AFK Journey Dev Update #2

New dev notes for AFK Journey just dropped – New Season Availability, Design, Solving Power Creep?!

Source

You can find the full dev notes here.

Summary

• Season 1 is coming soon! It will start on the 42nd day after the server launch,
• You need to get to Resonance 240, clear 1125 AFK Stages and complete the main story to get access to the Season,
• Seasonal Progression will introduce several elements:
  • 8 new Artifacts,
  • Each character will receive a seasonal skill,
  • Charm system – collect charms to activate a new special ability for a hero.
    • Charms do come in different rarities, but they don’t have random levels or stats.
• Dynamic districts will be introduced at the start of the season.
  • It’s a cross-server feature to connect servers at the beginning of the season, to ensure cooperation and competition.
  • The servers will then be reassigned to different Districts for the next season.
  • Some features will also make Districts compete with each other during the season.

Behind the New Season Launch Schedule

To ensure a consistent experience for all players on a server, the new season will be available when the server has been active for at least 42 days. The earliest servers will gain access to the new season on May 10. For example, if your server was created on April 12, you can start playing the Song of Strife season on May 24. Keep in mind that the exact opening time may vary depending on your time zone.

In order to make sure everyone knows when the season starts on their server, a countdown event banner will be available in-game. The countdown will start 14 days before the season starts, adjusted based on when each server was opened. Typically, a season runs for 4 months and ends simultaneously for all servers running it, followed by a synchronized transition into the next season.

Unlocking seasonal content requires reaching Resonance Level 240, clearing AFK Stages 1125, and completing the main questline. You might ask: Why the emphasis on Resonance Level 240? Why wait 42 days before granting access to the new season? Why not make it available to all players right away, with no requirements?

These requirements ensure that you start a season on a level playing field, preventing significant progression and reward gaps. Our goal is to get most players on roughly the same footing when it comes to exploring Esperia’s seasonal content at the beginning of each season.

Getting to Resonance Level 240 is not that hard! It’s time to begin your Journey with AFK!

But what if you’re falling behind and can’t reach Resonance Level 240? 

Don’t worry, the AFK Final Push will kick in just before the season starts for your respective server. If you are falling behind in progression, this mechanism will automatically activate to help you catch up. In addition to the AFK Rewards, you’ll earn extra Essence rewards by participating in the main quests and various game modes, speeding up your journey to the maximum Resonance Level and preparing you for the adventure of the new season.

Even if you’re just playing casually, simply collect your AFK Rewards every day. Thanks to the acceleration mechanism, hitting Resonance Level 240 is practically assured. Once you achieve that milestone, you’ll unlock not only this season but also all upcoming ones!

New Season, Unbound by Conventional Worries

Many gacha game players express concern naturally when they hear “a new progression system”: Will this be another money sink? At AFK Journey, we want to address this issue, especially the problem of long-term power creep that is common in gacha games.

The progression systems in AFK Journey will be divided into two categories: permanent progression systems and seasonal progression systems. The seasonal progression systems will reset at the end of each season, but the permanent progression systems will remain unchanged. Let’s talk about this in more detail.

Currently, all progression systems are considered permanent. Artifacts, Resonance Level, Class Equipment, Hero Tier, Hero Exclusive Equipment, and other systems. They will remain effective across all future seasons. These systems are the foundation of your power. Expect the permanent progression system to have the greatest impact on your exploration of the main story quests and progression through most of the game modes.

Upon entering the Song of Strife season, the game introduces the season-exclusive progression systems, which overlay the permanent progression systems. The seasonal progression systems consist of the Season Resonance Level, Season Class Equipment, Season Artifacts, and other seasonal items. You can earn these items, stats, and abilities by playing seasonal content, and they are only effective within the current season.

The new seasonal progression systems include the following:

• Season Resonance Level: Resets every season
• Season Hero Skills: Each hero gains 1 seasonal skill, only effective during the season. Unlocked after reaching Season Resonance Level 51.
• Season Class Equipment: Resets every season,
• Season Artifact: 8 new Season Artifacts are introduced each season, obtainable through Season Journey and various game modes. They can only be used within the current season.
• Magic Charms: Resets every season. Charms come in 5 different qualities. Collecting 3 Charms of the same quality will activate a hero’s special ability. In the later stages of a season, you can customize your hero’s stats by equipping different sets of Charms. This feature was designed to be easy to develop. So Magic Charms don’t have levels, randomized stats, or require complex inventory management skills. Soon, you’ll learn more about Magic Charms in our Journey Unfolds video series!

All resources needed for the seasonal progression systems are available for free. We hope that all players will be able to experience the gameplay of progression and strategy. Stay tuned for more information on the new season in the coming days.

Season after Season, Playing Across a Decade

Each season lasts four months, but that’s only a small part of Esperia’s long history.

With each new season, we’ll explore deeper into the rich tapestry of Esperia, where new features on the world map and Magister Merlin’s new journey await. These enhancements aren’t just about introducing new heroes and characters; they’re about taking you into the heart of Esperia, revealing its hidden history and secrets.

Once you have met the requirements to enter the Song of Strife season, you will be able to pick up new main quests in Holistone and travel to new areas. In addition to telling the story of Esperia, the new areas will feature fresh and exciting exploration mechanics and puzzles for you to enjoy. It’s worth noting that there are no time limits on exploring areas or storylines. So, if you enjoy storytelling and map exploration, you can enjoy the game at your own pace without worrying about when the season will end.

After each season ends, it’s archived in the Temporal Nexus and is not limited by the seasonal progression system. This means that you can experience all of the world and story content from past seasons whenever you want. In addition, any unfinished story quests from that season can be completed in Temporal Nexus after the season ends. These chapters are independent, and each season contains its own story. Just like Netflix, you can explore them in any order you like.

In addition to advancing the storyline, we will be releasing a number of limited-time events on a regular basis. These events will offer generous rewards and will be open to all players. So even if you didn’t meet the requirements to join the season in time, you won’t miss out on participating in these events. Additionally, to make the Guild events more friendly to all players, those who haven’t entered the season will automatically be adjusted to the season’s baseline level in the Season Battle Drill mode.

We welcome you to embark on the world of Esperia any time for the next ten years!

Q&A

Q: If I’m just AFK-ing every day, is that ok?
A: It’s perfectly fine to play casually and only AFK Stages, but don’t forget other features like Dream Realm, where you can discover top-tier equipment for endless enjoyment.

Q: If I start playing in the middle of the season, will I miss anything?
A: Starting mid-season may mean missing out on some time-limited event content and rewards. However, with each season lasting four months, it doesn’t take long to complete the story. Also, new story content will be added with version updates. You can explore Esperia’s story at your own pace, and even if you don’t finish it by the end of the season, you can still experience it in Temporal Nexus.

Q: Since I’ve already reached Resonance Level 240, unlocking new regions in the new season will be effortless, right? Can’t I just race through the whole map?
A: While unlocking regions may be faster, your journey is about progressing with your companions. Through various features and seasonal content, you’ll continue to grow, rather than just race through.

Q: You mentioned that Seasonal Story Chapters are tied to seasonal progressions. Will there be any problems with seasonal Story Chapters after the season ends?
A: No, story chapters in the Temporal Nexus are not affected by seasonal progressions.

Q: Should I just return to AFK Journey after 10 years and unlock a ton of story chapters and rewards at once?
A: Theoretically, yes. But we still hope that you start your journey today. In addition, to prevent players from claiming massive rewards all at once in the future, there will be certain mechanics for claiming rewards in Temporal Nexus to ensure that both the distribution and acquisition of rewards make sense over the long term.

Q: Will resources be refunded for reset content at the end of the season?
A: Resources will not be refunded directly, but rewards will be calculated and distributed according to seasonal progression. Specific calculation rules will be announced later.

Q: With the recent addition of the cross-server friend system, I’m hoping for more cross-server features. Are there any plans for this in the new season?
A: We’re preparing to implement a mechanism called Dynamic District. This mechanism, designed by our team based on years of experience, will assign multiple servers to a District at the beginning of each season. Throughout the season, you will experience different cross-server cooperative or competitive modes, some of which are District-based while many others are not restricted by your District. The servers will then be reassigned to different Districts for the next season. Some features will also make Districts compete with each other during the season. We will provide more detailed information in future patch notes.

Q: Will every server have a full four months to experience the season?
A: Not necessarily. To access the season, servers must have been created for at least 42 days. Servers that are ready when the new season starts will have a full four months. A server may, at most, be delayed the first time they enter a new season, then enter all future seasons on the first available date without a subsequent delay.