Henriquejr spotted patch 1.2.0 for Jagged Alliance 3:

Patch 1.2.0 Released – Buns

Hello everyone,

We have just release patch 1.2.0 codenamed “Buns” that focuses on quality-of-life combat improvements. In addition, “Buns” offers tons of bug fixes and general improvements.

Highlights

Fast Speed – speeds up the time during the enemy turn to shorten waiting times. The Fast Speed button appears in place of the End Turn button during the enemy turn.

Inaccurate attacks may hit other body parts – There is a small chance to hit another body part of the target with an inaccurate attack (Community suggestion).

Free Aim firing mode changing – You can now cycle the weapon firing modes during Free aim using the Free Aim shortcut key while setting up the attack.

Improvements for modders – various improvements to modding, especially regarding weapon modifiers. Improvements to the Blender exporter (Community suggestions).

[...]

Saurusness shares her thoughts about start playing Genshin Impact now:

3 years in - is it too late to start playing Genshin?

The dungeon crawler Gloomgrave has been released:

Gloomgrave

Gloomgrave is a roguelike dungeon crawler with a retro pixel aesthetic. Upgrade your Gloomcrawler with unique perks and experiment with different builds as you try to survive each depth in search of the ultimate ancient relic.

Gameplay
Select your class and level up your Gloomcrawler to suit your play style
Turn-based combat lets you take your time and calculate your moves
Explore randomly generated dungeons - no two runs are the same
Avoid traps and try not to drink any hazardous potions!
Find new gear and carefully manage your inventory

Features
50+ items to loot... including weapons, armor, potions, scrolls, and more...
15+ monsters to slay and outsmart
5+ classes, each with unique attributes and gear
9+ depths to explore, each harder than the last
15+ perks that change gameplay in interesting ways
10 Steam achievements

Mortismal Gaming checked out Quasimorph:

Check Out: Quasimorph

Thanks Couchpotato!

The Lamplighters League will be released today - Mortismal Gaming checked it out:

The Lamplighters League - First Impressions

Check Out: The Lamplighters League

The J-RPG Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless will be released today:

Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless - Launch Trailer

To Hell, With Honor! The biggest DISGAEA game yet is finally here! The brutal warrior Fuji and bushido fan-girl Pirilika must form an unlikely alliance to free Hinomoto from the tyrannical rule of Demmodore Opener...but they'll soon find that this is no ordinary adventure.
Dive into destructive combat with new features such as Jumbification, Hell Mode and Item Reincarnation, and craft your perfect team with 45 different character classes to choose from. Along the way, you'll experience a story of redemption, love, and lots of humor and insanity!

Windows Central posted an editorial on why Microsoft should fund Pillars of Eternity 3. This was prompted by a tweet from Josh Sawyer where he joked that he was waiting for a call from Microsoft to make the game.

What you need to know

• After the success of Baldur's Gate 3, many have been wondering if there's a renaissance for "CRPG"-style isometric RPGs on the horizon. 
• One of the greatest modernized CRPGs is Pillars of Eternity, previously crowd-funded by Obsidian with development led by Josh Sawyer. 
• In an interaction on Twitter (also known as X), Sawyer joked that he's waiting for a call from Microsoft to make Pillars of Eternity 3 with a $120 million dollar budget. 
• This is one joke we desperately need to come true. 

Baldur's Gate 3's monumental popularity has somewhat upended the very idea of what types of games can still find success in 2023. In a world where service games rammed with microtransactions are being canceled and wound down left right and center, Baldur's Gate 3 cut through this summer with a hyper-traditional isometric-style RPG, albeit with AAA production values, acting, writing, and visuals. 

It's rare that we see games that follow CRPG traditions of yesteryear with modern flair, but Microsoft and Xbox do have a range of franchises in-house that fit the bill. InXile's Wasteland 3 series follows these conventions to some degree, but it's Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity franchise that perhaps most closely follows Baldur's Gate 3's DNA. 

[...]

The Playstation Blog posted data from Larian Studios on the most popular multi-class builds for Baldur's Gate 3.

Larian Studios delivers details on class builds to express your playstyle in the party-based RPG. 

Emily Gera Product Manager, Larian Studios 

In Baldur’s Gate 3, your character’s class build can be as unique and personalized as your own playstyle.

Since we first launched in August, players have been delving deep into the art of multiclassing, crafting many versatile, powerful, and occasionally kind of weird (but that’s cool you do you) class builds–hybrid characters made by combining two or more classes in the game.

Rogue/Ranger–a class build that marries sneak attacks with high damage at long range–is currently the most popular multiclass combination in the game, followed closely by a beefy Barbarian/Fighter combo.

But with 12 classes and 46 subclasses to pick and choose between, there are many more variations to discover and explore for yourself.

Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the most rewarding yet less-traveled multiclassing paths you might take, according to our esteemed designers – to inspire you to find your own ways to express your playstyle in Baldur’s Gate 3.

[...]

The story rich RPG WitchSpring R has been released for the PC:

WitchSpring R Game Release Trailer

WitchSpring R is a story-driven RPG combining elements of collecting, simulation, and battling. Experience the joy of training a young witch and accompany her on a grand adventure!

RPGamer reviewed Sea of Stars:

Sea of Stars Review

Classic inspired retro RPGs can often feel like cheap imitations. New ideas are added to the formula, but its ultimately never enough to feel unique. Sabotage Studio uses this inspiration as a foundation for Sea of Stars and it fortunately quickly rounds into form as a unique and modern take on the genre. It’s an extremely refined RPG with a tightly-packed story full of heart and charm. While it doesn’t quite reach the heights of classic RPGs like Chrono Trigger, it doesn’t need to, Sea of Stars has its own identity that allows it to stand out in a crowd.

While its retro RPGs inspirations are prevalent early on, Sea of Stars’ story feels uniquely its own, especially in the way that it’s told. After choosing which character leads the story (which has no effect on how the story is played out), the player is brought to a room called the Great Archives and introduced to The Archivist. In this messy room full of scattered books, The Archivist begins to lay the foundation for the adventure that is about to unfold for the Solstice Warriors Zale and Valere. Solstice Warriors wield powerful eclipse magic; Zale, is a blade dancer who uses the power of the sun, while Valere is a monk who utilizes the power of the moon. These warriors will travel the world to take down an evil alchemist threatening to end the world called The Fleshmancer.

[...]

Sea of Stars is a perfectly balanced modern RPG with a beautiful world to explore. The game’s story is full of heart and charismatic characters that push it forward in emotional and meaningful ways. There is a plethora of amazing music and sounds that contribute to its classic vibe, and some great minigames. Its retro RPG inspirations are used only as a foundation; it comes into its own through clever storytelling ideas and vivid world interactions. Although it never quite reaches the heights of the classic RPGs it takes inspiration from, Sea of Stars stands out as a superb, modern turn-based RPG due to its incredible polish and refinement.

Score: 4/5

RPG Site reviewed Fate/Samurai Remnant:

Fate/Samurai Remnant Review

As I rolled credits on my first run of Omega Force’s Fate/Samurai Remnant, I had an odd thought: “This might be the first real Fate story I’ve played since consuming a fan translation of Fate/Stay Night many years ago.” Thinking back on that initial reaction, flush as it was with the high of completing a new game, it was definitely an irrational, impulsive impression - but it wasn’t an entirely inaccurate one.

[...]

Slightly underwhelming combat aside, it is a pretty small blemish on the face of a work that might be the best Fate game to emerge in a long while. By reframing the core context of a Holy Grail War and establishing it in a new setting and with a new, fresh cast of characters, Fate/Samurai Remnant manages to grasp and elevate the fundamentals of the Fate series in a way that makes it all approachable, while not skimping on fan service for those who’ve stuck with Fate all this time.

Score: 8/10

Skill Up reviewed Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty:

I strongly recommend: Cyberpunk 2077 (and Phantom Liberty) - Review

Thanks Couchpotato!

Caribbean Legend - Open World RPG has been announced for February 15, 2024:

Caribbean Legend

Thanks Couchpotato!

The strategy RPG Quasimorph will be released into Early Access today:

Quasimorph - Early Access Launch Trailer - Coming October 2

Thanks Couchpotato!

ACG reviewed The Lamplighters League:

Lamplighters League Review - The Worst Enemy is the Game Itself

Thanks Couchpotato!

The Action RPG GRAVEN will be released on January 23, 2024:

GRAVEN: LEAVING EARLY-ACCESS JANUARY 23RD, 2024

Thanks Couchpotato!

Fextralife summarizes last week's RPG news:

FF7 Ever Crisis Coming to PC, New Pathfinder DLC, Techno-Medieval Soulslike - Top RPG News Oct 01

Timestamp
0:00 - Top RPG News of the Week
0:04 - Abyss Fantasia Turn-Based Card Battle RPG
1:14 - Sword Art Online: Last Recollection Free Demo Now
2:07 - Sekiro Shadows Die Twice 10 Million Units Sold
2:56 - Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis Coming to Steam
3:43 - Cyberpunk 2077 2nd Highest Player Peak
4:57 - Banishers Ghost of New Eden Delayed to Feb 2024
5:56 - Pathfinder Wrath of Righteous Lord of Nothing DLC
7:05 - Deathbound Techno-Medival Soulslike Combat Trailer

Couchpotato spotted an official trailer for the dungeon crawler Mystic Land: Search for Maphaldo:

Mystic Land: Search For Maphaldo - Official trailer

Mortismal Gaming checked out The Thaumaturge:

Check Out: The Thaumaturge

Thanks Couchpotato!

Couchpotato spotted two Stray Gods interviews at IGN:

Stray Gods: RPG Musical - Talking Abs, Troy Baker & Songs with Laura Bailey & Anjali Bhimani

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical - A Conversation with Laura Bailey & Anjali Bhimani

Couchpotato spotted a trailer for the immersive sim Core Decay:

Core Decay Trailer - Realms Deep 2023 Trailer

Explore vast facilities across a dying Earth and uncover a sinister plot to preserve humanity no matter the cost - even if it means redefining what makes us alive - in an atmospheric immersive sim that explores the nature of consciousness and individuality.
3D Realms, Slipgate Ironworks and Ivar Hill are jointly proud to present the latest trailer for Core Decay. While it needs a bit more time in the oven, we thought it we'd give you a little sneak-peek at how things are progressing. 

How do spells and traps work in Dungeons of the Amber Griffin?

Spells and traps [UE5 Gameplay Reveal #2]

We're polishing up Niagara's spell effects in Unreal Engine 5

Take a look at a short video of our game. We're polishing up Niagara's spell effects in Unreal Engine 5. In the game, we have the ability to collide spells cast by our team with spells from traps. It's quite a useful feature and quite fun to use :)

We optimise the spell effects in the game (e.g. use the same smoke animations in multiple special effects, etc.).

Only until the end of next week can you sign up for public playtests of the game. You are welcome! :)

Thanks Henriquejr!

Henriquejr spotted a preview of the Summoner class in Dark Envoy:

Summoner - Class Preview

Take a closer look at one of the adept specializations.

Summoner is a druid-like Adept who uses their bond with spirits to summon them onto the battlefield and has a strong link with the destructive power of nature. As a last resort, they can become a living vessel, turning their body into a mighty colossus. We are pleased to present you with 3 out of the 6 active skills that the Summoner has, giving you a glimpse of how different Dark Envoy aims to be compared to other RPGs.

[...]

The skills mentioned above are just a small portion of what a Summoner is capable of. There are 3 more active abilities and 4 passive abilities. The Summoner is a valuable addition to any party, serving as a highly versatile support, damage dealer, or tank/off-tank (via its summons).

With 4 Base Classes and 12 Specializations, each having its own set of unique active and passive skills, there is truly no limit to how you can play. You could even say that this is a 'sandboxy' RPG from the perspective of available mechanics and systems.

Playtests via Discord

And if you're interested in trying out the current version of the game and helping us with balancing the combat, please join our Discord. We'll be happy to share access to the private build. - drop a msg on #playest-access. At some point before the launch, access to the preview/demo version will no longer be available.

You can join our discord by using this link: DISCORD

Hope you like it!
The Dark Envoy team

Henriquejr spotted the September update for Monomyth!

Monomyth - September Update

State of the Game: Video Devlog 7.0 | Beta Patch 4

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!
The new video devlog is here! Sorry for the delay!

In this update, I would also like to draw your attention to a promising little Kickstarter project that is launching its campaign shortly:

Sorceress

As always you can find the video transcript below.
Best wishes,
Michael

 

Hi, dungeon-crawling fans!
It's finally time for a new update on Monomyth. This one took a little longer because I wanted to make sure that the latest patch was in a proper state before moving on. Before we look at Beta Patch 4 however, I would like to draw your attention to a little project that is launching its Kickstarter very soon.

Sorceress is an immersive, magic-focused, first-person action game that strongly draws inspiration from classic titles like Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. I had this game on my radar for a while now and I thought you might be interested in it as well. So if you like first-person melee combat, emergent gameplay, and nicely stylized environments you can find the link to the Kickstarter page in the description.

With the latest patch, we are finally entering Beta 4, one of the last development stages of the project. This patch contains the last bit of main content that will be available in the first public version of the game. It also knits together the different areas in a cohesive main quest and gives the players a hub to return to during their adventures in the underground. So let’s take a detailed look at the content added in this patch.

[...]

PC Gamer reviewed Wargroove 2:

WARGROOVE 2 REVIEW

A familiar but filling all-you-can-eat strategy buffet

The original Wargroove came at just the right time. The world had been starved for more Advance Wars style strategy for years, and Chucklefish's cheery fantasy reimagining of War World's tanks n' choppers combat into knights and dragons hit the spot. Over four years later, Wargroove 2 arrives on the scene, and while this sequel is bigger and better than ever, it perhaps struggles to stand out against the recent Switch revival of the classic popcorn strategy series.

[...]

Bigger, better, more refined than its predecessor. Perhaps standing out a little less now, but with vast potential.

Score: 81/100

Thanks Henriquejr!

Like every week the RPG Crawler sums up the computer and tabletop RPG news:

RPG News Roundup (9-30-2023)

The dungeon crawler Islands of the Caliph has been released:

Islands of the Caliph

Islands of the Caliph imagines an ancient, seafaring Middle Eastern empire, spanning several islands to which the player may venture and explore.

Set in a fictional Island civilization, Islands of the Caliph is a unique mash-up of the old school RPGs the developer played in the 1980s, and Middle Eastern folklore and religion.

Enemies
Numerous mythical and dangerous beasts lurk in waiting as you explore and discover new lands. From giant spiders and scorpions, to more supernatural beings like ghouls and jinn, Islands of the Caliph will introduce players to some of the creatures of folklore of Arab, Persian and African cultures among others.

Weapons
Weapons are an important tool you will need to overcome adversaries. Find new weapons while adventuring or buy them from a merchant. Each weapon has different stats, so paying careful attention will help you to equip the best items.

Mapping
As you explore, your map with be updated automatically. Use it to keep track of your location and to discover new routes of exploration. A small mini map appears in the corner of the screen while exploring, but you can open it to view the whole area when needed.

Treasure
Many hidden treasures are waiting to be discovered by a brave adventurer. Some chests have coins, while others may have items to take. You may also use treasure chests to store items you don't need, but are not quite ready to sell.

The player must explore this open world and discover the game's primary quest for themselves. The game seeks to capture some of the open-endedness of classic RPGs like Might & Magic, Ultima and Bards Tale, with some modern conveniences. The player will be offered quests by some of the game's NPCs. Some of these quests will be required to make progress in the game's main story, while others will be optional. It is up to the player to figure out which is which, though often it will be obvious in the context given. 

The retro roguelike Moonring has been released:

Moonring

A free game by the co-creator of the XBox's Fable series.

Five hundred years ago, the land of Caldera was plunged into endless darkness. Decades later, five moons rose in the sky, bringing light to the world and strange Gods with it. With them came the Dreams: calls to Devotion promising supernatural Gifts.

Thus, the new Calderan civilisation was born; a world of Devotion and Dreamers, Gods and Gifts, with a Dreamless Archon acting as the Gods' mortal representative. But Archons are not eternal, and a successor must be found.

You are Dreamless: free to choose your own destiny, to ask questions others dare not, or even become Archon yourself.

What will you do, Dreamless one?

Moonring is a retro-inspired open-world, turn-based, tile RPG in the style of the classic Ultima games, but created from the ground up with modern design sensibilities.

The world's geography is hand-designed, but the deadly dungeons beneath the surface reconfigure each time you leave... or die.

Travel, trade, sneak, fight and sail the world of Caldera. Speak with the townsfolk, learn Caldera's secrets, and challenge the Archon for his throne... or even overthrow the Gods themselves!

Features:
- Large, hand-designed open world
- An infinite supply of dungeons generated using your character name
- Over 100 varied enemy types, from fodder to bosses
- 35 unique Gifts from the Gods, their usage changing with the moon phases
- Sailing, ship-to-ship combat and boarding
- A Dungeon Synth OST with over 50 tracks, all made using retro Mod Trackers!
- A hidden magic system and many other mysteries

A note from the creator:

Hi folks. I've loved RPGs since the early 1980s, and grew up playing games like Lord British's 'Ultima' series and early Roguelikes. This is my love-letter to a style of gaming that has largely fallen out of fashion: with its vivid, bright sprites overlaid on stark black backgrounds, true open-world gameplay, and lack of handholding. The days I spent playing these games were spent in joyful exploration and discovery, venturing into the dark unknown, a co-author of the experience, filling in the gaps left by the primitive art with my imagination. For those of you who did the same, I hope Moonring recaptures some of the spirit of those days for you. For those who did not, I hope that the more modern conveniences you find in this game allow you to catch a glimpse of what we did 40 years ago.

My heartfelt thanks to all who spared even a moment to play this. Please be kind to my mistakes. I will fix them. :-)

- Dene

Thanks Couchpotato!

Tiny Trinket Games revealed a track Beneath the Rock and Sand from the Zoria: Age of Shattering:

Take a step into the mysterious world of Zoria!

Commanders!

We're thrilled to announce that during our Wishlist Challenge, with your help, we surpassed over 3000 new Wishlists! As promised, we're revealing a never-before-heard track from the Zoria: Age of Shattering. 

[...]

Thanks Couchpotato!

The Underrail Heavy Duty DLC for  will be released on November 1:

Underrail: Heavy Duty

This DLC adds three new weapon types - grenade launchers, machine guns and miniguns, as well as a special high-level side mission that will challenge even the most hardcore Underrail veterans.

Key features:

• Grenade launchers, a area of effect type weapon, added to Guns skill
• New high-level side mission where you'll fight against elite enemies
• New feats

Thanks Couchpotato!

Gameshub reviewed the Wuxia RPG Wandering Sword:

Wandering Sword Review – A Chinese Epic That Rivals Blockbuster RPGs

Wandering Sword is an amazing martial arts epic, a beautifully woven tale full of fantastic characters and moreish combat.

Wandering Sword gave me that moment. The moment that hits you like a truck when you realise the true scope of what’s in front of you. The sunlight blaring in your eyes for the first time as you exit Vault 101 in Fallout 3; The arrival in Velen after The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s opening hours. A chunk of the way into Wandering Sword, my mouse hit the side of the screen as I traversed the overworld, causing the map to start scrolling… and scrolling… and scrolling even more.

Dozens of locations across several regions – Tigeroar Mountain, Villain Valley, The Cave of Tribulations – begged to be explored. Incredible location names aside, my expectations for a 15-20 hour straightforward indie RPG with a novel battle system had already been somewhat shattered hours earlier – thanks to some brilliant narrative thrusts, but we’ll get to that – yet the scope of this world caught me completely off guard. Like a night sky filled with beautiful paper lanterns rising slowly towards the stars, I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

[...]

It does need to be said that Wandering Sword is a game developed with the Chinese language as a priority, which affects its writing in particular. Some of the translation to English seems very literal – what would traditionally be a herb is instead a “crude drug”, for example. At the very beginning this is a little jarring, but the further into the game I got, the more I came to appreciate this approach, one that feels similar to how RPGs like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy were originally presented to Western audiences. This is not a mis- or poor translation – this is a well-thought-out body of work that contributes a very distinct flavour of storytelling. 

Wandering Sword is otherwise, for the most part, very smooth sailing and relatively bug-free. Poor controller support was ultimately my biggest hangup – I played on PC with a mouse and keyboard for most of the game, with bouts on Steam Deck, but the developers at The Swordsman Studio have since been quick to resolve many of the issues I encountered.

In a time when absolutely massive blockbuster RPGs are sucking up all the oxygen in the room, Wandering Sword stands out as an amazing independent RPG that crushes every goal it sets out to achieve. Small issues aside, its easy to become besotted with its all-encompassing world; a huge recurring cast of fantastic characters blossom amongst a beautifully woven tale of loss, growth, strength, history and consequence. Wrap that up in moreish combat and wonderfully interlocking RPG systems, and it feels like a modern classic.

Score: 4/5

The sequel to Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children called Troubleshooter: Banished Children has been announced:

[Notice] Sharing future development plan

[...]

3. About the development of our sequel “Troubleshooter: Banished Children”

(1) . About the sequel itself…

The main character of our sequel Troubleshooter: Banished Children will be a different figure from Albus.

We’re thinking about focusing on the separated Spoonists from the story of Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children and the other Troubleshooters related to them while revealing new classes and enemies related to the new theme.

It’s possible that some of the characters from Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children can appear in Troubleshooter: Banished Children, but our sequel’s storyline will be a stand-alone in the Troubleshooter universe.
We know that some of our fans are expecting the next tales of Albus and his colleagues, and will be disappointed by this decision.

Nevertheless, we’re trying to take an adventure to present you with a more interesting experience. We believe that this adventure will bring more fun!

(2) About the development progress…

We are now working both on our DLC Crimson Crow and our sequel at the same time.

We are giving up on developing our sequel with the current game engine and trying a new one. Since we’re not familiar with it, we’re relying heavily on trial and error.

Troubleshooter: Banished Children will inherit and improve many features from Troubleshooter: Abandoned Children while greatly simplifying the features that were somewhat too complicated. From last year, we’re now building the base of our game features and contents with our new game engine.
It’s almost 50% percent done, and we’ll start developing the sequel when this task is 100% done.

We’re expecting that it’ll take a year or two before we present you with our sequel with early access.

During this period, our team will be tested with our power to sustain the development. It could be harsh and unforgiving but still, even this couldn’t happen without your love and support.

[...]

Thanks Henriquejr!

Henriquejr spotted the development update #10 for Shadow of the Road:

Let’s talk about the Initiative System…

We're bringing you a devlog straight from the heart of our game development process!

Samurai Warriors!

Recently, we treated you to an interview with our sound magician, and today we're bringing you a devlog straight from the heart of our game development process!

Have you ever heard of an initiative system? It's an incredibly vital component in many turn-based RPGs! And the situation is no different in Shadow of the Road, where it plays a fundamental role. In simple words - its primary task is to determine the order in which characters get to make their moves.

Let us share a bit of the history of how this system has evolved in our game…

In the past…

At first, we had a very “XCOM-like” approach where players could make moves with all characters in any order (and multiple times within their turn, using available action/movement points). In other words, the player would switch between characters, take actions, end their turn, and after that the game would switch to AI which would act similarly.

We showcased this combat system at PAX in 2020. And while it served its purpose, we felt that our game needed something more… Something deeper! We needed a system that would allow players to anticipate enemy moves, analyze situations, and have full influence on what is happening on the battlefield!

So now!

The current iteration of the system draws its inspiration from samurai battles, where it's crucial to observe everything and make decisions that significantly impact the course of the clash.

The core of this mechanic revolves around character initiative.

All characters participating in the battle are sorted based on their initiative values and the one with the highest value starts the whole action. Default initiative values are predefined, but can change as the game develops. Several factors influence the status, such as an initiative penalty for taking damage and side effects.

By introducing this system, we were able to incorporate more combat mechanics that enhance its depth.

The main innovation here is delayed attacks!

These attacks are more effective, but carry a risk of failure. A delayed attack is carried out as a new element on the timeline. So the character initiating it cannot move and automatically ends their turn. If they are attacked before executing the attack, it will be interrupted.

This system also operates in rounds, with each unit making one move per round.

Unfortunately…

Introduced changes also have some drawbacks that make this solution less than perfect. Notable issues include:

• Delaying attacks by a fixed value can lead to situations where nobody on the battlefield can counter or interrupt them. We attempted to solve this by delaying attacks based on factors like the number of characters, but this fix won’t be good enough.
• Time axis shifts are inconsistent. We couldn't find a solution that would allow us to predictably and fairly move a unit, for example, to the next round. A character that received a high amount of damage would end up at the end of the queue in a given round.
• The chance of having a negative initiative value. After receiving a sufficient amount of damage, a unit might have a negative initiative value, which isn't considered a valid value. While we could theoretically try to soften this effect by increasing base values, it wouldn't eliminate the entire problem.

But guess what…? These issues prompted us to work on another version of the system!

What the future holds…

Treat this like a small sneak peek, but…

In previous systems, the gameplay was divided into rounds in which action points and character movement reset at the beginning of each subsequent turn. The new system will have an additional dimension, and we will be abandoning the concept of rounds. However, we don't intend to reveal too much just yet, as there's more to come.

Rest assured, everything is continuously evolving!

Stay tuned!

To stay in the loop regarding our progress, come join our Discord community! And once again, thank you for being a part of this incredible journey!

Best regards
Another Angle Games

On December 2 King Arthur: Knight's Tale will get a new feature:

Rising Eclipse

New Feature: Rifts

Deep within Avalon
reside two factions of the Sídhe, the Seelie and Unseelie. Their courts walk very different pathways in the twilight realms, but they are all drawn to these strange new occurrences throughout Avalon - the rifts, introduced in King Arthur: Knight's Tale's upcoming season, Rising Eclipse.

So, what are they exactly?

Arcane researchers are puzzled by these curious tears in the fabric of reality. Otherwordly earthquakes signal the opening of rifts, and they are oozing dangerous, seemingly uncontrollable energies. However, it seems that the Sídhe know a bit more about them, a knowledge yet hidden from Camelot. They want to claim these fissures to themselves - it seems that whatever ancient energy leaks from the rifts, it can make the Sídhe even more powerful.

In the new season of King Arthur: Knight's Tale this feature serves as a new challenge for Camelot's knights to overcome.

Glowing magical rifts appear randomly on battlefields and grant huge boosts to all Sidhe units. These rifts function as barriers to the knights, they cannot step on the tiles where these magical fissures appear. However, Sídhe units are able to step inside the rifts, draining their energies and gaining buffs for themselves and allies within the mission. They can even chain together multiple enhancements by absorbing these powers.
This has grave consequences for battlefield tactics: now the player needs to take rifts into account when moving around. Are the rifts blocking your optimal path to the enemy? Is there a Sídhe unit close to one of these energy sources? Do you block their path or do you prepare for their increased HP and damage?
All Sídhe units will retain the acquired buffs until the end of the mission. But, if the enemy is defeated, all remaining rift energy can be interacted with and converted into a special resource that could empower player units in Camelot.
Rifts might occur outside of battles as well, but according to Camelot's wise arcanists, these are rare occurrences. However, they might provide interesting benefits.

The new season titled Rising Eclipse (together with Patch 2.0) will arrive on December 2, 2023 to the PC version of King Arthur: Knight's Tale. Previous season will be accessible from a menu. Also look forward to our announcements of the console versions and the next expansion.

See you soon!

Thanks Henriquejr!

Titan Roc explains why Forsaken Realms: Vahrin's Call is a single player game:

Why Single Player for Vahrin's Call?

Hey again everyone! Hope your week is going swimmingly~

"Is the game co-op?" and "Can you make the game co-op?" are two questions we've been asked countless times throughout the development cycle for Vahrin's Call.

For those of you who weren't sure, Vahrin's Call is solely a single player game.
There are no plans to introduce co-op/multiplayer, but we completely understand the want for it. So many games are much more fun when experienced with a friend or two, after all!

That being said, would it surprise you to know that we were originally developing the game to be co-op?

Many years ago when the game was still early in development and wasn't even named Vahrin's Call, we were designing it to be a 1-2 player experience. You could dive in as a lone mercenary or tag in a friend and explore the world together.

This was long long ago, back when we were still trying to figure out what we as a team could achieve with our first game.

So! Some of you might be wondering, "Why did you change the game to be single player only?"

As the scope for the Forsaken Realms universe devleoped over time, it became clear that making a high quality RPG of this scale that also delivers fun and engaging co-op gameplay, was not going to be possible. We would love nothing more than to implement co-op into the game, but unfortunately, that requires a ton of resources that we just don't have at our disposal right now.

Don't get me wrong, all of us on the team absolutely love co-op games, it's why Vahrin's Call was originally being designed as a co-op experience. However it's incredibly important, especially because we're such a tiny team, that we carefully assess each task and determine if we have the resources to execute them to the standard we've commited ourselves to working at.

Approaching game dev with this mindset is essential, lest we end up working on the game for the next decade...

With all that being said, our focus for Vahrin's Call is delivering a high quality, story rich, single-player experience, with the vision that future titles in the franchise will allow you to traverse the world with your friends.

Apologies to those of you who were hoping for co-op, but we promise we'll do our absolute best to include co-op in future titles if Vahrin's Call is successful.

As always, have a lovely rest of your week, stay safe and we'll be back again here next Friday!

Cheers all!

Thanks Henriquejr!

Alrik Fassbauer spotted the Honkai: Star Rail "Jolted Awake From a Winter Dream" special program:

Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.4 "Jolted Awake From a Winter Dream" Special Program