Game News Age of Decadence January Update

[Infinitron]

Tags: Age of Decadence; Iron Tower Studios; Vault Dweller

If you own The Age of Decadence on Steam, then you probably noticed that it received an update today. In the game's monthly update over at the Iron Tower Studio forums, Vault Dweller explains what that's about. There's even a sneak preview of the updates for February and March!

Update #2

"Our second update just went live and we’d like to thank you for your support and feedback, which helps us improve and refine the game.

While we have our own milestones, we’ll continue to release monthly updates based on the feedback we receive. For example, the initial feedback was:

• need a tutorial to learn the system without having to restart the game all the time
• need more info on the character screen to understand the system better
• need more traders in Maadoran and better inventories
• more alchemical ingredients

So, that's what we added in the first update. The second main request is more content for Maadoran. Namely, more quests (especially non-combat quests for loremasters, thieves, and grifters) and more characters to talk to in general. In fact, more characters to talk to (and more worldbuilding) is request #1.

So update #2 adds:

• 65 Achievements to track your progress and playstyles
• 3 characters you can talk to (a storyteller in the local inn – his story is related to what Cassius tells you in Teron, if you escort him to the palace; a beggar (near the entrance to the Slums) who served Antidas during his war with House Aurelian, and a clerk working for one of the caravan masters in the Gate district).
• A small adventure for loremasters and explorers of long-forgotten places; to initiate, enter the Slums and talk to the man standing near a well to the left of the entrance.
• An arrival of a caravan (an intro quest; just walk towards the arena when you enter the city)
• A quest revolving around a gem surprisingly similar to the one Feng tries to sell you. To initiate, talk to the owner of the rug store in the Trade district.
• 2 unique weapons we didn't have time to do before; explore the lower level of the tower of Zamedi to get this ball rolling (disclaimer: crafting skill required)
• Training with Kemnebi and Erebus.
• Increased carry weight (you’re welcome).
• Historically accurate “wolf” helmet and capes – generous contribution from Lexx, one of the community members.
• Bug fixes, balance fixes, reputation tweaks, quest reward tweaks (money and skill points), etc.

Update #3 (Feb update)

We're planning to:

• finally finish the journal (the missing pages that say 'not in the demo' at the moment) and organize all the info you're getting in a convenient and accessible manner.
• add more ingredients you can gather in different locations
• make some Maadoran fights more challenging
• finish the reputation adjustments and reaction
• add more quest solutions as suggested by Brandon and other folks
• visual improvements to Maadoran
• more characters to talk to as suggested by Codex's very own Miss Bee - special thanks for taking her time to give us very detailed and very helpful feedback

Update #4 (March update)

Originally, we were planning to release 3 locations, but we made good progress, so we'll try to release 5 locations. No promises at this stage, just sharing some thoughts. The reason is that people keep asking when the hell they get to use all the fancy artifacts, do "not in the demo" quests, and get the teleporter up and running, so we want to fix it all in one massive update and give you another sizable chunk of content to play with.​

Oh boy, achievements. You can view the full changelog of the update here.

 

[likaq]

Fall can't come soon enough.

 

[Infinitron]

Bravo Crooked Bee! I wasn't aware of the extensiveness of your contributions to AoD.

 

[Crooked Bee]

Bravo Crooked Bee! I wasn't aware of the extensiveness of your contributions to AoD.

Hah, that's an exaggeration, really. I did give some feedback and make some suggestions (and sent VD a few particularly lengthy PMs), but it wasn't really extensive - just some thoughts about fleshing out a few quests/locations.

But thanks for the shout-out, VD! :D

 

[Vault Dweller]

... sent VD a few particularly lengthy PMs - just some thoughts about fleshing out a few quests/locations.

Quality thoughts (especially in lengthy PMs) are a rare commodity these days.

 

[Elhoim]

Oh boy, achievements.

Global Achievements stats:

First place: Is Life Always This Hard? - Died in the first fight.

 

[Infinitron]

Should have called it "Good Fucking Riddance".

 

[Elhoim]

Should have called it "Good Fucking Riddance".

I would make that one like this: Player loses combat three times in a row, and then exits the game.

 

[Elhoim]

Some visuals:

 

[likaq]

I was about to post these screens.

First two are MAJESTIC.

 

[Humanity has risen!]

Do you get a Steam key if you pre-order the DRM-free version?

 

[likaq]

Yes.
Ask for steam key here:

http://www.irontowerstudio.com/forum/index.php/topic,3516.0.html

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Terrific. I have no suggestions to make because it looks like everyone working on this already knows how to make a good game.

 

[Forest Dweller]

So I'm guessing these achievements are only for the areas that are in the demo (i.e. no end-game spoilers)?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Yes. More achievements will be added with new locations.

 

[hiver]

Originally, we were planning to release 3 locations, but we made good progress, so we'll try to release 5 locations.

Do you mean cities or just some secondary locations here?

btw, will guys in the Boatmans guild in Teron get some more content and gameplay?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Originally, we were planning to release 3 locations, but we made good progress, so we'll try to release 5 locations.

Do you mean cities or just some secondary locations here?

Secondary locations. The 3 confirmed locations are the library of Saross, Aemolas' village, and the bridge mentioned by the healer. I'm thinking of adding Inferiae (mentioned by a few characters) and the portal mentioned by the storyteller in Teron.

btw, will guys in the Boatmans guild in Teron get some more content and gameplay?

Yes. Assuming you kept them alive, of course.

 

[hiver]

Ah, ok. Sound very fine.

As for Boatsmen in Teron, i actually mean - during the first act in Teron.
Ive written a few suggestions about it, mentioning Dias and... Agatai, was it? (or is Agatai in the thieves guild... in any case, those two. Coltan already has some nice uses). I think one or two small side missions, appropriate in the feel and style for those two, would play very well.
Especially since as soon as you take the second guild mission it forces you out of Teron. The only way the player knows not to start the second mission, but instead do the rest of the Teron quests first, is by meta knowledge... which is not the best solution.
If any such small missions are added, i would put them in between the first mission and the later final ones. This doesnt remove meta knowledge completely but it would give some breathing space for the player and not rush him out of the door while he barely started the game.
It would also provide the opportunity to get to know those guys a bit better.

That surprise visit of Dias on the road towards Maadoran, that was nice. - but in a speedy direction towards reload and reconsidering the hasty decision kind of way.

 

[Elhoim]

Ah, ok. Sound very fine.

As for Boatsmen in Teron, i actually mean - during the first act in Teron.
Ive written a few suggestions about it, mentioning Dias and... Agatai, was it? (or is Agatai in the thieves guild... in any case, those two. Coltan already has some nice uses). I think one or two small side missions, appropriate in the feel and style for those two, would play very well.
Especially since as soon as you take the second guild mission it forces you out of Teron. The only way the player knows not to start the second mission, but instead do the rest of the Teron quests first, is by meta knowledge... which is not the best solution.
If any such small missions are added, i would put them in between the first mission and the later final ones. This doesnt remove meta knowledge completely but it would give some breathing space for the player and not rush him out of the door while he barely started the game.
It would also provide the opportunity to get to know those guys a bit better.

That surprise visit of Dias on the road towards Maadoran, that was nice. - but in a speedy direction towards reload and reconsidering the hasty decision kind of way.

We will consider it for later. We are more interested in wrapping up the areas now than adding extra content to current locations.

 

[Kem0sabe]

I did my first play through with a Mercenary/Guards this weekend, somewhat disappointed by the class specific content, the guards is just not that interesting.

Otherwise, cant wait for the new areas.

 

[Shadowfang]

The game keeps getting better.
The only thing i miss are the hot keys. I find myself pressing "F" and "R" for fast and regular attacks but the the only thing it changes is the camera.

 

[hiver]

We will consider it for later. We are more interested in wrapping up the areas now than adding extra content to current locations.

Understandable. Sounds good to me.

 

[J_C]

This game just gets better and better. Bigger and bigger. And the release date is just slipping into oblivion.

 

[Vault Dweller]

You're getting monthly updates and 5 areas in March, which will bring the total to 15 out of 22. Surely you don't think that it would take forever to do 7 more areas and wrap things up?

 

[J_C]

Surely you don't think that it would take forever to do 7 more areas and wrap things up?

Come on, we all know you can't wrap up things. You just add more things and implement new system month after month. You will never finish it.