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A bear-hunting trip gone wrong...
Hey everyone! I wrote a twitter thread the other day after playing Unreal World, and thought I'd share the text of it here as well. The text matches that on Twitter, so everything is a short paragraph to fit into the character limit. But the whole experience was a big 'wow' moment for me, and made me really appreciate just how much effort has been put into Unreal World. Sami, thank you again for an incredible game! — I'm super fond of simulation games where the mechanics result in good stories. Dwarf Fortress and Rimworld are shining examples. Recently, I've been playing Unreal World, a roguelike survival game that's been under active development since 1992! It's been *incredible*. Unreal World is set in fictional Finland, during the iron age. There's hunting, fishing, building, crafting, trading... all the stuff that I love. Our story here begins in early winter. The lakes are starting to freeze. Game is becoming more scarce... But I'm well prepared. I've a small dwelling, a stockpile of smoked fish and elk cuts, a single pig, and my trusty hunting dog. My character, Hawk, wrapped in furs, decides it's the perfect time to explore. Perhaps I can find a shaman to teach me ritual, or even a bear den. I pack my spear, bow, arrows, tools, and smoked meat. Since I'll be exploring new ground, I also pack some things to trade; a selection of fine axes I've picked up, and some furs from successful hunts. I leave my dog to keep watch at my cabin, in case predators go after the pig. I head north, towards my ancestral homelands. After days of cross-country I begin to come across small villages, but they're digging in for the winter as well. Not much is happening there. And then, climbing a large hill to get a better view of the land, I spot someone. It's not often I see others in the wilderness, especially this far north as the grass is replaced by snow. They could be a trader, or even a fellow hunter. I only caught a glimpse of them through the trees in the distance. I make my way through the woods to see. I get closer and get a better look. It's clear they're not a trader, and looking at their gear they're not a hunter. I've heard talk of bandits, and while I've not been spotted, I slowly and quietly make my way back out of sight... when I step on a twig. They turn, and head straight towards me. I try to duck and weave through the trees, but I'm loaded down with trading goods, and they're not. They rapidly close. I get told I can hand over my valuables, or they'll take them by force. But one guy? Surely I can take one guy. I respond with a thrust of my spear, but he dodges out of the way, and strikes at me with his axe. I don't succeed in dodging, and the blade slices my knee, and I'm instantly down on the ground. Then I see it's not a lone bandit, there are *three*. I can't fight three with a knee injury, and I try to surrender, but it's too late. Two more blows fall, and then everything goes dark. I awake, sometime later... My tools are gone, my weapons are gone, even the furs I was wearing are gone. It's dark, and snowing... A few of my possessions are still around. My food, a bandage, some arrows, and a fine squirrel skin they must have missed. A wound on my leg is bleeding profusely. I bandage it up, and try to get a fire started using fallen branches. Somehow I succeed. I take stock of my situation. A gash on my head looks bad, but doesn't seem serious... I try to stand, but my knee isn't going to take it... I have enough strength to pull some branches off a nearby tree, and skill to fashion a crude stone knife. Getting a fire running I eat some of my smoked meats, drink from my waterskin, and fall asleep. I awake, cold, but alive. The bleeding seems to have stopped. But I'm injured, in the middle of nowhere, with almost no tools, valuables, or even clothes... My rations assumed I could hunt or trade for food, and now both of those aren't possible... Somehow my fishing rod is still okay. Rather than crawl south, I head north, to a small lake I camped by two seasons ago. I move slowly, having to stop for fire, food, and rest. I make it to the lake. My food is gone, and I've been eating late season mushrooms and lingonberries I've been foraging along the way. Water is life. I can't hunt, but I *can* fish. Dragging a small stack of firewood to the lakeside, I knock a hole in the ice, and hope... The lake does not disappoint. After an hour I hook an enormous pike, weighing seven pounds, and a few smaller fish follow. Despite my gnawing hunger I set one fish down as an offering of thanks to the spirits, and begin roasting the others. In other circumstances, I would consider settling down here while I heal. The lake provides fish. The forest has mushrooms. I can build traps to catch the odd bird or hare. But I'm in the north. I have almost no clothes. I know I won't survive the winter. So I spend a couple of days by the lake, treating my wounds, crafting a stone axe, resting, and catching more fish than I eat. My knee still won't support my weight, but I've stabilised. So I head off south, slowly, and harvesting any plants and mushrooms I see along the way. After what feels like forever, I arrive at a village. I'm cold, and starving, but the villagers are good people, they give me food and shelter. A shaman applies a poultice to my wounds. One villager asks if I'd take a message to the next village over. I'm not sure he really looked at my injuries, but the next village is very close, and he says he'll pay five squirrel-skins of goods if I do it soon. That's not much, but it's a fortune in my current state. I accept. Normally it'd be a few hours walk, it takes me a day. I return, and ask for some of my reward to be more food, which I devour hungrily. There are fires in the village, but everyone else has winter furs, and I do not. I start to fell a small tree for wood, and am promptly told that I'm not to do that in the village. I figured I'd stay a few days to gain my strength and heal, but it seems anything I do to stay alive gains the ire of the villagers. I can't set traps. I can't light fires. I'm told I'm no longer welcome, and asked to leave, even without the rest of my reward. I don't argue. I continue south. Each day feels like it's nothing but harvesting wood, lighting fires, tending to my injuries, and being unable to sleep from the hunger. I'm far from any lakes, shivering from cold, and slowly wasting away. I'm sure I'm done for. But one day, I test my knee, and while painful, it holds my weight. I can stand enough to swing my stone axe. I can walk at a hobbling pace. The days are dark and cold, but I think I might actually get through this. I make it to another village, and I'm literally weak with hunger. I hand over that squirrel skin in trade for food. I know these people don't let me light fires, but I can add firewood to their own fires. I do so, and they seem pleased. I eat and rest. I feel hope. The next week is rough, but I have dried food from the village, I can walk, I can harvest wood. The land starts to look familiar. I make it home. My dog is still here, and delighted to see me! I crawl into my cabin, light the fire, and collapse. This was an *incredible* experience that had me up until 2am. I was so engrossed I lost track of time. All because Unreal World has *so much* attention to detail and game mechanics. If you like survival roguelikes, and don't mind a learning curve, it's superb. March 27, 2019, 12:01:14 AM |
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Who let the dogs into the wild...
Dog related additions now continue with dog companions for wandering NPCs. Wandering woodsmen and adventurers you may encounter in the wild can now occasionally have dog companions with them. And just like the dogs owned by player characters these will also protect their masters. These are future features, not yet functional in current version 3.52. March 30, 2019, 05:57:50 PM |
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Re: Who let the dogs into the wild...
Nice. What happens when you hire those characters? Do you get the dog's abilities as a bonus, and, if so, to what extent (ordering it around, getting it to carry items, etc.)? In my tests none of the dog owners met in the wild agreed to be hired. This could be because they don't want get into trouble with their precious pets, or because they don't want to lend their pets to anybody to any extent, or because it's prevented due to resulting spin-off features being far too costly to implement in the midst of other priorities.  March 31, 2019, 02:44:55 PM |
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Colorful domestic animal summary
A little summary of the latest future additions with screenshots. We'll be seeing wandering NPC woodsmen and adventurers occasionally having dog companions with them in the wild. And we'll be seeing village dogs released out of their pens, to roam freely at the village area - in this fashion:  You may ask, is it just me or are the two dogs of different color? Nothing wrong with your eyes, they are different color, and so are the cows in the pen also - if you look closely. See, as another new addition all the domestic animals may have subtle varieties in their coat colors now. This adds some flavour to the game world, but also makes it easier to distinguish different colored pets from each others just by their looks. Lets end the briefing with some pigs showing off their new varying coat colors.  These are future features, not yet functional in current version 3.52. April 10, 2019, 03:22:55 PM |
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Re: Colorful domestic animal summary
If a wandering adventurer were to die, say from a bear attack, and his dog survives will we a find it alone and could we leash it? Also color variation is great. Will it be subtle shades of brown or will other colors be added red cow, black dog, for example. April 10, 2019, 05:05:14 PM |
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Instakill Bull Elk
I'm just sharing with the community. Never thought it was possible to instakill one bull elk lol  First time I one shoot an animal! I was using a javelin! Yes! a javelin! I'm 70% skill with spears and I was like 2-3tiles (don't know how diagonal tiles count). When I saw the Elk going to the woods I tried to sneak past it so I could lure him to the bog, where it is easier to follow it. After a few sneak walks I have found the Elk very close to me! Then I order my companion to attack and threw a jav on it!! Bang! Istakill!  So excited lol imgur with stats (I don't know how much in number are those yellow bars) https://imgur.com/gallery/wUGt9Ld 
April 10, 2019, 09:17:52 PM |
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Legacy snakes issues fixed, some new snake love added
For quite a long time there's been a gutsy fistful of legacy issues related to snakes which are now fixed and balanced as follows: - snakes now cause point type wounds. (Currently they cause tear wounds, which isn't quite right.) - snakes now hibernate during the winter as they should. (Currently they are active all year around, which isn't quite right.) - snakes are now slightly more common than previously - snakes are now venomous, as they should be The snakes in the game are vipers. They are venomous species but the bites are usually not highly dangerous. If the venom is discharged upon a bite it will take several days for the snake to refill its venom glands. However, the snakes can naturally bite without venom too. These are future additions - not yet functional in current version 3.52 April 13, 2019, 08:21:31 PM |
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Wits for wandering NPCs and companions - the future version focus
Things have been cooking and development has evolved up to such an extent where a sneak peek of what to expect in the future is in place. We don't have a deadline for the upcoming release, it's a work in progress, but we do know what the core content will be about. The core content of the next release will focus on NPCs. The most important additions will concern the wandering woodsmen you may meet in the wild and the companions you can hire for yourself. They'll be given a bit more wits, tasks, and meaning for their existence in the game world as follows. Actively hunting wandering NPCs NPCs who roam the woods can now actively hunt animals. They seek the game based on their cultural preferences, and within their hunting possibilities. The very act of NPCs hunting, or running after a game, is probably rarely witnessed by the player character but bones and remains found in the woods can now tell a story of another human hunter at the area. As we know, the hunts can end in unimaginable ways, so many different scenarios may arise from the NPCs now taking their chances with the wildlife - and occasionally maybe even the very same wildlife that you were after. Witnessing an NPC hunting scene. Seal-tribe woodsman has been met in the wild, and he's busy trying to shoot down a squirrel.  New companions commands Companion usefulness gets boosted with some new tasks they will be able to do on demand. Currently it's been added: * butcher and skin a carcass * make logs * make boards ...and the list is likely to grow with a few more crucial tasks. There's a great level of complexity to make companions proceed these tasks with similar detail than the player character so tasks to be added are prioritized with the quality over quantity. The list of companion commands so far:  As companion skills naturally affect to outcome of the tasks their expertise can be sometimes used to obtain higher quality goods than what the player characters could produce by themselves. We also need to add an chat option to ask NPCs about their general skills and expertise so you know what kind of craftsman you've hired. The companion was commanded to butcher and skin one of the reindeers we managed to hunt down. We got meat now, and a fine reindeer skin, which is way better hideworking result than what Jurks could have done in his current condition.  Exciting times ahead. The work continues, more is to follow. These are future additions - not yet functional in current version 3.52. April 21, 2019, 01:33:35 PM |
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Re: Wits for wandering NPCs and companions - the future version focus
This looks great, Sami! I certainly like to see the emphasis on quality over quantity for the new features too. See for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KBvCCMHO0A Fortunately it's healed very good. They say it takes a full year to see the final outcome, but I can use it pretty much normally already. Few restrictions and lack of strength remain, but there's 7 months left to workout until the year of recovery is up. April 21, 2019, 02:28:34 PM |
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Roast cooking for NPCs, and also as companion command
As we continue with focus on NPCs, which becomes the core content of next release, they have now been given wits to actively roast raw meat or fish in their possession. This feat is mostly witnessed by player character when meeting wandering NPCs who can now actively cook the meat of the animals they've hunted and butchered. It now becomes an actual game created scene possibility to meet a wandering woodsman sitting by the fire and roasting the meat of hare he just happened to hunt down. Moreover, roast cooking is also added as a new companion command. Unlike player character, companions don't leave the meat by the fire and pick it up when it's done, but they stay put by the fire while roasting is being done. Companions roast ten pieces of meat at a time, and if not given another order they try to keep on cooking until everything is roasted. These are future additions - not yet functional in current version 3.52. May 03, 2019, 12:44:45 PM |
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