Developer Diary #2: Birth of the Global Version and What’s New?

Welcome back to our series of Developer Diaries for “The Alchemist Code” - the new global version of 誰ガ為のアルケミスト(otherwise known as “For Whom The Alchemist Exists”) - the most widely sought-after mobile Strategy RPG in Japan!

We wanted to start off by paying homage to the inspirations behind the game. “The Alchemist Code” is being adapted and reinvented for a global audience from “For Whom the Alchemist Exists,” which was conceptualized and created by studio gumi gear 2nd (gg2). “For Whom the Alchemist Exists” was originally released in January 2016 and has captivated audiences in Japan and beyond.

So, why did we go with the name “The Alchemist Code”?

About two months ago, we announced that The Alchemist Code would be coming soon to audiences worldwide with a first look Global Trailer and a sneak peek at some of the imagery from the game. We were heartened to read the enthused replies and positive reactions to the announcement of the game. At the same time, we also heard from a lot of players that they wanted to understand why the global version was titled “The Alchemist Code” instead of retaining the Japanese to English translation of the original title, “For Whom The Alchemist Exists.”

We decided to go with a name change to make the global title shorter, easier to remember and market to a wider global audience. Many options came up, and our team eventually went with the most intriguing title that resonated the most with us - “The Alchemist Code.” The original title, “For Whom the Alchemist Exists” was retained as a teaser text in our key art and videos as well, and serves as a tribute to the Japanese title.

As you can tell from the title, Alchemy plays a central role in the story of the game. In the prologue video shown at the end of the tutorial, players are introduced to Alchemy, the Alliance of the Seven Kingdoms and why Alchemy was branded as a forbidden art.

Our team decided to go with “The Alchemist Code,” as it stays true and is closely tied to the story, where the “Code” in the title refers to the predominating law by the kingdoms that prohibits any destructive or selfish use of Alchemy.

Next, we’ve found early on that players also want to know what’s new in the global version and what they can’t miss as the game takes center stage.

In addition to localizing the game, our team has made some tweaks in the Global version, to help global players enjoy the game more. This includes the following:

Understanding the importance of our user experience, we have prioritized and made improvements to the user interface. To better suit the tastes of global audiences, the user interface has been simplified to reduce clutter. We’ve also revamped the layout of buttons, putting frequently used features on the home screen so users can get to the section they want faster than before.

To cater to the varied network conditions and devices available in the global market, we’ve re-packaged our downloadable content from the ground up. This drastically reduces initial download time and allows players to start their journey into Babel as soon as possible.

We’ve also added an option for players to choose between downloading the DLC in the background while they play the tutorial, or downloading the DLC in its entirety before starting to play. This allows players to choose the best option for their particular network and device.

Since The Alchemist Code has many features and can be daunting for new players, we’ve added extra tutorial guidance in specific areas of the game to initiate players to our world. But for the veteran player, many of these tutorials are completely skippable.

The x2 Battle Speed Up Option is brought to the Global version to allow time-crunched players to enjoy the same tactical gameplay in half the time!
 

We’ve got great plans coming up for our global players. Aside from the global launch, we’re already busy working on new ideas for global events and global exclusive units that we hope our players can enjoy in the coming months!

The above improvements (among other things) have kept us quite busy, and now we’re starting to see these features come to fruition through dedicated internal play testing sessions. We’re full-steam ahead towards a fast-approaching launch, and there’s no slowing down at this point.

An intriguing story and a host of gorgeously animated characters voiced by popular Japanese voice actors awaits you in the world of The Alchemist Code.

We know that many players are eager to try out the title’s highly strategic and customizable elements (such as the mixing and matching of the different jobs, skills and equipment for different outcomes) and we look forward to bring this universe of infinite possibilities very soon to you!
 

For our next Developer Diary, we will be revealing more insights from our localization team on the world of The Alchemist Code, so stay tuned!

- The Alchemist Code Team