The following is an official news post, originally available here.
Dear friends, we are preparing for the Alpha 3 test, which will be hosted from July 1 to July 7.
We gathered a lot of useful information from the last test and have worked hard on the problematic areas. Our main focus has been on the technical improvement of the game. It seems we have managed to eliminate the main issue with disconnects, and now we expect your gaming experience to be more stable. Parties should work as intended. We have also optimized the game and hope you will feel the improvements in game smoothness during the test.
Meanwhile, while our technical team works on improving the quality of the technical aspects of gameplay, the rest of the team is actively working on enhancing the game in all other areas.
In the Alpha 3 test, we will introduce some changes that we want to test. Let's go through the points.
We have removed the influence of efficiency on the chance of procs. The ability to gather rare resources and craft items of rare and epic quality now unlocks at a certain level of efficiency. Additionally, the higher the efficiency value of a profession, the harder it is to level up.
We have added a new feature that allows you to lock the efficiency of professions at any moment. If a player locks efficiency, it means that efficiency will not change when engaging in professions, but mana will be consumed for gathering resources and gold for crafting items, depending on the player's level.
As you may have seen from the new efficiency tooltips, in the Alpha 3 test, we are opening the possibility of trading crafted items between players, while gold will remain unavailable for trade. Trading in MMORPGs is a complex issue that we have been thinking about for many years. We are strong advocates of player-to-player trading, and it will definitely be available. However, with the ability to trade comes the issues of real money trade (RMT) and bots. We have ideas on this matter and hope this test will allow us to gather the necessary data on player behavior regarding trading, which will give us more information for making better decisions for early access.
Crafted items now have value and can be sold to NPCs for gold.
Looking ahead at game design:
This feature will not be in this test, but in our next iteration, NPCs will be able to sell you items from a random assortment at varying prices. Additionally, traders will buy items from you at different prices. All traders will have different amounts of gold in their inventory, meaning an NPC cannot buy everything from you, only up to a certain amount. Players will need to trade with different NPCs to find the best deals. Players will be able to earn gold by creating items and selling them to NPCs with the best offers. The next step in NPC development after the trader system will be an interesting feature that will make gameplay much deeper and more immersive through interaction with reputation, which will unlock the full potential of NPC interaction systems such as quests, trading, etc. Overall, with each iteration of this system, the gameplay interaction with the world and NPCs will significantly deepen and expand, providing ample replayability content.
We will increase the world for this test by approximately 40%, unlocking the eastern part of the location from Goldenfield. With the expansion of the world, the game rules have also been updated. All locations on the map have their own rules. PVE and PVP-oriented locations have different rules, such as what drops in them, different penalty systems, and other differences.
The western part of the world to the left of Goldenfield will be PVE-oriented and consist of two types of locations: "Safe Zone" and "Lands under the Protection of the King." The punishment for death will be minimal, while the penalty for killing a player will be high. Criminals will lose all items, including those equipped in active slots, upon death. The PVE part of the world contains a large number of NPCs and is designed for peaceful, steady farming. The purpose is to explore the world, gather resources, learn NPC stories and lore, complete quests, and craft. The risk of being attacked by other players is very low, but it still exists. The feeling of danger in the world is preserved, but PVP instances are minimized so that players can focus more on PVE activities.
The eastern part of the world to the right of Goldenfield will be PVP-oriented and consist of locations called "The Battleground of the King", playing by battleground rules in an open world. Killing a player will earn honor points, and karma for killing will not be applied. Upon death, artifacts, weapons, chips, runes obtained in this zone may drop from a player's inventory. Gold will not drop from mobs; instead, various items with value to NPCs and for trading may drop. All usable items (artifacts, weapons, chips, runes) obtained in this part of the world must be taken to safe locations before they can be used, either by walking or teleporting. Personal teleportation from this part of the world will not work; teleportation can only be done at specific locations using a stationary teleport stone.
This part of the world consists of various locations such as abandoned settlements with fields and farms, an old railway station, abandoned industrial and warehouse areas, a lush forest, ruins, a cemetery, and more.
The test will include three types of locations:
Looking Ahead:
In the future, the game will feature other types of zones with different sets of rules, such as Wildlands, Wastelands, Cursed lands, and many others. Some areas will require players to meet specific conditions to survive, some will require constantly replenishing depleting life resources, and more. Just like in the zones in the test, in other types of locations, players will encounter differences in game rules and loot.
With the new build, our narrative team sends you greetings /wave.
We have added new NPCs with their own personalities and stories. We have added 150 quests, divided into two main plots and side stories. We have also slightly reworked the early game. The first plot consists of the early game, an introduction to the gameplay, and serves as the pilot episode of the first season of Corepunk. The second plot will gradually reveal to you the world of Kwalat and the Kingdom of Ilan. Those who pay close attention might find some knowledge related to the overall lore of the game in the NPC dialogues. This plot will be the second episode of the first season.
Finally, for the convenience of questing, we have introduced the next version of the quest journal, which we have already presented earlier.
Looking Ahead:
Our goal is to present the narrative part of the game in seasons. We want to provide a continuous story about the universe and its inhabitants. Episodes will be added to the world, each with its own plot, stories, quests, and theme. The episodes may not always be connected (some will be), each episode can be a completely separate standalone story in the game world, yet everything will take place in the same universe.
In the test, we will present the pilot episode and the second episode from the season "God Bless the King!". For early release, we plan to add two more episodes (2 plots), and by the full release of the game, we will add two more episodes. Thus, the first season "God Bless the King!" will include six episodes in total, including the pilot.
While we are in the deep development process of the game, various systems, numbers, and mechanics will change, be added, or removed, etc., everything related to tuning and calibration will happen. Therefore, we want to ask you in advance not to worry or be upset if some system does not work to its full potential. Keep in mind that some systems are not yet implemented in the game, which means not everything works as intended, and not all logic is complete. But with the unlocking of new systems and adding features to existing ones, hidden potential and ideas in the overall game balance will be revealed. We adhere to our vision, rely on your feedback, and tweak the balance here and there. So, this is a process, and be ready for changes. We want to thank you for your patience and understanding of the constant adjustments. Nothing is finalized until the full release of the game.
Dear friends, we are just beginning to show our series, and it will get more fun and higher quality each time. As always, thank you so much for believing in us!
See you soon!
Artificial Core, the developer behind the much-anticipated MMORPG Corepunk, has recently ramped up its hiring efforts, specifically seeking a significant number of artists. This surge in job postings on platforms like ArtStation has caught the attention of the game's community, leading to widespread speculation about the reasons behind this sudden need for artistic talent.
The noticeable uptick in job listings has players and fans buzzing with curiosity and concern. The timing of this hiring spree, especially so late in the game's development cycle, has raised several questions. Some community members on platforms like Reddit have speculated that this could indicate a variety of scenarios, ranging from internal shifts to strategic preparations for the game's impending launch.
One prevalent theory among the community is that there might have been recent departures within the artistic team at Artificial Core. This kind of turnover isn't uncommon in the gaming industry, especially as projects evolve and move through different phases of development. If key artists have indeed left the company, this hiring wave could be an effort to fill those critical gaps and ensure the project's visual components remain on track.
Another possibility is that Artificial Core is gearing up for a major phase of production as they approach the game's launch. The final stages of game development often require intensive effort to polish graphics, create promotional materials, and ensure all visual elements are seamlessly integrated. Hiring additional artists could be a strategic move to bolster the team and meet these high demands, ensuring the game is visually stunning and ready for release.
On forums like Reddit, discussions about these job postings are filled with both curiosity and concern. Some users question the legitimacy of the job posts, while others ponder the underlying reasons for such a hiring surge. This discourse highlights the community's deep investment in Corepunk's development and their desire for transparency from Artificial Core.
Despite the speculation, many fans remain optimistic. They see the hiring spree as a positive sign that the company is committed to delivering a high-quality game. By bringing in more talent, Artificial Core might be ensuring that Corepunk meets, or even exceeds, player expectations.
As Artificial Core continues to seek new artistic talent, the Corepunk community remains watchful and engaged. Whether this hiring push is a response to recent staff changes or a strategic move to prepare for launch, one thing is clear: the company is investing heavily in the visual excellence of Corepunk. Fans eagerly await further updates, hopeful that this expansion will contribute to the creation of a vibrant and immersive game world.
The following is an official news post, originally available here.
Hello everyone!
We want to inform you that our next test will be held during the first week of July, from July 1st to July 7th.
Currently, we are working hard on optimization and resolving disconnects. Additionally, we will introduce a new iteration of game balance. More details will be shared closer to the dates of the test.
The previous test did not go as planned, and we are now preparing for the next round. We hope to resolve the main issues so you can enjoy the next testing phase while we gain new insights.
As long as you support us, we will keep moving forward no matter what. No one is immune to failure, but iteration after iteration, we will create a high-quality game worthy of your time and attention.
See you soon, Adventurers!
Embarking on your journey in Corepunk's vibrant world can be both exciting and overwhelming. This guide will help you smoothly transition from levels 1 to 5, ensuring you're well-prepared for the challenges ahead.
Creating your character is the first step in your Corepunk adventure. Here's how to make the most of it:
Choosing Your Class
Customization Options
Mastering the controls is crucial for a smooth gameplay experience. Here's a breakdown of the essential controls:
Movement
Combat
Interaction
By understanding and mastering these initial setups, you'll be well-prepared to begin your journey in Corepunk. The next steps will guide you through your first quests and interactions with key NPCs.
The following is an official news post, originally available here.
Thank you for following the game. We hope you will enjoy your time in the world of Kwalat!
Note: We didn't manage to introduce the trader system and new quests we were preparing for the test, but the good news is that we have almost everything ready for this. Additionally, we have added over 100 new NPCs to the game, each with their own story, and there will be no spoilers before early access. :)
We want to remind you that the game is still in active development, so expect bugs and various rough edges. We hope your expectations are accordingly set.
⚠️ 1. IMPORTANT: Close and reopen your launcher, log out from launcher, log out from browser, re-log in again to have less disconnects.
⚠️ 2. Please keep the launcher open during gameplay to have less.
⚠️ 3. If you get disconnected often - repeat step 1.
⚠️ 4. Check your previously bricked heroes, they should work now.
📢 5. To follow server updates, join the official Discord thread.
The following is an official news post, originally available here.
Today we want to share our thoughts about the ongoing test and a little bit about everything in general.
Warning! Lots of text ahead.
We have already gathered a vast amount of important feedback and continue to collect more. We've identified critical bugs and see the areas that need our focus. Our technical team has been working diligently these days, analyzing a large amount of real-time data from the test. We want to highlight the exemplary resilience of the Artificial Core technical department in improving gameplay experience during the test with quick and effective solutions. We also want to thank you, our players, for continuing to play despite constant disconnects and shard bugs, as well as game balance issues. Your persistence in logging back into the game and playing helps us tremendously. This means everything will certainly be fixed, and that's great news.
Note: Chests should not drop like this; we mixed up the chances :). Epic items in the game will be rare, just like the chests. But we've left it this way for the test; let it be so in this iteration. Besides, we'll still be tweaking the balance settings, so don't pay attention to it for now.
You can already see the main direction and fundamental principles of the game. Overall, the gameplay is built around the progression of your character (what a surprise). You level up your character, unlock all available systems, and in the endgame, you work on improving or finding your builds.
As we mentioned earlier, our goal was never to tell you how to play. Our goal has always been to provide you with good tools. To achieve this, we tried to make character progression systems versatile, giving players as many opportunities as possible for creativity.
The game starts slowly, that's a fact. This is a design necessity. We're not saying we are right; we're saying this is how we envision the game. From a slow start comes the motivation to progress, and you start to advance further. It's important that at this stage, the game can captivate you with its style, atmosphere, and basic gameplay, making you want to stay in the world for a while. This is not a long time, and considering the feedback and advice from our community, we have significantly improved the smoothness of the experience from levels 1-5. Ask the testers from the first test about what they had to go through 🙂. Now, we think it's acceptable in terms of speed and time spent, considering that the game now has 20 levels.
The game requires you to put in a small amount of effort, and if you do, once you start succeeding in playing the game, you will begin to feel good. Corepunk is one of those games where you need to really play to start understanding what it's about. The more you know about the game, the more interesting and deeper it will become, and this will pay off because the further you go, the more enjoyment you will get. In Corepunk, to get enjoyment, you need to put in a bit of effort. This is how motivation systems in the game are designed. With each artifact, each level, each talent, you will feel your character becoming stronger, subconsciously sensing this progression. Your brain starts to be motivated to seek more information about the game, to learn more, to unlock more, to progress further because you feel this progression. This is our goal. This is how we see our progression. The initial effort is necessary to achieve a contrast in sensations and boost motivation at the first significant improvement (e.g., an artifact, or better yet, two).
To ease the pain of the initial stages, we use various techniques. For example, we create pleasant visuals, graphics, and an atmosphere that can captivate you, allowing you to enjoy being in and exploring the new world of a new game. We create NPCs with well-thought-out stories and backgrounds, work on more thoughtful dialogues, choose jokes, and constantly improve the experience in the world.
Let's note right away that this does not negate the fact that we need to polish the initial game from levels 1-5 (to be honest, everything needs to be polished) and make it more user-friendly through QoL features, improved quest systems, rewards, etc., including many tutorials. We know where we need to work.
In our opinion, you start playing the game when you begin to learn it, when you are motivated to progress by learning more about the game, its world, and its community. The game begins at that very moment. The game in Corepunk started from the moment it was announced. When the first community members began to show interest. When discussions started on Discord and the forum.
Of course, we want to have all our dialogues voiced by professional actors; we'll tell you more, it's our dream! But we are an independent mid-sized studio, and we simply must choose very carefully where we can and cannot direct our limited resources—it's a matter of survival. In this case, using AI to do the work and show players how it can look and feel greatly helps in the development and promotion of the game. So, don't view it only negatively. Look at the possibilities. This opportunity allows us to present our product to the public faster and show some things at least in a draft version, which means survival in the modern market conditions and, in turn, means that we will be another studio able to hire many voice actors because we will have the opportunity to provide our players with a higher quality game. We don't know of any independent studio on the market that wouldn't want to include professional voice acting in their games.
Since the announcement date, we have openly talked about this topic. We have always envisioned Corepunk as a no pay-to-win model. Our marketing plan was clear: we wanted the game to sell itself with its visuals, idea, concept, and execution. We always believed that people would play a good game. A good game will always find its player if it is made with love, attention, and an understanding of what we want.
The game will be sold on a Buy to Play model with an in-game store that will not have items capable of enhancing your character, no boosters, or any other gameplay elements for sale. Previously, we had an idea to introduce battle passes, but we have since abandoned that idea, and there will be no battle passes.
Let's clarify right away: we are not against other monetization models or games with such models (never say never). Any model that can bring income to developers and feed their families is deeply respected by us because we know what a titanic effort it is. We simply believe that Corepunk, in its base, is built so that it will not survive and earn enough for long-term existence with such a model. Most of the systems embedded in the game from the project's early stages are exclusively related to gameplay and not focused on monetization. If we wanted to monetize it through P2W, we would have to redesign the project almost entirely.
Our only way to exist as a studio is to release a game that will be very interesting to play.
The main thing we want to say is that the core principle of our game launch ideas has always been that we can start monetizing the game only when players have seen it, tried it, and made their own conclusions about whether they find it interesting to play. Players should understand what they are paying for. And we need to understand if we are selling a product ready for fun, where people can spend their time and enjoy it. We are confident that Corepunk in early access will fully meet this.
You already see and understand what the game will be like and how it will be played. For early access, as we previously reported, we will add two new major settlements and two new biomes with their own NPCs, quests, and monsters. One biome will be entirely PvP, and the other will be entirely PvE-oriented. Two instances and two battlegrounds. Several world bosses to kill. Tier 3 itemization. The synthesis machine and its full functionality. And a lot of other content that can't all be listed in an article, and a lot of polishing in all areas. All this, combined with all the game systems being designed for full replayability, will give players many months of enjoyable gameplay.
We want to enter early access as soon as possible for two reasons. First, we have been working on the game for 10 years, and we need to pay our bills. Second, but no less important, the last test, and especially this one, showed us how great it is to have constantly online servers with real players and receive real-time technical and gameplay feedback. The accuracy and speed of iterations increase many times over, which is invaluable. With such a production pipeline, where we have a constantly playing player base, Corepunk will reach the highest level of gameplay quality. Calibration will be insanely effective. And early access sales will give us the opportunity to significantly increase the speed and quality of content production.
Corepunk was not just made as a business, although it certainly was, but it was also created as a project of passion and love for games. This is our contribution to the world of games. Every team member currently working on the game has put a piece of themselves into it, a part of their soul. We never doubted that when people see the game and play it, they will love it because they will feel how the game was created, every pixel, every step. We found our unique style, our unique game design.
The game has evolved significantly over the years, our community has grown (over 100,000 registrations in the last 6 months alone), and we have developed, all of which have influenced Corepunk. You can't imagine how many of your ideas over the years have been incorporated into the game from Discord, the forum, comments on various YouTube videos, and all the content you create. Corepunk is a product of the collective efforts of developers and the community. This is its strength.
Many people think that there is no point in focusing on players having to discover everything themselves, that over time there will be tons of guides about the game, and everything will be explained, and people will have to search through various video channels and websites created by players to learn everything, and that it's pointless. But we see the point in this. When players have the opportunity to create various content about the game, share something they found or learned, or share their secrets with the public, it's a huge plus for everyone the content creator, the player seeking answers, and us, the developers.
The game looks beautiful on streams, attracts attention with its appearance, and people enjoy watching what happens on the screen because there is a lot of exploration and unexpected situations.
This is how you showcase the game to the public, how the community grows, creating an ecosystem around the game from which not only developers but also the entire community can benefit, whether they are readers or content creators. This is our goal. The game is more than just the game; it's the community and the ecosystem growing around it, and we understand this perfectly.
Thank you, friends, for playing, streaming, and creating content about Corepunk. You provide invaluable support in promoting and growing the game, especially in these challenging times with fierce competition and many excellent teams and games. We greatly appreciate your contribution, and all we can do from our side is to release a game where you, the players, your viewers, readers, and everyone interested in Corepunk and its content will have fun and find it profitable for many, many years.
Thank you to everyone who read this long message! Thank you to everyone testing the game, watching streams, and showing interest in the game. You are part of this universe, and we are grateful to you for it!
Your Corepunk team.
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