You have a game or two like this, in your mind somewhere. It lurks. You wouldn't necessarily say it's a particularly good game, or even your favourite. You might even forget it exists for long periods. But occasionally, perhaps twice a year, or every two or three years, you get an unaccountable craving to play it again.
That's what A Valley Without Wind is to me.
]]>It's been interesting watching post-AI War Arcen at work. Their idiosyncratic drunken approach to genres has always resulted in games worth talking about. Granted, some of those words might not be all that complimentary, but they've never once released a game that had any hint of hubris. Not even when they return to the space strategy genre that pays the bills. The Last Federation's a “strategy/tactics game set inside a simulation game,” which sets it apart from AI War's ridiculous spectacle of death. It displays the one thing that's true of Arcen's game: it was announced in January, and it's coming out next week.
Older readers may recall that in February we took a peek at The Last Federation, the new space strategy game from Arcen Games. Even older readers may recall that Arcen first came to our attention for AI War - and lo, many a joke about Quintin and iron was spawned. After confusing everyone with A Valley Without Wind, and some appealing experiments in between, they've now returned to the genre which made them.
But what manner of beast is The Last Federation exactly? AI War too, or something very different? That's the kind of question which can only be answered by watching an hour long (and change) alpha video. And also by saying that's a hybrid of intergalactic simulation, grand strategy and RTS.
]]>Oh, huh. So remember the part where Arcen Games was making a sequel to A Valley Without Wind, in which I very much hope they managed to add wind this time around? Well, it's out. You can buy it and play it right this very second. Not just one or the other. Both! Unless you purchased the original version of the (perhaps too) tremendously ambitious sidescrolling platformer procedural role-playing co-op adventure - in which case, A Valley Without Wind 2 is completely free. Alternatively, if AVWW 1 (which my brain desperately wants to read as "Alien vs Wind Waker," because I've been doing this job for far too long) flew under your radar, tossing a few of your coins into the sequel's clinking cup will nab you a free copy of the original. I can't say for sure yet whether or not AVWW 2's everything its predecessor wanted to be, but I have to admit that all this generosity's pretty darn cool.
]]>Back in the mists of October we mentioned that procedurally-generated platform-adventure A Valley Without Wind would be getting a sequel, and that it would be free to people who purchased the original game. Now Arcen have begun to reveal a little of what they've been working on for that important follow-up, and you can see that below. There are glimpses of many of the things that make this a fresh take on the concept, rather than a rehash, include the isometric world map, which should give a little more context to the world you are exploring. It's still pretty early, but there's a lot of commentary in there to make it clear what's going on (or not, given some of the audio issues.)
]]>Arcen Games' side-scrolling random-o-action game A Valley Without Wind continues to divide opinion, mostly due to its unusual appearance, but perhaps the warring tribes of Like and Don't Like may be united by the sequel. It sports a new look, a bunch of new features such as building and it's going to cost the princely sum of no-pennies to anywho who bought AVWW The First.
]]>Before A Valley Without Wind was released I excitedly emailed Jim to demand we discuss the game verdict-style after he'd told everyone wot he thought. I was bewitched by the idea of exploring the worlds it built and was even determined to be that guy, the one who actually liked the graphics. Once I read Jim's words and played for a while myself I realised that we were of similar mind so a verdict would involve us nodding sagely at one another over a decanter of port, occasionally 'harrumphing'. I couldn't even make myself like the way it looked, even as an exercise in contrarian lunacy. Version 1.1 promises significant changes though and Arcen might just be on to something.
]]>A Valley Without Wind fascinates me. Not all the reasons for this fascination are good. But from that (long) moment where I read through our huge two-part interview about Arcen's intentions for their procedurally-generated open-world exploration-based action adventure, I knew it was something I was going to follow closely. I spent some time dabbling with early versions of the game, and in the past few days I've finally been getting stuck into the release version of this strange, 2D post-apocalypse.
Finally, here's Wot I Think.
]]>We mentioned just yesterday that Arcen's open-world side-scroller had appeared on the digital distributions, but since then they've also put out a hefty demo. It's a big old chunk of the game for you to try, with these limitations: "You cannot craft spells higher than tier 2, and you cannot leave the first continent." I'd definitely recommend trying this - from my time with the beta I'd say that this is both an acquired taste, and also impossible to judge by appearances. Or even, perhaps, from people writing about it. But then I should not be saying that, should I? Send your eyes south of here for the launch trailer.
]]>Upon a gentle breeze I hear the celebratory cheer of a multitude of beta testers, for it is they who have helped Arcen Games to bring A Valley Without Wind to the verge of release. The procedurally generated sidescrolling explorathon with graphics more divisive than an actual valley, or even a yawning chasm, has been updated and altered a huge amount since Jim ventured into an early beta. Today, it's all grown up and ready to launch on Steam and "all [Arcen's] existing partners for the game". To prove it, there's an actual launch trailer below.
]]>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.
]]>I've just had my first taste of Arcen's ambitious side-scrolling exploration game (with crafting, base-building, and perma-death), A Valley Without Wind. The game is still at a very early, unreleased stage, but I've spent enough time with it to talk a little about what it is and where Arcen are going with it. You can see my attempts at trying to describe it accurately below.
]]>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?
]]>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.
]]>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.
]]>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.
]]>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.
]]>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.
]]>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...
]]>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.)
]]>Ooh, it's turning out to be a good week for respected PC indie devs announcing enigmatic new projects. Yesterday we had Arcada Mia, and today we hear about two new games from Arcen Games (of Tidalis and AI War fame): A Valley Without Wind and Alden Ridge.
A Valley Without Wind will essentially be a meaty tower defense game, and Alden Ridge sounds like Dead Rising meets Monaco. You want more details? I've got more details.
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