The medieval city builder Manor Lords has reached its first anniversary in early access, and developer Slavic Magic is marking the occasion by unveiling an extensive roadmap of upcoming features. Once Steam's most wishlisted game, Manor Lords has steadily evolved over the past year, with the development team expanding beyond its solo-developer origins to meet the growing ambitions of this strategy and city-building hybrid.
From Solo Project to Team Effort
What began as a one-person project by Greg Styczeń (known as Slavic Magic) has grown into a collaborative effort. The expanded team now includes specialists in map design, programming, AI, 2D and 3D art, game design, and quality assurance. New team members include Nathan handling map design, Tom and Kurtis from Flix Interactive on programming, Niklas working on AI, Basia creating 2D art, Nicolas developing 3D art, and Darren and James focusing on game design. QLOC continues to provide QA support, with additional behind-the-scenes assistance from contributors like Daniel.
AI Improvements on the Horizon
One of the most significant upcoming changes involves AI enhancements. The Manor Lords AI will soon be capable of building and managing small villages independently. The development team is refining AI city planning skills, trading capabilities, and farming techniques. New concepts being introduced to the AI include burgage plots, backyard extensions, and living space expansions, promising more sophisticated AI behavior in future updates.
New Records System for Resource Management
A comprehensive new records view is in development, designed to provide players with detailed information about regional production and consumption. This feature will present resource data in graphical form, offering a clean interface that makes it easier to track and manage the flow of resources throughout your medieval domain.
Upkeep System for Long-Term Sustainability
Manor Lords will soon implement an upkeep system that adds a new layer of strategic depth. Many buildings will require ongoing maintenance, forcing players to carefully consider village placement and population. For example, a smithy will need a constant supply of tools, while deep mines will require new planks to prevent cave-ins. This system aims to create more realistic long-term resource management challenges.
Stone Resource Overhaul
The game's stone resource mechanics are receiving significant improvements. Players will be able to construct quarries for endless stone mining, complemented by lime kilns that produce lime—a crucial ingredient for advanced stone construction. These additions will create more nuanced stone management gameplay and expand construction possibilities.
Technical and Mechanical Improvements
Several technical enhancements are in the works, including reworked camera code for smoother navigation. The development team is also testing improved pathfinding to allow NPCs to both stand on gates and walk beneath them simultaneously, though they're still evaluating whether the computational cost justifies this feature.
Balance and Progression Reworks
Approval balance mechanics are being adjusted to make fluctuations less dramatic, with past events having reduced impact on current approval ratings. A more extensive progression rework is also planned, though details won't be revealed until a future update. Additionally, some level one castle pieces are being modified to improve gameplay balance.
Visual Enhancements
The game's visual presentation is getting a refresh, with work-in-progress graphics being replaced by proper manuscript-inspired art. Map resource node locations will also receive new visuals to align with the overall UI improvements being implemented across the game.
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| A knight surveys the landscape, reflecting the game's medieval atmosphere as it undergoes visual enhancements |
Community Reception
Manor Lords continues to enjoy strong community support, boasting nearly 60,000 positive reviews on Steam and reaching 3 million sales. The game's transparent development process and regular improvements have made it a standout example of early access done right, with players eagerly anticipating each new update.
As Slavic Magic notes, There's still lots to do, but the expanded team and ambitious update plans suggest Manor Lords will continue evolving into an even more detailed and expansive medieval city-building experience.
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| Enjoying the serene landscape of Manor Lords, highlighting the game's strong community reception |