Paragons Dev Diary #2
Paragons Development Diary #2
Hello friends and supporters,
Here we are, at our second Paragons development diary. We’ve got lots to cover in this update, so we’ll get right to it.
Thank you for bearing with us as we’ve had somewhat of a pause on updates for Paragons for the last little while. Late development is well underway and as a small arts studio, that means all hands on deck!!
In the meantime, we again want to thank you for your patience as we continue to hone and polish what we hope is an unforgettable gameplay experience :)
Over the course of this BIG update, we're going to cover multiple topics:
1) Production and Release Update
2) Changes to the Mat Size
AND
3) 9 BRAND NEW card reveals
So, let's get started...
At Authocracy Studios, we believe transparency is important, even when it’s difficult. We have some news to share regarding the production and release window and, while we believe that it is a small blip relative to the awesome legacy we’ve started to build with Paragons, we understand that some of you may be disappointed to learn that we’ve made the tough decision to delay the release until Spring of 2023.
We owe you an explanation, and we hope we’ve earned your trust enough that you still stand with us on this exciting journey. So...
As some of you already know, our lead card artist is based in South Africa: Brandon Ellis is a profoundly talented and prolific artist, and one of the keystones of what makes Paragons great is his consistently amazing eye for design and detail in forming up the illustrations for these cards. Since the launch of the Paragons campaign, he has completed 32 of the 105 paintings, which is amazing!
However, that’s much less than we had intended to have done by now: at peak efficiency, Brandon is capable of producing 5-9 paintings a week (and has a long history of doing so).
The reason for this discrepancy is an ongoing and unprecedented energy crisis that has plagued South Africa in recent months. Brandon has been dealing with severe power rationing for many months now, and while the government has repeatedly promised to resolve these issues swiftly, this has turned out to be untrue. We hope you’ll agree that the effect of this on a digital artist’s capacity to work is both obvious and profound.
In the meantime, our team is doing everything we can to extend Brandon’s capabilities to produce the art as quickly as possible. Barring any worsening of the situation, we feel confident that Brandon will still be able to finish the project for a Spring release. We will keep you updated every step of the way in firming up a more specific release date for the game.
Okay, that’s the tough part! Now for the more fun bit of the update :D
If the previous section is all about something that negatively affects you that’s not caused by a mistake of ours… how about something that positively affects you that was absolutely caused by a mistake of ours! (we’re shaking things up with this update, huh? Throwin’ a few curveballs at yeh.)
The Player Mats in Question
It turns out that the mini-sized 10x16in game mats won’t support the luxurious game feel that we’re insisting on for the class-specific player mats. Guess we need to upgrade ‘em! All of the class-specific player mats will be upgraded to the full 14x24in size! In terms of production value, that’s an additional $24 worth of game mat that we’re giving all of our ultimate tier backers.
Don't worry, there will be no extra charge. This was a miscalculation on our part, and it falls upon us to fix it!
We recognize that this may have changed some peoples’ decision-making if we had realized that issue from the start. We sincerely apologize. While we’re operating at too much of a loss on the class-specific mats to be able to open up for more orders on them, we have decided to add a pair of stylish class-neutral player mat posters to the base set of the game (also free of charge!) We hope you will accept this along with our apology as a token of our genuine appreciation for the support that you gave us as we began this journey.
We will include an update on the design of said neutral player mat as and when we complete it! You can probably imagine what its design will be like though: think about the central game mat with its black and gold aesthetics. It’ll be a lot like that.
We will also be including 3 RBG D20 dice and plastic counters in the game box, corresponding to the three classes.
And last but not least, here’s the latest in cards for the Paragons set! Thank you for sticking with us for the Mother of All dev diaries. Brandon Ellis has been hard at work, and we hope you enjoy some of the latest card designs.
The Grand Spymaster
Every army worth its weight needs a Grand Spymaster, and the Ranger Paragon knows this better than most. Use her well, and you’ll know exactly what’s around every corner.
The Horned Sentinel
This absolute Cretan charges his way to the front of most neutral mercenary pools. Warning: don’t wear red. We’re looking at you, Warrior.
The ‘Just Okay’ Dragon
In the world of Great Dragons and Lesser Dragons, Dragon whelps and Dragon pups, no-one gives much thought to the middle child. This Dragon’s got something to prove, for sure.
The Bifocaled Unicorn
The result of a magical experiment gone very right, the Bifocaled Unicorn was first envisioned back in 20/20 by a pupil of mine…
The Wanderlust Ninja
With all the realm-wide commutes they do for work, is it any wonder that some Ninjas maintain a healthy travel blog on the side?
The Tripline
Mind your step! Another of the Ranger Paragon’s spells that leaves the target feeling sorry for themselves.
The Eldritch Burrower
The hive minded Burrowers are the workforce of the world of Elysia, often tasked with the most treacherous of digs for old mana deposits. Hardy creatures.
The Old Forest Treant
A bitter rivalry emerged between “The Lumberjack” and the “Old Forest Treant.” No-one quite knows how it started, although we can hazard a guess it involves the snagging of a particular checked shirt on a conspicuously placed bramble.
The Grizzliest Bear
One too many picinic baskets results in a creature with a deathly hatred for most forms of outdoor recreation. Beware if you go down to the woods today.
We display every new card reveal to our Community Discord first, so if you want to get first eyes on all new Paragons card art, then come and join our community. We'd love to have you there.
And that is all from us for this HUGE update. Once again, thank you all for your patience as we forge the best game possible and cement Paragons' bright future.
Speak soon,
The Authocracy Team
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