Continuing our normal format this week, we are bearing quite the eye candy! Having worked extensively on the Recipe Crafting UI we can share with you the fruits of our labor, we designed and almost completed Ale Abbey's Minimap (!), and we are making strides in creating the Retreat for your Monastery's Superiors...
On with the news!
-- Remember the Abbot's room?
We're talking about the Abbot/Abbess Retreat that we identified as our next target to tackle a couple of weeks ago... With Raimo finishing off the heaviest load of character and character animation work, he turned his sights to the room in question.
As always we started with a very basic version of what we envisioned the room to be...
Although still WIP we can happily say that - in but a week - Raimo nailed the vibe for your Superior's room!
Just imagine him contemplating the future of your Monastery, or how much beer those Bandits need to lay off your deliveries.
-- Recipe Crafting UI complete!
We couldn't be happier to announce that the Recipe Crafting UI we have been working on so far, is finally complete (pending but a few minor aesthetic changes here and there - a game's development never truly ends!). And with this set of news, we also bring you all of its stages to prove it!
It all starts with you choosing whether you'll create a recipe from scratch or use an already existing one as your base.
Then you get to choose the style of the brew you want to create the recipe for, where you will also be shown an overview of the style's attributes, ranges, and potential Special Traits.
In the next step, you will be able to handpick the ingredients you want included in the recipe and see how adding or subtracting them changes the recipe's ranges compared to the selected style. Remember that experimentation can be rewarding in Ale Abbey :)
Finally, you get to choose who will devise this recipe and which Library (if you have multiple ones) they will use to start writing!
Easier than saying 1-2-3!
-- Ale Abbey's Minimap
We hinted at this earlier this week in some posts, but get ready for the full disclosure... We decided to work extensively on Ale Abbey's minimap, a small treat to those who will fancy expanding their Monastery and definitely something that will be extra useful when trying to select the right room for the job. Although we started working on it just this week, we are very close to calling it complete.
-- Is there a best place to brew beer?
No need to be looking on a minimap for that; the brewery is where your heart is... almost.
The best place to brew would be of course wherever you are at the moment, but there are a few things that could make the process relatively easier. Namely, you could definitely use a place that naturally offers you:
- Temperature Control: Maintaining a consistent and appropriate temperature is essential for brewing. In addition to that, when we're talking fermentation nothing beats the constant temps found in some basements (or cellars if you hit the jackpot). Because different beer styles require different fermentation temperatures, even the spots you have available might be perfect for some, but not for others. Hey, if nothing works you can always use technology to control and monitor the temperature of your fermentation vessel!
- Light Control: Beer is sensitive to light, particularly ultraviolet (UV) light, which can and will cause off-flavors. It would be wise to store your ingredients and finished beer in a shaded spot, or in dark/amber-colored containers to protect them from light exposure
- Ventilation: Good ventilation helps remove unwanted odors and prevents the buildup of carbon dioxide during fermentation. It goes without saying, proper airflow will also help you regulate temperature!
- Water Quality: Being such a significant component of your brew, the quality of the water you use matters, a great deal. If you happen to be in an area where the water's mineral content is just right, you're one of the lucky ones. You can always of course adjust it as needed with science :D
Still... don't fret, just like experimenting with Crafting Recipes in the Abbey, brewing when conditions might not be in your favor could actually surprise you with some amazing results!
Tune in next week for more of Ale Abbey's news! For now, enjoy your weekend responsibly ;)
-- Hammer & Ravens
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Love the artwork on this, the pixel art is so detailed but easy on the eyes too, really good job
thanks! really glad to hear so! it's being a huge amount of work to find a balance between UIs higher density of pixels and info and the scene lower res one, I hope we're pulling it off ;)