Hello everyone,

If you didn't know, I have a on which I occasionally post dev blogs and my thoughts about game development and my work on The Doors of Trithius.

For the upcoming update, I've been working on a new kind of monster behavior to add an interesting twist to a new dungeon.

Enjoy and let me know what you think.

[previewyoutube=Uugl0CU3GGw;full][/previewyoutube]

[h2]v0.5.6b[/h2]

• Fixed quest markers not appearing up on the overworld map.
  
• Fixed Gremlin Trapmaster appearing one tile north of where he is actually standing.

This is a smaller update with some initial changes to towns and handful of other items.

Save files from v0.5.5 are compatible.

[h2]Aggression Indicator[/h2]
All creatures now show a red exclamation when they become aggressive towards the player.

If a creature loses sight of the player and sees them again after, the icon will show again.

[h2]Civilian clothes[/h2]
Added 30+ new clothing items for civilians and governors.

• Civilians in each of the three human factions dress with their own distinctive look.
  
• The new clothing types can also be found at Clothing shops.

• Massively reduced the view distance of gremlins; Brute 7 -> 3, Experimenter 8 -> 5, Flinger 7 -> 4, Grunt 6 -> 3, Sergent 8 -> 4, Vile Gremlin 7 -> 5.
  
• Added new creature: "Gremlin Butcher", along with their new dropped item "Bloody Cleaver".
  
• Wild Turkey's are no longer aggressive by default. Instead, they have a small chance to become aggressive when a target is nearby, and will stop attacking if not being hit back.
  
• Gold's item icon now changes based on how much gold you have.
  
• Wild Turkey - increased chance to drop feather and raw meat.

• Fixed harvested plants not refreshing, even when enough time had passed for them to reset.
  
• Fixed bones & blood not being removed from the ground over time.
  
• Fixed jump ability allowing you to jump beyond the max distance.
  
• Fixed rare crash which happens when the game window height resets.

[h2]v0.5.5b[/h2]

• Fixed cooking stations not working when loaded from a save file from the previous version.
  
• Fixed crash when upgrading or using an upgraded "jump" ability.
  
• Fixed "Test Sword" item inadvertently spawning in shop inventories (if it's already spawned it will stay until the shop refreshes).

Keyboard controls for all interactions with the game world including ability targeting, looting, and talking to NPCs.

Also included are bug fixes and improvements to how the game manages memory.

Save files from v0.5.4 are compatible.

[h2]Visual Effects[/h2]
Enhanced targeting visuals: Animations now clearly indicate which targets will be affected by an ability.


Player path animations updated:


[h2]Keyboard Targeting[/h2]
All abilities can now target using keyboard controls.

• Use numpad directional keys to move the target cursor.
  
• Press [Tab] to cycle through potential targets.

• Use [T] to talk to any adjacent NPCs.
  
• Use [G] to access any adjacent lootable containers.
  
• Use [E] to interact with any object, such as workbenches or beds. Also can be used to loot.
  
• If multiple options are available, target selection is activated. Use [Tab] to cycle through targets and [E] to select.

• Memory management improvements: the game now only loads the current dungeon floor into memory, significantly reducing overall memory usage and improving performance on systems with limited memory.
  
• If an error occurs while saving a zone, it will now be logged and reported to the user. Previously save file failures would go unnoticed until an attempt to load a corrupted file was made.
  
• Nerfed Gremlin Experimenter: reduced maximum health from 105 to 65 and burn chance from 15% to 12%.

• Fixed a bug causing ring duplication.
  
• Fixed an issue where rings could get stuck and become unequippable.
  
• Fixed player summons disappearing when entering a new zone.
  
• Addressed several issues related to time simulation when entering a zone, which caused some entities to skip turns. This issue made them vulnerable to attacks without the ability to move or retaliate.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed crash during faction battles.
  
• Fixed in some cases unable to re-enter a settlement after a battle had occurred there.

Factions summon armies, settlements can be attacked and turned destitute, and bandit hordes wander the map. Gear up for a more engaging and challenging world.

This is a massive change! Expect continuing balance changes and fixes in the coming months.

Save files from v0.5.3 are NOT compatible.

[h2]Faction Warfare[/h2]
Factions will now spawn armies reflective of their wealth and strategic interests.

These armies attack settlements to expand their territory and will patrol and defend their holdings, creating a living world of conflict and conquest.


Join battles to defend cherished locations or tip the balance in factional conflicts.

Strategic window lets you know the time remaining until a battle is completed.


Your participation will be rewarded with not just loot and experience but also a tangible impact on the game's evolving geopolitical landscape.


Enable the faction overlay while in the world map to see faction influence.

How it works:

• Factions spawn armies based on their wealth. Wealth is gained over time based on the number of tiles controlled by that faction.
  
• Unless completely defeated, wounded armies will slowly regenerate their troops over time.
  
• Multiple armies can join the same battle, assuming they are allied with one of the sides.
  
• To join a battle, one of the sides must be your enemy and one must be your ally (no joining Bandits vs. Gremlins).
  
• If a town is under attack, fire will be visible on the world map, even if it's on an unexplored tile or outside your view radius.
  
• The armies of enemy factions will chase the player, but tend to move slower than normal movement.

• Settlements start with a hidden base prosperity amount. This amount is increased or decreased over time based on the number of nearby tiles controlled by the faction.
  
• Completing quests for a settlement causes prosperity to go up.
  
• Defeating nearby enemy dungeons makes space for factions influence to spread, causing prosperity to increase.
  
• If a settlement is attacked by a faction army, all local town guards and adventurers will team up to fight the invaders. If the battle ends in defeat, the town's prosperity is reduced to 0 (Destitute).
  
• If a settlement is under attack, it can be seen with a burning fire, even if the settlement is in fog-of-war or unexplored tiles.
  
• If a settlement loses shops, guards, or other NPCs due to low prosperity, they will return once prosperity has improved.
  
• Inns will never vacate a town, regardless of prosperity. This means you cannot lose your belongings if they're stored in an inn.

• Destitute(0-10)The settlement is nearly abandoned. It exerts no influence on the world map.
  
• Impoverished(11-30)Limited resources and low morale.
  
• Stable(31-60)The average, everyday life of a settlement with basic amenities available.
  
• Prospering(61-85)A flourishing settlement with abundant resources.
  
• Wealthy(86-100)The pinnacle of prosperity, featuring the best goods and services available.

• Reputation is no longer per settlement but is instead per faction, meaning reputation gained in one settlement unlocks bonuses for all settlements of that faction.
  
• Time now passes in the overworld while in dungeons. For example, if being chased by a bandit army, you can escape to a nearby town or dungeon. If enough time has passed, upon returning to the overworld, the army will have wandered away. Note this is up to a maximum number of turns, to ensure there is time to return to help defend nearby settlements while you are in dungeons.
  
• Added 2 new poisons: Jester's Toxin and Red Spigot.
  
• Added 8 new armor and weapon items: 3x Stonewarden Armor, 4x Dual-wielding axes, Furyforge Crown.

For the last several months we've been working on a major update: Faction Warfare

With this update, factions will spawn armies reflective of their wealth and strategic interests.


These armies attack settlements to expand their territory, and will patrol and defend their holdings, creating a living world of conflict and conquest.


You're not only a bystander in this world at war. Join battles to defend cherished locations or tip the balance in factional conflicts. Your participation will be rewarded with not just loot and experience but also a tangible impact on the game's evolving geopolitical landscape.


To get a closer look at these changes, also check out our previously released videos:
https://youtu.be/bqjI2Q1zOYQ
https://youtu.be/ncpyn8nvvL4

Our vision with this update is to breathe life into the game world. The world really is at war, regions and border actually matter and change over time, and you the player can influence the outcome.

Furthermore, this system has been designed with modularity in mind. This means even after the initial update, new factions, complete with their own unique units and behavior can be seamlessly integrated into the game and will automatically behave according to their designed nature and alignment be they monstrous hordes or bandit clans (so to answer your question: yes, we plan to add magic-based factions & wizard armies).

[h2]Faction Wealth[/h2]
At the heart of Faction Warfare is a strategic economic system where each faction has an amount of wealth they can use to purchase armies.

The image below is from a prototype used to simulate faction behavior


Here's how the wealth system operates:

• Territorial Control: Wealth is gained based on the number of tiles controlled. The more tiles a faction controls, the faster its wealth accumulates.
  
• Upkeep Costs: Maintaining an army isn't without its costs. Each faction incurs an upkeep cost per turn to support its existing armies, necessitating a balance between expansion and sustainability.
  
• Army Recruitment: Factions use their accumulated wealth to purchase new armies. Each faction has unique costs and unit compositions for their armies, reflecting their individual strengths and weaknesses. For instance, Gremlins field numerous but weaker units at a lower cost.

• What if you've invested in a home or stored treasures in a town that's been razed?
  
• If you're mid-quest in a town that suddenly falls, or if an essential quest-giver resides in a now-destroyed settlement, how does that affect your story and objectives?
  
• What of the distant conflicts? If a town you care about is under siege while you're leagues away, should you have the option to intervene, or must you accept the fortunes of war?

• Destitute (0-10): Settlements are nearly abandoned.
  
• Impoverished (11-30): Towns struggle with limited resources and low morale.
  
• Stable (31-60): The average, everyday life of a settlement with basic amenities available.
  
• Prospering (61-85): A flourishing settlement with abundant resources.
  
• Wealthy (86-100): The pinnacle of prosperity, featuring the best goods and services available.

• Nearby Tile Influence: Proximity to enemy factions can decrease a settlement's prosperity. For example, if surrounded by enemy Bandits tiles, a town will see a gradual decline in prosperity.
  
• Player Actions: Completing quests or defeating nearby threats will boost a settlement's prosperity.
  
• Battle Outcomes: If a settlement falls in battle, its prosperity plummets, reflecting the devastation of war. It's then up to the resilient townsfolk and perhaps a helpful player to rebuild and restore what was lost.

As we forge ahead into the new year, there are several significant updates that we've been working on.

One of those changes is the revamp of our skills system, evolving it into a more robust skill tree structure.

Today, I'm pleased to introduce Eric Wagoner, the newest member of our development team, who is spearheading this exciting redesign. In this post, he shares his journey and insights directly with you.

[h2]Skill Trees[/h2]
Several years into development, weve added many skills and abilities and were not nearly done yet. Choosing skills has always been one of my favorite parts of RPGs. Now, the time is right to take our skills system to the next level.


Accelerated Warfare Lets go!

[h2]Why Trees?[/h2]
The decision of what ability to select is a special moment in the game. It is a triumph. By placing abilities in a more structured flow, the player has guidance on where to look and what exactly their current decision is.


On the right is an art mockup, not the actual tree!

Note: In our game, the term "skill" refers to the overarching category you level up in, such as "Chivalry," "Cooking," or "Botany." And within each skill, you unlock items called "abilities" (technically, this means our discussion is about ability trees, but we've chosen to use the more intuitive term "skill trees" for simplicity).

These limitations also add a new layer of strategic thinking to the game as you puzzle out the trade-offs involved in ascending the tree and getting the abilities you want. And with Jake busy on the upcoming Factions update, it was a good time to reconsider ability balance, including how it relates to larger battles and more allied units.

[h2]Structure[/h2]
We decided to have our skill trees unlock from the bottom to the top to give players the feeling of scaling a mountain of awesomeness. The bottom level starts unlockable, and abilities can also start deeper in the tree with no parent ability, requiring that any ability (or hard junction) of equal or greater depth be available to unlock first.


Soft junctions (on the left) are unlocked by either prerequisite.
Hard junctions (on the bottom) require each.

Ability powerfulness (& complexity) generally increases as the tree is unlocked. More powerful abilities might be placed earlier on the tree if their connecting paths are reduced or limited. Less powerful abilities may be used as prerequisites to increase the total cost of powerful abilities.

[h2]What makes a good tree?[/h2]

Distributing the most desirable abilities away from each other creates many viable paths through the tree, adding depth to the decision-making process. Since players can earn XP from using active abilities, some are placed early on the trees to give players options to level each skill through use.


Battle Hardened wont let you go down without a fight

Grouping related abilities together adds realism and makes intuitive sense, since it's easier to learn things which are similar to what you already know. The shape of the trees also allows us to convey meaning through symbolism, such as the stability and connectedness of the new Chivalry tree.

[h2]Skill Themes[/h2]
As you might expect, there are lots of considerations when designing a skill system. We want to give each skill a special feel and particular strengths. To do this, we consider the general themes of each:


Chivalry: Virtue, honor, protecting humanity


Warrapt: Tradition, pragmatism, persistence, practice


Dreadheart: Instinctual, barbaric, savage, animalistic

Another consideration is how many abilities are in each tree. Dreadheart had the least number, so I added a few new ones. Warrapt and Chivalry, having the most, received more modifications instead.

The above three are coming first, but deliberation is already underway for the weapon skill changes:


[h2]Balance Changes[/h2]
When considering individual abilities, I compare them to similar abilities. For example, Mighty Lunge on the Warrapt tree is similar to several other jump-attack abilities. In playtesting, the 2-range limit was annoying, because, being an attack, it only gave one tile of extra movement. This wasnt quite enough for what it was used for: catching up to those pesky hit-and-run enemies. It also didnt make Mighty Lunge feel particularly mighty.

Vicious Lunge, in the Daggers tree on the other hand, has a much longer range. This felt off, because a long jump is more mighty than vicious, and daggers are relatively short range. I want to keep a short range jump-attack for variety, because the others are longer range. Therefore, let's make Vicious Lunge the jump attack skill with the short range but better energy cost, cooldowns, and less vulnerability, since daggers are light & fast. Mighty Lunge can have a longer range.


From concept to completion: can you guess the skill?

Several existing abilities will become applicable to nearby allies in light of the new Factions update. For example: Bravery, Aura of Valor (Chivalry), Guarded Wait, Combat Awareness (Warrapt), Vicious Sustain and Blood Lust (Dreadheart). Other kinds of abilities may also be applicable for allies, i.e., Parry & Knights Challenge.

[h2]New Abilities[/h2]
Our dev post just wouldnt be complete without a few teasers for some of the new abilities coming your way.


Lacerate: Lash out in a bloody attack with +5..15% bleed chance, dealing +5..15% more damage, but taking +20..10% longer. On hit, the enemy takes +8% damage and bleeds twice as fast for 1..3 turns.

Lacerate adds to the short supply of Dreadheart active abilities, but its placed so late in the tree that it cannot help much with XP gain, which is addressed by another new ability. Its fairly powerful, however, so it makes sense that it would be an apex ability to strive towards (the tip of the claw, so to speak.) It fits with the Battle Trance line of abilities, but this is purely thematic.

Bleed is a major feature of Dreadheart, so I wanted to give it a little more punch by causing the target to bleed twice as fast (two ticks per turn) for a few turns. I also wanted this ability to create additional blood tiles around the target, so that the player can start using the environment more as part of their tactics and strategy. Blood tiles combo with yet another upcoming ability, as well as future abilities such as the Blood Mage, but be careful; you might not be the only one who likes getting bloody!


Bleed resist never looked so cool


Noble Steel Resonance a new Chivalry ability: firmly embed your weapon into the ground, sending forth a resonating shockwave that weakens the defenses of all enemies in its path. Enemies receive -10..14% dodge chance and -10..14% physical resist for 3..5 turns.

Just when you thought Chivalry had enough abilities, we added more. While Chivalry is bordering a bit much on the magical for a skill not listed in magic menu, it's possible to consider nobility in its own mundane yet semi-magical category, almost as a prerequisite for certain kinds of virtuous magic.



Martial Flourish: Launch a flourishing attack against adjacent enemies when you enter a new stance, dealing -40..20% damage with +15..35% knockback chance.

Martial Flourish puts a bit of kung-fu in your step, replacing Quick Swap, which is merging into Efficient Dispatch to make it more attractive. We dont stop there; players have said stances were underwhelming, and Swift Transitions switching stances quicker seemed that way. After all, you can only use one stance at a time, and each stance requires investment.

So, lets make stances more exciting! Making them compatible will breathe new life into these mechanics. Swift Transition is getting five upgrade levels so that players can now briefly have two stances active at higher levels.


Combat Awareness gets a new look

I hope you enjoyed reading this update as much as I enjoyed writing it. Development continues on Factions, Skill Trees, and more, so keep your eyes peeled for more exciting updates.

The Doors of Trithius is now available on macOS.

We've tested on a range of systems including a 2010 MacBook Pro (playable), and a 2013 MacBook Air (smooth performance). Additionally, users have reported good performance on newer Apple M1 models (requires Rosetta 2).

Thank you for your patience. Linux & Steam Deck, you're up next!

It's been a slew of hotfix over the last few days as we address issues.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Reverted Java 21 to Java 20 (21 was causing issues integrating with a library we use).
  
• Fixed starting the quest "The Collector" causing save files to be corrupted. Unfortunately, if you already started this quest before the update your save file cannot be repaired (if you are in game before this latest update downloads, keep playing until you beat the quest).
  
• Fixed weapon experiment quests giving the player a lump of coal, instead of the experimental weapon.
  
• Fixed non-active passives showing tooltip sources display.
  
• Fixed skill bonuses appearing twice in the tooltip sources display.
  
• Fixed issue with fullscreen mode in WIndows 11.

• Drastically reduced the XP gained when using magic abilities.

XP Rebalance + QoL and bug fixes.

Save files from v0.5.2 are compatible.

[h2]XP & Wisdom Adjustments[/h2]
Weve extended XP rewards to include all abilities and recipes. The majority of abilities grant XP during use, with some offering unique approaches to XP gain, such as the athletics ability "Tumbling," which bestows XP when successfully dodging an attack.

XP Log
Added an XP log. By clicking the "XP" tab in your notification log, you can review all recent XP gains for both skill experience and wisdom.


Tooltip Display
Additionally, a new setting "Show XP Gain" has been added. Enable this option under General -> Tooltips to show exact XP gains for all abilities and recipes.


Additional Changes

• The XP log will show a warning when no XP gained due to the soft level cap being reached (keep in mind, the level cap can be raised by investing skill points).
  
• Doubled the amount of experience gained while travelling.
  
• Discovering new tiles while travelling will now reward travel XP, provided the travel skill is unlocked.
  
• Reduced Wisdom Gained when killing a monster.
  
• Reduced/tweaked Weapon Mastery XP granted on attack.
  
• Modified the Weapon Mastery XP awarded upon attack, with a general decrease.
  
• Added a new mechanic to reward bonus wisdom for defeating enemies higher than your level, at a rate of 10% per over level. This is shown in the XP log as "dangerous fight".

• All classes now start with basic clothing. While there is something to be said for the classic roguelike experience of starting with nothing, for our story which starts you off as a bold adventurer, it was not fitting to begin barefoot!
  
• An escape ladder has been added to the starter dungeon, and the "Escape" tutorial message will now appear upon first entering a town or dungeon. This change is to create a more dramatic exit. The dead-end felt just wrong. Ascend from the depths; your journey is just beginning!
  
• In character creation, equipment and supplies are now displayed side by side, reducing the need for a scrollbar. Items are now sorted by type so you can quickly see what weapon you are getting which should be helpful if you are rerolling many times.
  
• Rebalanced the volume of all music tracks to ensure a consistent audio backdrop to your adventures.
  
• The volume levels of loud sound effects (doors, barrels, dog deaths) have been reduced for more uniform audio balance.

• Show "real damage" in hit splashes and in the notification log, instead of showing overkill damage. For example, if a creature has 5 health left, the maximum you can hit is a 5. This was necessary to make damage gained from XP consistent with the damage visually dealt.
  
• Reduced ability "Sidewinder Style" energy cost from 5 per turn to 2 per attack, and point cost from 3 to 2.
  
• Tweaked Sagohai's dialog to make it less silly (it will be changed again in the future).
  
• Increased Duudahl's health from 180hp to 240hp.
  
• Added new item "Scroll of Discovery: Warrapt", which can be purchased everywhere the Chivalry scroll can be purchased. This item was meant to be added with the Warrapt update but was missed. Note - scrolls of discovery are temporary until a proper in-game method of discovering each skill is implemented.
  
• Any character with the "Oath of The Fallen" passive can now use Ahnais statues, not only the knight.
  
• On loading screen show what module is loading during "Loading Modules" phase, for example "Loading Module...Abilities"

• Fixed issue where enemies dying out of sight due to bleed damage were still displayed on-screen with 0 HP.
  
• Fixed recipes Machinist Amulet, Machinist Ring, and Snake Dice not appearing in the Study Bench, despite the necessary books being studied.
  
• Fixed blocked corruption status effect becoming unlocked when switching to your alternative loadout, despite still having the necessary enchantment active.
  
• Fixed recipe tooltips in smaller resolutions cut off due to screen size limitations.
  
• Fixed inconsistency in the display of decimals and decimal rounding across all tooltips (items, status effects, stats).
  
• Fixed toxic plume's required level and required point values were swapped, causing the ability to need 12 focus points instead of 3!
  
• Fixed nature magic ability "Renew" removing wounds on self instead of on target, when used on an ally (you can now remove wounds from your summoned creatures).
  
• Fixed nature magic ability "Symbiotic Growth" limited to 50 stacks, instead of the described 100.
  
• Fixed a glitch that made the character sprite invisible after consuming a Blink potion until the next move.
  
• Fixed a UI glitch that allowed extra items during character creation.
  
• Fixed issue where harvested plants would no longer block movement.

Significant performance improvements, faster NPC pathfinding, and new debugging tools.

Save files from v0.5.1 are compatible.

[h2]Major Performance Boost[/h2]
We've revamped our game draw loop for incredible speed gains.

• The ground layer is now recreated as needed, instead of every frame, yielding a massive ~200-220% FPS boost.
  
• Information about how on-screen entities should be rendered is now cached and recreated only as needed, boosting FPS by another ~10-15%.

• Smarter handling of turn-based updates, which were a significant cause of slowdown when many entities are loaded. These events don't run every frame, but could be a cause of jitter while moving.
  
• Optimized redundant code that ran on every frame for a ~2-4% increased FPS.
  
• Entities with animations or timers are now managed separately for minor (<1%) FPS gains.

• Reduced frequency of NPC path requests, relying on cached paths, or using alternative faster methods if it makes sense to do so.
  
• NPCs now stop pathfinding early if the attempt is taking too long, given the expected distance, and will instead rely on a faster method.
  
• A* pathfinding algorithm - we now use a hashmap to check if a node has already been visited, for far faster performance.
  
• A* pathfinding algorithm - updated main heuristic used for node selection, for up to 10x performance boost on long paths (Closest Heuristic -> Manhattan Heuristic).

• Added option "Performance Log".
  
• Enabling this creates a 'performance.csv' file in the game folder to track resource-intensive tasks. Use with caution as it could impact game speed.
  
• If you are having performance issues, please enable this setting and send your files to doorsoftrithius@gmail.com.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed crash refreshing quests when leaving the inn.
  
• Fixed Altar of Ahnais health bonuses lost on save.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed crash when destroying Gremlin Totem Poles as a Knight.
  
• Fixed Altar of Ahnais dispensing more XP than intended.
  
• Fixed loop in Gremlin's Grief quest causing endless couriers.
  
• Fixed crash when interacting with power crystals while Tangled Web quest is active.
  
• Fixed Gremlin Grief quest initiating when a creature kills a decay root off-screen, instead of the player.
  
• Fixed crash when player attempts to move beyond map boundaries use keyboard movement.
  
• Fixed gremlin potion mechanics:
  • Removed auto-learning of gremlin recipes.
    
  • Added potion recipes to alchemy shelves in Gremlin Fortress.
    
  • Introduced crafting requirements for Gremlin potions; Mudmilk has none.
    
  • Tweaked drop table for Gremlin alchemy shelf.
• Fixed Potent Purifying Elixir negating its own status effect.
  
• Fixed recipes not highlighting as craftable in menus when alternative crafting options exist.
  
• Fixed XP reward glitch for crafting Snake Dice, Machinist Ring, or Machinist Amulet.

Introducing the Desert - a whole new biome with exotic creatures and new items & mechanics.

Also included is a new melee skill "Warrapt", an overhaul to the Chivalry skill, and changes to character creation.

Save files from v0.5.0 are NOT compatible.

[h2]Desert Biome[/h2]
This new biome is teeming with danger, with predatory Wyrms and Scorpions lurking beneath the sands.

Staying safe requires strategically navigating between the smaller rocky islands amid a vast ocean of sand.


Map Generation
The world map generates with at least one expansive desert region, interspersed with smaller desert patches.



The Desert Dwellers
The desert is now home to seven new creatures: Sand Wyrm, Dune Flyer, Silt Strider, Sandscale Viper, Sandshell Prowler, Sandshell Titan, and Desert Scorpion.



Surviving the Heat
Be wary of accumulating "Sunscorched" wounds, which can be cured by consuming cactus fruit, or through a medicine item. Sunscorch accumulates as you traverse the scorching desert but dissipates quickly in cooler biomes.



Plants & Potions
Four new harvestable plants can be used to brew five newly-added potions: Bulwark Extract, Fireflash, Sunhorn Elixir, Dalaar Deflection, and Blossomguard Brew.



[h2]Warrapt[/h2]
We've added a new skill "Warrapt", which includes 20 new abilities and passives.

• Designed as a generalist melee skill, Warrapt synergizes well with all melee weapon types and offers new build paths with both defensive and offensive options.
  
• The skill is available for all background types.

• Added abilities: "Oath of the Fallen," "Vanguard's Edge," "Last Stand," "Otherworldly Protection," and "Knight's Challenge."
  
• Removed "Shield Bash", "Parry", and "Riposte", which are now included in the Warrapt skill.
  
• The Knight now starts with the item "Letter to a Fellow Knight," directing players to the nearest Altar of Ahnais.

• Added new music for Character Creation.
  
• Updated the UI to better match in-game art.

• Physical Warding offers a percentage chance to negate physical-based debuffs like temporary poisons or blindness during combat.
  
• Mental Warding provides a chance to shrug off mental-based impairments such as shouts or fears.
  
• Magic Warding protects against magic-based negative status effects, including hexes.
  
• Added +5% physical warding to the knowledge ability "Stoic Perspective".
  
• Added new knowledge abilities "Astral Repel" (requires a book to unlock), and "Bodily Sutra" which both reward warding.
  
• Added 2 new enchantments "Mindmeld", "Stalwart", which give warding.
  
• Added a physical warding bonus to the enchantment "Resilience".

• Added new option "Log Weapon Used". Enable this option to show details of the weapons used by both the player and enemy units in the text log.
  
• Added 3 new enchantments: "Quickdraw", "Celerity", and "Mindmeld". Changed crafting costs and stat balance of various other enchantments.
  
• The notification log now shows deaths-by-status effects so that monsters in players vision that bleed to death, succumb to poison, or touch an "Essence Conduit" result in a notification.
  
• Removed reduced energy recovery from Frostbite wound.
  
• Updated medicine item Soothing Balm to also cure sunscorch
  
• Rebalanced potion prices.
  
• Added new lore book "Dreamer's Tryst with the Ether".
  
• Removed stat "Tenacity Resist". In all places "Tenacity Resist" was used, replaced with "Stun Resist", and "Knockback Resist". This stat was originally intended to do what warding now does (and did not work correctly).

• Fixed text-wrapping issues in the notification log. Lines of text too long to fit now wrap to a new line.
  
• Fixed issue with drop down menus, where clicking an item in a drop down menu would sometimes select the UI element below the drop down menu.
  
• Implemented more robust handling of zone state changes. This fixes issues, related to quickly changing zones or reloading the game.
  
• Fixed UI scaling not working during character creation.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Resolved an issue where the existence of Ghosts in an area led to save file corruption. Regrettably, due to the nature of the issue, existing corrupted save files cannot be repaired. However, we've ensured that this issue will not occur in newly generated dungeons.
  
• Fixed an issue with the music player which would sometimes cause a memory error, causing the client to close without an error log.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed wisdom not gained when killing mobs.
  
• Fixed crash when returning to main menu.
  
• Fixed issue that occurs when screen is resized at same time as drop down option is selected.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed an error where over 15 sound effects, including those for Lamassu, Aeternum, and various Temple interactions, were not working due to a file loading typo.
  
• Fixed an issue causing the game to crash when underground blood worms were unable to find a valid tunnel location due to blocked tiles.
  
• Fixed a map generation issue where the Arallu temple was able to be placed on top of another location (requires new game start).
  
• Fixed a bug where the downstairs would sometimes be missing in large gremlin fortresses, including Grimjaw's fortress.
  
• Fixed rooms in gremlin fortresses sometimes not connecting to hallways making them inaccessible.
  
• Fixed abilities Renew, Shield Bash, Summon Brambles, and Toxic Plume requiring crossbow to be loaded if activated while crossbow was equipped.
  
• Fixed reload ability still using up a turn when it failed to activate due to lack of ammo or incorrect ammo type.
  
• Fixed an issue with Gremlin Trapmaster traps blocking other gremlins. Trap Master will now place traps less densely packed; also increased his trap placement cooldown from 10 to 13 turns.
  
• Fixed an issue where the Player's chest inventory did not refresh weight accurately.
  
• Improved handling of situations when attacking a target that is standing on a trap. We hope this will resolve the issue altogether, but as we are still unable to reproduce the problem reliably, we cannot be certain.
  
• Fixed Sprites incorrectly applying the "frightening" status effect.
  
• Fixed farmers unable to trade trading.
  
• Fixed game crash, related to checking for status effects when an existing status effect had no name.
  
• Fixed updated ability hotkeys not displaying the new key on the hotbar icon.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed Chivalry abilities "Shield Bash" and "Shield Deflection" missing from the chivalry tree. They were inadvertently removed due to an upcoming rebalance, which will shift these abilities to a new skill. This was not intended for this version.
  
• Fixed a bug where the "Corruption" status effect, intended to apply only on Grimjaw's Fortress's bottom floor, would persist indefinitely.
  
  
  • As an extra measure, we've added a new console command "clear effectsall" which enforces the removal of all status effects, including the hidden ones. It can be handy in situations where a status effect gets stuck.
• Fixed "War Plans Quest" wrongly directing players to previously cleared locations.
  
• Fixed an issue with the "War Plans Quest" where the War Plans failed to place in dungeons. Please note, this fix only applies to newly generated dungeons. Already visited dungeons, unfortunately, cannot be adjusted.
  
• Fixed skin cream (blight cure) not appearing in medicine shops. Additionally, we've included a chance for it to appear in variety stores and general stores. Note: already generated shops won't have this item until their next restock
  
• Fixed bloody Knuckles (Unarmed ability) attack speed not highlighted correctly in the upgrade tooltip.

• Reduced medicine prices: Splint from 20 to 15, Bandage from 15 to 12, Soothing Balm from 35 to 27, Antidote from 25 to 18, Long-lasting Antidote from 55 to 35, Thawing Ointment from 38 to 25, Skin Cream from 45 to 35, Shadewood Mixture from 75 to 65, First Aid Kit from 155 to 125, and Healing lotion from 60 to 40.
  
• Updated the description of Feverfew to better match the attributes of the real-life flower.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed game crash caused by failed interactions with certain status effects.
  
• Fixed bug causing Vile Gremlin to occupy same tiles as other creatures.
  
• Fixed an issue where items could become invisible and unresponsive after reaching 100% travel weariness due to improper handling of the alternate swap; items will now unequip correctly in all circumstances.

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Resolved a bug that caused severe lag for certain players. This change involved an update to screen rendering strategy. Our testing shows this improvement should benefit most players, not just those who were previously facing lag.
  
• Fixed Gremlin Trapmaster placing excessive traps and sometimes placing traps on top of each other.
  
• Fixed option "World Scaling" causing in-world objects to become misaligned. World Scaling should now work as expected and can be set at any time (though it does still require a restart).
  
• Fixed able to remove Duudahl's mark using a first aid kit.
  
• Fixed escape key doesnt close options or other windows when used from the main menu.

• Added a new soundtrack (somewhere in the new Gremlin Terror quest).
  
• Reduced ability "Vengeful Defiance" focus point cost from 1 to 2.
  
• Increased Burn Chance of Gremlin Experimenter potion throw ability.

Welcome to the "Gremlin Fortresses" update, packed with so much stuff it's practically bursting at the seams!

Save files from v0.4.13 are NOT compatible.

[h2]The Rise of the Gremlins[/h2]
Prepare to explore new dungeons, encounter a host of new creatures, and face off against King Grimjaw in his mighty stronghold.


New Dungeons: A Threat Emerging
Three new types of dungeons: the Gremlin Outpost, the Gremlin Fortress, and Grimjaw's Stronghold. These dungeons not only bring a fresh visual experience, but also employ all-new layout algorithms for a distinct look and layout.


New Creatures: The Gremlin Hordes
Meet the terrifying new faces of the Gremlin faction - Snatcher, Trapmaster, Ogre, Shaman Elder, Looter, Bugler, Experimenter, Sergeant, and General. Brace yourselves for the unexpected.


The Boss: King Grimjaw
Stand before King Grimjaw, a fearsome giant revered by his horde. Are you ready for the ultimate battle?


Other additions

• Updated stats, drop tables, and abilities for existing gremlin types.
  
• Added unique monster behaviors, traits, and abilities to support the new creature types.
  
• Discover new potions, foods, jewelry, and other items in the gremlin dungeons.
  
• Immerse yourself in two new quests. Unravel the mystery behind the Gremlin faction's newfound magical and intellectual prowess, eventually facing King Grimjaw himself.
  
• Enjoy 4 new music tracks enhancing your gameplay experience.

• New summoning abilities: "Summon Hawk" and "Summon Bear".
  
• Summoned creatures now follow you to new zones.
  
• Summoned creatures now reduce your maximum energy while they remain summoned.
  
• Experience a deeper connection with your companions using new abilities "Bond", "Agile Bond", "Resilient Bond", and "Symbiotic Growth".
  
• Bonded creatures will never unsummon, and will stay by your side until killed.
  
• Abilities "Renew", "Bark Skin", "Surge of Replenishment", "Nature's Grasp", and "Toxic Plume" now have 2 available upgrades.
  
• "Renew" now allows targeting of other creatures up to 1 tile away.
  
• "Nature's Grasp" now packs a punch with bonus true damage to target for every adjacent bramble bush.

• Entities, including the player, will now instantly perish if knocked back into a pit. Tread carefully!
  
• If a loot bag would fall onto an invalid tile (e.g., a pit) upon an enemy's death, it will now move to the nearest valid tile, ensuring your rewards are always within reach.
  
• Chain Reaction: If a knocked-back entity is blocked by another entity, the blocking entity is also knocked back. This domino effect can extend up to 7 creatures.
  
• Wall Stun: If an entity is knocked back into a wall or immovable object, they will be stunned.

• Added player footstep sounds, along with a setting to disable it. Footstep sounds change based on terrain and type of boots equipped.
  
• Converted all sound effects from .WAV to the smaller .OGG format; update sound engine for better handling of simultaneous files (please report any sound issues!).
  
• Massively reduced the number of ghosts that spawn in dungeons.
  
• Always enter the town in front of the job board.
  
• Ghosts now hide for 50-100 turns before appearing, and will announce themselves with a sound and notification when they do appear.
  
• Using the keyboard to move into an ally no longer attacks, but will instead swap positions. This can also be used to swap places with summoned creatures.
  
• Added "Riposte" ability to Chivalry (more chivalry abilities to come soon).
  
• Added new trait "Reach" for melee creatures with 2-range, which is displayed instead of the "Ranged" trait.
  
• Music is now automatically muted when the game window loses focus.
  
• Main Menu: add 2 new animations to the cycle: world generation with regions; new maze map generation.
  
• Improved tooltip placement, to ensure tooltips check alternative placements when they would go offscreen.
  
• "Momentum Shift" ability - reduced focus point cost from 3 to 2 points.
  
• Disable option "screen tinting" by default.
  
• Increase chance of spirit fire to frostbite by 1%.
  
• Frostbite now gives 10% Frostbite Resist and Burn 10% Burn Resist, to help prevent too many of the same wound from unfairly stacking.
  
• Sort perk types to match the right-hand side order in character creation.

• Fixed a crash that was occurring when traps were targeted with an ability.
  
• Fixed an issue where Crimson Guards had more armor than intended.
  
• Fixed your own summoned animals giving experience points upon death.
  
• Fixed unable to rent rooms at hamlets.
  
• Fixed abilities "Speedy Escape" and "Duelist Advance" not applying buffs as intended.
  
• Ensured that all creatures, not just the player, are frightened by ghosts.
  
• Spells "Calming Touch", "Renew", and "Surge of Replenishment" no longer cause friendly or neutral enemies to aggro; reputation is not lost when using friendly spells in town.
  
• Fixed "Build Fire" ability rewarding Survival XP even if the fire failed to place.
  
• Fixed "This item requires a workbench to salvage" warning appearing when salvaging items that shouldn't require a workbench.
  
• Fixed status effect icon art not centering correctly for consumed items.
  
• Added missing icon for Crimson Guard debilitation debuff.
  
• Fixed ability "Blazing Bolts" giving the incorrect buff.
  
• Fixed "Confidential Matter" quest bug, where dialog would get stuck in the conversation with no way to continue.
  
• Fixed Gremlin Chief death sometimes not triggering quest completion.
  
• Fixed ability yellow highlight doesnt take into account required abilities (for example, tough as nails).
  
• Fixed overhead text in some cases not appearing.
  
• More fixes to ensure dream continue button is always fits on the page (even if it has to cover up text).

[h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Resolved issue with quest indicators not displaying on the world map.
  
• Fixed game crash caused by hovering mouse cursor over ability tooltips.
  
• Fixed missing archer, marksman, and sharpshooter leggings in loot tables (previously unattainable).
  
• Fixed issue with rare armor merchant not offering Felforged armor (note: Felforged will be relocated in a future update).

This update sees the addition of monster sounds, improved display scaling options, and various other changes and bug fixes.

Save files from v0.4.12 are compatible.

[h2]Monster Sounds[/h2]
We've extended our engine to support a variety of sounds for monsters and enemy units, creating a new layer of immersion.

Monsters will now produce sounds during various actions, such as being attacked, attacking, dodging, moving, dying, starting their turn, or announcing themselves when first spotted.

• Added death sounds to all monsters.
  
• Added a variety of special sounds for specific enemy types. For example, spiders will make insect noises when nearby, bears will growl, and gremlins will grunt, chatter, and laugh when you miss them! The quantity and variety of sounds depend on the enemy type.
  
• Added options to mute specific monster sounds. Players can now mute "Death Sounds", "Talk Sounds", "Defensive Sounds", and "Announce Sounds". Disabling all of these will result in a completely silent monster experience.
  
• To accompany the death sounds, monsters now have a death animation, fading away over the course of 1 second.

• "Vengeful Defiance" ability - now stacks up to 5 times instead of being limited to a single stack; bonus crit damage reduced from 20% to 10%.
  
• Clicking a monster now initiates pathfinding and automatically triggers a basic attack on the targeted creature, as long as the player's movement isn't halted and the monster doesn't move.
  
• Added new game option "Enable Anti-Aliasing". Turn on anti-aliasing to smooth jagged edges in the game. This option is not recommended in most cases as it will cause blurriness. However, it is available for users who find it helpful, and as an alternative to relying on native OS upscaling.
  
• Increased the amount of time it takes for a new dynamic quest to appear in a town after completing a quest.
  
• Added elderberry wine to Blackwood Marauders loot chests.
  
• Reduced price of all leg armor by 5% (mostly to differentiate it from the similarly priced glove items).
  
• Reduced the average number of days for shops to restock their rare items by approximately 5 days.
  
• Reduced Bee map event frequency as compared to other events.

• Fixed old quests not being cleared from the job board. Dynamic quests will now automatically be removed in 2-8 days.
  
• Fixed the "Master Enchanter" passive not granting new enchantments as intended.
  
• Fixed an issue where hamlets sometimes didn't spawn a job board.
  
• Fixed a bug causing the player to sometimes spawn behind stalls when entering a town.
  
• Fixed the issue requiring two clicks to talk to adventurers or town guards. Now, the player will automatically talk to the NPC once the path is completed, unless the NPC moves before the path end is reached.
  
• Fixed an issue where opening a silver chest in a cave would incorrectly mark the cave as complete, instead of only marking it complete after opening the final chest on the bottom floor.
  
• Fixed merchants displaying the incorrect message "I'll be here for 0 more days" when they were actually leaving soon.

We're happy to announce the release of our game's OST, the "Gold Border Complete Master Ultimate HQ Edition."



This edition contains a total of 30 tracks, bringing together the "The Beginning" and "Enalia" albums, featuring the excellent work of our composer, Fogheart. Several of these tracks are for parts of the game still in development, offering you a sneak peek of what's to come. Additionally, we'll be extending the album with new music as the game progresses.

The album art is by the talented Maxwell Arch, who also crafted the character Tarot card illustrations in-game.

By purchasing this soundtrack, you're not only enjoying some quality music but also supporting the game's ongoing development. With 50% of the funds going directly to the composer and the other 50% dedicated to future game development, it's a meaningful way to contribute.

Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for your continued support. We genuinely appreciate it.

[h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]

• Fixed unable to trade with Leafborn traders for newly generated villages. Note: Trading remains unavailable in previously visited Leafborn villages.
  
• Corrected traveling merchants' purchasing behavior to only buy items relevant to their shop type, preventing them from buying all items.

This update is a big one! We're rolling out a massive Armor Overhaul featuring over 150 new armor items, and introducing new gameplay elements such as Travelling Merchants, the Dreadheart skill, and the Blackwood Marauders faction.

Also included are improvements to the world map generation, the introduction of the rare Weapon Makers event, and various bug fixes. We hope you enjoy exploring the new features and content in this update!

Save files from v0.4.11 are NOT compatible.



[h2]Armor Overhaul[/h2]
We've added a wide range of new armor sets.

Many of the new additions draw inspiration from real medieval armors, such as Brigandine, Lamellar, Meshweave, Scale, Chain, and Ringmail. Alongside these historically-inspired sets, we've also introduced fantasy armors like the powerful Wyrmskin (crafted from wyrm scales), Bonesplint (forged from ogre bones), Emberhide, Savagehide, and more.

All armor is categorized into three types: light, medium, and heavy. Within these categories, each set boasts varying bonuses for further customization, and some sets follow a clear progression path.

Light Armor
Provides dodge chance, some resistance, and has no negative stats. Within this category are standard leather sets which give the best dodge chance, a group of archer-focused gear with enhanced crit and accuracy, and the woodsman set for energy-hungry travellers.



Medium Armor
Medium armor typically offers good physical and wound resistance without penalties. Shown below are the standard sets, and 4 unique sets which you'll have to find in-game.



Heavy Armor
Heavy armor provides the best protection in the game, but comes with certain drawbacks such as decreased energy.

• Added 150+ new armor items and rebalanced existing armors.
  
• Introduced a new equipment slot: legs. This change allows for greater customization and character progression. Leg armor can be enchanted or bolstered like other armors.
  
• Shops are now less likely to sell high-quality gear, making it more challenging to upgrade armor. Players will need to explore the world and discover armor in various ways.
  
• Gloves are now visible on character sprites, adding another layer of visual customization.
  
• New armor can also be found through travelling merchants (see the below section) or the rare Weapon Makers event (see the below section).
  
• Added new materials required to repair or bolster armor: Savage Leather, Wyrmskin, Ogre Bones, Adamant Metal, and Infernal Steel.
  
• When an enemy is killed, the chance to drop their gear is based on the value of that gear. This math has been reworked to account for the new armors, and for a less harsh curve overall (rare armor should now drop slightly more often).

• Added 6 travelling merchant types: Food Merchant, Toxicologist, Exotic Arms Dealer, Scrap Collector, Armor Collector, and Boneworker.
  
• You can speak to a merchant to ask about their goods or how many days they have left in town.
  
• Once a merchant leaves, each day there is a chance for their previous spot to be replaced by a new merchant.
  
• Cities have a higher chance for merchants to appear than towns, and they will never appear in hamlets.

• Dreadheart is our take on the classic Berserk playstyle and will be all about timing: getting your health as low as possible before entering a Battle Trance.
  
• It's made up of passives with a few key active abilities to avoid filling your hotbar with too many energy-hungry abilities, and so that it does not compete for space with the weapon abilities.
  
• The skill is available for the Mercenary only (each class eventually will have their own unique skill).

• To defeat a dungeon either kill the boss (if there is one) or loot the final chest.
  
• When a dungeon is defeated, a text notification is shown along with a sound.
  
• When a dungeon is defeated, all faction influence from the dungeon's tile on the world map is removed. This decrease in influence will slowly spread to nearby tiles until it entirely dissipates.
  
• Defeated dungeons are shown as gray on the overworld map.

• Added a new quest titled "Confidential Matter". Speak to the mayor in a town near the Blackwood dungeons to get started.
  
• The world map now generates with regions, ensuring that the player starts in a region with a minimum number of quests and resources nearby. While regions may not be too noticeable in this version, this groundwork sets the stage for future developments, including new factions and biomes.
  
• Reputation changes are now shown in the text log, for example, "Lost 10 reputation for attacking locals".
  
• Added a "Town Guard Captain" to all Cities and Towns. With a high enough reputation, he may be willing to sell you some special armor.
  
• Added 11 new lore books covering a variety of topics including the Machinists, the history of the Kingdom of Aldrova, and the Leafborn faction.
  
• All poisons now show in the item tooltip how many turns they are effective.
  
• Added 2 new poisons: Crippling Venom, and Paralysis Quake Elixir.
  
• Sticks now appear in forest tiles and can be picked up to harvest wood.
  
• Added sound effect when a quest is started or updated.
  
• Reduced Gremlin Terror quest reward amount.

• Fixed font scaling issue when windows scaling is set larger than 100%.
  
• Fixed player hands art when holding a bow.
  
• Fixed sleep poison having no effect.
  
• Fixed quest log entries showing in the wrong order.
  
• Fixed the issue where you can sell the book you're studying if you have 2 of the same book.

[h3]Bug Fixes[/h3]

• Fixed issue with pathing, where selected object such as doors or chests, would not be used when player completes their path.