Devlog #9: A Little Bit of Polish posted in Sword and Quill Devlog Published May 26, 2025 Advertisement Hi, wonderful humans! It's time for another devlog.The Creature Collector Fest is over but the Next Fest is right around the corner! Juggling priorities gets harder and harder between improving the demo, working on the main game, making sure the Twitch integration works, adding Animons, capturing fixing wild bugs, marketing. I'm trying to use Codecks more consistently which definitely helps. Did you know I have an open board? You can check what I'm working on or what I have planned and even up-vote features you like to see most. You can find it here.With another upcoming event, the Access-Ability showcase, I've been prioritizing accessibility features like optimizing the UI for scaling to reduce cases where elements get pushed out of the screen. Next, I'm trying to tackle adding more options for photosensitivity. You can already disable screenshake but there's currently no option for reducing flashing lights. Time for PolishWith a little bit of time opening up, I managed to dedicate some of it to polish which felt incredibly good after weeks of very technical tasks. I improved the win screen that shows when you beat either the demo or the alpha and added animations to it (loving Tweens y'all!). Honestly, the win screen was all over the place before that with elements overlapping each other, text being cut off, and more abominations. Oof...At the end of last week,  I started working on preventing the UI getting pushed around when you or the enemy had too many dice. I added dynamic spacing between the dice that takes the amount and the width of the container into account and added a nice bouncy hover effect to make it easier to see when they are close together. Again, using Tweens, I scale the node up and down accordingly with the "elastic" curve for that nice swing effect at the end.I hope to find time to add more battle effects to tricks which are also in need of a lot of polish. Many attacks just reuse the tackle or jump attack effect but they deserve their own little identity. This might lead to refactoring the entire battle effect system which I implemented a while ago before I learned how to write better code. I'm currently creating a scene for each effect with the battle effect resource which has a drop-down for all sorts of effect types like animation, tween, particles, and so on. I can assign a target control and tell it what to do from self-defined presets, if the effect should target the player or opponent, and so on. I probably want to rework it to be similar to how I create tricks now, where I can add trick features as a sub-resource indefinitely to customize it however I want because – like with the old tricks – I cannot combine effects like tween and particles with the current battle effect system.A few smaller tweaks are the run menu on the map collapsing when not needed and the starter selection screen which now shows the Animon's quirk when hovering/focusing on it.Roadmap(?)Planning the next months is bleh (I hate planning!) but it's gotta be done. I already moved some feature back into the early access period to make sure I get the base game loop solid and working before that. Currently, I'm eyeing end of July for early access which is after the Summer Sale but before the gamescom. Until then, I want all three regions to have roughly the same amount of Animons and the difficulty curve more or less balanced (and of course zero bugs and full optimization which is a reasonable and realistic expectation). There's also a story-cinematic I have planned as an intro to give you a little bit of narrative context but we'll see if I get around drawing all that.A few features I have planned for the ea period are:Soulblaze mechanic: We all want it, we all love it: Evolution, transformation, digitize, super sayjan form, and what not. Soulblaze forms have been on the list since the beginning but I didn't want to add it until I was sure I have settled on the dice mechanics because they will be a big part of triggering it.Nuzlocke-mode: Adding the popular self-imposed difficulty challenge from Pokémon to the game. If you don't know it, it means that if one of your creatures gets defeated, you have to release it and you get to only capture one creature per region. The mode would take care of these restrictions for you, of course.  Co-op mode: I love co-op and there's not nearly enough games with it. Since Soulblaze is turn-based, it's possible to insert a 2-player mode but I'd have to figure out how to handle displaying 2 Animons per side and how to handle turns then. Do the player both plan their turn and they play out together or do they go one after the other? Maybe alternating with the enemy? Will think about this.Unlockable comic pages: Story is always important to me and I literally can't create a game without having a story in mind. While Soulblaze might be my least story-focused game so far, I still want it to contain lore and especially character stories. In that regard, I want players to be able to unlock comic pages while they play which they can read in the collection and don't worry, I'll add visual descriptions to those as well, of course!Keep in mind that those are features I wish to implement and not guaranteed (well, except for Soulblaze forms which... kinda have to be in there, y'know?). I don't know if I will have the time to implement all of these or that I don't run into serious technical issues that I can't solve. Solo dev means that your time is so split between everything that every mid to large hurdle can mean it has to be put on hold indefinitely. But I'll do my best and it also helps that I really, really want those features.Lore Sneak-PeekOver a decade ago the Observer arrived on Earth, a huge crystalline lifeform that appeared to be peaceful. A few years later, for unknown reasons, it shattered and fragments of it grew to became the Animons we know today. Bindshards are made from the outer shell of the Observer and are used to capture Animons because they naturally want to return to their original form, therefore binding easily with the material of the Observer.When exactly the Soulblaze was discovered is unclear but the first Animancers experienced alteration of the Animons' physical shape when they got really excited, scared, or angry. It happens when the soul literally ignites in a surge of energy. Humans, as they do, saw the power and tried to trigger the Soulblaze within themselves which did not go so great...  the results are, well, you have met some of the bosses, haven't you...? Previous Entry Accessibility in Games - Where do I start? Comments You must log in to join the conversation. Don't have a GameDev.net account? Sign up!

Apex predators are on the move in Call of Duty®: Mobile Season 5 — Primal Reckoning. Deploy to the Zoo Multiplayer map, apply new skins to your Combat Axe and Smoke Grenade, and wield the new VMP SMG. In Battle Royale, visit Buy Stations around the map; eliminate enemies to take their cash for your next purchase. The new Battle Pass brings a collection of Operator Skins, Weapon Blueprints, and more with a futuristic dystopian theme inspired by the season’s collaboration with NieR: Automata, including a themed event featuring the Kui Ji - YoRHa No. 9 Type S operator and two Draws featuring the operators Kestrel - YoRHa No. 2 Type B and Fiona St. George - Commander White. Season 5 — Primal Reckoning launches on May 28 at 5PM PT. Multiplayer: New Map First making its appearance in the original Call of Duty®: Black Ops, Zoo returns for its debut on mobile. The mid-sized map challenges Operators to survive in an abandoned zoo featuring a massive monorail track cutting through the aging facility. Well suited to the season’s dystopian theme, Zoo offers a creative layout incorporating animal pens, gift shops, and other attractions in an overgrown, dilapidated setting. Gear Up With Buy Machines Buy Machines are deploying in Battle Royale on the Isolated Map in Season 5, offering another means of getting ahead of the competition! Purchase weapons, Perks, and Scorestreaks from the multiple Buy Stations that spawn across the map. Loot the environment for cash to purchase useful items like armor and ammo refills, unique weapons like the Purifier flamethrower, and different types of Perks. Eliminated Operators will drop their currency, so scoop it up and buy something nice for yourself. Don’t forget to watch your back while shopping! NieR: Automata Take command of the elite YorHa Unit as they launch a counteroffensive against the Machine Lifeforms in an exciting collaborative event with NieR: Automata. Complete objectives to earn action points which can be spent to move through a branching path.     Reach checkpoints, navigate counterattack routes, and collect Skill Chips to unlock exclusive routes. Conduct the counterattack successfully to earn rewards like the Kui Ji - YoRHa No. 9 Type S operator and four different melee weapons themed around NieR. New Weapon, Combat Axe Reskin The Primal Reckoning Pass features free and premium items including new Operator Skins, Weapon Blueprints, Calling Cards, and additional Call of Duty® Points to spend on your next Premium Pass or Store purchase. Battle Pass Free Tiers Keep the enemy at bay with the new VMP SMG, a versatile weapon with a high fire rate, high magazine capacity, and moderate recoil. Apply a new look to the Combat Axe with a reskin for the deadly throwable and earn other free tier rewards including a variety of Skins, Weapons Blueprints, Vault Coins, and more. Purchase the Premium Pass for the chance to earn all the content in the Primal Reckoning stream, including relentless hunters like Gustavo — Viciousness, Lazarus — Scrim Net, American Bulldog — Tentacles, and Kitsune – Blue Line Optic. Track your prey and eliminate the target with Weapon Blueprints like the Koshka — Snow Leopard, Hades — Scales, ASM10 — Birds of Prey, LW3-Tundra — Hunter Tracker, and the VMP — Stun Slash, based on the new Season 5 weapon. Battle Pass Subscription: Enlist with the Ground Forces by purchasing a Battle Pass Subscription, granting additional monthly rewards along with a 10% boost to Player and Weapon XP, discount coupons, and limited discounts on 10x crate pulls. The Season 5 Ground Forces will unlock the Baker — Cobra Hunter Operator Skin, MSMC — Snake Weapon Blueprint, and Backpack 4 — Snake. Complete Standard, Special, and Elite Missions to progress through the Season 5 Challenge Pass. Use your earned Challenge Tokens to purchase items in the Exchange including a reskin for the Smoke Grenade, an epic Bathysphere – Killer Whale operator skin, camo crates, and over a dozen Secret Cache of varying rarities. Secret Caches have been updated in Season 5 with a new legendary AK-47 – ICB Rifle replacing the previously available legendary Stun Baton. This new weapon comes alongside new updates to the system with Universal Shards being introduced. These shards can be used for future cache rewards based on the type, so if you’ve already completed the Mythic AK117 you’ll now earn Universal Mythic Shards to use for the next Mythic we release. Check the in-game Events tab throughout the season for new Missions and rewards. For more intel on seasonal activities, check the Mission Board or general Events space located in the main menu. New Mythic Weapon Draw: Leader and weaponsmith Rin Yoshida is prepared to do whatever it takes to come out on top. This Draw features the Operator as well as the new Mythic VMP — Toxic Blooms Weapon Blueprint, forged with hardened plasma crystals and designed to eradicate enemies with otherworldly precision.  NieR: Automata: Get the chance to acquire NieR: Automata themed content across two Draws, each led by a featured character. Kestrel - YoRHa No. 2 Type B leads one Draw which also includes the themed legendary PP19 Bizon – Morph Symphony and two melee weapons.  For the other draw, it is led by Fiona St. George - Commander White and with several themed weapons including the legendary AK-47 – Final Apocalypact and two unique melee weapons.New Legendary Draws: Look out for other incoming Draws including the Rainbow Death Legendary Weapon Draw featuring Bulldozer as a tactical unicorn. Battle Pass Vault: Revisit Season 8 — Train to Nowhere as it arrives in the Vault. Claim Epic Operator Skins like Vanguard — Nocturnal Elite, Misty — Undercover Agent, and Adler — Dapper. Get Epic Weapon Blueprints you might have missed out on like the M4 — Prince of Time and the AK-47 — Monster Crash. Season 5 — Primal Reckoning launches on Call of Duty: Mobile on May 28 at 5PM PT. See you online. For the latest Call of Duty Mobile news, visit the Call of Duty: Mobile website, as well as Call of Duty: Mobile on YouTube. Also follow Call of Duty: Mobile on X, Instagram, and Facebook. For the latest Call of Duty intel, visit Call of Duty, as well as Call of Duty on YouTube. Also follow Call of Duty on X, Instagram and Facebook. © 2019-2025 Activision Publishing, Inc. ACTIVISION , CALL OF DUTY and CALL OF DUTY BLACK OPS are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners. (C) Square Enix For more information on Activision games, visit the Activision Games Blog. Also follow @Activision on X, Instagram, and Facebook.

The Pokémon Company has confirmed the Pokémon Fossil Museum is coming to North America in May 2026.If you're wondering what on earth the Pokémon Fossil Museum is, it's… well, it's exactly what it says on the tin. After its debut in Japan, this special exhibition, which compares fabricated Pokémon "fossils" with "ancient lifeforms found in real-world fossils," is coming to Chicago's Field Museum on May 22, 2026. It'll be the first time the exhibition travels beyond Japan."During your visit, you’ll see vibrant Pokémon models side by side with extinct lifeforms from the Field Museum’s collection — including scientific casts of Field Museum dinosaurs like SUE the T. rex and the Chicago Archaeopteryx next to Fossil Pokémon like Tyrantrum and Archeops," explained the museum. "How many differences (and similarities) will you spot, Trainers?"Pokémon Fossil Museum Virtual TourIf you're still too far away from both Japan and Chicago to visit, don't forget that The Pokémon Company and Toyohashi Museum of Natural History have made it possible to see the Pokémon Fossil Museum from the comfort of your own home. Pokémon fans can now take a virtual tour around the exhibit to see the collection of real and Pokémon fossils, from a tyrannosaurus to a Tyrantrum.In related Pokémon news, earlier today we reported that a man in the UK had been arrested after police discovered he was harboring a cache of stolen Pokémon cards worth £250,000 (approx. $332,500). The hoard was discovered after Greater Manchester Police raided a home in Hyde, Tameside, on the outskirts of Greater Manchester. A police spokesman joked: "Gotta catch 'em all."Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

New Research By Shoving a Bed Frame Against the Door, This Pompeii Family Tried to Survive Mount Vesuvius’ Eruption Archaeologists are learning new details about the four individuals’ futile attempt to hide inside an ancient residence called the House of Helle and Phrixus A bed frame shoved against the door served as a makeshift barricade. Pompeii Archaeological Park In 79 C.E., Mount Vesuvius erupted, spewing ash and small volcanic pellets known as lapilli over the city of Pompeii. Nearly 1,950 years later, archaeologists are still sifting through the layers of debris and making remarkable discoveries about life—and death—in the ancient city. Researchers recently discovered four members of a family, including a child, who attempted to escape the eruption by barricading themselves inside a bedroom, according to a statement from the Pompeii Archaeological Park. Though their efforts were futile, their remains provide remarkable insight into the doomed city’s final moments. When the eruption began, most residents of Pompeii “had no clue what was happening,” Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the park and co-author of a new study published in the journal Scavi di Pompei, tells the New York Times’ Sara Novak. “Many thought the end of the world had come.” A majority of the 15,000 to 20,000 residents of Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum fled and survived the eruption. The four family members were among the roughly 2,000 Pompeians who remained when the city was destroyed. As Helle struggles in the sea, Phrixus reaches out to his sister from atop a flying ram. Pompeii Archaeological Park Archaeologists found the family’s remains in a small but stately residence known as the House of Helle and Phrixus, named after a fresco of the mythological siblings discovered on the dining room wall. In Greek myth, the siblings survive their stepmother’s attempt to sacrifice them to the gods by flying away on a ram with a golden fleece. While Phrixus escapes, Helle falls off the ram into the sea. The fresco captures the siblings reaching out to each other—Helle in the sea, Phrixus on the ram—in a fittingly futile attempt at rescue. The architectural features of the house may have accelerated the family’s demise. Like many Roman houses, the House of Helle and Phrixus featured an open-roofed atrium, intended to aid rainwater collection. But as lapilli fell from the sky during the first phase of the eruption, the rock debris, which reached up to nine feet in some locations, quickly flooded the house through the atrium. At first, the archaeological evidence shows, the four individuals tried to protect themselves by packing into a small room. They even pushed a wooden bed frame against the door, hoping that it would prevent the lapilli from entering.When that failed, the researchers think they pulled back the barricade and attempted to escape. Based on the location of the remains, they only got as far as the triclinium, or dining room. “This house, with its decorations and its objects, shows us people who tried to save themselves,” says Zuchtriegel in the statement, per a translation by La Brújula Verde’s Guillermo Carvajal. “They didn’t succeed, but their story is still here, beneath the ashes.” Over the centuries, the ash preserved the remains of the family, the wooden bed frame and other items, including a bronze amulet known as a bulla and a stash of amphorae filled with garum, a popular Roman fish sauce. Ash and lapilli flooded into through the open-roofed atrium, burying the house in up to nine feet of debris. Pompeii Archaeological Park Researchers don’t know that this particular family owned the House of Helle and Phrixus. The group may have taken refuge there after the owners fled, as Marcello Mogetta, an archaeologist and Roman art historian at the University of Missouri who wasn’t involved in the study, tells the Times. Still, the recovered objects offer a glimpse into Pompeian family life. For instance, the child was likely the one wearing the bronze bulla, as tradition dictated that boys wear such amulets for protection until adulthood. Additionally, traces of masonry materials suggest that the house was under renovation. As Zuchtriegel says in the statement, “Excavating Pompeii means confronting the beauty of art, but also the fragility of life.” Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.