Dev Blog #5 - Your Party

Devblog #5 – Your Party

Hello adventurers, welcome back for our fifth Devblog!

We’re halfway through April, and we’ve been busy focusing on our next content update for the free Playtest that is currently available.

We’ve made a number of balancing changes in line with feedback, and are hoping that a content drop and update will bring some more players to the playtest. The playtest is absolutely crucial to us ensuring Distant Isles can be the best game that it can – so if you’re reading this, please jump in and give us some feedback!

Party Members

This week I wanted to give you an insight into your party, which is a key part of gameplay.

As you visit and explore the Distant Isles, you’ll pick up party members along the way – hiring them from towns; finding them in the wilderness; or rescuing them from captivity.

You can have up to four members in your party, including your party leader that you will create at the start of the game.

Each party member will have unique traits and skills (see below for further detail), as well as a nationality from one of the four great seafaring nations of the world:

• Bretan: A seafaring and industrious nation, Bretans can learn a vast array of skills and talents. Considered 'all-rounders', the people of this nation have no particular strengths or weaknesses.

• AdjustedHispaniaKnown for their martial capabilities, the people of Hispania are honed in battle and combat. The people of this nation have increased increased combat stats (weapon accuracy, block and critical hit chances), but lower base resilience and 1 inventory slot.
• AdjustedMingThe people of Ming are peaceful and skilled travellers who live off the land. The people of this nation have increased Sight and Geography, and can travel across Rough Terrain better; but lower health and combat stats.
• AdjustedKongaA hardy folk hailing from the rich jungles of Konga, these people are strong and healthy. The people of this nation can navigate Jungle Terrain more easily, have increased health and 3 inventory slots; but lower base resilience.

As you travel throughout the Distant Isles, your parties will engage in banter, and come across random scenarios. We want you, as players, to form relationships with these party members to make your play memorable.

Traits

Maintaining a diverse and highly skilled party is crucial to your survival in the Distant Isles.

Each character has a number of stats that contribute overall to party statistics. For example, a party member with +2 Jungle Terrain will reduce the resilience cost of the party as it travels over Jungle Terrain.

In addition, each character can have two positive traits (or skills), and up to three negative traits.

These traits make each party member unique, and can either add bonus stats, or represent a new skill. For example, a party member with bargaining can negotiate a better price on items when trading.

These traits can also influence the party member’s reaction to certain scenarios. For example, you might find that you’ll need to drink alcohol regularly to appease an alcoholic in your party, or you might also find that they keep a secret stash of alcohol on them…

This combination of stats, positive traits, and negative traits will help to make each party member feel unique and memorable.

Wrap Up

Thanks again for reading this month’s Devblog. We can’t wait to show you what we have in store in the next content update for the free Playtest.

Just a reminder to Wishlist and Follow on Steam if you want to see more!

Huzzah!

Elliot