Devlog #10 - April

This is the 10th edition of the Acornia devlog! Back in the first installment, we introduced you to the Summit Farm dungeon. Now, we’ve come full circle by unveiling the breeding system. One chapter ends, and another begins. This time, it’s all about creation and tormented artists…

Milk doesn’t grow on the Great Tree’s branches, no matter how magical it is. Luckily, Diego and Paco didn’t descend from the sky empty-handed. For a modest sum, Alva can buy her own cows, chickens, and bees. And aren’t they just adorable?

The shop doesn’t seem like the most suitable place to raise these little creatures. Especially because of the smell...

Fortunately, you can rebuild specialized breeding platforms for each species.

Once fed (with the right food!), the satisfied animal inflates like a balloon and floats peacefully until day's end.

The next morning, grateful for the feast, it leaves behind precious goods: milk from cows, eggs from chickens, honey from bees.

Oh, and one last thing. The animals can survive a few missed meals... but there's a limit. No one wants to find out what happens when you cross it...

Do you love discovering new recipes? Well, you're in luck. We're French, so for us, food is sacred. To satisfy gourmands and completionists alike, the game offers an unprecedented variety of sweet treats, rarely seen in other games. Especially since we've made sure to feature specialties from around the world.

Cooking recipes are at the heart of the game's mechanics. They're the entire reason the farming and animal breeding systems exist. These dishes are central to the management aspect, serving as the core products of your shop. But they also play a vital role in combat, where they double as both ammunition and healing items.

Balancing all these gameplay aspects makes recipe design, including ingredients and acquisition methods, a significant challenge.

We constantly need to avoid overusing one fruit, which could make growing others feel pointless, while also ensuring every recipe stays relevant. The goal isn’t to unlock some ultimate recipe and coast through the game with it. Sure, some dishes might be more exciting than others (that’s part of the fun!), but none should be a one-size-fits-all solution.

We have several balancing tools at our disposal, like giving the Tree’s inhabitants their own food preferences, for instance.

In a game like Acornia, with so many complex systems interwoven, tweaking one variable can create unexpected ripple effects. This means endless spreadsheets, lists, and head-scratching.

But the real challenge? It makes you hungry. VERY hungry.

What becomes of crumpled drafts tossed in the trash? What fate awaits unfinished sculptures?

The answers lie in the Workshop, the game’s second dungeon.

The “crumpel” is downright sneaky. This little rascal pelts Alva with paper wads before scampering away. Not exactly dangerous, just infuriatingly annoying. Get him before he gets away!

The “bustroc” is a heartbroken brute. Doomed to never frolic through fields, this unfinished plaster piglet mercilessly crushes intruders beneath its heavy base. That hypersensitive snout lets it smell trouble from a mile away.

Juliette received the rigorous training of the Academy and has become an exceptional cellist with a haunting voice. When she hears her childhood friend Archelle needs help, she doesn't hesitate to fly to her rescue.

Her nocturnal wanderings and pale complexion might stir whispers in the village, where rumors spread like wildfire...

That's all for April! Some things are moving forward, others are just beginning. We’ve still got plenty of surprises in store, so thank you for sticking with us!

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