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The cult classic open-ended wilderness survival roguelike RPG taking place in the ancient North. Throughout the years, UnReal World has been praised for its incredible depth, realism, atmosphere and immersion. Lose yourself in the most intricate, detailed and enchanting iron-age game world.

Post news Report RSS Release in 2016, and hammering the graphics

Busy development times continue with hammering the graphics, redrawing NPCs and bringing some eye candy in the darkness. The next version is now scheduled to be released as early in 2016 as possible.

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We dreamt of releasing the new version still this year, but after serious considerations about what's still left to do it turns out to be impossible. It's only a month before holiday season and we're hardly at alpha stage. Renewals and improvements we've been dealing with are just plain massive and a month won't suffice to finalize and test it all. So, we'll be releasing the next version as early in 2016 as possible. It's a schedule that allows all the upcoming awesomeness to be perfected even better - as follows:

Hammering The Graphics, Redrawing Npcs

Long, dirty, oily, sweaty days with hammering the graphics engine into a brand new shape. I don't bore you with details but it's quite a feat to do this big data structure changes and still maintain savegame compatibility. As you can imagine with the current fixed tile-sheet size and fixed tile proportions we've been using lots of code customized solely for the current format. That why the engine gets seriously hammered and the whole logic of map drawing is being renewed to quite extent.

At its' current the stage the version in development probably uses around 60% of new graphics engine and renewed tiles, but the more I keep abandoning the old code the more code replacements there need to be. Nevertheless, the outlook is settling in nicely day by day. Lately NPC redrawing was initiated. Even though the next version is not yet the major graphics update, we're already increasing NPC tile size and giving them proper perspective and two facing directions:

Redrawn NPCs, redrawn cottages:

UnReal World - preview of redrawn NPCs

Housewife, sage and kids:

UnReal World - preview of redrawn NPCs

Notice pigs in the pen. Also the animals have got two facing directions now.


UnReal World - redrawn village life

Circle Of Light -- An Eye Candy In The Darkness

It's been months since the day and night lighting cycle was featured, and back then it was left at "to-do" phase how the light sources (ie. burning fires) would interact with darkened palettes during low visibility times like winter nights. That question and how to handle it has been bugging me every now and then but now it's all sorted out and we've got a bit of eye candy in the darkness.

"It'd be pretty cool if fires and torches gave the surrounding tiles a fire-coloured tint."
That's what Stove said on the forums back then, and many agreed. Me too, as you can see in the screenshots below.

The first one is in the winter forest, and the second one in the autumn forest. It's pitch-dark night in both cases. By the way, that circle of light isn't fixed but keeps flickering too. (Now you can imagine how much more cosy it looks and feels like to sit by the fireside in your warm cottage during the darkest seasons.)

Campfire circle of light in a pitch-dark winter forest:

UnReal World - lighting preview, winter forest

Two campfires and their circles of light in a pitch-dark autumn forest:

UnReal World - lighting preview, autumn forest

UnReal World - lighting preview

The first snow - in real world

The first snow has come turning the long dark autumn into bright white early winter.
Busy development times continue in a different color-scheme.
I want YOU to remain patient.

UnReal World - Sami (Creator) & the first snow of 2015


UrW is being developed with your support.This could be a good day to utilize your squirrel hides
and Donate to support UnRel World development

Thank you!

As a reward and to thank you in return, our characteristic video greetings can be downloaded after placing a donation of any sum.

Here's our latest video greeting, 'A classic':


...and our current video greeting 'Onwards', a short-movie in Kaurismäki-style,
awaits for those who are able and willing to pitch in them squirrel hides.

If you are a curious, go take a look at our previous Thank You videos at Enormous Elk YouTube Channel.


Stay tuned for more -- and feel welcome to join at Official Unreal World forums
for good talks and frequent tidbits about ongoing development.

Post comment Comments
ThegnAnsgar
ThegnAnsgar

I really like those NPC tiles. A welcome improvement.:)

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Kingravel
Kingravel

That looks wonderful and very atmospheric! I'm really looking forward to the next version. Please accept my humble admiration for your great work - I don't know anything similar to it both in creativity and in originality. I wished there were more people so dedicated to their game like you are. It's always a pleasure to read the news about your developments.
All the best to you!

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Chickenshot
Chickenshot

*clap* *clap*

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Lord-Darius
Lord-Darius

Wow, it's a big change in the art style. It will feel a lot different now. But I like it, nice job.

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