The Comeback: Knightborn Returns Stronger

Hi again, it’s me, cemuka!

It’s been a long while since the last update for Knightborn.

After pushing forward for nearly ten years, I hit burnout and had to take a step back. I tried returning a few times, but it just didn’t click. It took months to recharge — but I’m happy to say I’m finally feeling excited again about creating and working on what I love most.

The darkest days are behind me, and I feel productive and enthusiastic again — almost like I’ve just started Knightborn for the first time.

🎨 New Steam Capsule Artwork

I’m thrilled to reveal Knightborn’s new store artwork, created by Giovanni Fim. An awesome artist who also worked on the store art for Megabonk ^^

I’m really happy with how it turned out — it looks great and gives the project a fresh look.

🌟 A New Demo in Progress

The first playable demo launched during Next Fest, which helped a lot with wishlist growth and player feedback. Since then, Knightborn’s mechanics have evolved based on what I learned from that version.

Now, I’m preparing a new demo to give everyone a better feel for Knightborn’s gameplay. It’ll feature a short map where you can team up for quests — or even fight each other in PvP.

⚒️ Crafting System

Crafting is one of the features I’ve always wanted to implement and show off in the demo.

Right now, the crafting panel is still a placeholder while I finalize the system. An item upgrade/enchantment system is also on my list — it’s one of my favorite mechanics — but I’ll introduce that later after I test crafting in action.

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🛡️ Item Class Restrictions

Items can now specify which player classes are allowed to equip them. For example, you can have a “Warrior Only” set of equipment.

I’ve also been experimenting with level requirements, though that part isn’t finalized yet.

💎 Item Pickup Labels

Now, you can see item info before picking it up — no more guessing what’s on the ground!

🌲 Tree Collisions & Navigation

Previously, trees didn’t affect navigation. Unity’s terrain system doesn’t support this by default, so I created a custom solution.

Now, tree colliders interact with the player camera and block movement properly — opening up new possibilities for map design, like dense forests that naturally restrict paths.

🧱 Asset Rework

Because Knightborn uses multiple asset packs, I’ve struggled with inconsistent scales.

To fix this, I built a palette scene where I fine-tune and modify every asset before using it in maps. It’s making the visuals feel much more cohesive.

🚶‍♂️ Walking Toward Early Access

I’ve finally decided what to include in the Early Access release! It’s a bit early for full details, but here’s the plan:

• Demo Map – the introduction to Knightborn

• Colony Zone – PvP (Orcs vs Humans)

• Deathmatch – PvP (up to 8 players)

• Defense Mode – Co-op or solo survival

⚙️ Upgrading to Unity 6

I was developing on Unity 2022 LTS, but it’s time to move forward. Unity 6 offers better performance, so the project is now being upgraded.

💻 PC, Mac, and Linux Support

Thanks to the latest Facepunch.Steamworks build, releasing on all three platforms is now much easier. However, the Mac version will come a bit later since I don’t have a developer license yet.

Finally, I want to say thank you to everyone who’s still following the journey. If you’ve got a map or scenario idea, I’d love to hear it — come say hi on Discord and let’s talk!

Until next time, brave knights — the realm still needs you.

cemuka