Devlog #9: Battles and Squads

Introduction

Hello everyone! In this devlog, we’ll talk about battles in Kingso.

In the previous devlog, we already mentioned that the game map is quite vast. Exploring the entire map will take a significant amount of in-game time. The idea is that each biome and nation will differ not only visually but also in terms of gameplay. Over time, the game will become increasingly diverse.

Squads

Battles in Kingso are a feature that was previously missing and much needed. After all, what kind of fantasy world would it be without enemies? As you journey through the uncharted fantasy continent of Avelir, you may encounter friendly, neutral, or hostile entities. These could be other travelers, caravans, lords, or monster-infested zones.

Ordinary beings will develop city economies, wage wars, and defend their territories. Monsters, however, are a separate gameplay mechanic. The idea is that players won’t only encounter enemies by chance, but can also join an adventurers’ guild and deliberately hunt monsters - rising in rank, earning rewards, and developing their squad.

Your goals depend entirely on your choices and playstyle. But it’s important to understand that this is a strategic endeavor. You’ll need to decide how many companions to recruit, how to develop them, and thereby shape the story of your journey.

Combat

Let’s say you spot a group of small blue slimes and decide to smash them. Sometimes you can see the number of enemies in an opposing squad ahead of time, which helps you assess your chances. Usually, if you’re in an adventurers' guild, that intel is provided in advance based on your quest and rank.

To initiate combat, you need to move into the enemy’s tile. This transitions you from the global map to the battle area. You won’t always know which side of the battlefield you or the enemy will start on, but the terrain is always known in advance - it is copied exactly from the global map. For example, if the battle happens over water, your movement toward the enemy will be slower. You may also randomly alter the arrangement of your units. That’s why it’s important to consider not only large-scale strategy but also small details like how many arrows your archers have, your character’s upgrades, your squad’s level, and more.

In the future, we plan to add direct control over battles, allowing players to command characters themselves. For now, battles are fun to watch, and it’s exciting to build and develop your squad.

Thank you for reading this devlog! Next time, we’ll talk about the storyline and the game’s continent, diving even deeper into its world.