Hey Blade Princes,
What makes a hero’s journey more epic? Its villains! In this devblog, we will dig deeper into some of the enemies you will have to face, but also the unique threat level feature that will spice up all those combats!
Who’s threatening Abjectalia?
Many threats are lurking over the city, and the Blade Princes have a lot of work to do. The different sectors that divide Abjectalia can be similar to biomes, with the idea that each one of them has their own identity, but moreover, what's our topic of the day, their own villains.
- The Shallows, also known as Sector 1, are for example a gang-ridden place where the Acid Pillz terrorize the poor population of the suburbs. Inspired by the Mad Max universe, these thugs fit perfectly into a steampunk atmosphere like the one of the Shallows. This punk-poison mix is reminded by bright colours like green and magenta, just like many poisonous animals in nature have vibrant colours themselves! You can find this neon colours palette in the landscapes with the graffitis and the barrels, but also on the enemies themselves with their mohawk haircut. The Acid Pillz have eliminated all the other gangs in the area, making profit from drug-dealing and human-trafficking. Charming bunch, aren't they?
- Sector 2, The Catacombs, is not short on enemies. In this gigantic “graveyard-city” with a lovecraftian touch, the dead are stored, and the inhabitants have developed a morbid culture made of cults worshiping death and the afterlife. This heavy atmosphere that reigns in this part of Abjectalia is emphasize by the more dark and gloomy colours like grey and black. Sometimes a strike of vibrant purple will slice this ambience, like lightning in a bad weather. The Kindred of Torments is the main cult of the Catacombs, with the goddess Arachnea as their patron deity. Her followers will be ferocious opponents, with their faith funneling their black magic and forbidden rituals. After all, how ferocious is an enemy who is not afraid of death?
As for other sectors and enemies… Well, let’s keep the surprise, shall we?
Each enemy encountered by the Blade Princes is a new step taken towards the top of the power chain in Abjectalia. Within the same sector, you will face different kinds of minions, but most importantly, the big bad evil bosses! Yes, there is a plural here, as territories are disputed by various individuals with their own purposes and powers.
Narratively speaking, we wanted this escalation of threat and power in the enemies to be a representation of the Blade Princes' growing maturity and strength through all the hardships they face. Many different plots are happening in Abjectalia, and it was paramount that the critical state of the city was seen through all the different antagonists that want to claim power over it.
Threat level is in your hands
In Blade Prince Academy, the dangerousness of each mission is determined by the player’s decisions. Indeed, if missions start with a threat level of a certain intensity, this score can increase depending on different actions:
- Opening chests
- Choosing a more powerful pact
- Getting rid of enemies
- Opening doors without keys
- Losing at the casino roulette
The UI was a critical aspect to set up in regard to the importance those choices create. Building tension and fear in the player was the main goal of the threat level UI, with the skull getting angrier with each level and the red color reminding the player of the growing challenges they will face. There was a balance to find between highlighting this difficulty meter with graphic assets and not overcharging the screen with too much elements, keeping the UI readable.
Since many mechanics depend on this data, we wanted the threat level to feel like a danger hanging over the player constantly, as opposed to a one-time event that will disappear from the screen and, later on, the mind of the player. With the angry skull and its loading bar always apparent, the idea was to understand which difficulty you are currently facing and, when having to make decisions, doing them while knowing if it is worth it or not.
Toughest challenges, best rewards
Threat level does not impact the visuals of the enemies, however, their number, their animosity, and their strength are increased. Stats such as Life, Damage, Resistance, and Haste are upgraded, making them a much more aggressive challenge for the player. This feature can create a unique experience for the same sector, with some enemies being tougher than they used to be or making more of them spawn in a place that was previously empty.
Dealing with more and more dangerous individuals is one thing, but challenging oneself is not the only profit to gain from such victories. We wanted the player to really feel the impact of winning a tough combat and the satisfaction that comes from it. A Special Pact reward is delivered to players who beat the highest threat level menaces, but they also gain more experience as well as skullz money.
Now, you have read everything there is to know to face the hostile world of Abjectalia and to protect its citizens! Thank you for reading this devblog, let us know what you think about the threat level system and how you can influence it!
And we also created a Tiktok account, you can find it here: https://www.tiktok.com/@bladeprinces
Stay tuned for the next insights into the creation of Blade Prince Academy, more news are coming in the next weeks!
- The Blade Prince Academy Team -