Chapter 2 Sneak Peek #96: New Store Mechanics

Hello and welcome to another sneak peek of Alchemica - Chapter 2

After delaying this sneak peek for an extra two weeks, at long last we are finally ready to share to you guys what we were working on for the latest build of the game. 

With Chapter 2's release, the store mechanic will undergo a fair bit of change. We have teased a bit of it a very long while ago, but here we will give a more detailed look of what are to come:

• Charlotte will be able to change how her store look. She will get the opportunity to  obtain blueprints for new decors through various quests, and after employing the service of Tristan and his wife, she will be able to to use it to decorate her store. 

• The furnishings are divided into four different categories: Counter, Carpet, Floor, and Wall. To switch between decors, you need to talk to Gruff. Changes to the store's look will take one time cycle, or if you can wait you can ask him to do it while you sleep. <<insert grumbling noises here>>

• Switching between decors does not serve just aesthetics purpose, as it will also affect the type of patrons that will visit the store. There are four available parameters: Bright, Gloom, Lavish, and Simple. Each type of patrons has different preferences and some will not even come to visit when it is not desirable for them.

• Also new for Chapter 2 are the Week Signs. At the start of the week, you will be notified on what signs will govern said week (or none at all, as the screenshot shows). These signs will have influence on certain type of patrons and on the type items you sell, and more. You can check current week signs from the calendar at home, plus you can buy a prediction of next week's sign from the Merchants Guild.

• There are also slight changes to store reputation. Now, Charlotte's store reputation will take a slight dip if she does not open her store for a time cycle, and more if she does not open her store at all for a day. This is on top of a reputation hit if you decided to cancel any Merchants Guild inquiry she takes, so plan accordingly.

Some of these new mechanics will only take effect once you have reach a certain point on the story, which is soon after you start Chapter 2.

That is it for today, see you next time!