Hi everyone !
We are Happy Seal Games, and we have been developing ZAR for about 3.5 months. We are starting this ongoing devlog to share how the game changes, discuss our design decisions, and hear what players think.
ZAR is a 3D dice-based roguelike. Collect and upgrade dice, combine Relics and Augments, and build synergies while dealing with enemy attacks. Physical dice interactions are part of the experience: a simple roll can turn into a very busy arena.
Our first public early demo was v0.1.40.0 on July 7. The current alpha is v0.4.92.6, released October 13. Here are the main steps between those builds.
JULY — Making the first playable build understandable
We improved Relic clarity, the side panel, combo bar, minimap, and support for different screen sizes. An interactive tutorial followed, alongside clearer scoring feedback, camera movement, and floating effect text. Getting the rules across was already as important as adding new mechanics.
A look at the earlier presentation, from our July 28 devlog:
AUGUST — Giving runs more identity and better feedback
We added four music tracks with a dynamic stem system, then over 60 sound effects for dice, menus, and gameplay events. We also kept working on a less glamorous problem: dice taking too long to settle, sometimes appearing slightly airborne. Faster, more reliable settling has needed several rounds of improvements.
The August 28 build introduced character selection and active/passive skills. Sir Rollington can reroll a die without spending a throw and keep the better result; the Blacksmith can duplicate a die with its properties and augments. These give us different foundations for builds.
That update also added automatic run saving, a Collection screen, the first Mystery Event, and a Base Augment plus additional effects system. The aim was to make a run feel like something you shape over time.
SEPTEMBER — Reworking a rule that was fighting build crafting
Originally, dice vanished after a fixed number of uses. That made it hard to hold onto a build you had invested in. In v0.4.86.5 we replaced that system with Dice HP: dice can survive across a run, but enemy attacks can threaten them.
Persistent dice needed new limits. Inventory capacity now depends on the character (6 for Sir Rollington, 8 for the Blacksmith), and each die can carry up to five additional Rolls beyond its Base attribute. You can skip rewards or sell dice, so keeping a die becomes a deliberate choice.
OCTOBER — Making complex builds readable
The current v0.4.92.6 alpha focuses on showing players what their build is actually doing. Dice tooltips now bring HP, rarity, capacity, Base Augment, additional Rolls, and negative effects into a comic-style layout with inspectable icons. Long lists were becoming difficult to scan.
Current alpha screenshot: the redesigned dice information panel.
The new Settled Dice Preview groups rolled values, score contributions, and effects in one place. We also reworked enemy attack descriptions and icons, added attack-reactive backgrounds, and separated multiplier colors from negative effects.
Current alpha screenshot: the arena and settled dice preview.
Other work in this build includes a shorter tutorial, more focused shop inventories, early run results and personal-record feedback, and further physics fixes. We have also added optional gameplay analytics with player permission to help identify difficulty spikes alongside written feedback.
WHAT WE ARE STILL WORKING ON
ZAR is still an alpha. The Results screen and item tags are early implementations, some Collection sections are unfinished, and enemy storytelling is still being developed. Our current target is a Steam demo in Q1 2027, while we continue refining the core systems and balance.
The main lesson from these months: more combinations only help if players can understand them. Keeping the physical chaos enjoyable whilemaking each result readable has become a central design problem.
WE WOULD LOVE YOUR FEEDBACKS
Can you understand a die's role and effects from the new tooltip? Does the settled dice preview make scoring easier to follow? If you have tried both systems, does Dice HP give you more control over your build than the old usage limit?
If something feels confusing , tell us what happened and which character or build you were using. Screenshots of the situation are especially useful.
We intend to keep updating this thread as development continues, with new builds, experiments, and what we learn from your feedback.
Thanks for taking a look and joining the discussion!
Try the current browser or Windows alpha: https://happysealgames.itch.io/zar
Detailed update history: https://happysealgames.itch.io/zar/devlog