Community Update October 2024

[Majora]

Greetings Skylords!

A new month; a new Community Update! It's time to bring you up to speed with everything going on in Skylords Reborn!

• Continue the Story

Our new patch has released! With it comes two brand-new campaign maps, 15 years after the original story concluded. We are thrilled to continue the legacy of BattleForge, and we created a special video to celebrate to occasion. 

• Patch Overview Video

Our latest patch has a lot to offer, so we also have a Patch Overview Video for you. 
 

Because we are extremely limited in what we can do on the marketing side of things, we would highly appreciate it if you can give it a like and share it with your friends!
 

 

You can read the full patch notes here. 

We are very happy that the response from the community to these maps has been very positive, and we want to thank everyone who dropped in to share some kind words. We have spend a lot of hours on balance, map art, voice-overs and playtesting, but nothing can quite prepare you for the whole community exploring them.

We are collecting all the feedback and will make sure to take it into account for our next maps as well. We have more maps in the works, but we will talk about them in another community update! 

 

• New Card Reveal - Simulacrum

We hope you are all enjoying the new Amii units released in our last patch. Many of you are wondering where the character in the middle of the key-art is. Today we are ready to reveal Simulacrum. Let's break down the card.

Please note: We are still working on the card. While we are generally happy with it, numbers and effects might still change before release. 

Elemental Wrath
Every second unit unleashes a hail of primal energy that deal 70 damage to enemies in a 5m radius its target, up to 105 in total. Attack slows enemy units who may only move at walk speed. Lasts for 10 seconds.

 

Relocation
Unit relocates to another spot within a 50m range. Requires the target location to be within a 15m range of at least one other own ground entity. Reusable every 20 seconds.

 

Elusive
The duration of the immobilizing effects of Freeze and Paralyze are reduced by 20%.

 

Design notes:

When we decided upon adding some golem-like units to the Amii faction, we thought that the Tempest model was perfect alongside the models used in Amii Sentinel and Energy Core. The issue is that we did not want the Tempest playstyle where the player would need to walk Simulacrum forward, root, attack, unroot, move, then re-root, ad infinitum. This playstyle already exists with Stone Tempest and Tempest and neither see much play because of how tedious it is. So we decided to move in a different direction and give Simulacrum a teleport ability which is usable while it is rooted. This will make Simulacrum play similarly to a T3 Phase Tower, but easier to micro because units can be grouped unlike buildings and Simulacrum can benefit from spells affecting units. Alongside this teleport ability, we gave its auto-attack a slow effect, allowing both PvE and PvP players to use the slow and teleport in combination to kite their enemies with Simulacrum's long range of 40m. 

Simulacrum will release alongside our next content patch, date to be announced. 
 

• Interview Regarding New Campaign Maps

We hope everyone has had a chance to try out the new campaign maps already. Now that they are finally released to the public, we thought it would be a nice moment to sit with WindHunter and R4bitfoot, two team members who were heavily involved in their creation, and ask them what the design process was like to create Into the Jungle (ItJ) and Unexpected Visitors (UV). 
 

Lets start with introductions, for those who do not know you, what is your role on the Skylords Reborn team?

Hello! I am R4bitF00t and my official designation is Lead Map Artist, but in the end I do pretty much anything on new maps, starting from initial layout, scripting functionality, balance changes and ending with map art.

 

Hello, I am WindHunter. I am Skylord Reborn’s lead designer, a role I have had since January 2022. Generally speaking, anything that affects how a person plays or experiences the game comes under my purview and needs my stamp of approval before it gets added to the game. That includes things like new card design, balancing, the economy, achievements, and map design.

 

What is your favorite original campaign map?

My favorite is absolutely Encounters with Twilight, the map just feels so alive and is split into several very clean, and well-thought out chunks, it is by far my most played map.

 

Behind Enemy Lines. I enjoy the slow build out from the center that makes you feel like you are conquering the map, compared to many maps where you feel more like a saboteur than a conqueror. 

 

And what was your involvement with the new campaign maps specifically?

I started work on Into the Jungle - the original concept and layout came from the community map made by Emmaerzeh, Lebovim and other contributors. When we turned it into a campaign map, we wanted to keep the original idea and improve upon it. To achieve that, we made changes to the map's layout and introduced some new mechanics. So my job was to implement all the layout and script changes, and make the map pretty. After that, I designed the map concept for Unexpected Visitors with Emmaerzeh and WindHunter, made the functional prototype of the map, and then came in later to do some finalizations and balance changes with WindHunter.

Besides balancing the maps, I did a lot of writing. I am in charge of the lore, so I wrote the storybook entries and the map outcries, and I also wrote two design documents which have become the basis, or template, for how we design new campaign maps.

 

When did work first start on a new campaign map?

The idea for new campaign maps was here long before I joined the team. There were some attempts at official maps at that time, but since we didn't have proper guidelines, we ended up scrapping or repurposing them into community maps, like the Restoring Lyr map. Work on ItJ started shortly after I joined the team, so around two years ago.

 

What were some of the challenges to overcome?

As I mentioned before, we didn't have proper guidelines when we started work on ItJ, we fought with the most basic things, like designing enemy camps properly.

We made some changes based on tester feedback, but once implemented, they were not happy with them, so we had to go back to the drawing board. We just had to try and try again to capture that old-school BattleForge feel, and there is a lot that goes into that. For anybody interested, I recommend WindHunter's design documents, which were a massive help: Spawn Design and Camp Design.

These are not the first two PvE projects we have undertaken. Previously we had another “official” map called Restoring Lyr from a former team member RookieN which we have recently polished and released as a featured community map. We also were deep into developing a defensive random PvE mode, but we ran into major design issues we did not think we could easily fix, causing us to postpone further work on the project. The fact is that we really did not know what we were doing and we had significantly underestimated how much went into making something worthy to be called an official campaign map. These issues and the early work on ITJ, which we did not want to fail, forced us to step back and really examine what went into making a campaign map. 

I came into the map design department at around this point and the first thing I did was pause further map development. We were changing things so rapidly and reactively it was wearing out the map testers and designers alike. At that point, I went back through all 26 existing campaign maps and I started documenting what made BattleForge maps distinctive and what made the good maps good. This is similar to what we did with faction design when we started making new cards. Eventually, this study culminated in two large design documents, one on camp design and one on spawn design. With these in hand, we restarted map development in-line with our new design principles and made rapid progress. We also took this time to outline everything a new map needed and to develop the kind of workflow we needed to make continual map development possible. So, I would say the biggest challenges were systematic ones and with these under control it was amazing how fast new maps could develop.

 

Both maps are two-player maps, was there a specific reason for this? Can we expect other player sizes in the future?

Into the Jungle was originally a speedrun challenge map from one of our map designers Emmaerzeh that required two players. So we started with ITJ as a two player map. The issue is that ITJ is the second map in the story, so when we decided on UV’s design, we thought it was only right that it was also a two-player map. Players can definitely expect new 1p and 4p maps in the future, though probably not any new 12p maps.

 

Campaign Maps always have some kind of twist, did you have hard time coming up with one for these two?

The original ItJ design was a simple map - go from point A to B and destroy things along the way. While every map in BF does some variation of this, I felt it needed that "hook" or "twist" as you call it, and I thought that adding secret passages through the jungle would be nice, make the map more exploratory and open it up from the original linear design. Luckily, I was not the only one who liked the idea so we got to see it on the map.

For UV, we knew we wanted to have a defensive portion on the map, but BattleForge's mechanics really struggle with having one static defensive location - there is no resource, worker or base management, so we decided we need to break up the defense by giving players an incentive to sally out and conquer extra parts of the map. 

But pushing through enemy attack waves is in most cases too annoying, so we added the day/night cycle to make it clear for players when to attack and when to defend. So this map "twist" came organically from the map's design.

I would say no. In the case of both maps, the twist developed organically as we designed them. In ITJ, you have the secret passages and the Amii well-building mechanic. The first came from experimentation and the second flowed from the lore. In UV you have the portal and Amii Monument charging mechanics. These were part of the map’s original design, and then we ended up creating the day/night cycle as a response to the design issues caused by the player turtling around the portal shrine. We were conscious of the need to differentiate these maps from existing maps, and the story we wanted to tell with both maps led naturally to the different mechanics each map has that sets it apart.

 

What is your favorite part about each map?

After all this time working on the maps, I am pretty numb 😀 so I’ll leave this one to WindHunter.

 

I enjoy the secret passages on ITJ a lot, especially because of how much they change how you approach the map’s early game. 

For UV, I like that we get to fight Frost units for the first time. I am very happy with their design, and I think they provide an interesting contrast to the factions the player usually encounters in campaign maps.

 

What about the story? How did you decide on that?

One of the major problems of making campaign maps is obviously the campaign aspect. While we could just release good maps disconnected from the existing lore, having a cohesive narrative adds to the enjoyment of the map by letting the player enter into the game’s universe. So we wanted to make sure the narrative fit the Skylords universe. In this case, we really wanted to fill in the Empire storyline. 

Skylords Reborn tells stories through action more than exposition. The exception to this is Empire, which skips over a ton of in-game events which would otherwise be standalone maps in an attempt to give the story a conclusion. This happened because the original devs knew they would not be able to add anymore maps. What we are doing with ITJ and UV is filling back in the Empire storyline in a way the original devs were unable to do, so that the players can be part of that story, and not just read about it.

 

How long did you spend on each of the maps?

Oh, that’s a tough one, I am pretty sure I spent well over a hundred hours on ItJ.
It will be a bit less for UV, since Damo and Kayrie took over at some point and made most of the map art.

Several dozen hours per map.

 

Can you tell us something about balancing the maps?

Well, it is not easy. It is easy to get feedback and then make a change and think you fixed the problem and move on. But it rarely works. It is harder to sit down, gather a lot of feedback and then try to figure out the root causes behind the issue before making a decision. I mean sometimes the camp is just too strong and you tone it down, but other times the solution is less obvious. As an example, on ITJ we did not have any patrolling units or attack waves beyond the event spawners at the beginning. Testers told us the map felt lifeless, so we added attack waves. Then next iteration they told us that the waves felt designed just to destroy them and that they felt unfair. We toned them down but the same feedback kept recurring, so we eventually removed them, only to return back to the first problem. 

The answer I think is that good balance comes from good design. While we want the maps to respond to the tools the players might bring, for example, we cannot add too many ground units at T1 because they just become Mine fodder, we also want the camps to feel like more than a video game. The goal then is that the map feels organic, like the enemies really live in the map, but while also tailoring each map to the player’s expected strength. We might add certain challenges to the camp, like a Mark of the Keeper or a Lost Dragon, but they should feel like they are meant to be there. On Into the Jungle in particular, you can look at a replay without fog of war enabled and just scroll over the camps. Each one is unique. One is a bug infested temple, another is a Ghostspear village, and yet another is a beast taming ground for Amazons. We came up with these ideas first, and then we asked ourselves how these units would position themselves and how they would respond to hostile threats nearby. Then we tuned from there.

 

What about the visuals?

Luckily, I got to practice map art on other maps before ItJ - namely the yet unreleased drPvE and both of the Battle Arenas that dropped with this patch. I learn a bit more with every map I create, but in the end I am happy with ItJ visuals, I feel they are unique in the game and I had fun coming up with different points of interest in the jungle and enemy camps. My favorite place on ItJ is the top-left camp, it features a giant stone statue, a nearby volcano and an Amazon temple. I just wish we could have added a waterfall coming out of the mouth of the statue.

Damo and Kayrie worked on the art for UV so I cannot comment on that, but my favorite place from that map is definitely the Ami city. Damo did a great job with the layout and making it feel like a real city, but still fitting BattleForge. I also really like the Lost Souls siege camp in front of it.

 

What took the longest time in the whole process?

When talking about pure hours spent working on the map - that would be map art (I’d say ItJ art took me about 80 hours).
But while map art can take a couple of weeks to finish, actually testing the map - balancing and improving upon mechanics is what drags on the most.

Both maps have spent months in testing periods, where we took feedback from testers, discussed it and implemented it. Going back and forth and trying different versions of mechanics. Having so many people involved, it takes quite a while to chisel out the final vision for the map.

In terms of total time, probably the testing phase. There is a lot of waiting for feedback, playing the maps yourself, and then watching replays. Then you need to figure out how to turn all that data into something which can change the map, and that is very difficult to do correctly when you want to change a lot of things at once. So instead we usually change 1-2 big things, and then we need to wait all over again to see if it worked. It is a draining process.

 

What can players expect in the future?

We want to keep expanding the story and making new maps. The team has several other map projects currently in-progress, not just of new campaign maps, and a few of them are nearing the point where we can almost start showing them off.

 

Is there anything else you'd like to share with our players?

Just to enjoy the game and the new campaign maps we have created.
Shameless plug incoming: If you’re interested in creating maps of your own, check out our official map editor tutorial!

We worked hard to make sure that each map had more than one way to complete it, and that different decks would have different strengths at different points. So, I would encourage players to view the maps as a kind of sandbox where they can try different strategies and different decks, instead of just viewing the map as a once and done experience.

 

• We Want Your Feedback

We want to hear what you think about the new maps Unexpected Visitors, Into the Jungle, and Battle Arena!

Do you like them or not? What would you like you see more of in the future and what less?
What would you leave the same and what would you improve? Let us know here:

Unexpected Visitors - Discussion Thread

Into the Jungle - Discussion Thread

Battle Arena - Discussion Thread
 

or on our Balance Discord

September Patch Feedback

New Maps Feedback

 

• Get Ready For Halloween

By now it has become tradition for Skylords Reborn to have a Halloween-themed event, and this year will be no different!
Be sure to check in on the 31st of October for a spooky event with a very special reward! 

 

• Events

In between our monthly Community Updates, we host various events and tournaments, so be sure to keep a close eye on the in-game event tab and the forum calendar to stay informed and not miss out on any exciting events!
 

Current events:

• NEW - Release Event
To celebrate the release of the new campaign maps we have a special event. All you have to do is upload your replay of completing Unexpected Visitors and/or Into the Jungle for a chance to win some prizes! More information.

 

• NEW - Seven Strategy Showdown 4 - Guardian Skylord
Rogan is on the run again, and will need your help. Again.. Help Rogan to finish a round as fast as possible. Support him exclusively with spells and each spell can only be cast once. More information. 

 

• FINISHED - Seven Strategy Showdown 3 - Wrecking Time
The 3rd event in the series has concluded! This time Skylords were the ones destroying buildings. Players had to destroy as many buildings as possible within the time limit for a chance to win some great prizes. More information. 

 

• IN PROGRESS - Seven Strategy Showdown
Every two weeks there will be a new event in this series of seven events, each bringing a fun handcrafted challenge or mechanic! Be sure to check them out, as there are some great prizes to be won! More information.

 

 • SECOND PHASE - PvP AI programming contest
Get ready for an AI Programming Tournament, where the submitted programs will face off in an epic showdown to find the ultimate AI strategist! Players are still able to join this programming contest. More information.

 

• Host your own tournament / event
Want to host a tournament or event? Please reach out to our Event Organizer @Metagross31. We can help you out with various topics and are glad to discuss potential ideas. We can also sponsor the prize pool for your event. If you have a cool idea for a PvE event, or want to host a PvP tournament, please don't hesitate to reach out to us, we will gladly assist you.

 

• Contribute to Skylords Reborn

Skylords Reborn is a community-driven project fueled by the passion and dedication of over 50 volunteers. We are always on the lookout for like-minded individuals. If you have a passion for gaming, programming, design, or marketing, we invite you to have a look at our open positions!

 

 

Don't have time to formally join the staff, but still would like to help out? Please check out this guide on how to support Skylords Reborn as a community member.
 

• In Conclusion

That's all for this Community Update! We appreciate you taking the time to read through it.

As is tradition, we're including a scratch code as a small token of our appreciation for your support.
The code will reward you with a General booster: AMII-AMII-AMII-AMII

The code is valid until November 1st, when we will bring you another Community Update. 

We're always looking for ways to improve and value your feedback. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please don't hesitate to share them with us. We'll be back next month with more updates on our ongoing projects and upcoming features.

You can also sign-up to our e-mail newsletter here.

Archive
• Skylords Reborn Documents (Deep Dives, Behind the Scenes, PvP Guide)  
• Overview Community Updates
• Community Update September 2024

 

[Hrdina_Imperia]

   Simulacrum is basically a Tectonic Shifted unit 🤠

[Carofex]

SSS4 "More information" didnt work right now.

[Ultralord]

53 minutes ago, Carofex said:

SSS4 "More information" didnt work right now.

The link will work upcoming Friday when the event starts 👍

 

[KeyNeR]

Why does the game crash when building the Amiya monument? It's happened 3 times already in a new mission

Edited October 1 by KeyNeR

[Carofex]

Simulacrum is a teleporting nasty surprise.

I like it.

[Cocofang]

4 hours ago, KeyNeR said:

Why does the game crash when building the Amiya monument? It's happened 3 times already in a new mission

If you could join the discord, enter the report-a-bug channel, post !log and then follow the instructions then the devs can take a look.