Hello Scribes! We're back with news and an ink-filled trailer:


Mark your calendars - Vellum releases March 28th in Early Access on Steam!

We're beyond excited to share more about Vellum and its development - but we really can't wait for you to get some playtime with the game itself! Good news; you can get your hands on the Demo next week!

We'll be outlining upcoming blogs ahead of time when we can (see below) - but also keep a lookout in the Vellum Discord for Blueteak and Fletch (that's me!). We're active and more than happy to chat about the game!

On January 29th, you'll be able to play the Demo in our Community Early Demo Days! We'll have a post talking about what to expect from the demo itself, as well as outlining some of our goals for collecting and integrating your feedback!

Steam Next Fest begins February 5th! The Vellum Demo will be available, and we'll be talking more about feedback from our Community Early Demo Days!

If you haven't already, adding Vellum to your wishlist is a superbly helpful way to support the game and show your interest!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/917950/Vellum/

Enjoy the trailer, have a great weekend, and we'll see you in-game next week!

- The Vellum Team

We’re a few weeks into the new year, and that can only mean two things: 1) Most of us have broken our resolutions already, and 2) It’s time for us to recap our first PTB of the year. In this Developer Update, we’ll discuss the feedback we’ve received from the most recent Public Test Build (PTB) and the changes we’ll be making before the update goes live.



In this update, we aimed to restore the gameplay longtime Onryō players missed while also maintaining some of the more recent quality of life improvements. We were glad to see such a positive reaction to these changes on the PTB. However, there are a few rough edges we’d like to iron out before this update releases.


With your current Condemned progress becoming permanent when you were hooked, Survivors who were hooked with several stacks became a clear target for The Onryō; it would only take a few more stacks of Condemned to secure a quick and early kill. This indirectly encouraged the Killer to seek out and chase the same Survivor after they were unhooked (or “tunnelling” for short).

To tone this down, hooking a Survivor will now lock in a maximum of 2 stacks of Condemned. Any additional Condemned will remain but can be removed by the Survivor as normal. This can happen again when the Survivor is hooked for a second time for a maximum of 4 locked-in stacks.

This will give Survivors an opportunity to remove some of their Condemned after they are unhooked while keeping Condemned kills as a far more prominent threat later in the match.


One of the awkward playstyles we wanted to address with this update was the dominant strategy of teleporting as much as possible to quickly spread Condemned. We had hoped that limiting the range of Condemned to powered TVs would address this and allow us to remove the projection cooldown. However, some crafty Onryō players discovered that they could intentionally teleport to the wrong TVs first in order to spread more than one stack of Condemned to Survivors near/heading towards a powered one. Clever!

We’ve read a lot of positive comments saying that she feels better to play without a cooldown on teleporting, so we do not want to bring it back. Instead, we have made the following change.

The power meter recharges over the course of 10 seconds.

• If the power meter is full, projecting will inflict one stack of Condemned to any Survivor near a powered TV and empty the power meter.
  
• If the power meter is not full, projecting will not inflict Condemned and the power meter will not be reset.

This will allow The Onryō to move around the map freely (so long as there are powered TVs to project to) but prevent quickly building Condemned by repeatedly teleporting to multiple TVs.



The Blight received a bunch of Add-On changes during the PTB. After watching them closely and reviewing feedback, we’ve identified a few troublemaking Add-Ons which we’d like to address before the update releases.


On the PTB, this Add-On increased The Blight’s turn rate by 33% for each consecutive rush. This effect ended up being stronger than we’d like and made rush attacks very difficult for Survivors to avoid.

We have reduced the turn rate bonus to 11% per consecutive rush (was 33%). We have also reduced the required rush distance to 3 meters (was 4 meters). This effect can stack up to 3 times.


On the PTB, this Add-On gave The Blight an endless supply of rushes in exchange for putting his Power on cooldown after a successful Rush attack. It turned out this downside was not enough to keep this Add-On under control, so we’ve made a few adjustments.

A Rush attack (successful or missed), failing to slam, or breaking a pallet with Iridescent Blight Tag equipped will now cause The Blight’s Power to be put on cooldown for 20 seconds.

This will cause the Power to go on cooldown more often, creating more opportunities for the Survivors to evade the Killer.


Originally, this Add-On provided many positive effects, making it a “jack of all trades”. On the PTB, we simplified the Add-On by removing some of the effects. This left the Add-On weaker than we’d like, so we’ve made the following changes.

We have removed the turn rate penalty (was -55%). We have also reintroduced a 5% Rush speed bonus (was 10%).



Start your chainsaws! We were pleased to see such a positive response to The Hillbilly on the PTB. For the release, we’d like to take the opportunity to improve a few more Add-Ons and offer as many viable choices as possible.


On the PTB, these Add-Ons reduced the recovery time for successful Chainsaw hits. This understandably didn’t provide much benefit in most cases.

They now reduce recovery time after using the Chainsaw- not just successful hits- by 8% and 12% respectively (was 10% and 15%).


Simple number tweaks for these: Thermal Casing & Ragged Engine now decreases the speed at which heat dissipates when not using the Chainsaw by 20% and 30% respectively (was 10% and 15%). Keep it warm!


These two Add-Ons increase the time it takes before Overdrive starts dissipating. We’ve also increased the numbers on these to 20% and 30% respectively (was 15% and 20%).



Lastly, we’ve got a pair of tweaks for two of the Perks which were updated in this past PTB.


During the PTB, STBFL would lose tokens whenever the Obsession lost a health state by any means. This allowed the Obsession to do silly things, such as intentionally allowing themselves to bleed out from Deep Wounds, in order to reduce the Killer’s STBFL tokens.

Save the Best for Last will now lose 2 tokens whenever the Obsession is hit by a Basic Attack or a Special Attack.

This way, the Obsession will need to put themselves in harms way in order to reduce the Killer’s accumulated tokens.


The PTB featured a change for Quick Gambit which increased its effective range and simultaneously lowered the repair speed bonus. Many felt as if this lowered repair speed bonus was not worth the added risk of potentially leading the Killer to your repairing teammates. Therefore, we have reverted the repair bonus: Quick Gambit now provides a 6/7/8% repair speed bonus to Survivors within 36m.



Before we leave off, we wanted to try something new: The Watch List.

We do our best to make informed decisions with each update. Sometimes we need to take a closer look and see how something plays out in a real setting before we commit to making changes. However, we don’t want to leave you in the dark in the meantime. This is where the Watch List comes in. The items on this list are things we’ll be keeping an extra close eye on once the update goes live before determining if further changes are necessary.

Please note: Just because something is featured on this list does not guarantee that it will be changed. Likewise, things not on this list are also subject to change as needed. The purpose of this list is to provide visibility on what we’re monitoring and acknowledge the feedback we’ve been given.


This Perk combo was reported to be potentially problematic on the PTB. When Grim Embrace activates, Survivors are forced to stop repairing the Generator, causing Dead Man’s Switch to activate and block the Generator for an even longer period of time. This gives the Killer a consistent way to activate Dead Man’s Switch on all Generators and take advantage of nearly the entire duration.

Though this combo requires two Perk slots, this can cause the Generators to be blocked for quite a while. We will keep an eye on this build and make sure it does not get out of hand.


Generators are at the core of every Trial, so any changes we make to them must be monitored closely. Unfortunately, due to an error, this system was temporarily disabled when the PTB went live, limiting the amount of feedback we were able to collect. We’d like to gather more info on how this system plays out in real matches before drawing any conclusions.

The regression event system is not intended to impact a typical match, but instead to help bring an end to excessively long stalemates. We’ve received some concerns that the system may in fact impact matches where several regression Perks are used at once. This didn’t seem to happen often on the PTB, but it’s possible this may be more common on the live game where matches are much closer.


The Onryō has gone through quite a few changes lately, and that can make it difficult to predict where she’ll fall in terms of strength. We feel pretty confident with this version, but we will be watching carefully to see if any dominant strategies or shortcomings emerge and reassess as needed.


The Hillbilly has a lot of potential, but a steep learning curve. A good Hillbilly can be scary as is, but the Overdrive mechanic can make them ever scarier. It may take some time for Hillbilly players to get used to the way the Chainsaw controls during Overdrive and manage their heat effectively. We will continue to watch The Hillbilly as players master the Chainsaw (or shake off the rust) to determine if some fine tuning is needed down the line.

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With that, we’ve reached the end of this Developer Update. Each of the changes mentioned in this post will be available when the update goes live January 30th. We look forward to hearing what you think!

Until next time…

The Dead by Daylight team

Hey, Renegades! I’m Andy Duthie, Executive Producer for HAWKED, and today I want to tell you about everything we’re planning for HAWKED in 2024. So many of you banded together to join the Renegade racket in Early Access, and we want to reward your faith by reaffirming our ongoing commitment to making HAWKED bigger, better, and worth your time across every single Issue.

Rest assured, our plans for 2024 are fuller than GRAIL’s treasure reserves. We can’t delve into everything in full detail just yet, but we hope the 2024 Roadmap whets your whistle. Read on for more information about each Issue and quarter, plus a special surprise towards the end of the Dev Diary.



As our plans change, dates and content featured in the roadmap are subject to change, too. We’ll update you as soon as we have something new to share and if anything changes.
HAWKED is on track for its full global launch in Q1 2024 on Windows PC (Steam and MY.GAMES Launcher), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S*, and Nvidia GeForce Now. The game will arrive with a Day One Update, preceded by other patches and hotfixes in the run-up to launch. Issue #1: Renegades continues with new storylines and quests, giving players on all platforms the opportunity to properly discover X-Isle and claim rewards from the Renegade Pass.

Ahead of the launch, you can also look forward to a special event to celebrate the Lunar Festival in early February. As Issue #1 progresses, we’ll also continue to finetune HAWKED based on your feedback. One of our developers’ major projects is a complete UI rework, as well as updates to movement and a host of quality-of-life improvements.

*HAWKED will not be available on Xbox One at launch. We need more time to ensure a solid experience that's on a level with players on other platforms. As soon as we’re confident we can deliver this, we’ll announce a new date. To all Renegades on Xbox: thanks for your patience!

Who or what is VEKTR? Check out the video below for a clue, but for now, we can promise you new weapons to fight with, altered places to visit across X-Isle, and new foes to encounter. 



Issue #2 will also see the introduction of Ranked PvP, a popular request from Renegades looking for a more competitive meta and gameplay. This follows from Contracts, a recent feature introduced in Issue #1. For the collectors, we’re also adding a Codex to track encounters and collectible items.

We’re also targeting even more platforms for Issue #2. Steam Deck compatibility will allow you to take X-Isle on the go, while a release on Epic Games Store and Windows Store will give PC players even more freedom of platform choice.
X-Isle goes into the Fringe in Issue #3. What does that mean? Pay close attention to Bjorn’s ramblings, and you might learn a thing or two… We’re preparing new storylines, locations, enemies, weapons, and an otherworldly NPC for this weird and wonderful update.

A couple of new features are also on the way: Crafting and the Black Market. Crafting speaks for itself, and we’ll have more details to share as we approach this update. On the other hand, the Black Market will offer a new way to buy highly sought-after items using soft currency (such as Hawks and Wonderium).
HAWKED will have definitive story arcs known as Books, which will typically collect a few Issues together before we launch a new one. In the case of our first phase, Book One, Issue #4 will be its final chapter ahead of Book Two Issue #1. And it’s set to go out with a major bang! 

Look forward to major storylines, a glimpse at a new world map, the opportunity to wield Fringe Tech, a big limited-time event, and lots more to reveal in the future.
The HAWKED team has been working hard since November 2023 to read and address all your Early Access feedback. Through weekly updates and regular hotfixes, we’ve been developing and deploying new content in real-time to address it head-on. Everything from exciting new features to bug fixes, balancing updates, limited-time events, and general improvements is created to ensure a smooth launch. Beyond that, it’s so important to us that HAWKED feels like a game you want to keep coming back to.

We hope that after recent patches, you’ve started to experience more streamlined, satisfying gameplay in Early Access. It’s important for us to know if we’re getting it right, so if you have the time, please consider dropping a review on Steam to let us know you’re enjoying HAWKED. 

If you think we still have work to do, jump on Discord to share your feedback and ideas with us.
Your playtime, feedback, and belief in our game drive us to make it an all-round awesome experience—and we’re so thrilled to have you along for the ride as we hurtle into 2024.

To thank you for putting the Riftwake through its paces ahead of the full launch, we want to reward all Early Access players with the Dryad Color Scheme. Previously revealed as a Renegade Rally reward, this newsletter-exclusive Color Scheme is inspired by the tree spirits that inhabited the sacred groves of the gods in Greek mythology. 



The Dryad Color Scheme will only be available to subscribers, and we want to make sure all Renegades get a chance to get it. Sign up for the official HAWKED newsletter by January 31, 2024 at 12:00 CET to receive your gift.



See you on the Riftwake, Renegades!

Coloring Game: Studio is out of Early Access.

You have access to 150 pictures (3,600,000 px).
Ability to upload and edit pictures.


https://store.steampowered.com/app/2231040/Coloring_Game_Studio/

TPGS 2024 Live Streaming!

The Year of the Dragon is about to arrive 🐲, and monkeys all around the world can start celebrating it with the seasonal content of our FREE DLC. 🐒

At the end of last year, we released our Two-Cage Seasoning Pack DLC, which includes two new cages and seasonally themed content to celebrate different holidays.

We celebrated Christmas, and now it's time to welcome the Chinese New Year. To ensure that all members are part of this celebration on time, every year at Do Not Feed the Monkeys 2099, it will start on January 25th and conclude on February 24th.





Enjoy the celebrations, keep uncovering the secrets behind your cages, share with us how you started the Chinese New Year, and under no circumstances dare to feed a monkey!

Att. The Primate Observation Club Board of Directors.

P.S. Stay tuned for news regarding our next DLC which will include four new cages 🙊

Critically acclaimed historical RTS Last Train Home is set to receive a new DLC called 'Legion Tales'. This expansion introduces a collection of 10 new missions, narrating combat encounters so spectacular that they have become legendary among the legionaries.



Each of these 10 missions is accompanied by a unique story and offers high replayability. Players can customize their experiences with optional challenges, completing which will reward them with a newly implemented meta-currency. This currency can be used to purchase new pre-set squads for leading in the missions, allowing for a different strategic approach to master each tale.

The Legion Tales DLC is scheduled for release on February 1st, 2024, with a suggested retail price (SRP) of $14.99 / €14.99 / £11.99.

Get the Launch discount
The Legion Tales DLC releases on February 1st, 2024, with a suggested retail price (SRP) of $14.99 / €14.99 / £11.99. During the first week, until February 8th, the DLC will have a 10% discount. Additionally, the Legion Tales DLC is included in the Last Train Home Deluxe Edition, which will be on sale on Steam from February 1st to February 8th with a substantial 34% discount. This discount also applies to the standard edition of the game.

Last Train Home was developed by Ashborne Games in Brno, Czech Republic, and published by THQ Nordic. The game is available for PC at an SRP of € 39.99 / $ 39.99 / £ 34.99 / AU$ 59.95 / ¥ 5170 and gets a 34% discount from February 1st until February 8th here on Steam.

Get the game:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1469610/Last_Train_Home/

There is a free demo available
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2278860/

Checkout the Legion Tales Page:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2617710/Last_Train_Home__Legion_Tales/

Enjoy & stay tuned!

• Steam page: http://thqn.net/lth-steam
  
• Discord: https://discord.gg/DqrH8gGyqe
  
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/lasttrainhomegame
  
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lasttrainhomegame
  
• Website: https://lasttrainhome.thqnordic.com
  
• Blog: https://ashbornegames.com/news

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AshborneGames
  
• Facebook:https://facebook.com/AshborneGames
  
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/AshborneGames
  
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@ashbornegames
  
• Website: https://ashbornegames.com

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/THQNordic
  
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/THQNordic
  
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thqnordic
  
• TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@thqnordic
  
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thqnordic

Between 26th January (11:00 CET) and 29th January (11:00 CET) you have a 50% greater chance of picking up TWO raid boxes instead of one in all raids in NosTale!

Slip into your armour, grab your weapon, call your NosMates and charge into the fray to make sure don’t miss out on any great and rare rewards.

Best of luck!
The NosTale Team

The first chapter "Nova Hearts - The Spark" is available right now FOR FREE on Steam!

The Spark is the first chapter and introduction to the world of Nova Hearts. As the main character Luce, players will meet the game’s flirty and thirsty cast of characters and their cosmic alter-egos, learn the basics of the stylish turn-based combat, and embark on a quest to unravel the magical mystery at the heart of it all. TEXT, DATE and FIGHT!

The full game will then be available in 2025!

Click on "Install Game" on Nova Hearts's Steam page!



When returning to your hometown, you don’t expect things to be much different than when you left but now, you and other hot singles in the area have transformed into heroes and villains! Reconnect with old friends, meet new ones and pursue the strange origins of the new cosmic madness prowling the streets. Where did this come from? Why did this happen? And why is everyone so incredibly hot now!?

We can't wait to know what you think, so please share with us in the Steam forums or on Discord! Plus, leave us a review to support us!

See you later Luce-igator

See, this is the biggest change in apocalyptic history.
The lobby system makes interpersonal communication more efficient.
The new style and worldview make the apocalypse a reality.
Stay tuned!
——Mallet Games