July 2025 Progress Report

Hi everyone,

Welcome to our first monthly progress report for Afterglow! We're excited to share the significant progress we've made in building our mobile sandbox MMORPG set in the post-apocalyptic American Southwest.

Major Features Delivered in July

Character Progression & Statistics

  • Player statistics page: Characters now track detailed stats including resources gathered, NPC eliminations, crafting completions, and exploration milestones.
  • Social features: Players can now inspect other characters in their hex, viewing equipment and basic stats.
  • Refugee Integration Program (R.I.P.): A comprehensive new player experience system featuring optional tutorial tasks across core gameplay pillars:
    • PvE combat challenges
    • Resource gathering tutorials
    • Crafting progression guides
    • PvP preparation tasks
    • Accessible via dedicated map interface button
RIP

Gathering & Crafting systems changes

  • Skill-Gated Resource Nodes: Gathering locations now require specific skill levels (e.g., Coal mining requires Mining level 2+).
  • Specialized skill progression: Four distinct gathering skills implemented:
    • Mining (ores and metals)
    • Foraging (plants and organic materials)
    • Salvaging (pre-war technology and materials)
    • Woodcutting (timber resources)
  • Tool requirements: T1+ resources now require appropriate tools:
    • Foraging gloves for advanced plant gathering
    • Pickaxes for mining operations
    • Axes for woodcutting activities
  • Recipe durability: Crafting blueprints now have limited uses, adding strategic depth to knowledge acquisition.

Content Expansion

  • New resources: T0 Rocks (basic material for early crafting) and T1 Scrub Oak (southwestern-appropriate timber resource)
  • Expanded tool variety: 9 new tools (3 foraging gloves, 3 pickaxes, 3 axes)
  • New enemies: 6 new hostile NPCs added to populate the wasteland.
Arcade Revenant

Community Engagement

  • Development Diaries: Launched regular behind-the-scenes content sharing our design philosophy and development challenges.
  • New trailer: We've released a new trailer showcasing the gameplay. Check it out on YouTube!

In Progress - Delivering Soon

PvP Systems

  • Ambush Mechanics: Internal testing underway for player-vs-player encounters in yellow and red safety zones.
  • Risk vs. Reward Balance: Fine-tuning loot drops and reputation systems for PvP zones.
PvP

World Expansion

Major update featuring:

  • Three detailed city-states with unique visual identity
  • Fog of war system encouraging exploration
  • Expanded explorable territory
  • Additional points of interest and hidden locations
City State 2

Thank you for following our development journey. The wasteland is becoming more dangerous, more rewarding, and more alive with each update!