Hello everyone!
It's been a little while since the last update, so I wanted to explain what I've been working on.
Rather than releasing several smaller patches, I've been focusing all of my efforts on what is by far the biggest update Bannerlings has received so far. Update 0.2.0 completely reworks several of the game's core systems while also adding new content, with the goal of making every run more strategic, more replayable, and more rewarding.
There's still work left before everything is ready, but I wanted to give you a look at what you can expect from the upcoming update.
In short, Update 0.2.0 will include:
A complete Fusion redesign with subclasses.
The new War Chest second-chance system.
A redesigned encounter flow.
Shop, deployment, and economy improvements.
New units, emblems, and enemy abilities.
More features currently in development, including difficulty levels and leaderboards.
Full notes below!
Confirmed changes
Fusion 2.0
The fusion system has received a complete redesign.
The old Fusion system had become increasingly difficult to balance and often felt more complicated than it needed to be. I wanted to simplify the system while making each fusion decision more meaningful.
Fusion no longer requires fusion points, and you can fuse units as soon as they are available.
Instead of receiving a random emblem after each fusion, you'll now choose between two subclasses that specialize your unit in different ways. These subclasses allow you to shape each unit around your preferred strategy.
Once you obtain two units with the same subclass, you'll be able to fuse them again into an even stronger version. This second fusion introduces another choice between two specialized upgrade paths.
In total, every unit can now evolve into four different final builds, giving each run far more variety and strategic depth.
War chest
The War Chest system gives you one last chance after losing a battle without removing the challenge of a roguelike.
Every battle you win adds gold to the War Chest. If you lose a battle, the chest opens and you can spend that saved gold in the shop before attempting the battle one final time. Win the rematch and your run continues. Lose again, and the adventure comes to an end.
Encounter system
The encounter flow has been redesigned to create a clearer rhythm between combat and events.
You'll now fight three battles before encountering an event, creating a more predictable rhythm throughout each run.
Encounter rerolls have also been changed. Instead of getting one free reroll and spending gold for more, you'll receive a limited number of rerolls that refresh after a certain number of battles.
Events have their own separate reroll pool, allowing both systems to be balanced independently.
Deployment
Deployment Points are no longer purchased. Instead, your army size increases automatically at key milestones throughout your run.
Shop / Selling
The shop has been redesigned to give you more flexibility and and make it more intuitive.
Units now have fixed prices, although they may occasionally appear with a discount.
Selling has also been expanded considerably. You can now sell units at any point, even fully fused units with emblems attached.
The selling value is based on everything invested into the unit, making it much easier to change strategies during a run without feeling permanently locked into earlier decisions.
New Content
New Emblems
A large number of new emblems have been added to expand build variety.
Formation emblems which buff units based on their position on the grid.
Incremental emblems which increase a stat based on something happening in battle.
Several additional emblem types that further expand build variety.
New Units
Four new units are joining Bannerlings:
Crossbowman
Shieldbearer
Shaman
Pikeman
Improved Enemies
Several enemies have received new special abilities, making encounters more varied and requiring players to adapt their strategies.
Currently Being Worked On
Economy & Battle Balance
With so many changes to the systems, the game's overall economy and combat balance are also being rebuilt to fit he new changes.
Difficulty Levels & Leaderboards
I'm also working on redesigning the difficulty system.
The current plan is to include:
Normal
Hard
Challenge
Challenge mode will feature its own dedicated leaderboard.
Features That May Arrive in Update 0.2.0
Expanded Campaign
The goal is to increase each run to roughly 30–40 encounters, introducing additional enemies, environments, and more varied progression.
Dynamic Camera
An optional dynamic camera system that frames battles more dramatically and improves the overall presentation.
Ruby System/Shop
This system is designed to increase replayability by giving each run even more unique progression choices.
You'll earn Rubies by winning battles, with elite encounters rewarding even more. These Rubies can then be spent at a dedicated Ruby Shop encounter.
In the Ruby Shop you'll be able to unlock rare units for your current run, purchase legendary emblems, and obtain other powerful bonuses.
Encyclopedia
I'm also planning to add an in-game encyclopedia that records every unit and emblem you've discovered, making it easier to learn the game's mechanics and complete your collection.
Those are the biggest additions, but there are also plenty of smaller improvements and quality-of-life changes that aren't listed here.
Many of these changes are the result of feedback from everyone who played the demo, so thank you for helping shape the direction of Bannerlings.
My goal is to release Update 0.2.0 this month, although I don't want to commit to an exact date until everything is polished.
I'm also excited to share that I've commissioned brand-new cover art for Bannerlings. I can't wait to show everyone the finished result!
Thank you all so much for your continued support, feedback, and patience while I've been working on this update. I genuinely believe this will be a huge step forward for Bannerlings, and I can't wait for everyone to get their hands on it.
Best regards,
Frostwind