In Clanfolk The old and the new grow wild together
For almost two years, have Scottish, colony-stimulating Clanfolk actually had early access? I became hooked with grass because of this game you have to manage oats, flax, hay, straw, and other cultivable species of grass, gather grass seeds, conserve wild grass, and store everything related to grass carefully for the winter. stimulated my interest, so I returned after a protracted absence, and there is a lot more grass.
Thistles, heather, bluebells, etc. Perhaps they aren't grass at all. More like "bits and bobs to put in your pottage stew," onions, neeps, and beans are. However, since I last played, all of these weed-like objects have woven themselves into the intricate "ideas" system. I adore each and every one of them.
I did initially promise not to discuss grass with the editor of Games Hub. The negotiating mechanism, which has also deftly made its way into the whole experience, was the intended topic of our preview. However, we came to the conclusion that grass was really fascinating, particularly after developer Andrew Hume gave us a thorough discussion about grass.
Is it always greener?
I fell in love with Clanfolk's grass right away, and Hume told me why. Although I couldn't fully get his explanation of how it was implemented, I do see that making a beautiful game requires a great deal of attention to detail.
According to Hume, every grass tile is broken into 36 smaller tiles, each of which has a little grass sprite that can grow, move with the breeze, display its moisture level, become dislodged when someone goes by, and (if it's on a shared path) trampled. 1.4 million grass sub-tiles would make up a complete map of grass, and offsets would allow for varied growth, location, and color to give grass an organic feel. How?
"As the grass grows, I use a control color to create more and more of the initial sprite, which is composed of five precisely arranged lines. The grass pixel draws later the darker the control color, so the blue flowers won't open until the flax is fully mature. When grass is young, the tile gradually thickens until only a few tiny points are visible above the ground. The grass will grow higher and greener when soil fertility rises, such as in the area around the "poop hole."
According to Hume, "Grass will be shorter and yellower in the summer, perking up again in the autumn, and finally receding to almost nothing in the winter." Yes, I had observed that the colors of my grass varied expressively with the seasons.
Hume describes the distribution of grass as follows: "I drop seeds from orbit, and a randomized fertility texture covers the map when it generates." High fertility areas increase the odds of seed survival, and fields are created via a growth algorithm. Fields will look more natural if they have a mix of heather and thistle in some parts and grass in others.
After recording this, I looked at a snapshot of Clanfolk's grass for almost twenty minutes in an attempt to find a repeated visual pattern that would refute whatever it was that I had seen, but I was unable.
Naturally, grass is not only detailed in a beautiful way, but it also powers various essential elements of play. During the process of creating Clanfolk, Hume was asked what the most fascinating thing he had learnt about grass. He replied, "Definitely how linen is made."
Having never heard of "retting," I had a strong curiosity about it when I played Clanfolk two years ago. I even came across tales of people resting in the snow and in baby pools in the traditional manner in current times. The following is how Hume explains the process of manufacturing linen:
For the longest possible fibers, rip the flax out of the ground.
Put it in the closest body of water and let it soak there for several weeks until it rots (retting).
To extract the fibers, beat the decaying flax stems in three exciting ways: breaking, scutching, and hackling.
During the sluggish Winter process, spin the fibers into thread hanks.
To create cloth, use the loom to weave the threads.
Make a single garment out of the fabric for the upcoming year.
Clanfolk is full of ideas
Instead of using research, the game uses an ideas system, which is akin to a tech tree that you may unlock via engagement. Upon gathering fifty berries and discovering "straw," your clan members come up with the "idea" to construct a serving basket. So how does Hume incorporate fresh components into the "ideas" system, such as kail (from seed to stew)?
"The ideas system is self managing," he asserts. I could never keep track of all the connections that lead to the discovery of each new concept. Every time I make a new item, I specify how to build it and what needs to be done in order to unlock it.After the unlocking tree is created, I run Clanfolk to see where the new item has ended up in the ideas tree. If it appears to be a finding that is too obvious, too simple, or too soon, I then add more criteria.
It's becoming more and more obvious that Hume is creating a game that expands convincingly with scope, thanks to algorithms that are made to accommodate new inputs and strong initial decision-making for the random content generation. This appears to be quite ingenious.
When I did ask Hume why straw was used to build so many buildings—both old and new—he gave me a number of historical and logical explanations, one of which confirmed my suspicions: "Straw ALSO burns really well." Something about finishing your priceless linen shirt and then helplessly watching the barn burn to the ground is exactly the kind of medium-sized drama that makes Clanfolk so charming.
Although "negotiation" is a genuinely new and additional feature in Update 14, there is currently only one (rather more obviously dramatic) "event" that takes place after Day 30. This should be taken into consideration if you want to revisit Clanfolk to experience it.
When the first year's snow in my game started to melt and sporadic, randomly shaped grass sprites appeared through the ground, a young woman came into my colony in need of a secure spot to give birth. With great generosity, my folks brought her to racks of dried mushrooms and quickly whipped up a straw sleeping mat, just beyond the spark radius of their one and only stone fireplace.
I won't give away what occurs next, but based on your choices and the clan's ability to help, there are multiple ways that this could finish. I can see right away how many more stories like this could emerge within this carefully designed new architecture. Another excellent seed has been sown by Hume.
Two new allergies that are really bothersome to me have been identified they are to rye and fescue grass. I now follow a different immunotherapy regimen and have a medication cabinet stocked with Dymista. What became of the grass-allergic Scots in the thirteenth century? Nothing positive, for sure.
Hume said, "I don't know, historically, but I do know that Clanfolk will now (have grass allergies)" in response to my question. It's a great eccentricity to include. Many thanks!
I'm excited to see what drama develops as a result of Clanfolk's new negotiation strategy. Considering how much grass emphasizes this game, an expectant mother who has allergies can provide significant difficulties.
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