Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Card & Board Game
Across the Obelisk
Halloween Patch Notes 1.0.3
Hello everyone!
Welcome to the patch notes for version 1.0.3 of Across the Obelisk which is out now!
Improved Draft system
In this patch, we have changed how cards are chosen in Obelisk Mode and Weekly Challenge. From now on 8 packs of cards will appear (in each pack there will be 3 cards out of 6 possible contained in that pack,) and you will be able to choose 3 of them, with the option to reroll all packs only once.
The basic idea is that each hero is linked to 7 packs that will always be the same for them and a pack of randomly generated cards. With this change, we wanted to avoid the situation in the previous system where some heroes never got the pack they wanted and you had to restart the draft entirely.
We believe that with this new system, the draft is a little more consistent and you always have "something you want" for each hero, but at the same time, it is more difficult to have a perfect deck. Also, only being able to make a reroll brings a certain tactical component when choosing a pack or not. The pack being fully random offers an interesting unpredictable element that can even make you change your initial approach to how you were going to play.
Improved random combats
We have changed the way random combat gets generated and, from now on, no two identical enemies will ever appear in the same encounter. Also, certain champions will coincide with their base enemy version (for example, Colin and Stormbringers or Lana and Spellbinders.) Note that the white and black versions of Act 4 enemies count as different enemies.
Speaking of Act 4, we have added 2 new enemies to give variety to the end of Act 4 and to the random combat generation of the last nodes in all game modes. These enemies are the Dualists and the Magus with their white and black versions.
Finally, in Adventure Mode with random encounters, you will now be able to see random immunities each champion has on the map and in the corruption screen so that you can better prepare yourself!
General Changes & Balance
New Profile system: now you can use and save different in-game profiles that will save your progress and unlocks, so you can play at your own pace with different people or as you want!
Dev Diary #2: Trick or Treat?
Hell-o, Adventurers!
With the spooky season just around the corner, we wanted to clear the mist and open the casket on what we’ve been working on and what you can expect coming up in the very near future.
Firstly, we have prepared a special something for Halloween that you’ll start seeing in-game very soon. You will start to see various decorations that are hallmarks of this October boo-nanza cropping up and around as you play.
Additionally, there will be a new Weekly Challenge with its own themed corruptions that are so cool it will chill you to the bones. Not only that, but a special prize awaits those who are able to complete the Weekly Challenge that will be yours to keep. Those who diligently watch our dev-showcase channel on Discord or follow us on Twitter will have already gotten a sneak preview of this card back.
Patch 1.0.3 News and Info!
Patch 1.0.3 will also include several new improvements and features – which we will discuss in more detail in the patch notes – but to give you an idea of what we have, there will be:
Improved card drafting system in Obelisk, and Weekly Challenge modes
Added a third line of perks to choose from at the end of the draft (e.g. heal/regeneration/vitality perks on Scouts or Warriors)
Improved random combat creation system so that two equal enemies are not repeated, as well as adding a preview of the random immunities of the champions
Three new enemies of Act 4
Improved several perks to give them more viability
Performance improvements and bug fixes
What About Halloween Costumes?!
There cannot be Halloween without some timely costume changes, though, right? Since the community has often asked for more skins and outfits for the heroes, we felt that Halloween would be the perfect time to introduce new cosmetics to Across the Obelisk that’ll put fear into your enemies before your cards are even drawn!
What’s better than an upcoming cosmetic DLC pack? Easy answer: one that will be available on Monday 24th October! Dressed to thrill, dressed to kill, dressed to steal candy from every boss in the game.
Look out for the patch notes on Monday when we’ll go into further detail about Patch 1.0.3 and the changes that it will bring.
Until then, have a fang-tastic weekend!
Hotfix 1.0.2a1
Hello everyone. This is a hotfix to reduce some of the current desync problems in coop when casting boons and injuries.
As always, thanks to all of you for your support, feedback, and understanding.
Hotfix 1.0.2a
Hello everyone. This is a hotfix for some of the bugs that have been reported. Also, with this hotfix, we are working on solving the desync problems that the latest patch seems to produce.
- Fixed a bug that was giving a bigger amount of score than expected after a combat corruption was completed when the card reward selection was restored.
- Fixed a problem with the corrupted versions of Power Coil and Nullifier not granting the proper amount of maximum charges.
- Fixed a problem with the corrupted version of the Endless Bag not being activated under some circumstances.
As always, thanks to all of you for your support, feedback, and understanding.
Dev Diary #1: Balancing Act
Greetings adventurers!
It's already been more than a month since Across the Obelisk left Early Access, and so much has happened since then! Between bug fixes, feature updates, hotfixes, and patches, there are almost too many things for us to cover. So, we will go over some of the changes in Patch 1.0.2 and give you some juicy info on some things planned for the future.
Today we'd like to present to you the first of what we hope will become a regular part of how we communicate our progress and upcoming plans with you, our players – our very first official Dev Diary! There has been a lot of work between balancing the current game with tweaks for our cards and heroes, while also trying to add in nice little quality of life changes to make the game just that little bit better for you.
After a short break since Patch 1.0.1 and our very short stay in Stockholm, Sweden to meet the team at Paradox Arc and attend PDXCON, it is now September and we are back in full swing squashing bugs, tweaking some of the cards and heroes, and poking at the code to make it all silky smooth. That means making improvements to make it more user-friendly, improving stability, and giving the game a general balance pass across the board.
Quality of Life
We have now implemented a system that allows the game to save with each round of combat so you can exit at any time and come back even closer to where you ended previously. Along with that, we’ve added quality of life features to make the game more user-friendly to everyone, such as tracking active quests when selecting the next zone for your adventure (see image below,) or highlighting auras and curses that are already active on characters when hovering the cursor over a card; for example, hovering over Poison Dart will highlight all poison stacks on heroes and enemies.
Furthermore, we have improved the stability of online connectivity and gameplay while also implementing features to make getting back into the game after suffering a disconnect to be as fast as possible. When a user that is not the host disconnects from the game, the host is taken back to the lobby with the game already set up and ready to go for that user to rejoin, or to reassign hero control. Coupled with saving the game between each round of combat, it will be very quick to get back into it.
Balancing Act
As always in each patch, we try to give a balance pass based on feedback from our incredibly dedicated community. Balancing a game with the level of complexity we have across all of the game modes is no easy task, but little by little we hope to achieve it and reach a point where we are all happy (you included!) You can read the full list of balancing changes in the Patch 1.0.2 notes we published yesterday.
So, What’s Next?
After Patch 1.0.2, our intention is to finish the combat log and get you up to speed with the revamp of the Obelisk Challenge draft system.
What we want to improve with the draft system is that our heroes are currently quite different from each other and each has a different quirks and features, so when you select a hero you have a general idea of how you want to play them. With the current draft system, it is possible that you don't get any of the card packs you wanted for that hero, often leading to frustration or even redoing the game and draft phase.
What we intend with the new system is that each hero will have a set of card packs assigned to them – which will always appear and be available to choose from. These packs will contain a variety of cards that means whether to choose a pack and which ones to choose will add a strategic element to the drafting. The idea is to avoid the previously mentioned situation where none of the packs you want appear.
We also want to improve the weekly challenges and add a cosmetic reward – a card back – to encourage you to come and compete each week.
Rats to That!
Finally, we have started working on the Frozen Sewers – which as many of you will know was Zek's home before he was exiled. Now the sewers are frozen and, just like up in the city, almost all the remaining rats are frozen or turned into the frozen walking dead.
Here you have the sketches of the new enemies of this sub-zone and one of the backdrops for the combat!
We are also working on the Black Forge and other surprises that we will reveal a little at a time as we continue our development!
Before You Leave
If you’ve been on the sidelines watching the development of the game but haven’t made the dive into adventuring Across the Obelisk, now is the perfect time to do so because the game is 20% OFF until September 26!
As always, we would really appreciate it if you enjoy the game to write a review and give it a recommendation on Steam. It is something we really appreciate from our wonderful community.
Until the next Dev Diary which will be aimed for roughly every month or so (no promises,) we bid you adiós, hej då, and see you on Discord.
Greetings and salutations, fine adventurers and heroes! Today we bring you a cart-load of balance changes, fixes, and quality of life improvements to Across the Obelisk. The prophets foretold this day, and now it is here. We ignored the comments in the code that read "Here Be Dragons" and ran in like a certain Paladin from the days of yore, brandishing our sword and board and screaming our own names at the top of our lungs. Thankfully, these dragons were not as terrifyingly devastating as the ones in that fabled tale.
In Patch 1.0.2, we focused on adding several features to help games that were in progress and improve the performance of the game in multiplayer, as well as trying to make it as fast as possible to reconnect and continue playing in the event of a disconnection.
Also in our effort to balance the game we have made a pass on several heroes that always seem to be overperforming and bopped them on the nose a little. We've also made several changes to improve some of the cards that saw less use to give more viable options for deckbuilding!
Games are now saved during each turn of combat. Now, you will be able to exit a game and come back to the exact point that you left it. On the other hand, if you suffer a disconnect or quit the game mid-combat you will be able to restore the game at the same turn.
Modified the way game packets are sent through the network and increased the buffer for packet resend to improve the stability of multiplayer games.
Now when a user is disconnected from the game, instead of closing the game, everyone will go back to the lobby (with the room already created) so you can wait there for that member to reconnect or continue the game without them.
We have added a new option when creating the game, "Looking for members". This will let people know that they are welcome to join your game.
Now when you have an active quest (hero or normal) it will appear with an icon in the portal selection when changing zones. To make it easier (specially for new players) to know where you have to go.
In the window to give gold and shards, added an incremental option of 1000, and now you will also see the name of the hero (in addition to the player) to whom to give the gold or shards.
Now, if you hover over a card that applies an aura or curse, it will be highlighted in the effects bar of the possible targets if the aura or curse already exists.
Improved the performance in Faeborg's combat encounter.
Sound pass to some of the game sounds and some new soundtracks have also been added.
Balance Changes
Heroes
Gustav base speed reduced to 15 (from 17).
Ottis Dome of Light (talent), Shield granted increased to 9 (from 6) and added a 2 times/round cap.
Sylvie base speed increased to 16 (from 15).
Sylvie Keen Sight (talent), reduced Piercing resistance reduced by sight to 0.3% (from 0.5%).
Sylvie removed 1 multishot from the starting deck, replaced with another rapid fire.
Cards
Burning Blood upgrades changed to uncommon (from rare)
Burning Shot increased Piercing damage
Butchering decreased the damage and increased the Bleed applied
Camouflage reduced Sharp charges by 1
Chant of Accuracy reduced Sharp charges by 1
Colossal Blow increased damage, Yellow version gains 2 Powerful (from 1), Blue version reduced cost to 2 and values adjusted
Corrupted Blade increased the damage and increased Decay charges by 1
Curse of Shadows (Yellow) increased Shadow damage by 1
Explosive Shot now also applies Burn to the main target
Far Shot increased Bleed and Mark charges by 1, and by 2 for the Yellow version
First Aid increased the healing done
Grinding Wheel (Yellow) number of possible repeats reduced to 2 (from 3)
Ice Shot increased Piercing damage by 1
Lethal Shot reduced Poison and now also applies Bleed
Mana Shield increased Block and Shield, Yellow version can target friendly heroes
Neverending Story increased damage by 1 and reduced the number of possible repeats by 1
Poisonous Shot increased Poison by 1 on the upgrades
Profane applies Dark in all versions
Sharpen reduced Sharp charges by 1
Shield Breaker increased Crack charges by 1
Skullsplitter increased the damage, Crack and Mark charges in all versions
Song of Celerity upgrades changed to uncommon (from common)
Song of Quickness (yellow) reduced fast to 2 (from 3) now it also grants Stanza I
Standard Bearer (Bree starter) no longer grants Powerful
Stoneskin white version changed to common (from uncommon)
Toxic Strike increased damage
Terrorize increased Insane and Dark charges by 1
Vampiric Touch applies 1 Dark in all versions
Volley changed to rare (from uncommon)
Whirlwind (Yellow) Fury gained reduced to 1 (from 2)
Enchantments
Command and Conquer changed the +Block charges to +3/+5/+7 (from +4/+5/+6) removed the +1 Powerful
Double Bubble changed the Shield gain to 0/5/10 (from 0/8/16) depending on the color version of the card
Double Shot changed the Sharp gain to 0/2/4 (from 0/3/6) depending on the color version of the card
Dual Wield changed the Fury gain to 0/4/8 (from 0/7/14) depending on the color version of the card
Elven Agility removed the +1 Sharp and +1 Fast charges in the Blue/Yellow version, added +1/+2 flat piercing damage done respectively
Encore changed the Regeneration gain to 0/3/6 (from 0/4/8) depending on the color version of the card
Melodic Rhythm added +1 Regeneration charges to the White version, and added +1/+2 flat healing done bonus to the Blue/Yellow versions. Removed 1 Regeneration to all heroes and the health recovery is 5% on all versions
Spell Echo changed the Powerful gain to 0/3/6 (from 0/4/8) depending on the color version of the card
Target Shooting reduced Piercing resistance decreased by 10% and increased the Sight applied to 3 (from 2)
Perks
New Sharp perk Sharp on heroes also increases the Shadow damage by 1 per charge
Burn perk Burn on enemies deals Cold damage and reduces Fire and Cold resistance by 0.3% per charge
Reinforce/Insulate/Courage perks changed to give them at the start of the combat instead of at the hero's first turn
Vulnerable perk Maximum charges of Vulnerable on enemies increased by 1 (from 2) and Charges are reduced by 1 at the end of the turn. Does not stack
Cold perk that grants Reinforce, reduced charges required to 14 (from 16)
Spark perk that applies Slow, reduced charges required to 14 (from 16)
Crack perk that applies Vulnerable, reduced charges required to 14 (from 16)
Stanza perk that grants Stanza at the start of the hero turn, changed to, Stanza on heroes increases all damage instead of only mind damage
Items
Faeborg Scale removed the suffer 1 Insane when applying chill
Nullifier now increases maximum Vulnerable charges by 6 and 8 (corrupted version)
Power Coil now increases maximum Powerful charges by 6 and 8 (corrupted version)
Corruptors
Resistant Monsters now increases all monsters' resistances by 10% (from 15%), and max Vulnerable charges on monsters set as 6
Madness levels
Rescaled the monster damage taken values in the madness levels, so that in madness base lvl 8 it becomes -2/-3/-3/-3 (from -3/-3/-3/-3)
Ylmer
Increased Ylmer's HP in madness/despair
Sightly reduced the Bleed and damage of some of Ylmer's damage-dealing cards in madness/despair
Blue and Yellow versions of Blossom reduced dispel to 2 (from 3)
Moon Catalyst (Yellow) reduced Powerful to 5 (from 6)
Overgrowth in madness/despair, reduced the Powerful charges by 1
General
Improved several errors with text
Along with this, we have cleared through a lot of the reported bugs backlog! If you have any issues, remember to report them to our Bug Report channels on Discord.
There you have it, folks! Patch 1.0.2 is available for you to play right now. Remember to leave a review on Steam if you like the game, it helps us a lot.
As always, we appreciate your support, feedback, and understanding.
Hotfix 1.0.1d
Hello everyone. Fast hotfix to solve the problem dealing cards at the beginning of the turn (back to 5 instead of 6). It also fixes some things reported here and there.
As always, thanks to all of you for your support, feedback, and understanding.
Hotfix 1.0.1c
Hello everyone. Fast hotfix to solve some of the problems with cards that draw based on energy used that were leading to desyncs. We are still investigating these kinds of interactions, and it may still happen with a really weird combo.
As always, thanks to all of you for your support, feedback, and understanding.
Hotfix 1.0.1b
Hello everyone, fast hotfix that will fix some bugs that have been reported.
- Fixed the problem with the pet training events when choosing any of the new pets from Faeborg.
- Fixed the activation of the corruptions that needed different types of cards cast by the players to be activated.
- Fixed the problems with cards that draw based on energy used that were leading to desyncs. We are still investigating these kinds of interactions, and it may still happen with a really weird combo, but the general problem is solved.
- Fixed a problem with pet shop portraits that sometimes showed an incorrect hero as the buyer of the pet.
Sorry for the inconvenience. We are trying to fix everything as soon as possible so you can continue enjoying the game!
Hotfix 1.0.1a
Hello everyone, fast hotfix that will fix some bugs that have been reported and includes the balance changes that were announced in 1.0.1.
- Reuploaded the changes to the monster cards from version 1.0.1 that were not uploaded correctly.
- Changed the order in which certain items and enchantments that draw cards or give copies of cards interact. Especially in extreme cases like Double Shot + Elven Agility + weapon that draw cards + Mirror of Kassandra. In this case, first will be the Mirror, then the Double Shot, and then the rest.
- Fixed a problem where players were receiving incorrect amounts of Dust after card divinations when the process was reset before it finished.
- Fixed a problem when a character was stuck because its speed was reduced to very low numbers.
- Fixed a problem with casting Twin Scrolls when the active character was the only member alive in the party, causing a desync.
- Fixed a problem with the trait Wide Sleeves that caused the game to desync.
That is all for now. Remember to leave a review on Steam if you like the game. It helps us a lot.
As always, thanks to all of you for your support, feedback, and understanding.
