Major update notes

The Demo for Realm Survivors is now live!

Here are latest updates to the game:

Gameplay Improvements

Character Movement:

• Increased baseline movement speed for all characters.

• Added invincibility frames (I-frames) during dashes.

• Implemented a phasing effect during dashes to move through enemies.

• Reduced dash cooldown to 3 seconds (from 4 seconds).

Projectiles:

• Slightly reduced the speed of ranged enemy projectiles.

• Increased projectile flight duration.

• Meta Progression:

• Reduced early-game costs for meta progression upgrades.

Abilities:

• Updated the training sword's hitbox for improved accuracy.

• Increased the hitbox size of the fireball ability for better targeting.

• Added a mild knockback effect to the throw stone ability.

• Introduced a burn effect to the fireball ability, applying damage over time.

• Added visual feedback for when the character is hit: the screen briefly splashes red, and the player’s directional indicator turns red.

• Added a root ability for the Mutant Boss.

• Modified the Butcher Boss’s charge ability to serve as a primary gap-closer and main attack with large and powerful cleave functionality.

• Introduced two new ultimate abilities:

  • Barrage

  • Divine Radiance

New Features:

• Added an auto-aim toggle function.

• Introduced a reroll functionality for ability selection during level-ups.

• Added an unlockable subtrait system; players can equip subtraits after completing associated quests.

• Added more quests to complete.

• Introduced difficulty settings (Easy, Normal, Hard), modifying enemy health and damage to 80%, 100%, and 150%, respectively.

• Added new ground indicators for boss abilities.

• Introduced a new enemy: Goblin Bomber—charges the player with a lit bomb.

• Added a dynamic spawning system to cap on-screen enemies. Experience gains remain constant as enemies are killed. i.e. the more enemies killed the more exp gained.

• Added a new trial mode: Kill Countdown—defeat as many enemies as possible within the time limit. Rewards improve with higher kill counts.

Quality of Life Updates

• Added a back button (gamepad east or Escape on keyboard) for easier menu navigation.

• Improved the size and thickness of UI selection borders for better readability.

• Removed redundant UI options (e.g., overlapping "X" and "Yes" buttons).

• Enabled auto-open/close functionality for character select menus.

• Updated default navigation after death or level completion to return to the character select menu.

• Clarified quest conditions for unlocking the first character.

• Added quest descriptions for locked characters and subtraits.

• Introduced several selectable cursor options for better visibility.

UI/UX Enhancements

HUD and Indicators:

• Added a background to the dash timer for better visibility.

• Improved ability bar visuals by adding a background to display ability levels more clearly.

• Added descriptive tooltips for global buffs.

• Implemented a visible timer for movement speed buffs.

• Removed the bank icon and balance from the screen until a game save slot is selected.

• Added an overhead health bar for the player character.

• Replaced the HUD dash bar with a dash indicator on the overhead health bar.

Menus:

• Fixed navigation and character selection issues in the character select menu.

• Added a stats comparison window to evaluate purchased characters against the currently selected one.

• Increased scrolling speed in the upgrades and unlocks menus.

• Added a confirmation prompt to prevent accidental exits from the current scene.

• Hid the back button in specific menus to avoid unintended scene changes.

• Improved menu logic to prevent overlapping, enhancing quality of life and gameplay fluidity.

• Visual and Audio Feedback:

• Added an opening animation and sound effect for chests.

• Enhanced on-screen quest indicators for better visibility.

• Improved the intro quest message to prevent repetition.

• Added new death sounds and taunts for characters.

• Refined visual effects for abilities like Poison and Fire Nova for better clarity and visual impact.

• Adjusted UI layouts to fix off-centered elements.

• Zoomed the camera out to provide a larger view of the level.

Audio Improvements

• Overhauled the sound system for improved variety, including dynamic pitch adjustments, instance limits, and enhanced mixing.

• Balanced sound levels for many abilities.

• Fixed inconsistencies in audio mixers for abilities such as Ground Slam, Chain Lightning, and Meteor.

• Introduced a sound frequency limit to reduce sound-chaos during large enemy deaths.

• Replaced background music with music that has a more appealing tone.

• Included navigation sound effects for additional menus.

Balance Changes

Reduced boss HP to make fights feel less tedious. Adjusted difficulty scaling to ease early-game progression.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed banner flickering caused by input during level-ups. Reduced menu navigation speed and added a delay before showing ability options.

• Corrected an issue where the level-up menu remained interactable when the main menu was open.

• Resolved buggy behavior when rapidly cycling characters in the character select menu.

• Fixed a bug where pending upgrades were lost during simultaneous level-ups.

• Addressed collider issues, including players getting stuck on spiders, chests, or dead enemies.

• Reprogrammed the saving system to prevent errors across playthroughs.

Known Issues

• Ground indicators for boss abilities and goblin bombs occasionally persist after the enemy is defeated. UPDATE: THIS SHOULD BE NOW FIXED IN LATEST HOTFIX

• On-screen quest indicators disappear after one quest is completed. The quest remains completable, but the indicator no longer shows its location.

• The kill count in trials remains cumulative across playthroughs instead of resetting. UPDATE: THIS SHOULD BE NOW FIXED IN LATEST HOTFIX

Upcoming Demo Features (Work in Progress)

• Customizable key bindings.

• Additional language localization.

• Stronger prompting to select a subtrait before starting the level once subtraits are unlocked.

• Improved button unselection/highlighting for mouse users. Buttons currently remain selected for gamepad and keyboard navigation of UI.

• Expanded trial modes for greater play variety during the level.