NĀYAK Early Access - Version 0.2: New Beginnings at Fort Torna

Dear players! We are excited to roll out update v0.2 that expands the game with two new levels, improved core systems, and fixed a wide range of issues across the levels.

NEW LEVEL: Fort Torna (Night) - Now Level 1

Your journey now begins where it was always meant to. Fort Torna, the first fort captured by the young Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is now the true starting point of the game. The game no longer starts at Fort Kondhana.

NEW LEVEL: Fort Subhanmangal (Day)

A brand new environment to explore. Experience new missions and interactions in this land fort situated at the banks of river Nira.

Progression Update:

Levels are now unlocked in the following order:

Level 1 – Fort Torna (Night) [Newly added in v0.2]

Level 2 – Fort Kondhana (Night)

Level 3 – Fort Subhanmangal (Day) [Newly added in v0.2]

Level 4 – Fort Purandar (Day)

New Features & Improvements

Better Navigation and Clarity

• Added Location HUD (top-left): shows zone names such as "Soldiers' Barracks", "Palace", "Armory" etc.

• Missions now include zone/building hints

• Mission screen clearly separates:

  • Required missions

  • Optional missions (opportunity based, triggered via interactions)

• Improved mission text clarity

Inventory & Feedback:

• Added item notifiers

  • Displays when items are added to or removed from the inventory

• Inventory system updated with new items

AI & Gameplay

• NPC strictness has been increased in some of the areas of Fort Purandar

• Added passive NPCs to hint disguise opportunities, such as Blacksmiths working near gunpowder

Player Experience

• Cutscenes

  • Cutscenes now play only once per level load

  • Restarting a level will no longer replay cutscenes

• Cutscenes Controls

  • Added help text for:

    • Continue

    • Skip all cutscenes

• Mission Context:

  • Added Mission Background at level start with historical context

Main Menu

• Updated buttons to start/continue games:

  • Continue – Resume from last checkpoint

  • Start Game – Starts fresh (overwrites save)

• Tutorial Help Text improved and organized

  • Added Help Text for movement tutorial at game start

  • Moved the tutorial help text to Level 1 – Fort Torna

  • Reworked multiple help texts for clarity

World Interaction

• Added visual "Mudra" markers for objectives that did not have a physical interactable, for example, the vantage point mission in Fort Torna

Animations & World Polish

• New and improved animations

  • Soldiers (Sipahi and Bhaldar) – talking, head nod

  • Traders and officers (Havaldar and Mansabdar) - talking

  • Horse – improved the "grazing" animation

  • "Sleeping" animation for some NPCs including soldiers (Sipahi and Bhaldar)

• Increased animation play rate for some of the animations of the main character and storage chest

• Texture for tents have been improved

Major Fixes

Missions & Objectives

• Fixed objectives completing incorrectly or repeatedly in Fort Purandar level

• "Locate Mahadji..." Objective in Fort Purandar now completes when player approaches him

Level & Interaction Fixes

• Fixed vaulting, blocking, and collision issues in Fort Kondhana and Fort Purandar levels

• Fixed the issue where a storage chest would remain highlighted after exit

• Adjusted scaling and highlighting for some of the interactable objects in Fort Kondhana and Fort Purandar

• Fixed progress bars persisting after interrupted interactions

• Fixed issue where Eavesdrop zones were always visible

• Fixed issue where multiple storage chests opened simultaneously

• Fixed unintended jump interactions on invalid surfaces

Save/Load & Progression

• Fixed issue with some of the level specific items not saving correctly

• Fixed the issue where completed levels had to be replayed

UI & Menus

• Fixed crash in Credits menu caused by repeated Spacebar input

• Fixed the menu duplication issue caused by repeated key presses

Minor Fixes

• Reworded the notifier from "Quest completed" to "Mission completed"