We hope you've got your mind-boggling questions ready, as tonight we aim to answer as many of your questions as possible during this AMA livestream! It will kick off today, July 6 at 8PM CEST / 11AM PST. The livestream will take place right here on Steam. During the livestream, we will also be announcing June's monthly community room picks! If you've got any questions for us; be sure to ask them in the comments down below. We hope to see you there!

Hi! First and foremost, a new version has landed.


New features:

• Added a possibility to rename characters. A character can be renamed in-game via the character details screen.

Difficulty/balancing:

• Suicide bombers now should not explode in front of bleeding out characters that often.

Bugfixes

• Gunter: corrected the effects of the "Focus" skill on Wait it Out and Take Cover combat tactics.
  
• Combat bot: fixed the issue with ground slam not consuming an AP if the bot had 1 AP left.

I have finished overhauling the Stress system for Shardpunk, and I would like to hear your feedback on it before it goes live - that's why there's now a public beta branch available, with the new Dread mechanics in place.

Dread mechanics separate combat stress management from shelter stress management, change the way the quirks are acquired and adjust shelter stress-reducing skills.



Switching to the beta branch will NOT remove your existing profiles - you will be able to see them again when you switch back.

A couple of useful links:

Accessing Shardpunk beta branch

Dread mechanics description

There's also a separate channel on our Discord server for discussing beta changes.

Thanks for reading! I am looking forward to your feedback! Take care!

Tycoons!

Today we are delivering Railway Empire 2’s first big update for Steam, Xbox Game Pass for console and PC Game Pass for PC, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles (supported through Smart Delivery): Aboard the freight train there are over 100 fixes, including changes to the train logic and track construction, improving trains passing each other on free tracks, as well as fixing misplaced signals on a 4-track gridiron. Also, we’ve fixed several issues with waypoints not working properly and the Mallard engine now plays the correct sounds.

Aside from the train logic and track construction, we’ve made several changes to the UI, sound, task lists, multiplayer, bugfixes, gameplay, achievements, and many other issues.
Please find the full Changelog below.

This update will lay the tracks for the future improvements to Railway Empire 2, so please stay tuned and don’t forget to check out the first Roadmap for the game if you have missed it:

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1644320/view/3672170635430641775?l=english

We encourage you to keep sharing your feedback on the forums https://steamcommunity.com/app/1644320/discussions/3/ and discord. 

Your Railway Empire 2 Team

• Improved train logic where a waiting train in a station could block other train tracks and might cause traffic jams. 
  
• Improved train logic for passing other trains when possible, rather than waiting for them in switching zones. 
  
• Improved the priority calculation behind unloading goods.
  
• Fixed an issue where trains would wrongfully reverse at a station after building a new track.
  
• Trains will no longer stop at train stations on their route if there are no actions possible.
  
• Fixed an issue where trains sometimes would glitch into and block each other.
  
• Fixed AI delivering goods to a city from a distant point, blocking goods consumption due to not receiving the delivery.
  
• Fixed an issue with broken waypoints interrupting rail line operation.
  
• Fixed an issue with signals close to supply towers sometimes wrongfully closing, leading trains to stop unnecessarily.
  
• Fixed an issue where wares could not reach their target city destination when being transported through a chain of warehouses, especially when two warehouses were built in close proximity to each other.
  
• Fixed an issue where placed waypoints within a train route could lead to trains skipping train stations and generally not behaving as intended.
  
• Fixed an issue where trains could not be refuelled at a supply tower due to the supply tower’s signal not being detected correctly. For save games from before this update, simply change the track direction, so that the signals update themselves.
  
• Fixed an issue with the calculation of the locomotive maintenance, ensuring all bonuses are considered and calculated correctly.

• Fixed additional tracks being displayed during girdiron construction when the respective platforms do not exist due to limited available space at the station.
  
• Fixed an issue where unselected tracks were wrongly highlighted while defining track direction.
  
• Fixed an issue in topographical mode where a switch between crossing tracks was sometimes not displayed correctly.
  
• When constructing a track using a controller, it is now possible to automatically snap to the closest track by pressing the corresponding direction on the D-Pad.
  
• Fixed an issue where signals were sometimes misplaced when constructing a 4-track gridiron.
  
• Fixed an issue where it would sometimes be possible to place waypoints.
  
• To improve waypoint placing using the controller, the track the player is hovering over now displays the waypoint cone in advance.
  
• Fixed an issue where parallel tracks were sometimes unnecessarily built as bridges.
  
• Fixed an issue where parallel crossing tracks were constructed incorrectly at the track junction.
  
• Fixed an issue where building parallel tracks could lead to the parallel track being built in disconnected segments.

• Fixed cumulative bonuses not being displayed in the info box of some technologies.
  
• Fixed the number of train cars being displayed incorrectly when using special cars (e.g. the refrigerator car).
  
• Fixed the “regions” button disappearing in some cases.
  
• Fixed quarterly report showing maintenance costs when no maintenance post or depots are being used.
  
• Fixed route lists at train stations still being accessible after station’s last train was deleted.
  
• Fixed the camera focus not centering on the connection bonus city when clicking on the connection bonus icon.
  
• Fixed loading screen showing unsupported files when other files than save games are copied into the save game folder.
  
• Ratings window is now showing which campaign, chapter, or which specific scenario was played.
  
• Fixed cities now displaying which goods are being produced when building a new train station.
  
• Fixed display of areas suitable for building during factory construction when the selected factory cannot be built in the selected city.
  
• Fixed the “tips and tricks” screen not being closed correctly in the main menu when opened via hot-key.
  
• The number of wagons now cycles properly when used manually.
  
• Improved controller navigation when changing the order of stations while editing or creating a rail line.
  
• In the Personnel interface, bonuses from research that affect the cost are now visually indicated via an arrow icon. Hovering over this icon displays more details on these bonuses.
  
• Fixed an issue where values were wrongly displayed in the newspaper.
  
• The total research bonuses in the research menu are now correctly displayed for engine reliability.
  
• Fixed an issue, where scrolling in the Goods Supply and Demand page also changed the zoom level in the gameworld.
  
• Fixed an issue where the schematic track representation disappeared when opening the list of routes and selecting a train.
  
• Changed the controller key assignment so that it is now possible to open the auction bidding during track construction.
  
• City names are now displayed in the building menu (e.g. when constructing train stations).
  
• Fixed the express tooltips not including bonuses from the engineer or entrepreneur characters.
  
• Fixed maintenance post cost not being included in the calculation for the average balance per week in the company menu.
  
• Fixed the cash icon not being displayed in the newspaper.
  
• Fixed a research node being researchable even without an existing connection to other research nodes.
  
• Fixed an issue in the save game menu, where after changing the language some of the map information was not displayed correctly.
  
• Fixed issues with the font in the save game menu for several languages (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese)
  
• Fixed an issue where the maintenance post’s green influence circle was not displayed when selecting a maintenance post while a different maintenance post was already selected.
  
• Fixed an issue where track directions were displayed within train stations even though it is not required. Now when selecting a route, the tracks are highlighted within stations, but no track direction will be displayed within the station.
  
• When using a controller editing a train route, the confirm option is now only displayed if there were any changes to the route that can be confirmed.
  
• Changed the order of goods being displayed when changing goods in a warehouse, so that basic goods are displayed in a more prominent position.

• Fixed an issue where missions in the task list would ask for either resources or the connection of rural businesses that would not appear within the task’s timeframe.
  
• Fixed the scoring screen sometimes displaying a score of 0.
  
• The name of the scenario or campaign is now also displayed in the task list.
  
• Fixed task “gain access to 4 regions” only updating after loading a save game.
  
• Added informational hint for task “Ensure 95% train utilization” to help the player understand what needs to be done.
  
• Fixed “Produce X loads of X” task only counting goods produced in cities.
  
• Fixed a hint for a particular task that was missing and led to the incorrect assumption that the task could not be completed.
  
• Fixed the task “Ensure 95% train utilization for freight in …” not working properly.

• Tutorial 2: Fixed confirmation button being hidden by the dialogue textbox for some resolutions.
  
• Tutorial 2: Fixed an issue, where switching to the track construction tab was not possible.
  
• Tutorial 2: Fixed an issue in Tutorial 2 where it was possible to select train routes other than the intended ones.
  
• Tutorial 3: Locomotives can no longer break down in this tutorial mission.
  
• Tutorial 3: Fixed some trains not counting for the “select a train line once more” request.
  
• Tutorial 3: Fixed an issue where it was not possible to select locomotives having a breakdown.
  
• Tutorial 4: Sacramento will now start with a larger population and grow faster within this tutorial mission.
  
• Tutorial 4: Reworked San Francisco <-> Sacramento tracks to allow smaller grid iron placement.
  
• Tutorial 4: Fixed an issue where the dialogue to edit locomotives could not open when using a controller.
  
• Tutorial 5: Disabled any random auctions appearing and interfering with the tutorial flow.
  
• Tutorial 5: Fixed player having insufficient money to participate in auction in some cases. Now additional money is granted before an auction is initiated.
  
• Tutorial 5: Fixed an issue where the game would be stuck when the player bought a business too early into the tutorial.
  
• Tutorial 7: Fixed conditional blocker when player starts searching for a saboteur before he is supposed to.
  
• Tutorial 7: Fixed an issue where the Tips & Tricks button in the competitor screen was not accessible.

• Added additional sounds to interactions/UI interactions.
  
• Fixed and improved whistle/horn sounds of trains.
  
• Fixed Mallard engine not playing the correct sounds.
  
• Fixed an issue where the whistle/horn didn’t turn off within the Engine Shed when quickly switching to a sub menu.
  
• Fixed an issue where, after setting the audio volume to 0% and restarting the game, an additional audio sound could be heard.

• Fixed demolishing not working as intended for host and client.
  
• Fixed inconsistent amounts of goods’ supply and demand getting displayed for host and client player.
  
• Fixed the game crashing for a player who is upgrading an industry while another player is demolishing it.
  
• Fixed client player being unable to access the first train station expansion in some cases.
  
• Fixed the game crashing for player in ride-along mode while another player changes the colour of the engine.
  
• Unavailable multiplayer sessions can now be deleted from the multiplayer menu.
  
• Fixed client player not being able to build train station expansions before a first route was connected to a new train station.
  
• Streamlined the buy buildings auction so that only the host player can now initiate and participate in the auctions.
  
• Disabled “pause when game loses focus” option for multiplayer games.
  
• Fixed the train marker arrow not shifting to newly established train for client.
  
• Fixed an issue where unused slots were displayed as being spectators if the client player joined a lobby in the 4th slot.
  
• Fixed an issue where the player could not increase the maintenance limit to 100% when using a controller.
  
• Fixed an issue where, during track construction, the topography map could not be displayed during multiplayer.
  
• Fixed an issue where it was not possible for the client to demolish owned buildings.
  
• Fixed an issue where the quarterly report could differ between the client and host players.
  
• PS5: Fixed an issue, where using the “Restart Activity” function in multiplayer mode would lead to UI overlapping after loading into the main menu.
  
• Fixed an issue where the message “spectatormode activated” would appear even though no spectators could join the game and no spectators were active.
  
• Improved an issue where sometimes entering a multiplayer mode did not work and led to an error message.

• Bugfix: In the Scenario „The Southern Route“, it is now no longer possible to demolish prebuilt tracks in the locked areas.
  
• Bugfix: The research bonus given by the “Trolley” (unlockable during the 1840s), which reduces the cost of maintenance post by 5%, is now applied properly.
  
• Bugfix: Fixed the “Center View on Object” option during an auction not working when currently having the “Center View on Train” option in use.
  
• Bugfix: Fixed an issue where the saboteur would stop working when the last remaining competitor had been bought.
  
• Bugfix: Fixed an issue where the AI opponent could place waypoints in blocked height ranges. This could lead to issues with the game’s performance or crashes.
  
• Bugfix: Fixed an issue where businesses could be located outside of the playable area.
  
• Bugfix: Fixed an issue where new city building spaces did not unlock after reaching the required population.
  
• Bugfix: The F11-key can no longer be assigned to the photo mode, as this could cause a soft lock.
  
• Bugfix: Fixed an issue where the game could crash, when the highest bidding opponent is bought, and the company merged during an action.
  
• Bugfix: Fixed an issue where the player could receive refund higher than the initial investment when demolishing bridges.
  
• Sabotage: Fixed an issue, where trains were still being loaded even though sabotage should have prevented this from being possible at a specific train station.
  
• Gameplay: Fixed connection bonuses not being rewarded properly. The system to check whether a connection bonus should be received has been improved.
  
• Gameplay: Fixed an issue where station extensions (restaurant, post-office, market hall) were generating more revenue than intended in their bonuses.
  
• Gameplay: Fixed an issue where the list of trains affected by a Maintenance Post were not updated properly.
  
• Gameplay: Fixed an issue where wares were not being requested by cities even though they had reached the appropriate population size.
  
• Gameplay: Fixed an issue where the train consumption would be displayed as 0%.
  
• Gameplay: The AI opponents will now try to place their initial headquarters in a city directly neighboring the player’s headquarters.
  
• Gameplay: Fixed an issue where the cost of some businesses was calculated incorrectly.
  
• Gameplay: The Caboose bonus is now added independently of the maximum possible personnel efficiency bonus.
  
• Balancing: Inflation scaling is now adjusted depending on the starting year. The inflation scaling has been increased overall for auctions and Buildings.
  
• Exploit: Fixed an exploit, that allowed the buying and immediate selling of company shares to generate money.
  
• Campaign: Fixed an issue where the player could demolish tracks within restricted areas.
  
• Campaign: Fixed an issue in campaign 3 where it was not possible to buy shares from Walter Pajonk’s company, which was required for a task.
  
• Campaign: Fixed an issue in campaign 2 where it was sometimes not possible to build a route between the two required destinations in Dec. 1852.
  
• Campaign/Scenarios: Several technical adjustments to the Campaign and different scenarios (in France and Germany) regarding region unlocks.
  
• Achievement: “Together We Stand” achievement can now be unlocked in all modes as intended instead of only in free play.
  
• Achievement: Fixed the “Hostile takeover” and the “Assimilated” achievement being unlockable through unintended methods.
  
• Achievement: “Call of Duty” achievement can now be unlocked as intended.
  
• Achievement: Fixed an issue with the “Max Power” achievement being unlockable through upgrading city’s factories instead of rural businesses.
  
• Achievement: The "Let off some steam" achievement can now be completed through all means of sabotage.
  
• Report Issue Functionality: Fixed the “Report Issue” function not opening the location of the save game in some cases.
  
• Graphics: Fixed tunnels visually overlapping with each other in some instances.
  
• Graphics: Adjusted the beginning of game camera settings, so that the camera always centers on to the player headquarters.
  
• Art: Fixed the lip movement of avatars sometimes not being displayed correctly.
  
• SteamDeck: The game now correctly defaults to external Bluetooth/USB controllers on the SteamDeck.

Hi everyone! Got a small collection of features for you with this week's update!

First off I want to talk about a performance issue where every city region was updating information about it's inhabitants every frame. In large cities this was turning into quite a performance hit even if there wasn't a large amount of people in the sim so now I have changed it so that this update only happens 4 times per second. This should help with performance gains.



I've also tweaked the military AI so that they don't get stuck at the windows on certain buildings when they are clearing them out, they will now shoot out the windows and enter the building.

Thirdly I've made a change to the AI so that when people are doing an action in a specific room and are moving around randomly they will no longer randomly move onto the stairs or out the doors and accidentally leave the area they were supposed to be in.

Lastly I have fixed a bug in the cop AI where they would be stuck in a quarantining mode holding formation when they were supposed to be withdrawing to the police station.

As for the future of the upcoming updates, I believe the Cop AI needs an overhaul and I intend to do that so they are going to be much smarter about how they work.

Thanks for playing and I hope you enjoy the update!

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! 📢


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. ⚠️

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 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. 🧰

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! 🙌

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. 💾


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'. 🗑️


Randomizing Cycles
At the bottom of the map cycle preview, there is a 'random sequence' checkbox.


☐ 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.

☒ 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! 🔄


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. ✔️


Achievements now pop-up on screen when you earn them! 🌟



You can now view your achievements and their progress in the "collection" screen on the main menu (just under the Prop Collection button)! 📜

⚠️ Known Issue: Achievement dates are not displaying correctly - this will be fixed in an upcoming hotfix.


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. ✨

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. ⛔

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 now spin when hit by a projectile or touched! 💫



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.

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 “Shards of Wiqqarra“ are now lifted by the tornado

↻ Changed: Players turned into toads in “Imposturous” can no longer initiate kick player votes
↻ Changed: Props left behind by Possess dissolve after 5 seconds (except if repossessed)
↻ Changed: Possess now costs 50 mana instead of 40
↻ Changed: Weathervanes now spin when shot by a potato or touched (except while in Creative Mode)
↻ 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

✓ Fixed: Quest pop-ups sometimes not working for the last witch standing
✓ Fixed: Muting players not muting their chat messages
✓ Fixed: Using the chat to move when movement should be impossible
✓ Fixed: Small gap in the collision border of ‘Sunset Swamp’
✓ Fixed: Incorrect tab opened if map list is opened by the custom match screen and a featured map was initially selected
✓ Fixed: Props duplicating in Creative Mode if you load the same layout again
✓ 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
✓ Fixed: Several issues causing the first map of the map vote options to be wrong or the map vote options to be empty

Dear anglers,
We are improving the existing content, continue to work on new features and the introduction of additional functionality into the game. Today, we would like to present you an updated perch model and an additional feature for premium subscribers - a submarine that will combine the functionality of all stores from the Norwegian Sea base. We hope you enjoy this quality of life feature while you are out on the open sea.

Tight lines!
FishSoft team

Fellow convicts,

A new fish has arrived in prison. Splattercat let himself get locked behind bars of our gods-forsaken metal can drifting through space. Watch his stream to see how he learns the ropes of the space prison facility.

If you like what you see, check out the Demo yourself and let us know, what you think. We love to hear your feedback! And don't forget to visit Splattercatgaming: https://www.youtube.com/@Splattercatgaming



See you behind bars!
Wooden Alien Team

The first Bladesong playtest is concluded. In one week of playtesting, we had around 3000 people playing the tech demo for a combined 4800 hours (that's 28.5 weeks), making an estimated 12000 swords and other creations.

Going through all the survey responses will take a bit of time, but for us developers, this playtest was already eye-opening in many ways. We have read along every Discord conversation and understood better what's important for a creative swordmaking game. We have learned which missing features are the most wanted. We have noticed patterns where mechanics are confusing or concepts are not yet explained well enough. And we have seen you have fun with Bladesong even in this early stage, have seen your passion and your fantastic creations. This is encouraging beyond words for the dev team, so thank you sincerely.

There is still a lot of work to be done before Bladesong can be released, and we won't venture a guess yet as to a possible date – for sure it's not gonna be in 2023. Extending our swordmaking tech to cover more of the cases you have brought up will be ongoing. More immediately, we will be focusing on the main gameplay, on progression, on the story and the characters that will give life to Eren Keep under the rule of the Masked King. We will reveal fragments of that as time passes. More playtests will follow. Join our Discord community to be among the first to learn about them.

⚔️ David and the Bladesong team

Dear players, everyone:


In order to ensure the stability of the game operation and improve the game experience, Shadowbane's server [Gram] will perform routine maintenance on July 6 17:00-19:00 Pacific Time (8:00-10:00, July 7 Beijing Time). If the maintenance content cannot be completed within the scheduled time, the service opening time will to be postponed. Please understand.



[Wonderful Activity]
From 21:00 on July 6 to 21:00 on July 9, Pacific Time (from 12:00 on July 7 to 12:00 on July 10 Beijing Time), this week's limited-time event will be opened. For specific content, please follow the in-game mall!



Shadowbane game project team July 6, 2023

- Balanced rolls on charms + added new charm based MS affix since the other was designed for boots. Charms will all probably be scrambled because of this.
- Fixed talent tooltips
- Nerfed necro cursed ground
- Nerfed marksman master mechanic
- Buffed amazon lightning tree
- Buffed Summon Resistances from 1% to 2% per point + added 1% damage reduction per point
- Buffed Summon Mastery scaling
- Added Synergies for all summons damage scaling
- Changed max amount of skeleton warriors from 4 to 8 but now every point contributes towards more summons instead of 4 right off the bat
- Changed max amount of skeleton mages from 3 to 4 but now every point contributes towards more summons instead of 3 right off the bat
- Summons now seek a random target within its range, not always the closest.