Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Side-scrolling procedurally-generated post-apocalyptic magical adventure thing A Valley Without Wind has entered a multiplayer testing phase, which is available to pre-ordering types. Arcen say: “For those interested in opting into co-operative play in the same server/world with up to a few dozen other players (perhaps even more), head over to the AVWW multiplayer wiki and check out the FAQ section along with other related notes, specs, and such.” There’s a big old post from Chris Park (as is his style) explaining more over here.

Jim has already been playing A Valley Without Wind and shared the experience here but now you can all have a go for yourselves. There’s a free demo available and you can play the full current version for a mere $10, which is half the price it’ll cost you if you buy it when it’s finished. The game is still at a relatively early stage in development so it’s extra helpful to have a demo available alongside the pre-purchase option. I’ll be playing it soon but in the meantime, I’ll refer you once more to Jim’s thoughts if you need help to work out if you’re interested or not. This new trailer might help too.

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Arcen Games have been busy tinkering away with their experimental procedural explore-and-survive ‘em up A Valley Without Wind, and they’ve got news for us. Last month they teased us with footage, flaunting its newly reinvented sidescrolling makeover. This month Chris Park of Arcen games has taken to his blog, to unveil a whole host of new details about the game’s design, and features that they are including. Shall we take a look? Read the rest of this entry »

There’s no looking back for A Valley Without Wind now – its new, side-scrolling look is signed and sealed, as the below humungo-chunk (17 minutes!) of in-game footage proves. Also now on show from this time-straddling exploration and survival game are brand new character models, plus assorted armour for them to find, craft and wear.

I’m still not entirely sure what to think about the side-on perspective, but it’s definitely growing on me. As it is, this is a game I’m increasingly excited about – procedurally-generated world-roaming with, apparently, a proper layer of game on top of it.
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Arcen send word that their procedurally-generated adventure game, A Valley Without Wind, is taking a new direction, as you can see in the video I’ve posted below. Rather than being top-down, it’s now a side-scroller. Developer Chris Park explained that the changed had been discussed for some time, and really came about after seeing previews of the game in a top-down perspective, and the reactions people had to that. He also argues that the side-scrolling perspective fits perfectly with the game’s exploration and survival, as well as the evolving combat mechanics. The Arcen boss says: “The result of this side view switch is something that looks incredibly better, that’s orders of magnitude faster for us to create, and that’s more fun to play. It also helps give a much stronger sense of place: partly it’s seeing the sky when you’re outside, but it’s also the varied terrain height, long falls, poison water, and so on.”

It’s a major change, and it seems like an odd one to me. It might not have been the prettiest game in the world, but the perspective was certainly distinctive. This is… less so.
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Arcen Games, they most famous for AI War, are still working extremely hard on their next project, exploration-led adventure, A Valley Without Wind. Oh, I’m so desperate for a great exploration game. Will this be the one? Please let this be the one. There’s a bunch of new details, and a new trailer, below.

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Arcen have revealed a bit more about their procedurally-generated survive ‘em up, A Valley Without Wind. There’a video of the lighting process below, and that also includes indoor environments, lava, and deserts, as well as just showing you a bit more of the character navigating about in the world. All this stuff gets explained in more detail by Chris Park over here.

Getting serious 16-bit era chills off this one.
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A fresh batch of footage from Arcen has turned up, and it shows magic, robots, structures, vehicles, and plenty of running about. Just in case you missed it, Arcen talked to us about this unusual survival-driven action adventure project here and then here.
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This is the second part of our extensive interview with Arcen Games’ Chris Park about their forthcoming procedurally-generated action-adventure survival game, A Valley Without Wind. Read on…
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Arcen Games, famed for AI War, financial troubles, and causing a shortage of iron, have announced their new game: A Valley Without Wind. It’s quite the concept: survival in a procedurally generated world, exploration, magic, and… perma-death? Interesting. Read on to find out more. (So much more, that there’s another instalment tomorrow.)
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