Hey, brothers!Your Dungeon Master here!
First of all, some good news. I won't have to travel this month because of my day job, they pushed the trip to next month. That means I'll be able to make solid progress on this update. And I already have.
I've finished the Keylan Mausoleum labyrinth, and my friend, you'll find some really cool things hidden inside it... including a new companion, if you choose to recruit them.
Now, let's talk about the features we discussed and that you helped me decide on. Here's the current status of everything planned up to Update v0.5:
Karma System (Virtue & Ambition) – ADDED
These won't be simple "good vs evil" choices. Karma-related actions will be relatively rare because I don't want the game to rely too heavily on them or lock large amounts of content behind a morality system. Over time, however, your actions will influence dialogue options, relationships, and certain scenarios.
Teleportation System – WIP
There won't be a simple teleport stone. Instead, you'll gain access to a Portal Room that allows travel to locations where you've already activated teleport crystals.
Relationship Points System – WIP
Instead of a traditional relationship menu, there will be a dedicated room featuring the characters you've met. There you'll be able to see your relationship points, how many intimate events each character has available, and how many you've already unlocked. I'm still deciding whether to add progression hints, probably short ones that won't break immersion too much.
Jobs / Paths – ADDED
This update already introduces roughly four different paths, even if they aren't explicitly labeled as jobs:
Work as a Mine Guard (dungeon crawling focused)
Join the Mercenaries (tactical battle route)
Join the Bandits (also tactical battles)
Join the Anti-Slavers (quest and reputation focused)
These are the planned early-game paths. As decided with the help of our Counselors, Dungeon Explorers 2 will have a slower progression pace than the original game.
Of all these systems, the girls room and the Portal Room remains unfinished. I'll introduce it when the city becomes available in Update v0.5. Until then, I don't see much reason for it, since there are currently only two major fast-travel destinations: Veria Forest and the Snoring Stag Inn.
Story-wise, I'll also be advancing both major plots: the growing Chaos threat and your search for your family while uncovering what happened to the people from your village. Expect plenty of action.
I've also added two new characters who will provide the quests that move the main story forward. They will only appear after you've met specific requirements:
Speak with the noble at Pomodoro Farm (available after completing the Minotaur Horn quest from the guard outside the noble's house).
Complete any 2 of the 4 available routes.
Once these requirements are met, both characters will appear at the Snoring Stag Inn.
Each of them will lead you down a different story route, changing the characters you'll meet and the circumstances surrounding your arrival at the city. Needless to say, accepting one path will lock the other, so choose carefully.
I'm also planning to get as much city content done as possible ahead of time. Since I'll have to travel in July and will have less development time available, I want Update v0.5 to be more than just a city map. My goal is for it to include plenty of new content to explore as well.
Let's keep moving forward, the show must go on!
Update Progress: 30%
Have fun~~