
Title screen for PoonQuest, the 2020 version of Atlyss.
ATLYSS has been in development since 2018, and has gone through 3 separate iterations prior to the most recent one that the majority of the playerbase knows. Development history is documented more thoroughly on the game's wiki, with official permission from KisSoft to share info about it.- Information on Iteration 1 is scarce, but from what little that's been shown publicly, it was gonna be an H-Game that played like a 2D Platform Game with RPG Elements. Originally envisioned as a "Spin-Off sequel" to a previous KisSoft title called ChangkaBang!, the only playable race at the time were Poons, who were called "Gewts" at that point in development. No playable version of this build exists publicly, but assets and footage of it were made accessible to Patreon members.
- Iteration 2 is more well-documented. Development on this iteration started in 2020, with the game having made the leap from 2D to 3D, shifting to a more Wide-Open Sandbox Action RPG, and was given the title of PoonQuest (though the name "ATLYSS" was also adopted for later builds of this iteration before being temporarily phased out). At this point in time, Character Customization was much more limited and Poons were still the only playable race; they notably averted Barbie Doll Anatomy by having four nipples, just like real rabbits. This iteration went through several different builds:
- In the builds that had test maps, the camera was fixed in a third-person perspective and combat was more primitive. Of note was a cave with two NPCs: a brown kobold
◊ modeled after a rather popular furry artist's OC called Piko (unrelated to the Kubolds that would be formally introduced in Iteration 3), and an early version of Angela Flux
◊ that somewhat resembles her final design, except she's as short as the player character, her halo is less intricate, and she's slightly more goat-like in appearance. - The first builds to feature a proper beginning had it be completely different; rather than spawning in the Sanctum, players would instead spawn in a coastal Noob Cave called the Poon Cove, which lead to a First Town called Old Bilsmando. Angela Flux is once againt present as an NPC, except, as pictured here
◊, her design is way different, not only wearing a different outfit but also appearing to be a Poon-like race. Eventually, this version of Angela Flux would end up being retooled into Vivian, with her being Angela's apprentice seemingly being a nod to this. Fast travel at this point was also done via the Sky Whale (a god-like entity that's depicted via statues and other iconography in modern versions but has yet to appear in-person) instead of portals, complete with an animation showing the Player Character riding atop of it.
- In the builds that had test maps, the camera was fixed in a third-person perspective and combat was more primitive. Of note was a cave with two NPCs: a brown kobold
- After Iteration 2 was scrapped, Iteration 3 began development in 2021, now going by the name Lyss: Everlust. The first playable build revealed the game to be a traditional turn-based Role-Playing Game, although it would eventually evolve into a Dungeon Crawling Action RPG. This build is also well-documented.
- While Poons (then-renamed to Puun, with the name "Byuun" also being considered) would (for the third time in a row) be the only playable race at first, later builds introduced new playable ones: The Yeppi
◊ (the original name for Kubolds, though they'd get two renames afterwards, those being "Zillard" and "Azora") and the Byrdles
◊ (which were stylized to the point of resembling a Cartoon Creature rather than the unambiguously anthropomorphic birds they are currently). The Chang were also planned to be a part of this iteration, but didn't make the cut, with assets for everything except the body and arms being Dummied Out. Imps wouldn't be implemented until Iteration 4, but the seeds for them can be seen in this one thanks to the rework that the Poons received only for this iteration, where they were established as a demonic race dedicated to causing chaos for the favor of their goddess. - Angela Flux once again returns in this iteration. As pictured here
◊ (warning: slightly Not Safe for Work), she still bears resemblance to her later Iteration 2 self, only she's now a Statuesque Stunner Kubold with very dark skin, an outfit with a Navel-Deep Neckline and Gag Boobs. The final version would consolidate elements from all of the Iteration 2 and 3 designs, with her new species, Oathkin, presenting elements of both Poons and Kubolds like her previous designs did.
- While Poons (then-renamed to Puun, with the name "Byuun" also being considered) would (for the third time in a row) be the only playable race at first, later builds introduced new playable ones: The Yeppi
- Iteration 4, the current one that players are most familiar with, started development in late 2022, and introduced many things that would become set in stone for when the game would go into Early Access in 2024. A lot changed in such a short period of time, however.
- Angela Flux, once again, got a drastic redesign
◊ that nonetheless more closely resembles her modern self; the main differences being that she's gone back to being barely taller than the Player Character, with both her outfit and characterization being more akin to a peppy Sexy Secretary than the caring Knight in Sour Armor she is currently. - At one point, Kiseff toyed with the idea of giving Angela a sister called Lilith, who'd have the function of attuning the World Portal to Player Versus Player zones while Angela attuned it to Player Versus Environment zones. The idea didn't go farther than a mention in a Patreon post in early 2023, however.
- Angela Flux, once again, got a drastic redesign
- At some indeterminate point in development, the decision was made to remove sex mechanics from the game entirely, making ATLYSS into a pure Action RPG with a Sex Sells edge.
