2022 04 04 | v0.4.0 | polished graphics + feature update

Play it here: dercetech.com/play/alpha-boreal/2022-04-04/

This release introduces proper graphics for the world map – special thanks to our pixel art wizard: Sasa (aka @Windscr3wer) We’re lucky to have him on board from now! He’s now working on all the static assets: top-down, platformer, UIs, illustrations & more
He’ll bring his magic to Blocky’s Quest!

We’ve also integrated the highly valuable feedback from our 2 play test sessions.
Thanks to all who participated! New VIP Tester section for those who’d like to be listed:

– Weapon tweaks
– Collision boxes
– Dynamics (health, damage, bullet speed, motion, etc.)
– “double-tap down arrow” to jump down a one-way-platform (OWP).

New features:

– Reviewed, shorter & hopefully fun bootcamp. The previous one was just a wet blanket spoiling the fun.
– Sub quests added, imrpoved the reward system.
– Job Board (in the Corporate Outpost, West exit – enjoy the American corporate lingo – look for the CWO or Black Belt Bullshido Certificator).
– Radio signal (quest).

– Contextual NPC smalltalk (eg. they know when you get the Desertor quest for instance – they also comment positively when it’s done).
– Language review. The game is meant to be kid friendly (“comedic violence that’s suitable for toddlers). Don’t ask about “piece of schmitt” (dipschmitt?) or “what the flux“. It’s all stience.
– Minor bug fixes, typos.

Storyline development:

– The sinkholes are luring the Corporate greed. Something is wrong down there. In the search for nuclear fuel, the mining engineers (civilians, blue) stumble upon… well, you’ll see. A junior engineer (“paid to watch others work”) is terrified by what he saw capture the foreman.
– This makes a link possible with Arborea Meltdown: is this mineral the ominus Erradium responsible for the Prime Daughter mutation?

Engine upgrades:

– Stability, memory optimizations, improved json loader, better externalization of data.
– Reworked the speech system (multi-line, wrapping, order / random, sequence, NPC smalltalk, etc).

2022 03 25 | v0.3.0 | first reviews integration & new content

Play it here: dercetech.com/play/alpha-boreal/2022-03-25/

This release focuses on the initial reviews and comments of the players:

– Less intrusive RPG conversations.
– Add intuitive hints / non-intrusive new player hand-holding.
– Minor bug fixes, typos.

Adding on top of that:

– A Pirate Keep entrance, soon leading to the actual thing (mountains) or the Arrrh’ena (arena) where pirates and outlaws can ejoy grog and crude violence. Inspired by Monkey Island!

–  New monster (go visit a sinkhole, new level bootstrap).

– A quick encounter with the poachers (outlaw sub-faction). Will you help the ecologists save a family of Snake Persons? You shoul, the comedic violence is worth it.

Minor engine upgrades:

– Adding overlay console logging.
– Reworked the trigger / logic gates / multiplexer components.

2022 03 18 | v0.2.0 | initial contents, bootcamp & fixed issues

Play it here: dercetech.com/play/alpha-boreal/2022-03-18_2/

This release focuses on content & bugs:

– Lots of RPG contents: NPCs, conversations, radio transmissions, etc.
– A Bootcamp level! It offers 5 tutorials (including a mission & shooting stuff) and presents more of the game’s universe (factions, storyline, etc.)
– There are 11 weapons, 24 astronaut designs et 10 factions.
– An old grudge is settled: we can dispose of a compulsive liar (see bootcamp mission) that I met at a client a few years ago. She’s part of the deserter faction. Everybody hated her and she fled right before getting trashed by the upper management.
– Another grudge is settled as Jeff, the fallen CEO, is now fixing copy machines after he crashed a startup for which I worked. He belongs to the psychopaths faction.

– Zoom is now repaired.
– Web frame adds context and properly crops the contents.
– Fixes iOs/Webkit crash.

2022 03 10 | v0.1.0 | bleeding edge RPG elements

Play it here: dercetech.com/demo/alpha-boreal/2022-03-10

This release is unstable and crashes with most levels. It was for internal review so a partner could see what bits I was working on: The RPG “smart menus (stateful nerd stuff). You really shouldn’t try it. But hey, as a kid I remember playing a demo / pre-release version of Time Bandit on the Atari ST (version 0.96). Felt choppy and full of exploits. As a grown up, I wanted to retry that version. Testing the official release (2.1) disappointed me as I couldn’t access all sorts of unexpected places on the map. Voila, this my madelaine de proust.

Broken things:

– Zoom (stuck to 2x)
– Apple / Webkit / iOs / Safari loading of music.
– Most levels.

2021 07 11 | v0.0.1 | initial prototype

Play it here: dercetech.com/play/alpha-boreal/2021-07-11

This is the first playable version and is named “Alpha Boreal: Arena” as it is a simple proof-of-concept. Classic platformer mechanics, a handful of weapons, and dumb enemies to vaporize in multiple ways.  What else do we need?

Most of the work happens under the hood. It’s a web-first, mobile-friendly and app-store ready codebase with all the pipelines put in place for efficient development cycles. Projects designed with reusability and scalability in mind take longer to boot, but it pays off in the long run.

Well, let’s meet later this year for an update!