And so it begins...

Happy 2025! I have mad the commitment to keep this devlog as a way to keep pressure on myself to keep this project alive and moving. i'm going to use this like a journal/ stream of thought. im going to be upfront and genuine as i go though this, i hope others will read this and can take something away :)! here is the pitch.........

The cold wind lashes your tattered robes around your legs the townsfolks vicious mockery still stings in your mind, tears sting your eyes. The howling breeze scatters dead leaves onto the massive square stones in front of you. A new home, of a sort... some may call it a dangerous crumbling ruin, others swear it is haunted either way this place is forbidden, you are safe here. Your cradle is another's grave, a place of endings but this will be your beginning. From these crumbling ruins, you will rise—not as the hero they wanted, but as the villain they will fear.

The working title is 'Lordsworn' and i already don't like it :))))) . After playing a load of demos and other games on itch, as well at watching a load of content about autobattlers, rouglites/rouglikes, i want to make something that has the same satisfaction you get in Balatro/hearthstone/Baazar when you invent a new killer combo, i want the satisfaction you get from like stardew valley/Satisfactory/Factorio when you have spent in game years to get your farm/factory looking awesome and optimized. 

So at the moment the game has three components to its gameplay cycle:

1. Campaign - player sees all the hexes of the world map and chooses their next venture, they balance power gain and the fury of the forces of good. they get  a sense of progress and satisfying meaningful strategic choices.  

2. Ventures - player has a totally hands off view of their minions doing a venture they have chosen. mostly autobattles (like tempo) but with some events, rare events and challenges thrown in to keep things spicy.

3. Stronghold - Player can explore their stronghold top down become more bustling and developed, interact with minions in conversation and slowly over time tidy, decorate and refine their stronghold, providing a sense of progression

Crazy ambitious right? well im going to try in anyway!!! i tested all of these things in prototypes, i have no idea if they will slot together. i have no idea is the whole thing will be fun or overwhelming, or is the scope is ridiculous... im going to try anyway, and i'll record my process here.

In the next part im going to more depth into the 'Venture' component.