Elementyle

With the end of the year approaching, it’s time to wrap up some of the development items that have been designed but not yet implemented, as well as shape the direction of the project as it moves from Alpha to Beta.
One of the core targets for the end of Alpha was an end to the technical development of most systems. The game as it is plays more as a technical demo than anything, with no sense of progression or improvement outside of ELO and Win – Lose tracking. The updates slated for the remainder of this year aim to address this and flesh out the future of Elementyle.
In total, 4 updates are planned for the remainder of the year. Many of these updates have been in development alongside each other. Some of the updates may be released together or even delayed in some cases, depending on prioritization and any unexpected complications.

Set Completion Update

This update will include the release of the final pieces that have been designed and are currently being implemented. The scale of this update cannot be overstated. Prior to the Set Completion Update, there are a total of 20 pieces in the game available for play. The Set Completion update will include an additional 16 pieces for a total of 36. Along with the addition of a variety of basic and ultimate pieces, a new Signature piece type will be released as well.
Signature pieces are a unique, irreplaceable piece that, once available, are spawned on the board for both players at the beginning of the match in the corner furthest away from the center of the board.

Signature pieces are unique in that they cannot be returned to the board once removed by any means. While a player won’t necessarily lose when this piece is removed, the effects granted by the piece will be lost.
Each Signature piece has a unique core effect which applies an aura to the board. These auras provide additional effects to pieces under certain conditions. Overall, Signature pieces should add another layer of strategy to the game and help even out the sets in the long run. More info on Signature pieces and the remaining Set Extensions will be coming in a DevLog soon.
One additional problem has resurfaced as a result of continued comparison and testing: the *#@$(% Water Set.
To remedy this problem (hopefully once and for all), a rework of this set has been designed and will begin implementation alongside the pieces being added. This will be covered in a separate blog post from the others in the Set Extensions update.

Player Progression Update 1

Giving players a progression-based experience is a delicate art. First and foremost, player progression should mean something. If playing the game feels like you’re making no progress towards anything, it becomes a grind and it becomes boring. Additionally, having a rigid system for leveling is tedious, calculated, measured, and again, boring.
The core focus for Elementyle in terms of progression will be tied to your Set Levels. By playing the game, you gain experience toward whichever set you choose to play. Experience is not shared across sets, and so provides you an opportunity to progress with the other sets independently.
In the current state as of writing, and throughout the Set Completion Update, all pieces are available for testing purposes. Once Player Progression Update 1, pieces will be locked to a progression based system.
After this update, when selecting an Element in the new Collection menu for the first time, a player will unlock level 1 for the selected Element and the four starter pieces which are the current default pieces for each set. The other 4 pieces, 3 basic and 1 ultimate, will be unlocked at Set Level 6. The remaining piece, the Set Signature piece will be unlocked at Set Level 10.
Sets gain experience from each game played with the set. Along with experience (and possibly, depending on development timeframes, in-game currencies), players will receive playtime rewards on a regular basis in addition to per-match rewards. Playtime rewards will be the primary means by which gaining set levels becomes easier (more info in the upcoming DevLog).
Additionally with Player Progression Update 1 will be a rework and implementation of the stats and achievements systems respectively. Both of these systems will work in tandem to amplify the player progression system for sets and in the future, account leveling.

Competitive Update 1

While technically a phase II of the Player Progression Update 1, Competitive Update 1 serves to bolster the competitive structure of the game. This is primarily through a rework of the matchmaking system as a whole with a focus on fair, flexible, and fast queues. Alongside the matchmaking rework, rolling weekly and monthly leaderboards will be introduced for the default mode in this update, Open Play.

Community Update 1

The last major update for 2024, Community Update 1 is a very large, sprawling change to the game which begins to spin a number of different threads.
Primarily, the largest update to the game and what many of the other changes will build upon is the concept of Piece Variants (PVs). PVs are the cosmetic progression system for Elementyle that will serve as a primary reward from playing games, along with playtime rewards added in Player Progression Update 1. While there is a luck component built into this system, the primary means by which higher quality PVs are generated is via the Variant Upgrade system, which by design will require resources that can only be obtained by playing the game and, unlike most items slated to be added, cannot be traded or marketed. This inherently requires players to be actively interacting with the game to participate in the Variant Upgrade system.
Community Update 1 will also include daily and weekly quests, which will randomly generate and have a catch-up mechanic of some sort for missed days. All of these updates including the Elemental Convergence will be coming in future DevLog posts.

Wrapping Up

There is a lot to do for the rest of the year. That being said, the goal is to end the Alpha phase by 12/31/2024. If absolutely necessary, some of these updates may be pushed out or delayed. Prioritization is on gameplay and functionality. Moving into the Beta phase of development will be a transition in perspective, with an emphasis on user experience, thematic impression, and general fidelity and clarity for effects, pieces, and tiles.
As with any project like this, user feedback is also taken into consideration. There are likely still a number of bugs and issues to be worked out and any bit of testing and feedback is appreciated. With the release of the Earth set in the most recent update, a Feedback Panel has been added in-game (F1). Feedback can also be provided via Steam, Discord, comments on blog posts, or directly via email to tagon35@elementyle.com.