- Curse of Dominion - Playtest Concluded & Public Demo Now Live - 18 September 2026
Thank you to everyone who participated in the closed playtest during the Steam Party-Based RPG Fest. The feedback gathered over the past few days has been incredibly valuable for refining the tactical combat.Playtest Closed, Demo Open While the playtest was originally scheduled to run until September 21st, it is closing early today on September 18th. Instead of a restricted playtest, the official Curse of Dominion Demo is now publicly available for everyone to download and play directly from the Steam store page. The demo includes all the content featured in the playtest, alongside a few fresh bug fixes.
- Curse of Dominion - August 2026 Development Update - 27 August 2026
Development on Curse of Dominion progressed significantly throughout August, focusing on core gameplay refinement, character roster updates, and preparation for the first major public testing phase.Upcoming Closed Playtest – Registration OpenCurse of Dominion will participate in the Steam Party-Based RPG Fest from September 14th to September 21st. A closed playtest will be hosted during this event, featuring one complete grid battle set in a newly developed snow level. This playtest will also debut a never-before-heard music track composed by ieleielei Music. Player feedback from this event will be used to further refine and balance the tactical combat. Registration is currently open on the game's Steam page.Class OutfitsThe initial release will feature a polished selection of core outfit styles: Novice, Duelist, Archer, Sorcerer, and the unique King outfit for the protagonist. While th…
- Curse of Dominion - July 2026 Development Update - 26 July 2026
July has been a productive month for Curse of Dominion. I tackled a variety of updates, from overhauling the protagonist's unique progression and updating his 3D model to implementing quality-of-life features for combat and adding the first of several planned side activities in the player hub. Here is a look at what was accomplished in July.The Dominion System & Protagonist ProgressionThe biggest mechanical shift this month involves how the main character levels up. While the rest of your army will continue to progress through standard class tiers (like Tier I, Tier II, etc.) into specific roles like Novice, Sage, or Marksman, the protagonist is entirely unique. After the introductory chapter, he transitions permanently into the "King" class.Instead of swapping classes, the protagonist grows in power by investing directly into the new Dominion system. I spent time building out the UI, w…
- Curse of Dominion – June 2026 Development Update - 24 June 2026
June brought a lot of exciting technical milestones and environmental polish to Curse of Dominion. While last month was focused on class design, this month I tackled a wide variety of tasks, ranging from engine upgrades to some major tactical gameplay improvements. Here is a look at what I’ve been up to.Tactical Grid & EnvironmentsProbably my biggest personal victory this month was expanding the capabilities of the core combat grid.Multi-Elevation Grid System: I successfully got my custom grid system working across different elevations! The grid tiles now seamlessly adapt to uneven terrain, snapping perfectly to things like hills and stairs. This is a massive milestone, as it enables much better verticality and tactical variation during combat. Additional Battle Maps: Armed with the new elevation system, I've been hard at work designing and building out several new battle maps to take f…
- Curse of Dominion – May 2026 Development Update - 23 May 2026
May has been a highly focused month of development for Curse of Dominion. While April brought sweeping changes to the environments and UI, this month I zeroed in on the core of the combat experience: class design and unit performance. Here is a look at what I’ve been working on behind the scenes.Class Progression & Roster AdditionsMy main focus this month was building out the class progression system. Every unit starts their journey in a base Tier 1 Novice class. As characters level up and reach the required proficiency grades with specific weapon types, they'll unlock access to higher-tier classes.Once equipped, a class provides unique skills tailored to that weapon type and adjusts the character's stat growths during level-ups to perfectly complement their role on the battlefield.This month, I finished designing the roster all the way through Tier 3. I'm excited to share a few of the…
- Curse of Dominion – April 2026 Development Update - 17 April 2026
It’s been a busy month of development for Curse of Dominion. April brought a lot of progress to the environments, combat feel, and core UI systems. Here is a look at how things are coming along behind the scenes.Environments & Visual FXA huge focus lately has been on making the environments feel more alive and tactically diverse.Dynamic Weather in Erindos: The player hub, Erindos, got a big visual upgrade and now features dynamic weather. I’m really happy with how this turned out—the different weather conditions add a lot of atmosphere to the hub while you're managing things between battles.New Snow Map & Tactical Terrain: I’ve added a brand-new snow-themed map. The snow isn't just cosmetic, either—these tiles will directly affect unit movement and stats during battle, forcing you to think carefully about positioning.New Magic Attacks: Alongside the snow map, I've implemented new visual…
- Curse of Dominion: March 2026 Dev Update - 21 March 2026
Hello everyone,I hope your 2026 is off to a great start. It has been a busy few months since the last update in December, and I have some important news regarding the development roadmap and the future of Curse of Dominion.A Refined VisionAfter much iteration, the core game design is now finalized. I’m moving out of the heavy conceptual phase and am now fully focused on implementation.While the project originally leaned toward a character-driven narrative, I’ve decided to shift the primary focus to tactics and the economic layer of maintaining a large-scale war. By keeping the story more streamlined, I can pour that energy into deep, engaging gameplay mechanics that reflect the true scale of the conflict you'll be managing.Roadmap & Release ChangesI also want to be transparent about how the game will reach you:Pivot from Demo to Release: I am no longer planning a standalone demo for the…
- Holiday Development Update - 25 December 2025
Happy holidays, and thank you to everyone who continues to follow Curse of Dominion.Over the past several weeks, I’ve been steadily working on the game and making foundational progress across multiple systems. The image attached to this post shows the updated protagonist design within a newly redesigned version of Erindos. Both the character and environment are still works in progress, but they reflect the current direction of the project.I’m not ready to announce a release date for the next demo yet, but I wanted to share a preview of some of what’s new and what I’ve already been making progress on. The next demo will introduce and expand on several elements that were not present in the previous release, including:Improved keyboard and mouse supportThe opening of the story, replacing the previous placeholder introductionActivities within Erindos that allow you to progress the story, le…
- Kickstarter Wrap-Up and Future Plans for Curse of Dominion - 12 November 2025
The Kickstarter campaign for Curse of Dominion has officially ended. While it didn’t reach its funding goal, I’m deeply grateful to everyone who backed, played the demo, and shared feedback. Your encouragement means a lot.Because the campaign wasn’t funded, I’ll need to scale back the time I can dedicate to development and take some time to outline a new timeline for the game’s progress. I’ll share those details once I have a clearer plan.The current demo will be temporarily removed from Steam as I begin preparing a new one. The next demo will represent a full, polished experience rather than a work-in-progress showcase. Its release date is still to be determined.Moving forward, I plan to take a quality-over-quantity approach. In the past I often pushed updates quickly to show progress, but I want future releases to better reflect the vision and quality this project deserves.I’m also pl…
- Curse of Dominion - Demo Patch 0.4.2 Loyalty - 17 October 2025
This update focuses on introducing the new Loyalty System and improving the overall experience with various bug fixes.New Feature: Loyalty SystemAdded a new loyalty mechanic that allows characters to strengthen their bonds through battle.After combat, hearts will now appear above adjacent characters to indicate that their loyalty toward one another has increased.A new Loyalty menu has been added to Erindos. This menu displays each ally’s current loyalty level and the combat bonuses earned at different loyalty ranks.Bug FixesVarious fixes and improvements to stability and performance.
- Curse of Dominion - Demo Patch 0.4.1 Fast Forward - 15 October 2025
This update introduces one of the most requested quality-of-life features yet, alongside several improvements and bug fixes aimed at refining the overall experience.New FeaturesFast Forward for Grid Battles Tactical battles can now be accelerated with the new fast forward system. Activate fast forward during combat to significantly speed up turn animations and actions, allowing for a smoother, more efficient battle flow.Adjustable Fast Forward Speed A new option in the Gameplay Settings menu lets you choose how quickly battles advance while fast forward is active. You can select from 2x, 3x, or 4x speed, depending on your preferred pace. (Note: Fast forward is currently available only during grid-based battles.)Visual and Audio UpdatesErindos Lighting Adjustment Lighting in Erindos has been updated to better capture the city’s intended mood and atmosphere, enhancing the look and feel of…
- The Curse of Dominion Kickstarter is Now Live! - 13 October 2025
The Kickstarter campaign for Curse of Dominion has officially launched! This is your chance to support the development of the game, help shape its future, and gain access to exclusive rewards along the way.If you’ve enjoyed the demo or want to see this tactical RPG fully come to life, consider backing the project here:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tarawson/curse-of-dominionThank you so much for your support — every wishlist, share, and pledge makes a huge difference as I continue building the world of Curse of Dominion.
- Curse of Dominion – Demo Patch 0.4.0 Erindos Arena - 2 October 2025
The latest update to the Curse of Dominion demo brings some exciting new features alongside important fixes and polish. The highlight of this patch is the addition of the Arena, a new way to test your skills in Erindos through one-on-one duels.New FeaturesArena in Erindos – Step into the new duel mode where you can challenge opponents in one-on-one combat.Expanded input rebinding – More customization options are now available for keyboard and mouse players.Updated controller reference – The pause menu in Erindos and the Arena now displays an updated controller layout, showing the correct actions for each button.Fixes & ImprovementsPlayStation 4 controller icons now display correctly instead of showing Xbox buttons.Conquest map visuals have been updated so territories are properly filled with color instead of just outlined.
- Duel System Arrives October 2nd - 27 September 2025
The next major update for the Curse of Dominion demo will release on October 2nd, introducing the first version of the Duel System.In Elvorith, duels are more than contests of skill—they are battles that can shape the future of nations. When blessing bearers clash, victory may mean more than survival: the power of a blessing itself can pass to the victor, and history has often been rewritten by a single duel.Within Erindos, however, duels serve a different purpose. Overseen by the city’s battle master, they provide warriors with the chance to train in controlled matches, sharpening their instincts and preparing for the struggles that lie beyond the safety of the walls.This update brings those practice duels into the demo for the first time. You’ll be able to face 1v1 combat against an AI opponent, offering a more personal and intense test of skill than the tactical battles fought across…
- Curse of Dominion - Demo Patch 0.3.0 Zoomed in Battles - 20 September 2025
HighlightsNew zoomed in battles for single-target actionsNew slide ability in ErindosClearer turn readability via updated indicator portraitsFixes and polish across combat, UI, and level geometryNew FeaturesZoomed in BattlesSingle-target actions now trigger a close-up view to improve combat readability.Added new attack, hit, and reaction animations to enhance combat visuals.Sound effects and Music are still a work in progress.Slide (Erindos)You can now use a slide while exploring Erindos.Provides a slight burst of speed for traversal.Sound effect is still a work in progress.Indicator PortraitsUnit portraits in battle desaturate noticeably after a unit has acted.Makes it easier to see who still has an action remaining at a glance.Fixes and ImprovementsFilled a gap between the castle wall and stair geometry in Erindos that could trap the player. Extra stone added and collision adjusted.Da…
- Curse of Dominion - Demo Patch 0.2.9 - 29 August 2025
Thank you for continuing to support the demo of Curse of Dominion! This update focuses on improving the player experience in Erindos, refining dialogue, and adding more intuitive systems for progression.Patch Notes:UI Enhancements: Added new sound effects to the user interface in Erindos for improved feedback and immersion.Dialogue Updates: Adjusted character dialogue in Erindos to improve flow and clarity.Objective Menu: Added an objective menu to the main menu in Erindos, making it easier to track your current goals.Quit Confirmation: Implemented a confirmation prompt when selecting the "Quit Game" option, preventing accidental exits.Commander Recruitment: Improved the commander recruiting system for greater clarity. The tutorial now requires exactly five commanders, and recruitment is capped at five until the tutorial is completed. Afterward, additional commanders can be recruited fr…
- Curse of Dominion - Demo Patch 0.2.8 - Polish and Bug Fixes - 26 August 2025
This update focuses on smoothing out rough edges and improving the overall demo experience. Thank you to everyone who has been reporting issues—it really helps me track down and fix problems quickly!Updates in this patch:Fixed a bug where the character would jump when closing menus if the jump button was bound to the deselect button (default on controller).Updated the background music in Erindos to better match the city’s atmosphere.Fixed an issue where fast travel to allied commanders would not work properly on the first load.Fixed a bug that could cause the menu to become unresponsive under certain conditions.Added button prompts to the dialogue UI to make controls clearer during conversations.
- Curse of Dominion - Demo Patch 0.2.7 - DLSS Restored - 25 August 2025
Thank you again for playing and sharing your feedback on Curse of Dominion!Updates in this patch:Restored DLSS support. It is now stable and ready to use for improved performance and visual quality.Continued backend optimizations to ensure smoother gameplay and stability.I’ll keep refining the demo as I prepare for the bigger updates ahead—your feedback makes a huge difference!
- Curse of Dominion - Demo Patch 0.2.6 - Black Screen on Launch Fix - 21 August 2025
Thank you for your patience and support as I continue refining Curse of Dominion!Fixed a critical issue that caused the game to crash on startup for some players.Temporarily disabled DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex while I work on improving their stability. These features will return in a future update once they are functioning reliably.
- Curse of Dominion - Demo Patch 0.2.5 - 11 August 2025
This update focuses on improving battle flow, fixing persistence issues, and enhancing visuals for a more polished experience.Changes & FixesFixed an issue where characters who died in battle would remain dead in future battles.Updated mud textures to appear greener and blend more naturally with surrounding grass.Dominion Revival charges now reset properly after each battle.HP and SP are now fully restored after battle.Level-up dialogue boxes now clear correctly after battle.Game instance data now fully resets when returning to the main menu, preventing unintended carryover between sessions.
