Dec 2, 2024

Medieval Monday Talk #55 - Kindled Strikes

Going Medieval - SeVerin

Greetings, medievalists!

We’re still on the fiery topic, but this time, let’s talk about how you can use fire in combat. The most obvious choice? Fire arrows. Any flame source (braziers, torches, etc.) can ignite fire arrows. An archer will have ignited arrow order next to the attack order, which upon selecting, will spawn a fire arrow when settlers stand next to the flame source. These incendiary arrows are not as precise and do less damage. However, they spawn a small flame wherever they land. Keep that in mind if you’re fighting enemies indoors. And if you hit an enemy with a fire arrow… Well, prepare for some chaos.

Only regular bows - short bow, longbow, and war bow - can use fire arrows. Unfortunately, other weapons can’t be set ablaze. No fire swords here, unfortunately, but maybe you’ll want to revisit that idea with the modding v2 that is coming in the Update #16.

Fire shenanigans will not stop there - we’re going to introduce flammable oil. Flammable oil is a resource that you’ll be able to produce within the Oil Press building, and you will be able to use it in a couple of ways. You can spill oil on tiles and make them extremely flammable. Then, proceed with an archer and ignite the oil with a fire arrow. Witness super fast spreading of fire from oil tile to oil tile, making a nice stronghold-esque fire trap. Pretty cool, right?

We plan to introduce oil jug traps that, when triggered, will spill oil in a radius and ignite it.

But let’s take all this a bit further.

We’re also adding Greek fire oil and Greek fire. Invented by Byzantines, Greek fire was a fearsome weapon. It had the ability to keep burning while on water. As such, it was often used in naval battles. The creation of it was a closely guarded secret and its knowledge was thought to be lost. But not to settlers of Going Medieval (we took some creative liberties here and totally made this up), as they’ll be able to upgrade fire oil into greek fire oil with saltpeter and quicklime. Here is our logic for that.

Quicklime, or calcium oxide (CaO), will be created at kilns. Quicklime reacts with water in an exothermic reaction, producing slaked lime (calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)₂) and releasing a significant amount of heat. Saltpeter is a common name for potassium nitrate (KNO₃), a naturally occurring mineral and chemical compound. It acts as an oxidizer to fuel the combustion of pyrotechnic mixtures. We’ll be introducing Saltpetre works as a building for producing saltpeter. So, with our logic, it makes sense to bind those things with oil to create Greek fire. (Also, we can use saltpeter and quicklime for other stuff in the future (who said gunpowder?).)

Greek fire in our game is green, but besides that, the functionality is the same. It’s a stronger version of fire that can burn underwater and in the rain. It will not spread as greek fire, but will spawn regular fire around it. Greek oil can be used with fire in the same way as regular oil does, but do remember that Greek fire is not easily extinguished.

What does this mean for enemies? For now, we’ll start simple - enemies will be able to set fire to structures that they are attacking. We’ll revisit this once their AI gets upgraded, but don’t take this ability lightly. Imagine an enemy going through a library and getting a sudden urge to burn a nearby research table. And the library is made of wood and that starts a chain reaction and… oh no… You get the point.

So how about that? What are your thoughts on these fire shenanigans? Do you already have some specific scenario in mind that you want to test? Write it in the comments.

And one more thing - we've partnered with one of our biggest inspirations. The game that gave birth to a genre, the one with the most intricate simulation of a world - Dwarf Fortress. If you are still thinking about buying Going Medieval, maybe Fortress Friends bundle is what you want to get as it features Going Medieval & Dwarf Fortress at a discounted price.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/47697/Fortress_Friends/

Next week we’ll talk about long awaited training buildings and other interesting upgrades. Until then…

Stay medieval!

Foxy Voxel

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Dec 2, 2024

Patch Notes (0.21.28)

Going Medieval - SeVerin

Greetings, medievalists! The newest patch (0.21.28) is now live on all platforms. Save your progress and restart your game client to update. You should be able to load normally and continue playing. If you have any problems, please let us know.

Bugs and Fixes

Fixed several crash occurrences.

Known issues:

If your settlers are experiencing weird animations with some actions, be sure to turn off V-sync and cap the game's FPS in the game's options. Cap it to 60fps. If the issue persists, cap it at 30.
Assigned Pets don't sleep with owners.
Some items are missing icons and localization values.
Player-triggered events don't have sound effects
Settlers will not refuel torches if there is no floor/ground beneath them.
Settlers will not choose the closest production building (if there are more of the same type), but the one that has a production set first in the global list of productions.

DISCLAIMER: The experimental and the main branch have the same version of the game. However, on the experimental branch, we decided to keep the Dev version of the game, and that means that a Dev log with red text will appear from time to time. This will help us get more info from your side when crashes and bug reports occur. If you are annoyed by this, please switch to the main branch to experience the game without the red text.

Foxy Voxel

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Dec 2, 2024

Patch Notes (0.21.27)

Going Medieval - SeVerin

Greetings, medievalists! The newest patch (0.21.27) is now live on all platforms. Save your progress and restart your game client to update. You should be able to load normally and continue playing. If you have any problems, please let us know.

Bugs and Fixes

Fixed several crash occurrences.
Additional code cleanup.

Known issues:

If your settlers are experiencing weird animations with some actions, be sure to turn off V-sync and cap the game's FPS in the game's options. Cap it to 60fps. If the issue persists, cap it at 30.
Assigned Pets don't sleep with owners.
Some items are missing icons and localization values.
Player-triggered events don't have sound effects
Settlers will not refuel torches if there is no floor/ground beneath them.
Settlers will not choose the closest production building (if there are more of the same type), but the one that has a production set first in the global list of productions.

Nov 29, 2024

Patch Notes (0.21.26)

Going Medieval - SeVerin

Greetings, medievalists! The newest patch (0.21.26) is now live on all platforms. Save your progress and restart your game client to update. You should be able to load normally and continue playing. If you have any problems, please let us know.

Bugs and Fixes

Fixed several crash occurrences.
Fixed the issue where the game would crash on load if a mod was missing preview image or modinfo file. Now, the game shouldn’t crash if those files are not present.
Fixed the issue where some players were not able to see heraldry changes during its editing.
Fixed the issue where installing a building pile would cancel previous building relocation order.
Fixed minor text issues.

Quality of Life improvements

Updated preprocessing tool to adapt to more complex/nested array structures and simplify modding.
Old code is cleaned and more bug hunting logs have been added.

Known issues:

If your settlers are experiencing weird animations with some actions, be sure to turn off V-sync and cap the game's FPS in the game's options. Cap it to 60fps. If the issue persists, cap it at 30.
Assigned Pets don't sleep with owners.
Some items are missing icons and localization values.
Player-triggered events don't have sound effects
Settlers will not refuel torches if there is no floor/ground beneath them.
Settlers will not choose the closest production building (if there are more of the same type), but the one that has a production set first in the global list of productions.

Nov 26, 2024

Patch Notes (0.21.23)

Going Medieval - SeVerin

Greetings, medievalists! The newest patch (0.21.23) is now live on all platforms. Save your progress and restart your game client to update. You should be able to load normally and continue playing. If you have any problems, please let us know.

Bugs and Fixes

Fixed several crash occurrences.
Fixed the issue where some players were missing Manage presets. If the issue persists, exit the game and try deleting ManageGroupPresets.json in the %userprofile%\AppData\LocalLow\Foxy Voxel\Going Medieval\UserData\ and run the game again.
Fixed the issue where the game wouldn’t allow positioning of gates & portcullises on floors in some cases.
Fixed the issue where the game wouldn’t allow positioning of gates & portcullises on floors in some cases.
Fixed the issue where some buildings in pile form were missing their names and some stat info in the stats panel.
Fixed the issue where a wrong graphic was used to display variant art.

Known issues:

If your settlers are experiencing weird animations with some actions, be sure to turn off V-sync and cap the game's FPS in the game's options. Cap it to 60fps. If the issue persists, cap it at 30.
Assigned Pets don't sleep with owners.
Some items are missing icons and localization values.
Player-triggered events don't have sound effects
Settlers will not refuel torches if there is no floor/ground beneath them.
Settlers will not choose the closest production building (if there are more of the same type), but the one that has a production set first in the global list of productions.

Nov 26, 2024

Update #13 | Basic Modding

Going Medieval - SeVerin

Greetings medievalists!

The new major update, titled “Basic Modding” (0.21.21) is now live on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG! All the fixes and improvements from the experimental branch are now stable, tested, and present in this update! These include: creating custom localizations, scenario mods and json file editing.

Here are the notes for what awaits you in this version, but first, a warning:

Disable Mods if you have them

Please note: if you are using existing mods you might experience crashes or even an inability to start the game. If you do, turn the mods off before starting the game. If the problem persists, be sure to delete everything in the steamapps\common\Going Medieval and then verify the game files.

Update 13 comes with the official mod support and Going Medieval Workshop on Steam with the in-game integration. Basic Modding Support (v1) covers Json file modding (e.g. adding Perks or Backgrounds for settlers or altering many other aspects of the game), creating localizations and scenario mods.This is just the initial set of features that we will support from the next update. Advanced Modding Support (v2) will add mod.io integration for non Steam players and allow creation of custom modding meshes (3D models), audio and much more by the time Update 16 goes live.

You must accept the EULA first to access mods and modding options in the game. Click on the "Mods" option on the Home Screen and then select "Accept."

To use mods

A couple of new buttons related to Mods will appear in the game. They all have the same function, but different tag filters.

Selecting “Get Mods” in the Main Menu > Mods will take you to the Steam Workshop with the “General” filter on.

Selecting “Get Mods” at the Starting Conditions screen will take you to the Steam Workshop with the “Scenario” filter on.

Selecting “Get More” in the Language menu will take you to the Steam Workshop with the “Localization” filter on.

Each of these sections have a “Create” button next to it, which will generate you a template of that section. Filters originally set can be changed as you see fit by selecting a different tag on the right part of the screen.

If you want to download a specific mod, you have to Subscribe to it in the Workshop and it will be automatically downloaded to your game client.

Download time may vary depending on the mod size, but eventually you should be able to see it in game on the mod list.

To create mods

To create and use the mods, please read these instructions. In there, you will find info regarding mod directory, necessary files, supported mod types, how to edit .json files, and other useful stuff.

Once you’ve created a mod and it’s working locally, you can put it on the Workshop and update later on.

Dos & Don'ts

And finally, some rules when it comes to modding. We want to ensure mods amplify the Going Medieval players’ experience in a positive way and that their authors don’t cross the line where we or Steam admins need to step in and remove their work.

Dos:

To make everyone’s lives easier, please add a description, main image, and some screenshots that explain what your mod is about.

Don’ts:

Don’t create mods that violate the Steam Subscriber Agreement.
Don’t use other players’ work or copyrighted material, such as assets from other games, without explicit permission. If you were granted permission, credit the source in a respectable way and include proof of permission in the mod and its description.
Don’t include any code with unexpected and/or malicious purposes. The community needs to be able to easily tell that your mod is not harmful in any way.
Don’t make mods public if they’re meant for personal use or you know they’re unfinished and bound to break the game for other players.
If you wish to pick up work on a mod that appears to be abandoned by the original creator, get in touch with them first to ask for their permission. Reuploads without a clear explanation of whether you have obtained permission for a reupload will be deleted.
Don’t make mods available only behind a paywall or paid for in any other way - for example available only to your supporters on an external platform.
When publishing your new content, whatever it is, be respectful of others. Most importantly, we don’t want any form of hate speech - racism, homophobia, sexism. - in Going Medieval Workshop.

The best place to discuss Going Medieval modding is in the modding channels on our Discord server. We hope we’ll see you there with some wonderful creations.

We’d like to thank the passionate modders for already making some cool mods that will make life for your settlers that much easier (shout out to Lyosha, Sindin, TerrorFish LF Snow, nukumorina, PolyZen, Maito, Chudnofsky, BOT Wolf ). It is also worth noting that passionate fans have already made community localizations for Italian, Hungarian, Thai, and Ukrainian language. Give them a try, rate them and support fellow GM players.

While GOG and EGS Players don’t have access to the Workshop, nothing prevents you from using the mods by putting them in the C:\Users\[username]\Documents\Foxy Voxel\Going Medieval\Mods

Happy modding and let us know how it goes!

Oh, and in the case you missed it - We’ve teamed up with the creators of Diplomacy is Not an Option to offer this limited-time bundle:

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/46626/Going_Medieval_X_Diplomacy_is_Not_an_Option/

Set in a medieval fantasy world, Diplomacy is Not an Option delivers wild, chaotic, and endlessly fun strategy gameplay. Haven’t snagged Going Medieval yet? Now’s your chance to grab two amazing games at a very diplomatic discount.

Stay medieval!

Foxy Voxel

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Previous Updates

Nov 25, 2024

Medieval Monday Talk #54 - Taming the Beast

Going Medieval - SeVerin

Greetings medievalists!

How about that fire spreading, huh? One thing we didn’t touch on earlier is how fire affects living beings. Naturally, they’ll burn too—but humans may avoid severe burns depending on the clothing or armor they’re wearing. Animals, however, don’t have such protections, which makes things a bit more chaotic. If an animal catches fire, it will not only suffer burn wounds but also spread flames as it moves, leaving destruction and chaos in its wake.

Fire doesn’t just hurt living creatures—it also generates intense heat. This heat kills vegetation, evaporates wetness, and melts snow in the surrounding area. It can even cause heat-related health issues for settlers, potentially leading to them fainting (think of it as a localized heatwave).

We’ve tried to play with the impact of wind on fire spreading, but the results were not… ideal.

There are too many variables to consider with such tests, so we’ll revisit that idea later in the development.

Okay, but how do you deal with fire? Fear not, we have a couple of solutions for you. Both of those involve Firefighter job. That's right, we are throwing in another job for your settler to do.

People that have a firefighter job turned on will deal with fire in one of two ways, depending on fire's intensity. If there is a small fire present and it's nearby, settlers will go to it and stomp it out - no additional resources needed.

For intense fires, settlers will fetch water from a source and throw it onto the flames. This not only extinguishes the fire but also leaves wetness behind, which can help prevent the fire from reigniting.

We’re still working on fine tuning that action and animation, but hey - it’s much better than our previous placeholder solution.

So, yes, you will utilize rivers and lakes for these purposes, but what if they are far from fire? Well... the building that will help take water from a specific point is… a well. That's right, you will be able to construct a well structure that needs to be over a body of water and setters will choose to take water from the well instead of choosing the body of water. But here is when it gets interesting - water can be stockpiled in barrels.

Barrels are new structures for storing water, available in two sizes: small and large. Settlers can fill these barrels (as extinguishing water is now a resource) and use them as localized water points for firefighting. Strategically placing barrels in flammable areas can help protect key locations. And here’s the sweet part: if a fire reaches a barrel, it will break, spilling its stored water and potentially extinguishing nearby flames.

The neat thing about the barrels is that beyond being refilled by settlers, they'll be refilled by rain, too. Positioning them under roof corners will speed up the process, thanks to additional water accumulation from runoff.

It’s worth noting that while wells and barrels are handy additions, they won’t serve as sources for settlers to drink from, bathe, or wash clothes. Adding water as a necessary requirement for your settler is very close, if not identical to the hunger need. As such, it wouldn’t add anything to the gameplay that existing systems don’t cover. We are trying to justify the existence of every need in the game and tie it to the present stuff. Food covers the health part via a resource, alcohol provides a mood buff tied also to a resource, entertainment requires a building, religion too (and religious sides provide a bit of dynamic). If we add just a thirst for water, it would be a copy of the hunger need - identical function, separate bar.

We could add a need for washing/hygiene at one point, but currently it doesn’t seem that different from entertainment in a sense that a settler “performs” it and satisfies their need. If, at some point, we introduce sickness types and focus on medicine a bit more, we can revisit this idea. For now, we’d like to focus ourselves on the roadmap.

Going Medieval is already a management-heavy game, and adding those mechanics would increase micromanagement without enough gameplay benefit to justify the complexity.

Let's end this with a neat bundle! We’ve teamed up with the creators of Diplomacy is Not an Option to offer this limited-time bundle:

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/46626/Going_Medieval_X_Diplomacy_is_Not_an_Option/

Set in a medieval fantasy world, Diplomacy is Not an Option delivers wild, chaotic, and endlessly fun strategy gameplay. Haven’t snagged Going Medieval yet? Now’s your chance to grab two amazing games at a very diplomatic discount.

And that would be all for this talk. Next week we'll discuss how the fire relates to combat. While you wait, do let us know if this fire control and water management system sounds good to you. Until next time...

Stay medieval!

Foxy Voxel

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Nov 22, 2024

Experimental Branch Patch (0.21.21)

Going Medieval - SeVerin

Greetings players! The newest patch (0.21.21) is now live on all platforms on the experimental branch. Please save your progress and restart your game client to update. You should be able to load normally and continue playing. If you have any problems, please let us know.

Note1: From now on we will deploy Development builds EGS and GOG experimental branches. This will unlock enabling Dev Tools and debug print for easier modding.

Note2: We are improving JSON merging and compatibility. In a nutshell, mods editing existing models can have only fields they are aiming to change. This way multiple mods can edit different fields on the same model and everything is more clear and readable. There are some NEW rules so we updated the JSON modding section in the official Modding Guide. Check the updated Modding .json Files section.

Modding Support

Localization updated with new text keys.
Fixed the issue where an exception was thrown when enabling/disabling mods after going back to Home from the Main scene.
Fixed the issue where adding fields that do not exist in the current model would cause an error.
Fixed the issue where a Localization Mod author wasn't recognized correctly, thus preventing updating existing Workshop items.

Known issues:

[MODDING] Updating mods from the game will reset visibility to Hidden and update all fields with values from ModInfo.json. This will overwrite name, description, author and tags on Steam Workshop page. For now, please update ModInfo.json so nothing is overwritten. We will address this and visibility in the next patch.
If your settlers are experiencing weird animations with some actions, be sure to turn off V-sync and cap the game's FPS in the game's options. Cap it to 60fps. If the issue persists, cap it at 30.
Assigned Pets don't sleep with owners.
Some text keys are still not translated.
Player-triggered events don't have sound effects
Settlers will not refuel torches if there is no floor/ground beneath them.
Settlers will not choose the closest production building (if there are more of the same type), but the one that has a production set first in the global list of productions.

DISCLAIMERS:
⚠️ We decided to keep Dev version of the game on the experimental branch, and that means that a Dev log with red text will appear from time to time. This will help us get more info from your side when crashes and bug reports occur.
⚠️ Also, at the moment, the experimental and the main branch are different. You should not play saves from the experimental branch on the main one as it can cause various bugs - please avoid doing this.

As always, use F10 and/or the experimental bug subforum for reporting experimental issues. If you want more dynamic/direct communication - head over to our Discord server. Even though we might not reply, we are reading everything. Thank you!

Foxy Voxel

Nov 21, 2024

Experimental Branch Patch (0.21.19)

Going Medieval - SeVerin

Greetings players! The newest patch (0.21.19) is now live on all platforms on the experimental branch. Please save your progress and restart your game client to update. You should be able to load normally and continue playing. If you have any problems, please let us know.

Quality of Life Improvements

Mods can now include only fields they are changing for better compatibility and clarity (as mentioned in the note 2).

Bugs and Fixes

Fixed several crash occurrences.
Fixed the issue where renaming scenario would change the id field as well.

Known issues:

If your settlers are experiencing weird animations with some actions, be sure to turn off V-sync and cap the game's FPS in the game's options. Cap it to 60fps. If the issue persists, cap it at 30.
Assigned Pets don't sleep with owners.
Some text keys are still not translated.
Player-triggered events don't have sound effects
Settlers will not refuel torches if there is no floor/ground beneath them.
Settlers will not choose the closest production building (if there are more of the same type), but the one that has a production set first in the global list of productions.