'There's still a lot to do': One year later, Slavic Magic reveals what's next for Manor Lords, including AI progress, a new way to view records, and a team expansion

Manor Lords has been in early access for about a year now, and while that may not feel too long at all, the medieval city builder has come a long way from its impressive beginnings. And apparently, it still has a long way to go.

"There’s still lots to do, and while I’ve been working on new features and improvements for a while now, I wanted to give you all a quick look at what’s coming," developer Greg Styczeń, known as Slavic Magic, says in a blog post. "This is not a full changelog or final list—some of these things are still work-in-progress—but it should give you a good idea of where development is headed."

There are 13 updates coming to Manor Lords, including AI progress, approval reworks, an upkeep system, and pathfinding updates. In the future, the "AI can build and run its small village", approval will fluctuate less, buildings will need a smithy to help upkeep, and citizens will hopefully stop bumping into one another.

However, the most exciting news is about the expansion of the development team. "As Manor Lords has grown, so has the team behind it," Slavic Magic says. "What began as a solo project now includes a group of talented folks across programming, art, design, and AI.

"Since launch, we’ve welcomed Nathan (map design), Tom and Kurtis from Flix Interactive (programming), Niklas (AI), Basia (2D art), Nicolas (3D art), and Darren and James (game design). We’re also still working with QLOC for QA needs, and more folks are helping behind the scenes, such as Daniel. And of course—I'm still here too."

While some people may query the fact that Manor Lords was made by just one developer, it's exciting to see the team officially expand. This'll mean more consistent updates and more features, which is only ever a good thing.

Other features I'm excited about include the UI work, simply because I appreciate pretty things, and the new graphics, which incorporate manuscript-inspired art, are a brilliant touch. Additionally, there is river fishing: "If a region has a random pond resource node and a river, river fishing spots will replace the pond resource node." The images of villagers peacefully fishing are soothing for the soul.

It's been great watching Manor Lords go from strength to strength—the last great update added a gigantic hill in the middle of a new map so players could have the perfect motte and bailey spot to defend from pesky bandits and rival lords. I have no doubt that more fishing spots, prettier UI, and fewer collisions will also go a long way to making an already great game even better.