Fixed compatibility issues with OS updates
Improved performance during combat
Increased character movement speed
Increased party movement speed for Morph into Bats spell
Fixed character creation bug where skill points and name don't appear immediately
Fixed music fade bug during intro questions
Fixed small text/spacing issues

We're ready to push out the second part of some optimizations we've been testing to follow up with our last update.

Of note:

• Some maps causing occasional performance hiccups have been fixed
  
• Combat performance update
  
• Herbology UI has been updated
  
• Polymorph Wolf no longer utilizes range of missile weapons equipped
  
• Sound and Music levels balanced since last update
  
  

We're ready to push out the second part of some optimizations we've been testing to follow up with our last update.

Of note:

• Some maps causing occasional performance hiccups have been fixed
  
• Combat performance update
  
• Herbology UI has been updated
  
• Polymorph Wolf no longer utilizes range of missile weapons equipped
  
• Sound and Music levels balanced since last update
  
  

In celebration of the Winter Solstice and Necholai’s worst after party, we’re ready to release update 17! We’ve been poking at Shroomers and Serpent for a while now to optimize a lot of the behind-the-scenes systems, especially load times. The engine has been updated and with some heavy optimization to art and loading structures we’re looking at 60-70% speed increase. Maps should load in at ~5 seconds, depending on your system or how large the map is.

Besides that we’ve had some other system updates for stability and content tweaks listed below.

We have some art and content for the expansion, A Banquet For Fools, that we’re planning on releasing next year. There is the perfect amount of monks, mead and illuminated manuscripts.

Merry Christmas!
Joe & Hannah

Update log:

System

• Load time optimization
  
• Revamped ammunition system — for fringe cases of some equipped ammo disappearing on game loads
  

• Cursor can move off the edge of the screen in windowed mode in Windows
  

• Stabilized fringe cases of temporarily de-syncing party order in inventory screen when a member is removed in certain conversations
  
• Seraphim will allow you to retry to let him in your party after refusing him.
  
• Various dialogue and NPC inventory tweaks
  

In celebration of the Winter Solstice and Necholais worst after party, were ready to release update 17! Weve been poking at Shroomers and Serpent for a while now to optimize a lot of the behind-the-scenes systems, especially load times. The engine has been updated and with some heavy optimization to art and loading structures were looking at 60-70% speed increase. Maps should load in at ~5 seconds, depending on your system or how large the map is.

Besides that weve had some other system updates for stability and content tweaks listed below.

We have some art and content for the expansion, A Banquet For Fools, that were planning on releasing next year. There is the perfect amount of monks, mead and illuminated manuscripts.

Merry Christmas!
Joe & Hannah

Update log:

System

• Load time optimization
  
• Revamped ammunition system for fringe cases of some equipped ammo disappearing on game loads
  

• Cursor can move off the edge of the screen in windowed mode in Windows
  

• Stabilized fringe cases of temporarily de-syncing party order in inventory screen when a member is removed in certain conversations
  
• Seraphim will allow you to retry to let him in your party after refusing him.
  
• Various dialogue and NPC inventory tweaks
  

Below is the Greenlight link, we'd love your support getting it on Steam!

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=682999664

Also, one of the miniatures we'll be offering for the KS will be a Pasaaran Bloodless Hunter in all their 3d glory, we'll be sure to post a picture.

Cheers!

Below is the Greenlight link, we'd love your support getting it on Steam!

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=682999664

Also, one of the miniatures we'll be offering for the KS will be a Pasaaran Bloodless Hunter in all their 3d glory, we'll be sure to post a picture.

Cheers!

We're back and excited to share some information with you about the free Serpent in the Staglands expansion! Titled "A Fool's Banquet," the expansion takes place in the Lachovinian Isles in the aftermath of the Moon Lord's journey through the Staglands.

here. Right off the bat you might notice a few differences, one being the game is 3d. While we love pixel art, the move to 3d is necessary to create the interesting tactics that come from height and stealth, and opens up a lot mechanics that aren't available in a low resolution 2d game, like more accessibility in controls, UI and text. To keep the aesthetic as similar as possible and something we'll continue to enjoy working on, we've chosen a 3d style that utilizes the same filterless textures as pixel art, and are really happy with how it's turning out. We'll have some images throughout the year for you to check out the new Vol, now in full 3d!

Features

The Burning Ruleset includes the following features:

• A volumetric line of sight
  
• Light and shadow system with dynamic lights for sneaking movement
  
• Fully climbable and traversable height
  
• Isometric view with four direction camera
  
• AI with environmental tactics as well as last known position indicators
  
• Turn based combat with timed resolution
  
• Ailment based health system
  
• Multi-species companions
  
• Inventory items with a range of uses in and out of combat
  
• Global clock with time of day lighting
  

We're back and excited to share some information with you about the free Serpent in the Staglands expansion! Titled "A Fool's Banquet," the expansion takes place in the Lachovinian Isles in the aftermath of the Moon Lord's journey through the Staglands.

here. Right off the bat you might notice a few differences, one being the game is 3d. While we love pixel art, the move to 3d is necessary to create the interesting tactics that come from height and stealth, and opens up a lot mechanics that aren't available in a low resolution 2d game, like more accessibility in controls, UI and text. To keep the aesthetic as similar as possible and something we'll continue to enjoy working on, we've chosen a 3d style that utilizes the same filterless textures as pixel art, and are really happy with how it's turning out. We'll have some images throughout the year for you to check out the new Vol, now in full 3d!

Features

The Burning Ruleset includes the following features:

• A volumetric line of sight
  
• Light and shadow system with dynamic lights for sneaking movement
  
• Fully climbable and traversable height
  
• Isometric view with four direction camera
  
• AI with environmental tactics as well as last known position indicators
  
• Turn based combat with timed resolution
  
• Ailment based health system
  
• Multi-species companions
  
• Inventory items with a range of uses in and out of combat
  
• Global clock with time of day lighting
  

Earlier this month we were on , listed as: "The Scroll of Histories: Serpent in the Staglands". We thought that was very neat and we wanted to share the article with you, and the whole thing is a very fun read if you hadn't seen it yet, check it out.



As we close out the year we wanted to say thanks to everyone who supported us with feedback and played Serpent in the Staglands since the release in May! We wanted to post some information on the free expansion, but decided we could do better with a proper reveal with more actual content early next year. Big changes coming to Vol that we think you'll enjoy! So expect some news on that and Copper Dreams , as well as a small Vol chronology site which will house content on the different campaigns happening in it.

Hope all you Spicers have a wonderful new year!

Cheers

Earlier this month we were on , listed as: "The Scroll of Histories: Serpent in the Staglands". We thought that was very neat and we wanted to share the article with you, and the whole thing is a very fun read if you hadn't seen it yet, check it out.



As we close out the year we wanted to say thanks to everyone who supported us with feedback and played Serpent in the Staglands since the release in May! We wanted to post some information on the free expansion, but decided we could do better with a proper reveal with more actual content early next year. Big changes coming to Vol that we think you'll enjoy! So expect some news on that and Copper Dreams , as well as a small Vol chronology site which will house content on the different campaigns happening in it.

Hope all you Spicers have a wonderful new year!

Cheers

There are some late game encounters and enemies that have been tweaked to add difficulty and some resistances, along with an overhaul of smaller changes and improvements to many of the spells.

The update list below is a bit long, but besides the gameplay/quest updates, most of it is spell tweaks we've been wanting to fix up. Many of these have just had updated language in their descriptions to be more accurate to their output ( like removing proc/duration for spells that end when casting stops), while others had various stability changes or tweaks to their math. You shouldn't see anything that abruptly changes builds, but improvements overall.

* Note: The Balance section has some spoilers of enemies in the game

Update log:

UI

• Added diagonal direction option to keys (can hold two at once)
  
• Various spelling updates in conversations and items
  

• Trap re-loading bug in Lumen Caverns fixed
  
• Kyrilu dialog endless loop fixed
  
• Cave Journal in Ista Cale populates as normal under all conditions
  

• Spider summons do less poison damage
  
• Goblin summons: -1 Dex
  
• Ista Cale Manor and Lighthouse Guards AC, Dex, and Str upgrades
  
• Octavian & Mya stat upgrades all around
  
• Ice Spider AC upgrade
  
• Slavers: Dex upgrade
  
• Slaver Cook: Str upgrade
  
• Fighting Pits: various Str, Occ upgrades for opponents
  

• Nauseate: Cast times updated
  
• Strangling Vines: Cast times update
  
• Searing Light: initiates hostility
  
• Siphon Poisons: skill and proc times now accurately affecting each other
  
• Arcane Attack: displays all hit information in game feed, small tweaks
  
• Feverish Haze: proc inconsistencies fixed
  
• Arcane Shield: Description update
  
• Festering Ooze: Description update
  
• Morph Into Cat: Description update
  
• Morph Into Bats: Movement speed updates, INT-dependent
  
• Polymorph into Wolf: weapons disappear under all situations now, duration time fix, various tweaks
  
• Hallucinogen: Fixed disappearing enemies (if they travel off screen from fleeing and return)
  
• Foul Creep: Stat affliction now works under all circumstances
  
• Amplify: augments cast speed as expected
  
• Shimmering Scales: Math update
  
• Blood Cocoon: Math tweak for healing output
  
• Parasitic Orb: General and duration updates
  
• Planar Jump: Damage fix for all situations on use
  
• Turn to Stone: loops spell cast on miss now (instead of stopping), game feed updated to reflect
  
• Magic Shield: Protections end as expected, various stability updates and description in game feed
  

There are some late game encounters and enemies that have been tweaked to add difficulty and some resistances, along with an overhaul of smaller changes and improvements to many of the spells.

The update list below is a bit long, but besides the gameplay/quest updates, most of it is spell tweaks we've been wanting to fix up. Many of these have just had updated language in their descriptions to be more accurate to their output ( like removing proc/duration for spells that end when casting stops), while others had various stability changes or tweaks to their math. You shouldn't see anything that abruptly changes builds, but improvements overall.

* Note: The Balance section has some spoilers of enemies in the game

Update log:

UI

• Added diagonal direction option to keys (can hold two at once)
  
• Various spelling updates in conversations and items
  

• Trap re-loading bug in Lumen Caverns fixed
  
• Kyrilu dialog endless loop fixed
  
• Cave Journal in Ista Cale populates as normal under all conditions
  

• Spider summons do less poison damage
  
• Goblin summons: -1 Dex
  
• Ista Cale Manor and Lighthouse Guards AC, Dex, and Str upgrades
  
• Octavian & Mya stat upgrades all around
  
• Ice Spider AC upgrade
  
• Slavers: Dex upgrade
  
• Slaver Cook: Str upgrade
  
• Fighting Pits: various Str, Occ upgrades for opponents
  

• Nauseate: Cast times updated
  
• Strangling Vines: Cast times update
  
• Searing Light: initiates hostility
  
• Siphon Poisons: skill and proc times now accurately affecting each other
  
• Arcane Attack: displays all hit information in game feed, small tweaks
  
• Feverish Haze: proc inconsistencies fixed
  
• Arcane Shield: Description update
  
• Festering Ooze: Description update
  
• Morph Into Cat: Description update
  
• Morph Into Bats: Movement speed updates, INT-dependent
  
• Polymorph into Wolf: weapons disappear under all situations now, duration time fix, various tweaks
  
• Hallucinogen: Fixed disappearing enemies (if they travel off screen from fleeing and return)
  
• Foul Creep: Stat affliction now works under all circumstances
  
• Amplify: augments cast speed as expected
  
• Shimmering Scales: Math update
  
• Blood Cocoon: Math tweak for healing output
  
• Parasitic Orb: General and duration updates
  
• Planar Jump: Damage fix for all situations on use
  
• Turn to Stone: loops spell cast on miss now (instead of stopping), game feed updated to reflect
  
• Magic Shield: Protections end as expected, various stability updates and description in game feed
  

Now featuring AAA graphics.

Update 15 has a few small fixes, a UI update, and a new accessibility option: there's now a new graphics setting you can access within a game (this will save on start up next time you play) that will smooth out the pixels. It's not a perfect system and may cause a few graphical hiccups, but does a pretty neat job of smoothing pixels together, so if you were having issues reading the text over long periods of time it may help!

This setting requires a shader model 3.0 compatible GPU, along with playing the game in at least 200% or 300% scale, obviously we can't do anything when you're playing at actual pixel-level resolutions.

Change-log below:

UI

• Smooth Pixel option added which blends pixels edges and creates smoother text and 'oil painted' effect on the art.
  
• Implemented a smoother scroll for the dialogue menu
  
• FIXED player selection hot keys interrupting incantation typing
  
• Missiles listed more accurately as 0d2 instead of +2 in inventory descriptions
  
• new Game Tips
  

• FIXED locked door in Hallowed Doors after saving
  
• FIXED Mikalus is in Lebez after leaving your party
  
• FIXED Kreel can use Quick Strike upon joining your party
  

• FIXED NPC spell casting aimed at target instead of location to left when casting Magic Shield
  
• FIXED Snapping Muscle potions working as expected
  

Now featuring AAA graphics.

Update 15 has a few small fixes, a UI update, and a new accessibility option: there's now a new graphics setting you can access within a game (this will save on start up next time you play) that will smooth out the pixels. It's not a perfect system and may cause a few graphical hiccups, but does a pretty neat job of smoothing pixels together, so if you were having issues reading the text over long periods of time it may help!

This setting requires a shader model 3.0 compatible GPU, along with playing the game in at least 200% or 300% scale, obviously we can't do anything when you're playing at actual pixel-level resolutions.

Change-log below:

UI

• Smooth Pixel option added which blends pixels edges and creates smoother text and 'oil painted' effect on the art.
  
• Implemented a smoother scroll for the dialogue menu
  
• FIXED player selection hot keys interrupting incantation typing
  
• Missiles listed more accurately as 0d2 instead of +2 in inventory descriptions
  
• new Game Tips
  

• FIXED locked door in Hallowed Doors after saving
  
• FIXED Mikalus is in Lebez after leaving your party
  
• FIXED Kreel can use Quick Strike upon joining your party
  

• FIXED NPC spell casting aimed at target instead of location to left when casting Magic Shield
  
• FIXED Snapping Muscle potions working as expected
  

Come join us to talk about Serpent in the Staglands and whatever else Shane would like to talk about out tomorrow! Live!

1:05 PM CST Saturday
Little Rock: 96.5FM

Edit: Download version available here: http://shaneplays.com/podcast-episode-10-serpent-in-the-shanelands/

Cheers!

Keep up with news, updates and future games from Whalenought on our blog
Or on Twitter!

Come join us to talk about Serpent in the Staglands and whatever else Shane would like to talk about out tomorrow! Live!

1:05 PM CST Saturday
Little Rock: 96.5FM

Edit: Download version available here: http://shaneplays.com/podcast-episode-10-serpent-in-the-shanelands/

Cheers!

Keep up with news, updates and future games from Whalenought on our blog
Or on Twitter!

Francisco of Vox Ludi has written a thorough write-up of Serpent in the Staglands and his experiences. If you’re on the fence or wondering about the game, check it out! Full link after some choice quotes we enjoyed:

“Like the seafaring Amethyvians that worship Necholai, Serpent in the Staglands’ foremost quality is its ambition, which looms like a mountain over the smaller hills that are its flaws. If you choose to venture into the peninsula, I tell you this: the Staglands are a dangerous place, and the carrion god takes mortals and gods alike.”

“This lack of hand-holding and the multitude of applications you can give to your aptitudes lend the game a truly pen-and-paper role-playing game feel, leaning not only on its choices, writing and story to summon this feeling but on the fact that you have many tools you can put to use throughout the game.”

Link to full review

Cheers!

Keep up with news, updates and future games from Whalenought on our blog
Or on Twitter!

BuzzKirill on Deviantart made a wonderful piece from the game, you can check out more of his work here!


Small update featuring some text and item updates, augmented enemy poison, and some skill/spell updates. This is currently available for all platforms on Steam, patches for standalone (and GOG), and GOG proper will be up probably Monday.

But first – what’s next before the expansion!

Our next update we’re looking into an option we have for a post-effect that will reduce the sharp edges in the art — for those of you who have mentioned having strained eyes over a period of time due to the zoom level, this should profoundly help with that. It’s similar to what some graphic drivers and DOS-emulators can do where it blends the pixels together as a sort of noise-reduction. Should be neat for those who’d like to toggle that and see Vol in smooth, fancy visuals!

Our current solution for that requires Shader Model 3.0 for your graphic driver. So while this will be a toggle in the options, you’ll need (generally) Nvidia cards since 2004, AMD from 2005, and Intel from 2006 to make it work. We’re still testing out options for that, and will make an official announcement if we add that in! We’ll also work on updating the skill/spell tables back into the website.
Along with new content and gameplay mechanics, the expansion will have any of the heavier tweaks we may need for skills/spells, along with grade 4. Well have more information on that later this year when we announce it!
Main patch notes:

• Enemy Posions — changed:
  FROM procing every 5 seconds, 5 rounds at 1d5
  TO procing every 3 seconds, 10 rounds at 1d8.
  
  
• SKILL: Rapid Draw: working as expected in all circumstances
  
  
• SPELL: Arcane Shield: Spell has changed to reflect description (OCC changed to FullOCC)
  
  
• SPELL: Amplify: if stopped during recasting, there is a fringe case where it could stack or stay over the course of the map — fixed.
  
  
• Racial Trait: Disciples: There was an issue where this could override other health boosts from stat distribution during character creation – fixed.
  
  
• SKILL: Pin Shot: fixed description error
  
  
• Gameplay: Possible fix for a fringe case where enemies (who can initiate dialogue) are killed, with auto-pause on (with enemy sighted / not in combat), and are disabled from executing their deaths. Fix in place.
  
  
• Racial Trait: Faithful: description error updated
  
  
• ITEM: Inquisitor Mask updated with description stats
  
  
• UI tweak for Auto-pause toggle appearing correctly
  
  
• Various spelling errors fixed
  
  
• COMPANION: Serafim had a hole in his dialogue events where you could get him in your party after talking to him twice without the necessary Nobility points.
  
  
• Secret room in Hallowed Doors ground visual fixed.
  

Niche Gamer hosted a thorough review of Serpent in the Staglands worth checking out! Link below image and snippet that made us laugh.



"Most of the world’s people are either one foot in the grave or mentally deranged. You have corrupt government officials, a woodworker that tells you about his torture fetish, and bounty hunters who are just as happy to clear out a cave of thieves as they are murdering you for your spare coins. There is very little help to be found in the Staglands."

Full review here!

v.13 Live

We've updated some remaining kinks, notes below. This is currently up on Steam and our stand-alone version for updating, and GOG most likely Monday when they are back in the office.

V.13 updates:


UI

• Various spelling/grammar updates for Inv items and dialogue
  
  
• Targeting consistency with AI OFF updated - only targeted enemies will be attacked, rather than toggling an attack state. Also fixed various other fringe cases with targeting walk or enemies to follow through as expected.
  
  
• Issue with Fuldea Mare crossing getting visually removed from overworld map fixed
  
  
• Duke of Whales text conversation loop fixed
  
  
• If stat numbers get too low they turned into decimals, fixed
  
  
• Fixed potential issue with arrow count dropping to zero transitional or saving hiccup
  
  
• Fixed issue with Gabi where she wouldn't display correct dialogue if talked to prior to getting quest
  

• SPELL [Morph into Fiend] displays appropriate game feed info on proc
  
  
• SPELL [Siphon Poisons] game feed display updated
  
  
• Fixed issue with Seismic Swing not displaying/working correctly
  
  
• Fixed fringe issue when polymorphing while polymorphed or interaction and equipment not being usable again
  

• Goblin King - removed instance where you could submit Necholai
  
  
• Fixed ending scenario with companions being visual where they shouldn't
  
  
• Fixed a few various quest saving issues if saving/reloading during interactions [Bruul, Lumen Targ Constable, Kreel]
  
  
• Kreel conversation issue in Hallowed Doors fixed
  
  
• Fixed interaction issue with Bloodless prior to polymorph
  
  
• Fixed an issue where there were two clickable locations for a corpse's head on the ground in Lebez, now just the one is there and is easily clickable, the empty one made that difficult to get right
  
  
• If traveling with certain requirements to Lev, only Southern guard gives XP as expected (removed Northern XP gain)
  
  
• Fixed issue in Fuldea Mare crossing with the rope-use to descend where it removed >1, now just removes one to be used.
  
  
• Nobility bookshelf in a Fuldea Mare Crossing Ruin fixed for use with 5 Nobility
  
  
• Fixed visual issues with FOW visual size and night-effect if changing or selecting characters within inside/outside sub-maps during night or day. Visuals as expected now
  
  
• Fixed issue with adding some Companions more than once or twice after removing (without binding)
  
  
• Fixed loot issue where some enemies drop rates were too high (harvesters and some other various non-critical drops)
  

"Serpent in the Staglands is a little gem and a great new entrance to the old school RPG renaissance. It has an excellent RPG rule system and a wonderful, magical and unique world."



The very nice folks at Ragequit.gr took the time to settle into Vol and review Serpent in the Staglands, and gave it a very mechanically in-depth and thorough review! We'll put this on our fridge.

Check it out! It's worth a read, or in our case a translate, for anyone on the fence and it's a very knowledgeable overview. Many mentions of questmarker-dependent lads need not apply made us chuckle.

http://ragequit.gr/reviews/item/serpent-in-the-staglands-pc-review

Kickstarter Update!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1649838104/serpent-in-the-staglands/posts/1268581

What ho, backers!

We wanted to do a quick update thanking all our backers and all our new players for the post launch support!

[video in Kickstarter link above]

We’ve gotten emails and messages from a lot of you saying how happy you are to play a non-modern designed RPG like this, and some wonderful support from a lot of you spreading the word that the game is our there! It's been a pleasure to be able to design something like this, and while we'll refine our processes, this reception has made it clear that there is still an audience for RPGs with a learning curve, and we hope to cater to them for as long as we can.

The game is looking better than ever with our last update, and we’ve just been adding some UI suggestions and ideas some users have had every so often now, so if you haven’t played it yet or have been waiting, now’s definitely the time to jump in!

We’ve had such great help from you all the past month, from helping get the word around about the game to helping with finding any issues, and we really think it has embodied a lot of what the Kickstarter experience can be for small developers like us — a project, a game like this, really couldn’t have easily been made in reasonable time without your funds and support. We built this together, and with that support we'll continue to be able to make these kinds of games for you in the future. We’re so grateful for all the people that helped out and gave impressions and feedback throughout development and after, it’s been an exhausting year but we've learned a tremendous amount and are eagerly looking forward to the future. After a short hop to the west coast, (Whalenought is moving to Seattle!) we'll be right back in business and onto some real fun things we're excited to share with you.

Marketing without an easy button

While we've had and cherished a modest amount of user reviews, marketing continues to be a bit tough — it’s a game without an easy mode, and journalists can’t just jump in and make quick impressions, and we think that makes it difficult to get those early impressions reviews. We hear of a few folks that attempted that and got whiplashed with a learning curve like they haven't seen in years, which though kind of humorous to hear about, does filter the reviewers down to gamers that have patience, which is of course an incredibly slimming population. But learning to play and learning the world is part of the game, and a part we're really proud of.

Try to sit me in front of an Ultima again and I’m going to need an hour just to learn the ins and outs of controls and how to interact with the world in all the various ways — but that’s part of it — it’s a game with learning, not just consumption like television — learning the game world is kind of lost in a lot of RPGs today, and it’s something that makes it so much more engaging. Hearing people's accomplishments of navigating the Hallowed Doors to traversing the death-bog is as much an accomplishment for us, and we're thrilled when we hear about people enjoying them. Games are certainly much easier to consume if you’re just jumping to conversation to quest with knowing exactly what to do, but we think that can get a little tired and misses something we love so much, which is the exploration of the world and how to win it.

There’s a few wonderful reviewers that have contacted us saying they are really taking their time to finish the game prior to reviewing, and their initial playtime just wasn’t enough, they needed to actually finish it. Beyond exceptional journalism, we think that’s a testament to our open ended story and player explored world — it’s really about the whole experience, your whole adventure, and a couple hours getting stomped by foxes and wolves and learning how spells work isn’t really scratching the surface.

While our next project will refine this, and maybe present this in a more sophisticated way, the ‘learning the world’ design is a philosophy and foundation we'll continue to use for all our games. It’s a concept we've heard a wonderful response for, and we'd love to fill that demand in new and fun ways in future games — we'll never take our p&p-inspired RPG roots and cater them to a modern audience for as long as we have an audience to continue.

Expansion

A lot of you have asked about the expansion, and while we can’t give you concrete details on a release and of course don’t want to spoil anything (for those of you who haven’t guessed who the antagonist is), we can assure you it will be available to anyone who purchased the game, and will be automatically added with a (big) update. You’ll be able to jump right into it with that final save, so if you’ve beaten the game you can just continue on right there. The expansion update will feature a few new systems, and include Grade 4 Skills and Spells along with any rebalancing needed for the core game.

The expansion content is in the works, but we’ve been listening to players on what they like and want more of, and have already begun adjusting some things to fit that. We love hearing these ideas and building this game’s world mechanics, and the expansion will likely be the last time we visit Vol for a while so we want to end it on a wonderful note.

We’ll have more announcements and blog posts on that in the coming months while we’re in full-development of it!

Art Book

The art book is finished and we’ll be sending that to everyone this weekend! It got a little bigger than we expected, but with just the two of us we had plenty of tidbits to share after living under a rock for a year developing the game. If you’re interested in art, process, our concepts for story structure or inane knowledge of Whalenought and development, give it a look through! It’s got lots of pretty pictures.

THE FUTURE

Like we mentioned in the video, we'll be trying to get some of you awesome players and community members on board earlier to help and give feedback for future projects. We'll have a more formal announcement regarding that on our website later this year, so if you're interested in getting some early looks and giving feedback we'd love your help! Our website will be updated soon with a blog, which will go into some design, technical, and random details of the Whalenought adventure, and we'll of course continue to be active on the forums.

As always, if you have any feedback, suggestions or comments feel free to email us or message us. We look forward to providing you with more crpgs for many years to come, thank you again for making that possible.

Cheers!

Hannah & Joe

V.11 includes user requested UI additions for ease-of-use and a slew of other minor updates! Steam available, patches up, and full-games available for standalone download shortly, and GOG should be getting in tomorrow:

UI addition/suggestions:

• Updated Spellbook and Warbook with procing information (numbered the every “X”)
  
• Selecting [existing] save field no longer has blank save slot name
  
• Tooltip updates for AI functionality update to reflect states (passive, aggressive, off)
  
• AI-off — targets now continue to attack targets
  
• Nobility crests ease-of-use update for various functionality, brainwashed now follow you longer
  
• Racial traits now visually display in game feed when used, not just character sheet
  
• Incantation ease-of-use update: curses now show up in game feed!
  
• Rally and other on-start Warbook skills now even easier to use – now trigger when a character just attacks target (swings or shoots missile).
  
• Missile damage additions now show up in Physical Damage
  
• Traps now have a hover state for easier selecting when disarming
  

• Ethereal weapon now adding [INT] mod where intended
  
• Philosophy stat-check skill could display stacked amounts of stats for enemies if continually checked, fixed to display relevant only
  
• post-polymorph armor set may not (visually) return as normal, fixed
  
• Incantation for citrine now working as intended
  
• Backup if something occurs wrong during saving/loading for NPC inventories – critical items will now always verify on load
  
• A couple items could be ‘consumed’ if right clicked that shouldn’t have been, fixed
  
• Various item description updates to reflect stats
  
• Couple modifier issues with Zana Spell fixed
  
• Cat and Bat Polymorph spell descriptions updated
  
• Autopause now works with NPC’s that turn hostile during conversation
  
• Darius’s fox now loads in correctly if saved nearby
  
• Some traps didn’t save correctly before or after discovery, fixed
  
• Companion Notol gains relevant XP like other companions when joining party
  
• Fixed issue when polymorphing at the end of the game
  
• Various art-tweaks and layering in maps
  
• A dresser in Orf’s Bridge Inn now locked appropriately
  

We finished up converting the online manual to pdf format you can download, and have that available on our site below its digital self:

http://serpentinthestaglands.com/manual

GOG users: you can also grab it from the game package when they put it up on there.

We'll update this with any relevant changes to UI if needed, but specifically update it again when the expansion is released, as that will have some additional mechanics and adventuring information.

Also, for those that missed it, the previous update 8 change log is here:

http://serpentinthestaglands.com/community/forums/topic/update-8/

Cheers!

Patch 6 primary updates include:

• Lumen Cavern location with island camera boundaries fixed along with save issue for character there (will retroactively fix your game if he was missing).
  
  
• An issue with traps that could arise while detecting and disarming fixed
  
  
• An issue with Foul Creep that could arise that made it difficult to target has been fixed, will target and hit as normal
  
  
• Oil traps now sell for appropriate amount
  
  
• Ending can account for having a full party of avatars properly now
  
  
• Conversation with Ista Cale constable fixed with accusation option ending correctly
  
  
• Lev over-world ambush maps now always have Crawlers spawn correctly if chosen for ambush
  
  
• Lev Soldier repeatable conversation fixed [Windows]
  
  
• Given correct items by Hunters now when following that arc
  
  
• Issues that could arise with Linguistics pick pocketing power words now working as intended
  
  
• Pillar entrances near ruins now only open as intended
  
  
• Polymorphing and moving between overworld (or loaded) maps triggers characters to return to normal first
  
  
• Spell issue with Planar Jump for some players now resolved, skill points save correctly on level up
  
  
• In westernmost lighthouse you can now leave through main door from the inside
  
  
• Agile Fighting skill (when equipped) during level up now fixed
  
  
• overall EXP reduction for killing enemies
  
  
• small rebalance of some mid-late game enemies for added STR, DEX, OCC
  

• overall less AC acquired by Shield Mastery — changing to a flat increase with 1d(Skill Point)
  
• reducing spell buff potency from some like Amplify
  
• more magic damage for damage dealing spells like Searing Light, healing spells effectiveness reduction
  
• enemy rebalancing for more difficulty mid to late game
  

Patch 5 primary updates include:

• Scene load fix affecting some Windows and Linux users
  
• Inventory Item typos fixed
  
• Rumin Ruins map exit point fix
  
• Tratis Saltis inner-tower exit point fix
  
• Selection-box fix if using quick-inventory
  
• Window resizing (when in window mode) now saves through scenes
  
• Hallowed Doors art fix in sub-outside area