When attempting to load the game, after a recent bug patch in the new version of the Demo, the recently-updated 171st Street Games logo splash was failing to load correctly, causing a game crash immediately upon launch. This was brought to my attention and has been fixed. The game should load properly now and the updated version of the logo splash can be viewed in all its splendor.

While developing other Chapters of the full game, some changes were made concerning expanding the world's lore, including some new NPCs and altering some existing ones to fit some new story elements that are going to be in the complete story, and one major update:

The Skills system has been completely overhauled. The names and hierarchy of the different types of Skills has been refined, streamlined, and given its own suffix-based tier system for Magic-based Skills that is unique to this universe.

There are also brand new Skill animations during battle to reflect updated Skills that have been added to the game, and the labeling of "Skill Points" as "SP" is now completely consistent throughout the game (there are no more accidental appearances of the former "MP" for Magic Points abbreviation).

Please enjoy the brand new [i]Chapter 1 Demo - Refined Edition[\i] and enjoy what's been added and changed. Meanwhile, I'm hard at work developing the full game and soon to be doing a round of testing for a couple of the game's Chapters.

Find me on Twitch and Discord at https://www.171stStreetGames.com if you're interested in being a tester!

Up until now, in the Firebird: Legend of the Crystal Goddesses Chapter 1 Demo, completing Chapter 1 would only show one cutscene that takes place between Chapter 1 ending and Chapter 2 beginning, and then roll the credits.

Now, if players complete ALL 12 MERCENARY CONTRACTS (this includes the optional contracts that become available around halfway through Chapter 1), then a second cutscene will be unlocked that will play after the Credits.

Until now, I had only meant for this cutscene to appear in the full game, and just leave the Demo off where it was. But I decided there should be some extra reward for completing all of the Contracts.

So get out there and help those citizens of Regatul!

After removing post-Chapter 1 graphical assets from the Demo's files to avoid any spoiler information being present, there was an asset that was accidentally removed that shouldn't have been. That asset has been put back, and the game no longer crashes when you enter Monica's Tavern. Everything should be working smoothly again.