And since this is a review of two weeks, we have a number of heavy hitters for you today. Lots of animations, finding ourselves in a perfect spot working on the Recipe Creation UX/UI, and a quick update on how the Pantry will work in Ale Abbey.
Don't let us keep you... read on!
-- Pantry fills up
Since Ale Abbey is all about the very menial task of brewing, we have so many opportunities to use visual cues for the amount of information we provide the player with.
The most recent addition to these visual cues is focused on the Pantry and your supply levels. As more and more ordered brewing supplies arrive at your Monastery, your inventory (a number directly tied to how many Pantries you have available in your Monastery) gets filled up to the point where you either have enough for your brews, or you need to expand by building a new Pantry.
This is a very important piece of information because you can end up not being able to accommodate arriving supplies or procure new orders... As you see your Pantry filling to the brim, you know it's time to expand. On the other hand, if you see those shelves emptying up, you know it's time to order more ingredients in.
All in all, because the inventory space for your supplies will be shared across the Monastery's Pantries the Pantries will not have their own dedicated inventory but rather quickly showcase your general supplies availability at any given point in time.
-- Recipe Creation now has eye candy!
We think we finally nailed the recipe creation page. It took us a lot of effort to create the "space" for it, identifying the surrounding elements that would make it an interesting and realistic interaction for the player, and - of course - aesthetically pleasing without sacrificing efficiency when it comes to conveying information about your amazing potential brews.
It's good to remember the scene we started with...
And how it looks today, utterly changed, and very much close to an eye-catching final version!
One small detail you might have missed in the screenshot above is the attribute icons for Virtues, Special Traits, and Quality Range that will define your Recipe's potential potency.
-- Lots of new animations
And then we have a number of new animations that our artist Raimo has been working on. The more staple ones are the ones covering the animation needs for the new Monk/Nun models he created a while ago while the more "demanding" ones are for the latest NPC addition, the Pilgrims.
Taking a page off the previous animations we have developed for the characters, the new models' animations should look familiar, and - with the number of differences in the distinct models of the Monks and Nuns being very diverse on their own - still not repetitive or redundant.
As for our trio of roving quest-givers in Ale Abbey, the Pilgrims, they do come with the nature of group interactivity. The challenge was to animate them as a trio, as a group that has its own internal mechanisms, rather than individual characters that do their own thing. With this dynamic we expect the Pilgrims to become quite the iconic part of Ale Abbey's gameplay... which should only add to their random appearances in a playthrough.
--The power of bubbles in beer!
Talking about animating more than one character at the same time, think... animated bubbles! In beer! Or better put, carbonation...
These millions of bubbles are not here just for show. Well, at least not entirely. The level of carbonation in beer plays a crucial role in determining its style and overall drinking experience, ranging from lightly carbonated beers like British ales to highly carbonated styles such as Belgian saisons and them bitter IPAs.
Carbonation not only affects the beer's appearance but significantly impacts its aroma, taste, and - most of all - mouthfeel. Not only that but do you remember how you like playing around with the foam? The release of CO2 creates bubbles, which rise to the surface and form that same foam or head. The foam traps aromatic compounds, allowing the drinker to experience a more pronounced aroma when taking a sip.
The carbonation also enhances the beer's effervescence, creating a pleasant tingling sensation on the palate that supports the flavors found in the brew and refreshes your taste buds. The level of carbonation can influence the beer's perceived sweetness and body, as higher carbonation tends to lighten the mouthfeel and give the impression of a drier beer. Carefully controlling the carbonation levels to achieve the desired balance between aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel, does not only make a satisfying and enjoyable drinking experience for beer enthusiasts but also provides brewers with a challenge they can't seem to refuse.
Finally, and to some quite an important point, carbonation plays a vital role in preserving beer's quality and extending its shelf life. The dissolved CO2 acts as a natural preservative by creating an inhospitable environment for certain spoilage microorganisms, thereby slowing down oxidation and maintaining the beer's freshness.
So next time you see those bubbles... appreciate them for all their hard work.
Join us next week for more of Ale Abbey's news! For now, enjoy your weekend responsibly ;)
-- Hammer & Ravens
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