Marche (Preview)
Hey friends and family π
We gather again just in time for a little preview of ANARCHY's next monthly update.
Point 1.3
The name Marche implies: This patch will be all about movement. Features so far include a multi-stage Fragment going way into the past, more main story quests, patrolling NPCs, a Knockback ability, and β of course β a bunch of variAtions!
ImmigrAtion π§³
AUTONOMY-friends recognize the place. In 1913, Lorna, her sister and a close friend of the family are about to start a new life. And we'll be right there! We'll get to witness them settle and adapt to a space they'll call home for the next 5-6 years. You can imagine that there's a lot of excitement, but a fair share of anxiety too.
Introduction
The entire segment will eventually become part of ParAdise's intro. We'll kick our journey off in familiar places and subsequently tear down the world's tapestry bit by bit. Large parts of it are still conceptual, but I think you can see big efforts to bridge Old and New-World content.
Argonautica
Speaking of new worlds: ParAdise's main quest received a bit of love. Previously, players could go north after a short conversation with Ganymede. A semi-friendly NPC now prevents her from progressing in that direction unless she can deliver proof of her identity. Thankfully, there's a special fragment that holds a special item β and Lorna's name is written all over it! π³
Locomotion
Grabbing Lorna's service card will be the first real roadblock of the game. The enemies surrounding the Fragment might just eat you alive at level 1. However, certain encounters can also be avoided. Some of the Field Impostors responsible for triggering battles now actively patrol their corresponding areas, giving you the opportunity to sneak by.
Manipulation β
In regards to actual battles, there's a bunch of new abilities. One of them goes by the name Knockback. The ability itself consists of two primary elements. First, the attacker tries to push the primary target away by one tile. If the destination is empty, the target is relocated. If the destination is occupied or blocked, the target stays where it is and both entities take 150% of the attacker's ATK as damage.
Return of the π
Experimental abilities are ideally prototyped in a safe environment. And since I was planning on reintroducing a very important character anyway β I wanted to give you a little peek at something cool. It's a while off, but there's definite plans to celebrate 0.2 next February by adding an extra chapter to ExcommunicAtion. In ExtrapolAtion, you'll get to join team ATLAS and teach both Ganymede and Daph a couple of good reasons not to play with fire. π₯
Quid pro Quo
Last but not least, 0.1.3 also comes with a special variAtion for players that completed 0.1.2's challenge. There will probably be another temporary achievement β at least until the Steam Inventory System is fully hooked in. As for the variAtion itself: I'm still bouncing between a couple of candidates. Here's one of them:
Subject #801e1e
From September 1923 to October 1926, Ganymede was interned at one of Ionia's many black-sites. Under the guise of a busy hospital, the Wenger Asylum is a place where agents with questionable motives get debriefed. Thankfully, Ganymede loves nothing more than giving you the answers you want to hear.
Conclusion
All in all, Marche will be a bit smaller than its predecessor due to special day-job commitments this month. The good news is: Everything you see here is already live on the public beta branch. Starting November 18th, I'll take a little vacation and fully throw myself into development until release. This gives me more than a week to clean up 0.1.3 and mayhaps even include a feature or two originally planned for 0.1.4.
Either way β I'll get back to you at the latest with a little overview of 0.1.3 β Marche once it's released on November 28th. π
Until then, I hope you have a great couple of weeks. π₯°
much love
nory
On a related note, all stats have been carefully readjusted for each individual phase. Attacks feel a lot more deadly and the phases themselves flow a bit quicker. Naturally, this also has an effect on ParAdise. Enemies generally live longer, but Equipment makes a much bigger difference now.
To kickstart Lorna's adventures, she'll now receive a weapon through a little event just a couple of steps away from the initial spawning point. And since Lorna's story is all about taking matters into her own hands, she now gets to wield a very special axe. πͺ
In addition to an overall stats and loot table reworks, a tribe of Goblins intend to cause big trouble in little ParAdise. They're not all too clever, yet. But word on the street is, they'll learn to coordinate, soon. Until then, feel free to hack away at them as much you please. Though be advised that they're already a lot stronger than the other enemies you've faced.
The tiles of Paradise's first map have been massively reworked. Hilltops now have their own distinctive color and the ground is in general is much less busy on the eyes. Trees have been repositioned to allow for smoother movement across the map. Next to a lot more props all over the place, the outside parts of a toll-house now overlook the river separating north from south.
If you've been looking for a way to spend your Polygons, Ari's got your back! From consumables to starter equipment, she loves nothing more than sorting you out. There's rumors she even temporarily got her hands on some special stuff. π
Oftentimes in history, we see the past only through little fragments here and there. It's for us to connect these bits and pieces in an effort to make sense of it. Although the old word is lost, it's not forgotten. On the contrary! Like a present, it's waiting to unwrap itself in front you.
Interacting with Fragments triggers an old world memory. Players get to witness a moment in TRACHI's history, currently represented by a collection of InvAsion scenes. They offer a snapshot of a moment in the character's previous lives. The characters get to remember, and you get to find something out about them. And maybe, you get to keep a little souvenir.
Sometimes things don't go as planned. Sometimes you'd rather be somewhere else. Going forward, you can return to the Start Menu (almost) whenever you please. As a bonus, the chapter selection has also received a slight visual rework.
They say: "Clothes make the man". Does that go for fictional people, too? In ANARCHY, characters are represented as base classes with a whole set of different VariAtions. At the moment, the system itself is mostly used within Fragment Scenes. Though I'd love for you to have additional options for customization, too!
As a thank you to the absolute awesome bunch of people that invested their valuable time to overcome ExcommunicAtion during 0.1.1, a new skin is now available for Daphne. Going forward, I'd like to at least include one VariAtion per patch. These will be tied to a monthly challenge represented by a special achievements.
If you like what you see and haven't completed ExcommunicAtion yet β don't worry! There'll be plenty more opportunities to grab this cosmetic down the line. Beyond potential reruns, there are also plans to couple VariAtions with Steam's Inventory System and thus open the door for trading, buying/selling on the market and/or purchase the item as a DLC.
As you can see, there's tons of elements going into ANARCHY. It's my responsibility to not only work on these segments, but also tie them together in a meaningful way. Your presence helps me to discern essential features from flavor stuff β and serves as a continuous encouragement for me to keep going. 
Remember the achievement for completing ExcommunicAtion? I