Anomalous Ruins

Anomalous Ruins “Path of the Dragon” release notes

I published Anomalous Ruins on December 21^st of last year (2016).  I am committed to make this game the best experience that I can.  This giant anniversary update is one of many steps in that direction.

The short of it:

~Severely edited the dialog in the first game to focus more on Clo’s personal journey and less on the lore of my world. 

~Completed the “Path of the Dragon” DLC which leads the player back to the RUINS after the first game is complete.  There are no linear paths to show you the way this time.  It is an open-world in survival mode.  You will be guided by riddles and story fragments.  This will integrate many of the hidden buildings, rooms, and writings that I’ve already built.  Many other buildings, rooms, and writings were also added.

~Wrote a story based off an ancient Chinese folk-tale called the Monkey King.  I’m using this as one of many stories that help the player find some of the items and ruins in the game.

~Added a side-quest within the DLC called, “Where Fire Weeps”.  Once defeated, you can choose to turn the day/night cycle back on (it is a perpetual night after you beat the first game).  I spent the bulk of my time working on this.

~Changed the church in Origin City to reflect the Russian Orthodox style.  There is a story reason for this that will be explained later in the “film noir” update.   Aesthetically speaking, there are some very beautiful, wooden churches in Russia.  Look them up.

~Finished the bridge and added part of a walking/jogging path.

~I still haven’t been able to reach an agreement with the union for the builders of Tech Co.  I did commission and complete the PoP CoRn Co. skyscraper nearby.  PoP CoRn Co. is based on the Shreveport Regions building in Louisiana USA.  Some interesting companies have rented the first few floors; they just need to move in their stuff. 

~I’ve been in talks with a grizzled retired police officer.  He misses the thrill of the chase.  Perhaps I can convince him to rent an office as a private eye.  The concerned citizens of Origin City have many questions surrounding their world.  Some are having strange dreams.  Clo’s documentary has only compounded this.  I’m sure his services could be of use to them.

The long of it:

My original premise for the game was to build a floating city in the sky.  This was going to be a prominent feature in the gameplay.  You would travel in an open world and find various ruins that would lead you to the large, heaven ship.  I finished it and… well I got all caught up in the journey that brings you towards it.

I worked on it for 3 and a half years before I first published the adventure map on CurseForge.  I focused entirely on making the journey to the city in the sky as adventurous as possible, which led me to a linear setup.  This meant my enormous floating structure, later dubbed as the Anomaly, would only be seen briefly in the main game.  Clo’s story doesn’t bring you inside the Anomaly.  I did a lot of work in there and sadly that work has largely gone unseen.  The fully-furnished Anomaly was relegated as end-game content to be found after the player beat the main quest.

The “Path of the Dragon” update is a return to my original premise.  I wrote it to encourage the player to continue exploring my world, even after Clo’s story is finished.  Various ruins will lead you to the Anomaly; use the items there to help you find and defeat the Ender Dragon.

There have been loose bits of this path already laid out as end-game content.  The Anomaly itself has been finished since day one of my release.  There are many interesting and colorful rooms to be explored.  I have kept this.  There are also some giant carvings which tell (from right to left) the story of the Ender Dragon and its connection to the world I’ve created.  Some of you may have found a few interesting buildings in the DEAD CITY beneath the Anomaly (no spoilers).  “Path of the Dragon” is my way of connecting all of these bits together.

In essence, the Path has always been there, I just hid it a little too well.  In this update I’m leaving story-driven clues and other brand-new buildings that will help you find it.

I have also done a complete overhale and edit of the story for the first game.  Simply put, the lore of my universe is vast.  It can be overwhelming.  I’ve cut the dialog of the temple voice (and other things) to a razor-sharp story that focusses on Clo searching for the Tree of Life, her connection to the temple, and the Final Machine.  If this game takes off, I will expand the universe in future adventure maps.  I already have plans for a film noir expansion to this map (once I finish building Origin City) and two other Minecraft adventure maps set in the universe.  So, if you think this map is worthy of your time and you want more, please spread the word.

I’ve also added a side-quest called “Where Fire Weeps”.  Once the main game is complete, the world turns into a perpetual night.  Signs around town show that the Order of Creepers is behind this.  The “Path of the Dragon” will lead you to an island where the fire weeps.  Seek the secretes beneath and restore the night and day cycle.  I have spent the bulk of my time designing this.  The quest is optional, but, if you wish to have some daylight…

Last of all, I will finish building Origin City and set up a “Film Noir” DLC that will have you exploring every nook and cranny of the city.  This DLC will explore many questions about my world.  It’s ending will expand my universe and set up future adventure maps.  Should this map become the success that I’m hoping for, I will begin working on the other adventures. 

I’ve always wanted to make video games.  If this is as far as I go, well, it’s been a great pleasure.