Alchemists!

Welcome once again to our weekly dev diary. Today we are going to talk about the tutorial campaign the main focus of version 1.0.3.

A new campaign selection window is now available from the main menu.

This first campaign features five unique scenarios in which you will take control of an apprentice alchemist during their studies under the guidance of the Grand Alchemist Jaxun. Each scenario is designed to teach players how to use the most basic, and not so basic, mechanics of the game.

During the development of the campaign, there was extensive discussion about how to approach players given the large amount of information the game contains. We determined that five scenarios are more than enough for an inexperienced player to take their first steps in Cladia. However, it is possible that in the future the number of scenarios will be expanded (up to a maximum of 10) to explain new mechanics introduced later on.

Each scenario includes its own selection panel, featuring a unique, customized map.

Learning from previous mistakes

The campaign has been a true challenge for the team in every aspect (art, design, programming, etc.). Version 1.0.2 was originally planned to include this tutorial campaign, but after several internal tests we decided to give it a complete overhaul and address the issues present in that earlier version. The original campaign was a direct continuation of the old tutorial system, ignored by many and disliked by others, in which a generic character explained the basics of the game without any interaction with the player.

The main goal of this first tutorial campaign is to give players more agency, guiding their steps during their early years in Cladia while offering small challenges that can be tackled gradually and at their own pace. This approach avoids lengthy text explanations and unnecessary interruptions during gameplay. Players will now be able to decide when they want to play the tutorial, making it far more rewarding than simply pressing the “Skip Tutorial” button as soon as a pop-up appears.

Tutorials are now integrated into gameplay and respond to player actions.

The tutorial campaign has received positive feedback during internal testing, and we are eager to see how players react after the launch of version 1.0.3 of Master of Cladia. The new campaign system has opened up new possibilities for the game’s design, and everything learned during this project will pave the way for exciting improvements still to come. The new version is scheduled for early February, so it won’t be long before you can enjoy learning alongside the Grand Alchemist Jaxun!