This week's changelog:

• Added a House Daratan quest if Maadoran or House Aurelian is destroyed and if you rejected Lord Meru's offer.
  
• Added a conversation with Meru at the ruins of Al-Akia (when you enter the complex)
  
• Added 'plague' side quest
  
• Added an opportunity to blackmail one of the traders
  
• Added the first quest in a longer branching side quest chain and corresponding characters - find Elias in one of Lowtown's buidlings to get the ball rolling
  
• You can continue to Ganezzar from Maadoran's catacombs
  
• Fixed a coordinate bug in the outpost near Teron when climbing the fence
  
• Reduced armor penalties for blockers (cut in half)
  
• STR is now the governing stat of Block (once again and in light of recent changes)
  
• CON provides a small defensive bonus; we're considering a larger bonus to reduce armor's penalties (which makes sense)

The next update will be released by the end of the month. It will include:

• visual improvements and art assets
  
• new side quests, probably 4-5, maybe more
  
• new characters to talk to (working on an annalist who can tell about House Crassus' origins as we speak)
  
• extended conversations with the faction leaders (personal stories and such)
  
• hopefully new portraits - Hector needs one
  
• possibly a couple of items requested by the community: a custom short spear and a sledgehammer
  
• journal entries

As always, we thank you for your support and patience.

This week's changelog:

• Added a House Daratan quest if Maadoran or House Aurelian is destroyed and if you rejected Lord Meru's offer.
  
• Added a conversation with Meru at the ruins of Al-Akia (when you enter the complex)
  
• Added 'plague' side quest
  
• Added an opportunity to blackmail one of the traders
  
• Added the first quest in a longer branching side quest chain and corresponding characters - find Elias in one of Lowtown's buidlings to get the ball rolling
  
• You can continue to Ganezzar from Maadoran's catacombs
  
• Fixed a coordinate bug in the outpost near Teron when climbing the fence
  
• Reduced armor penalties for blockers (cut in half)
  
• STR is now the governing stat of Block (once again and in light of recent changes)
  
• CON provides a small defensive bonus; we're considering a larger bonus to reduce armor's penalties (which makes sense)

The next update will be released by the end of the month. It will include:

• visual improvements and art assets
  
• new side quests, probably 4-5, maybe more
  
• new characters to talk to (working on an annalist who can tell about House Crassus' origins as we speak)
  
• extended conversations with the faction leaders (personal stories and such)
  
• hopefully new portraits - Hector needs one
  
• possibly a couple of items requested by the community: a custom short spear and a sledgehammer
  
• journal entries

As always, we thank you for your support and patience.

This week's changelog:

• Added 'House Aurelian is ruined' scenario
  
• Added two NPCs in Ganezzar (a philosopher and a preacher in the Temple district)
  
• Added option to break the siege with the ship and a proper chapter ending
  
• Fixed issues in 'Maadoran is destroyed' scenario
  
• Combat AI changes - the enemies will target unprotected heads
  
• Block changes aimed to support lightly armored blockers (wip):
  - Increased the base defense for block for each skill point from 10 to 15.
  - Block is affected by armor defense penalty.
  - Increased chance to fully block attacks.
  - Decreased dodge mobility bonus per tile.

We're almost done with the faction questlines. One last quest and we can start working on the side quests, the visuals, and the journal.

So roughly, we'll add that faction quest and some side quests next week, the remaining side quests the week after, the journal and possibly achievements by the end of the month.

As always, we thank you for your support and patience.

This week's changelog:

• Added 'House Aurelian is ruined' scenario
  
• Added two NPCs in Ganezzar (a philosopher and a preacher in the Temple district)
  
• Added option to break the siege with the ship and a proper chapter ending
  
• Fixed issues in 'Maadoran is destroyed' scenario
  
• Combat AI changes - the enemies will target unprotected heads
  
• Block changes aimed to support lightly armored blockers (wip):
  - Increased the base defense for block for each skill point from 10 to 15.
  - Block is affected by armor defense penalty.
  - Increased chance to fully block attacks.
  - Decreased dodge mobility bonus per tile.

We're almost done with the faction questlines. One last quest and we can start working on the side quests, the visuals, and the journal.

So roughly, we'll add that faction quest and some side quests next week, the remaining side quests the week after, the journal and possibly achievements by the end of the month.

As always, we thank you for your support and patience.

This week's changelog:

• Added 'Maadoran is destroyed' scenario that comes with several Mind Shield checks
  
• Added two NPCs in Ganezzar (a nobleman and a MG clerk), presenting a slightly different reaction to the religious fanaticism
  
• Added filler NPCs in the upper districts
  
• Improved Al-Akia exploration (text, visual improvements, the Qantari quarter, etc)
  
• Improved the combat AI

We started working on the combat AI. Step 1 - more regular and power attacks (before the enemies switched to fast attacks too eagerly, so now they will hit less often as their THC will go down but it would hurt more). Step 2 - aimed attacks, already working on our end, will be added in the next update. Step 3 - special attacks and alchemy.

Also, we're working on an exciting (well, I'm excited!) armor change. If all goes well (i.e. we test it and it would actually work well and not just on paper), you would be able to damage enemy's armor DR and since we're all about equal opportunities, the enemies would be able to damage your armor.

Anyway, for next week we're planning to add an option to break the siege using the ship, so get your saves ready. You'll need the jellyfish artefact (it's a must) and either the mantra from Antidas' treasure room or high lore.

'til next week!

This week's changelog:

• Added 'Maadoran is destroyed' scenario that comes with several Mind Shield checks
  
• Added two NPCs in Ganezzar (a nobleman and a MG clerk), presenting a slightly different reaction to the religious fanaticism
  
• Added filler NPCs in the upper districts
  
• Improved Al-Akia exploration (text, visual improvements, the Qantari quarter, etc)
  
• Improved the combat AI

We started working on the combat AI. Step 1 - more regular and power attacks (before the enemies switched to fast attacks too eagerly, so now they will hit less often as their THC will go down but it would hurt more). Step 2 - aimed attacks, already working on our end, will be added in the next update. Step 3 - special attacks and alchemy.

Also, we're working on an exciting (well, I'm excited!) armor change. If all goes well (i.e. we test it and it would actually work well and not just on paper), you would be able to damage enemy's armor DR and since we're all about equal opportunities, the enemies would be able to damage your armor.

Anyway, for next week we're planning to add an option to break the siege using the ship, so get your saves ready. You'll need the jellyfish artefact (it's a must) and either the mantra from Antidas' treasure room or high lore.

'til next week!

This week's changelog:

• Added House Crassus questline
  
• Added the ruins of Al-Akia (first pass, will be developed further in the upcoming updates)
  
• Added two NPCs in Ganezzar (a guard and a local guide)
  
• Added descriptions in Lowtown
  
• Added several new Dodge animations
  
• Fixed Critical Strike's bleeding effect
  
• Minor interface improvements (new talk icon, fade on dialogue start, AoO/IA tooltips on tiles, etc)

Some notes:

1) The issue causing NPC who should be gone or dead to return should be fixed or seems to be fixed. For now it's fixed in the beta only, so if you're playing the beta and run into this problem again, please post detailed reproduction steps.

2) The fight involving Faelan (where he takes over some enemies and turn them into allies) is too easy at the moment. The difficulty will go up once we improve the combat AI (the next task for our programmer).

Plans for next week:

• "Maadoran is destroyed" / "House Aurelian is ruined" questlines
  
• Al-Akia exploration improvements
  
• Visual improvements
  
• More NPCs and text descriptions

That would complete the faction questlines and allow us to focus on Ganezzar's side quests and visuals.

This week's changelog:

• Added House Crassus questline
  
• Added the ruins of Al-Akia (first pass, will be developed further in the upcoming updates)
  
• Added two NPCs in Ganezzar (a guard and a local guide)
  
• Added descriptions in Lowtown
  
• Added several new Dodge animations
  
• Fixed Critical Strike's bleeding effect
  
• Minor interface improvements (new talk icon, fade on dialogue start, AoO/IA tooltips on tiles, etc)

Some notes:

1) The issue causing NPC who should be gone or dead to return should be fixed or seems to be fixed. For now it's fixed in the beta only, so if you're playing the beta and run into this problem again, please post detailed reproduction steps.

2) The fight involving Faelan (where he takes over some enemies and turn them into allies) is too easy at the moment. The difficulty will go up once we improve the combat AI (the next task for our programmer).

Plans for next week:

• "Maadoran is destroyed" / "House Aurelian is ruined" questlines
  
• Al-Akia exploration improvements
  
• Visual improvements
  
• More NPCs and text descriptions

That would complete the faction questlines and allow us to focus on Ganezzar's side quests and visuals.

This week's changelog:

• Added House Daratan questline
  
• Added two NPCs (one shows up only when the city is under siege)
  
• Removed the 'horse travel', now you can exit the city via the gate and use the world map to travel.
  
• Fixed the combat loop in AG7
  
• Added gunner's log in the Hangar location
  
• Fixed infinite XP loop when talking to Gaelius after Zamedi
  
• You can now travel to Ganezzar after killing Gaelius in the AG questline
  
• Added a combat panel showing your Attack and Defense stats (it's pretty cool even if I do say so myself)
  
• Hovering your mouse over the enemy shows the THC breakdown
  
• More tooltips and minor improvements (like color-coordinated textbox)

In the next week's episode Lord Meru will join the Dark Side. Stay tuned.

This week's changelog:

• Added House Daratan questline
  
• Added two NPCs (one shows up only when the city is under siege)
  
• Removed the 'horse travel', now you can exit the city via the gate and use the world map to travel.
  
• Fixed the combat loop in AG7
  
• Added gunner's log in the Hangar location
  
• Fixed infinite XP loop when talking to Gaelius after Zamedi
  
• You can now travel to Ganezzar after killing Gaelius in the AG questline
  
• Added a combat panel showing your Attack and Defense stats (it's pretty cool even if I do say so myself)
  
• Hovering your mouse over the enemy shows the THC breakdown
  
• More tooltips and minor improvements (like color-coordinated textbox)

In the next week's episode Lord Meru will join the Dark Side. Stay tuned.