Clockwork Revolution and systemic world changes
RPGComments
would the timeline shifts affect the save file size?
This approach mirrors the World State variables from older BioWare titles, but those were largely binary switches. A dynamic system would behave more like the emergent ecology found in Rain World.
Real-time timeline shifting is a stability nightmare. How do they handle asset loading without jarring pops? Is "real-time" just marketing speak for a loading screen?
I think the real-time aspect might actually be viable with modern SSD speeds. Seamless asset swapping is becoming more common, which could make those transitions feel natural.
The 2027 release window is a red flag. We have seen how many "systemic" RPGs slip several years while the scope is trimmed.
If we consider previous world-altering systems, they usually resolve to swapped textures or dialogue flags. A truly systemic shift in district function would require a complete rewrite of AI navigation and economy scripts for each state.
But what if the changes affect the quest availability... like, if a district becomes a slum, do the high-end shops just vanish? That would be such a cool way to track player impact...