This week in the development of Depths of Erendorn, significant progress was made across all teams, with major updates to characters, environments, gameplay systems, and audio-visual elements. From completing the Minotaur character series and refining animations to implementing innovative sound design techniques and enhancing environmental realism, every aspect of the game has been polished further to deliver a more immersive and engaging experience. Technical improvements were also a focus, including server optimisation, client camera upgrades, and backend scalability enhancements, ensuring the game runs smoothly and efficiently. These efforts highlight the continued dedication to creating a rich, vibrant, and dynamic RPG world for players to explore. Examples of the work completed by each team can be seen below. As always, join us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit for daily updates on Depths of Erendorn. Alternatively, join our Discord for all the latest! - now let’s get into it!
3D Modelling
This week, the 3D Modelling team completed the Minotaur series of characters, now fully ready for integration into the engine. With detailed textures of rough metal, tough leather, and crimson cloth finalised, the Minotaurs can now be seen in their ferocious glory, embodying the powerful and imposing presence envisioned for them. Extra attention was given to the face shape of the base Minotaur, resulting in a more menacing and intimidating aesthetic that perfectly aligns with their role in the game. These enhancements mark a significant milestone in bringing this iconic creature to life in Depths of Erendorn. Examples of finalised textures can be seen below.
Programming
Client
This week, the Client team focused on polishing camera functionality and resolving issues identified in the previous development cycle, particularly those related to constraining camera distances. By refining the mathematical calculations involved, the team achieved a smoother acceleration adjustment for the camera as it drifts further from its tethered target, ensuring more fluid and intuitive movement. A bug preventing the tethered state from being broken by multiple input axes was also addressed by optimising movement functions to operate on a single frame, eliminating conflicts caused by flags being set multiple times per frame. Alongside these camera improvements, the team also updated the client’s ability database, incorporating new abilities and refining descriptions for existing ones to better align with gameplay mechanics and design. These updates contribute to both technical refinement and a richer player experience in Depths of Erendorn.
Server
This week, the Server team concentrated on improving connection management and reducing latency to enhance server performance and scalability. Group connection handling between servers was optimised, resolving an issue where multiple connections were established but only one was processing messages. Mutex locking for connections and message handling was adjusted to reduce lock times and improve concurrency, while target connection count calculations were refined to optimise scaling logic and re-enable negative connection scaling. Session tracking was added to the player server to further improve connection scaling. Progress was also made on cloud provider integrations, laying the groundwork for automatic server creation and destruction based on demand. A server creation and management API was written and integrated with the cloud provider’s API, which will later support server automation via the control panel.
To aid future server setups, a server configuration generator was developed and tested, streamlining automated setup processes. Updates to the backend control panel included improving server health check responses and adjustments to the server coordinator for more accurate reporting. A fix was implemented in the game server’s NavEdit system to prevent edits from altering shared navigation data across sessions. Additionally, the team began implementing reworked abilities for the Earthen Dwarf Character Class and addressed bugs affecting the placement of set pieces and doors within dungeons, ensuring smoother dungeon generation and gameplay.
Sound Design
This week, the Sound team explored innovative techniques to enhance the auditory experience of magic abilities within Depths of Erendorn. By experimenting with transients and filters, the team worked on creating tonal variations to add unique characteristics to different types of spells. This approach is set to play a pivotal role in developing distinct sound profiles for abilities and even character types, enabling spells to carry a more defined identity and personality. Beyond creating rich, layered soundscapes for abilities, this method allows for subtle variations to be quickly applied without relying solely on traditional pitch-shifting techniques. These efforts ensure that the auditory elements of the game remain dynamic, engaging, and immersive for players. Examples of the work completed by the team can be seen below.
Environment Art
This week, the Environment team focused on refining the natural world of Depths of Erendorn with several key updates. Procedurally generated foliage placement was tweaked to better reflect realistic plant age and propagation patterns, adding a layer of natural authenticity to the landscape. Terrain materials also underwent adjustments, with experiments in nanite, tessellation, and displacement to enhance visual fidelity. New saplings for spruce and beech trees were created, alongside a full set of bushes, further diversifying the game’s flora. Large cliffs were integrated into broad-level set dressing to add dramatic depth and verticality to the environment. Performance profiling and optimisation efforts reclaimed lost frames per second, ensuring smoother gameplay. Finally, lighting adjustments were made to brighten building interiors, particularly at night, improving both ambience and player visibility. These updates continue to elevate the immersive quality of the game’s expansive world. Examples of the work completed by the team can be seen below.
Animation
This week, the Animation team focused on updating and refining various character animations to enhance the fluidity and responsiveness of in-game movements. Among the animations that received attention were Blindside and Palm Strike, both of which were improved to ensure smoother transitions and more impactful execution during combat scenarios. These updates contribute to the overall polish of Depths of Erendorn, ensuring that every action feels dynamic and visually satisfying, further immersing players in the game’s world. An example of the work completed by the team can be seen below.
Visual Effects
This week, the VFX team made significant progress on the latest batch of abilities, continuing to refine and expand the concept sheet with visually impactful designs. Utilising new materials that have been meticulously developed and fine-tuned, the team brought abilities such as Savagery and Wild Strikes to life with dynamic and striking effects. These additions ensure that the abilities are not only functional but also visually compelling, contributing to the immersive combat experience within Depths of Erendorn. The ongoing experimentation with new materials highlights the team’s dedication to maintaining a high standard of quality and innovation in every aspect of the game’s visual design. An example of the work completed by the team can be seen below.
That’s it for this week’s devlog, but have you seen our monthly roundup of October yet?!
