Ars Notoria Playtest Returns

It’s been a while since our last playtest, and we’re thrilled to open the gates again! Over the past few months, we’ve focused on improving the early-game experience, fixing bugs, and making quality-of-life adjustments based on your feedback.

This new playtest brings a host of updates, fixes, and new content. Whether you’re returning to see what’s new or jumping in for the first time, we can’t wait to hear what you think.

If you’ve participated in a previous Ars Notoria playtest, you can download and launch the new build from your library. If this is your first time, simply click the “Request Access” button on the Steam store page — you’ll receive an email notification once you’ve been added to the playtest.

🕒 The playtest will be live from August 4 to August 12, featuring version v0.3.1.3.

Versions 0.3.1.0 to 0.3.1.3 include improvements to tutorials, exploration, and magic. We’ve added new quests, items, and dungeon rewards, reworked and simplified resource gathering tools, and enhanced squad and faction systems.

Here’s the full changelog covering Build 0.3.1.0 through 0.3.1.3.

Build 0.3.1.0

Tutorials

• Added an in-game guide.

• The in-game guide includes the updated building unlock progression and supports shortcuts. Clicking a recipe icon will open it directly in the Crafting or Building menu.

• Resource processing and automatization tutorials are now available earlier during the Training Camp.

• The Magic Basics tutorial quest now rewards the Forsworn Attire crafting recipe upon completion.

• The Magic Basics tutorial can now also be obtained by defeating an Enthralled enemy.

• Fixed an issue where the notification for completing the Magic Basics tutorial could appear multiple times.

• Fixed an issue where small shrubs were not counted toward completing an objective in the Harvesting Resources tutorial.

Quests

• Added a new main quest for the Quartermaster.

• Fixed an issue where loading a backup from the start of the game might not trigger the initial tutorial quest.

• Fixed an issue where the Sleeping status effect might not be removed after a dialogue with a guard patrol.

Exploration

• Added random enemy encounters on Normal and Survival difficulties. Their frequency is higher on Survival.

• Enemy encounter rate is increased during nighttime.

• Some locations now feature accessible cellars.

• Gifts for unique characters can now be found in the Woodlands zone.

• Collectible Aspects can now be found in the Woodlands zone. They permanently increase character attributes.

• Significantly increased the light radius of torches and wearable lanterns (by 4–5 times), while reducing brightness near the character for better visibility balance.

• Corrected the model scaling of some items in the Training Camp.

Characters

• Added the ability to trade with characters in the Training Camp.

• Added the ability to give gifts to unique characters in the Training Camp.

• Fixed an issue where certain combinations of chest armor and gloves caused female characters’ hands to disappear.

Taming

• Fixed an issue where tamed animals did not follow commands assigned to quickslots. The tamed animal must be within 50 meters of the character to execute a command. Warning: Using the Dismiss command will permanently release the tamed animal.

Resources

• Added a new resource type: Ceramics.

• Reworked basic harvesting tools. Now, only the Axe, Pickaxe, and Sickle are needed to efficiently gather all resource types. Other tools, such as the Shovel, remain available as optional upgrades and provide a small bonus to the amount gathered from their associated resources.

• Harvesting skill experience is now always granted when collecting resources, regardless of the tool or weapon used (previously, the correct tool was required to gain experience).

• Removed the penalty to harvested resource quantity when gathering without a specialized tool. Now, the full amount of resources is always granted.

• Resource processing tools are now unlocked upon discovering the corresponding resources, rather than when crafting basic tools as before.

• AddedUpdated tool auto-equip behavior to match the new system. Priority order is nowspecialized tool (if available) > generic tool > weapon.

• The Axe is no longer auto-equipped when interacting with fences and other structures, though these remain destructible and yield resources.

• Wood from small shrubs can now be collected directly by pressing the Interact button, without the need to chop them down.

• Increased wood yield from Hazel and Dark Forest shrubs to 3 (previously 1–2). Reduced their durability from 4 to 2.

• Increased wood yield from Azalea and Boxwood shrubs to 2 (previously 1–2). Reduced their durability to 1.

• Wood branches are no longer shown on the map or minimap, as they had limited usefulness.

• Trees and plants now have a chance to drop seeds by default, without requiring the corresponding skill. The skill now increases this chance further.

• Harvestable plants are now placed closer together for easier collection.

• The Manger's minimum efficiency is now set to 50%, provided there are sufficient grains in storage, even without any domesticated animals nearby. Having animals still boosts its efficiency further, up to a maximum of 400%.

• Fixed an issue where planted crops might fail to grow when placed near other objects.

• Fixed an issue where resource harvesting did not stop automatically when holding the Interact button, even after the resource had already been collected.

• Fixed an issue where the Manger could interfere with resource production at the Stove.

• Fixed an issue where some pickable resources in the Training Camp were missing collision with characters.

Squads

• When unlocking squads, you can now choose between Solo Mode and Party Mode. In Solo Mode, you control a single character but receive bonuses to Stamina, Focus, Effect Buildups, and Damage Resistance.

• Fixed an issue where some status effects were not preserved when switching between squad members.

• Fixed an issue where indicators for unspent attribute points were not displayed in compact health bars for squad members after reloading the game.

Combat

• Fixed an issue where enemies could ignore summoned or tamed animals and focus solely on attacking the player character.

Magic

• Added Shield and Barrier spell types.

• Fixed an issue where crafted spell parameters were not updating properly in certain cases.

• Fixed an issue where the Focus cost value in spell tooltips did not account for the Efficiency parameter.

• Fixed an issue where modified spell parameters were not displayed in the Spellcrafting interface unless a parameter glyph was slotted.

• Fixed an issue where casting a self-buff could cause the character to rotate.

Items

• Added the Forsworn Attire set for spellcasters.

• Added unique Redthorn Chest Armor as a quest reward.

• Adjusted some item names for better clarity.

• Adjusted stats and item types for some improvised weapons and armor.

• Updated affix descriptions for improvised weapons and armor to clearly indicate their item type.

• Fixed an issue where Redthorn armor pauldrons could have incorrect materials applied in some cases.

• Fixed an issue where the Guard's Shield was positioned incorrectly on the character's back.

• Fixed an issue where dirt and blood effects were incorrectly applied to certain items.

Building

• Significantly reworked the building and crafting unlock system. Instead of relying on many nested unlocks where certain build parts required others to be constructed first, unlocks are now grouped and become available upon obtaining the corresponding resource.

• The in-game guide now includes a Recipe Unlocks page that outlines the new structure.

• Added Carpenter tools:

1. Scaffolding - Allows production of common raised structures.

2. Frame Saw - Allows production of common wooden fixtures.

3. Lathe - Allows production of common trimwork.

• Added Mason tools:

1. Workbench - Allows production of common stone build parts.

2. Chisel Set - Allows production of common stone furnishings.

3. Masonry Trowels - Allows production of common stoneworks.

• Added the Potter's Wheel, which can be used to craft Ceramics and various tableware items.

• Added the Ceramic Storage build part.

• Added the Water Barrel build part.

• Added the Well build part.

• Added buildable basements.

• Added stone house building parts.

• Added stone furnishings.

• Added stone fences.

• Added wooden and iron gates.

• Added wooden chairs and cupboards.

• Added wooden trimwork.

• Added planters, which allow plants to be grown indoors.

• Wooden door and window frames now have interior variants, matching the style of standard interior wooden walls.

• All buildable fences are now modular with a standardized 2-meter length. They also snap to Foundation and Flat Ground elements for easier placement.

• Updated building part sets unlocked by each of the Carpenter’s tools to better reflect their intended use and materials.

• Furniture variations are now selectable as styles and no longer take up separate slots in the building menu.

• Flat Ground modules now include a grid to assist with Foundation placement.

• Storage platforms now require the Carpenter's Scaffolding to be built.

• Wooden poles and stone columns now also have a 1m variant that fits short walls.

• Window shutters and flower boxes now require the Carpenter's Frame Saw to be built.

• Rectangular and Healer Sheds now use fibers instead of fabric, allowing them to be built earlier.

• Banners and flags now require dyes instead of metal as the third resource.

• Some building recipes have been updated to use the Ceramics resource, including Kitchenware, Larder, Oil Storage, and Ceramic Flower Box.

• Slightly adjusted resource costs for some production tools and furniture.

• Removed camera collision for buildable fences.

• Adjusted house module grids for better alignment and to prevent small gaps from appearing between build parts.

• Adjusted stair grids for more consistent placement.

• Adjusted ground collision checks for furniture to make placement easier.

• Fixed build part jittering when placing parts near the boundary between two grids.

• Fixed an issue where collecting a Rat Pelt didn’t unlock the Leather Rack.

• Fixed an issue where lanterns could not be attached to flat roof modules.

• Fixed an issue where the building preview didn’t turn red when there weren’t enough resources and the building part was placed on the grid.

• Fixed an issue where the door lock could be incorrectly attached to the door.

• Fixed an issue where switching between build part styles with the scroll wheel also changed quickslot panels.

• Fixed an issue where character rotation could be incorrect after sitting on a bench or chair.

• Fixed an issue where destroyed build parts were treated as obstacles, preventing interaction with furniture until they fully disappeared.

• Fixed an issue where destroying a build part placed on the grid prevented new parts from being placed in the same spot until the destroyed part had fully disappeared.

• Fixed an issue where foliage intersecting with build parts was not removed during placement.

• Fixed an issue where destroying a build part with an active lantern or torch attached did not disable the light.

Character Customization

• Added functionality to customize the appearance of armor and weapons, accessible from the Inventory menu via the Appearance button. Available styles are unlocked upon first discovering an item or learning its crafting recipe.

• Added an option to change equipment colors.

• Adjusted the base colors of certain equipment sets to improve compatibility with custom color options.

• Equipped armor and weapons are now shown in the character selection menu. Existing characters need to be re-saved for their equipment to be displayed.

• Fixed an issue where selecting "Modify Character" and then going back could result in an incorrect character appearance when loading the game.

• Fixed an issue where the character model in the inventory preview might not display the selected body color correctly when certain armor parts were equipped.

• Fixed an issue where some character customization parameters were not applied when switching between characters or for clients in multiplayer.

• Fixed an issue where the character's cape appearance did not update correctly when switching between squad members.

• Fixed an issue where equipping the Cutthroat's Mask failed to remove the currently worn helmet.

• Fixed an issue where Hunter's pants were clipping through the boots model.

• Fixed various compatibility issues between chest armor and gloves from different equipment sets.

User Interface

• The default hotkey for the Faction Management menu has been changed from 'G' to 'U'.

• The Guide menu can now be accessed using the 'G' hotkey. Recipe unlock notifications include a tooltip for this shortcut. The key can also be remapped in the settings.

• Updated Journal tooltips to reflect the new system for unlocking crafting recipes.

• Added an error message when attempting to place a build part without sufficient resources.

• Added a second page to the Foundations category in the Radial Building Menu.

• Added notifications for building categories unlocked by crafting the Carpenter’s or Mason’s tools.

• Added a 'Back' button to the Faction Vault interface.

• Fixed an issue where the character class was not correctly displayed in the info panel of the Character Selection menu. Existing characters need to be re-saved for the fix to take effect.

• Fixed an issue where the character preview camera in the inventory could become misaligned after switching characters.

• Fixed an issue where remapping the Journal keybinding was not reflected in quest notification tooltips.

• Fixed an issue where tool category unlock notifications could appear twice.

• Fixed an issue where the Toggle Aiming keybinding was not available in the Settings menu.

• Fixed an issue where rebinding the Interact button from 'E' to 'F' caused the Toggle Aiming function to trigger unintentionally.

• Fixed an issue where the Interact and Quick Menu tooltips did not display custom key bindings.

• Fixed an issue where resource tooltips could display incorrect resource quantities.

• Fixed an issue where the main character’s portrait could appear incorrectly during dialogue.

• Fixed an issue where closing the Automatization Tool interface with the Escape key did not hide the build radius and arrows.

• Fixed an issue where the fullscreen map could not be opened while the interface was hidden.

• Fixed an issue where a popup window could overlap the dialogue interface.

• Fixed an issue where status effect icons could be incorrectly removed in certain situations.

• Corrected the tooltip for the Damage Numbers setting.

• Corrected various errors in building part descriptions.

Build 0.3.1.1

Tutorials

• Added a tutorial that explains how to destroy build parts.

• Added a tooltip explaining how to open the Skill Menu during the 'Harvesting Resources' tutorial.

• Fixed an issue where chopping a bush instead of a tree during the 'Harvesting Resources' tutorial didn’t grant enough Woodcutting experience to level up the skill.

Quests

• Added a new quest for the Blacksmith in the Training Camp.

• Camp fortification crafting recipes are now rewarded upon completing the 'The Watch Never Sleeps' quest.

• A skill point is now automatically granted during the 'Combat Training' quest after completing the fast attack objective. This allows learning the Strong Attack skill for the next quest stage without needing to reallocate points.

• A shield is now provided during the 'Combat Training' quest.

• Adjusted experience rewards for completing certain quests.

• Adjusted recommended levels for certain quests to ensure smoother progression.

• Actions and dialogue choices with permanent consequences now display a notification.

• The recommended level for completing the 'Missing Villagers' quest has been lowered from 15 to 10, and the spawned bandits have been adjusted accordingly.

• The 'Collect Fibers' objective during the 'A Place to Rest' quest now highlights the map area where they can be found.

• Updated Dodge action tooltips during the 'Neophyte Gauntlet' quest to reflect new input options.

• Added tooltips for choosing a weapon and using Strong Attack hotkeys during the 'Combat Training' quest.

• Fixed an issue where the UI was not hidden during the cutscene in 'The Watch Never Sleeps' quest.

• Fixed an issue where the repaired watchtower top might not display correctly in certain cases.

• Fixed an issue where exiting and re-entering a dialogue could, in some cases, make a quest start option appear even if the quest was already in progress.

• Fixed an issue where exiting a dialogue without selecting the quest completion option and re-entering could cause it to disappear.

• Fixed an issue where the Gauntlet could be started before speaking with the Battlemaster.

• Fixed an issue where the Ceramic Tiles resource was not displayed correctly, preventing progression during the 'The Broken Mill' quest.

Resources

• Default storage size for unique resources has been increased from 10 to 25.

• Interacting with pickable objects is now possible without needing to aim the camera directly at them.

• Fixed an issue where large resource deposits inside mines could respawn faster than intended.

• Fixed an issue where large resource deposits did not increase auto-harvester efficiency.

Combat

• RemovedImplemented an additional key binding for DodgeLeft Shift. Tapping it triggers a Dodge, while holding it initiates Sprinting. Previously, Dodge was only mapped to mouse side buttons, which may not be available for all players. This behavior can be disabled in the Settings menu.

• Fixed an issue where aiming mode was not automatically disabled when sheathing the weapon.

Items

• Added a craftable Training Shield.

Building

• Added camp fortification build parts:

  • Palisade Wall

  • Palisade Walkway

  • Palisade Stairs

  • Encampment Gate

  • Gatehouse

  • Watchtower

• Added building grids for Palisade Wall and Palisade Walkway to Flat Ground modules.

• Palisade Stairs, Encampment Gate, Gatehouse, and Watchtower can snap to the building grids of Palisade Walls and Walkways.

• Rat Pelts can now also be used to craft primitive camp bedding.

• Fixed an issue where obtaining spellcrafting glyphs might not unlock Enchanter build parts.

• Fixed an issue where interacting with bedding would sometimes not work.

Crafting

• Crafting Menu entries now show how many of each item you currently own.

Faction Management

• Zones are now unlocked alongside Faction Management.

• Fixed an issue where the Vault was accessible before Faction Management was unlocked.

Character Customization

• Fixed an issue where certain equipment appearance options could be unlocked without first acquiring the corresponding item.

• Fixed an issue where the Guard's Shield colors could not be modified in the Appearance menu.

• Fixed an issue where certain locked styles could still be applied in the Appearance menu.

• Fixed an issue where a new character preview might display equipment from a previously selected character.

User Interface

• The minimap now displays arrows pointing toward active quest objective markers.

• Improved visibility of enemy encounter notifications.

• Attempting to loot a killed horse now triggers a warning message, stating that there is no reward and no reason to kill horses.

• Fixed an issue where the Ceramics resource icon was incorrectly displayed when switching to unique resource tabs in the compact resource menu.

• Fixed an issue where quest objective text might not be fully visible in certain cases.

• Fixed an issue where Inventory or Journal windows opened before a dialogue or cutscene did not close automatically.

Other

• Entering a pre-built house now moves the character farther from the door to prevent camera issues.

• Movement speed is restored to default values after using the Unstuck button or respawning.

• Fixed an issue where selecting a character backup saved at the start of the game loaded a later progression state than intended.

• Fixed an issue where loading a backup did not restore character appearance settings and world location.

• Various localization updates.

Build 0.3.1.2

Tutorials

• Added a tutorial quest for researching technologies.

• Added a guide entry about research.

• Added tips on Tar Kiln and Debarker placement during the "Productivity Tools" tutorial.

• One of the fuel deposits is now marked on the map for the "Productivity Tools" tutorial.

Quests

• Added a new quest focused on acquiring unique resources.

• Added a tooltip to "The Watch Never Sleeps" quest explaining how to obtain refined resources.

• Ammo is now granted during the "Combat Training" quest when ammunition is enabled and a ranged weapon is selected.

• Fixed an issue where the dialogue with the commander to assemble a squad could be initiated before completing the "Combat Training" quest.

• Fixed an issue where the Squad Mode selection interface could be opened multiple times during the "Lost Home" quest.

• Fixed an issue where some objective statuses might not update correctly during the "A Place To Rest" quest.

• Fixed an issue where the War Table in the Training Camp could be destroyed by attacking it.

Exploration

• Fixed an issue where certain points of interest near the Training Camp area did not spawn enemies as intended.

• Fixed an issue where a Place of Interest object might spawn in an incorrect position after loading if an obstacle was present when it was saved.

Characters

• Added dialogue lines for unique NPCs in the Training Camp when spoken to during nighttime.

Combat

• Fixed an issue where Stamina regeneration might get stuck after certain ability interactions in combat.

Resources

• Added unique Shard spawns.

• Fixed an issue where harvesting resources with an essential tool instead of a specialized one might not activate ability bonuses.

• Fixed an issue where a resource quantity could sometimes exceed the maximum storage capacity.

Enemies

• Added a new enemy type to the Quarry dungeon.

• Added a limit to how many random enemy encounters can occur at the same location.

• Reduced the maximum difficulty of random enemy encounters for lower-level characters.

• Lowered the search radius for triggering random enemy encounters.

• Enthralled can now appear in random enemy encounters.

Mounts

• Fixed an issue where the horse sometimes couldn't be mounted, displaying a message that another player had already mounted it, even though the horse was unoccupied.

• Fixed an issue where horse reins could stretch too far in some cases.

Summons

• Increased base damage of summoned Skeletons by 100%.

• Increased base damage of summoned Golems by 100%.

• Increased attack hit area of Golems.

• Elemental variations of summons now have more varied stats.

• Fixed an issue where stat bonuses might not be applied to summon attacks, resulting in significantly lower damage than expected.

• Fixed an issue where summons might fail to locate the target, causing incorrect rotation.

Items

• Added a craftable unique sword and shield.

• Fixed an issue where items received as quest rewards might not equip correctly in some cases.

Building

• Adjusted resource costs for some production-related build parts.

• Fixed an issue where Tile and Ceramics storage sizes could reset to default values when loading a game.

• Fixed an issue where a Tar Kiln might not connect to the auto-loader when placed.

• Fixed an issue where a Salt Pan did not display the activation arrow when placed.

• Fixed an issue where the effective range of some auto-loaders was smaller than intended.

• Fixed an issue where some auto-loaders had an effective range that differed from the range of the related processing tools.

• Fixed an issue where the Trees building menu contained an empty entry.

• Fixed an issue where destroying a resource storage could potentially result in negative storage values.

User Interface

• Adjusted quest objective formatting to improve readability.

• Fixed an issue where the guide tooltip appeared on certain unlock notifications that were not related to the guide.

• Fixed an issue where the Magic Art notification after defeating an enemy might display without an icon.

• Fixed an issue where the Crafting Menu for the Potter's Wheel did not automatically select a default recipe when opened.

• Fixed an issue where the dialogue window to start the Gauntlet could still be opened even after it was already in progress.

• Fixed an issue where, in rare cases, the Crafting Menu could open while looting an enemy.

• Fixed an issue where custom map markers placed over quest objective areas were not interactable.

Other

• Adjusted Abandoned Cart collision to prevent the character from getting stuck.

• Various texture size optimizations.

Build 0.3.1.3

Quests

• Added a side quest to collect the Apprentice equipment set.

• Fixed an issue where areas with prisoner cages were not displayed on the map during the "Missing Villagers" quest after reloading the game.

• Fixed an issue where rescued villagers might initiate dialogue as if they had already been spoken to during the "Missing Villagers" quest after reloading the game.

Exploration

• Added new locations in the Woodlands zone.

• Renamed the biome previously referred to as Dark Forest to Dead Grove.

• Fixed an issue where the character could occasionally become stuck in the aiming, guarding, or reloading state, causing reduced movement speed or preventing attacks.

Dungeons

• All dungeons now include treasure rooms containing unique rewards.

• Adjusted the maximum enemy difficulty in starting zone dungeons.

• Fixed an issue where certain generated objects weren’t properly cleared when leaving a dungeon, causing them to appear in other dungeon areas.

• Fixed an issue where some bandit types were not spawning in dungeons as intended.

Resources

• Added unique gemstone deposits.

• Added unique ornamental stone deposits.

• Fixed an issue where obtaining a new resource through the automation tool didn’t mark it as discovered.

Magic

• Barriers now prevent poise damage while active.

• Increased the base damage of all spells by 100%.

• Fixed an issue where attempting to cast a spell while using furniture would consume Focus.

Squads

• Fixed an issue where active squad members were not dismissed after switching to Solo mode in the settings.

• Fixed an issue where the character switching visual effect would play even when attempting to switch with only one character available.

Items

• Added elemental rings, amulets, and medallions.

• Added Apprentice equipment set for magic users.

• Added the Sacred Helm and Shield.

• Added the Ceremonial Dagger.

• Added the Crown of Equilibrium unique item.

• Adjusted the affixes of the Cursed Talisman.

• Fixed an issue where looting stackable items from a container could cause item duplication.

Building

• Added Jeweler tools:

1. Jeweler's Workbench - Allows crafting common jewelry.

2. Polishing Wheel - Allows upgrading common jewelry.

3. Muffle Furnace - Allows salvaging common jewelry.

Crafting

• Added a confirmation window when salvaging items while the resource storage is full and salvaged materials cannot be stored.

• Fixed an issue where items crafted from the Inventory might not generate random affixes.

• Fixed an issue where items could receive multiple random affixes of the same type.

Faction Management

• Clearing debris from destroyed houses now moves any containers that were inside to the outside area, preventing them from blocking furniture placement later.

• Fixed an issue where switching between factions and assigning tasks to faction members might be unavailable after loading the game.

• Fixed an issue where items placed in the faction vault could disappear after reloading the game.

• Fixed an issue where villagers could appear under the Holy Guard faction after loading the game.

• Fixed an issue where clearing a destroyed wagon would revert after loading the game.

• Fixed an issue where the windmill repair task couldn’t be completed because ceramic tile resources were not properly recognized.

• Fixed an issue where adding or removing items from the faction vault did not update the vault capacity description text.

• Fixed an issue where villagers might sometimes move while stuck in a resting animation.

• Fixed an issue where dead bodies and containers near a destroyed cart might not be removed after clearing the debris.

• Fixed an issue where faction housing or workplaces could become duplicated.

Character Customization

• Fixed an issue where selecting a body color might only apply the change to the character’s head.

User Interface

• Fixed an issue where item sorting was disabled by default for containers.

• Fixed an issue where elemental staff glow could have the wrong color in the inventory character preview.

• Fixed an issue where item quantities could overlap with long item names in side notifications.

• Fixed an issue where the Barrier spell’s status effect icon might remain after the effect expired.

• Fixed an issue where item descriptions in the Salvaging menu displayed upgraded quality indicators.

• Fixed an issue where the tutorial window could appear while another interface menu was already open.

• Fixed an issue where the minimap quest objective arrow could disappear after being clicked.

• Fixed an issue where the minimap quest objective arrow might not update correctly after fast traveling.

• Fixed an issue where the map could appear blurry when there was not enough available VRAM.

Other

• Fixed a collision issue that made the cellar ladder difficult to interact with.

• Fixed an issue where enemies could sometimes become stuck inside ruins.