Regarding the Removal of the Hourglass
Hello Commanders, This is I M GAME.
We realized that our previous update announcement didn't fully explain the reasoning behind the changes. So we'd like to take this opportunity to share some more details about why we decided to remove the Hourglass and our thoughts behind this decision.
Why Was the Hourglass Introduced?
The Hourglass was first introduced in October 2025.
At the time, Master of Piece didn't have a conventional Save & Load system. Instead, we introduced an item that gave players a limited number of opportunities to restart battles from the beginning.
Ideally, we wanted players to complete their expeditions without relying on Save & Load. However, we also didn't want a simple misclick or a single strategic misjudgment to ruin an entire run.
That's why, rather than implementing a separate Save & Load system, we introduced the Hourglass as a way to give players limited opportunities to restart battles.
Our Thoughts on Save & Load
Save & Load has long been a topic of debate in roguelikes and turn-based strategy games.
Some believe that even a player's mistakes should be part of the experience, while others believe players should be able to undo mistakes or retry difficult battles.
Both approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Without Save & Load | With Save & Load | |
|---|---|---|
Gameplay | Since mistakes carry consequences, players need to carefully consider every decision. Every move counts. | |
Pros | Decisions carry more weight, creating greater tension and immersion. | More accessible, with less pressure and fatigue. |
Cons | Gameplay can feel demanding and exhausting. | Being able to undo decisions may reduce tension and immersion. |
As you can see, whether a game allows Save & Load can significantly change the experience. That's why some games allow it, while others intentionally restrict it.
We don't believe either approach is necessarily right or wrong. We think it depends on the experience developers want to create and the way players prefer to enjoy their games.
Our original vision for Master of Piece has always been for players to complete their expeditions without relying on Save & Load.
We value the experience of making meaningful decisions and overcoming unexpected situations, even when things don't go as planned.
At the same time, we understand that not everyone enjoys this level of tension.
Some players enjoy accepting the consequences of their mistakes, while others may find it frustrating to lose hours of progress because of a simple misclick.
Others might find more enjoyment in freely experimenting with different strategies rather than worrying about the risk of failure.
We wanted to respect these different approaches to playing the game.
So, What's Changed?
With the September Update, we've removed the Hourglass and instead changed the save system so that, much like other deckbuilding roguelikes, your progress is now saved at the beginning of each Battle Event and Building Event.
If you make a mistake during an event or want to try a different approach, you can return to the Main Menu and continue your expedition to restart that event from the beginning.
Unlike the Hourglass, which had a limited number of uses, this new method has no usage limit. We haven't removed the ability to retry battles. Instead, we've made it easier for a wider range of players to give them another try without as much pressure.
Of course, we understand that some players enjoyed using the Hourglass as a strategic resource, and we recognize the appeal of that approach as well.
However, as mentioned earlier, our intended experience is still for players to complete their expeditions without relying on Save & Load, living with the consequences of their decisions.
We believe the tension and sense of accomplishment that come from overcoming those challenges are an important part of what makes Master of Piece enjoyable.
But if the tension we intended ever feels a little too overwhelming…
You're more than welcome to use "that" method if you prefer.
After all, there's no single right way to enjoy a game.
We know this change may not satisfy everyone's preferences, but we hope it allows more players to enjoy Master of Piece in their own way while preserving the experience we originally envisioned.
We'll continue listening to your feedback as we work to improve the game.
Patch Notes — Version 1.7.1
Before we wrap up, we'd also like to share the bug fixes and improvements included in Patch 1.7.1.
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where the description of the relic "Sharp Scissors" did not match its actual effect.
Other Changes
Improved the functionality of the combat items "Tome of Calling," "Tome of Resurrection," and "Tome of Circulation."
Thank you, as always, for your valuable feedback and continued support.
I M GAME
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