A new Dev Diary for Gilded Destiny has been released, giving us an in-depth look at the event system

The development studio behind Gilded Destiny has released a new dev diary discussing the event system. They have also recently launched a pre-alpha version for a select group of 100 testers from Kickstarter and Modeon supporters. You can find this title on Steam.

The event system in the game is inspired by classic strategy games, particularly those developed by Nintendo and Paradox Studios. They believe a good system should reflect historical depth while allowing for unexpected outcomes. This approach helps Gilded Destiny capture both real and alternate histories in an engaging way.

It is built on two main ideas: conditions and effects. Events happen when specific conditions are met, and every player choice leads to different effects. This structure allows the game to represent complex historical situations, such as political assassinations or diplomatic alliances, that might not be fully covered by the core mechanics.

When designing events, they focus on key principles:

• Players have the freedom to make any choice, even “bad” ones. Sometimes these choices mirror real historical events, adding realism and depth.
• As a small team, they focus on doing a few things very well rather than spreading resources too thin. This ensures each event is meaningful and impactful.
• Choices should have significant consequences. Each decision leads to important outcomes, increasing replay value.

There is a difference between decisions and events in the game. Decisions are actions players trigger, like starting a war. These require specific conditions and give the player control. Events, on the other hand, are triggered by game dynamics and are not directly controlled by the player. For example, if another country starts a war, an event chain will trigger for the affected nation.

While they can’t include every alternate history scenario, the goal is to create key moments where players can explore “what-if” situations. These points in the event system allow players and future modders to create unique timelines. The flexible system ensures that the community can expand the game by adding their own twists to history.