Planning to schedule some Halloween-themed game nights with your crew? ๐ Pick up Witch It at a huge discount now, and get involved in our Halloween 2023 Event!
Happy Halloween! Celebrate the spooky festivities with four new Hunter items, a limited-time player icon, performance optimisations, and a Halloween GIF Contest! ๐ป
Luaq O'Lanterns!
Struggling to find a suitable Halloween costume for the Hunter this month? Look no further!
๐ Luaq O'Lantern's Head ๐ฐ Luaq O'Lantern's Ears ๐ Luaq O'Lavender's Face ๐ฐ Luaq O'Lavender's Ears
Collect these four very rare Hunter items through Halloween crafting (explained below)!
How do I obtain Halloween items?
Opening Witch It during the Halloween 2023 event will grant you 40 "Gloomkins"! A Gloomkin contains a random Halloween item (including Halloween items from previous years), which can only be opened by combining them with "Haunted Candy". ๐ฌ
To earn Haunted Candies, fill up the Item Cauldron with 250 experience points. You can see the item cauldron fill up at the end of the round, on the level up screen.
Haunted Candy has a 60% chance of being earned on any Official server once the item cauldron is filled, but must be earned on specific Halloween maps: Sleeping Rose Cemetery, Cursed Ruins, Grunewald Library or Grave Gulch. If you're lucky enough to earn one, head back to the main menu and press 'Halloween Event' to combine it with a Gloomkin!
Every Halloween 2023 item earned through Gloomkins are tradable and craftable even after the event is over. If you use up all your Gloomkins, you can craft more by combining 5 Haunted Candy together! ๐ญ Note: Haunted Candy can only be obtained in Official servers.
You can also receive the new items through: - Random drops from filling up the item cauldron at the end of a round. - Trading with other players (we recommend using our Discord server to find traders).
Halloween 2023 Player Icon!
Loving the Luaq O'Lanterns as much as we do? Pair up a matching limited-time icon! ๐ฏ๏ธ Play at least one round of Witch It in an Official server during the Halloween 2023 event to earn the icon, but be quick - after the event ends, it will no longer be obtainable!
Addressing Performance!
We're aware of the performance decrease following the transfer of Witch It to Unreal Engine 5, and are making progress towards optimising. In our previous hotfix, we introduced a new "Reflections" slider in video settings, which can be lowered to improve performance. We've also resolved the problem where frame rate would decrease over the course of a match, as well as some glitches that were affecting players on lower graphics settings.
If you are reading this and have experienced frame rate problems previously, please try Witch It again following this update and let us know if you've noticed any improvement in your performance! ๐ฅ๏ธ
GIF Contest Reminder!
There's still over a week left until our 9th GIF contest ends: "Fright Night"! ๐ท๏ธ If you're interested in winning one of three exclusive GIF Masters Hats, check out the contest details here! Entries close on Friday, 27th October 2023 at 11pm (UTC)!
Patch Notes
+ Added: Halloween 2023 Player Icon + Added: 4 new Halloween themed skin items
โ Fixed: Possessed props sometimes falling automatically โ Fixed: Flames on Morgaryll Forest exist in any layout โ Fixed: Weathervane is shaking
In Fright Night, 3x GIF Masters Hats are available for our top three GIF creators! ๐งข
๐ GIF Contest #9 Theme: Fright Night!
All entries must be related to our topic - Fright Night! Your Witch It GIF must be Halloween/spooky related! We recommend to use Halloween maps and costumes in your GIFs to match the theme.
- GIFs must be between 1 to 20 seconds. Longer entries will not count! - You can edit your GIFs freely with text, images and other media - copyrighted media will be deleted! - Your friends can help you record and edit if necessary - but only the person uploading is eligible for the prize! - Entry filetypes can be GIF, GIFV or MP4 (for better quality). If you are using GIFV or MP4, you must upload using Imgur! - You cannot enter the contest with entries or GIFs you have previously created! - Winners of previous GIF contests and Community Staff can enter, but are only eligible for one of the three GIF Master hats. At least two of the three hats are reserved for non-winners/non-staff. - Offensive/rude content is prohibited. Rules still apply to competition entries! - GIFs of stream clips are allowed, but only if youโre the streamer featured in the clip! - Do not use any AI generated content in your GIF! - GIFs can include gameplay, or can be partially / completely animated in another software - as long as it distinctively relates to Witch It! - You are limited to ONE ENTRY - make it your very best work! You may delete/replace/edit your entries during the contest period!
โ ๏ธ Important Tip: You can toggle your GUI while recording by using ALT-J! (We highly recommend this in most cases and it may improve your chances of winning)
โฐ๏ธ Contest Deadline
๐ณ๏ธ Entries Open: Today, 13th October 2023! โ Entries Close: Friday, 27th October 2023 at 11pm (UTC)! ๐ Winners Revealed: On Halloween!
Winners will be judged by the developers and non-competing community staff. Happy Halloween! ๐ง
+ Added: You can now select Reflections quality + Added: Polish is now selectable as a translation
โป Changed: Updated Unreal Engine to 5.3.1 โป Changed: Physics interactions between props and players are bit less explosive
โ Fixed: FPS rate decreasing over the course of a match โ Fixed: Witch Pirate Ghost Skin are flickering โ Fixed: Snowflakes are floating inside of rooms โ Fixed: Password protection for games is not working โ Fixed: Luaq eyes missing the iris โ Fixed: The light in the main menu is not updating its position correctly on lower fps โ Fixed: Objects drawing through the landscape on old GPUs and low settings. โ Fixed: Jump pads sliding away from their start position โ Fixed: Props standing on other props that disappear due to player transformations donโt fall โ Fixed: Pop-ups for props, quests and achievements not working โ Fixed: Chat timestamp color โ Fixed: Study witch skills task time in Imposturous being too short โ Fixed: Anvil task slider and input mismatch in Imposturous โ Fixed: Wardrobe not being editable in Creative Mode โ Fixed: Light and switch connections being broken in older maps in Creative Mode (maps saved between 1.4.2 and 1.4.2.1 need to have their light and switch connections be redone) โ Fixed: Vacuum trap sometimes causing desync between server and clients
Patch 1.4.2 marks the start of Witch It's bright future - the introduction of Unreal Engine 5! In addition, we've improved controller support, and have now made significant progress on many of Witch It's supported languages, as well as added Hungarian, Ukrainian and Galician. Read on! ๐
Unreal Engine 5
As our game grows bigger and better each year, we've been looking for ways to upgrade our technology - so Witch It can remain the best prop hunt experience for many years to come! Unreal Engine 5 empowers us with innovative, new tools to bring our creative vision to life far more efficiently than before. ๐
The transition to UE5 is mostly seamless for you, the players. Your progress and maps are safe, and you won't see many significant changes to how the game looks and plays at this time, but UE5 will give us far more possibilities in future development!
Witch It now has a new physics engine, which should now feel more stable than before. However, if you find anything that's odd, please do let us know! ๐
What about my computer specifications? The introduction of Unreal Engine 5 will improve optimisation on mid-to-high tier computers, but is not compatible with Windows 7 or 8. As of January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will no longer run on Windows 7 or Windows 8, so if you are running on an older system, we highly recommend to update it as soon as possible! โ๏ธ
Improved Controller Support
Controller support has been drastically improved across Witch It, and features a new default layout! Please note that custom key bindings have been reset and will need to be input again.
Please give it a try and send us your feedback to our Discord server, our Steam discussions, or in the comments below this announcement. Creative Mode does not have controller support at this time - but we're working on it for a future update! ๐ฎ
Hungarian, Ukrainian and Galician Languages
Within a day or two of our translators announcement, we had over 100 community members reach out to us offering their support towards translating Witch It! Thank you to everyone who reached out to us.
Over the past few weeks, we've been working with many talented new translators on finishing our existing languages. Italian, Korean and Polish are now complete, and Danish, Japanese and Portuguese (Brazil) are not far from finished! ๐
We also had many community members reach out for us expressing interest in new languages they'd like to see supported. We're excited to announce that we're now supporting Hungarian, Ukrainian and Galician, which are available to use in-game. To change your language, go to Settings > Game > Language.
Patch Notes:
Switched to Unreal Engine 5.3
+ Added: Uncommon recipes + Added: You can now select the Anti Aliasing Method + Added: 3 new languages: Ukrainian, Hungarian and Galician
โป Changed: Chat now shows team color of writer โป Changed: Updated several menu screens to the new text input field โป Changed: Voodoo dolls in the corresponding Imposturous task now scream when being hit
โ Fixed: Controllers not working in most parts of the game โ Fixed: Server list not showing the name of featured player maps โ Fixed: โEdit Map Cycleโ screen not adjusting to different screen resolutions โ Fixed: โAverage Prop Sizeโ medals being shown in Hunt-a-Hag result screen โ Fixed: Sunshade having blocked first person view โ Fixed: Changing from Kula Kula Islands to Loakiki Paradise in next match not possible โ Fixed: Empty details icon in Smash Bench if screen was left and re-entered โ Fixed: Smash Bench freezing instead of properly switching to next available skin item if the last recipe was smashed in the โAllโ category โ Fixed: Recipe quantity displayed as 0 in Witchesโ Cauldron โ Fixed: โShow Auto Savesโ checkbox selection in Custom Map tab not properly saved if menu is left and re-entered โ Fixed: Witch portals highlighted in Imposturous after the WItch has left one of the portals โ Fixed: Various Imposturous task issues due to missing, floating or blocking meshes โ Fixed: Spectator camera sometimes being wrong after the wood chop task in Imposturous โ Fixed: Study witch skills task rotation speed in Imposturous โ Fixed: Jump Pad animation is triggered delayed when its used offscreen โ Fixed: Audio reverb from the mushroom confusion is not working โ Fixed: Possess is not working correctly close to a wardrobe โ Fixed: Bodyslam area smaller than intended โ Fixed: Hitting a decoy with bodyslam triggers the hit effect where the decoy was spawned โ Fixed: Witches exploding after switching from an exploding prop that has been activated โ Fixed: Players being able to always spawn as hunters if they press ready at the last second โ Fixed: Witches in โFill a Potโ no longer see the cauldron list on the right side of their screen after being revived
Do you natively speak Japanese, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Korean or Polish? We are looking for people ready to help us translate Witch It into your local language! ๐
Help us bring one of the following languages to 100% completion:
๐น Japanese - 43% ๐น Danish - 56% ๐น Italian - 68% ๐น Portuguese (Brazil) - 73% ๐น Korean - 79% ๐น Polish - 82%
And in return, we'll grant you an exclusive in-game Translator Hat for the witch, as well as give you a spot in Witch It's credits (a great achievement when applying for new jobs or opportunities)! You will also receive a special Official Translator role over on Witch It's Discord server. โจ
โ๏ธ As a translator, you must: 1. Be able to speak and write your language natively, or just as fluent as a native speaker. We may ask for proof, if necessary. 2. Be fluent in English, so you can understand Witch It's source strings and translate them into your language.
๐ How do I sign-up? 1.https://www.discord.gg/witchit. 2. Press the "What role do you want?" drop-down box. 3. Click "Official Translator". 4. Fill in the short form and await a response!
Witch It is 75% off on Steam for two weeks, until September 12th, 2023! ๐
With our huge news we recently announced, now is the best time to support the development of Witch It!
Pick up a discounted copy of Witch It for yourself or a friend... and go get hunting! Need some inspiration?
๐๏ธ Friday Night Fun - Round up your usual group or reach out to a friend from the past and set up a custom match for some friday night mischief! Witch It combos best with a pizza night or a lively Discord lobby.
๐ฅช Lunchtime Escape - Work got you deflated? Hop onto Witch It during your lunch break and hide from your coworkers!
๐ฉโ๐จโ๐งโ๐ฆ Family Reunion - Need to entertain your siblings or that one strange cousin you have? Grab Witch It for your next family event to break the ice and show your relatives your best hiding spots!
โ๏ธ Solo Quest - Taking a break from the noise? Boot up Witch It as a solo and relax while collecting ingredients for your next big craft, or switch it up and build your dream map in Creative Mode!
As of mid-August, the partnership between Barrel Roll Games, and our publisher, Daedalic Entertainment, has officially ended.
After 5 years of cooperation, we decided in 2022 to go our own way again and thus take publishing into our own hands, as we did when we started our journey with Witch It. We would like to thank Daedalic for their commitment over the last few years, especially the team members with whom we have been in regular correspondence. Thank you! ๐
So what does this mean for you?
This is the first of many steps towards a long-term plan we have been cooking up for the past year, that we hope will put a huge smile on your face. Please stay tuned as we reveal more information about our next major content update, titled "Dreamland" and our first console port once they're ready soonโข! ๐ฎ Daedalic promotional items will also remain obtainable as usual.
We, the entire Barrel Roll Games team, really appreciate your continued support and we are looking forward to the exciting years to come! หrollingbarrelห
โ Fixed: Moving at the end of the game still possible with some input combinations โ Fixed: Switches connected to lights in โCreative Modeโ would connect to random different lights when saving the map. Unfortunately we canโt undo the maps that were already saved with this error, so the lights will have to be reconnected manually. We apologize for the inconvenience โ Fixed: Various smaller fixes regarding the login process for the new stats and achievement system
Behold, Patch 1.4.1! Introducing custom map cycles, allowing you to create your own combination of different maps when hosting a custom match and save your favourite cycles for later! In addition, we've introduced new ways of keeping track of your achievements, some possess balancing changes, and spinning weathervanes... check it out below! ๐ข
[Important] Stats Transfer
All player stats and achievements have now been migrated to our own backend servers instead of Steam. This includes all player progress including levels, prop collection progress, and so on. These stats will automatically transfer upon your first login. โ ๏ธ
If you notice any issues with the stats transfer, please let us know in the comments below this announcement, or in the Witch It Discord.
Custom Map Cycles
Custom map cycles are finally here! You now have the option to create, edit, save and load custom map cycles when hosting a custom match.
Custom map cycles can be made from any combination of Official, Featured, or Custom maps you've created or subscribed to on the Steam Workshop. ๐งฐ
Creating a Map Cycle
To begin, press the "Edit Map Cycle" button when selecting a map to play on.
You'll now see a new interface appear on the right. Here is where your map cycle will appear!
Add a map to the cycle by clicking on it in the map list, and remove a map from the cycle by clicking on it in the map cycle preview. Chosen maps display a tick to show that they have been selected. Hit 'Reset' just below the map interface to remove all your choices and start again.
Select up to 20 maps for your map cycle from any category - mix a few of your favourite Official or Featured maps with a handful of Steam Workshop maps for a undeniably fun time! ๐
Saving/Loading Map Cycles
Just like Match Rules +, you can save your map cycle configurations and load them later.
To save or load a map cycle, click on the "Save/Load Map Cycle' button while editing a map cycle.
Type in the name of your map cycle in the "Map Cycle Name" box, and then press "save". The map cycle you just named will now appear in the list of saved cycles. ๐พ
You can load a previously saved cycle by clicking on it's name and pressing 'load'. You can delete a previously saved cycle by clicking on it's name and pressing 'delete'. ๐๏ธ
Additional Map Cycle Features
Randomizing Cycles At the bottom of the map cycle preview, there is a 'random sequence' checkbox.
โ If the box is unchecked: your chosen map cycle will play in a linear sequence, playing each map in order of selection before looping back to the beginning when all maps have been played.
โ If the box is checked: your chosen map cycle will play in a random sequence, meaning any other map besides the one you are currently playing will be played in the following round.
Duplicate Maps You can select the same map multiple times when editing a custom map cycle. This can be used to increase the chances of a specific map appearing in the random sequence, or to repeat specific maps after each round in the linear sequence.
For example, select each map twice so you and your friends can swap sides on the same map before cycling to a new map! ๐
Editing Cycles during a Match Map cycles can be edited mid-game by the host, in case you change your mind about the order or selection of maps. To do so, press the ESC key during a match and click "Next Match Settings" to open up the match settings and access the maps as you would when creating a custom match. Press "Save For Next Match" to apply your map cycle changes once the current round is complete. โ๏ธ
Achievement Improvements
Achievements now pop-up on screen when you earn them! ๐
You can now view your achievements and their progress in the "collection" screen on the main menu (just under the Prop Collection button)! ๐
โ ๏ธ Known Issue: Achievement dates are not displaying correctly - this will be fixed in an upcoming hotfix.
Possess Balancing
We've made some adjustments to the balancing of the witches' possess skill to keep it as an effective mobility option while ironing out some of the problems that made it far too overpowered.
Mana Cost To begin, our patch 1.4.0 changed the visual effects of the possess, significantly reducing the visibility of which direction the witch possessed towards. While we are enjoying this change so far, the time between possesses feels far too short, making escapes a lot less risky than before when combined with the new visual effects. โจ
As a result, we have increased the mana cost of possess from 40 to 50.
Possessed Props In our last major patch, we made a change that meant players left their original prop behind when possessing a new prop. Originally, this assisted witches in confusing the hunters during a pursuit, but now is very commonly used to scatter huge props - blocking doorways and disrupting the gameplay far more than we intended. โ
To fix this while keeping our original idea intact, props left behind by possess now dissolve after 5 seconds, unless they're repossessed. Please give the possess skill a try and let us know what you think!
Weathervanes
Weathervanes now spin when hit by a projectile or touched! ๐ซ
Weathervanes can now only be uniformly scaled in Creative Mode to ensure they can spin when your map is being played. If you have any non-uniformly scaled weathervanes in your maps, they will be adjusted when loading the map to ensure their functionality. Weathervanes will not spin while your map is being edited in Creative Mode, but will function once you are playing your map in a custom match.
Patch Notes:
Major Change: All player stats and achievements are now coming from our own backend instead of Steam. This includes all player progress including levels, prop unlocks and so on. The values will be transferred upon first login. Please report any issues.
+ Added: Option to create, edit, save and load custom map cycles consisting of any combination of official, featured and own custom maps to use when hosting custom matches and play in random or set sequence + Added: Menu in Collections to view all achievements and their progress + Added: Pop-ups when getting achievements + Added: Power Ups that drop off the map on โShards of Wiqqarraโ are now lifted by the tornado
โป Changed: Players turned into toads in โImposturousโ can no longer initiate kick player votes โป Changed: Props left behind by Possess dissolve after 5 seconds (except if repossessed) โป Changed: Possess now costs 50 mana instead of 40 โป Changed: Weathervanes now spin when shot by a potato or touched (except while in Creative Mode) โป Changed: Weathervanes can now only be uniformly scaled in Creative Mode and already non-uniformly scales weathervanes will be adjusted on map load to ensure functionality
โ Fixed: Quest pop-ups sometimes not working for the last witch standing โ Fixed: Muting players not muting their chat messages โ Fixed: Using the chat to move when movement should be impossible โ Fixed: Small gap in the collision border of โSunset Swampโ โ Fixed: Incorrect tab opened if map list is opened by the custom match screen and a featured map was initially selected โ Fixed: Props duplicating in Creative Mode if you load the same layout again โ Fixed: Switching between single map and random map cycle in custom matches not updating whether the map vote screen is shown at the end of the match โ Fixed: Several issues causing the first map of the map vote options to be wrong or the map vote options to be empty