Monomyth is getting an update:

Quick note about the coming update

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

As you have probably already noticed the patch announced for January will be a little late.
Unfortunately, I got bogged down in some administrative work recently, which cost me more time than I expected. Nevertheless, good progress has been made!

The detail pass for the new mines is almost done and I can already say that the final performance will be significantly better than in the original version. Style-wise the new area is also a fair bit more recognizable. The flow of the level has also been improved massively, making it properly navigatable.

Some things are still missing, most notably two major quests, some scripts, and the soundscape. Itemization has been planned out in detail but needs to be realized (i.e. some items still have to be placed). Here are some impressions from the environment:

[...]

All in all, I hope it won't take much longer than 2-3 weeks.
Just wanted to keep you up to date. I will create another dev diary in the near future.
Until then!

Best wishes,
Michael

Thanks Henriquejr!

Couchpotato spotted a new devlog for Monomyth:

MONOMYTH DEVLOG / 16.0 - Tools, Mines & Redesigns

2 Headed Hero checked out Monomyth:

The Immersive RPG We've Been Waiting For? | Monomyth (Early Access Review)

Thanks Couchpotato!

Couchpotato spotted the roadmap for Monomyth:

Video Devlog 15.0 | Early Access Roadmap

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It was a busy month! Between the game's early access release, numerous patches, and a quick chat with cRPG connoisseur Dr. Matt Barton I spent some time developing a rough roadmap for the early access phase. You can hear all about it in the latest video devlog!

[...]

The dungeon crawler Monomyth has been released into Early Access:

MonoMyth

MONOMYTH is an immersive, first-person dungeon-crawling RPG inspired by the genre's late classics. Embark on a journey through a vast and highly interactive game world as you unravel the mysteries hidden beneath the ancient fortress of Lysandria.

Monomyth will enter Early Access on October 3:

Monomyth - Early Access Release Date Trailer

Thanks Couchpotato!

Couchpotato spotted Monomyth devlog #14:

MONOMYTH DEVLOG / 14.0 - Searching & Fishing

A new demo for the dungeon crawler Monomyth is available:

Steam Next Fest Demo (June 2024)

A completely new demo is now live!

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

Just a quick note to let you know that Monomyth received a completely new demo for the June 2024 edition of Steam Next Fest!

If you haven't checked out the last demo, you should definitely check out this one!
In case you have checked out the last demo you should check out this one even more!
Not only is it completely different in terms of content, but several issues from the last version have been ironed out.

Some of the highlights of this demo:

• New Map
• New Enemies
• Reworked combat
• Better combat sound effects
• Reworked (aggressive) enemy behavior

And much, much more!

[...]

A new update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - March Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 12.0 | Open Backer Beta

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's time for another update! Monomyth is finally entering its Open Backer Beta phase. You can hear all about it in the new devlog. As always you can find the transcript below!

Kickstarter backers of the 15-dollar tier and above will soon receive an e-mail with their Open Backer Beta key. Please remember that these keys are not final. They will be locked shortly before the game enters Early Access.

I am looking forward to your feedback!

Best Wishes,

Michael

Henriquejr spotted the February update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - February Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 11.0 | Steam Next Fest Results | GOG

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

Another month, another update! This one is going to be a little shorter, but there are still some very important developments I would like to report. In this update we will be looking at the Steam Next Fest and how that worked out. We will also be looking at the overhauled UI and I have some very good news about GOG!

The next step in development is the Open Backer Beta. I still need to implement some feedback and work over the early areas of the game, but it's coming closer with big steps. I will announce it on relatively short notice. Something I forgot to mention in the video: We will probably go through the OBB in phases, i.e., like the regular closed beta, but with significantly shorter update cycles.

As always, you can find the video's transcript below!

Best wishes,

Michael

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

A busy month is over and there is a lot to report! Between the Steam Next Fest and various patches, I also have some news about Monomyth on GOG. So let’s take a look at it!

During February I mostly focused on the release of the Steam Next Fest demo and various patches fixing the problems that people found in it. And there was no shortage of problems, the most notorious one being a bug that slowed down mouse movement. Luckily, this and other problems could be fixed relatively quickly. All in all, I received a lot of useful feedback. At this point, there are over a hundred posts in the respective thread of Monomyth’s Steam Community Hub. I am going through these posts one by one and I am trying to implement fixes for all issues. I am still updating the demo with hotfixes, so you can take a look at the latest changes at any time.

One major change I recently uploaded was a visual overhaul for the UI. Some people suggested adding some more contrast because bright writing on bright backgrounds was not ideal. So, I took some time and designed a new UI. I played around in Blender at first but then I decided to create the UI elements through procedural image editing. This way I could produce many different window sizes in a relatively short amount of time. What required some more work were the different UI icons. Various menu entries now have a visual representation, for example, all attributes have a small corresponding icon next to them. All of these were made in Blender. All in all the new UI is much more readable and coherent. The overhaul was purely visual - in the future, I will further improve the UI’s functionality as well.

The UI update was one of the bigger requests from the feedback list. The other big thing was a combat overhaul which is one of the next things on my to-do list. It might not make it for the open backer beta but I definitely want to patch combat before the early access phase.

Talking of which, with Steam Next Fest out of the way the OBB is the next step in development. I will work over the earlier areas in the game once more and then it should be ready.

In terms of numbers, Steam Next Fest was rather successful, despite the amount of reported issues early on. Monomyth received something between six and seven thousand wishlists. The rule of thumb is that a game should receive roughly between 3 and 4.5 times its wishlists of the first Steam Next Fest day. Monomyth received around two thousand wishlists on the first day, so the results are satisfactory.

As a last little surprise this month: I have signed a contract with GOG, who were kind enough to consider selling Monomyth in their store. So if you’re not into Steam you can request a GOG key instead. All pre-release test versions will still be distributed via Steam, however, once we go into the Early Access, I will provide you with a form to choose the platform of your liking. This also means, that all pre-release keys will be locked. So if you are currently in the closed beta or take part in the open backer beta, those keys will be automatically invalidated and you will have to unlock the game a second time with your final key.

So that’s all for now. I’ll keep uploading hotfixes and preparing the game for the OBB. Perhaps I can already implement a few fixes for the combat system. We will see. Either way, I’ll keep you updated, and see you soon!

Couchpotato spotted a new update for Monomyth:

State of the Game: Video Devlog 10.0 | Demo

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

We are already a month into the new year, so it is time for a new update! This time we will discuss the latest improvements and Monomyth's participation in the upcoming Steam Next Fest, starting on February the 5th, 2024.

As always you can find the video script below.

Best wishes,

Michael

[...]

Henriquejr spotted the November/December update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - November / December Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 9.0 | Playstyles

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's time for the last update of this year, and there is plenty to report! Numerous things have been worked on during the last few weeks and you can hear all about it in this month's video devlog. One highlight is the new magic system, which should be interesting for everyone who likes combining runes in Ultima Underworld. But, please, see for yourselves:

I just uploaded the latest patch to the Closed Beta branch and I am now completely focused on polishing everything for the Open Backer Beta. I hope to have it ready very soon.

As always, you will find the transcription of the video below. You will hear from me in the new year. Thank you for your continued support and

Best wishes,

Michael

------------------------------------------

Hi dungeon-crawling fans!

Another month has passed! Time just flies by as the year comes to an end. What is also slowly coming to an end is the closed beta of Monomyth. There has been plenty of progress over the last few weeks and we are getting closer and closer to the Open Backer Beta. So let’s take a look at it.

This month I continued polishing mechanics. Last time I mostly did things related to melee combat, so I thought I could as well arrange these polishing phases around differrent playstyles. Generally speaking there is a distinct playstyle for warriors, mages and thieves.

So I started this month by making some last changes to the warrior’s playstyle.

To keep it short and simple: I removed the shield-bash and added kicking.

I tried keeping it as balanced as possible and it strongly depends on your available stamina. Unlike other attacks its stamina costs are set to a certain percentage. So you will always require, let’s say, a third of your stamina when you kick. When the kick lands, your enemy either falls down or is pushed back, depending on your stamina. Of course, kicks are only really useful against humanoids.

Most of this month's work was focused on the mage’s playstyle. I reworked casting mechanics, spell acquisition, spell mechanics and I also gave some spells a visual workover.

Originally the player could cast spells at any time. You would press the “C” key and start casting a previously memorized spell. This system has been changed. It is now necessary to equip a spellbook to your weapon slot. You can then cast any selected spell with a mouse click.

This is much more comfortable than the original system - especially while moving and aiming at the same time. Using the “C” key in such a situation always felt very awkward. You can still easily switch between a readied weapon and a spellbook mid-combat thanks to the secondary weapon slots.

One element I wanted to have for the mage’s playstyle was some form of explorative spell acquisition. As you may remember, in both Arx and Ultima Underworld you had to combine specific runes to cast a spell. Monomyth does something similar, but it moves into a slightly different direction with its execution.

[...]

Rat Tower dev talks about the latest updates for the dungeon crawler Monomyth:

Monomyth DEVLOG / 8.0 - Balancing

Thanks Couchpotato!

Henriquejr spotted the September update for Monomyth!

Monomyth - September Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 7.0 | Beta Patch 4

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!
The new video devlog is here! Sorry for the delay!

In this update, I would also like to draw your attention to a promising little Kickstarter project that is launching its campaign shortly:

Sorceress

As always you can find the video transcript below.
Best wishes,
Michael

 

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!
It's finally time for a new update on Monomyth. This one took a little longer because I wanted to make sure that the latest patch was in a proper state before moving on. Before we look at Beta Patch 4 however, I would like to draw your attention to a little project that is launching its Kickstarter very soon.

Sorceress is an immersive, magic-focused, first-person action game that strongly draws inspiration from classic titles like Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. I had this game on my radar for a while now and I thought you might be interested in it as well. So if you like first-person melee combat, emergent gameplay, and nicely stylized environments you can find the link to the Kickstarter page in the description.

With the latest patch, we are finally entering Beta 4, one of the last development stages of the project. This patch contains the last bit of main content that will be available in the first public version of the game. It also knits together the different areas in a cohesive main quest and gives the players a hub to return to during their adventures in the underground. So let’s take a detailed look at the content added in this patch.

[...]

Rat Tower posted an update on Monomyth:

Monomyth - July/August Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 6.0 | Performance Improvements

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's time for another project update! This month's video is a little more technical since we are talking about performance improvements. There have been a few problems with the audio recording at the beginning - sorry for that! Anyway, please, enjoy:

As always you can find the transcript below.

Best wishes,

Michael

-------------------------

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

Another month, another update! There has been a lot of progress during the last few weeks, especially in terms of performance. As such this update will be a little more technical and I hope you don’t mind. I think it is worth documenting a few of these things and letting you get an impression of what the current workload looks like. Basically, I decided to pull some tasks from the polishing phase into beta update 4. Next time we will get back to level design, game systems, and similar. So let’s take a look at it.

The current problem with performance could be described as the legacy of prototyping. It’s not uncommon in this phase of development. Basically, I am trying to bring the environments into their final shape while cleaning up unnecessary and inefficient structures.

The main focus here is on draw calls and lightmap memory.

For draw calls, you need to understand that for every frame that’s shown on your screen, every visible element has to be “drawn” by the engine, or rather your hardware. More precisely, what is drawn is a so-called material - a material is simply a surface, consisting of different texture maps and shader functions.

[...]

Thanks Redglyph!

Henriquejr spotted the June update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - June Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 5.0 | The Inner Fortress

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

The latest video devlog is finally ready! This month we are taking a look at the last beta area and we will be listening to a short snippet of the combat music. If you keep your eyes peeled, you can even catch a glimpse of the game's crime system and its (currently minimal) implementation. But we will get to that in another update. Please, enjoy:

As always you will find the transcript below!

Best wishes,
Michael

[...]

Redglyph spotted the May update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - May Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 4.0 | Beta Patch 3.1

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's time for another update! This month I am in the middle of creating Beta Patch 4. While doing so I decided to release a small interim patch to fix some of the issues of Beta 3 and introduce the new trading system. As always you can find the video devlog and its transcript below:

See you soon and best wishes,

Michael

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It is time for another update on Monomyth! As you know last month Beta 3 started. Since then I have been working on Beta 4 and implemented numerous improvements as well as a new trading system. These newly implemented features will be added shortly in a small interim patch. So let’s go through all these things in detail.

First, let’s take a look at a few more general things that I have fixed throughout the last few weeks. I finally found the time to reimplement weapon load-outs on the new codebase, as they were present in the original Kickstarter demo. Now your character can wear two different sets of weapons and quickly switch between the two in a combat situation. Alternatively, you can also use this to quickly stow away torches, so you are not seen by enemies.

In terms of level design, I added shortcuts between different areas as well as fast traveling from designated points in the game. You have seen these fast travel points before, except now that all areas are in the game they are active and usable. Together with the shortcuts, these changes make the world feel significantly more interconnected and backtracking becomes less of a problem.

Of course, I have also worked on the game’s main hub. This will be the main area of Beta Update 4. Players will find most traders in this hub as well as an anchor point for the game’s main quest. Concerning quests I have added another small fix: Instead of having quest items clutter up the player’s inventory, the latest version of the game now features a dedicated quest inventory. This was another small feature I finally had time to transfer from the old codebase. However, in this version of the game, any item type can be a quest item. In the original demo, this flag was technically limited to regular combinatory items, meaning no consumables, weapons, or anything with specific functionality. The quest inventory itself works much like an item bar you would see in a point-and-click adventure game. It isn’t limited in size and you can just pull items from it to combine them within the game world. This works very well together with the menu-world interactions I implemented a couple of months ago.

[...]

Redglyph spotted the March/April update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - March / April Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 3.0 | Beta Update 3

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's time for another project update! In this one, we will be talking about the latest beta patch and how development will continue after that.

Sorry for the delay this month. I wanted to make sure that the patch was largely finalized before creating the update. As always you will find the video transcript attached to this post!

Best wishes,
Michael

Text:

Time just flies! We are already in April but the development of Monomyth continues. The time to really wrap it up is drawing near, but there is still some stuff to do. So in this update, we will be talking about a massive amount of content that will be added to the game shortly and how we will continue from that. At this point, I don’t want to spoil too much, but I want to keep you updated on the latest work that has gone into the project. So let’s take a look at that.

I have been working on Beta 3 roughly for the last two months and it’s now close to completion. Right away I can say I am glad that for a change I have listened to my own advice and I learned from the mistakes made during the development of Beta 2.

Beta 3’s development was much better planned, much better scaled and unsurprisingly much better executed. I built most of it based on a blockout I did earlier in development, even before the refactoring. As a result, I didn’t go overboard in terms of scaling, and the geometry plus detail passes were done much faster.

This gave me a lot more time to make some unique assets that would add personality to the area. It also gave me time to implement more intricate and polished designs. This is reflected very well in the general engagement with the game environment. Or in other words, Beta 3 features more detailed level mechanics. This goes from secrets, to traps, to what I tend to call environmental sidequests or challenges.

I also had more time working on enemies and enemy encounters. So Beta 3 actually features multiple new enemy types, some taken over from older work I did, some made completely from scratch. None of these have been in the game so far.

[...]

Henriquejr spotted the January/February update for Monomyth:

Monomyth - January / February Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 2.0 | Roadmap

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

Another month, another update! This one is a little shorter because I am still in the middle of working on Beta Update 3. Just like last time, you can find the video's transcript attached to this post!

Best wishes,
Michael

Henriquejr spotted an update for Monomyth!

Monomyth - December / New Year Update

Video Devlog 1.0 | Beta Update 2

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's time for another update on Monomyth! Just like last month, I would like to present this update in the form of a short video, which you can find here:

For those of you who would rather read, I will attach the transcript plus relevant screengrabs!

Best wishes,
Michael

Video Transcript (Video Devlog 1.0)

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

A new year has begun and I am still very busy developing the project. I am going through milestone after milestone, slowly pushing toward a game that is ready for you, the backers, and the many followers who have supported Monomyth for over a year now (some of you even longer than that). Thank you again for your patience! I will do my best to get the project into your hands as soon as possible.

But before that, we will have to go through a couple more beta patches first. As this new year begins, a new update for Monomyth’s closed beta is about to be released. Update 2 is being packaged at this very moment. So, I thought, let’s take a look at what’s actually in there, so you can get an understanding of what goes into a patch and why this particular one took so long:

The most time-consuming task for update 2 was the level design. Under the heartlands, you will find the mines and the factory tower.

[...]

Henriquejr spotted the Monomyth - October/November updates:

Monomyth - October/November Update

Video Devlogs
Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

I thought this month we could do something a little different, so instead of giving you the usual written update, I created a few video devlogs going into detail on various subjects of the project's development. In particular, the videos focus on the following topics:

• Current Progress
• Sentries
• Telekinesis
• Fire Propagation
• Rune Traps

You can watch them right here or head over to the RatTower Youtube channel, which I plan to use more regularly in the future,

I will probably adapt the format a bit for coming updates. So instead of releasing several videos at once, I might upload material more frequently. Either way, I hope you will enjoy these videos and I will keep you posted!

Best wishes,
Michael

Redglyph spotted an update about Monomyth:

Monomyth - September Update

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

another month, another update! I am still very busy with beta update 2, which I hope to finish and release very soon. So let's quickly take a look at what has happened over the last couple of weeks!

Current Progress

The area in which most of update 2 takes place is far below the Lysandrian Heartlands. I originally had a different level layout in mind but I decided to rework it into something more manageable (and also more interesting). Now, after about two months of work, the level is about 90% there. It still misses some details and narrative assets, but the lion's share of the work is done.

Update 2 will feature one of the biggest areas in the game. I believe this is a good opportunity to introduce you to Monomyth's fast travel system. Of course, this system can't just be activated through a map menu. Instead, it is a part of the world itself. Players will have to figure out the mechanics of ancient teleporter rooms that can be found all over Lysandria.

Talking of mechanics, update 2 will also introduce a few quest-specific mechanics that are related to the new area. There will be some mining and smelting, and while there is no real crafting system in the game, players will be able to toy with some of the interactive machines that can be found in the area.

I also took a little break from level design and worked on the game's inventory. Not only does Monomyth now feature visually more appealing menus, but the menu interactions have been streamlined to a point where most player/environment interactions can be done from the inventory. Players can now pick up, throw and combine items directly from within the inventory screen. I also integrated the object placement system that I implemented a few weeks ago. This way players will have a much easier time placing fish or pie next to a cooking spot (a recurring problem in the demo).

As a result, the inventory interactions are now a lot more intuitive (and coincidentally, also a lot closer to what Arx Fatalis did).

[...]

Rat Tower has posted an update about Monomyth. The beta will be open to all backers who pledged for a digital copy of the game:

Monomyth - August Update

Current Progress | Open Backer Beta

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

another month has passed and it's time for another update! This one will be a bit shorter, for reasons I will get into in a moment, so let's start.

Current Progress

Monomyth is now in Beta Phase 1. The beta is basically split into six phases, where the first five are mostly content updates and the last is about polishing.

So the first content update was released in August and it contained demo content ported to the new codebase, as well as some extra areas and level mechanics. Beta testers have already provided useful feedback which I will integrate in the coming weeks.

Following this update, I originally wanted to work on the game's main hub and trading system. However, I decided to switch beta phases 2 and 3 around. I did this because beta 3 contains a major quest area that existed only as a gray blockout so far. I was concerned about this area and wanted to get to work on it as soon as possible because I felt that much of the original blockout would require a major overhaul. In fact, I decided that a large portion of it was a) not particularly interesting and b) not within the scope of the project. So I restructured the entire thing and now it is more manageable and still becoming one of the more complex areas in the game. It contains the part of your journey that leads you truly into the depths of the earth and verticality is a major aspect of it.

Unfortunately, I cannot show much of the work so far. As expected, this update is probably the most labor-intensive update out of the entire beta and I am in the middle of creating its content. The area's base geometry is almost complete and it should be fully traversable within the coming week.

This beta update will probably be released sometime next month. After that, I will continue working on the game's main hub, which is already significantly further along in development.

Open Backer Beta

At the moment, testers are already providing great and in-depth reports on various issues they find in the closed beta. However, as more content is added to the game, the current amount of testers will likely not be enough to properly cover all problems that may still persist.

That is why I have decided, that once most of the main quest has been fully patched into the game (roughly beta phase 5) I will open the beta for all backers of the "Pilgrim" level and above (that's everyone who will receive a digital copy of the game).

Like all other beta testers, these backers will receive a dedicated test key, which will be locked before the release of the full game (i.e., this is not the fulfillment of your pledge, and you will receive a separate key at release). I will provide more information on this in the coming updates.

Until then!
Michael

Thanks Redglyph!

Rat Tower posted a dev update for Monomyth, with feedback on the beta and general progress information:

Monomyth - July Update

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

Another month, another update! Beta 1 is just around the corner and in the last few weeks, plenty of significant improvements have been implemented. So let's take a look at those!

Current Progress
As you know, Monomyth's beta has been out for about a month now. In this short period of time, there have been numerous hotfixes. Beta testers have been very busy reporting various problems and as a result, both major and minor bugs were corrected. One particularly nasty bug involved the functionality of NPC navigation, which, luckily, could be tracked to a simple, incorrect engine setting.

Besides fixing bugs, I have also been adding various features that would improve the overall experience of the game. NPCs will now greet the players via text messages over their heads. The same system is also used for idle chatter and combat taunts.

I have also re-introduced Offhand Actions, which were sort of a last left-over from the old codebase's feature list. This means you can now, again, press the middle mouse button and use your torch to light other torches in the game world (and set certain inflammable objects on fire as well).

Video - Offhand Actions

Some of you may have been unaware of it, but the Kickstarter demo also featured a shield-bash that could be activated in the same way. This feature is back as well, however, this time it is far more impactful. It can be used to knock enemies down or push them off ledges.

Video - Shield Bash

Combat AI has been improved as well and while it still needs work encounters are now more balanced. The rebalancing in the latest version of the game also affected weapon durability. A frequent feature request from the Kickstarter demo was the possibility to pick up the weapons dropped by enemies. This was an option in Arx Fatalis and Ultima Underworld. However, in Monomyth, this feature devalued some weapons, because of their sudden high availability. More precisely, it had an effect on the urgency of keeping an eye on your weapon's durability. This called the necessity for the durability feature into question (at least with regard to highly available weapons). Ultima Underworld circumvented this problem by permanently breaking weapons. This introduced an element of resource management into the game and reduced the effects of readily available weaponry.

I have been experimenting with a similar system in Monomyth's early game now. You can still repair your weapons at a forge, but if you don't pay attention to their durability you will risk losing them permanently. So far, at least in my experience, this little change makes the early game significantly more exciting. Obviously, this feature will be somewhat less relevant for rare weapons. These aren't readily available in the first place and some of them are indestructible anyway (they still wear off over time though, so they have to be repaired to fulfill their potential).

Video - Weapon Durability

I have also been thinking about the save system during the rebalancing process. At the moment free saving is the standard game mode on the basis of which the distribution of level-up shrines is balanced (these were originally used to save). I might actually turn this around and balance the distribution around the classic system from the Kickstarter demo. People will still have the option to turn on free saving during the character creation though.

I have also reworked the object carrying/placement system since I have noticed that players kept having problems with putting bread near a fire or into an oven. Therefore, I implemented a feature with which they can drop items from the inventory directly into their character's hands. Players can then precisely rotate and place the item with the help of a "ghost object". This is also very useful for stacking boxes.

Video - Obect Placement

Beta 1
The rest of the time, I have focused on closing the gap between the actual beginning of the game and the current beta content. This required a rework of the "Serpent's Bastion", an area you already know from the Kickstarter demo.

The patch integrating this content should be ready within the next few days. With its release, Monomyth will enter the "Beta 1" phase. Just like after the release of "Beta 0" I will then shortly focus on documenting and fixing various bugs found by the beta testers. Afterward, I will shift my focus toward working on the next beta patch. Going strictly by the plan from last month's update that would include the game's main settlement, I might, however, switch Update 2 and 3 around, since the latter still requires more work.

Either way, there is still a lot to do. I will keep you posted!

Best wishes,
Michael

Thanks Redglyph!

Rat Tower Software posted a new Kickstarter update for Monomyth:

Quick Update: Backer Content Rewards | Slacker Backer Option

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

Just a short update: I have sent out the e-mails for backer-created content rewards. If you have backed the project at the "Lysandrian Knight" level or higher, you should have received a short message with a form to fill out. If you have not received such an e-mail please get in touch with me via michael[at]rattower.com. You can take your time filling out the form since backer-created content will probably be added to the game last. I will notify you in time when the deadline is coming up.

Due to popular demand, I have also re-opened the slacker backer option, which can be found here:

[...]

All rewards are the same as on Kickstarter. The slacker backer option will be open until the end of the month. So if you know anyone that wanted to back the project last year but could not at the time, you can send them this link.

As for the project itself: The beta is going well. The testers and I are locating and fixing bugs almost every day. Since the last update, there have been numerous hotfixes, adjusting menus, gameplay mechanics, visuals, etc

[...]

Thanks Redglyph!

The beta phase of the dungeon crawler Monomyth has started:

Monomyth - June Update

Beta Start
Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

Monomyth's closed beta has finally started! Those of you, who backed the game at the "Seventh Oath Cleric" level (€ 125) should have received their invitation mail by now. In case you haven't, please do not hesitate to contact me via contact@rattower.com.

The first beta phase will still be a bit of a bumpy ride with many bugs and some missing features. It is mostly a focus test for the new code base and the first area of the game (hence the name Beta 0). What follows now is a constant loop of feedback and patches that will push the project closer and closer to a stable release.

In that regard, the game already received various hotfixes over the weekend. Among other things, these fixes included the following:

• Slimes are no longer invincible
• Various level design fixes
• Swimming should be much less of a pain now (still not entirely painless)
• Comfortability features + fixed bugs in container GUIs
• Some adjusted/corrected dialogue options
• Books should display correctly while being carried around
• Torches burn longer and burnt-out torches are now placed in the inventory
• The GUI for money should update correctly now
• Fixed a bug that would respawn the player in a mysterious Ankh room
• Fixed a collision problem that made leaning impossible
• Visual updates to the environment

And so on. At least until next week, I will still focus on hotfixes of this nature. After that, I will start focusing on the first beta content patch. Speaking of which, the roadmap for the coming months looks as follows:

Update 1: To close the gap between the beginning of the game and the current beta content I will first reintroduce the "Serpent's Bastion" - the area you may already know from the demo. In the full version, this area will be slightly extended. In the same patch, item balancing will be overhauled as well.

Update 2: This patch will include the game's main settlement as well as the updated trading systems. It will also include some portions of the game that may not be accessible until later but are possibly interesting for testing at this point.

Update 3: This patch will introduce the area below the heartlands, where players will really start their vertical descent into the depths of Ariath. Releasing this patch will probably take the most time because the area in it is still at a very early stage of development.

Update 4: This patch will introduce the most classic dungeon crawling experience Monomyth has to offer. Lots of dark hallways, lots of traps, lots of tough enemies. Stressful and my personal favorite at this point. The development of this area has already progressed nicely.

Update 5: This patch will introduce the final area of the game. This area is slightly smaller than the others. The core focus of testing here will likely be level mechanics, as well as the conclusion of the main quest.

Polishing: At this point in time the content creation phase should be concluded. After that, I might open the beta to all backers or go for a short early access phase before the final release.

And that's the entire plan for the beta. Some parts may still be adapted in terms of scope but overall this is how I will attempt to push the project forward. Something that will be helping me in this regard is a highly useful debug tool I implemented some time ago. This tool is, by the way, also available to beta testers. You can bring up the GUI by pressing "K".

Due to popular demand, I will also be re-opening the Kickstarter Encore (slacker-backer option). I will send out a short update about this later this week. The same goes for the backer-created content rewards.

Until then!

Best wishes,
Michael

Thanks Henriquejr!

Redglyph spotted Kickstarter update #20 for Monomyth:

State of the Game: Current progress

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

Another month has passed and it is time for yet another update on the project! A lot has happened in terms of gameplay implementation, characters, and level design. So let's get to it!

Current Progress

NPCs were among the most important things I tried to improve during March. The essential motivation here was to iron out some issues with their controlling logic and how they interacted with one another depending on their individual factions.  All of this work was based on a perception system I implemented during the code refactoring I mentioned in previous updates. The perception system itself remained largely untouched during these improvements, which gives me confidence that, for now, it is in a good state. As a result of the work, NPCs can now actively fight each other without any big hiccups in terms of background logic. They properly recognize enemies (both player and non-player), orderly cycle back into their peace state after combat, and correctly perform subsequent actions. Especially the latter has been a constant source of headaches in the old codebase, which had an ad-hoc structure that was replaced by a more robust state machine architecture (see December update). 

There have also been multiple improvements with regard to character animations. As you may remember from one of the last updates, every character requires a "skeleton" to be animated. Thanks to the standard UE4 skeleton, which is now a core element of Monomyth's humanoids, various animations could be standardized across many different characters. As a result, NPCs now show behavior that makes them appear more realistic. For example, characters are turning their heads, following the (sighted) player, sheath their weapons whenever they are not in combat, and sometimes carry torches. These torches are not just for decoration but have an effect on player stealth.

[...]

A new Kickstarter update for the dungeon crawler Monomyth:

State of the Game: Current Progress | Beta Preparations

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

February went by real fast and Monomyth has made some good progress! This time around the update will be a bit shorter, but there is still a lot of important information I'd like to share with you, so let's get to it...

Current Progress

As announced last time I spent most of the month on detail passes, which means, fixing environments and making them presentable. I created new assets and overhauled some of the later areas in the game. 

Some of these are still "work in progress" and will be revised further as development continues. The placement of items, traps, and secrets is on the To-Do list. Some of the late-game content is still in the block-out phase, which I would like to change within the next few weeks. Earlier areas in the game are already further developed. 

Directly beyond the Serpent's Bastion (the level you know from the Kickstarter demo) lies the "Heartland". This area is mostly controlled by the fortress of Lysandria. The environment in the heartland is rather diverse. You will find dark tunnels and underground lakes, as well as places of worship and agriculture (or rather the underground equivalent thereof). Most of the area has been fortified by the Lysandrians to defend against attacks from the surface. The whole level still has to be tied together by level mechanics and quests, which I will work on shortly.

Thanks to the musical talent of Isaac Vail, Monomyth now features a background score! Since numerous people valued the calm atmosphere in the demo we decided to keep it subtle, the only exception being the main theme. 

Significant progress has also been made with regard to world design. The individual areas of the game are now stitched together, making the game's world fully traversable from the first to the last level. As I mentioned, not all of these levels are ready yet, but it is another step to properly scale the project. A properly scaled project keeps things manageable and, more importantly, realizable. This step also helps me to test out quests that are spanning different parts of the game - most importantly the main quest. Testing such things early is of course very important, which brings us to beta preparations.

Beta Preparations

Just as we said last year, Monomyth's closed beta will start around the beginning of Q2 2022 (add maybe a month or so, depending on how things are going). Generally speaking, the beta will likely be held in three phases (B1-B3). The game's world is currently organized in a way that allows for a subset of all areas to be tested while leaving the main quest largely intact. This is due to Monomyth's modular quest design approach, which tries to stay away from a strict sequential order when it comes to the player's main tasks.

My plan is to have a fully working game that can be played from start to end in B1. In every following beta phase, there will be a major content update integrating further areas into the game, expanding the main quest.

The point of this is to stay flexible with regard to whatever priorities we will see emerging during the beta. It also allows for a quick transition into release preparations once the time for that has come. Personally, I feel that at a certain production phase you should keep a game (or any software for that matter) in a state where it could theoretically be released within a reasonable amount of weeks. I would like to achieve this state with the first beta phase. This does not mean the game has to be released that quickly afterward - that is not the plan - but it forces me to think about the core essential content first, to avoid feature creep, and to make sure the project won't get stuck in development hell. I understand that the latter is a major concern for many Kickstarter projects and I would like to avoid that.

Backer content (items, NPCs, quests, etc) will be integrated throughout the beta. I believe it is a good idea that people first get a sense of the world in which their ideas will exist. Of course, that is not mandatory, so if you don't want to spoil the full experience for yourself, no need to worry.

For the next month, I have more level design and gameplay programming planned. The goal is now to get everything into a properly playable state. As always, I will keep you updated! 

Best wishes,

Michael

Rat Tower Software posted a new dev update.

State of the Game: Current Progress | Rooms and Encounters

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

We are one month into the new year and it's time for yet another update on the project! January was a month filled with brushing up earlier work, tidying up workflows, and generally bringing things into a more presentable state. But let's go into detail a bit...

Current Progress

After a major refactoring in December I mainly focused on four tasks during January:

~ Asset Migration: This was mostly follow-up work of the refactoring. I ported some assets to the new code base and adjusted a few things. This is ongoing work.

~ Writing: Currently, most of the writing revolves around creating narrative assets.  That means, writing dialogue trees, quests, or item descriptions.

~ Detail Pass: I started with the detail pass of the first area in the game. In this phase, the blocked-out level concepts are made into presentable environments, filled with details. Some of these environments will receive further polishing in the lighting pass.

~ Character Design: I also did some character design, modeling, and texturing. The most important part here was to get the workflow right, especially with regard to animation and character modularity. Animation is (still) a tricky topic when it comes to the Blender/UE4 pipeline (even though it has improved drastically over the last few years). Generally speaking, it is recommendable to use the standard UE4 mannequin (respectively its skeleton and extensions thereof) as much as possible - simply due to the fact that it saves you a lot of work when it comes to humanoid characters.

[...]

@JDR13 spotted a new update from Rat Tower Software (thanks!), probably the last one of 2021 too. This time, we get some insight into the benefits of refactoring code, tricks of the trade like FSMs, and how they help implement immersive simulation features.

State of the Game: Current Progress | Refactoring & Game Design

Hi, dungeon-crawling Fans!

The year is coming to an end, but the work on Monomyth continues - a good opportunity for another update! This month we will focus more on the technical side of things, so, let's get started...

Current Progress

You may remember, in the last update, I mentioned that I'd do some coding for the first two weeks of December. I wanted to improve some of the game's systems and make it easier to include additional immersive features (work I would have otherwise done during January).

After the first two weeks, I saw that with a little bit more time I could turn the refactoring into a major code rework, which would immensely simplify future development and potentially save me a lot of time in debugging. So, I decided to take the chance and I dedicated another two weeks to coding. 

Alongside the removal of several conceptual problems with the AI, two major results came out of this process:

• Improved Character State Machines
• Improved Inventory System

These improvements allowed me to introduce a series of features, most of which were either requested during the Kickstarter demo or part of the "Expanded Immersive Simulation" stretch goal. In this update, we will deal with the inner workings of the improvements as well as their effects on the game design. It will be a bit more technical this time but don't worry, we will talk more about level design (and - as promised - dungeon rooms) in next month's update!

[...]

Rat Tower Software found the time to post an update on their progress. A long update.

State of the Game: Current Progress | Creation of Level Sections

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's been a few weeks so it is time for another update! A lot of things have happened and the project is on a good way! So without any further ado, let's get started...

Current Progress

As you may remember, I am currently in the middle of the content creation phase or, more precisely, in the middle of the world-building process. This process has a few stages. It starts with the creation of the level designs "on paper" (or in planning software, as you will see later in this update). It then continues with a blockout phase, where the basic building blocks of the designs are put into place. The finished blockouts are then re-iterated on and eventually replaced with actual game assets (i.e., 3D models of the level geometry, mostly split up into modular parts). After that follows the so-called "detail pass", where detail assets (furniture, rubble, wall decorations, vegetation, etc.) are placed in the level. The whole process is then concluded with a lighting pass, audio assets, visual optimizations, and level logic.

Monomyth is currently in the re-iteration stage (here and there I am already adding details, but mostly I am trying to stick to one task). All areas in the game - from the beginning to the end - have been blocked out. This was an important step because it narrows down the actual scope of the project and keeps it manageable. The levels of Monomyth are no longer just "on paper" designs that could be changed at the drop of a hat. Instead, I am now dealing with a finite set of concrete work tasks, which is infinitely better if your goal is to get things done.

After reviewing my schedule I decided to take a little break from level design and do some game system refactoring (that is, a reworking of the code to make it more maintain- and extendable). That means for the next two weeks I will be doing some coding which I would have otherwise done in January. Level design is a comparatively straightforward challenge from now on and I am trying to prepone any tasks which may cause unpredictable problems. Coding has a tendency to cause such problems, even though I already figured out most of the refactoring on paper, so, fingers crossed! 

Once the code refactoring is done I will continue with the detail pass of the level design. This brings us to the main part of this update...

[...]

Rat Tower Software posted a long update on the development of Monomyth.

State of the Project: Final Funding | Current Progress | Level Design

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

It's almost been two months since the Kickstarter so today I would like to give you a little update on the current development status of Monomyth.

Final Funding

Unfortunately, I have to start with a bit of a downer: The Kickstarter money has been transferred, however, it turned out that one major donor has dropped their pledge (8k), by not updating their credit card information. Nevertheless, the final amount (plus €950 from the Encore) is still a very good sum that can finance a good bit of contract work. The money is already allocated but I will still try to activate additional funds and patch up the hole in the original budget. Either way, it won't have an effect on the planned development, the current goal of which is content creation.

Current Progress

As you know, I have been busily designing levels over the last one and a half months. During the first month, I was still getting used to the new mode of operation but by now it's a very smooth process from concepts, to blockouts, to final results. I have had my own way of going through these steps for a while, but I also went ahead and complemented that with some reading material I had lying around for some time: 

[...]

Rat Tower Software have updated the save system for Monomyth according to the latest Kickstarter update.

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!

If you backed the project at the "Lysandrian Guard" level or higher, you should have received an e-mail with instructions to claim your access to the "Inner Sanctum" Discord channel. This channel will contain frequent updates on the development status of the game, news on the closed beta build, general coordination between high-tier backers, and more. In case you haven't received your e-mail, please do not hesitate to contact me (contact@rattower.com). Please also check your spam folder.

The last three days I spent implementing free saving & loading, a much-requested feature during the Kickstarter. In future versions of Monomyth, you will be able to save and load freely at any point in the game. I decided to implement this feature because Monomyth, much like its inspirations, is a game that invites players to experiment with spells, items, and NPCs. Permanent consequences may prove counterintuitive in this regard. The shrines that were originally used for saving are still intact with all of their functionality, however, they save in the autosave slot.

As a side note: Today starts the content/level creation phase, so from now on, no new features will be implemented until the end of the year, unless they are directly related to level design or improvements/fixes of existing features.

Thank you all again for your great support!

 

Best wishes,

Michael

Thanks Farflame!

Rat Tower Software tweeted and set up a page to extend the crowdfunding of Monomyth until September 26th for people who wanted to pay with PayPal, which is not supported by Kickstarter. A warning though: the tweet seems legit enough, but the page is not part of the Kickstarter process, is not on their site, has no user authentication and its access is not even secured (https).

So caution is advised to those who are interested! Make sure the information on PayPal is correct and points to the expected product and seller.

Kickstarter Encore

The Kickstarter campaign for Monomyth has ended with a fantastic result!

Due to popular demand, you can now support the project via PayPal. All rewards are the same as on Kickstarter.

You can pick a backer level and check out via the button below. An overview of the rewards can be found at the bottom of the page.

This page will be active until the 26th of September 2021, 5:00 pm (UTC), which is 29 day(s) 0 hour(s) and 37 minute(s) from now.

All rewards will be distributed digitally. Estimated delivery date: June 2022

Rat Tower's Kickstarter campaign for Monomyth has ended successfully, with €38,975 pledged of €16,500 goal (236% !) and 3 stretch goals secured: expanded soundtrack, expanded language support and expanded immersive simulation.

The estimated release date is June 2022.

Congratulations Michael!

KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN ENDING

Hey, dungeon-crawling fans!

Monomyth's Kickstarter campaign has officially ended with 1050 backers and 236% of its original funding goal!

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR FANTASTIC SUPPORT!

VIDEO UPDATE COMING SOON!

Best wishes,

Michael

Farflame reached out to Rat Tower Software to talk about their game Monomyth, a dungeon crawler in the spirit of Ultima Underworld and which can still be backed for a few hours on Kickstarter.

RPGWatch: Could you briefly compare the world of Monomyth with common fantasy worlds? For example, are there some of the usual fantasy races present? (and will they appear in the game?) Is it low / high fantasy? Do avatars of gods roam the realm?

Rat Tower: Monomyth is set in the world of Ariath. Unlike most fantasy worlds, Ariath is in the process of drawing its last, long-winded breath - at least, from a cosmological perspective. From a human perspective, there is still plenty of time to conquer a broken world that is slowly becoming more and more hostile to its inhabitants. The everlasting storms and ash rain make life on the surface very difficult. This forces people to live underground in isolated fortresses. Many of these fortresses form their own cultures and languages, even though they are just a few miles apart. Some fortresses are better connected than others - for example via extensive systems of caves and tunnels. This naturally makes them better equipped to deal with the dangers that lurk in the underground as well as on the surface - at least as long as they stick together. Conflict and intrigue are fairly common between allied fortresses and some have been wiped out for good as a result.

Demi-humans, are a rarity and often (voluntarily) live in separation. Due to historical reasons, their relationship with humans is quite strained. Nevertheless, some of them - most prominently the dwarvish varieties - act as mediators and messengers between human factions. You will encounter at least one of these individuals in Monomyth.

The gods play a major role in the world of Ariath. Just like languages and cultures, distinct religious sects form in almost every fortress. There are plenty of legends and rumors about deities revealing themselves to mortals or even speaking directly through them. It is a matter of speculation how much of this is true though.

Monomyth will be on Kickstarter July 27th according to this announcement.

loading...

MONOMYTH is an immersive, first-person dungeon crawling RPG in the vein of Ultima Underworld, Arx Fatalis, and the King’s Field series.

Coming soon to Kickstarter! (including a Demo)

Kickstarter:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/836367155/monomyth

[...]

Greetings, dungeon-crawling enthusiasts!

Today I bring you some great news:

Monomyth will be coming to Kickstarter on the 27th of July, 2021, at 7 pm CET / 1 pm EST.

As a part of this Kickstarter campaign, you will be able to try a demo of Monomyth yourself! In this demo you will travel to the Serpent's Bastion, an outpost of Lysandria, and a bulwark against the many dangers that lurk in the wastelands surrounding the ancient fortress.

[...]

The New Year's update for Monomyth explains current plans and announces an intention to go to Kickstarter.

loading...

A short update on what's been happening with the development of Monomyth.

The closed alpha is available for Monomyth for those that want to genuinely help with its development.

...Alpha testing is organized in different stages. The plan is to involve more and more people in every stage and eventually open the alpha build for the general public.

Please fill out the following form to register for the closed stages of alpha testing. Your data will be handled with utmost care and won't be forwarded to any third parties. Once your testing stage starts you will be notified through mail (a Discord invitation will be shared with you for technical questions, direct feedback and similar).

Estimated start of the first alpha testing stage: January 2020

Monomyth is a first person dungeon crawler being worked on by one person and releasing sometime in 2019. The game now has a Steam page.

loading...

As the sun sets on the empires of mankind and civilization crumbles under great storms ravaging the world's surface, the people of Ariath retreat to the underground.
Amidst the chaos of this dying world, you are sent to the fallen fortress city of Lysandria to retrieve a sacred object. In the ruins of the city's clerical district stands an unremarkable chapel, holding a seemingly plain stone.

It is that stone your contractor wants, but the fortress is not as deserted as it seems...

KEY FEATURES

An action packed first person RPG
Swing your sword, cast spells, dodge, parry and block. In MONOMYTH you move freely over the battlefield, using a rich arsenal of deadly weapons and powerful magic.

A living, breathing world
Within the ruins of Lysandria you will find a highly interactive environment, filled with items, puzzles, monsters and a variety of peaceful inhabitants. Talk to characters using a detailed keyword-based dialogue system and combine items to interact with your surroundings in interesting and explorative ways. Trade, pick locks, break doors, disarm traps or throw objects! You can even bake bread!

Free character development
In MONOMYTH you are free to develop your character in any way you want. Invest into eight different character attributes unlocking dozens of different playstyles. Will you be a nimble assassin, a dreadful battle mage, or maybe something completely different? The choice is all yours!

Open-ended level design
Lysandria is a vast, interconnected environment. Seamlessly wander from the highest towers to the lowest caverns, find secret chambers, uncover hidden passageways and explore a multitude of differently themed areas. All without loading screens!

Unique setting
Set in an apocalyptic fantasy world, MONOMYTH combines magic and technology into a new, unique setting. Open the gates to a dark, mysterious realm, beset by horrifying monstrosities and discover the secrets of the fortress city of Lysandria.