Salt Development Blog

One of the updates we are excited most to implement in 2015 is the GUI overhaul. The system and interface we have in place now is really more of a placeholder than anything. Not only will we be completely redesigning how the interface looks and feels, but we'll also be adding in new screens such as a character screen for you to view your player stats. This will be particularly fun for players who love stats and numbers. You'll be able to see stats such as damage, defense, sneak stats, health numbers, and more. 

Another feature we can't wait to fully implement is controller support. While you can play with a controller currently, it isn't fully fleshed out and some things still don't work. Full controller support will come and will allow you do everything you need with a controller. We will also be ensuring that it works well with the new redesigned interface once the GUI gets an overhaul. In addition to controller support, we'll also be bringing Salt to Mac and Linux machines! 

We've got some really fun ideas for adding new island types and varieties to Salt. One idea we've had is to have snow islands start spawning as you get farther north. These new island types will not only be a nice visual change, but will also feature new resources and wildlife for you to encounter. We've even tossed around the idea of having some super rare islands as you get really far out into the sea. There are a lot of possibilities, and we'd love to hear your feedback regarding new islands and what you'd like to see! 

Weather is going to be a great addition to Salt and it will really add to the feeling of a dynamic world. We want to ensure that weather is randomized, dangerous, and fun. You'll never know when a huge storm is going to pop up and you're out in the deep sea on a dinky boat. In addition to new weather, we're also going to be adding in clouds and stars. We've got some interesting ideas for how we'd like to use these to be more than just a skybox, such as actual constellations and things of that nature. 

I can't tell you how many times I've been exploring an island in Salt and thought, "This would be a great place to build a home." Well, we want to make sure you can actually do that. During 2015 we'll be adding in a settling update that will allow you to build your own home on an island. We'll also be working hard to ensure that settling actually benefits you. We want a reason for you to build your home and a reason to leave. 

As we've said before, Salt will not be receiving a 'graphical overhaul' in the sense that we'll be keeping the stylized graphics and working within that vein. However, we do want to improve where we can. One way we'll be doing this is improving the grass and improving the models, particularly the pirate models. We want the graphical style of Salt to enhance your experience and not take away from it. We'll be working hard to ensure that all the graphic elements of Salt are cohesive and help to immerse you into the world. 

Last but most certainly not least, multiplayer. If you haven't already read it, we've written an entire blog post about our thoughts on multiplayer, answering player questions, and giving some insight into that process. In short, multiplayer is something that will come to Salt. First, we want to make sure we get the above mentioned elements in. We don't want Salt to be dependent on multiplayer to be fun, but rather to enhance an already complete game for those who wish to adventure with friends. 

These are just some of the things we'll be working on in 2015. You can also look forward to updates to combat, AI behavior, and new enemies, bosses, and items. We hope this clarifies our directions and ideas for 2015, and we would love to get your feedback on the process!

- Will Sterling (Game Audio and Design)