Developer Diary #5: Tutorial Updates in The Alchemist Code

For this Developer Diary, let us touch on a topic that all players are familiar with—Tutorials. Leading this edition of Developer Diary is Ms. San San Ngan, producer of THE ALCHEMIST CODE, who will share the changes the team has made to the Tutorial, to help settle in the new players.

Could you tell us briefly what are the changes made to the Tutorial to help new players?

Since the launch of THE ALCHEMIST CODE, our team has looked into ways to help settle in the global players, especially those new to the SRPG genre, and we decided that the best place to start would be at the Tutorial Stage.

The FOUR main key changes that we implemented are:

Firstly, new players can now start off their journey with a Super Rare 4★ Unit at the Tutorial Summon. Secondly, through the Start Dash Login Bonus, players can now get more rewards that would be beneficial to them if they log in for 7 days. Thirdly, upon completing the Hard Quests, available once they complete the Tutorial, new players will receive 4★ Unit Shards as quest completion rewards. Lastly, we unlocked the star potential limit of a few selected 4★-potential units. So now these units are able to become 5★ units through limit breaking.

We made these changes to assist our new players in settling into the game and completing opening quests, which some may find to be tough. Existing players will also be able to enjoy these upgrades. We hope all players, both old and new, will be able to enjoy the plethora of upcoming content we have in-store.

What was the key reason for changing the Tutorial Summon unit from a 3★ unit to a 4★ unit? How will this impact the new batch of players?

We wanted the new players to have stronger units to start off their journey, to help “carry” them through the tough opening quests. We have this in mind specifically for players new to the SRPG genre, as the stronger units will help them clear the opening quests and other initial content easily whilst they acclimate to the challenging, but rewarding, deep gameplay system of THE ALCHEMIST CODE.

Although we wish to help our players out as much as possible, we do not want to take away their pleasure of overcoming challenges. Completing a difficult challenge is in itself a reward. Additionally, we want to avoid overpowering the players at the Tutorial Stage so they are constantly challenged to think and plan strategically. Especially when they need to overcome the challenges that will come their way as they progress in the game.

What can you tell us about the items given away for the Start Dash Login Bonus? Why did the team choose these specific items?

Our previous Start Dash Login Bonus Rewards, which only consisted of Gems, might not have been super useful to new players at the start. Similar to giving keys to a super-powerful car to brand-new drivers, new players might be overwhelmed with the abundance of choices laid in front of them.  

We thus re-evaluated the Start Dash Login Bonus and added new starter rewards that would be beneficial. The revamped reward system that we have crafted is designed based on the growth of the player and it encourages them to experiment. It would also provide the players items they need to assemble their main party as they progress along.

To elaborate, on Day 1, or the first day of login, new players will be gifted with a 10-Rare Equipment Summon Ticket. This allows them to summon a total of ten rare pieces of equipment. Gearing up units with this rare equipment will improve the units’ stats. This equipment will also help level up the units’ jobs when all their equipment slots are filled up.

On the Day 2 mark, new players will be rewarded with a Beginner Unit 5-Summon Ticket, which allows them to summon five units with varying abilities. At this juncture, we hope that the new players had the chance to explore the game and are slowly getting used to the gameplay systems. That is why we are giving them more units to experiment with, and hopefully, assisting them with tackling more difficult content as they progress.

From Day 3 to Day 6, which we call the “experiential period,” new players will normally start to seek out the different elements that create the whole THE ALCHEMIST CODE experience. From purchasing materials and equipment from Shops to trying out the Summon mechanism, we want new players to explore as much as possible and be as worry-free as possible. So, for these 4 days, we are giving them a significant amount of Gems. The more they log in, the bigger the loot! So do continue to log in to enjoy all seven days of our giveaway rewards!     

Day 7 is the last day of the Start Dash Login Bonus, and also what we’d call the new player’s graduation day. New and unfamiliar players have now emerged as full-fledged THE ALCHEMIST CODE Strategists, all ready to face the odds. For this, the team and I discussed “What kind of graduation gift should we give?” It must be something that compliments the player’s new found style. And so, we figured out that the best reward for their graduation is a Super Rare 4★ Unit Selector ticket that empowers them to choose a unit that best suits their play style!

Which 4★ units were selected to have their limits unlocked to 5★?  Why is that so?  

THE ALCHEMIST CODE requires different party setups to clear the variety of quests. We selected some 4★ units (Freed, Celine and Strie) to upgrade to 5★-potential as these improvements will give new players a wider selection of party combinations with varying job scopes without compromising the player’s curiosity to mix and match units.

What is the significance of adding more 4★ Unit Shards as loot for Hard Quests?

Ultimately, we want all players to strive for the best and play fair. Adding in more 4★ Unit Shards as rewards for completing Hard Quests is a fair way to motivate them.

Players who are undaunted by the Hard Quests and skilled in their battle strategy will be handsomely rewarded with loot worthy of their efforts! Our team will be very happy if this paves the way for a higher Hard Quest clearance rate!

Is there anything for seasoned players?

Yes of course! We will never forget the players who have been with us since Day 1. So good news for seasoned players reading this, you too will be able to enjoy the rewards! The 10-Rare Equipment Summon Tickets, 5-Beginner Unit Summon tickets and the Super Rare 4★ Unit Selector Tickets are yours if you clear certain criteria, such as completing the Tutorial Stages. We will be sending out the rewards as soon as we can.  

Thank you San San for the update! On the next Developer’s Diary, get ready your hiking shoes, we’re going somewhere far and climb something really tall!

So what are you waiting for? With the new tutorial updates rolled out and the plethora of amazing upcoming content, now is the best time to get your friends and family to join the millions of other THE ALCHEMIST CODE players!

Experience the Pinnacle of Japanese mobile Strategy RPGs, that has captivated audiences in Japan and beyond. Download and play THE ALCHEMIST CODE for free on iOS and Android! The game is available in English, French, German and Spanish.
 

- THE ALCHEMIST CODE Team