DevBlog #23: Important changes for Supporters, in-game Character Creation, and awesome NPC shops!
Welcome back to the WalkScape devblog! Over the past two weeks, we have made significant progress with the development, so this blog post will be a lengthy one! It's sometimes amazing to see how much can be accomplished in just two weeks when looking back at these development blogs. :D
We now have NPCs welcoming you to shops!
Important changes for Supporters
Finally, we have reached a stage where our Patreon and Buy me a Coffee supporters can start redeeming important perks as a thank-you gift for their incredible support. Their support literally helps us put food on the table!
From today onwards, Patreon and Buy me a Coffee supporters can link their WalkScape accounts to Patreon and Buy me a Coffee. This feature is available on the Account page of the Portal:
You can connect your Patreon or BMAC accounts on the Portal's Account page
To connect your WalkScape account to Patreon or Buy me a Coffee, follow these steps:
- Enter the email address associated with your Patreon or Buy me a Coffee account into the corresponding email field.
- Click on "Get Code" and check your email for the key.
- Enter the key into the designated field.
- Congratulations! Your WalkScape account is now connected to Patreon or Buy me a Coffee!
After completing these steps, you should have access to the beta invite shortly (max 1 hour later). If you encounter any issues or if the connection doesn't work, please report it to us. Please note that this code is very fresh (Hexalyse finished it last night), so there may be some potential issues.
We highly recommend doing this immediately, even if you have cancelled your membership! Here are the new perks:
- All supporters who have given us support through memberships before 1.11.2023 will receive closed beta access when the closed beta is released. The release date is still unknown, but planned for this year. This includes cancelled memberships, so even if you are no longer supporting us, you will still receive access. If you start supporting us before 1.11.2023, you will also receive closed beta access. Memberships that are started after 1.11.2023 will receive access at a later time. If you want to guarantee your access to the closed beta, you can support us either on Patreon or Buy me a Coffee before 1.11.2023.
- Depending on your subscription tier, you will have a special icon and nickname color both on Portal and in the game.
- Supporters will receive an exclusive “Closed Beta Supporter” title in the game.
- More perks will be added in the future, but for now, these are the ones we can offer.
I cannot stress enough how much your continuous support means to both me and Maxchill. With your support, we can sustain our current development pace, as it allows us to work on the game full-time and cover all the additional expenses that arise during development.
More perks will be introduced later on for supporters. These are just the initial perks, but we have plans to include even more in the future. If you have any fun ideas for supporter perks, we are all ears!
In-game Character Creation
Many of you have already tried out our PFP Tool! But finally, we've started working on implementing character creation into the game itself, and there are plenty of new features!
The character creation tool in-game has been improved a lot!
When you start the game for the first time and choose to create a new character, you will be greeted with a wide array of options. The new options include:
- Choose your home region: You can select a home region from any of the Western Continent realms (Jarvonia, Grand Duchy of Trellin-Erdwise, Wallisia, Galeforge, or Wrentmark). This choice will provide you with starting items and may unlock special dialogue options.
- Choose your race: Currently, only the human race is supported, but more races such as halflings, elves, and dwarves will be added later on!
- Choose your background: This will also impact your starting items. The main effect is on the in-game tutorial we have planned, and it's perfect for role-playing! It may also affect dialogue options.
Regarding the character creation process itself, there have been numerous refinements to the UI and UX. Instead of detailing every change, we have provided a video for you to watch:
NPC Shops
Alright, enough about character creation, although it's very cool! Let's move on to an entirely new feature: NPC Shops!
Initially, we had planned to add NPC shops after the initial CBT release. However, we realized that in-game currency would be pointless without them, and it would also make completing some achievements impossible.
While NPC shops are not yet completed, maxchill has started working on art assets and I’ve been designing the general look of the UI. You'll also be greeted by the NPC who owns the shop, which I personally think is really cool! Here's a video of our early prototype:
In addition to regular stores, banks and other buildings will also be implemented as these types of "shops". It feels much more immersive when you visit a bank and interact with a banker instead of just using a UI. Here's a picture of a bank that maxchill has been working on (some of you might notice a striking resemblance to... something. Can you guess what?):
There is also something hidden in this picture...
Another feature that we've been brainstorming with the introduction of these shops is player housing. This feature would be implemented much later, but we've designed the assets used in these shops to be modular, so players could also use them to build their own houses. Introducing player housing would greatly improve the usefulness of the carpentry skill.
Character View
Next up, we have something that I've felt has been missing for way too long! Introducing Character View:
Character view, to get a quick glance over all of your progress!
The design I wanted to go for here is to make it as satisfying as possible to check on. For those who have played RuneScape, you probably know the feeling of randomly checking your skill levels and feeling proud of your progress. We plan to expand this view with more features in the future, but right now, the most important thing is being able to see a breakdown of your skill levels.
Another feature we want to implement here is an easy way to check your lifetime character stats and some fitness information. I have already included statistics on your daily steps, so instead of relying on other pedometer apps, you can also use WalkScape for fitness tracking. The stats shown here are just the start, and I intend to expand them to show much more in the future!
As always, suggestions are very welcome. I would love to hear your ideas for more fitness stats to show and how to improve the character view.
Upcoming Convention everyone can join
One more thing...
I have applied to the W Love Games conference, which will be held here in Helsinki. Unfortunately, we didn't secure a physical booth space, but we did receive a virtual booth space instead. I believe many of you will find this exciting!
The conference will take place on October 12th and 13th, which is next week on Thursday and Friday. The tickets for the event are completely free, and you can get yours from the following link: W Love Games Conference 2023 Tickets. You can find more information about the event on their website: W Love Games. Our booth will be on their Discord server, where maxchill and I will be showcasing the game. You can ask questions and interact with us through chat or voice. To join the event, please register and you will receive all the necessary information.
Before the event, we need to do a little bit of preparation to "set up our booth" on the server. I'm really excited about this opportunity, as joining the convention in Pocket Gamer Connects was not possible for many of you. Now, you have a virtual chance to check out the game!
Until next time
That was a lot of features to cover in a single development blog. We've made incredible progress in the last two weeks, as the engine work is nearly complete and I have more time to work on the smaller features.
The progress we've made since we posted last list of things that need to be completed before closed beta release
The alpha build of the game has also reached a very stable state. We've been playing it for weeks now without encountering any major issues. It's a huge relief to see the game starting to feel more and more like something I can confidently release to our closed beta testers.
Thank you for reading through the development blog once again! And as always, feel free to post any comments, questions, or suggestions. I enjoy reading through everything.
Stay hydrated, and keep walking!
Amazing looking progress. Can't wait to try it out.
I agree with my husband
I love the new videos showcasing the game UI! I can't wait to try it, it looks really sleek.
Probably prudent to clarify: The closed beta is not yet accessible, supporting now only guarantees access as soon as it releases.
When can we expect the closed beta?
Second that, it should be clarified. Great update as always. I chuckled at the hidden thing in the picture. NPCs are great for immersion, nice character view as well. Thank you for sharing the progress!
@conta : The Closed Beta should start before the end of the year.
I love all of the updates. Everything is really coming together. I actually had a Character Stats/general stats question regarding any "Kcal Burned" figures. If kcal is a stat that is tracked, can it be we one that players opt out of viewing? (I understand that this could be a very long term ask.) I specifically mention because it can unintentionally trigger those with eating disorders, disordered eating, or relationships with dieting. Just some thoughts. Not even sure it will be tracked. :) Congrats again!
Im going backpacking in Patagonia starting 11/10 and was wondering if I join patreon, would I have closed beta access by then? Also is the closed beta Android only currently? Or also on IPhone?
Clarified the original text a little bit to underline that the game is not released yet, and this only guarantees you day one access when it drops.
Thanks for all of the comments <3
Can my name be be a different colour like the other supporters? 💜
@MayorOfBootyTown : Not only do I find your concern legitimate and agree with you, but I also think that kcal estimates are usually misleading and downright wrong because they depend on so many factors that are usually not taken into account. I think kcals should be left out of the picture.
Epic update! Love the NPC shop :) Thanks also to @Hexalyse for your work on making the BMAC/Patreon integration seamless <3
Do one-time donations get you access to the beta, or is it only subscriptions?
Super exciting update! And interesting with the virtual booth. Will try stopping by if my schedule allows!
@guardianmarcus : For now it's only subscriptions. But we will make it so that one-time payments (also the ones made in the past) will also give you access.
Is anyone else missing the link account options on the account page?
Is anyone else missing the link account options on the account page?
@Hexalyse Thank you for the response, and I look forward to all the walking! That character page looks awesome!
I can't wait for this game!!
Happy to continue supporting you guys. I hope all continues to progress as planned and I will definitely try and attend your virtual booth next week. Best wishes.
I really like the step count on the character screen. And I think Hexalyse has a string point with the problem of kcal estimates. Better keep it simple and true!
NPC dialogue and shops are a great feature to have so early - keep it up!
Good luck at the W Love Games!
@Vik_iA: thanks for the feedback ❤️ I'm hoping to see some WS fans there, would be super fun to talk with people who've been following the game for long.
Great job! Waiting for Closed Beta :)
🍀🥾
HYPE 🩷🫠