Blade & Sorcery
Nominate Blade & Sorcery
It's been almost one year since Blade & Sorcery launched early access on December 2018 and it has been a rollercoaster of a ride. The game has grown tremendously in scope, 100% in thanks to the amazing dedication of the Blade & Sorcery community who took a risk by supporting a first-time developer with a radical physics-based combat idea. As a result, B&S was the pioneer of physics-based VR games, and proved to the market both that that it could be done and that players wanted it.
In turn, KospY sought to delight fans by adding many unplanned features that were simply fan favourites, such as dismemberment (I sure ate my hat there, didn't I), climbing, full weapon grip, draw cuts, scores and custom built assets in the hopes of moving away from unity assets. Other stretch goal features that moved form the realm of "nope" to "it's on the list" thanks to fan support include dungeons, stealth, physics-based armour, alignment (honor system), revamped character models and a campaign (progression) mode.
On top of that, it has always been KospY's intent for Blade & Sorcery to be wide open and unrestricted to modders as he has a strong belief that modders add value to a game. Currently the game SDK supports custom weapon and maps, with future support for spells, armour and apparel. Since launch, Blade & Sorcery has had over 2,500,000 mod downloads on nexusmods.com, which is bananas when you consider this is a VR game!
So if you like what the developer is doing, and B&S has given you some good, wholesome, head-splitting entertainment this last year, then please consider nominating it for the VR Game of the Year category. From now until its release there will be some exciting news about Update 8 - The Sorcery Update coming down the pipeline, so stay tuned! Thanks, all!
Update 7 released!
So the beta was longer than usual as I took the opportunity to do a lot of internal changes as well as moving on the new Unity Rendering Pipeline (LWRP/URP).
The new rendering has still some issues with lightning but nothing game breaking and Unity should resolve this in the next coming update.
Anyway, the new rendering allows more performance optimization and players struggling with performance on U6 should appreciate it ːsteamhappyː
Here is an highlight of some features of U7:
Improved player character and hands
Wrist blade and new weapons design
Custom maps support, also allowing some new crazy challenges (credit to ddevo2x!)
Below the full list of changes from U6 to U7:
Features
- Updated player male and female characters
- Updated weapon designs (swords, spear, mace, axe, bardiche, buckler, wood shield and potion)
- New weapon: Wrist blade
- Added custom map support
- Added a scores system (experimental, first step toward the experience/leveling system)
- Added post process options: Bloom, Sharpen, Vibrance, Contrast, Brightness and Eye Adaptation
- HTC Vive Cosmos support
Enhancements
- Added optional comfort vignette option for players subject to motion sickness
- Improved hand animations and fingers tracking
- Added the possibility to jump while climbing if feet are touching a surface (should be easier to climb above surface)
- Reworked map selection UI
- Updated text color of the wave selector UI
- Potion blot are now using the decal system
- Improved UI sliders
- Added a sign to show how to open the menu in the home
- Disabled auto reload when dying
- Improved level preview orb
- Improved mirror shader
- Creatures and items falling into water create a splash effect
- Items falling below the home map will teleport back to the home start
- Increased screenshot FOV from 70 to 80 (can be changed in the options file)
- Improved some weapon textures
- Allow using grip and alternate use while pointing an UI
- Improved handling of short swords, rapier, dagger, spear, dual blade staff, staff, longsword and arrow
- Improved two handed handling
- Added new debug rotation mode option
- Misc balancing
Performance optimization
- Updated the game to the new Unity Lightweight Render Pipeline (LWRP)
- GPU based decals
- Reduced draw calls on maps
- Improved physic collisions performance
- Improved NPC spawning performance
- Added async loading of asset bundles (prevent some freeze while loading)
- Creatures and items falling below maps or in Canyon water despawn automatically
- Improved wave spawner and catalog data lookup performance
Fixes
- Fixed wave parameter "max alive" not working
- Fixed potion liquid level being shared between all potions
- Fixed shields not protecting the hand correctly
- Fixed bare hand sliding along zip lines being too slow
- Prevent hand to collide with objects grabbed with telekinesis
- Fixed wrong body rotation while looking down
- Fixed menu book creating a lag spike when opening
- Fixed AI being stuck near a rock in the Market map
- Fixed UI click not working when the Windows regional format is set to Turkish
- Fixed item spawner sometime continuing to spawn objects when pressing a button
- Fixed friendly NPC colliding each other when spawning during Warzone 3 wave
- Fixed an issue with loot table not working correctly when an empty value is set
- Fixed navigation issue of the stairs in the Ruins
- Fixed some dismembering issues
- Disabled upper leg slicing to hopefully fix an issue causing the sliced NPC to be stuck in T
- Pose
- Fixed wrong damager and parry orientation and position on some weapons
- Fixed spear default grab position and orientation
- Fixed some wrong collider material in Market
- Fixed an issue preventing NPC to parry some weapon correctly
- Fixed an issue with some modded weapon causing the game to break when the player spawn with them
- Fixed controller vibrating when kicking
- Updated some texts
- Updated Unity to 2019.2.9
- Updated SteamVR Unity plugin to 2.4.5
- Updated Oculus plugin to 1.4.1
Modding
- Added custom map support to the SDK
- Added an example level in the SDK
- Added custom level modes
- Moved level module definition to level mode instead of level only
- "ColliderGroup" and "WhooshPoint" on Item Definition are now a component and Damager Definition directly reference the ColliderGroup (prefabs done with the old SDK will need to be updated!)
- Renamed Global.json to Game.json
- Added parameters to Game.json to set the default levels, default characters, default JSON folder and saves folder
- Added a launch parameter ("
- game xxx") to specify the folder containing the Game.json (allow total conversion mods)
- Moved wave spawner to level module
- Added the possibility to set multiple wave selector with different spawn points and waves on the same map
- Custom combat music support
- Custom menu support
- Added a scene in the SDK to create hand poses
- Added potions support to the SDK
- Updated TextData to support pages groups for in
- game information messages
- Added a brain parameter to disable attacks from NPC (for testing purpose)
- Finding ID in the catalog are no more case sensitive
- Improved the JSON serializer to support array updates using an identifier field
- Fixed mug items using the wrong prefab
- Added a field "alwaysAvailable" in wave JSON to force a wave to be available on all wave selectors
- Added SliceFill material path in creaturedata
- Asset bundle now use 3 extensions: .assets, .map and .uma (automatically named during export in the SDK)
- Renamed physicmaterial json to material
- Added forward and upwards particle direction in FX JSON
- Updated FX JSON (projector renamed to decal)
- Removed paintable parameter in item JSON and added a new SDK component to set which mesh is paintable in the prefab (mods will need to be updated to get blood on blades)
- Added new global pin forces parameters in ragdoll JSON
- Moved item text localization to text JSON (setting a localizationID will override the displayname and description fields)
- Added custom center of mass support for ItemDefinition
- Added new zone parameters
- HolsterName are moved to customValue in container JSON
- If no holster is set in the container JSON, the game will now pick the first available slot per default
- Added custom storage categories support (by overriding storageIcons array in Game.json)
- Added saved custom values support for items
- Fixed JSON data override not working correctly
- Fixed wave parameter "alwaysAvailable" causing wave to duplicates in every categories
- Added custom faction support (see game.json)
- Moved custom inertia tensor from item JSON to item definition prefab
Know issues
- Objects lightning are limited causing flickering in some situation. It's an issue in Unity 2019.2, but it should be fixed in the next version (2019.3, currently in beta).
- Some grass disappear unexpectedly
Update 7 BETA now live
Mods WILL NOT WORK with U7 beta, so be sure to uninstall all mods for now while modders update. If you have issues you could even try deleting Streaming_Assets in the game folder and the verifying the game on steam to reinstall that folder.
If you want mods and don't want bugs, you may wanna sit the beta out and wait for full release. Cheers!
[previewyoutube="pS5ZJHeFWHw;leftthumb"]
U7 bonus feature: Better player model
KospY has been super off the radar as of late because he is working hard on getting U7 finished and he is aiming to do so before Sept 12th. I had mentioned that U7 is largely gonna be a small update consisting of just the SDK Maps (custom map support) but with some possibility for goodies. Well here is a peek at what KospY has been cooking up in secret with his new character designer: The beginnings of a full revamp of B&S character models to make them better, crisper and all around shinier.
The images above are not to be mistaken for "The Armour Update" which will hopefully be arriving in U9 (ie where player and NPCs can equip armour pieces) but instead these are the "base" character, when he wears no armour. So for example, this character could not parry with his bracer like he could in the armour update.
Right now this upgrade is only the player character, but the hope is by U8 / U9 all models will get an upgrade, including revamped NPCs from scratch! That is, an endgoal of new 3d models, new skins/textures, new faces, new hairs / beard, etc...). A huge overhaul that should move the game toward something more professional, with art direction that makes the game look more original and fantasy / badass. Super exciting for a "bonus" addition. ;)
Cheers!
The Future of Blade & Sorcery
So first up, there are some roadmap shuffles. U7 is now going to be a small boi and will be mainly just the BAS SDK - Maps, along with some possible other goodies if there is time. The nice thing about maps getting priority right now is because we will be able to enjoy modder map content while we wait on other features. This is not to say the big update has been pushed back or anything. But rather because it has some coding changes, for the internal dev record it makes sense SDK Maps gets its own update title. So timeline-wise, no changes there.But you may be wondering where is the long awaited Gravity? I will say only this -
Update 8 - The Sorcery Update. This should be a good one, folks.
After that we will be looking at some NPC love with armours for NPCs and the player (this will be a huge game changer and should add some difficulty to the NPCs), two handed weapon support for NPCS and armour storage (like the weapon storage). Following this we should be getting support for apparels in the SDK so modders will be able to add all sorts of crazy custom costumes for characters. This could be amazing for the modding scene and we could start to see some true conversion mods as weapons, armour, apparel and maps will be fully supported for modders by this point.
With those completed the main structure of the game will be constructed, so it will then be possible to move on to CAMPAIGN MODE. Can’t believe I am saying those forbidden words… This will involve buying equipment, experience leveling, skills trees and earning gold. Still to be exactly decided what it will be, but generally the idea will be competing in increasingly difficult fights with a sense of climbing a progression ladder. It won't be an RPG but hopefully the progression will be satisfying for some who find B&S too sandboxy. But don't worry, there is no plan to remove sandbox. When creating a character, you will be able to select either sandbox or campaign. Around this time we should also see multi-language support and a tutorial.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE.
It’s a bit of a way to go, but the final piece de resistance is something we all hoped for and it went from “not gonna happen” to “well maybe” to “yes it will”. As a little bonus thank you for the overwhelming support B&S has gotten from the community, Kospy hopes to add: Dungeons.
This will add in semi-procedural maps/dungeons to the game with improved ai that are already spawned in the maps patrolling, have a fields of view, etc…. Yes, this is real. No plans for any story mode to go with this though; it will just be random dungeon spelunking. Details of this to be expanded on at a later date of course, because we are still so far out from this. Kospy has some wild ideas about it but as is his nature he prefers to underpromise and overdeliver rather than anyone be disappointed if something he promised doesn’t make it. Doesn’t wanna pull a Molyneux or No Man’s Sky.
Lastly, thanks to the amount of people who have supported the game through Early Access thus far, the B&S team has expanded! The only coder and fulltime actual WarpFrog member is still Kospy, but the full expanded team is now Kospy as the main developer, myself as community manager and marketing (same as always), and 2 Artists for weapons, props and later level design. On the “possibly coming soon / researching the possibility” list is a sound designer, an animator, a character designer and a concept artist. Pretty huge jump… the idea being we might be able to get some all around quality bumps with specialists and with an animator we may be able to get some motion captured animations. (INSERT MEGA-DISCLAIMER HERE! Lol Very big maybe, nothing confirmed, etc, etc) And then on the community side of things we of course have our 3 ever patient moderators and 4 community helpers who all sacrifice their own time to help the B&S community. Show your appreciation to a moderator / CH today!
Everything is possible because of the people who supported the game, guys. This is the real deal Early Access in action. The community makes B&S what it is! Cheers!
Update 6.3 released!
Below the changelog:
Update 6.2
- Increased maximum arm length to 1.3x (instead of 1x, so auto drop should be rarer)
- Added a new option to directly set the maximum arm length
- Prevent the pointer to look at the UI on start (to allow the debug console to work without putting the headset and move the controller)
- Modding: Fixed an issue in Level Modules preventing OnlevelLoad of being called for the Master and CharacterSelection level
- Fixed an animation issue when ungrabbing a electrified body
Vive controller layout changes
- Re-added "press to move" and "touch to move" options
- Moved kick to touchpad down and slow motion to touchpad center
- Keep pressing touchpad center and menu left will open the menu
EDIT: I append here the update 6.3 as they are really close :)
Update 6.3
- Fixed an issue breaking the death sequence when the player die while grabbing a body
- Fixed an animation issue when the player grab a character during their death animation
- Prevent gripping objects with the index finger when you only press the grip without pressing trigger (and vice-versa). Should prevent unwanted grip while punching.
Update 6.1 released!
Minor update with mainly bug fixes, inputs changes and new features and enhancement for modders :)
New inputs
Below you will see the new default layout for the Vive controller, closer to the original layout before update 6.
Trigger is also used again to slide along handle for all controllers.
I hope people will be happy with this changes :)
SteamVR custom binding
With the new SteamVR support, it's now possible to do custom binding and share them on SteamVR. Unfortunately, there is currently a bug that prevent users to edit the default binding of the game. Valve is aware of the issue and a fix is coming soon for SteamVR.
Changelog
Update 6.1
Enhancements
- Modified the Vive controller layout to something closer to the previous version
- Set slide to trigger instead of secondary button
- Improved monitor UI look (spectator mode)
- Re-implemented hold grip options for telekinesis and bodies.
- Added a new hold grip option for climbing/gripping objects without handle
- Re-implemented locomotion controller option for left-handed (Oculus native only! SteamVR users need to use a custom binding in SteamVR)
- SteamVR skeleton is now only used for the index controller. It prevents the index finger to curl when touching the trigger only on other devices (easier climbing)
- Added physical limits to arms when player is not grounded (instead of dropping the weapon or ungripping walls)
- Added an option to set the behaviour of stucked weapons when player is grounded (either drop or physically block the body, default is drop)
- Added colliders to mountains on Ruins map
- Set default spectator FOV to 80 (instead of 90)
Modding
- Added a debug console
- Added levels JSON and level modules (level/game based plugins only, level editor is not available yet)
- Moved level logic to level modules (allow default behaviors to be replaced)
- Fixed an issue preventing to load audiocontainer from asset bundles (thx to Alex for this information!)
- Updated SDK to 6.1
Fixes
- Prevent weapon to drop when swinging
- Fixed potions holster
- Prevent telekinesis to work on object grabbed elsewhere from handle
- Prevent object grabbed elsewhere from handle to despawn
- Fixed external view enable/disable option not working
- Fixed object gripping not working correctly in some situations (grabbing air or wrong object)
- Fixed some issues with the dual blade staff (it pierces and slashes correctly now)
- Fixed weapon dropping on the ground when grabbing them from hips
- Fixed menu overlap in the character selection screen
- Fixed incorrect jump height on some headsets with different refresh rate (Rift S and Valve Index)
- Fixed waist tracker that wasn't working
- Fixed barrels, crates, hands and feet going through stairs
Update 6: "The Index Controller Update" is now released!
Main Features
Climbing 2.0 - New grip system that allows you to grip anything that makes sense
Half-Swording - grip weapons anywhere, even the blade
Physic based hand and fingers + index controller ("knuckles") support
Return of the beloved kick!
Foot tracked kicking support (using at least 1 tracker)
Full body tracking support (using up to 3 trackers)
Weapon storage - You can now spawn any weapon from a menu, also mod compatible!
Large weapon rack - Store and save your favourite weapons from your home
New Weapons
Maul, new Claymore and reworked dual blade
Full SteamVR 2.0 support - You can bind keys to any action from SteamVR
New Vive input scheme
Because of some incoming features that need the trigger to be free while holding an object, the input scheme has been changed for Vive users, here is the new layout:
Native plugins and custom assets support
With the first version of the SDK, modders will be able to create their own weapons and/or write custom code for them, without the need of a any third party tool. Just drop plugins, assets and JSON into the corresponding folder and you are good to go!
More information and link to the SDK will be posted in the next coming days on Discord.
Vortex modding support
The nexus mod team was really nice and worked hard to add Blade & Sorcery support to Vortex! Big thanks to them for their support :)
And finally, totally a feature and 100% not just some bug that KospY left in because it's hilarious, ːsteammockingː I give to you:
Ear Grabbing!
Link to full gif album of update 6: https://gfycat.com/@KospY44/collections/xWQx3JGq/blade-sorcery
Full Changelog
Features
- New gripping system, you can now grab anything that makes sense using your hands as a "clamp"
- Hand climbing has been greatly improved with the new gripping system
- Half swording, Mordhau or any other fancy weapons handling are now possible with the new gripping system
- Hands and fingers are now physic based and collide with the environment
- Weapons and items storage (everything is unlocked and infinite as the only game mode available is sandbox currently)
- New larger weapons rack with more slots
- Favorite weapons can be put on the home racks to be saved
- New weapon : Maul
- Claymore overhaul (replaces the old one)
- Reworked dual blade staff
- Fingers tracking (Oculus touchs and Index controllers only)
- SteamVR 2.0 and Oculus native input support
- SteamVR custom bindings support
- Index controllers (Knuckles) support
- Vive trackers support (feet and waist)
- Foot tracked kicking (experimental)
- Crates, barrels and some others props are now climbable
- The chandelier in the house is now physic based
Enhancements
- Climbing is no more experimental and activates itself when the player doesn't touch the ground or when he grips a static object
- Pressing the kick button while jumping allows the avatar to keep his leg raised (for kick)
- Improved throwing
- Improved haptics
- Improved climbing collision
- Added localization support to items (display name and description)
- Added mirror glass hit sounds
- Added grip and grap sounds
- Adjusted weapons position on rack
- Added a FOV option to the spectator cam
- Spectator cam default FOV is now 80 (instead of 60)
- Added camera stabilization to the spectator cam (can be toggled on/off)
- New option: Reload current level
- New option: Turn speed
- New option: Language (only english for now)
- New debug option: Reload JSON
- New debug option: Show collision marker
Changes
- Increased grab range for neck and head
- New game executable name : "BladeAndSorcery.exe" (the "&" character was causing some issues for another plateform)
- Log files are now in C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\LocalLow\WarpFrog\BladeAndSorcery
- Saves files are now in C:\Users\[Username]\Documents\My Games\BladeAndSorcery
- Menu button (Vive) and A/X (Rift) is now used to slide along handles (trigger needs to be free for incoming features)
- New input scheme for the Vive controller to reflect this change
- Inverted jump and kick button
- Axe no more fly straight when thrown
- Updated book menu look
- Memory performance enchancements
- Moved debug menu to a dedicated page
- Removed options "invert trigger & grip" and "locomotion controller", as we are now able to directly use the SteamVR binding menu for that
Modding
- Added native plugins support (custom code)
- Added native asset bundle support (custom items models and textures)
- Added item modules to allow multiple custom logic to run on each item
- Potions, apparels, AI, quivers, hands and bows are now an item module (therefore potions and bows are now moddable)
- New JSON serializer to handle class types directly
- Note: The BAS SDK will be released in the next coming days
- Note: Custom map support is not yet finalized but should come "soon"
Fixes
- Fixed kicking
- Fixed inputs not working if the game was not focused
- Fixed wrong hand scale
- Fixed an exploit allowing to use ragdolls to fly :(
- Fixed visual issue while grabbing ropes and ladders
- Fixed player ragdoll stuck in T pose on death
- Fixed player body collider getting stuck while climbing
- Fixed mirror colliders and adjusted reflection
- Fixed missing colliders on some maps
- Fixed some locomotion issues
- Fixed menu not returning to the last page
- Fixed an exploit allowing the player to fly while kicking its own weapons
- Fixed auto drop
- Updated to Unity 2019.1.8
U6 Climbing Preview
Also, if you missed the news elsewhere, U6 will drop on June 27th. ːsteamhappyː
https://youtu.be/EKeruUMkcws
U6 news!
Climbing 2.0
https://youtu.be/IeeZPRYMnZs
I was pretty surprised to see this! With climbing 2.0 it is now possible to latch onto things with your grip rather than having to make fists and hoof yourself around like some kinda of savage, haha. Best of all, this will be available for people who have the Valve Index knuckles, but also normal controllers! So no worries Rifters, you are not locked out. There is nothing special about the map to allow climbing by the way, meaning custom maps will be climbable too - Since it's physics based and not some hidden property attached to special parts of the terrain to make them grippable, this means you can latch on any surface that has a grippable point that makes sense. So you could grip onto a jutting piece of wall, but not a flat wall for example. (Although kospy has a "spiderman mode" hidden in the code, just in case he feels like releasing it for fun, lol.) Oh and before anyone asks - the map in the video was just a test map. Though KospY was toying with the idea of adding a "KospY's Tower" bonus map for fun. :)
So you may be asking, where is this all coming from? Well remember, B&S is an early access game and the is much that will evolve. Remember the naysayers who said B&S wont be more than a tech demo arena game? Well this climbing mechanic is setting the stage for future dungeons, where the player will have to climb at certain points to figure out how to traverse the map.
As a little bonus, climbing will have some foot snapping, which is.... well... something. xD
Foot snapping
https://youtu.be/QooIWz_3b8g
The idea being if you look down you will see your feet snapped to the wall so it will look cool, but a little janky (for now!) in 3rd person haha. KospY's comment on this - "It's far from the assassin creed animations, but it's better than nothing xD"
Oh and another nice little bonus! No more pushback when in climbing mode!!! Yay! You might recall some jankiness with climbing enabled, particularly with 2 handed weapons, where you feel a little "pushback" when trying to stab. Well now the system is climbing physics will be disabled when the player has 2 feet on the ground. In a way you could consider it like an auto turn on/off that is context based. :)
The last physics related thing to mention is hand collisions, which is essentially the hands will now be an interactable part of the world all the time. KospY didn't have time to go into this much but I believe the implication here is that it sets the foundation for some possible future Knuckles stuff that involves individual fingers. Will post more info on that when I have it.
What else... oh weapons! Our weapons man has been hard at work with some cool new goodies. If you missed my last post from reddit and discord, I mentioned we already have confirmed:
Claymore
Comparison to longsword for scale
Revamped Dual Blade Staff
Comparison to the original model - although it's gonna be even longer than shown here. The final blades should be as long as the originals. The longer shaft will hopefully make it more staff-like to operate.
But we have two more things to hopefully look forward to in U6. Just to temper expectations however, it has not been 100% confirmed to me that these two new weapons will make it into U6 in time, though I think it's likely. But anyway, they are:
Maul
Push Blade (assassin's creed style)
Speaking of weapons, hopefully you are all enjoying the vast array of custom weapons that the modding community have been churning out. It is now confirmed that when the U6 SDK drops, all mods will be moved from the Discord to https://www.nexusmods.com/bladeandsorcery/. Some modders are already migrating, which is excellent because they wont be caught off guard. Nexus will be a million times better than Discord for organization, searching, images, checking what's new released, what's most popular, avoiding obsolete version confusion, etc. If you are a modder I recommend you start making the move now (you can still post your nexus link on discord). Of course no one has to use nexus to host their mods, but I encourage it for your own visibility sake, as that is the official location I will be sending people who ask where mods are hosted.
Last of all, there is now a rough ballpark for U6 release! The ballpark for U6 is late June, which is approaching fast, folks. ;) That's it for now! Hope you all have a lovely week. Cheers!