Not a lot of eye candy this time, but we do have quite a few new things to share with you!
Don't skip a section of this week's Something's Brewing as we explore the writing style and direction we will be using in Ale Abbey (with a few small examples as well), the new Laboratory room, and the latest animations for the Abbey's Bandits.
Read on!
-- Bandit animations are almost complete
Keyword "almost." So far we have given the Bandits some very good optics - especially considering the nature of their real-life counterparts during the Middle Ages. Great to look at, fun to have around, potentially helpful when you are, and definitely far from threatening (apart from a few supplies not making it to the monastery or any price spikes in ingredients, TBD!).
With the Bandit's boss being a central figure in all this, we have pretty much worked out his last couple of animations: him being excessively happy, or not so happy, depending on how much beer you've put in the equation ;)
-- New Laboratory room in the works
Moving forward with a very small number of rooms still left to complete, the Laboratory room is now neatly placed on the design board.
The Laboratory will be used to keep an overview of the unlocked tech, ingredients, and beer styles available to your monastery, as well as give you a rough idea - and a chance to plan - on what you might want to progress next. In its current state, you can see we are still trying to make decisions on what parts to keep and move forward with; like the style for arches and stone window sills.
We still have to decide on these details, then make sure the overall colors and contrast of the room fit well when placed next to other rooms in the monastery, and of course, what happens under the hood, what with what stuff can be unlocked and the requirements to do so. Not ready to share many details on the inner workings of the latter just yet, but Emiliano has already worked diligently on the upcoming tech trees!
Stay tuned, it's a juicy subject with a lot more to come!
-- Writing copy for the Abbey
An aspect of Ale Abbey we don't share much of is the writing-words-that-read-good-together part.
We do have an overall direction we want to achieve with all in-game copy, one that is funny but not necessarily nonsensical, and if possible one that gives us ample freedom to explore the possibility of having a few easter eggs lying around ;) without forgoing information. It might end up being difficult to find the balance between all these, but it's already a joy to work on!
Using this blend of silly and informative voices we accompany the more traditionally stated bonuses/maluses for every piece of furniture, equipment, style, room, and quest you might happen upon. So don't worry, you'll know what your decisions will translate into and what your hard-earned florins will get you.
Below are a few examples of the copy that will potentially be used in in-game descriptions:
- Example of Market description
Upper Market
The domain of the opulent, where the nobility savors perfection in every sip. Focused on rarity and exclusivity, smaller quantities and high prices are never an issue. Their aristocratic palates extract pleasure from more subtle, nuanced flavors.
- Example of Beer Style description
Old Ale
An aged beauty like this one we'll keep brewing with Gruit! Could be blended with fresher ales to fierce 'em up, but it's a perfect dark, strong malty ale on its own!
- Example of Room description
Laboratory
The Dark Ages long gone, this room is no longer used to hide progress but to celebrate it. Oh the brewing techniques the future has in store for us!
-- Bad (and thankfully left in the past) practices in brewing!
The switch to hops was a blessing. Clean, with no adverse side effects, actually protects the beer itself from infections, and can bring fantastic flavors and bitterness to any beer style. There's not much more one could ask of this herb. What happened before its introduction though, left a lot to be desired!
Throughout history, various ingredients and additives have been used in beer production, some of which could potentially be considered dangerous by modern standards and sometimes bite back with unintended consequences.
- Gruit: Before the widespread use of hops, gruit was a common mixture of herbs and spices used to flavor and preserve beer. While gruit itself wasn't inherently dangerous, the specific components varied widely, and some ingredients could potentially be harmful in large quantities. Additionally, without hops' antimicrobial properties, gruit beers were more susceptible to spoilage and contamination.
- Toxic Additives: In ancient times, brewers sometimes used toxic substances such as poisonous herbs or metals to flavor beer or to achieve specific effects. For example, ingredients like henbane or belladonna were occasionally added to beer for their psychoactive properties, but they are highly toxic and can be fatal in large doses.
Oh, and yes, the very famous artemisia absinthium, commonly known as wormwood, has historically been used in brewing, including beer production. Wormwood is a bitter herb with a strong, distinctive flavor, and it was traditionally added to beer for its bittering and aromatic properties... However, wormwood also contains a compound called thujone, which in high doses can be toxic and may cause a multitude of undesired effects, including hallucinations and seizures. Today, while wormwood is still occasionally used in brewing for its flavoring properties, it is typically used in very small quantities and is subject to strict regulations to ensure consumer safety.
So... just to be safe, hops it is!
Enjoy your weekend responsibly, and join us next week for some more Ale Abbey news!
-- Hammer & Ravens
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