Long time no see, I’m 1000Water the producer of Esports Godfather.

I’m excited to announce that the first expansion pack for "Esports Godfather" is now available! Honestly, it’s been five years since the game’s development began, and it’s been quite a journey watching the heroes grow from the initial 20-30 to now. I hope you all enjoy the new heroes—Quinn, Matata, and Foso.

Recently, I’ve noticed some concerns from the community regarding the DLC and future plans, so let’s address them here.


This is a tough question. I know some of you may be worried that we’re rushing to balance the books or just trying to make a quick profit, especially since I mentioned in an earlier announcement that we only reserved six months of development funds.

I realize that trust still needs to be built, and in a time when many game companies shut down unexpectedly, talking about trust can feel awkward. But I truly want to establish a strong relationship with all of you because we all want "Esports Godfather" to keep improving.

There is no risk of the studio shutting down, so don’t worry. I promise that the World Championship update, version 3.0, will definitely launch in 2025. However, it may take some time to finalize the plans. We misjudged how long the major updates would take, and as game developers, we always want to make the game richer and more detailed. But plans often don’t keep up with changes, so I can’t confirm an exact release date for version 3.0 yet. We’ve already started working on some of its components, and while it’s too early to say, I think you’ll really enjoy the new regional competition format.



This comes down to cost. Creating a hero, from the model to the portrait, from the MVP animation to the battle animations, as well as effects and cards—honestly, it’s something I really want to do, but the cost is just too high. We estimated that on average, developing a single hero costs about 40,000 RMB (around 6,000 USD).

I really want to add more heroes so we can have global ban & pick systems and more team-building options. The hero count can really influence a lot of aspects, from 50 to 60, or 60 to 70, it makes a huge difference.

I’d love to add more heroes, but I have to consider the studio’s future and make sure the team members can earn some financial benefit. I thought about solutions like launching another crowdfunding campaign (the previous one was on Modian), allowing people to customize heroes, but developing heroes is too expensive for that plan to be feasible.

So after much thought, we decided to go with the expansion pack format.

As for why big updates, like the World Championship or the recent major update, aren’t being turned into DLCs, I believe these are things we promised to do and, out of respect, they shouldn’t be charged for in any way.



I’d love to have a second hero DLC. I’ve already designed the characters’ abilities, and I really want to see them made and finished. But realistically, we’ve never released DLC content before, and honestly, we’re not sure how well the DLC will sell… So we’ll need to evaluate the financial results of the first DLC. If the profits or losses are acceptable, we will proceed with the second one.



The bulk of hero creation is in the effects and animations. For the next World Championship update, aside from a small amount of UI work, the effect artists and animators don’t have other tasks lined up. I have two plans in place: if the first DLC performs well, we will continue creating more heroes. If it doesn’t do as well, we might prepare for the next project.

As for the programming and design aspects, because heroes have unique mechanics, some coding is required. I don’t know much about that, but based on our current development progress, the time required isn’t too much. A lot of the groundwork for mod support has already been laid.

As for the design side… Whenever I have free time, I like to try writing hero abilities. For me, it’s a relaxing time, and I can’t wait to make them.



I noticed many translations other than Chinese and English have appeared in the game’s Steam Workshop (I’ve been sneaking around on the Korean "Esports Godfather" forum via the Workshop link), and through communication, I found a lot of players unhappy with the English translation. Now that version 2.0 is more stable, I think it’s time to reconsider the feasibility of supporting multiple languages…

But honestly, we haven’t fully discussed internally how many languages to support or how to cooperate with translators. What’s been confirmed so far is that we will re-translate the English version and also support German and Korean translations. If you want more languages, feel free to reach out to us anytime via the Steam community or Discord.


https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/3379820/_/
https://steamproxy.net/games/1278540/announcements/detail/519700531080331430?snr=2___





Each battle card has a unique activation range and duration. The participating heroes are determined based on the card’s activation range, and the battle ends when the specified number of rounds is reached.


The player who plays the battle card is the attacker, while the other side is the defender. If the defender has a defense tower at the position where the target hero is, the tower will also participate in the battle.


If a battle lasts more than 10 rounds, from round 11 onward, all heroes will gain a 10% damage boost that stacks each round.

(Note: Coaches can check the detailed rules in INFO.-> Rulebook.)


Many coaches have mentioned that their heroes often don’t target enemy backline heroes in battle. This is because of the "presence" attribute, which affects the likelihood of a hero being selected as the target of an attack.

The formula for determining whether a hero is chosen as the target is:
Probability = Hero’s presence / Total presence of all participating units on the player’s side.

(Note: Some heroes' abilities, like Xiangxi Ke and Nihil, also affect target selection.)

Don’t worry! There’s no cheating with the AI. Both sides use this formula to determine who gets attacked.

(Note: If coaches want their heroes to prioritize attacking low-health enemies, they can adjust the setting in the save load screen by clicking the gear icon in the top-right corner of the save slot and turning on the "Increase presence for low-health units" option under "Battle Details.")



Some coaches have reported that the AI takes unusually long to make decisions, often choosing to end the turn after a long time or playing a "hot hand" after thinking for a while.

This happens because sometimes the AI has too many options to choose from, and it needs to go through the data to make a decision. It’s not intentional delay; the AI genuinely needs time to think.



Other coaches have mentioned that the AI isn’t smart enough, sometimes making repetitive decisions.

This is a result of our balancing decision during AI design. If the AI were too smart or automated, it might create strange situations that don’t align with players' expectations. For example, in a MOBA game, there was a moment when an AI team bought a resurrection item after dying in the laning phase, which went against players' instincts.

Therefore, the AI’s actions are mostly based on the cards it holds. All AI decisions are influenced by the hand it has, ensuring its behavior stays strong yet understandable.





-Added the "Golden Eagle UNlimited Loans" feature——"Caw! Caw? Caw!"
(Can be accessed via Info. > Loans)
-Added the ability to view sponsors on the league information page.
-Added potential attribute grades to the player hover info.
-Added Random hero unlock batch to CustomRule .
-Added a one-click fill option for daily training combinations.
-Added a toggle for potential level and combat attributes in player hover info.
-Added additional player IDs.
-Added hover information for player satisfaction.
-Simulation battles now display opponents' total abilities and traits (only applicable to future uploads).
-Added a Hero and Equipment Statistics page (accessible via Info — League Info — Hero and Equipment Statistics).
-Added ReplaceCard to CustomRule(AdvanceTraining-TraitCardTraining)


-The number of rounds required to surrender has been adjusted to 20 rounds.
-Thundercloud Cost: 3 → 2 Stack of Thundercloud：3 → 2
-Deathmatch: When this card is in hand, add 1 token for each Nihil's card played.→Add 1 token for each Nihil's card played.
-Step A: On the next Deployment Phase, spawn Step B to the hand.→spawn Step B to the draw pile.

-Fixed an issue where selling players and using loans to alleviate debt still didn't allow progression.
-Fixed an issue where modifying venue pricing scales would affect the prices of other seating sections.
-Fixed certain functionality issues related to influence currency.
-Fixed an issue where the venue occupancy rate would not display as 100%.
-Fixed incorrect display of seating area and quality upgrades.
-Fixed errors triggered by certain events.
-Fixed an issue where the hero Bunu Shan caused extremely low damage under certain conditions.
-Fixed a UI error when switching players in the regular season player market.
-Fixed an error when confirming enhanced training without selecting a hero for proficiency.
-Fixed an issue where Hero Gillis displayed abnormal ability stacks when attacked by certain heroes.
-Fixed incorrect targeting for Hero Fatty White's hero ability.
-Fixed the display of current mood and sense of belonging in player contract requirements.
-Fixed the display of honors and win rates on the player retirement page.
-Fixed an issue where selecting a different tactical style caused an error when replacing player cards during intensive training.


Discord: https://discord.com/invite/Wpf6y7kFjp

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/1000_Water_

https://steamproxy.net/steamstore/app/3379820/_/?curator_clanid=39512508

Hello, Coaches! This is Moto from Asteroid Studio.


The long-awaited first content expansion for Esports Godfather is now available for beta testing on the beta branch! This test focuses on the effects of the new heroes and equipment introduced in the DLC. (Note: Instructions on how to join the beta are provided at the end of this post.)

The beta test will last for three days. Regardless of whether you’ve already purchased this DLC or are still considering it, you’re welcome to join the test and enjoy a free trial of the content. (If you could help us test for bugs in the process, we’d be extremely grateful!)




For full details on this content expansion, check the announcement here:
https://steamproxy.net/games/1278540/announcements/detail/519700531080331430?snr=2___

Additionally, this expansion introduces several new gameplay rules. For coaches up for the challenge, here are some of the new mechanics you can try:

Slow-Paced: All units gain +10 Armor.
All equipment prices are increased by 20%.

Gladiator Arena: Combat card costs are reduced by 1.
All heroes recover 2% of their max HP (up to 100) per turn.

Berserk: All heroes start with an additional +15% Critical Rate.
Critical Damage is reduced by 30% for all heroes (minimum critical damage is 120%).

Killing Frenzy: During battle, when a hero dies, all surviving heroes gain 2 × the turn count stacks of Attack Power.

Springtime: For the first 50 turns, heroes earn 125% increased gold.


1. Right-click Esports Godfather in your Steam library.

2. Select Properties.

3. Go to the Betas tab.

4. Select the "beta" branch under the Select the beta you would like to opt into dropdown menu.

Lastly, thank you for your ongoing support of Esports Godfather! Feel free to share feedback and engage with us through the following channels:

Discord: https://discord.com/invite/Wpf6y7kFjp

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/1000_Water_

Hello, Coaches! This is Moto from Asteroid Studio.

Thank you, Coaches, for your continued support of Esports Godfather. The first DLC for Esports Godfather is about to launch. Below are the detailed contents of this DLC and a summary of the latest updates:




Currently, the major updates for Esports Godfather are mostly complete. The DLC released this time can be considered a content expansion pack（USD Region: $5.99）. Whether there will be more DLCs in the future will depend on the sales performance of this one.

Coaches looking forward to additional expansion packs need not worry—unless this DLC performs exceptionally poorly, causing major losses, or barely breaks even, we will continue development.

Note: All system-related updates, including future World Championship content, will be pushed to all coaches for free upon completion. We promise never to sell such features as paid DLC. DLCs will only include supplemental content like new heroes and equipment.

(Note: Specific numerical effects may differ upon actual release.)

Quinn
Type: Marksman / Physical / Ranged

If her attack kills a target, she deals excess damage to all remaining enemy units.
Gains [Spades] at the start of Fight.

[Spades]: Crits convert to [Hearts], granting 1 stack of [Contentment].

[Hearts]: Crits deal double the crit damage multiplier and then revert to [Spades].

[Contentment]: Increases crit damage by 10%, up to 4 stacks.


Cards:

Royal Etiquette (0 Cost):

Starts with 3 charges; each use consumes 1 charge. When out of charges, it is removed. Every time this card is discarded or moved to the discard pile by another effect, two specific cards, Afternoon Tea Time and Morning Greeting, are added to the hand.

Morning Greeting (2 Cost):

Choose an enemy hero, Attack,Then before the end of this round,
-lf Quinn participates in fight, gain 1stack of Contentment instantly.
-lf target is slain, restore 2 Strategy Points.

Tea Time (1 Cost):

Ends the turn after being played. Gains 1 stack of Afternoon Tea Time each turn, increasing crit rate by 0.75% per stack until the end of the game. If played when no tactical points remain, gains 2 stacks per turn instead.



Foso
Type: Mage / Magic / Melee

Gains extra armor (+10) and attack scaling based on shield value.
Targets 2 enemy heroes and all summons when attacking.
Cleanses debuffs and gains a shield (8% of the highest remaining HP hero's current HP) when an enemy hero dies.

Cards:

Libra (6 Cost):
Forces a battle between the ally hero with the lowest percentage HP and the enemy hero with the lowest HP until one dies. Passes Foso's shield to the ally.

Astral Guardian——Cannot play:
Grants Foso a shield equal to 12% of the highest HP unit's HP when this card enters the hand.

Black Star (3 Cost):
Attacks a target enemy hero, then chains attacks to adjacent enemy heroes within a 1-tile radius. Each enemy can only be hit once.


Matata
Type: Warrior / Physical / Melee

Gain 1 stack of Multi-Enhance upon playing a card associated with this hero.
Gains 1 stack of Enhance upon attacking.

If the target's current HP is lower than your own when hit, applies 1 stack of "Matata" to the target.

Enhance: Upon hitting the target, deals 30 armor penetration damage and removes all stacks of Enhance.

Cards:

Ferocious Roar (6 Cost):
Forces Fight for all heroes within a 2-tile radius (3 rounds, or 5 rounds if Fortify is ready).

Leap at Prey (2 Cost):
Moves 1 tile, destroying jungle monsters at the target location. Gains an extra Fortify stack upon killing.

Full-Power Swing (1 Cost):
Targets an adjacent enemy hero. If it hits the same position, applies armor break. If a non-matching target is hit, pushes them back 3 tiles and consumes Fortify stacks.



Examples:

Heartguard Mirror (Universal / 3600 Gold):
Reduces damage taken based on armor value, capped at 200 per attack.


Development Bell (Universal / 2000 Gold):
Boosts farming efficiency by 15% until all three equipment slots are filled. Once all slots are equipped, the stats of the Development Bell double.


Archmage's Hat (Magic / 4600 Gold):
Adds a free zero-cost card to draw one of the hero's random skill cards. Ignores 10 armor when attacking.


Details on hero abilities can be found via the link.

https://steamproxy.net/games/1278540/announcements/detail/4474982295507304826

Updates include the arena system, player emotions, relationships and team management systems, scouting system, new AI card-playing logic, hero variants, and more.

For more information, see the link.

https://steamproxy.net/games/1278540/announcements/detail/4478362535967327334




-Fixed an issue where card Revelation sometimes failed to trigger.
-Fixed a bug where hero Lan did not perform additional attacks after landing a critical hit that killed an enemy unit.
-Fixed an issue where clubs could not proceed during the transfer period if the player count had not reached the limit.
-Fixed a bug where hero Wolfgang incorrectly stacked effects when stealing through cards.
-Fixed the incorrect effect of card Aggressive Push (e.g., losing health would not trigger effects tied to heroes taking damage, or losing health causing self-elimination).
-Fixed an issue where hero Ada would sometimes exit the battlefield after participating in an attack.
-Fixed an error that occurred when closing a simulated match in training mode.
-Fixed incorrect resolutions and errors in some events.

-Fixed an issue where the equipment Angel jiejie's Redemption was not working on the battlefield.
-Fixed an issue with hero Crank where ability damage was behaving abnormally.
-Fixed a bug where hero Cubey's effect was being influenced by vulnerability when losing health through hero cards.
-Fixed an issue with BP rules that caused Fight card costs to incorrectly increase by one.
-Fixed an issue where hero Charon was unable to protect allies from AOE damage.
-Fixed an issue where the achievement Hawk and Hound could not be completed.
-Fixed a bug where hero Justice sometimes failed to stack Sword of Justice after executing an enemy.
-Fixed an issue where certain events could not proceed.
-Fixed an issue where the MVP screen prevented the game from continuing.
-Fixed an error occurring after earning influence coins in the player market.
-Fixed an error when switching players during disposal.
-Fixed an issue where venue environmental quality and viewing quality were displayed as numbers.
-Fixed an issue where candidates could not be signed before the deadline.
-Fixed an error that occurred after the schedule display (Monthly Awards).
-Fixed localization errors in certain events.
-Fixed some localization issues.
-Fixed abnormal data for opponent club players.
-Fixed several customization options.
-Fixed some cards in the Qube.
-Fixed errors caused by scout guidance option effects.
-Fixed attribute issues with custom players.
-Fixed the issue where Resource Group AI would not participate in battles.
-Enhanced training now supports configurations for more than 7 players.
-Fixed the error caused by the "Ability potential guaranteed to be Level S. " scout guidance option.
-Fixed the issue where the proficiency effect of the hero "Raven " was abnormal.
-Fixed the issue where the card "Climax" had incorrect starting rounds and participating units.
-Fixed the issue where returning heroes' health would not recover under certain circumstances.
-Fixed the error that occurred in the regular season market.
-Fixed an issue where Double Influence Currency would grant influence to AI clubs.
-Optimized stadium data.(Note: Due to the introduction of new data, this week's data may be zero.)
- Fixed the display of player contract requirements.
-Fixed an error caused by rapid clicking in the player market.
-Fixed an issue where the card Rapid Shooting dealt abnormal damage to defensive towers when Overclocking was in hand.
-Fixed incorrect execution of certain team management tasks.
-Fixed errors triggered by certain interviews.
-Corrected inaccurate progress displays for player contract requirements.
-Fixed the "Alluring Beauty" player trait.
-Resolved an error caused by Kid using Conviction on Bart .
-Fixed a bug when Strong Push was used in the jungle, causing an error.
-Resolved an error when canceling the use of Transfer .
-Fixed abnormal satisfaction provided by player contract preferences.
-Resolved an issue where personality traits that increased all abilities were not effective.
-Fixed errors in league ranking promotion predictions.
-Corrected abnormal player sale prices during transfer windows.
-Fixed an error caused by Conviction when used on Wukong.
-Resolved related errors occurring during monthly evaluations.
-Fixed an issue where the new scout's localization in the English version could appear in Chinese.
-Fixed an issue where the hero Tivie's post-battle health recovery effect did not work.
-Fixed incorrect display of certain data in player requests.
-Fixed an issue where selling players and using loans to alleviate debt still didn't allow progression.



Thank you again for your support of Esports Godfather! Please feel free to provide feedback through the following channels:

Discord: https://discord.com/invite/Wpf6y7kFjp

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/1000_Water_

Hello, Coaches, this is Moto.

The new version of Esports Godfather has been live for some time now. Thank you all for playing and providing your valuable suggestions and feedback. We’ve been collecting your feedback and addressing the issues as quickly as possible. Recently, we noticed that most of the feedback revolves around the "Economic System" and "Venue Construction." Admittedly, the venue system does have several problems, and we are actively working on adjustments and fixes. At the same time, I will provide centralized answers and explanations for the key concerns raised by everyone.



The intention behind designing the venue system was to create a "black box" gameplay mechanic, allowing coaches to freely experiment and find the optimal arrangement that suits their style during the game. However, due to a lack of guidance, compounded by unreasonable economic system design, the current venue system has led to a poor experience for many of you. For this, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.

We have now redesigned the economic curve and comprehensively adjusted the players' market values and salaries. In the current version, coaches should no longer feel so financially constrained, and you won't be forced to part ways with your old team members anymore. (The designer responsible for this issue, “Planner XQ,” has been seriously dealt with.)

Regarding the lack of guidance in the venue system, we are actively working on improvements. In the meantime, let me provide a detailed explanation of the "Venue Construction" gameplay and its features:

In general, "Venue Construction" is a key method for coaches to improve their club’s revenue. In this system, coaches can expand the venue, improve its facilities, set ticket prices, and attract fans to purchase tickets for home matches.

Coaches can upgrade their club's venue to accommodate more fans and facilities. Within the venue, you can decide how to arrange these facilities to balance meeting fan expectations while leaving sufficient space for additional seating. Coaches can also decide how to set ticket prices. To assist in decision-making, the club's assistants have prepared key parameters reflecting fan reactions to the venue and ticket prices. Understanding and applying these parameters will require coaches to experiment and refine their strategies.

Unfortunately, we cannot disclose the exact relationship between these parameters as they involve the core gameplay of this system. However, I can introduce some key attributes of the venue and their main impacts:

Spectator Quality and Environment Quality: These attributes determine whether fans are willing to visit the venue. Coaches can improve these aspects by placing different facilities.

Fan Groups: Fans are divided into ten distinct groups, each with its average economic strength and venue expectations. For example, student groups may prefer economical viewing areas, while higher-income groups may have higher expectations for venue quality.

Venue Size: This determines the upper limit of seating and audience capacity. Each seating area and facility occupies different amounts of space. Coaches can opt to prioritize seating over facilities to maximize capacity, but fans may pay less as a result. Conversely, a luxurious seating area with fewer seats may command higher ticket prices.



Among the feedback we received from coaches, a frequent issue raised is the financial strain during club operations—whether it’s struggling to pay player salaries or hesitating to sign favored players during the transfer window due to budget concerns.

We take this issue seriously and have designed a new system to address it.

This system, tentatively named "Golden Eagle Infinite Loan", serves as an emergency financial assistance feature. Coaches can use this system to borrow funds when experiencing cash flow issues, such as being unable to pay player salaries. These loans can then be gradually repaid once the financial pressure eases. (Rest assured, this loan system won’t accumulate debt to the point where it becomes unmanageable.)

(Note: The loan system has been fully designed and is currently being implemented. It will be available soon. A detailed introduction to this system will be provided in the corresponding update announcement.)



Hello, Coaches. I’m Planner XQ.

Recently, the venue and economic systems I was responsible for designing have negatively impacted your gameplay experience. I sincerely apologize for this. Through various feedback channels, I’ve received numerous suggestions and deeply reflect on the flaws in my design. Based on the feedback, I’ve worked to improve and refine the system.

On the Venue System:

Initially, we envisioned the venue system as a "black box simulation mini-game" where adjustments to various parameters would yield different outcomes. Players would identify patterns through a feedback loop: Adjust → Get results → Adjust further → Refine results. However, testing revealed several issues:

Data Display Issues:

The configuration page lacked clarity, making it difficult to understand data and its meaning. This left players without a reference point. Early versions merely listed intermediate values from calculations, which were abstract and confusing. To address this, we optimized the data to make it more practical. For example, "Expected Ticket Price" was derived from "Support Value," giving coaches a tangible reference for setting ticket prices.

Lack of Feedback Prompts:

Previously, adjustments to ticket prices and facilities would result in some metrics increasing and others decreasing, with no clear indication of fan reactions. We added displays showing fan satisfaction with venue attributes, enabling better judgment during configuration.

Insufficient Feedback on Results:

The venue settlement page lacked analysis and actionable insights. To address this, we introduced evaluations (e.g., "Most Lively Ever!") based on key metrics like attendance rates and unseated fans. This feedback encourages players by highlighting their achievements and guides further optimization.

On the Economic System:

Initially, I aimed to regulate player strength by limiting resources, preventing players from purchasing high-value players outright and rendering talent development meaningless. However, issues arose due to insufficient testing:

Discrepancies in Player Value and Economic Curve:

Poorly calibrated values left players struggling financially, especially during the first transfer period. This caused situations where coaches couldn’t retain their original five players. After collecting data from coaches, I adjusted player market values and the economic curve accordingly.

Lack of a Safety Net:

Coaches were forced to abandon players due to financial difficulties, leading to a negative feedback loop. To prevent this, we introduced the loan system, enabling coaches to temporarily borrow funds and avoid painful decisions.

Lastly, I’d like to sincerely apologize again and thank all coaches for your valuable feedback. I will continue listening to your suggestions to improve the venue and economic systems. If you have any questions or ideas regarding these systems, feel free to contact me:
Join the Esports Godfather Discord and @ me (ID:XQXQXQ777)

Thank you all once again for supporting Esports Godfather. If you encounter any issues while playing, please don’t hesitate to contact us through the channels above.

Discord: https://discord.com/invite/Wpf6y7kFjp

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/1000_Water_

Hello Coaches, this is Moto from Asteroid Studio.


Our sincerest apologies!!! Due to a miscommunication within the team, we accidentally uploaded the test version content into the official release. Originally, we had planned to thoroughly test this version before officially uploading it by the 15th. However, since it's already live, we've decided to roll with it.


This version has been polished by our team, so there shouldn’t be any major issues. Coaches who have already updated can continue enjoying the game.


That said, just in case, if you encounter any problems while playing the new version, please provide us with timely feedback using the following channels. Thank you!!!


Discord: https://discord.com/invite/Wpf6y7kFjp

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/1000_Water_


(For a full summary of this update’s content, please click here)

Thank you all for your support during the past month of testing for Esports Godfather. After a month of testing, we are happy to announce that the content for this update is now complete. The update will officially launch tomorrow, December 14, 2024 (Beijing Time).

Update Content Overview
I won't go into detail here about the specific updates. You can here to view our previous summary.



1. Save Compatibility
Due to the large number of new additions in this update, previous version saves will no longer be compatible. Coaches will need to create a new save file after updating to play normally.

2. Mod Compatibility
Some mods may not be compatible with the official version after the update. We recommend temporarily uninstalling mods after updating. Once mod authors have completed their updates, you can reinstall them as needed.

3. Legacy Branch for Old Saves
We understand that many coaches have strong attachments to their existing saves. Therefore, after the official update, we will maintain a branch for the pre-update version of *Esports Godfather*. This branch will support your old saves. Coaches who wish to continue playing with their old teams can switch to this branch.

At the end of this article, I'll include the detailed instructions for switching branches so coaches can jump to the version they need.
Next, my two fellow developers and I will share the parts of this update that each of us was responsible for.

MOTO:

In this update, I was primarily responsible for the athlete’s characters and emotions, as well as team building systems.

As many coaches have suggested, athletes should have their own personalities and emotions rather than being robotic competitors. To address this, we've introduced a Character System.

The Personality System aims to diversify players, reducing sameness among them. Each athlete will now have three distinct personalities. These personalities affect initial relationships between athletes, their future potential, and the influence required to acquire them on the market.

To complement this, we have also developed the Emotion System and Team Relationship System, which are interrelated and ultimately impact match performance.

Emotions: An athlete’s emotions are influenced by factors such as promotion, championship victories, personality traits, and relationships. Positive relationships among teammates help boost emotions, leading to better training results and improved match performance.

To give coaches the tools to manage these systems, we've designed the Team Building System. Every two weeks during the regular and playoff seasons, coaches can use team management tasks to adjust player emotions and relationships.

The system is designed to be simple and quick so as not to interfere with your overall game flow. Each time you enter Team Building, you'll be presented with random projects and athletes. If the available choices meet your needs, you can spend money to improve athlete emotions or relationships. If not, you can skip and wait for the next opportunity.

As your coaching level increases, you'll unlock more powerful (and costly) team building options, allowing for more effective adjustments. To afford this, you'll need to generate more money through the Venue System…


XQ:


In this update, I was responsible for the Venue Management and Athlete Contract Systems.

The Venue System is a key part of the club's management gameplay and a primary source of external currency—money. Initially designed as a simple calculation mini-game, the system has evolved into a resource management challenge.

Here's a quick overview:

- Venues: Each venue has unique features, such as size and facility slots. Venues are divided into sections where you can place seats, set ticket prices, and attract different types of fans.

- Attributes: Two key attributes, Viewing Experience and Environment, determine whether fans are willing to attend. You can improve these attributes by placing specific facilities.

- Fan Groups: Followers are divided into ten groups, each with their own financial capacity and preferences. By meeting their needs, you can increase ticket sales.

- Customization: Balancing facilities, space, and seats is critical. Do you aim for maximum seating at lower quality, or a luxury experience with fewer seats at higher ticket prices? The choice is yours.

Additionally, we've introduced the Athlete Contract System:

- Contract Components: Contracts include duration, signing fee, salary, termination fee, and **player demands.

- Athlete Satisfaction: Players will have varying levels of satisfaction based on how their demands are met. Coaches can negotiate contract terms to balance finances and player expectations.

- Penalty: If you fail to meet an athlete's demands during the season, their satisfaction drops. Once dissatisfaction reaches a critical point, you'll need to pay a Penalty fee, although the athlete will continue to play until the next transfer period.


OAB：

Hello everyone, I'm OAB. Since the launch of Esport Godfather 1.0, we've received a lot of feedback. Many players are interested in the future expansion of game content and have provided us with numerous ideas. Among these, the demand for expanding the management aspects of e-sports clubs is particularly strong. As the management of an e-sports club inevitably involves athletes, the question of "how players acquire new athletes" became a crucial point for us to consider. This is how the Scout System and the Regular Season Athlete Market System came to life.

Gameplay of the Scout System and Athlete Market

These two systems are not overly complex in their gameplay. During the transfer window, players can choose to hire scouts. These scouts may specialize in searching for specific athletes, saving money, negotiating with athletes, or gaining greater influence, among other skills. Players can then allocate their budgets during the regular season to scout athletes. Each week, players can spend additional budgets or influence points to impose stricter requirements on the scout, ensuring the results align better with their expectations. The scouted athletes flow into the market, where players compete with other clubs to secure the athletes they want.

The Role and Design of the Scout System

The primary goal of the scout system is to enable players to find athletes that match their preferences. The core concept here is "customized athletes" to fulfill players' expectations, whether for role-playing or team strength. Of course, this customization includes elements of decision-making and randomness. Decision-making serves as the foundation of this system's fun, as "games are essentially a series of interesting choices." Randomness makes these decisions more engaging and broadens the range of player experiences.

Introducing the Athlete Market

However, relying solely on the scout system isn't enough. Players need access to a wider variety of random athletes. This extends the anticipation of discovering new athletes (e.g., when their scout doesn't find ideal candidates) and satisfies players' desire for exploration. For example, imagine a player named Joe who initially focuses on athletes excelling in Trait A. Naturally, their scout would also lean towards Trait A candidates. But when the market introduces a superior athlete with Trait B, Joe might shift his preference, exploring more game mechanics instead of limiting himself to a narrow experience. This approach naturally leads to the creation of the athlete market system.

In the athlete market, we introduced the concept of competition. Allowing players to easily acquire all market athletes would render decision-making meaningless ("I'll just take them all!"). When a player desires a specific athlete, they are making a subjective choice. Competition introduces objective variables, making the player's experience more diverse and their decisions more interesting.

Resource Management and Influence Coin

Every choice comes with a cost, namely the expenditure of resources. Personally, I want resource management to be intuitive and include decision-making in resource spending. This led to the adoption of the Influence Coin (inspired by coin-operated kiddie rides, XD). Players can store only a limited number of influence coins, and the values are kept small (within 10). This design ensures that players can easily gauge their resources.

The discrete nature of Influence Coin enhances the sense of "decision-making" and "multiple-choice questions." Each coin functions like a decision point or a card in a card game, making every choice more meaningful. Additionally, the design of this currency allows for scalability beyond numerical values, offering opportunities for new dimensions of gameplay. This adds variety to the decision-making process and makes acquiring currency itself an experience enriched with randomness.

By combining these elements, the Scout System and Athlete Market create a layered and engaging experience for managing athletes in Esport Godfather. We hope this enriches your gameplay and provides fresh strategic opportunities.






Finally, we sincerely thank all coaches for your continued support and feedback. It is your enthusiasm and suggestions that drive us to make Esports Godfather even better. After the official update, we encourage you to share your thoughts through the following channels:

Discord: https://discord.com/invite/Wpf6y7kFjp

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/1000_Water_

Hello, everyone! This is Moto from Asteroid Studio!

It’s already been two weeks since the beta test for *E-sports Godfather* began. How are you enjoying the new content? To make it easier for coaches to get a clear view of the new additions in the test branch, I’ve put together a summary of the currently available test content and its status. Once the testing phase concludes, we’ll update the official version as soon as possible. (All fixes and adjustments can be found at the end of this summary—you can skip directly there if you prefer.)

1. Player Potential System

In the Player Potential System, every player has their preferred heroes, base potential, and future growth potential. The days of relying on five jack-of-all-trades players to dominate the league are over. Now, you’ll need to carefully consider each player’s development direction and the tactical strategy of your club. For example, forcing a player who excels at marksmen to play warriors or asking an economy-focused player to sacrifice resources for support won’t cut it against our new card-playing AI.

(The custom player creation feature is now restored! No more endless rolling for the perfect player. Pro tip: creation points can go into the negatives, and the current default points are just our recommended values. Don’t worry—feel free to craft your dream players!)*

2. New Card-Playing AI

Since we’re on the topic of the new card-playing AI, let me give you a brief overview. Many coaches in the beta test may have noticed that the AI-controlled clubs now employ more complex strategies and play more economically. Additionally, we’ve boosted the AI’s offensive tendencies. However, as we mentioned in previous announcements, card-playing logic is a complex system. Some issues still exist, such as overthinking or overly cautious behavior (nicknamed "cowardly lizard mode"). We’re working hard to fix these problems. Please continue to provide feedback and engage with us to help perfect this new system!

3. New Player Trading System

The new player trading system is a key feature in our off-season development mechanics. It currently includes two parts: the player trading market and the scouting system. While still under development, here’s an overview of the main framework:

Scouting System

Both in real life and in the game, every e-sports club needs a way to recruit new talent. In the scouting system, you’ll hire scouts to search for potential players in communities, ranked ladders, or anywhere new stars might emerge. Assign specific tasks to your scouts based on your needs, and let them uncover hidden gems. After all, future stars shouldn’t remain in obscurity—they should shine on the grand stage through your club.

(Note: Sometimes, a promising young player might catch the eye of more than just your scout. To win them over, you’ll need to boost your club’s influence and outshine the competition.)*

Player Trading Market

Professional players want more than just a paycheck—they also have career aspirations. When signing your desired player from the market, you’ll need to consider not only their salary but also their competitive demands. Violating a player’s contract can result in hefty penalties. Of course, if you have deep pockets, you can always use financial muscle to sway players. Sometimes, money truly can buy everything.

4. Venue System

The venue system is another crucial component of off-season development. However, it hasn’t met our expectations yet, and some issues remain. We’re continuing to adjust this feature and encourage participating coaches to provide feedback!

5. Player Retirement System

Unlike real life, players in the game won’t be competing in professional tournaments at age 70. Even the best players will eventually retire. Finding new talent to secure your club’s future is an essential part of being a great coach. *(The player retirement system is now mostly implemented. If you’ve promised a player a lifelong career, you can disable retirement in the custom options.)*

6. Player Personality and Emotion System

The player emotion and team management system is still under development, with some elements undergoing internal adjustments. Don’t worry—you’ll soon have tools to manage team dynamics and player relationships. Once internal testing and adjustments are complete, we’ll implement this feature as quickly as possible.

7. Two New Heroes: Raven and Qin Hu

The two new heroes have been added to the beta version. There’s no need for further explanation—we’re sure you’ve already developed your own strategies and playstyles for them!

8. Summary of Fixes and Adjustments

Finally, here is a summary of the fixes and adjustments made in the current beta version. If you encounter issues during gameplay that are not listed below, please reach out to us. We will address them promptly!

New Content:

-Added the ability to select different tactical styles when enlightening cards.
-Daily training can now include more than 7 players.
-New Ada hero feat:
-If Ada does not participate fight, she will support the fight in a special way: she will perform one attack at the start of this fight, which deals 65% damage. This attack can trigger effects as if she joins the fight.
-Added localized distinctions for hero variant states.
-Custom player creation now includes:
Hover information for spent and refunded points.
Hover information on how traits and personalities adjust attribute caps.

InFight:
-When first hitting with an attack, inflicts [Weakness Mark] to the target(s).
-If you have 2 effects among [Concussion Grenade], [Shield Generator], and [Multiple Shot], then increase effect of [Weakness Mark] by 10% (or 20% with all three).

Adjustments:

-Updated the interface for the BP process.
-State Adjustment: "The Reaper" now increases damage dealt instead of attack power.
-Card Adjustment: "Double Trouble" now has a fixed effect and is no longer affected by Tiger Boy's abilities.
-Card Adjustment: "Close Out the Game" can now only be played once per turn.
-Outer turret Base Attack Power: Increased from 150 to 300.
-Inner turret Base Attack Power: Increased from 300 to 600.
-Defense turret League Attack Power Bonus:
League 2: Increased from 50 to 100.
League 1: Increased from 100 to 200.
League P: Increased from 150 to 300.
-Updated process prompts on the BP interface.
-Adjusted the weighting for heroes being banned during the BP phase.
-Modified the conditions for AI participation in Colossus team battles.

-Base Attack Power: Increased from 500 to 1000.
Card Adjustment: "Maintenance" now deals 66% of turret attack power as damage, down from 100%.
-Bariel has been given a new position: Mid Lane.
-Paisai's variant ability has been updated: For every 5 units that take action, Paisai grants all allied units 0.75% × Paisai's level critical rate. If an allied unit's critical rate is already 100%, it instead increases their 0.3% × Paisai's level critical damage.
-Heavy Dumbbell damage reduced from 2% to 1.5%.



Fixes：

- Enabled unlimited rerolls when creating a player.
- Fixed several bugs that caused game crashes.
- Resolved an issue where some players exhibited schizophrenic behaviors.
- Fixed issues with the tooltip display for medals.
- Resolved errors related to daily training.
- Fixed an issue where the hero Qin Hu would not apply buffs if the target died.
- Fixed an issue where the card "Revelation" would only trigger once when continuously draining the same unit.
- Fixed an issue where the card "Code: Assimilation" dealt abnormal damage to the base.
- Fixed some errors related to loading saved games.
- Fixed an issue where the game might freeze during loading screens.
- Fixed a problem where players couldn't sign contracts in the regular season player market.
- Fixed errors caused by certain scout skills.
- Fixed incorrect pricing for some venues.
-Fixed an issue with the Dylan variant "Deserter."
-Fixed an error where advanced transfers were ineffective.
-Resolved several errors occurring in the regular season market.
-Corrected various issues in the scout trading system.
- Fixed the movement range of the card Instant Slash.
- Fixed the effect range of the card Rocket Punch 26.
- Fixed an issue where the card Undercurrent could not be played.
- Fixed an issue where the card Return Performance could not be played.
- Fixed an issue where the card Midas Touch could not be played.
- Fixed an incorrect Strategy Point recovery effect for the trait Snowballing.
- Fixed errors related to venue satisfaction display.
- Fixed display errors when swapping substitutes.
- Fixed money UI display errors after the transfer window closes.
- Fixed an issue where contracts could not be signed in the scout market.
- Fixed UI display issues related to money conversion at the end of the transfer window.
- Fixed an issue preventing progression after the transfer window closed.
- Fixed an issue where errors occurred during daily training and intensive training when the club had more than 7 members.
- Fixed an issue with the hero "Deep Space" and its skill "Full Firepower".
- Removed all Routine Training Upgrade options from the club upgrade features.
- Fixed an error that occurred when switching spectator zones during venue settlement.
- Fixed the issue with Zealot where the health of its clones was not syncing correctly.
- Updated the localization text for achievements.
- Fixed an issue where the proficiency effect of the card Chick Running was not working.
- Fixed an incorrect effect with the variant ability of the hero Mihawk.
- Fixed a crash issue that occurred when discovering players due to the scout skill "League Rank Always Big Chip".
- Fixed issues related to the display of player contract requirements in the trading interface.
-Fixed an issue with the stacking effects of Enidi's abilities.
-Fixed an error that prevented progression during contract renewals.
-Fixed an issue where no cards were granted during enlightenment.
-Fixed an issue where the "No Deaths" highlight moment was not triggering correctly.
-Fixed incorrect reward calculations for certain events.
-Fixed the effect range of the card Swap.
-Fixed an issue where the additional attack of the card "Jin" did not work when triggering its passive ability.
-Fixed an issue where the state of the equipment "Devil Plate Armor" was not reset after participating in a kill.
-Fixed an issue where the trait "Bodyguard" did not adjust Farming Efficiency after the hero's death.
-Fixed abnormal attack power fluctuations for the hero "Niels" during battles.
-Improved the functionality for replacing players in training matches.
-Fixed an issue where players could not be switched when selling players.
-Fixed issues related to hero pool capacity.
-Fixed an issue where selling players could potentially cause an error.
-Fixed an issue where contracts could still be modified after a player renewal.
-Optimized the athlete relationship UI.
-Fixed an incorrect effect range for the card "Lurk".
-Fixed an issue where the card "Reorganization" did not restore charges.
-Fixed an issue where the bottom lane would not retreat after a turret dive.
-Fixed an issue where Bebe's equipment prices were displayed incorrectly when selecting equipment.
-Fixed an issue where switching player playstyles in the scout system was ineffective.
-Fixed incorrect stacking effects when multiple copies of the card "Forceful" were used.
-Fixed issues related to switching playstyles on the player listing page.
-Fixed an issue where the status "Invitation" was not working as intended.
-Fixed an issue where the Triple Kill Highlight Moment could not be completed properly.
-Fixed an issue where players were not displayed in the training match results after substitutes were swapped.
-Fixed an issue where Hass's Hunt in Shadow did not increase damage as intended.
-Fixed an issue where the card "Aggressive Push" would trigger damage effects on the hero using it.
-Improved the functionality for customizing players.
-Fixed an issue where the card "Return Performance" is unable to be played when any enemy hero attacked.
-Fixed a problem where opposing clubs behaved unfairly during Challenger Series.
-Fixed misaligned speaker issues in some events.
-Fixed missing localization for some events.
-Fixed an issue where rewards for certain events were not correctly distributed.
-Fixed a bug where selecting a new trait and clicking skip would cause a freeze.
-Fixed an issue where the equipment "Handheld Telescope" incorrectly increased damage under unmet conditions.
-Fixed an issue where the equipment "Locust Swarm" triggered effects with its bonus damage.
-Fixed abnormal playability checks for the card "Return Performance".
-Fixed UI issues related to Justice.
-Fixed an AI problem in 1v5 Clutch Battles.
-Adjusted the Kill Credit for turret-generated kills from Dominion of Digo's Dominance to now count as Digo's kills.

A Final Note

Thank you, coaches, for your support of Asteroid Studio and E-sports Godfather! Your active participation in this beta test allows us to make the game even better. We warmly welcome all feedback and discussions—feel free to reach out to us through the following channels!

Discord: https://discord.com/invite/Wpf6y7kFjp

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/1000_Water_

Hello everyone! I’m 1000Water, the producer of Esports Godfather. It’s a pleasure to connect with you all once again!


Yesterday, we updated the beta testing branch of the game in preparation for the upcoming major update. I’ve compiled some of your questions and concerns to address here. Hopefully, I can clarify some of the design philosophies and issues surrounding certain systems.

1. Why doesn’t the beta branch have custom starting options?

From our perspective, this feature is essential, and we’ve already completed the interface design for it. We estimate it will take another 1–2 weeks to finalize development. Rest assured, this feature is our top priority.

2. Why did we choose the “Variants” concept instead of “Buffs and Nerfs”?

This is the main topic I’d like to discuss with you today. Based on current feedback, opinions are quite polarized.


Here’s the design philosophy behind Variants:
In the existing framework, a hero's in-game strength within a patch is primarily influenced by rules and equipment. For example, the synergy between the "Bounty Hunter" patch’s Mo and gloves-wielding Nuris achieves a 1+1 > 2 effect.


Even before introducing Variants or Buffs and Nerfs, heroes were prioritized differently across versions based on these dynamics.


Building on that, we proposed three concepts: Variants, Buffs and Nerfs, and the rejected idea of “General Numerical Adjustments” (e.g., tweaking baseline stats such as armor or crit mechanics). We excluded the latter because patch rules already serve this purpose, making additional changes redundant.


Choosing “Buffs and Nerfs”
This approach could increase complexity further. For example, patch rules and equipment determine a hero’s strength ranking (e.g., Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3). Introducing *Buffs and Nerfs* would shift some heroes between tiers—e.g., a Tier 1 hero could drop to Tier 2 due to nerfs.


While feasible and thematically fitting for an esports game, this method comes with a trade-off: it makes the adjustments too explicit. Players can immediately identify which heroes are buffed or nerfed without much thought. This approach risks making strategies overly formulaic and reduces the depth of decision-making, leaving players to rely primarily on numbers rather than creative thinking.


Why Variants?
Instead of simply buffing or nerfing heroes, we aim to create more diverse gameplay experiences. This is why we approached the problem from a macro decision-making perspective.


For example:
- Dylan’s Variant reduces his in-combat strength while enhancing his support capabilities. Players must now consider which heroes benefit more from Dylan’s support rather than relying solely on his combat potential.
- Another example is Arelio’s Variant, which reduces crit rate but increases crit damage. This changes equipment needs and opens up synergies with heroes who provide crit rate bonuses.

With *Variants*, we’re adjusting relationships between heroes, equipment, and gameplay, influencing decisions across multiple levels.

Future Adjustments
Depending on feedback, we may refine or pivot away from the *Variants* concept. However, I firmly believe this experimentation is worthwhile. It’s a chance to validate ideas, improve upon them, and potentially carry forward innovations to future projects.

So, I kindly ask for your understanding and patience with this experiment. Please try it out and share your feedback—I’m genuinely excited to hear your thoughts!

3. AI Adjustments

AI remains a complex and challenging aspect of development, often due to insufficient testing samples. This is why we launched this round of testing, even though some other components are still incomplete.

Improvements in AI Logic
Previously, AI decision-making was simpler:
1. Determine if it can eliminate the player’s hero. If so, prioritize the most secure approach.
2. If elimination isn’t possible, focus on development or harassment.

Now, AI evaluates card combinations more effectively. For example, it calculates the expected damage from pairing harassment and combat cards to decide whether a hero can be eliminated.

However, new logic introduces challenges, especially in scenarios where AI must weigh choices, such as:
- Eliminating a hero for bounty gold, assist gold, or kill gold.
- Playing development cards to enhance its attributes.

To address this, we’ve implemented a monetary value system alongside adjustment parameters. Core gold (e.g., 1000 gold for a key hero) is valued higher than non-core gold to reflect its strategic importance.

Hero-Specific AI Issues
Certain heroes, like Raven and Finlay, present unique challenges:
- Raven: Movement-related calculations significantly increase computational complexity, often causing the AI to overthink. A simplified version is currently in use.
- Finlay: We lack sufficient data to accurately evaluate the value of his “momentum” mechanic.

These issues sometimes result in AI making seemingly poor decisions. However, the improved logic framework ensures the AI will be stronger by the end of testing compared to its earlier iterations.

---

Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we refine these systems. Your feedback is invaluable, and we can’t wait to hear your thoughts on these updates!

Hello, coaches! This is Moto from Asteroid Studio!

Here are the TIPS for this test:

1. Expected Testing Period

We anticipate the test will last at least a month. Currently, we plan to gradually add various systems over four phases (some systems are still being finalized). The main content of this round focuses on hero variants and the new card-playing AI, with other modules gradually introduced during the test.

1.1 Hero Variants

We've received a lot of suggestions and feedback, with many discussing whether heroes should be buffed or nerfed with each version. As we prepared for this major update, we considered this carefully and ultimately decided to go with a variant system!


Hero variants are special forms of heroes. With each version change, all heroes with variants will randomly select one variant for the current version. Both players and AI clubs will use the same variant of each hero during that version.


We chose variants rather than straightforward buffs or nerfs because strengthening a hero in a single version would make that hero a very strong choice in training and competitions. This preference is set by the game system rather than through the coaches’ own analysis and experimentation, which we feel detracts from the experience. Instead, we hope for a journey where you analyze the version, find your answers, and make adjustments. The variant updates encourage coaches to adapt and explore, aligning with your feedback. Through this test, we’ll gradually improve and update the variant system!


Examples of Hero Variants:

Dylan:

(I):At the fight start, choose an ally hero and apply the [Strengthening Potion] buff to them.
[Strengthening Potion]: Gain 20% of Dylan's Attack Power, 30% Critical Rate, and 30% Critical Damage. Lasts until the end of the fight.

(II):At the any fight start, choose an ally hero and apply the [Strengthening Potion] buff to them.
[Strengthening Potion]: Gain 15% of Dylan's Attack Power, 20% Critical Rate, and 20% Critical Damage. Lasts until the end of the fight.

Aurelio

(I):When attacking an enemy unit, Aurelio gains 1 stack of [Flame]. Gain up to 1 stack from each enemy unit.
[Flame]: Increases 20% critical rate and 15% critical damage. Lasts until the end of the fight.

(II):When attacking an enemy unit, Aurelio gains 1 stack of [Flame]. Gain up to 1 stack from each enemy unit.
[Flame]: Increases 10% critical rate and 25% critical damage. Lasts until the end of the fight.

(III):When attacking an enemy unit, Aurelio gains 1 stack of [Flame].
[Flame]: Increases 15% critical rate and 10% critical damage. Lasts until the end of the fight.

1.2 Card-Playing AI

The new card-playing AI is now implemented and in an information-gathering phase. Since AI development is complex and highly interconnected with equipment, version changes, and other systems, it will take some time to refine. The main issue now is that some special heroes are not fully adapted. If you encounter anything that feels off during testing, please provide feedback; it’s invaluable for improving the AI!

2. Arena and Scout System

The arena and talent scout systems are already implemented in this test version. The arena system mainly relates to in-game currency acquisition, while the talent scout system is focused on player replacement. Although these systems are not fully developed yet, we’ve partially opened them to avoid having to restart saves in future testing. We expect these systems to be fully completed and available in the third round of testing.

3. Simulation Battle System

In this test, we’ve enabled the simulation battle feature. Coaches can use this feature to battle and interact with each other. However, due to limited data, testing isn’t fully complete. We encourage all coaches to upload lineups and report any issues. Thank you!

Note: Players in certain regions may need to use a VPN to access the STEAM Workshop. Otherwise, this interface may not display in-game.

How to Participate in This Test:

Finally, since this is not an official release, there will undoubtedly be bugs and other issues. We hope coaches will actively report any issues during testing through the following groups. Our team is there collecting feedback. Enjoy and provide feedback actively! Thank you all!

Discord: https://discord.com/invite/Wpf6y7kFjp

Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/1000_Water_