Hello everyone and welcome to another weekly dev review for Ale Abbey, our upcoming Monastery Brewery tycoon!
Quite the update for this week, with progress all across the board, even while the team is neck deep in Ale Abbey's in-game tutorial...
But we digress ;) Onwards with this week's news!
-- New Nun models
With all Monk models completed, we felt we needed a few more new faces for the Nuns of the Abbey as well. We were already planning to introduce more variety to these hooded brewers, and Raimo - our pixel artist - did not disappoint!
Similar to our work with other characters, the already finished Nuns give the tone for the new additions, the team discusses the potentials, we agree on which ones we would like to see in-game, and then the longer process of animating them takes place.
More on these little brewers soon!
-- Tuscany background goes loopable
Raimo, worked on his nemesis (backgrounds) to make our newest Tuscany biome stackable, loopable, and overall less static and more alive.
The devil's in the details, and we know you'll be zooming in checking for flaws, so there's no cutting corners here. Three different layers of elements, all three blended together to give you many hours of visually appealing gameplay, without breaking immersion.
Actually, as you're peeking at this picture, know that Raimo is already preparing a few more elements that will be added to the mix. Oh, yeah, discussions have already started for the third biome ;) but it's way too soon to talk about that. Stay tuned.
-- Working on the Traits screen
If you remember Traits are attributes that can be unlocked during your Recipe Crafting and your Brewing stages and can add certain bonuses and characteristics to your produced beer. Although we had a placeholder scene for informing the player of what traits have been unlocked, we recently started working on replacing that placeholder.
Since the Traits are sometimes linked to how adventurous you felt with your decisions during these two phases, we wanted to make sure that when they are revealed you get to be excited, surprised, and yet familiar with. A long and arduous procedure, but we'll nail it soon.
In total, you can unlock 3 traits, but this number cannot be guaranteed - unlocking 3 out of 3 is possible, but not highly probable. To make it even more readable, we tried color-coding them in a very straightforward way.
Use the comment section below to tell us what you think or give us a few pointers!
-- Can you use beer to celebrate an occasion?
It's becoming a pattern... we don't ask questions we can't answer positively, so - once again - yes! Beer is the drink for the masses but that doesn't mean it can't be used in celebration of a special event. Actually, everyone in the studio (apart from one heathen; care to guess who?) celebrates every time they crack a cold one open!
In the case that you really have something important to celebrate, you could look into the myriad of types available, and find the ones that are celebrated for their uniqueness!
- Champagne of Beers: Snob the ones that opt for sparkling wines or Champagne to celebrate special occasions... there are also beer styles designed to mimic the effervescence and elegance of Champagne. These beers, often referred to as "Champagne-style beers" or "brut beers," are typically light, dry, and highly carbonated. They can be a great choice for toasting at weddings, anniversaries, or New Year's Eve!
- Belgian Tripel: Belgian Tripels are strong and flavorful ales known for their complexity and high alcohol content. They often have fruity and spicy notes and can be a great choice for celebrations due to their richness and character
- Imperial Stout: For those who appreciate bold and intense flavors, imperial stouts are a popular choice. These dark, robust beers often have hints of chocolate, coffee, and roasted malt. They can be enjoyed on special occasions or during the colder months
- Barleywine: Barleywines are strong ales with a high alcohol content and rich, malty flavors. They can be aged for years, making them suitable for aging until a significant celebration
- Vintage or Barrel-Aged Beers: Many breweries release special, limited-edition beers that are aged in barrels, such as bourbon barrels or wine barrels. These beers often have complex flavors and can be perfect for special occasions
- Sour Ales: Not exactly for everyone, but sour ales (including Lambics, Gueuze, and American Wild Ales), can be a unique and celebratory choice due to their tart and complex flavor profiles. They are often aged in barrels and can be paired with a variety of foods
And, in case you feel daring enough, why not craft your own beer customized to the event you want to celebrate?
Tune in next week for more of Ale Abbey's news! For now, enjoy your weekend responsibly ;)
-- Hammer & Ravens
Looking for more Ale Abbey? Or maybe you want to chat with the team and our community? Find us on:
