Greetings, fellow adventurers! This is the Elin State of the Game editorial team. We'd like to share Elin-related news that have been sent in from all over Ylva this month as well. This is the August issue of “Elin State of the Game,” out on Nyan Nyan Day (the 22nd), as always. Read this with an ice-cold beer or lemonade in hand!
Production on the new Home Story episode is currently underway.
However, you can sense the struggle from the cries left scattered throughout the update logs. It will likely be a little while longer before we get to see what kind of developments await us.
So for now, we're giving you a sneak peek at some of the standout new features expected to be implemented in the next stable release, based on what's currently available in the Nightly build.
(For details on all updates, see Ylvapedia)
Adventurers who barely escaped the mechanical ruins with their lives have reported sightings of a giant "little sister."
They say that numerous sister-droids gathered and combined to form a single, colossal little sister.
For all you older brothers and sisters out there who want to avoid ending up in danger, it would be wise to treat your little sisters kindly.
New spellbooks have arrived from the Mages' Guild. They are called "Fire Flare" and "Fire Comet"! The editorial team wasted no time testing them.
Fire Flare deals damage in a small area centered on the target, while Fire Comet deals damage over a wide area centered on the target.
If you can master these new spells and their unprecedented attack ranges, you might just be able to come up with some brand-new tactics.
Good news for couples getting cozy in a single bed and thinking, "It's a little cramped for two."
With this new bed, you won't have to worry about falling off the edge anymore!
Whether you build it yourself or commission a famous craftsman, getting a bed where you can truly relax is sure to bring you and your partner even closer.
One Block Mode has also been getting plenty of updates lately.
It's a nice little breather during the development of the Home Story.
Fellow adventurers might want to give it a try for a nice change of pace.
First up among the illustrations by Elin illustrator NZ is this concept art for the cursed girl,
Melilith. Her outfit, in which cuteness and terror coexist, is meticulously designed down to every single accessory.
Next up is a piece by Elin composer NINO.
This time, we're featuring the hymn of Lulwy of Wind. It's a track that makes you feel like an unbound wind soaring through the sky while looking down upon majestic Ylva.
Hi, it’s NINO!
The hymn of Lulwy of Wind is a song of wind that celebrates freedom.
A beautiful and awe-inspiring sky goddess
who soars serenely through the heavens
and rules over the sublime winds.
Had she not been a majestic deity
who loves freedom and bows to no one,
the proud winds surely would never have followed her.
This hymn
is a part of lore capturing the voices of the winds
who embraced Lulwy's way of life and followed her,
passed down and sung by the travelers of Ylva as the "Song of the Wind."
Next up, here's some news from the community keeping Elin so lively!
First up is the 2nd Elin VRC Tour.
This event gently guides adventurers who aren't familiar with VRChat, giving participants a rundown on basic controls, key guidelines, and more. After learning the basics, participants were shown around worlds inspired by Elin, such as Doga's Factory and the meadow where adventurers first wake up.
Gatherings for fellow Elin fans like this are thriving within VRChat. Even if you've never tried VRChat before, a tour welcoming beginners makes it easy to jump right in.
A failed creation in Doga's factory
A shearing battle broke out between Snow Putits!
The Golden Knight dual-wielding sky-blue tulips
A group photo in the starting meadow map
At the after-party, participants even got to try turning the forced labor machine
There are many activities and works by adventurers that make the Elin community livelier, and this is only a part of them. If any creator names are incorrect, we would appreciate it if you could let us know.
JUST KUMI
by RinneMoon
对上眼神就要开始战斗！？
by Sentry
Kizuami (♀)
by Tenko
在卖萌的朱亚
by 樱江喵丸
Mechanical soldiers and marshmallow monsters
by Takiyama
Playground Daddy
by ONJI
Rippp...
by ONJI
Two Ladies
by iromai
Do enjoy a chilled dessert!
by Niwasouji
Summer! Girl! Puppy! Message in a bottle!
by Gae
We're still accepting fan work submissions from adventurers for "Elin State of the Game"!
We're accepting submissions in various formats, including illustrations, photos, music, videos, and housing screenshots. We'd love to see your work grace the pages of "Elin State of the Game"!
Housing is life. In fact, it’s deeper than life itself.
Here's the map we're featuring this time. Can you tell what's placed on it?
"Now that taxidermy duplication is possible, I lined up taxidermies of Ashland in my fully expanded base as a token of gratitude. It's not a horror base."
by Mio
That's right: the correct answer is taxidermies, along with their duplicates, of Ashland, Shadow of Mysilia.
Thanks to a recent update that made taxidermy duplication possible, displaying them in vast quantities has become much easier.
Even with duplicates, gathering this many must have taken sheer obsession.
Is what lies behind it love, or madness?
Here lies an abyss of housing quite distinct from mere ingenuity or technique.
Thanks to all the adventurers who’ve sent in messages through the reader submission form!
Now it’s time for the Adventurer Q&A Box!
The development team will personally answer the questions submitted through the form!
As promised in the last “Elin State of the Game,” we're bringing you an extra-packed issue this time!
I love playing Elin! The world is wonderful and full of lore. However, sometimes I get overwhelmed by the amount of work that goes into building my house and town. Are there any plans for a game start that allows the player to be a simple traveler, with no home? Please keep up the incredible work! I love Fiama. <3 (From Rainyday)
Thank you for the warm message! Since home bases are a core feature in Elin, progressing without a home seems difficult system-wise. Instead, I feel implementing something like a portable base you can carry like a tent, or a base that follows you on the global map akin to Howl's Moving Castle, would be relatively easy. This would be a game mode similar to One Block Mode. If there's demand for it, I'd like to try making it when I find some free time.
Is it possible to add NTR elements? For example, something like a newlywed partner starting to hang out with a playboy, their affection steadily dropping over time, until they are completely stolen away. (From 牛头人国王, original in Chinese)
Personally, I'm a fan of the "I love you so much, and yet... but...!" dynamic, but unfortunately this isn't that kind of game, so such elements will likely be kept to a minimum. That said, Raphael, the resident specialist for that sort of thing, will be appearing again (though he's still just a baby in this era).
Are there any plans for being able to raise the limit of fiances in the future? (From Nerohael)
Currently, the only ones who can increase the limit of fiancés you can safely bring along as party members are races with the "Flowers in Both Arms" feat. There are no specific plans for updates related to this feature, but if you have any interesting ideas, they're always welcome!
I feel that Elin currently has quite a lot of content, but much of it still lacks depth. (...) Moving forward, are there any plans for improvements or expansions that will add "depth" to the game overall, including systems like NPCs' daily life, relationships, affection, and negotiation? (From eluii, original in Chinese)
We do want to add more depth to the game moving forward. Daily life and base management are also elements we want to heavily expand after the official release. Right now, we are progressing with development based on priority, focusing primarily on the scenario.
Are there plans to implement a feature in the future where you can change race or class through a wish? (...) Still, thinking about a snail tourist who, after surviving countless adventures, becomes a succubus through a wish... somehow feels really heartwarming. (From fat cokezero, original in Chinese)
A snail reincarnating as a succubus, or a succubus reincarnating as a snail... Both are heartwarming! As for changing race and class, we've actually been testing that for quite a while now, and it's at a stage where it could be implemented with just a few improvements. For classes, it might also be fun to let players freely switch them at a dedicated facility, much like a certain famous temple.
There is something odd about the food in Elin, I say. You can make cheese from things other than milk, dried bonito flakes from things other than bonito, wine from things other than grapes... In fact, making cheese or wine from their proper ingredients is actually the exception! Mixing fish and seaweed yields soy sauce (even if it were fish sauce, seaweed wouldn't normally be included), mixing chili pepper and Zettel (the German word for paper) yields black pepper, and despite having chili peppers, you can't make spices, chili oil, or sauce. Despite having tomatoes, you can't make ketchup; despite having fruit and sugar, you can't make jam; despite having milk, you can't make butter; despite having a takoyaki maker, you can't make takoyaki; despite having soy sauce, miso, natto, and beans (the ones you scatter for Setsubun), there are no soybeans; you can't use wasabi on sashimi; you can't use avocado, melon, or watermelon (sliced) in fruit dishes; despite having cherry trees, you can't grow cherries; and despite having Eggplant Fairies, you can't grow eggplants! Are these temporary specifications due to Early Access? Or is it Ylva's unique culinary culture? (From Zundamochi Suki, original in Japanese)
Just because things in this world are called "cheese" or "wine" doesn't necessarily mean they are the same foods as the cheese and wine in our world. The only things that Ylvan eggs and our eggs have in common might just be that they're round and something is born from them. And whether what the inhabitants of this world call "catechin" contains the same components as the catechin we know is an eternal mystery that you're surely happier not knowing. Understood...?
Are there any plans to add a feature in the future like changing NPC and pet dialogue (custom tone of speech), similar to what Elona had? (From Anmerutsu Yoko Yoko, original in Japanese)
We generally envision customization-type features being added through mods. However, for high-demand features like changing dialogue, there's a possibility we might add them officially. I'd like to consult with DK (who has been helping us expand mod functionality) about it sometime.
Will players be able to craft more types of weapons and armor in the future? and are there any plans on incrementing the crafting system in the near future? (From Kasei)
Weapon and armor crafting was actually introduced as a trial back during the alpha test, but we ended up removing it because we couldn't make it into a particularly interesting system at the time. The main issues were that being able to craft freely rendered existing randomized gear meaningless, and that reloading over and over allowed players to create perfect weapons. One idea we're currently mulling over is making parts, like a blade or hilt in the case of a sword, obtainable at random, giving each part a few fixed enchantments (similar to genes), and having players combine them to craft equipment. As you progress through the game, an issue will likely arise where the enchantment strength of previously acquired parts no longer meets current standards, so I'm scheming to see if we can also implement something like a reforging feature for artifacts and equipment (recalculating enchantment strength) at the same time.
What flavor is Jure Water? (From Boueisha, original in Japanese)
To drink that would be unthinkable!!!
"Elin State of the Game" is still accepting questions from all adventurers!
Due to space limitations, we may not be able to feature every single one, but we will read through all the submitted questions and continue answering them in future issues.
The entire editorial team is eagerly awaiting your questions!
Hello everyone, this is noa. I thought I’d have plenty of time on my hands this month, but I ended up hitting a standstill during the final push for the main story scenario. I’m currently working hard so that I can release a stable build around the time this issue of "Elin State of the Game" is published. The scenario really is the toughest hurdle in Elin’s development. Given the game’s genre, there are probably plenty of voices saying, "I wish you'd focus development on the gameplay instead," but since this is a world I've held dear ever since Elona, I want to pour everything I have into the scenario as well. I expect updates will continue to lean heavily toward quests and story for a while, but I hope you’ll stick with me for a bit longer. Until then, please look forward to the next issue of "Elin State of the Game"!
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