I have been hard at work over the last week designing and building a few new features.

The patch system works by checking a version number for the game on mageduels.com, if the number is different it starts the update process. Before launching the patcher, the game checks the version number for the patcher and if it is different, downloads and updates the patcher software before continuing on to updating the game.

I am happy with this approach because if at any time I release a new version of the game, it will go get the required files without having to send email blasts or hit up twitter or reddit and hope everyone sees it. But also it updates the patcher it’s self. So if in the event I re-write the patcher, the system will pick that up as well.

The other thing I was able to get into the game is a kill log. I have a database set up that logs kill counts by ip. This will be used to update a leader board I will be putting on this site.

I have been thinking a bit about play modes and how all of this will fit into the game. Right now there is match mode and server mode.

Server mode is for casual play. You can join a server and walk around, chat, and duel. It will be a good place to sit when waiting for matches. Servers will be community run.

Match mode is where the action is at. Either create a match or find one already waiting. You are placed into a small area map where you duel until death. Matches can be 1v1 or team v team.

I have been kicking around the idea of a champ-spawn type mode. I haven’t worked out all the kinks, but what I am thinking is you pay some sort of fee (in game gold or something) and your guild opens a champ spawn server. When the champ is slain, you get a reward. Clothing skins or something of the like. Similar to how CS:GO weapon cases work. Other guilds would have the option to challenge your champ spawn by paying a fee to join.  Something of that nature.