It's been about a month since my last Steam update, and quite a lot has changed in Elegon since then!
I've been spending a lot of time expanding the world, introducing new gameplay systems, and improving what's already there. Rather than going through every individual change, I thought I'd put together an update covering some of the bigger additions from the past month.
A Much Bigger World to Explore
One of the biggest changes has been the size of the world. I've significantly expanded all four of Elegon's zones, with the overworld now twice as large as it was previously.
There's a lot more to discover, including new forests, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, mountain passes, floating islands, and landmarks scattered throughout the landscape.
I've also added 15 new caves, including several that act as tunnels connecting different areas of the world, along with new creature camps and more wildlife.
The view distance has also been more than doubled, so you can now see much further across the landscape.
I'm really pleased with how the world is coming together. There's a lot more space to explore now, and the expanded areas have given me more room to introduce new content.
New Raid & World Bosses
Elegon now has its first raid boss!
Ashkarath, Tyrant of the Caldera is a powerful dragon found at the summit of Cinder Ridge. The encounter is designed for groups of 5 to 10 well-equipped level 80 players, with several mechanics to learn and some of the strongest equipment currently available as rewards.
I've also introduced three new outdoor world bosses, each designed for groups of 5 to 8 players:
Aurelorn, the Amber Crown (Level 20)
Hrimskar, the Rime Colossus (Level 40)
Mordrass, Sovereign of the Fen (Level 60)
These give players some more challenging encounters to take on as they progress through the different zones.
Crafting, Woodcutting & Gear Progression
Another big focus recently has been skilling and equipment progression.
Woodcutting is now available as a new gathering skill. You can chop down trees throughout the world, collect different types of logs, and unlock perks as your skill improves. Trees also fall over when chopped and eventually grow back.
I've also introduced a much more extensive Crafting and Forge system, including:
Over 270 new pieces of craftable equipment.
Equipment tempering up to +20.
Item enchantments with different effects and tiers.
Equipment quality upgrades.
Salvaging unwanted equipment for materials.
Infusing crafted equipment with boss materials.
Mining, Fishing, Cooking, and combat skills have also received new unlockable perks, giving players more reasons to continue levelling them.
I've always wanted Elegon to have that satisfying, long-term sense of progression you get from older MMORPGs, where you can spend time working on your character and gradually see the results. That's something I'm continuing to build on as I introduce more skills and ways to progress.
Over 80 New Quests & More to Discover
I've added 17 new storylines containing more than 80 quests across Whispervale, Duskmire, and Cinder Ridge.
I've also reworked more than 80 existing quests to introduce more varied objectives, rather than relying so heavily on killing enemies or collecting items.
There's now a new Standing system, allowing you to build your reputation with different groups throughout the world and unlock rewards as you progress.
A new Journey panel also makes it easier to follow the game's stories, track completed quests, and work towards fully completing each zone.
New Playable Race: Sprigan
Elegon also has its second playable race!
The Sprigan is a smaller, nimble race that can play any of the three existing classes: Knight, Mage, or Cleric.
I've spent some time making sure equipment, animations, mounts, and spell effects all work properly with the new character proportions.
It's been nice to introduce a bit more variety to the characters running around the world, and I'm looking forward to expanding the playable races further over time.
Guilds, Trading & Social Features
There's also been quite a bit of work on the social side of the game.
Players can now create and join Guilds, buy and sell items through the new player Marketplace, and send letters, items, and coins to one another using the new Mail system.
I've also added a feature called Inscribe Message, which lets you leave glowing messages on the ground for other players to discover while exploring.
I really like the idea of having more ways for players to interact with one another, even outside of the usual group content. It's something I want to keep developing as the community grows.
Combat, Visuals & General Improvements
Alongside the new content, I've continued improving the existing gameplay.
Combat has received a substantial rebalance, with slower, more deliberate encounters, improved group experience rewards, and new animations for abilities across all three classes.
There's also been a visual overhaul across several parts of the interface, including redesigned character creation and selection screens, improved NPC conversations, equipment tooltips, and a more consistent hand-painted appearance.
I've introduced dynamic weather, including rainstorms in Amberwood and blizzards in Whispervale, alongside improvements to water, lighting, environmental effects, and sound.
There have also been plenty of optimisations and bug fixes throughout the month, including improvements to loading times, creature movement, client performance, and server stability.
Looking Ahead
One of the things I enjoy most about developing Elegon is that it's a world I can keep building on and expanding over time.
I've always been drawn to MMORPGs that give you long-term goals and a real sense of progression, whether that's through combat, skilling, crafting, collecting equipment, or simply exploring the world.
That's the direction I'm continuing to take Elegon in. I want there to be plenty of different ways to spend your time, with systems that feel rewarding on their own but also connect together as part of the wider game.
I'm particularly enjoying working on the non-combat side of things recently, and I think systems like Woodcutting, Fishing, Cooking, and Crafting have already added quite a lot to the experience.
Thank You
Thanks to everyone who's been playing Elegon, sharing feedback, and following development over the past month.
I'm developing the game independently, so it's been really encouraging to see people spending time in the world and sharing their thoughts on what I've been adding.
I also want to thank everyone supporting the project on Patreon. I really appreciate the support, and it helps me continue dedicating time to developing Elegon.
The Steam playtest is available 24/7, so if you haven't played recently, there's quite a bit of new content to explore.
You can also follow development through my YouTube devlogs:
https://www.youtube.com/@ElegonMMO/videos
And the full changelog is available here:
https://www.elegon.app/changelog
Thanks again for all the support!