Multiplayer Playtest Details - What awaits you in just 9 days?

The Biggest Adventure Yet Starts in just 9 Days

Greetings, Dominus!

The countdown has officially begun! Thousands of players from around the world (over 5500 to be exact) are already knocking on the gates of Dominus Automa and will soon step into the biggest public playtest in the game's history. And you know what? We couldn't be more excited!

What started as our dream: an MMORPG for busy adults who don't want to give up their love for, let's be honest, a quite time-consuming game genre - is now growing into a vivid world with a soul. All thanks to your support!

To sweeten your patient wait, we'd like to share a few important details about the upcoming event. The details below will help you prepare for the journey ahead and give you a clearer picture of what this crucial milestone is all about. Soon, as you travel across the vast and diverse lands of Dominus Automa, where adventure and danger lurk around every corner, you'll do so with confidence! Let's dive right in...

Three Weekends of Adventure Await

The Steam Playtest officially begins on August 7th, and our current plan is to keep the servers online for about two and a half weeks, that is till Sunday, August 23rd.

That means you'll have plenty of time to experience everything the Playtest has to offer, discover new mechanics, admire visual changes and, of course, progress your hero.

We especially encourage everyone to jump in during the weekends, when we expect the highest player activity. If you're looking for boss-fights companions, PvP encounters, or simply want to experience a lively MMORPG world, weekends will be the perfect opportunity.

That said, the servers will remain online and open throughout the entire Playtest. After all, one of the core ideas behind Dominus Automa is: Play when you want. Progress at your own pace. No pressure. No content rushing. Our team, MMO veterans to its core, can't wait to meet you all online and share unforgettable adventures together - really soon!

The World Goes On - Even While You Are Offline

From the very beginning, we've designed Dominus Automa around one simple idea: your gaming schedule should never dictate your progress. Play whenever it suits you, enjoy the game at your own pace, and never worry about falling behind or a FOMO feeling.

But you don't have to take our word for it. In the upcoming Playtest, your adventure goes on even while you are currently offline. That doesn't mean your hero will be wandering the world aimlessly - not even close! Just like with the other aspects of Dominus Automa's gameplay, you're the one making all the crucial (and fun!) decisions.

And so, your hero will faithfully follow the strategy and decision-making rules you've created, continuing their adventure without your constant input. Be it the zone you command them to explore or stick to their Combat Matrix rules, they will continue to grow 24/7.

Once you log in, they will report the results of the idle playtime, showing you all the sweet loot, experience and other bonuses they earned during your offline time. Instead of spending hours repeating the same actions, you'll focus on what truly matters. Plan your hero's progression, optimize their Combat Matrix, unlock new builds, send them to new dangerous zones, complete quests, gather resources, craft, slay (or at least try to) bosses, or wage war against other players in PvP or... well, you get the idea!

Six Zones to Explore

Now, let's get to the juicy details you've all been waiting for, starting with the Zones. And so, your adventure begins across six unique zones, each offering its own atmosphere, opportunities, and dangers. May it be wild woods, undead domains or abandoned lands - they all offer a variety of challenges, opportunities, and threat levels tailored to your hero's journey.

During the Playtest you'll be able to visit:

• Wild Forest

• Feral Forest

• Plague Den

• Lost Graveyard

• Silent Valley

• Abandoned Mine

Nearly 20 Different Enemies to Slay

Across these regions you'll encounter nearly 20 different monster types. Starting with bloodthirsty Werewolves, sneaky Spiders, terrifying Undead foes, stone-hard Golems and many more, each enemy requires a different approach to overcome.

Learning how different enemies behave - and adapting your strategy accordingly - will be essential for survival. Oh, and did we mention bosses? There are as many as three powerful beings that tower above all other threats.

Our advice? Group up! Taking them on alone is an enormous challenge - one that will push even the most experienced players to their limits. Observe your fellow heroes positions, use the in-game chat, and launch a coordinated attack to slay these formidable foes - together!

Watch Your Hero Grow

One of the biggest additions arriving with the Playtest is our new Character Progression System. By defeating monsters, your hero gains experience, which gradually develops core attributes, such as:

• Intelligence

• Vitality

• Will

• Focus

and a few others.

What's more, your hero also improves through a Weapon Mastery system. The longer you fight with a specific weapon type, the more proficient your character becomes with it, unlocking greater combat efficiency over time. Practice makes perfect, right?

As your journey continues, you'll unlock new powerful Abilities, allowing your hero to grow stronger and opening up entirely new combat possibilities. We are convinced that, just like us, you’ll come up with some crazy and OP builds - let's make our Designer worry, shall we?

The First Step Towards Loot & Items

The loot system is one of the pillars of every MMORPG, and we're excited to finally begin introducing it into Dominus Automa. While our full inventory and equipment mechanics are still under development, the Playtest offers an early glimpse of what's coming in the future.

The current system allows you to create items that enhance the character and simulate their progression without the need for inventory management. Again - this is only the beginning. The complete itemization system is still on its way.

Master the Combat Matrix

As you know, combat in Dominus Automa isn't about pressing abilities faster than your opponent, like numerous games in the MMORPG genre have accustomed us to. Instead, this is where the Combat Matrix system comes into play. We are really excited about this one, and we can't wait to hear your thoughts.

Using our Combat Matrix system, you'll define exactly how your hero behaves in battle. The fun part? No two heroes fight alike. No two players have the same approach. No two encounters are identical - whether solo or in a group, in a PvP or PvE scenario.

Create conditions based on:

• Health and Mana (both yours and your enemies)

• Distance to your foes

• Positioning

• Number of nearby opponents

• Ability priority

• Skill categories

• Chain your abilities to perform combos

• Maximize your utility when around other players to fulfill your role

You see, while some players may choose to smartly debuff their enemies, empower their own hero, or adopt a defensive playstyle using supportive spells, others can go all out with devastating offensive abilities, embracing a high-risk, high-reward approach. Your playstyle can be (and will be!) completely unique - an explosive mix of your favorite strategies, skills, and combat temperament.

One More Surprise...

That's correct, we have one more exciting surprise waiting for you! And it's a big one... Unfortunately, we'll have to keep you guessing just a little while longer. Trust us - it'll be worth the wait. We will announce it right on the Playtest launch date, that is August 7th. Stay tuned!

Join Discord »

We're currently running a community contest on our Discord server where you can win exclusive visual effects for your character to use during the upcoming Steam Multiplayer Playtest. If you'd like to stand out on the battlefield with a unique cosmetic effect, this is your chance.

Dominus Automa

That’s it for today,

See you in the next devlog!