Soul of Ankiril

A closer look to the videogame
over 1 year ago – Tue, Mar 21, 2023 at 10:26:11 AM

Dear Backers,

As we have previously mentioned we are also working on a videogame dedicated to Soul of Ankiril.

The videogame will be an Online Collectible Card Game for mobile devices. It will be a Free to Play game with the presence of in-app purchases for packs and cosmetic items. We will also deliver regular content updates, including new cards, game modes, and events, to keep the game fresh and exciting for players.

In terms of release date, we are currently working hard to bring the game to market as soon as possible. We are targeting a release date in late 2023 or early 2024, but this is subject to change based on development progress.

To give you more insights into the development of the game we have interviewed the members of the Development and Art team:

-What was the most challenging technical aspect of developing the game?

As we continue to develop our F2P collectible card game for mobile, one of the most challenging technical aspects we are currently facing is integrating the complex logic needed to handle multiple abilities. Our game features a wide range of unique and diverse cards, each with its own set of abilities that need to be programmed and implemented. 

To address this challenge, we are carefully designing the architecture of the game's backend to ensure that we have the capacity to handle a large number of cards with complex abilities. As part of this process, we are constantly testing and debugging the game's logic, rigorously checking each card and ability to ensure that they work as intended and do not create any unintended side effects or exploits. Additionally, we are developing tools that streamline the process of adding new cards and abilities, making it easier to maintain the game's logic as it evolves.

-Can you talk about any unique features or mechanics in Soul of Ankiril that you're particularly proud of implementing?

One of the unique and innovative features of Soul of Ankiril is its focus on promoting environmental sustainability. The game's ecological side encourages players to help heal the in-game world, with the understanding that by doing so, we can also heal our own planet. To achieve this goal, the game will implement several mechanics that promote sustainability. 

An example is a digital tree planting mechanic, where players can plant virtual trees in-game. For every digital tree planted, a real tree will be planted in the physical world. This mechanic and many other will create a powerful connection between the game world and the real world, with players being able to see the positive impact of their actions in both realms. 

Overall, I'm incredibly proud of the ecological side of Soul of Ankiril and believe that it showcases the game's commitment to promoting environmental sustainability. By encouraging players to help heal the game world, we can inspire real-world actions that will make a positive difference for our planet.

-What were some of the artistic inspirations for the game's world and characters?

Creating a creature is a collaborative process that involves multiple steps. It all starts with the game designers, who provide us with the creature's statistics, effects, and element of belonging. Our narrative designer then takes over and carefully crafts the creature's appearance and characteristics, ensuring that they align with the game's environment and have unique behavioral traits.

Next, after the review, if it meets the aesthetic standards, we pass it on to the artist responsible for bringing the creature to life. The artist receives all the necessary information about the creature and creates three different design sketches to choose from. Once the best sketch is selected, the artist proceeds with line art and presents three different flat-color proposals. After choosing the best one, the creature is considered complete.

-How did you balance challenge and accessibility in designing the difficulty curve of Soul of Ankiril?

SOA is a complex game made up of many very simple parts; to teach the player the basics of the game we have created a tutorial divided into three parts of increasing difficulty. Knowledge of the basics is only the tip of the iceberg, the online gaming experience has been designed to take the player by the hand. Playing SOA is a journey, the exploration of a new world. We want to craft an explorative experience that does not stop at the history and folklore of the world but also extends to the mechanics, synergies, and depth of play.

- Can you talk about the gameplay mechanics that you implemented and how they fit into the overall game experience?

SOA is a game with two souls, a card game, and a strategic one. Marco and Ercole have done an incredible job of finding the essence of these two genres and blending them together. SOA is a complex game made by the sum of many small parts. What we realized during the test of the digital version was that some of those small parts were not as linear and simple as they appeared in the board game. 

Our task was to take advantage of digital automation to make them even smoother for the mobile version. A clear example of these changes is certainly the automation of the "channeler" which in the board game is used as the point of origin of a spell card. In the video game, this choice is automated by the CPU according to the target selected by the player, in this way the user need to make one gesture to cast the spell instead of two. Obviously, this led to implementing some small adjustments on the effects of spells on the "Channeler". We are very excited about the final result.

We can't wait to let you try it and know your opinion about it, the video game alpha is not far from its public release, which will incorporate many of the changes derived from the feedback we received with the "Digital Boardgame Demo" version already playable.

The following video is very pre-alpha footage of the game to give you just a taste of what we are working on for the video game, showcasing the first draft of the new battleground and Leaders entrance animations. All the content shown is to be considered not final and not representative of the final product.

As a token of our appreciation for your continued support of our project, we will grant access to the closed alpha to all the backers of the campaign (additional invites will be added for the Master of Temen Backers).

Thank you very much for being part of our journey.

Sincerely.

The Soul of ANkiril Team.

How Deck building works?
over 1 year ago – Mon, Mar 20, 2023 at 10:24:14 AM

Dear Backers,

Today we want to share an insight from our Game Designer, Ercole Belloni, to talk about the deck-building component in Soul of Ankiril and how to customize your experience during the game.

You need exactly 25 cards. On top of this, you can spend up to 75 sync points. Each card costs between 1 and 5 sync points, from weaker to stronger cards, and there can be up to 3 copies of the same card (note that the Leader is not included within the 25 deck cards, as it's already on the battlefield, but its cost of 5 sync points must be included!). This is why during the game you can play any card by spending 1 Energy, because you have already paid its cost in terms of sync points in the deck construction phase. Moreover, you can create a deck by mixing cards from up to 3 different elements, but if you build a two elements deck you have max 70 sync points expendables, while a three elements deck has a threshold of 65 sync points.

Managing the Sync Point thresholds, where you can't have only 5 sync points cards with multiple copies of course, but you need to take advantage of the synergy between multiple "weaker" cards. Remember that even a simple Urghira could become a threat!
Balancing the right proportion of creatures and spells, since spells may be cast only by a creature with the same element. As you can imagine, it becomes much trickier with a multiple elements deck. Having a single element deck allows building around a specific and linear archetype, making the most of the nature of the element itself with the higher sync points threshold. When you add one or two elements, perhaps the deck's "total value" is lower, but you can explore various combinations of different synergies.

You need 1 Leader that must match one element of your deck. It's your most powerful creature, usually crucial in order to advance toward your opponent and it's the only one who can return to the battlefield when defeated. However, it's not indispensable to achieve victory and also to construct your deck. Choices are limited with a single element deck, but with multiple elements, you have more options, so you can either start from a Leader and build the deck around him or vice versa.

Speaking of Leaders we want to show you a sneak peek of one of the new 6 Leaders that we are going to add to the game as a Kickstarter Exclusive to expand the possibilities of customization of your deck. In future updates, we will show you the other Leaders and the progress of the artwork for Iddyr the second Leader of Fire.

As always, we are incredibly grateful for your support and contributions to our campaign.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

Spotlight on Earth and Air Element
over 1 year ago – Sun, Mar 19, 2023 at 12:28:31 PM

Dear Backers,

Today we are putting a spotlight on two of the elements in Ankiril: Earth and Air.

Earth is the element of forethought and those who know how to build the future starting from a stable present. The leader of the Earth Element is Nassyum, a Creature obsessed with the probability in their plans. Nassyum's wisdom and vision make them the ideal strategist for those who seek to build a solid foundation for their endeavors. With Nassyum's guidance, you can chart your course to success with confidence and precision.

The Earth Deck can have different aces up its sleeves like dealing a ton of damage to multiple targets thanks to Breach or activating special powers with Legacy, an ability that reveals its effect after the death of your Creature.

On the other hand, Air is the element of cunning and control, led by Shuna, a Creature that is truly smart beyond their carefree appearance. Shuna's intellect is unparalleled, and their mastery of the element of Air makes them a force to be reckoned with. Whether you're looking to outmaneuver your opponents or seize control of a situation, Shuna has the skills and knowledge to help you achieve your goals.

Air Deck is a hypermobility deck thanks to Overfly that will let you move up to 2 spaces instead of 1 and Swap that will give you the opportunity to change the position of your Creatures for a quick repositioning or a strategic retreat.

As always, we are incredibly grateful for your support and contributions to our campaign. That's why we are going to unlock two other extra copies for the Earth and Air decks to give you more options during the deckbuilding phase.

 Thank you for being a part of our journey!

Spotlight on the Water Element
over 1 year ago – Sat, Mar 18, 2023 at 11:18:33 AM

Dear backers,

Today we want to update you on the Water Element in Soul of Ankiril. The Water civilization is deeply rooted in the importance of family and Offspring. They rely on their offspring to buff them and send them into battle when it is needed. Their leader, Kashiri, is a caring and wise figure who has the unique ability to buff all the offspring around them, getting a Reinforced status in exchange.

The species of creatures belonging to the Water Element are diverse and fascinating, with a strong emphasis on cooperation and nurturing. They understand the importance of working together towards a common goal, and their unique abilities reflect this.

The Water Deck is more of a control-type deck thanks to abilities like Generate which let you summon an Offspring on your side, and Poison to take down even the biggest Creature. A common strategy with the Water deck is to build your defenses by buffing your Offspring and allies and move them together at the right moment to crush your opponents like a tsunami.

Lastly, we unlocked part of the second stretch goal adding an extra copy of a Water and Fire Creature and Spell for your Deck Building.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to sharing more updates with you soon.

Sincerely,

The Soul of Ankiril Team

Campaign Survey and Stretch Goal Unlocked
over 1 year ago – Fri, Mar 17, 2023 at 01:14:17 PM

Dear Backers,

As we continue to move forward with our Kickstarter campaign, we want to take a moment to thank you all for your support thus far. We truly appreciate every pledge and every share that has helped us get this far.
To ensure that we offer the best product possible, we are currently conducting a survey to gather more information about your preferences and expectations. If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to fill out the survey. Your feedback will be incredibly valuable to us as we make decisions about the direction of our project.

 ---CLICK HERE FOR THE SURVEY---

 As a token of our appreciation for your time, we are excited to announce that we have unlocked our first stretch goal! Thanks to your support, we will be adding six new unique creatures to our product lineup. Please consider that these cards are still without effect due to the ongoing development.

Thank you again for your continued support. We are truly grateful for each and every one of you. As always, please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.

Best,

The Soul of Ankiril Team