s emergent narrative, that is what you do in the game in terms of its meaning within this particular universe. This will give more direction and motivation to doing things, as they will no longer simply be video game tasks that you perform to entertain yourself, but part of a narrative specific to Solace Crafting: why you’re there, what Solaces are, why you use them, why you harvest resources and build things, what are the repercussions, what the progression logic is, etc. This should make entry into the game more meaningful, your actions more purposeful, but also tie up several aspects of the Solace Crafting experience together into something more flowy and immersive. The introduction of the tutorial quests were an important way to structure the first hour but we seek to go beyond that. We aim to give you something more organic, intuitive and evocative where you do things because you feel compelled to and experience tighter gameplay loops.

[h3]UI Update[/h3]

What we’re planning: With the visual update we’ve brought to the world and character graphics, as well as the restructured Game Narrative, we have to ensure the UI is clear enough to navigate and visually relaxing. This might be a longer update process, through which we will work with you to tailor finer improvements. However, unifying textures, fonts and adhering to more established UI standards is likely to be the object of a quicker first update that should in turn contribute to making the game more accessible and fun.

[h3]Lore & Story Update[/h3]

What we’re planning: Tied to the previous update items, we will do a lore unification pass to make as much content as possible world-specific, doing away with generic. From item names and descriptions to lore nuggets and quests, as well as narrative context introducing cultures, history and stakes, the goal is to help you feel like you’re navigating the multiverse of Khora specifically and not any fantasy video game world. This is an ambitious target but another that we will deal with progressively, in layers.

[h3]Art Direction[/h3]

What we’re planning: Finally, it will be really important to us to elaborate on the visual identity of Solace Crafting not simply in terms of game graphics, but also in terms of artworks, themes, atmospheres, etc. Expect to see more on that front, as we work to flesh out this Multiverse a lot more for your immersion and enjoyment, enabling you to absorb or come up with new stories, new ideas, new inspiration!

[h2]Beyond[/h2]
[h3]Improved Player Content Tools [/h3]

What we’re planning: Building Improvements, World Modification/Terraforming Improvements, Custom Quests

[h3]Items & Crafting Improvements[/h3]

What we’re planning: Resources Tiering & Harvesting Updates, Itemization Revamp

[h3]Immersion Improvements[/h3]

What we’re planning: NPC Relations, Companions & Pets, Exploration Updates

[h3]Revamped & Advanced Towers & Dungeons Mechanics[/h3]

What we’re planning: Architecture Updates, Gameplay Challenges, Resources & Bosses improvements

[h3]…AND MORE![/h3]

This first series of updates and their follow-ups should take us to the spring of 2025 and profoundly change the face and structure of the game by adding a lot more fun, richness, depth, and accessibility to the Solace Crafting experience.

We’re essentially revamping everything, ambitiously but carefully. We are committed to taking this game to its next incarnation and doing so as transparently as possible. Through Kyle’s well-demonstrated work-ethic and dedication and my contribution in structuring and communicating, we want to improve both the game and your lives as its players..

Your support and feedback throughout this process, old players, returning ones and newcomers alike, are the lifeblood of this indie venture.

Thank you!
Fab