January 2025 Dev Log

URAGONER Development Update: A Message from Kuso

Hello Patrons,

This is Kuso—artist, designer, and one-half of the team behind URAGONER. I want to start by thanking you personally for your patience and support. Bantam and I don’t take your dedication for granted, especially with how long this journey has been. Since 2019, we’ve poured everything into this game, and your enthusiasm keeps us going even on the toughest days.

Let me walk you through where things stand.

URAGONER’s New Editor

A look at Bantam's custom editor for URAGONER

First, I need to give credit where it’s due. Bantam has spent weeks building a custom Unity editor tool that’s transformed how we work. As someone who’s not a programmer, this tool has been a revelation. I can now adjust character stats, test skill interactions, or prototype new mechanics without writing a single line of code. It’s eliminated so many bottlenecks, and Bantam’s months of meticulous testing (literally every skill, every modifier, every roster combination) means we’re avoiding nasty surprises down the line.

This might sound technical, but for me, it’s nothing but liberating. It lets me focus on what I love most: designing the world and its inhabitants.

Playtest Build: Tower Run Is Almost Here

In the example above, I wanted to test Max as a playable character. I wanted her to start with 4 cards: 2 shock shot and 2 dragon's breath. I also wanted to use the city map for testing. I was able to add all of those parameters without touching a single line of code thanks to Bantam's new editor.

We’re in the final stretch of preparing a Tower Run playtest build for all patrons (past and present). There’s still some UI polish needed, but Bantam’s prioritizing the editor to ensure everything runs smoothly. I’m equal parts nervous and excited for you to try it. Feedback from players like you has always shaped URAGONER, and this will be no different.

Designing the Oni Duo: A Labor of Love

While Bantam wrestles with code, I’ve been deep in enemy design. The latest addition is a pair of Oni—one riding atop the other, encountered as a single towering foe. Deal enough damage, and they split into two distinct enemies with their own abilities.

This wasn’t just an artistic challenge (though animating their fusion and split was intensely challenging). It’s a gameplay test: Do you focus fire to break them apart early, or whittle them down strategically? I can’t wait to see how you tackle them.

A Personal Apology

I also want to apologize for the messages we’ve missed here on Patreon. Balancing development, communication, and life has been harder than I ever imagined. That said, we’re always reachable on Discord. If you tag me or Bantam there, we’ll respond as soon as we can—even if it’s 3 AM and we're knee-deep in sprite sheets and code.

The Road Ahead

Every day, I’m reminded how lucky we are to have patrons like you. URAGONER is more than a game to me; it’s a world I’ve dreamed of sharing for years. Your support gives this project its heartbeat.

2025 will be a pivotal year, and I’m committed to making it worth the wait. Thank you, truly, for sticking with us.

—Kuso