First off, I would like to apologize in advance as this message has been written with the help of a translation tool, which might cause some comprehension difficulties.
Moving on to the main point, this announcement is to inform you about a change in the appearance of the player character. Initially, when developing the game, I aimed to design the player character in a simple and clear manner. This was done to reflect the game's light-hearted atmosphere and to ensure easy identification of the character, especially since it is a top-down action game.
However, as you can see from the previous image, I realized that making it too simple might give off the impression of a lack of sincerity towards the game.
Therefore, I have decided to redesign the original 20-year-old male character into a 20-year-old female character, as shown in the image below.
I truly appreciate your interest in the game I have developed.
We're deeply grateful for the support you've shown us since the release of our game. It brings us immense joy to see so many of you diving into the world of Zoria and embarking on this adventure we put so much work in. Your feedback has been invaluable to us. Each comment, suggestion, and critique is a stepping stone that helps us improve and grow. We truly appreciate your active participation in making Zoria the best it can be.
We kindly encourage you to continue sharing your thoughts and experiences through reviews.
As a small development team, these reviews are more than just ratings for us. They provide us with insights into what works, what doesn't, and what could be improved. They help us understand your perspective better and enable us to make necessary adjustments to enhance your overall experience.
With that said, let's get to the Patch Notes and things we fixed!
Patch 1.0.1
⚔️We are aware that some players encounter a soft-lock combat bug at the end of the combat. We have tested intensively the fix in patch 1.0.1 and believe that the issue is resolved. We will keep testing for any potential issues, please let us know if you encounter this issue again. ⚔️ Using Wizard Ice Wall ability during combat no longer causes a soft-lock in case of a character dying near it; ⚔️ Ability buffs are properly removed from the UI after the end of a combat; ⚔️ Enemies in “Chamber of the Forgotten” now match player’s level; ⚔️ You no longer have to be left forgotten in “Chamber of the Forgotten”. You will be able to exit location after completing the quest; ⚔️ Lancer class resting bonus (gear repair) no longer requires items to be broken; ⚔️ Fixed problems with various quest not completing or disappearing from the quest log as expected; ⚔️ You can now complete the “Lost recipe” quest; ⚔️ Fixed some localization issues; ⚔️ Slightly increased distance between followers in formation; ⚔️ Fixed issue with binding of E/Q keyboard keys. We work on improving support for more key customization feature for future patches.
What's next?
We're already working on a bigger patch which will address the quality of life improvements based on the community feedback and reviews.
If you happen to come across any bugs, please let us know about it by using this form [[url=https://forms.gle/nB5t2MnB7yHFp1S4A]link[/url]]. By filling out the form, we will learn firsthand about any potential issues and it will be much easier for us to track and solve them. Thank you!
As you might remember (or not) from an earlier announcement, the demo was not supposed to land on Steam until more content was finished. But as the game was featured in Steam events, it only made sense to let people play it. The events overall were a success. A small one, but it helped Voice of Flowers get noticed by many more players.
Now with both Baltic Showcase and Metroidvania Fusion events finished, the demo will again be pulled out from Steam until final demo is ready, or until another Steam event. In the meantime you will still be able to play the game on itch.io.
The next demo
The next demo version is dubbed Haunted Tundra Demo. It will take place in a remote snowy region and feature much more locations to explore, 2 bosses and new magic spells. Here's a little sneak peak of a new area (WIP):
Note that the demo has no precise ETA as of now. If it happens that the game will get featured in another Steam event before the new demo is finished, the desert demo will be pulled once again.
Final demo
The "final demo" is the next planned demo version after Haunted Tundra and it will be the last one content-wise. It's still far off, but the plan is to have it available permanently before and after the game release (with occasional feature updates).
The final demo will feature 4 "biomes" and the beginning of the story the way it's intended to play. The content is mostly finished, but it needs lots of polishing. It's the famous last 5% that takes 95% of the time ;)
What's next?
Further plans will be announced once the "final demo" is finished. For now the itch.io version is going to be updated with the new Steam content (including achievements!), so people that missed it can still play it. And the current small demo has surprisingly many secrets.
Fanart by Kago
If you want to keep closer in touch with the development, chat with the developers or other players, or just can't wait for more content and want to wait faster, join the official Discord server.
Once you exit the game, your save file will be synchronized with the Steam Cloud. You can then play the game on any different device and quickly resume where you left off!
Bestiary unlocked. The basic stat information of the enemies you have previously killed can now be viewed here. (Enemies that have been previously killed but do not currently have save data may appear locked)
The Flying Seal ability no longer fires from a fixed position.
The Banish system has been changed.
The right to choose items is not lost when Banish is used.
When banished, the banished slot and the item in that slot are deleted.
If 3 slots are banished and there is no reroll or skip, the right to choose items is lost.
If reroll is used, 3 new slots are recreated.
Some changes have been made to the cave map.
Small stone spikes that caused a lot of blocks and were very difficult to see in the midst of chaos have been deleted or moved to more ideal locations.
Large stone spikes were moved away from each other in some positions if they were too close.
An additional connection path has been added to the corridor northwest of the map's spawn point.
Added a passage to the dead end northeast of the map's spawn point.
Altar quests are now also affected by the difficulty multiplier.
Obelisk Altar health increases with difficulty multiplier.
Blacksmith Altar health and health regeneration increases with difficulty multiplier.
NPC Protection Altar health increases with difficulty multiplier.
Added Tier 2 Rune of Knowledge. (Experience Gain)
Added Tier 2 Rune of Fortune. (Luck)
Rune of Fortune increased from 3 levels to 4 levels. Price reduced from 7000 to 5250.
Book of Fortune reduced from 5 levels to 4 levels.
Luck stat now increases directly by multiplying by the item weight instead of adding to it. (For owned items only)
I'm happy to announce that we are upgrading DF2's servers tomorrow. These much more powerful machines should make the game a lot more responsive and improve stability when higher numbers of players are online. However in order to complete this upgrade it will be necessary to take the game offline for up to 4 hours.
The servers will be turned off on Wednesday 13th at 7pm UST (3pm EST) and we expect this downtime to last anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. If for some reason it takes any longer than this we'll keep you all updated via our Discord.
Prepare to be spooked! We're thrilled to announce that SOEDESCO® has become the official publisher of the upcoming psychological survival horror game, The 9th Charnel. SOEDESCO® and SAIKAT DEB CREATIONS have joined forces to deliver this fresh, haunting experience that will surely send shivers down your spine!
Check out the announcement trailer for a sneak peek at the horror that awaits you!
For future announcements, keep an eye out on SOEDESCO channels 👇
South Africa's beautiful waterways are home to 16 unique species, including 13 all-new discoveries like the African Sharptooth Catfish, African Mottled Eel, and Spotted Bass. Go catch these new species, adjust your technique based on their habits and characteristics, and feel the thrill of the fight as your skills are put to the test.
Master new missions
Complete missions and hone your skills at the newly introduced Fishing Hubs. Exclusive to South Africa, Fishing Hubs present a new way to improve your fishing techniques. Visit each Hub, tackle their individual missions, and earn exclusive rewards inspired by the reserve itself.
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Invite a friend
Fishing is more fun with friends. When you purchase South Africa, not only can you invite a friend who owns the base game to join you for free, but this offer also extends to our other reserves too!
Discover South Africa
Experience the breathtaking natural beauty of South Africa as you discover stunning landmarks, explore the prehistoric Dino Park, or navigate through mighty canyons and vast savannahs. All while discovering picturesque fishing spots, peaceful vistas, and learning more about South Africa.
Also coming on March 26, the free 1.6.0 update introduces Vehicle Storage, a Customization UI Overhaul, Fast Travel to Vehicle, and more. Read more below!
FREE UPDATE: 1.6.0
Here’s a snapshot of what will be arriving with the free update:
Vehicle Storage
Vehicles will act as your portable storage. Avoid unnecessary trips back to the shop and swap out your gear on the go from either your boat or 4x4.
Dev Note: Having to go back to the Shop to access your storage or even swap reserves so you don't lose your fishing spot (yes, we know!) interrupted the fishing experience, so we've made the storage accessible from your vehicles at any time.
Customization UI Overhaul
As we've expanded our range of cosmetics for your avatar, the old list-based customization menu has become bloated and unwieldy. To remedy this, we're adopting a tile-based menu so you can clearly see everything you own and instantly switch to what you want without having to scroll through a long list.
Dev Note: Out with the old text based lists! In comes a new customization suite that has icons for players to easily see their item collection.
Fast Travel to Vehicle
You'll be able to fast travel to any of your spawned vehicles within a reserve whenever you choose. Getting around has never been easier!
Dev Note: We love exploring the beautiful reserves, but sometimes you want to get around quicker and spend more time fishing. Fast traveling to a vehicle is possible by selecting any vehicle currently spawned from the map screen.
Stay tuned for more details soon!
COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Fish or Dare!
We’ve teamed up with our friends at Dare Drop once again to create an exciting campaign filled with activities. More information about when this Dare Drop event kicks off will be revealed soon!
Stream
Join Jaxy on Wednesdays at 6 PM CET / 12 PM EST for The Tackle Box live streams. We might even take you on a short trip to South Africa ;) Catch us on Twitch and YouTube – you won’t want to miss it! And if you haven't done so already, don't forget to enable notifications to receive alerts for the weekly Tackle Box live stream!
Join the Angling Community
Make a splash in our official Discord community. Stay up to date with all things The Angler, participate in weekly competitions, and celebrate your most impressive catches with us! You’ll even find helpful resources whether you’re a veteran or a novice. Just remember to read the #faq and pick your #roles before diving in!