v0.4 UPDATE

To open this changelog, I want to state that the progression rework isn't part of this update as I wanted. Progression isn't bad, but could still use some attention, and the only way for that to happen is to push this update back further. That's the last thing I want, so I'm pushing this update now. Progression will see an improvement in a smaller update a couple weeks down the road, and should come with a number of new items, enemies, and hopefully rooms.

Now, onto what's new!

Weapon Enhancements & Inscriptions

Now, by talking to Aaron in the village, you can apply upgrades to your weapons. Enhancements take shekels, and are typically on the weaker side. They can be replaced at any time, as well. Inscriptions, on the other hand, are a bit stronger and cost gems, but they also cannot be removed, so when you lock your decision, it's permanent. You can expect enhancements and inscriptions to receive tweaks over time, just like regular items.

New Rooms & Traps

Each region has received two new, unique traps. One of each pair is designed for damage, and the other is designed for disruption and is breakable. As a disclaimer, the disruptive traps debuff your stats, though there is no on-screen notice at this time - you can expect this to change in a future patch.

There are also 10 new rooms across the board (more like 11 or 12, but the others are so little in change I didn't count them); 3 to the Labyrinths, 5 to the deserts, and 2 to the valleys. As mentioned earlier, I hope that, in the aforementioned small update, more rooms can be added, since this amount sounds a bit underwhelming compared to what I envisioned.

New Buried Desert Floor 1 Boss

As you probably know, the Buried Desert Floor 1 fight is a bit lame. The Charger is slow, unengaging, and uninteresting. While it remains in a slightly adjusted form in Floor 2, it has been replaced for Floor 1.

Introducing: Sha's Soul. Arguably much better to fight than the Charger. More engaging attack pattern, and actually puts up a fight.

Two New Floors

Buried Desert Floor 4 and Green Valleys Floor 4 are now unlocked, bringing lots of new items and enemies, along with new bosses to conquer.

Now that we've covered the major changes, here's the rest that's in the update.

Gameplay Changes

• 19 items added across early-game levels.

• Added 3 enemies to Labyrinths Floor 3.

• Items will now display whether they affect bonus arrow flight.

• Adjusted Helpful Spirit's tutorial combat dialogue to work with the offhand system introduced in v0.2.

• Lightkeep Life Support can now be burned.

• Wendigo can now be burned.

• Updated/adjusted the following Bestiary entries: Forest Spirit, Skeleton Grunt, Skeleton Scout, Goblin, Zombie, Mimic, Mutated Spider, Hollow, Skeleton Archer, Ghoul, Reaper, Shocker, NULL, Angel, Scorpion, Sand Golem, Crumbler, Owl, Yekkatari.

• Reduced number of desired rooms in each Green Valleys level by about 2.

• Scorpion Bow can no longer be found in Buried Desert Floor 1.

• Scorpion Bow magic damage reduced from 9 -> 7.

• Scorpion Bow ranged damage reduced from 14 -> 12.

• Scorpion Bow rarity switched from Rare -> Uncommon.

Visual Changes

• Wired now spawns particles on enemies it heals.

• All fire particles should now float up rather than following the item/enemy's orientation.

• Fog in dungeons slightly reduced.

• Bloom in dungeons slightly increased.

• Very subtle fog added to Village.

• Added moss and large cracks on Labyrinth walls.

• Updated water material.

• Slightly increased gamma from 1.0 -> 1.1 in Green Valleys to assist visibility in the darker region.

Sound Changes

• Unique ambience added to all regions; generic ambience can still play across all.

• Spike Traps now have sound.

• Charger now has music.

• Forest Spirit now has music.

• Temple Golem Fight music should now stop when the boss ragdolls, not when it poofs.

Story Changes

• Green Valleys blue particles have been switched to pink.

• Added 4 journals.

• Updated Letter from CEO journal.

Fixes & Optimizations

• Spike Traps should no longer spawn in walls.

• Room generation has been slightly optimized.

• Wooden Board Block ability and animation has been fixed.

• Fixed healing particles looping infinitely in the tutorial level.

• Fixed water drip with no pipe in Lab Floor 3 treasure room.

• Forest Spirit burn particles now display properly.

• All Cerberus parts' burn particles now display properly.

That's all for this update. In the next one, expect more items, enemies, a progression rework, and hopefully a few new rooms. And following that one, v0.5, which will be the final Early Access update.