We're in the final stretches - polishing art, mixing music, bug testing, and all the tiny fiddly stuff that comes with game development.

But we've been a little tight lipped about the actual game loop of Terratopia... so let's fix that!

Terratopia: MoTDK is a narrative puzzle game, closest to a visual novel or choose your own adventure . We're aiming to create a rich world that pays homage to and builds upon the tropes of a JRPG.

But... if you're like me, you read most CYOA's with  your thumb holding the page you came from. It wasn't about not wanting to lose (well... maybe a little), it was about feeling like I wasn't given enough information to make an informed decision. It's nice that you offered me the choice of using fire or ice magic against the gelatinous cube but unless you equipped me beforehand with knowledge that gelatinous cubes are weak to fire, I'm just picking at random.

So how does Terratopia do it?

The Demon King and the Forces of Darkness are advancing on your home and you must do everything in your power to stop it. But rather than a series of A/B choices, we present you with every possible action you could take up front and give you only a limited amount of time before the Forces of Darkness arrive. Simply-- you can do anything you want but you can only do 5 things in a day and only have 2 days. Picking the exact correct course of action on the first try is about a 1 in 10 trillion chance, so like any good roguelike, failure is an encouraged part of the experience.

Talking with the hermit in the mountains might not be part of the critical path to victory but he has a wealth of knowledge about the world of Terratopia and might be able to equip you with insights you can put into practice on your next attempt. By learning from the world and refining your approach, each time you get closer and closer to solving the puzzle and saving your home.

Successive Failures

Nym, our narrator, wants to you tell a story - you know the one - about the Forces of Darkness and the hero who is strong enough, wise enough, and brave enough to defeat The Demon King and save the land from falling into darkness. But she doesn't have a lot of experience and needs your help. Sometimes, she tells a story and it turns out that the hero didn't prepare enough before venturing into the Skeleton Lord, so they fall in battle.

But that failure isn't just about learning how to succeed, it's also part of the story. You can watch Nym grow and overcome her own challenges as a storyteller while you two piece the story together. 

Check back next week for some more art and new music. We can't wait to share the finished product with you!