Hey there, Escapists!
7 months ago, we gave you a fairly early look of what Humanities Campus looked like, in the form of a devlog going over an entire YEAR of progress.
In all of our previous devlogs, we’ve mostly focused on the backend side of things. Puzzle design, implementation, and early versions of levels as they come together. However, we haven’t had a good opportunity to really let the art team shine until now. Please keep in mind that every picture shown off here is a work-in-progress, and there’s plenty more polish on the way!
Campus design has been an ongoing conversation since we started prototyping for Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School, and it certainly didn’t stop at the time of that video we mentioned earlier. So, without further ado, CCG is proud to present a sneak peek at…
Is that Science Campus I see in the distance? We’ll use the honor system and ask that you don’t look over there - you’re not supposed to know what it looks like yet!
Jokes aside, the Humanities Campus has gotten some BIG updates since you all saw it last. The layout was changed from the locks up to better fit within the EA2 playstyle (and by that, we mean running around opening doors like a maniac.)
Humanities Campus now has distinct buildings with their own history - this includes the new library that was built after Quanty so kindly decided to pave the way for a new one last year!
Here’s a beautiful before-and-after of the library concept and where it currently stands in Escape Academy 2 - instead of being tucked away at the back of campus, it’s now the very first building you’ll need to pass through to make it to the rest of campus, maybe even allowing for some super fun quests inside! 😉
We can’t show off the interiors just yet, as we’ve gotta leave SOME surprise for the fans, but we invite you to imagine all the wild possibilities inside. A mildly-trustworthy companion? Banned books? An angry professor? You’ll have to wait and see.
Next, we wanted to have the ability to have some buildings that you would actually expect to be on an “Escape” humanities campus. There’s obviously a lot of history at the Academy we’re more than excited to see players dive into on release, but how does the Academy honor it?
The Cipher Center is one of the many ways we’re injecting school identity into the various campuses throughout the game. Not only do we get to have campus-like buildings with a touch of Escape, but you’ll actually get to walk inside, talk to other students, professors, and truly get the opportunity to feel like a student at the Academy. The Cipher Center is just one of the many doors (ha) that have been opened thanks to our new open-world systems.
Of course, no good campus is without a state-of-the-art lecture hall, fit with the latest and greatest seating technology. Here, students will learn all about the history of the Academy’s founders - just make sure to brush up on your decryption skills over at the Cipher Center first so you don’t fail that exam!
Additionally, something we haven’t had a lot of chances to talk about yet is the location of the Academy. It’s known that the Academy is a secret to those who aren’t enthusiastic about Escape, so it must be secluded - Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School makes sure that your immersion remains unbroken with beautiful landscapes and nature littering the Academy and its surrounding areas. I truly can’t understate how well-immersed all of these trees, patches of grass, and little trails throughout the Humanities Campus makes me feel as a player.
What could that be?
Before we wrap up our section on the campus updates, enjoy this sneak peek. If you’ve kept a keen eye since we dropped our trailer, something in this image might seem a little familiar…
We hope that you’ll enjoy the Humanities campus as much as we enjoyed making it! As a player and devout fan of Escape Academy 1, all of the little touches in here make it feel absolutely perfect. Even then, there’s still tons of work to be done! Speaking of…
We’re proud to announce that localization is actively underway for the following languages:
French
Italian
German
Spanish
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
These languages are also currently available in the demo! We can’t say much else at this time, but if you speak any of these languages, please check out our demo and consider leaving a review so we can get some feedback from non-English speaking players.
Stay safe, Escapists! There’s been rumor of a Brain Storm headed this way - so make sure you’re prepared!
Don’t forget to…
…and we’ll see you in the next one. Let us know what you thought of this blog post, and what you’d like to see in the next one - that’s all from us.
With much love,
Coin Crew Games 💛💜