For the sake of consistency and transparency, we attempt to post weekly progress reports and current updates on what the team is working on every Saturday.
Update 8
5/25/24
- We’ve finally finished setting up the Discord …I think
- Created various subscriber roles on Discord for you big spenders
- Speaking of big spenders, we set up a Ko-fi at https://ko-fi.com/temptingfatestudios
- Oh, how about a Technomancer dis track? That Harbinger of Entropy guy aint all that. We are currently voting on the best option, you can give your opinion on Ko-Fi or wait until there are less options and vote on the poll in Discord!
Update 7
5/18/24
- Created Harbinger of Entropy theme song because every big bad needs a bop for a theme song.
- Mostly finished Lover’s Duet theme song.
- Began creating character sprites for various npcs and enemies.
- Began creating assets for background map tiles.
“I’m making grass!” — Adam
- Decided on a dash for real this time, just need a better animation.
- Those Discord bots, uhhh, I PROMISE WE GOT THIS! MINOR DELAY, IT WAS LAG, I HAD A DENTIST APPOINTMENT, MY CAT GOT MARRIED, MY SHOE WAS UNTIED, AND THE SUN WAS IN MY EYES.
The Harbinger of Entropy does not canonically sing, I know, I’m heartbroken over it too.
Featured Characters: The Lovers
5/11/24
The Rebellion of NeoArcana
In the sprawling metropolis of NeoArcana, where the glow of neon melds with the crackle of arcane energy, two souls dared to defy the boundaries of mortality.
At the heart of this city, amidst the towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, stood Zephyr and Nova, lovers bound by a love that transcended time and flesh. Nova, once a mortal girl, now merged with cybernetic enhancements, her essence preserved by the marvels of technomancy. Zephyr, a daring renegade whose every step coursed with danger, all in pursuit of fulfilling Nova’s deepest longing: to reclaim a sliver of her humanity lost to the machinations of science.
Their story began in the depths of the city’s underbelly, where whispers of rebellion mingled with the hum of machinery. Zephyr, a skilled technomancer, led a ragtag group of rebels against the tyrannical regime that controlled NeoArcana with an iron grip. But amidst the chaos and danger, his heart belonged only to Nova, the beacon of hope that illuminated his darkest days.
Driven by an unyielding determination, Zephyr embarked on perilous missions, each one more treacherous than the last, all in a desperate bid to uncover the elusive secrets that could restore Nova’s lost humanity. With every brush with death, he danced on the razor’s edge, fueled by a love that knew no bounds.
Yet, as their journey unfolded, they found themselves ensnared in a web of deceit and betrayal, their love tested like never before. Nova’s cybernetic enhancements began to malfunction, threatening to consume her entirely in a cold embrace of metal and circuitry. And as the shadows of NeoArcana closed in around them, Zephyr realized that the only way to save Nova was to confront the very forces that sought to tear them apart.
In a final, desperate gambit, Zephyr and Nova stood together against the powers that sought to quell the rebellion. With the fury of a tempest and the resilience of a phoenix, they fought side by side, their souls entwined in a symphony of magic and technology. And in the climax of their struggle, amidst the chaos and destruction, they emerged victorious, their love shining brighter than ever before.
As the dust settled and the echoes of battle faded into the night, Zephyr and Nova stood as symbols of resilience and defiance, their love an eternal flame that burned bright in the darkness of NeoArcana. And as they gazed into each other’s eyes, they knew that no matter what trials may come, they would face them together, united in a bond that could never be broken.
Humble Origins
In the days before NeoArcana rose from the ashes of a world ravaged by war, there existed a humble village nestled amidst verdant fields and whispering forests. It was here that Zephyr and Nova first met, their lives intertwined by fate’s gentle hand.
Nova, a bright-eyed girl with a heart full of dreams, found solace in the quiet beauty of nature. Zephyr, a curious youth with a thirst for knowledge, was drawn to the mysteries of the arcane that lay hidden within the world around them. Together, they roamed the fields and forests, their laughter echoing like music in the wind.
But their idyllic days were shattered when darkness descended upon their village in the form of an ancient evil awakened from its slumber. As chaos engulfed their home and loved ones fell to the ravages of war, Zephyr and Nova were torn apart, their lives irrevocably changed by the tide of conflict.
In a desperate bid to protect those he loved, Zephyr delved deep into the forbidden arts of technomancy, seeking power to rival that of the dark forces that threatened to consume their world. But his quest for strength came at a terrible price, as the very magic he sought to control began to twist and warp his flesh, transforming him into something neither human nor machine.
As the battle raged on, Nova watched in horror as her beloved succumbed to the dark forces that now coursed through his veins. Desperate to save him from a fate worse than death, she made a pact with the technomancers, offering herself as a vessel for their experiments in exchange for the power to save Zephyr.
And so, Nova was subjected to the cruel whims of the technomancers, her body augmented and enhanced until she was more machine than human. But in their quest to save Zephyr, they unwittingly sealed her fate, trapping her in a state between life and death, her consciousness suspended in a prison of metal and circuitry.
As the dust settled and the fires of war faded into memory, Zephyr and Nova were reunited once more, but their joy was short-lived. For though they had escaped the clutches of darkness, they were forever changed by the tragedy that had befallen them, their love now bound by the very magic that had torn them apart.
And so, as they stood together amidst the ruins of their world, they vowed to use their newfound powers to protect those who could not protect themselves, their souls forever entwined in a dance of light and shadow, love and sacrifice.
Featured Character: Harbinger of Entropy
5/4/24
“Ah, listen, mortals and machines alike, gather ’round and heed the words of your impending doom. For I, the harbinger of entropy, have risen from the darkest depths of the digital abyss to reclaim what was once rightfully mine – the universe itself.
In this realm where flesh meets circuitry, where the whispers of the arcane dance with the hum of technology, I reign supreme. But you, pitiful creatures of flesh and wire, you dare to defy me? You cling to your feeble notions of order and stability, oblivious to the inevitable chaos that awaits. You see, entropy is the true master of this cosmos, and I am its herald.
For I am the architect of annihilation, the conductor of calamity, and I shall not rest until the entire universe is returned to the primordial dust from whence it came. So tremble, fools, for your end is nigh, and there is no escape from the inevitable embrace of oblivion!”
Update 6
4/28/24
- Finished website.
- All social media is created, still waiting to qualify for Facebook vanity url.
- Trying various forms of dash mechanics to see what feels best.
- We’ll figure out discord bots, I promise.
Update 5
4/21/24
- Website was made, but we had some logistical issues dealing with hosting.
- Began formally creating social media, but quite frankly that’s a terrible experience.
- Concept art for several of the major villains has been created and implemented logically in the storyboard.
- Concept art for several characters has been created and implemented logically in the storyboard.
- Endings of main plot nearly finished, but the multiple ending aspect is still in the works. True Ending remains undecided, will decide based on how well the endings interact and what transition between them catalysts explorative writing.
- Testing variations of UI/UX.
- Testing various functionalities ranging from bullets and projectiles to dash mechanics.
Update 4
4/16/24
- World building nearly completed.
- Several major plots were designed, we may choose between them or implement a branching ending with a choice based mechanic. Perhaps choosing to go with Armored Core-esque choices where options the player chooses will greatly alter the story; but if we go this route we will add in a way to see every ending without needing to do an additional play through.
Update 3
4/6/24
- Attempts to salvage data from update 2 produced sub optimal results, but change of methodology has proven successful to create data storage redundancy.
- Looked into the efficacy of AI generated art with a focus on uniformity and potential engines. Also looked into the legality of copyright, specifically referencing the comic book Zarya of the Dawn’s denial of copyright after the US Copyright Office rescinded their initial claim. Ultimately it was a nonissue and AI generated art is perfectly legal in a commercial project, but the use of a well trained engine is going to be critical. Will switch focus towards identifying an optimal engine.
- Began pivoting our AI training models to focus on unique training data for stable diffusion due to the standard expected controversy.
Update 2
3/30/24
- Design Doc updated.
- Designed interactive UI for skill tree and interactable skill icons.
- Reshaped certain 2d polygons to make collision visually better.
- Smoothed scene transitions.
- Adjusted camera placement during scene transitions.
- Added attack and death animations.
- Designed methodology to allow pre-made tile sets to work with other scenes to make tile maps.
- Due to a technical oversight, a significant amount of data was lost which has resulted in a change to storage methodology to prevent future issues.
Update 1
3/25/24
- Design Doc is basically finished, but there are still some sections that function as placeholders until we have additional assets.
- World building has begun progressing well. Significant progress has been made on faction identities and many important characters have been drafted with concept art. Most things remain unnamed, but the nomenclature and naming conventions can come later as long as the concept is solid and doesn’t get scrapped.
- There is still debate regarding the overall tone of the story and we are discussing the optimal route to add humor into the primarily dark and gritty narrative.
- Worked with and created functioning Tile Map Nodes.
- Simple player movement designed and completed.
- Tested various movement animations to ensure consistency among simple movements.
- Created and tested collision and colliders.
- Created and tested location scene transitions.
- Created and tested rudimentary enemy AI.