We have been working hard to formally add controller support and Steam Deck support for Bowmen. This game update includes many major changes to the game and UI that adds controller and Steam Deck support, however, there are still a few game bugs and kinks that need to be ironed out over the next few weeks. If you run into issues with this build, please let us know on the official Bowmen forums or here on Steam. Bugs will continue to be removed through minor patches as we find them. Once we feel we have ironed out all the bugs on the Deck, we will have the game reviewed by Valve so it can be Deck verified and provide another update. Until then, note that you may run into issues while playing on a Steam Deck. What's New?: Release Candidate (RC) v1.06.5 from v1.06.4

Major Game/Gameplay Changes

• Controller support has been added to the game! In the coming months we will be testing various different controller types and Bowmen on the Steam Deck. Steam Deck support is currently limited, but we hope to iron out any remaining bugs before the winter quarter 2022/2023.
• Critical hits and melee attacks will now display damage numbers with a little sparkle animation to give it more flair.
• A magic guard ability has been added to the game, which can be activated with the D key or the left bumper. Magic guarding will reduce damage you receive from projectiles and is dependent upon how much fortitude your character has.
• A woodlands bear has been added to the game, which will periodically jump out of the forest to help you and attack enemies.
• The loading bar now has an outline design to make it pop a little more.
• Bombs from Skeleton Knight enemies now substantially increase their damage to the player if not detonated at a safe distance. This damage increase is more substantial on higher difficulties. In addition, other enemies receive less damage from bombs on higher difficulties.
• The Skeleton Mage now spawns on earlier waves if the player is playing on Hell or Inferno difficulty. Spawns are the same for lower difficulties.
• Projectile damage from the Fel Bats has been increased as a function of difficulty. Their accuracy is reduced on lower difficulties, and increased on higher difficulties.
• Gold has been added to the game, which can be used to purchase skins. Players accumulate gold for each minion they kill.
• A "low health" animation has been added to the game that plays when your character is below 10% of their maximum health.
• A few new sound effects have been added to the game, such as an equip sound effect when the player's skin is changed in the menu.

Item Changes

• The Battleaxe of Kings has been added to the game, which gives your melee slashes life steal.

GUI Changes

• Equip and activation icons have been added to items that drop or are visible within your toolbar.
• Game icons will automatically swap from keyboard to gamepad if a controller is detected by the game engine.
• The GUI Icons on Onslaught have been increased in size so that they are more easily visible on the Steam Deck.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue whereby the text showing the remaining time on the Mark of the Barbarian would not be positioned properly if the player also had a Spirit Golem and Piece of Balrog Heart active.
• Fixed an issue where damage would affect the player but sometimes not display the damage text if the player's health was low.
• Fixed an issue where Akash would sometimes not spawn the Wizard under very rare circumstances.
• Fixed a bug where the player could pause during the death animation.

[ 2022-10-07 04:35:35 CET ] [ Original post ]

HOW LONG CAN YOU SURVIVE? Lord Pain has summoned his infernal minions once again to wreak havoc on the realms of men... As one of the last of the Bowmen, a long forgotten but elite Elven race that once guarded the living against this malevolent evil, you must conjure up your courage and venture forth toward the portal of doom to save mankind once again. With a bit of skill, a dash of luck, and the help of unusual accomplices, you may hold these demons off just long enough for the living to be saved and mankind to emerge victorious once again!

SURVIVE THE ONSLAUGHT OF A CARTOON HELL

Fight against Lord Pain's relentless armies in a single game mode called "onslaught", whereby enemies spawn in progressively more and more difficult waves the longer you stay alive. To succeed, you'll need to call upon allies for aid, equip unique items, use health potions, and decimate your foes by detonating powerful explosives.

Leveling up your character after each encounter will allow you to invest in player attributes that will improve your character's damage throughput and survivability, slowly allowing you to progress into more daunting and brow-sweating difficulties.

EQUIP UNIQUE ITEMS

Bowmen comes "equipped" (heh, see what I did there?) with a plethora of items that drop from enemies that have succumbed to your inescapable wrath. These items can improve your player's stats, grant you extra experience per kill, heal your character, or empower you with unique skills and abilities. Will you stick with a scroll that gives you some additional health regen, or will you drop it in favor of that sick legendary sword that will allow you to do maximum damage? The choice is yours!

EARLY ACCESS EXCLUSIVES

Completing specific objectives, performing feats of strength, or reaching high global ranks in Bowmen will unlock unique skins that will allow you to customize your character for a more personalized gaming experience. Starting with RC v1.04, as a token of our gratitude for supporting Bowmen during its early stages, players that purchase the game before its full release will be given the Panda skin, a unique skin that makes a menacing face whenever you get a double kill or greater during onslaught. Early Access backers will also unlock the Vanguard achievement, forever solidifying your Steam account as an Early Access supporter.

Early Access backers will also be providing key feedback to the developers that will shape how the game plays and feels. Those that provide us feedback during development will be given specific recognition in the game's credits once it launches.

FIGHT YOUR WAY TO THE TOP

Lastly, you can fight your way to the top of our leaderboards to earn exclusive bragging rights among your fellow archers! After each session of onslaught on Inferno difficulty, your score will automatically be submitted to Steam along with your character's name and your current level. If your score is higher than any of the scores within the top 1000 for that season, your score and rank will be shown in-game so that everyone will know their place relative to YOU in the Bowmen hierarchy!

Disclaimer: Bowmen is currently available through Steam Early Access, but is considered a work in progress and not representative of the final product. If you wish to play Bowmen in its current state and provide us with feedback, you may do so by purchasing a copy of the game and providing feedback on the Steam forums. For more information about Early Access, please see the Early Access Q&A above.