Dustgrave - turn-based sandbox RPG from ICY developers

[Abu Antar]

 

[Infinitron]

Why aren't they using their own YouTube channel?



https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2393370/view/3820802116172957825

Combat is a very important part of RPGs; we’re designing Dustgrave’s combat system to be satisfyingly deep and challenging, giving you lots of tactical options to engage your enemies. Let's explore the foundation of Dustgrave's combat system in today's Dev Diary.

We focused on three key objectives
:

• Give unique value to all equipment pieces, instead of only increasing numbers;
• Allow players to experiment with different combos and reward out-of-the-box thinking;
• Create a deep system capable of supporting long playthroughs.

To achieve that, we created
7 different Action Templates accessed by equipping different weapons
, armors, or other items. Each turn you’ve got 2 Action Points; some of the following actions take just 1 AP, while the most powerful ones takes 2, taking your whole turn to complete them.

Fast Attacks and Strong Attacks
are given by weapons, and they represent the most basic action of most RPGs: using a weapon to attack an enemy. Fast Attacks only cost a single Action Point, allowing a character to move before or after using them. Strong Attacks have more powerful effects but require two Action Points to be used.

Quick Spells and Empowered Spells
follow the same logic, providing two different ways of using magic in combat.

Dashes
are used to move across the battlefield. Some allow characters to avoid opportunity attacks, others let slow characters move and strike a target with a single AP.

Armors and Shields give access to different
Guards
. They are defensive Actions used to protect a character from incoming attacks, or to provide specific buffs.

Shouts
are linked to a character’s Personality Attribute and scale with its value. They are useful for boosting allies’ morale, but several Skills can transform them into offensive Actions.


This is a classic longsword, providing two attack Actions.

Those two Attacks have their unique stats, influencing how many enemies they can target, how much they can penetrate armor, and how deadly they are.
In Dustgrave, you will be able to use those Actions as they are, but our unique twist is that you will also be able to combine the Skills you unlocked with them!
This is how a Skill can interact with the sword’s Fast Attack.

The resulting Action deals more damage and better penetrates armors, but will be less precise, meaning it will be easier to miss and harder to land a critical hit.

Repelling Strike adds the Status Effect Push to the attack, allowing the character to move opponents and possibly allowing allies to land Opportunity Attacks on them.

Skills change or override certain values, so choosing the right equipment for every character is fundamental.
Acquiring new items will open new possibilities and unlock new and potentially deadly combos.

The same concept applies to all other Action Templates.
In this case, we have a Skill from the Occult Magic tree, which applies to all Shouts.
While the standard Shout applies to allies and bolsters their morale, the modified Action affects enemies and applies a powerful debuff to their offensive capabilities.

This unique concept will let players experiment with the wide variety of items included in the game.
Actions hitting multiple targets are ideal for applying Status effects, while precise attacks can be used to easily trigger Critical Hits.

We are so eager to let you all play with Dustgrave and break the game in ways we didn’t even think possible. Stay tuned to learn more about the game!

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2393370/view/3874849112247692388

In today’s Dev Diary we will share some details on
how the world changes in Dustgrave
, depending on both the player’s actions and the objectives of the many competing factions.

The biggest advantage of having a sandbox structure is not having a fixed plot that shapes the world around the player. Player’s can
enjoy Dustgrave’s world at their own pace
and choosing their own path. We don’t need immortal characters or forced choices to keep the narrative intact, because the systems we developed will always be able to generate quests, choices, and storylines for the player. Provided at least a dozen people are still alive in the world!

The more we worked on Dustgrave, the more ideas we got to expand the potential of dynamic narrative. We wanted to
turn classic fantasy narrative tropes fantasy into dynamic systems
, allowing players to enjoy certain experiences without constraints (like conquering a fortress or liberating a village full of undead).

At first, we focused on simple systems, like
changing the wealth of a character after the player stole valuables
from them. Depending on the severity of the theft, the poor character may only need to sell some of their possessions to feed their family, or even lose their home and become forced to live in a tent.

After a while, we started designing more advanced systems, capable of dealing with world-changing events.
What if entire settlements get destroyed by raiding bandits or undead creatures?
What if factions with political power can engage in a war and conquer settlements belonging to their enemies? We wanted players to experience dramatic events and play a key role in their development.

That’s why, in Dustgrave,
settlements and locations are dynamic entities
. They can be conquered by a different faction, see their population decimated, get destroyed and rebuilt, acquire new citizens, or host travellers sleeping in the local inn or camping in the vicinity.

The ruined settlement you will find travelling around the world map won’t just provide you with a challenging fight and some loot, but someday you may protect some settlers trying to rebuild it. Or perhaps you will come back again after some months and find people living in it.
And they may have a job for you.


In a similar fashion, if you’ll want to climb the ranks of a political faction, you will eventually be involved in some good old-fashioned war of conquest.
After all, there is an ongoing civil war!
Instead of dealing with bandits and heretics, you focus on sabotage and espionage. And if you are tired of doing simple quests or minor errands, you will also be able to directly enter a settlement and decimate all soldiers. Or get beaten to death for trying.

As can be seen in the images and videos in this Dev Diary, the same settlement can either be flourishing and contributing to the region’s economy (well, they are chopping trees so it’s probably a minor contribution) or be in ruins and full of Infested walking around.
Having dynamic settlements is a powerful tool to make the world alive and interesting
, and works well with other existing mechanics.
And yes, we named Dustgrave’s zombies “Infested” in a desperate attempt of being original.

 

[Parsimonious cook]

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit, I remember when one of the devs posted about ICY on the TTLG ages ago. TBH fam I am kinda surprised that the studio (they were Italians IIRC) is still around at this point...

 

[Tyranicon]

Why aren't they using their own YouTube channel?

That channel appears to belong to a PR agency, if that answers the question.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/2393370/view/3954791175768336150

Dustgrave demo drops next week!
We give you some details on what you can find in our upcoming demo
We are happy to announce that
we will release a demo of Dustgrave next week!

Many of the features we described in the last weeks will be fully implemented. You will be able to
work for factions and settlements, commit various felonies, improve your standings
with some people while becoming a major enemy for others!

While we still have a long road ahead before Dustgrave reaches the level of depth and quality we intend to achieve,
the world’s reactivity to player’s choices is already showing its future potential,
and we are eager to know what you think about it.

One of our most important goals is to create a strong relationship with the community so that we can have an open discussion about what features, choices, and narrative outcomes the players want. The system we created to support Dustgrave’s dynamic narrative is now extremely flexible, and we want to give everyone of you
the chance of living a memorable story based on the path you decide to take.

Now, a list of Dustgrave’s unique features that will be available to try in the demo:

• The complex system of Records and Relationships is fully working, with NPCs remembering what you did to them and dialogues reflecting that.
• It will be possible to work for Settlements and Major Factions, developing good relationships and even helping a faction conquer an enemy settlement.
• The stealth system can be used to steal valuables or better position before a fight, or maybe even take advantage of the NPCs routines to isolate enemies.
• Characters can be created and geared up to destroy enemies in combat, so that you’ll be able to try Dustgrave’s unique take on Skills and Items.

 

[Serus]

Looks like someone has skipped leg day.

There is an easy explanation. We had a good and somewhat popular indie game where characters had no legs. However some people bitched - why no legs. The dev wanted the same for Dustghrave but to avoid the malcontents decided to compromise. Voila, problem solved.

Interested.

 

[n0wh3r3]

Interesting concept: wishlisted.

 

[Infinitron]

Steam Next Fest demo is available: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2393370/Dustgrave_A_Sandbox_RPG/

 

[Tyranicon]

Sure why not, I'll try it out. I'm headcanoning everyone as dwarves though.

Looking forward to dwarf simulator RPG.

 

[Tyranicon]

Eh nvm, this needs more time in the oven. Lots of bugs.

Best of luck and I'll give it another try when it's more stable.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Demo uses body types on character creation.

 

[cyborgboy95]

Demo updated to alpha 0.1.7.2!
Hey everyone! Many people downloaded Dustgrave's demo, and we started receiving suggestions or bug reports. We uploaded a new version of the demo and here's its changelog:

• Greatly improved performances on the world map
• Slightly improved performances in levels
• Greatly reduced loading times
• Loading screens will now appear when needed instead of showing up too late like the rude individuals they used to be
• Improved some UIs and removed minor UI bugs
• Added some missing strings
• Improved NPC AI concerning crimes and trespassing, committing petty crimes is now harder.
• Fixed an issue preventing to access dungeons.
• Added the possibility of speaking with hostile parties on the map if they are part of a quest.
• Now custom characters will be saved properly instead of disappearing after uninstalling, but sadly all existing characters had to be purged. We are sorry.
• Added an option to use vsync.
• Initial relationships between the player and the Vultures are now at -50 (New game only). Now players can work with them and eventually even get some sort of red-colored armor to better fit with their new friends.
• More people can give quests in all settlements.
• Civilians now correctly identify people that are part of their family and Dustgrave's world is no longer devoid of any love.
• The minimap can be closed again, instead of remaining permanently open.
• The camera will no longer dance around after you're done checking your equipment or inventory.
• Added better instructions in character creation.
• Created characters can now be purged. May they rest in peace.
• Going back to the main menu and starting a New Game no longer blocks everything forcing players to contemplate the loading screen for hours.

And that would be all for today, thank you for playing!

 

[cyborgboy95]

Dev Diary 6 - Updated demo and more planned features!
It’s been two weeks since the Steam Next Fest ended, and thousands of people downloaded Dustgrave’s alpha demo, which allowed us to gather a lot of useful feedbacks! Thank you all!

In these two weeks, we’ve prioritized many features that you people have been asking, and we uploaded a new demo build with a quite large changelog.

One of the most requested things was to give new players more information and a sense of direction right after starting. That’s why we added a small starting tutorial quest which will help everyone familiarize with the basic game’s mechanics.

We also started adding in-game tutorial panels, which will provide more details on Dustgrave’s mechanics. We plan to improve them in the future, following the community’s feedback and adding content until they will cover all the game’s features and rules.

The journal has been changed to include a level mini-map. Some people told us that navigating levels was too confusing, so now it will be much easier to find traders, quests, and other important entities.

We also improved many other things: it is possible to swap between weapon sets in combat, companions will be smarter when following the player, invisible obstacles will no longer ruin your day, and NPCs will be much more reactive to your crimes in the world.

In the next weeks, we plan to drastically increase quests' variety and make the world more interesting and dynamic. We are testing new map-related events like more roaming NPC parties or temporary locations to be found, and we will soon implement new dynamic quests which will allow you to get work from minor factions and improve relationships with them.

If you want to ask about new features or suggest something, head to the Steam’s Discussion Board and get in touch!


Full changelog:

Major Fixes and improvements

• Forget about spending too much time walking around, because a Level Mini-map is now available in the Journal screen, so you will know where to go.
• You can now send bug reports through the in-game main menu.
• When hovering your mouse over people, you will now be able to see their names and affiliations.
• A work-in-progress tutorial panel will now activate when necessary and give you all the info you need, but it is also always accessible when clicking on its button.
• NPCs will be much more reactive to crime and getting caught will ruin your reputation with settlements and factions.
• Weapon sets can now be properly swapped in combat.
• Added a new Tutorial Quest, to help people move the first steps in Dustgrave. We are sorry we left you on your own!
• Added a new screen showing all the passive skills and other effects your characters may have, including Wounds and Traumas.
• Wounds and Traumas heal faster. We all wish it could be the same in real life.
• It is now possible to convince hostile NPCs to give the player available quests.
• Punching people no longer blocks the game forever.
• A new settlement, Canneto, filled with Infested zombies is now available and will be used by dynamic quests as a possible target of conquest. It will then be repopulated and spawn quests on its own.
• Camps will no longer appear when no one is there to use them.
• When betraying the quest giver, accepting a reward, or a bribe, it is now possible to kill all quest targets before they go away and still complete the quest like nothing happened.
• Allies in quests will be less likely to just stand there while you do all the killing.
• Fixed a bug seeing tiles getting occupied for no good reason. Now you will no longer have to walk around invisible obstacles in combat. Allies and companions will also follow your active character more easily.
• Tables, barrels, chests, and other small containers will no longer block visibility, meaning it won’t be as easy to sneak inside someone’s house, steal some stuff, then use a table to become invisible.
• People will no longer use their Opportunity Attacks on their allies, which we’ve been told is a terrible tactic.

Minor fixes and improvements

• People will no longer sleep inside their bed structure.
• Added several new faction-related dialogues and improved existing ones.
• Your journal will no longer be filled with quest duplicates.
• Fixed several missing strings.
• Fixed a graphical artifact appearing near characters’ feet.
• Added some information on backgrounds and cultures in character creation.
• Enemies will be more reactive to the player walking around.
• Skills will properly refresh when a character’s equipment is changed.
• It is now easier to know if a movement will require one or two actions points, since we changed the preview colors to be clearer.
• The “Record Added” notification will no longer prevent you from travelling.
• Greatly reduced the amount of useless loot in the game.
• Reduced the cost of armors and weapons.
• When meeting people on the map, they will no longer look towards the horizon but instead will be facing the player’s party.

 

[cyborgboy95]

Updated demo!
We just released a new update for Dustgrave’s alpha demo including many improvements and additions!

We keep working on the game, and we are close to releasing some interesting features that will drastically increase the player’s agency and freedom of action in the game. While we keep improving Dustgrave’s narrative with new quests and dialogues, we also believe players’ options shouldn’t be limited to fighting and talking.

That’s why we developed a system allowing for secondary interactions to be used in the game, ranging from classic stuff like picking locks and killing sleeping characters, to more unique approaches like making NPCs forget the bad things you did to them or poisoning food supplies to weaken a group of enemies before fighting them.

Simply having those new options wasn’t enough, so we’re also in the process of revamping the structure of major quests so that completing sub-quests won’t be the only way to progress! Actions like killing a group of enemies or poisoning a settlement’s well will have an impact on the game’s simulation and narrative. This means that it will be possible to finish some major quests, like the ones involving the conquest of a settlement, without being forced to also complete several subquests before launching the final assault.

More details on those new two systems will be released in the future with a proper dev diary. In the meantime, you can check the latest update’s changelog.

Changelog 0.1.4.10

Major Fixes and improvements

• NPCs will now greet the player properly instead of always thinking they already met the player a few seconds earlier.
• Keybindings have been added to the Options Menu
• NPCs will be much more reactive to crimes and other player actions.
• The game will no longer explode if you kill an NPC that gave you a Quest. Still, it’s a rude thing to do and you shouldn’t do that too often.
• The trading screen has been revamped. Trading items is no longer instantaneous, but chosen items will move to a new area. It’s the same screen that many games have, so it’s not even a new cool feature, it’s just us fixing our past mistakes.
• When hovering your mouse on items during trades, the trader will now share unwanted opinions on what you may be willing to buy or sell. The system’s reactivity will be greatly expanded in the future.
• The game will now track stolen items. Traders will recognize the stuff stolen from them and even the stuff stolen in the same location they live in. If a trade is attempted, they will react accordingly.
• It is now possible to sleep in Inns, which has the added benefit of healing Wounds and Traumas at a higher pace.
• Some Items now have a durability value, which can lead to permanent penalties to the item that can only be restored by repairing them. This will let us increase the number of looted items, especially when it comes to faction-specific armors, without ruining the game’s progression.
• Added new locations (Sacred Shrines and Ruins) which will be used in Quest and Subquests.
• Added new quests, minor factions will now have their own quests to assign depending on their identity.
• Added new sub-quests.
• Added special events that can alter the structure of existing quests.
• Added roaming parties of NPCs on the map. They are just chilling around, doing stuff, living life.
• Trader will no longer buy everything at the same price, but will have favoured or disliked categories, and may even refuse to buy certain things.

Minor fixes and improvements

• Wounds and Traumas now work properly again.
• A new tooltip area has been added to show the currently equipped item when changing the equipment.
• Money is now displayed in the inventory.
• Added a visual feedback when clicking on the ground to move around.
• Fixed a few instances of the Quest Marker not disappearing once a Quest status changes.
• Added additional feedback in combat to let the player know if a character is dying or if they have no more Action Points to spend.
• Added a minimum cap of 1x to the Critical Modifier.
• Fixed a few issues with how damages were calculated when attacking highly protected enemies.
• Changed the order of Actions in combat, so that Attacks and Spells will be displayed first.
• Traders will now refresh their inventory after some in-game days.
• Added more places in which the Persuasion Minigame can be used in dialogues.
• The Persuasion Minigame will now show the correct percentages when hovering on different options.
• NPCs will no longer ignore the player going around killing people, and will now occasionally join the fight if they feel like it.
• Going back to the main menu is less likely to destroy the game and lead to absurd issues.
• Areas of Effect will now be anchored inside the max range of each action.
• Added more detailed info in the diary, so that Quests and their Phases have descriptions when necessary.
• Added a visual effect for the Rooted Status.
• Rebalanced some Attributes.
• Fixed an issue when loading savegames.