Aug 29, 2024

Crystal Project - River Running Games

Introducing Auto Jump and Localization mods.

New features:

Auto Jump has been added to the More Options menu. When enabled, Auto Jump will cause the player to automatically jump at the last possible moment when walking off cliffs or ledges.
The keyboard can now be used to type in name and text entry fields.

Sample localization mods:

The following sample localization mods are now available on the Steam Workshop:
These sample localization mods are machine translations and should not be considered proper localizations.
Localization mods are loaded in-game from the Options > Language menu and are not tied to save data.

Bug fixes:

When Items have been randomized, Milk is now shown in the Spoiler Log if it blocks a progression item.
When Items have been randomized, Thirsty Lad now provides their reward without requiring Milk if Milk has been randomized to a problematic location.
Fixed reported location of boss minions when boss encounters have been randomized but normal encounters have not.
When Enemy Abilities have been randomized, the archive entries for Puppet (On) and Hatchling will now be purchasable.
When Enemy Abilities have been randomized, No Physical and No Magic will now properly target the party.
When Enemy Abilities have been randomized, Insult will now be properly used.
When Enemy Abilities have been randomized, Monster Magic that the AI will never be able to use will now be learned by default.
Fixed jittery icons while scrolling the world map on an FPS setting higher than 60.
Animations now properly mirror even when cells have been rotated.

New modding features:

Upgraded Crystal Edit from .NET Framework 4.5.2 to .NET Framework 4.6.2.
Added "Vocab Model". The Vocab Model can be used to edit or translate all in-game text and specify custom TrueType fonts.
To select custom TrueType fonts, the project must have "Has Custom Content" enabled and fonts must be added to the "Fonts Path" directory.
Added "Is Localization" checkbox to Project Model to classify a mod as a localization mod.
Added new Item property: Auto Lost & Found. When checked, the item is automatically added to the Lost & Found when the party's stock has been fully depleted or sold.
Added new Ability Mod: TriggerNpc. Specify NPC ID and radius.
Added new Ability Mod: SpawnAndTriggerModdedNpc. Spawns an NPC if it is not already spawned, moves it to the player's position, and triggers it. Only works with modded NPCs.
Added new Reaction types: OnHealingTaken, OnPAbilityUsed, OnMAbilityUsed.
DamageRateVsStatus and HealingRateVsStatus Ability Mods are now compatible with multiple entries of the same Ability Mod.
Added Attribute to Ability Mods: DamageRateCurrent_100, DamageRateMissing_100, DamageRateMax_100, DamageRateUserCurrent_100, DamageRateUserMissing_100, DamageRateUserMax_100
Added Priority to ReplaceAttackWith Stat Mod.
Added Job dropdown to NPC outfit tab. Only applies to dialogue when PC Lvl is also specified.
Added new NPC Action Type: Comment. For taking notes.
It is now possible to specify icons for abilities. Leave blank to keep default.
It is now possible to specify that the randomized ability/class/passive should be used for the following NPC Action Types: Ability, UnlockAbility, LearnAbility, UnlockJob, UnlockPassive, and LearnPassive.
It is now possible to activate multiple Crystals that share the same in-game coord.
Added Open button to custom content paths in Project Model.
Added Val field to choice entries in the ChoiceMessage NPC Action. The number entered for a choice will be set to the variable in Answer Var when the choice is selected. If empty, the default value will be used.
Choice entries in the ChoiceMessage NPC Action can now be deleted and ordered more easily.
Added Biome Grid, Recipe Grid, and Spark Grid.
Text filter in Entity Grid now additionally searches NPC outfit names and action messages.
Added new filters to Item Grid: Consumable, Combat, Sellable, and Auto Lost & Found.
Added new filter to Troop Grid: Has Dead.
Added References list to Recipe model tab and Spark model tab.
References list is now more comprehensive when listing references to Jobs, Abilities, and Passives.
References list now shows references to models from text variables.
When adding a new status to an Ability's Target Statuses or User Statuses lists, the default Chance and Count are now 100 and 1.
Renamed labels on the NPC page tab's PlayerProximity trigger panel to be more clear.
Improved visibility of Portrait and Indicator overlays on the Monster Appearance panel.
When an error occurs while attempting to apply mod data, a popup containing the error message is now shown to the player.
When there is an error loading incompatible or missing mods, the specific mod causing the error is now shown on the error message popup.
Improved loading speed of the installed mods list.

Modding bug fixes:

While applying multiple mods, for each mod, only the Randomizer sections that have been edited will now be applied. Previously, if a mod had edited any Randomizer section, every section (even the unchanged sections) would all be applied according to that mod's priority. Note: This change is not retroactive; older mods must be opened and saved for this change to take effect.
While applying multiple mods that contain Randomizer exclusions, exclusions from every mod will now be applied. Previously, only those from the mod with the highest priority were applied. Note: This change is retroactive and will work with existing mods.
Model variables referenced in model description/flavor text fields will now have their IDs redirected properly while applying multiple mods that introduce new models of the same type.
Fixed bug where dual-wielding while a basic attack override is active could cause issues when skipping turn or when using a command ability that is tagged as basic attack.
Fixed bug where dual-wielding while a basic attack override is active could cause an incorrect damage preview calculation.
Fixed error applying Buff with MaxBuffCount Stat Mod and applying Debuff with MaxDebuffCount Stat Mod.
NPCs can now properly use abilities that are normally for use via the menu only.
Entity Coord and Biome can no longer be edited on the Entity Grid.
Entity Coord and Biome can now both be properly edited on the Entity model tab when the Entity is not a base game Entity.
Stat Mod and Ability Mod type names will no longer be truncated.
Fixed error opening Vocab Model when a base game Entity has had its Entity Type changed.
Fixed issue opening a modded model after it has been reset.
Removed false warnings that were being logged when opening/closing/editing entity models.

Aug 29, 2024

Designing a Heroes Game

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era - Unfrozen_Fey

Hello, fellow heroes!

First things first — for the last couple of days since the announcement, we’ve been drowned in the amount of love and credit you gave us. We appreciate it greatly and will work to enhance that.

When we set out to make a Heroes of Might and Magic game, we knew we had big boots to fill. Today we’ll give you a brief overview of our approach to Olden Era’s design. We’ve already mentioned some of these ideas during interviews and Q&As, but it’s nice to have things organized. (If only there was a sorting button for thoughts — like there is for artifacts in Olden Era!)

Why us?
Unfrozen was founded in 2016. Our previous game, Iratus: Lord of the Dead, sold over 500,000 copies. This made us confident in our ability to create a solid tactical turn-based game with elements of strategy/management/RPG and try something bigger.

Why HoMM?
Because we’re fans!

We’ve been playing Heroes for half our lives. We wanted to see a new installment just as much as you. And as the saying goes, when you want something done right, do it yourself. At the time it didn’t seem like a new HoMM game was coming, so in 2020, we made a demo and approached Ubisoft, who in 2021 accepted our vision and gave the project a go. You can imagine how thrilled we were.

Design Pillar #1: Evolution, not Revolution
New ideas are great. No game should simply repeat what came before.

But we feel that when working with a legend like HoMM — a franchise that’s been on a hiatus for a while — the first and foremost goal is to ensure a core that is faithful to the series’ DNA. So we started with analyzing the systems of our own favourites from the franchise (namely H3, 5, and to some extent 2) and thinking about how we could make them deeper while preserving the core.

Artifacts? Let’s keep the classic system but add flexible sets to experiment with. Battles? Welcome back, traditional hexagonal grid — but let’s also add a lot of active unit abilities to make choices in battle deeper and more engaging. Hero level-ups? Same old, except skills now have subskills to tune your build.

We feel that we ended up with a game that is familiar, but fresh. Which has been our goal all along!

Design Pillar #2: Mix of Old and New
We take this same approach on all levels. The factions are a mix of old classics (Temple, Necropolis, Dungeon to an extent) and new ideas (Hive and more). The visuals are rendered in full 3D, but the perspective is familiar. The story takes place in the original world of Enroth, but the continent we’ll visit, Jadame, has only ever been explored by Might and Magic games (a separate franchise) and not Heroes, giving us some creative freedom.

Hell, you’ll even see this approach on the adventure map! Some structures, like Learning Stones and Dragon Utopias, pay clear homage to older installments in the series. Others are completely new, both in design and function.

Again: faithful, familiar, and fresh are the three Fs we’re going after. (The “for crying out loud, who pushed this to prod?!” was an unintentional F and only happened once, we swear.)

Design Pillar #3: Communication with the Community
It’s not hard to communicate with the community when you’re fans yourselves — but we also strongly believe in checking our opinions with people outside the studio. Before the announcement, we conducted some in-depth interviews with various types of HoMM players: streamers, competitive players, and showpeople. We gauged what features they needed, what they loved most about the existing HoMM games and what they were maybe frustrated with.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, we intend to stay in touch with you all for the same reason. Your feedback is heard! (Wait, is that another F?)

But Do You Have Anything, Like, New New?
Well, maybe not “new new”, but here are the features that we feel make Olden Era distinct from previous HoMM games:

A stronger focus on making factions feel distinct. New “Faction Laws” are perk trees tied to your starting faction. So even if you conquer more castles, change the main hero and hire neutral troops, your beginner choice of faction will matter until the end.
Stronger gameplay themes within factions as well. Doesn’t mean you’ll have to go “pure” with one faction, but their troops will synergize.
A non-linear campaign! It’s structured somewhat differently from previous games as well, stay tuned for more.
Online ladder with matchmaking and player profiles. Just press a button and dive in.
A new fast-paced Arena mode, basically a draft for Heroes. A match in Arena takes like 10-15 minutes.
Features requested by the competitive community: replays and observer mode for casting.
New win conditions.
New Grail system that makes it actually buildable.
Balancing based on statistics and actual numerical data.
A new system of learning spells that alleviates its random core for a price.
…And more…

…Okay, look. When you dive into the minutiae — as we intend to in these devlogs while we all wait for the EA launch in Q2 2025 — there are a lot of new features and mechanics (and don’t get us started on QoL!). But we feel that they stand firmly on the triple-F foundation.

A Heroes of Might and Magic game should feel like a Heroes of Might and Magic game first and foremost — and build on top of that.

It’s impossible to recreate the past, those long nights playing a HoMM game with your father, sibling, or friend for the first time. Nor should we do it, really. But we can remember and respect this warm feeling of nostalgia and make sure the Olden Era remains faithful to the core elements of the series that made it possible.

In the nearest future, we’re going to tell you much more about our specific choices, from the visual style to separate features, systems, and lore and ask for your feedback, so stay tuned. And thank you for the very warm reception of the announcement! We're so thrilled to finally be able to share it with the community!

Follow news and updates:

Aug 29, 2024

🚨 Synth Riders Open Beta V3.X Now Available! 🚨

Synth Riders - Scryer

🚨 Synth Riders Open Beta V3.X Now Available! 🚨

Hey Riders!

We’ve got some exciting news to share—the Open Beta for Synth Riders version 3.x is LIVE! 🎉

What can you expect? Well, where to start? It’s no understatement to say this is a massive update: it’s a complete rebuild of the game from the ground up including new features, improvements, and a smoother, more immersive rhythm-riding experience.

We’ve been working hard to bring this update to you - we can’t wait for you to try it and would love to hear your feedback on our forums.

⚠️ Please be aware due to the systemic nature of this upload previous mods and custom stages will not work.

And don’t worry, version 2.x will remain available during this transition period while we work with you to iron out any kinks found in 3.x.

As icing on this synth-y cake we’re also giving everyone the opportunity to check out the legendary Experience™ that started it all, Algorithm by Muse, once for FREE! This isn’t just any track—it’s a full-on immersive journey with custom visuals and effects that’ll blow your mind. Perfect for both newcomers and veterans alike.

Ready to ride the beat? To access the beta branch do the following:

Locate Synth Riders in your Steam Library
Right-click and select ‘Properties’
Go to ‘Betas’
On the ‘Beta participation’ drop down make sure ‘open-beta - OPEN BETA Testing (v3.x) is selected.

For full patch notes here.

As always, your feedback helps us to bring the best version of Synth Riders to our Steam community! We'd love to hear your feedback in our [official Discord server] where you'll find a comprehensive list of Known Issues, Bug reports and much much more!

See you in the game! 🚀

Aug 29, 2024

Luminous Skies: Horizons, A Succulent Meal

Luminous Skies: A Short Adventure - alkovac

What we have are two new quests, two follow up conversations, seven lore books.

A Succulent Meal
Head to the Eastern Outpost and talk the the fishmonger in Tashi Province. Taisa (the werminn Druid) will need to be in the party in order to start this quest.

The Missing Herd
Head to the Western Outpost and talk to the guard at his post in the Snow Drift Outpost. Neve (the werminn Shepherd) will need to be in the party in order to start this quest.

Follow up Conversations
After Completing the quest "Shadows of the Past", return to the tent at the werminn outpost to have an additional conversation with Lina.

After Completing "The Regent's Keep", return to Taisa's burrow and sit down to a well earned meal.

Lore books
More often than not, "show, don't tell" is the better option when it comes to certain mediums, such as video games. But there are times when it may be easier to give people a brief summary rather than spending an overly long time showing people every single detail. This is the case with things such as the lore books that have been added. They give a summary of previous events (albeit, there are parts that are intentionally wrong or missing as these things might have either been intentionally redacted or lost in the passage of time).

There are seven new lore books and one new flyer are available to pick up and read. These are scattered throughout the settlements of the Old World.

New food items are available. Depending on the region that the player is in, there may be a few new items to cook on the menu. In locations such as Tashi Province and Eiji City, fish rolls can be made by combining small fish (raw) and salt. If the player visits Taisa's Burrow with some freshly collected mint plants, she can turn them into a mint chew.

Significantly reduced the forging time for crafting at the Dwarven Kiln in Everstone.

The controls.txt file now contains the leveling guide and where to find party members for Horizons players. So even if the player is offline, there is a guide available.

A few minor fixes were made to Luminous Skies: Interstellar as well.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us on the discussion board. There's even a leveling guide there for Luminous Skies: A Short Adventure and Horizons.

We hope you enjoy the game and have a great day.

Horizons DLC;
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2384221/Luminous_Skies_Horizons_DLC/

The TRPG Bundle:
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/39934/

Interstellar DLC:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2840850/Luminous_Skies_Interstellar/

The Pilgrimage DLC:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2384222/Luminous_Skies_The_Pilgrimage/

Or Play for Free:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2384140/Luminous_Skies_A_Short_Adventure/