General
What were the key inspirations for Archmage Rises?
Novels
Raistlin from Dragonlance (Chronicles, and Legends trilogies)
Computer Games
Dwarf Fortress, Sid Meier's Pirates!, Skyrim, FTL, The Guild 2, and Tradewars 2002
Pen and Paper RPGs
Dragonlance AD&D, D&D 3.5, 4th, 5th, Pathfinder, numerous d20 suppliments
When will Archmage Rises be done?
We have been working on Archmage Rises full-time since 2014. Each year predictions have been made on when it will be completed, and they have all been wrong. The biggest reason is game dev is hard unpredictable work and we are doing procedural generation on a scale no one has done before.
The game will be released when it is ready.
The team has expanded from one to ten in order to finish.
Is the game text based, 2D, 3D or what?
The game is a combination of text, 2D graphics, and 3D dungeons. Text is the most flexible medium from which to describe the world, the characters, and your impact on it. Text is the best way to engage your imagination and bring your world to life. Because it's the 21st century and no one wants to play on a green screen (well, almost no one), 2D art and orchestral music is there to help your imagination out, but your imagination is center stage.
In 2019 it was determined to make the dungeon exploration aspect fixed perspective 3D, as 2D wasn’t cutting it. This took about a year to get working well. No one has done 3D dungeon generation to the scale and detail we have achieved.
Will there be Early Access on Steam?
Yes! The game is currently available on Steam Early Access, which you can find here.
What tools are you using to build the game?
Unity, Visual Studio C#, Spine, custom built tools for data, quest design.
Will there be Mod support?
Do not expect Mod Support for Archmage Rises 1.
Will there be User Generated Content support?
Possibly! Definitely a strong maybe!
What platforms will the game be on?
Initially PC and Mac through Steam (it does also work on Steam Deck). Then Xbox, Playstation, and Switch.
WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED IN MAKING ARCHMAGE RISES?
Convincing my wife (a non-gamer) it is a worthwhile pursuit of my time and our money.
Core Concepts
CAN I HAVE A PARTY OF MAGES?
The game is about you, singular. You can have people accompany you (followers) but the focus of the game is on your individual life, not a party. (This feature, while available in our previous demo, has temporarily been disabled and will return soon.)
IS THERE A LIMIT TO HOW MANY SPELLS YOU CAN LEARN AND USE?
There are no designed limits. It's up to the game world what spells are generated in it (not all spells are in all worlds, some are lost through time) and up to you what ones you find, learn, and invest in.
I expect the final game to have at least 40 different spells.
DOES DRINKING AND EATING MATTER?
Yes. Your comfort is important to you. The better food you eat and drink the better you feel. However, there is an addiction quotient to every food and drink in the game. If you over indulge too often, you will become addicted and start requiring it in order to feel normal, particularly when it comes to alcohol.
CAN I PLAY THE GAME SIMPLY AS A TRADER?
Yes. The economic side of the game should be sufficiently enjoyable that you can spend hours just doing that.
HOW ARE FAME AND POWER DIFFERENT?
Your power is how effective you are at casting a spell. Higher power, more effective spell result. Fame is how well known (or esteemed) you are by people in the world. It is possible to be famous, but not very powerful, or very powerful and not very famous, or some mixture in between. Remember, spending time on pursuit of fame is time you are not spending increasing your power, and vice versa. (This feature has temporarily been disabled and will return soon.)
ARE THERE GODS AND POWERFUL BEINGS FROM OTHER PLANES?
There are no gods or other planes that you can interact with. There are religions, which are coming in a future update prior to our 1.0 release.
I UNDERSTAND THE GAME HAS PERMADEATH, SO ONCE I DIE, MY CHARACTER IS GONE. BUT CAN I SPAWN A NEW CHARACTER IN THE SAME WORLD?
Many people have requested this and unfortunately the answer right now is no. Living and playing in the world creates a big mess of the world, but at least at the start it was "fair". Spawning into an existing world creates many dead ends and challenges I am uncertain how to address at this moment.
If I find a way during development to allow this, then I will.
ARE THERE MORE RACES THAN HUMANS? CAN I BE AN ELF OR DWARF?
The game takes place in a predominantly human land, so other fantasy races are an exception not the norm. For budget and design reasons you will encounter a few non-human NPCs but cannot play as them or visit their homelands. Reason is I don't want elves to simply be like humans but with robes and pointy ears. To make another race of significant depth to compliment the human race will make the game take longer.
HOWEVER, we are planning on making elves and dwarves available as playable races as DLC after the core game has been released. This isn't a money grab, just the realities of game development.
HOW DO I RECOVER STAMINA?
By resting, in inn's, your mage tower, which takes time. And time is your most precious resource.
NPCs and the World
Can I attack Merchants and other NPCS?
Yes. You can attack anyone you meet in the game at any time. It may ruin your quest. You may not win. In game characters may hate you for it, but yes you can. (This feature, while available in our previous demo, has temporarily been disabled and will return soon.)
ARE THE NPCS IN THE GAME SIMULATED (LIKE DWARF FORTRESS)?
Yes! The world automatically simulates in the background as you play. NPCs can travel around the world just as freely as you.
CAN I HIRE HIRELINGS/MINIONS?
Yes! (This feature, while available in our previous demo, has temporarily been disabled and will return soon.)
CAN I HAVE APPRENTICES?
Yes, although due to budget and time constraints, apprentices who you employ and assign tasks to will be available as DLC after the core game has been released. Those who pre-ordered the game prior to our Steam Early Access release will receive this DLC pack free as promised!
IF I WERE TO KILL EVERY NPC IN EVERY TOWN, WOULD I THEN BE TRAVELLING AROUND IN A WASTELAND OF MY OWN CREATION?
Yes. NPC's do not respawn, there is a finite population to each town and therefore the world.
IF I'M A JERK, HOW WILL THE WORLD RESPOND TO IT?
Yes! The more evil you become, the more it will both fear and loathe you. To the point of expeditions of heroes attacking your mage tower to rid the world of it's villain.
WILL NPC'S RECOGNIZE ME AS A WANTED MAN?
Yes, if the information of you being wanted has reached them. Crimes committed three towns away take a while to spread, if at all, to where you are. But if you are recognized, then expect to deal with the guards or other heroes.
IS THE WORLD FULL OF KINGS OR QUEENS? IS THERE DIPLOMACY?
Yes. The nobles are powerful forces in the world with unique agendas. You can assist, kill, or ignore nobles and their agendas.
You can perform diplomacy for yourself or on behalf of another character in the world. Serving and interacting with nobles is a key feature of the game.
These features are not yet available in the game, but are coming as part of a future update before the 1.0 version of the game is released. You can check out our full roadmap here.
CAN I GIVE GIFTS TO NPCS?
Yes. Items you buy or craft.
CAN MERCHANTS SELL POWERFUL ITEMS AND ARTIFACTS?
Yes. Merchants do not just sell junk, they sell good stuff. But it depends on how rich they are (a richer NPC can afford more expensive inventory).
Spells & Crafting
CAN I MAKE MY OWN SPELLS?
You can enhance and change the stock spells. There are rooms in your mage tower (Libraries for instance) and research trees for modifying spells. This feature will be released in our Mage Tower update.
IS THERE A CRAFTING SYSTEM?
Yes, but not like Minecraft and all the other survival games out there. You use your skill, ingredients, and spell power to craft things you desire. Or skip it entirely and just buy things from vendors or loot dungeons. This feature will be released in our Mage Tower update.
CAN I SELL THINGS I CRAFT?
Yes! Crafting better and better items for increasingly more money is an excellent strategy of the game.
CAN AN EVIL MAGE RAISE AN ARMY OF THE DEAD?
Yes, you will be able to raise skeletons and have them fight for you as part of our Necromancer DLC that is coming after our 1.0 release. Raising the dead in order to get an NPC back to life is not possible.
CAN I CAST HEALING SPELLS (CLERIC TYPE SPELLS) ON MYSELF?
No. Beyond potions for small amounts of healing, you rely on hospitals, clerics, and priests for healing.
Combat
CAN I FIGHT WITHOUT SPELLS?
Yes! You can train in various weapons and have that as a supplement to your spells. Because there is nothing more bad-ass than being a samurai that can also rain down fireballs on the battlefield.
Mage Tower & Base Building
The following features, while previously available in our demo, have been temporarily removed from the game but will be available again in our Mage Tower update (which we are currently working on now and expect to release before the end of Summer 2023).
Can I build a Mage Tower? In the middle of a town?
Yes! Building a mage tower is what all good and proper mages do!
The Mage Tower is your personal home base from which you live your life. It is a core feature of the game, similar to X-Com's base building.
Currently you can't build a tower in the middle of the town because the land you buy from a noble is outside of the town. This could change.
HOW DO I BUILD A BIGGER MAGE TOWER?
The ability to expand your tower is determined by money, your magic power, and your relationship with the noble who owns the land.
CAN I HAVE A FLYING CITADEL?
Yes! Through the awesome power of magic you can rip your mage tower out of the ground and turn it into flying citadel. Drive it around the world striking fear in the heart of your enemies!
DO I HAVE TO PROTECT MY TOWER, AND IF SO, HOW?
Yes! If you are good, bad guys will attack and try to loot your tower. If you are evil, good guys will attack and try to loot your tower. Your base needs to be defended while you are away from the tower. If you are a very powerful mage you can teleport back to your tower to defend it, but otherwise, you have to rely on the defenses you have invested in.
Hiring guards, having apprentices, investing in traps, and building fearsome golems are all ways of defending your tower.
Other
CAN I HAVE A PET DRAGON?
Yes! You can have pets for a variety of bonuses and features. Some, like dragons, can also help out in combat.
WHEN I CAST TO CREATE A PORTABLE HOLE, HOW DO I CARRY IT WITH ME?
By putting it in your Bag of Holding of course! :-)